SINGAPORE—Globecast has completed a major renovation of its facility here transforming broadcast operations into a state-of-the-art, IP-enabled hub that puts its customers across the Asia-Pacific region at the forefront of technological innovation.

The upgrade follows the recent opening of Globecast’s Westlake Village facility in California, further strengthening the company’s global strategy to modernize its infrastructure. This initiative ensures Globecast’s operations are aligned with the growing demand for hybrid, software-defined media workflows, enabling its customers to leverage flexible, resilient and future-ready solutions worldwide.

Established more than a decade ago with a focus on traditional linear broadcast operations, the Singapore facility has been completely re-imagined to meet today’s cloud-centric landscape. The transformation includes a significant reduction and optimization of physical space, complemented by a strategic shift towards integrated cloud, IP and OTT workflows. These advancements minimize dependency on legacy hardware while enhancing operational agility and flexibility.

At the core of the upgrade is a comprehensive reconfiguration of essential technical areas, including the technical operations center, master control room, and playout control room, which now are optimized to integrate cloud-based processing, IP connectivity and centralized monitoring and control systems, resulting in more efficient, flexible and scalable operations.

In addition to improving operational efficiency and scalability, the upgraded facility offers a more modern working environment for staff. It is also designed to accommodate future developments, such as increased network capacity and strengthened cybersecurity capabilities.

As a fully hybrid environment, the facility can seamlessly support both traditional broadcast services and next-generation IP and cloud workflows. It remains a key point of presence in Singapore, providing connectivity, teleport services, playout and media management for hundreds of channels and services across the region.

“This project went beyond simply upgrading infrastructure,” said Chris Pulis, chief technology officer of Globecast. “It was a complete redefinition of a modern broadcast facility. By integrating cloud, IP and advanced monitoring capabilities into a unified environment, we have an operations base in Asia that is more efficient, adaptable and prepared to support the next generation of media services across the region. It also represents a significant step forward with our broader strategic plan of transforming our operations worldwide.”

The project was largely executed through Globecast’s in-house integration expertise. Its engineering teams oversaw the design, migration and implementation processes.

A central focus throughout the nine-month transformation was ensuring uninterrupted service delivery. Globecast successfully completed the upgrade while maintaining full operational continuity, providing seamless support for customers without any service disruption.

More information is available on the company’s website.

LONDON—Sports marketing agency Pitch International has gone live with cloud-based distribution of Emirates Football Association Challenge Cup matches with the help of broadcast services provider Globecast and Synamedia’s Quortex Link cloud distribution platform.

Using Synamedia’s Quortex Link, integrated with Globecast’s managed services platform, broadcasters can receive matches via IP or satellite.

The FA Cup, a knockout competition for English teams, is said to be the world’s oldest football tournament. It attracted nearly 100 million viewers during the 2023-24 season. Pitch owns the broadcast rights across western Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Through its partnership with Globecast and Synamedia it now is offering broadcasters in these markets IP-based or satellite reception of matches, all managed seamlessly on the Globecast platform. 

Pitch selected Globecast’s Connect Live SRT platform, powered by Synamedia’s SaaS-based Quortex Link, for high-quality, low-latency IP delivery to affiliates across multiple territories. Quortex Link provides Globecast with the scalability, robustness and operational confidence required to support a dense schedule of matches while maintaining broadcast-grade performance. Quortex Link also allows Globecast to tailor each broadcaster’s feed to the correct video format and frame rate. 

By combining Quortex Link’s pay-as-you-go cloud distribution with traditional satellite services, Globecast delivers a best-of-both-worlds approach, providing right holders and broadcasters flexibility. The workflow ensures security, redundancy, reach and predictable performance, even during the most logistically complex rounds of the competition.

More information is available on the Globecast and Synamedia websites.

LOS ANGELES—G Morgan has joined Globecast, a provider of broadcast, media and entertainment managed services, as executive vice president of sales, Globecast Americas.

In his new role, Morgan will be responsible for leading Globecast America’s sales strategy and customer engagement across the region as the company continues its shift from a traditional broadcast services provider to a modern, flexible media solutions partner, the company said. He’ll focus on expanding Globecast’s footprint in cloud-based playout, connectivity and IP distribution services while supporting customers in their own digital evolution, Globecast said.

