With the 28th EBU Technical Assembly to be hosted by France Télévisions in Montpellier, the June 2022 issue of tech-i magazine visits the broadcaster's impressive production facility just outside the city in Vendargues. It is a one-stop shop for producing films and series, with studios, sets – real and virtual – and post-production facilities all available on-site.
An incredible 260 episodes of the soap opera Un si grand soleil are shot at Vendargues each year, taking advantage of the on-site expertise in the use of virtual sets to attain high-quality production values. Read all about it on pages 10–11.
In his editorial, EBU T&I Director Antonio Arcidiacono argues that the ongoing war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic both offer ample evidence of the need for resilient distribution networks, providing stability and long-term certainty, and with sufficient spectrum resources to support the broadcast-based elements.
Ensuring the contribution and distribution of information remains active, even when key infrastructure is destroyed, is a fundamental requirement for any democratic society. A modern distribution network should be regarded as critical national infrastructure. It is a strategic resource allowing access to multiple and trusted sources of education and information, supporting public safety and democratic life. (See page 3.)
Also in this issue
- Taking a position on UHF spectrum – Statements from four coalitions sounding the alarm ahead of WRC- 23
- Pushing the set-top box to the edge – The EBU is leading 5G-EMERGE, a new project funded by the European Space Agency
- Putting content – and archives – at the heart of a modern production platform – Yioula Kyriacou on Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation’s new unified platform
- Is Starlink ready for prime time? – VRT has been testing whether the service from SpaceX is suitable for media contribution
- Doing more with PSM podcasts – EBU T&I has launched a new pilot targeting improved reach and prominence for podcasts
- Bringing clarity to the implementation of Live IP standards – A practical checklist to help implementers and end users get the most from SMPTE ST 2110
- Telling sustainability stories goes hand in hand with taking action – Simon Tuff (BBC) reports from the recent EBU Sustainability Summit
- In my opinion: Delivering big changes with small teams – Director of Technology at NRK, Heidrun Reisæter
- Partner Profiles: European Space Agency – Maria Guta on the critical role of satellites in fuelling the 5G and 6G media sector economy
- The precarious financial position of public service media – The latest research from the EBU Media Intelligence Service
- In the spotlight: Susanne Rath – Senior Engineer, Competence Center International Frequency Management, ARD/BR; Chair of EBU Project Group on PMSE
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Download issue 52 of tech-i (PDF)