Newsroom Insights & Updates
- With David Kirk
Newsroom Insights & Updates By David Kirk...
Satisfying the demand for multiplatform news has long been a major challenge across the entire media sector. A report published in September 2024 by the UK government Office of Communications, Ofcom, summarises the changing nature of news consumption among adults and teenagers. Based on surveys conducted in Britain, it confirms that online news platforms are continuing to grow in popularity especially in comparison with printed-paper media. Three highlights:
- 96% of UK adults say they consume news in some form but the ways in which people access the wide variety of news platforms are changing.
- TV news (including on-demand) is the main news platform used by 85% of people aged 55+. This age group is also gradually adopting online news, with 54% now using online platforms for news. This is largely driven by direct access (to news publishers, websites and apps), with only 28% of those aged 55+ using social media for news.
- Online sources continue to be most popular among the younger age groups, with nine in 88% of 16-24-year-olds using online sources for news. Only 49% of 16-24s use broadcast TV for news.
The full survey can be seen here:
The need to digest and deliver news efficiently for multiple reading/listening/viewing platforms is an ongoing challenge for content creators but an ongoing opportunity for companies offering newsroom systems and related services. The following looks at recent announcements by some of the major vendors. Associated Press' AP Storytelling is a cloud-based newsroom production system offering multi-platform collaboration. "Better collaboration and in real-time, better cross-platform publishing, the right role for AI - this is what we're delivering to news leaders with AP Storytelling," says Paddy Payne, Director of International Business Development, AP Workflow Solutions.
"Meanwhile CTOs get the reliability and flexibility in deployment that they are demanding. Few stories are 'one and done'. Stories evolve, provoke, take on significance, and impact demographics and territories in different ways. When news breaks, social media is the first place to rush bare facts, photos and eye-witness testimony. A competitive newsroom wants to follow that with, say, a digital news piece including video and perspective. A TV report then delivers more rounded coverage, background and some live video for prime time. Later coverage on all platforms can incorporate reaction and be tailored to target audiences. This may remain one story but different versions and content will be applicable to each platform. This is what story-centric means to us in the newsroom. AP Storytelling will boost your team's efficiency with real-time collaboration tools that allow simultaneous work on stories and rundowns, improving communication and teamwork. Once story content is fact-checked, AI can free the journalist from repetitive reversioning to offer treatments of the story appropriate to different platforms, whilst also maintaining narrative consistency across formats. Always a journalist in the loop and to approve before publishing. AP Storytelling provides a single user interface for journalists to receive assignments, access content, message colleagues and collaborate, publish to social, digital and linear outputs while still giving flexibility to tech teams."
CGI's OpenMedia newsroom computer system (NRCS) acts as a collaboration platform and allows management of activities such as research, story-centric planning, scripting and multiplatform output. Suitable for hybrid cloud and onsite installation, it offers MOS-based compatibility with third-party playout systems and support for remote working teams. CGI OpenMedia NewsBoard enables journalists and editorial teams to organise their story production and share the latest information directly. Customisable and open widget architecture allows newsrooms to accommodate workflow adaptations. CGI's ReporterApp for Android and iOS enables commentators to connect with the newsroom systems from any telco-connected location. A further element in the OpenMedia product chain, StudioDirector enables news organisations to offload technically complex and time-consuming preparation work by feeding the automation with directives and MOS commands. These directives ensure that all required elements are ready for playout.
Octopus Newsroom reports that it is enhancing the flexibility of its newsroom system with AI, smarter workflows and a powerful web client. "Octopus is one of the most flexible newsroom systems on the market and our latest innovations take that flexibility even further," comments Gabriel Jankó, COO and Sales Director.
"With a strong focus on AI, automation and seamless integration, Octopus 12 empowers news teams to work efficiently across broadcast, digital and social platforms. AI is transforming modern newsroom operations.