“The media industry is changing profoundly, both technologically and commercially, across content creation, distribution, and monetization,” Morgan said. “At Globecast, the focus is on enabling customers to adapt and thrive through flexible, cloud-based and hybrid delivery models. This role provides an opportunity to build on the company’s strong heritage while helping shape its next chapter of innovation.”

Morgan brings to Globecast more than two decades of media and entertainment experience, the company said, including in senior roles with leading technology and service providers, where he helped shape the industry’s migration through such major transitions as the shift from analong to digital, the SD-to-HD transition and moves to live, linear streaming and cloud-based media workflows.

He most recently played a key role at Amazon Web Services, where, as part of AWS’s acquisition and integration of Elemental, he contributed to building the company’s media and entertainment vertical, Globecast said.

Morgan will report to Eddie Ferraro, managing director of Globecast Americas.

“G has been at the forefront of nearly every major transformation in our industry over the past 20 years,” Ferraro said. “His deep technical understanding, combined with his leadership and customer-first mindset, makes him the perfect person to help accelerate Globecast’s next phase of growth in the Americas.”

PARIS—Globecast has announced that it will showcase its latest innovations in hybrid cloud solutions during the 2025 NAB Show, April 6 to 9 at its booth W2559 in the Las Vegas Convention Center’s West Hall.

The company reported that its Hybrid Cloud Solutions portfolio on display at the show is built on three key pillars:

• Unified All-IP Global Connectivity and Infrastructure: Enabling seamless content acquisition and distribution.
• Advanced Business Applications: Featuring solutions for remote production, TV headend management, playout, and OTT services.
• Transformation, Integration, and Managed Services: Continuing the company’s “Cloud Your Way” initiative.

During the show, Globecast will also be talking to customers about its new, state-of-the-art facility in Westlake Village, California, following its successful transition after decades in Culver City. The move reflects the evolution of the media and entertainment services industry from hardware-intensive operations to virtualized, cloud-based solutions, the company explained.

The Westlake Village hub is designed for advanced video signal management, ensuring reliable content routing and distribution, expanded live sports integration, and capacity for clients to operate in customizable tailored spaces to manage their unique workflows. The transition marks a milestone in Globecast’s commitment to providing agile, scalable, and high-performance solutions for the media industry.

“As a long-standing leader in media services, Globecast remains at the forefront of industry evolution,” said Jean-Christophe Perier, CMO of Globecast. “As media organizations seek to maximize their return on investment, enhance service reliability, and adapt to rapidly changing viewer behaviors, we can support their evolution through managing and monitoring services, disaster recovery, launching new services, and augmenting their operational resources. As part of this evolution, we are carefully exploring AI’s role in our operations, ensuring it is implemented strategically to drive real benefits in monitoring and service management.”

Globecast, which continues to expand its presence in live sports broadcasting across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, will also be discussing its latest advances in live event integration and how it supports customers in delivering seamless, high-quality sports content to audiences worldwide.

For further information visit: https://www.globecast.com/

STUDIO CITY, Calif.—Hallmark Media is well-known across the entertainment industry and is recognized for its family-friendly programming and heartwarming storytelling. We currently have three network channels, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark+ and Hallmark Family, and we aim to be a leading provider of content that families can enjoy together, emphasizing positive and uplifting themes.

We partner with Globecast to manage the origination and distribution of all three television channels, ensuring our content is delivered efficiently and reliably to viewers across various MVPD platforms, digital/OTT/cable/satellite. Our key goals include keeping up with the growing technology in delivering content to customers and maximizing growth potential for viewership and ad sales.

Cloud-Based Efficiency
Our partnership with Globecast began in 2016 with the provision of disaster-recovery services—a decision prompted by the need to enhance our technical operations and ensure reliable content delivery across our television networks.

As our partnership evolved, we have been working more closely with them to address a number of key objectives. First, we wanted to leverage advanced broadcast technologies and services to improve the quality and efficiency of our content origination and distribution.

Next, we wanted a scalable solution to support our growth and ability to adapt to new distribution methods, including digital platforms. In addition, Globecast’s cloud-based services, including playout management and technical support, allowed us to streamline our operations.

