From our Who’s Buying What page: ENCO said Sky News Arabia deployed a DAD automation system when it expanded its radio offering from an audio simulcast to radio-specific content.
Sky News Arabia has bureaus across MENA, Europe and the United States; it was launched with a joint investment by International Media Investments and Sky News. It broadcasts regional and international news coverage via TV, radio and digital platforms.
ENCO said the addition of a DAD system enabled audio workflows with Sky News’ existing Avid iNEWS newsroom computer system, or NRCS.
“This project was developed in line with the network’s aim to consistently enhance its services,” ENCO said in a press release.
“As Sky News Arabia was already using the iNEWS system for its TV broadcast, they also wanted to integrate their TV and radio operations through the same NRCS to keep the workflow streamlined, and ensure ease of use for its journalists and producers.”
ENCO’s iNEWS MOS Interface plug-in enables Media Object Server protocol integration between iNEWS and the DAD automation. ENCO said this allows journalists and news producers to access DAD audio asset libraries within the iNEWS client interface.
Users can search the ENCO library, preview clips, trim media and bring the results into their stories by dragging and dropping the desired items.
“iNEWS rundowns are automatically synchronized as playlists on the DAD automation system to keep everything effortlessly updated for subsequent playout,” ENCO stated.
Audio clips can be recorded into Sky News Arabia’s DAD system in the studio, or imported as files manually or through watch folders using the DAD Dropbox utility. Journalists interact with the DAD system primarily through the iNEWS plug-in, and studio personnel use the DAD Presenter interface for managing playout.
Suresh Kumar is director of technology at Sky News Arabia.
