France Télévisions Selects Sony Professional to Optimise its Broadcasting and Exchange Infrastructure

Sony Professional will provide France Television with a SOA (Service-orientated architecture) based Integration platform that links their new Playout platform with the rest of their Enterprise. The Solution encompasses Workflow and Service Orchestration and will automate the exchange of Content and Metadata between the various digital Production Island. By integrating a 3rd party Media Asset Management (MAM) solution, France Television will have greater access to their broadcast catalogue.

The system will cover all departments of France Télévisions responsible for acquiring and broadcasting media from the 4 premium channels and other group channels focused on more specific subjects. This project illustrates perfectly the relevance and capability of Sony Professional’s tailored solutions for media organisations such as France Télévisions.France Télévisions’ investment will enable the company to create an innovative infrastructure that reflects the new ways viewers consume televisual content. The "Centre de Diffusion et d'echange" (Broadcasting and Exchange Centre") will be one of the first in the industry, to take the initiative and reap the advantages of merging both linear and non-linear programme broadcasting. Through this project, France Télévisions will benefit from increased exposure of each programme, and from optimised stock management.

Sony Professional, as a integrator, has also selected proven partners to bring their expertise and experience to the France Télévisions group, presided Rémy Pflimlin. During the second quarter of 2010, the open public tender and the intensive selection meetings enabled the French public media group to accept the best bid."Sony was chosen following a rigorous, transparent and fair competitive process. The proposal submitted clearly met all our expectations," said Yves Le Bras, project manager for the "Broadcasting and Exchanges Centre" project at France Télévisions.

Through the infrastructure provided by Sony Professional, France Télévisions will effectively future-proof its organisation, as well as fuel its wider ambitions in this space. Sony is therefore fully supporting France Télévisions’ long-term plans, tabling in its extensive experience working with major media groups and developing solutions to meet their specific needs."We ensure we can live up to our clients’ expectations by offering them integrated and efficient solutions to support their projects. The deal signing is just the beginning of a long and hopefully fruitful collaboration," said Stéphane Labrousse, Sony Professional operations director in France.

According to Pascal Kerloch, Sony's Account Manager for France Télévisions: "The combined effort of a large pan-European team and several third party suppliers has enabled Sony to secure this landmark opportunity. By backing SOA technology, Sony offers a future-proof proposal that is perfectly suited to a constantly changing market."

The Sony-developed Media Backbone Conductor (MBC) is at the heart of the infrastructure

The new automated and "monitored" internal processes at the Broadcasting and Exchange Centre will rest on a flexible, future-proof service-orientated architecture. This approach will enable France Télévisions to innovate in non-linear broadcasting (including VOD, DVD and catch-up), strengthening coherence and synergies between channels and increasing operational efficiency, supporting new businesses on their way to digital.

MBC was introduced at NAB 2010, it is Sony's Enterprise Class integration platform which is designed to simplify system complexity and increase productivity. The platform is designed around customers Business Process needs and is driven by a powerful Workflow Engine which orchestrates tasks and common services such as transcoding and automated quality control. By automating many of the non-creative tasks and centralising common services greater efficiencies can be achieved. End users interface with the platform via custom developed GUI’s which are role specific and optimised for Media centric users.

"Sony Professional Solutions Europe" is a branch of the Sony Corporation. As a professional services group, which integrates software systems and solutions, it has provided customised systems for broadcasters in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Russia and has been experiencing continuous growth since 2000.

Through this deal, France Télévisions reinforces its faith in Sony Professional. Just a few months ago, the company awarded Sony with a contract to renew its entire range of cameras in order to migrate to High Definition in 24 regional and 9 overseas centres.

On behalf of all the members of its teams, Sony Professional would like to thank the France Télévisions Group for this renewed show of trust.

About Sony Professional

Sony Professional, a division of Sony Europe, is the leading supplier of AV/IT solutions to businesses across a wide variety of sectors including, Media and Broadcast, Video Security and Retail, Transport & Large Venue markets. It delivers products, systems and applications to enable the creation, manipulation and distribution of digital audio-visual content that add value to businesses and their customers. With over 25 years’ experience in delivering innovative market-leading products, Sony Professional is ideally placed to deliver exceptional quality and value to its customers. Sony's Professional Services division, its systems integration arm, offers its customers access to the expertise and local knowledge of skilled professionals across Europe. Collaborating with a network of established technology partners, Sony delivers end-to-end solutions that address the customer's needs, integrating software and systems to achieve each organisation’s individual business goals.