We chose Globecast as our technology partner for several strategic reasons, primarily centered around their expertise, global reach and comprehensive service offerings, including their expertise in cloud-based production services. More specifically, they bring deep industry experience with a well-established reputation in the media and broadcast industry. They also have an excellent track record in managing complex broadcast operations for leading media companies.

From a technology standpoint, they deliver a comprehensive, end-to-end service offering that scales according to need and is backed by extremely reliable infrastructure and 24/7 support. Key to our successful relationship is their ability to offer tailored services that match our unique requirements, from seasonal programming events to digital platform integration.

Transition to IP
We are also the first Globecast customer to transition to Globecast’s new state-of-the-art facility in Westlake Village in the Los Angeles metro, which offers IP-based infrastructure that allows for easier and more cost-effective scaling of our operations.

Hallmark Media has been a leader in adopting the cloud and IP networks as a base of technical operations to scale our footprint. The Globecast Westlake Village, California, facility enables us to accelerate this adoption due to their significant increases in networking infrastructure and bandwidth, as well as with the move to SMPTE 2110. Globecast also now supports a more IP-centric distribution model, which we needed for our continued growth into OTT affiliates and streaming services.

Today, Globecast provides us with a range of key services, one of which is playout services. Globecast manages our channel playout, which includes the scheduling, sequencing and transmission of broadcast content. This service ensures that all programming, commercials and interstitial content are aired seamlessly and according to the planned schedule. They also handle the origination of our television channels, ensuring high-quality broadcasting. This includes the technical preparation of content, such as encoding, formatting and integrating graphics and overlays.

Globecast also provides satellite uplink and downlink services, which are crucial for transmitting our content to various cable and satellite providers across domestic and international markets. In addition, Globecast offers fiber connectivity and IP delivery, allowing for the transmission of content over secure and reliable networks. This is especially important for distributing content to digital platforms and streaming services.

Lastly, they provide around-the-clock monitoring and technical support to ensure the smooth operation of our broadcasting activities, helping us to quickly identify and resolve any issues that may arise during transmission.

For Hallmark Media, this is an important strategic partnership that enables us to focus on tech-led innovation and meet consumer needs in a highly competitive market. 

More information is available at www.globecast.com.

PARIS—Al Jazeera Media Network (AJMN) and Globecast have extended an 18-year relationship with the launch of a new, comprehensive global distribution solution of the broadcaster’s suite of channels on multiple delivery platforms.

The pair began working together in 2006 with the launch of Al Jazeera English. Globecast now provides AJMN with a comprehensive suite of managed distribution services, including include global satellite distribution on five continents, along with terrestrial distribution to affiliates and a back-up cloud OTT platform for its suite of channels, Globecast said.

"Our partnership with Al Jazeera Media Network has been a journey of mutual growth and learning,” said Giorgio Giacomini, managing director for MENA at Globecast. “Their unrivalled technical expertise has consistently pushed us to innovate and excel, and we've learned as much from them as we've given. This has been instrumental in developing this next-generation solution."

Designed to maximize quality of service backed by reliable, round-the-clock supervision and support using a dedicated and resilient infrastructure with seamless switching capabilities, the setup will achieve a high level of availability and control that enables Globecast to manage and make any requested change in line with the priorities of AJMN, it said.

 "Working closely with Globecast allows us to deliver our content with utmost confidence, knowing that their expertise and technical prowess will maintain the broadcast quality our audience expects,” said Ahmed Al-Fahad, executive director of technology and network operations at Al Jazeera Media Network. "Their dedicated infrastructure, along with the seamless distribution and management services, is now vital for our continued success on a global scale.”

More information is available on the company’s website.

In advance of the 2024 IBC Show, Sept. 13-16 at the RAI Amsterdam, TV Tech spoke with Jean-Christophe Perier, CMO of Globecast, who will be exhibiting at Stand 5.C75 in the show's Content Everywhere Zone.

TV Tech: Why did you choose to exhibit in the Content Everywhere Zone this year?
Jean-Christophe Perier: We felt that the Content Everywhere Zone was more in line with our initiatives for media integration and orchestration, hybrid cloud solutions and content monetization than the other areas of the Show. We also find value in the speaking and stage opportunities on the Content Everywhere stages on the show floor.