"Octopus 12 ensures broadcasters stay ahead by integrating with top AI solutions while keeping full control over their workflows. AI-assisted content search, automated transcription and smart news gathering help journalists work faster while preserving editorial creativity. For added security, Local AI keeps sensitive newsroom data private and under the broadcaster's control. Security remains a key priority and the new Octopus Customer Portal offers centralised management of user access, encryption keys, and system monitoring, giving broadcasters full visibility and control over their newsroom environment. A major innovation is the Octopus Web Client, a powerful browser-based interface that offers access to the most crucial workflow tools, including rundowns, scripts and plugin support, ensuring journalists can collaborate and stay productive whether in the newsroom or working remotely.
Compatible with both cloud-hosted and locally installed Octopus systems, it adapts to any workflow. Another key advancement is a no-code workflow designer, enabling broadcasters to automate repetitive tasks and integrate third-party services like WhatsApp, Slack and Microsoft Teams effortlessly."
Qvest creates live broadcasting and streaming environments for news, sports and entertainment. Its services include planning, designing and implementing on-premises, cloud-based and hybrid systems. Among recent news-related projects is a comprehensive broadcast transformation and modernisation of the media infrastructure for Sky News Arabia (SNA). This enables SNA's transition to IMI's Media Group headquarters on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The project involved implementing an ST-2110-compliant IP-based broadcast infrastructure integrating poducts from vendors such as Avid, Telestream and Vizrt. A detailed migration plan was developed and executed to guarantee a smooth transition from the existing systems to the new infrastructure. Workflows were redefined and automated for content ingest, editing, transcoding and distribution.
Qvest also provided training for SNA staff on the new systems, further supported by six months of on-site assistance. The project integrated broadcast systems with redundant fail-safe mechanisms to ensure uninterrupted operations. Real-time monitoring tools and quality assurance protocols were introduced to maintain high performance standards.
"Our collaboration with IMI on this ambitious project underscores Qvest's commitment to delivering innovative and futureproof solutions that meet the highest standards of broadcast and media production," says Philipp Glänzel, CTO and General Manager at Qvest MENA.
Ross Video's Streamline Pro, media asset management system, with built-in Web Video Editor is designed to accelerate the news production process. "We designed all our newsroom solutions - Streamline Pro, Inception (NRCS), OverDrive (Automated Production Control) and Media I/O (ingest and playout server) - to facilitate faster and more straightforward content creation and playout through a unified highly automated news production workflow," says Peter Abecassis, Director of Product Management. "The Streamline Pro Web Video Editor allows the editing of headlines, teasers and voiceovers 30% faster than traditional solutions, without additional hardware. It exports directly into newsroom computer system placeholders, eliminating platform switching and reducing errors. The ability to access and edit content from anywhere, including refining timelines from the web video editor in a craft editor when needed and exporting them back, helps in maintaining continuity and momentum in projects. We offer on-premises and cloud solutions, and provide various financial models to meet customers' needs, including perpetual licensing, subscription and SaaS.
SNews' Arion is designed to give newsroom teams the facilities they need to monitor, search and filter incoming and archived news. Newsroom teams can create their own rundown including a count of surpluses or overruns. View layouts and colours can be customised to match a channel-preferred design. Arion also allows configuration of subsections, expected length and video clip duration. Externally sourced news can be verified automatically through channels such as RSS and Facebook. Shared across the entire newsroom, Arion gives authorised users access to the broadcaster's registered sources. Recent enhancements include an integration with a Reuters-developed API which provides real-time access to news, images and videos directly within the Arion interface. Another new feature, Arion Assistant, provides support for daily tasks, organizes information and generates insights.
Vizrt's Viz Pilot Edge is an HTML-based newsroom graphics system designed to help journalists create content quickly and efficiently. Version 3 has new interface which allows journalists to create, manage and deliver news coverage using templated graphics. Graphics, maps, animations, videos and still images can be handled on a single platform including live preview. Viz Pilot Edge automatically generates templates or generates cross-platform custom templates. Primary and secondary centralised storage of content is included. The newsroom component integrates with newsroom systems from various third-party vendors. It supports real-time previews, even for multiple reveals, giving journalists full control of how a news rundown will look. Viz Pilot Edge 3.1 introduces role-based sign-on authentication for increased security. Metadata and keyword filters improve the search function to speed up graphics generation. Transition Logic provides for smooth orchestration of overlapping graphics in playout. Graphics metadata can be saved alongside clean video onto the Viz One media asset management system.