TVT: What will you be highlighting at your exhibit?
JCP: We will be highlighting the latest in advanced transmission and connectivity capabilities and end-to-end hybrid cloud solutions as well as OTT and media management updates. Globecast has significantly broadened its acquisition, remote production, media management, playout and distribution solutions.

TVT: Which trends do you expect will be most important at the show this year?
JCP: We expect to see advances in media integration and managed services, and the implementation of AI for streamlining of workflows. We are excited to hear about the sustainability initiatives that are being undertaken in the industry and learn how we can benefit from implementing and discussing these initiatives with our colleagues.

TVT: What brings you back to IBC every year?
JCP: IBC is must-attend event for our category of services to customers. As a global company based in Paris, we can interact with attendees from all over the world, and we believe IBC is the gold standard for technology events.

The partnerships and connections we have made during IBC over the years have enabled us to continue to grow, learn and stay ahead of the most current advances in the broadcast industry. Lastly, and not any less important, are the relationships fostered and the comradery we enjoy during the Show.

For more information, visit https://show.ibc.org/content-everywhere

Missed any of our product news this week? Here is our new weekly wrap-up of new products, services and deployments we published in our newsletter between June 24 and June 28. The stories are listed from the newest on Friday June 28, day by day back to our stories from Monday June 24..

Nest Productions, MiB Partner On New Production Insurance Program

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Globecast, Blacon Media To Collaborate On U.S. Election Coverage

Globecast and Blacon Media, a broadcast engineering, production and distribution firm, are partnering to provide live coverage of the 2024 U.S. election and related events.

Fubo Launches on Xfinity Flex, Xumo Stream Box and Xumo TV

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Dalet Completes AWS Foundational Technical Review for Dalet Pyramid Cloud-Native News 

Dalet has announced it has completed the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Foundational Technical Review (FTR) for Dalet Pyramid, the company's cloud-native news workflow solution.

T-Mobile Remains Top Ranked for 5G Speeds

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Amagi Strengthens its European Presence with New Office in Poland

Amagi has opened a new office in the bustling center of Łódź, which will strengthen its European presence and allow it to tap into a wealth of young technology talent in Poland, the company reported.

HOT Telecommunications Reduces Errors, Plans For Future With OOONA QA Manager

Israeli telecom HOT has deployed OOONA’s QA Manager to transform management of its video-on-demand (VOD) catalog and automate quality assurance operation, enhance the accuracy of localization and deliver a better experience to customers.

Peacock to Use AI-Generated Al Michaels' Voice for Recaps of Olympic Games

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EMG / Gravity Media Deploys Remote Video Workflow For Netball

EMG / Gravity Media has developed a remote video production workflow for coverage of Netball, a sport played by more than a half million worldwide with some similarities to basketball.

Drei TV Turns To ATEME For OTT Video Compression, Management

Drei TV has deployed video compression and management technology from ATEME to power the Austrian TV service provider’s over-the-top (OTT) streaming service, which consists of more than 60 channels, in time for coverage of a major European Football Tournament.

DAZN Group, Exports World Cup Foundation Strike Coverage Deal

The Esports World Cup Foundation has entered into a global partnership agreement with DAZN Group, which will provide its platform for the free broadcast of the inaugural Esports World Cup (EWC), July4-August 25.

Amagi Showcases New Streaming Technology on Vizio

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Dish Launches New TV Bundle with Free Netflix

Dish Network has announced that it has added Netflix to its Dish TV subscription offering at no additional cost for two years.

Meptik Releases Turnkey ‘Studio in a Box’ for Virtual Production

The Disguise company Meptik has unveiled its first turnkey virtual production studio solution, Meptik Studio Pro.

Akta Integrates Google Cloud Gemini AI Models

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Hyperlocal Streaming Service Zeam Expands Channel Roster

Zeam Media has announced the launch of a number of new channels including Always Funny TV, from the creators of America’s Funniest Home Video, Tegna's Locked on Sports and True Crime Network channels, and Hubbard Broadcasting’s roster of local stations across Minnesota, New Mexico, and upstate New York.

Avid Unveils Avid Huddle SaaS Content Review, Approvals Solution

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Cineverse Taps XL8 to Enhance Captioning, Localization

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Bitcentral Unveils Fusion Gateway for AI-Powered Media Asset Management

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Accedo, Qualcomm and HBS Form XR Sports Alliance

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Wowza to Work with AWS and AMD for High-Efficiency Streaming

Wowza has announced that Wowza Streaming Engine, its highly flexible, on-prem video streaming solution, is now compatible with Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) VT1 instances from Amazon Web Services (AWS) and is available in AWS Marketplace.

KBTC Upgrades Studio Lighting with Brightline Soft Lights

The public TV station KBTC has redesigned and upgraded its lighting design with Brightline soft lights. A legacy Kliegl lighting/dimming system was repurposed, adding the ability to route non-dimming power to new solid-state soft lights from Brightline Lighting.

Imagine Upgrades Ad Management Platform xG Linear with New Features

Imagine Communications has unveiled new features and improvements to xG Linear, its ad management platform for MVPDs in North America.

Canada’s Global News Upgrades to Calrec’s Type R IP Consoles

Global News, a leading news network in Canada, has integrated Calrec's Type R consoles into its facilities in Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver.

Lionsgate Selects Amagi for FAST Playout and Delivery

Amagi has announced that Lionsgate has chosen Amagi to be its partner for FAST playout and deliveries globally. Lionsgate will use Amagi's cutting-edge cloud technology to scale Lionsgate's content delivery capabilities globally and enable the rapid launch of new channels, the companies reported.

Paul Bunyan Communications Chooses Witbe Monitoring Technology

U.S. rural all-fiber-optic network provider Paul Bunyan Communications has selected Witbe’s proactive monitoring technology to monitor channels remotely that run on its PBTV set-top boxes (STBs) and ensure customers across multiple states receive a high quality of experience (QoE).

Hiltron Reports Growing Demand for Ground Antenna Refurbishment

Demand is coming from high accuracy teleport antenna performance evaluation through to latest-generation motorized antenna mounts and control systems.

CommScope Updates E6000 Converged Edge Router

CommScope has launched Software Release 13 for the E6000 Converged Edge Router (CER). Software Release 13 allows operators a flexible path forward with existing or new units as they move toward 10G with the power of the E6000 CER­—the cable industry’s most widely-deployed CCAP—in rapidly-evolving cable networks.

Comcast Business, Elon Musk’s Starlink Ink Deal to Provide Connectivity to Businesses

Comcast Business has announced an agreement with Elon Musk’s Starlink, a major provider of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technology, to provide connectivity solutions to Comcast Business enterprise customers.

IBC Show to Focus on AI, Shifting M&E Business Models, Sports

In a press conference, IBC organizers previewed the upcoming 2024 IBC Show, taking place Sept 13-16 at the RAI Amsterdam, with a focus on how AI is impacting media and entertainment as well as an examination of how evolving business models are transforming the way media companies use technology to inform and entertain.

Globecast and Blacon Media, a broadcast engineering, production and distribution firm, are partnering to provide live coverage of the 2024 U.S. election and related events.

Both the Republican and Democrat National Conventions in Milwaukee and Chicago, respectively, will be available. Blacon Media ENG crews will be on-site producing contribution feeds for customers Globecast will distribute coverage internationally, the company said.  

Blacon Media will provide a produced program feed, a clean feed and packaged feeds. Party notable, convention delegate and participant as well as man- and woman-on-the-street interviews will be available. A three-camera, switched daily show, “Join the Conversation,” also will be available, it said.

Contribution signal delivery from Globecast’s Media Center is available via HLS, RTMP, SRT internet protocols for streaming media content and via Globecast’s NeXt Generation (GCxN), Backbone fiber (GCBN) networks or managed satellite platforms, it said.

More information is available on the company’s website.

LOS ANGELES—Globecast has announced that the Stellar Network, a newly created African American cultural linear TV and FAST channel from Central City Productions, used Globecast to launch its services and that Globecast is providing ongoing technologies and services for fully managed cloud playout and distribution.  

“As a Black-owned television network, we have over 5 decades of experience in creating alluring content for African American audiences and we have been eager to expand our portfolio with dedicated linear and FAST TV channels,” explained Don Jackson, founder & chairman of the Stellar Network. "We needed a partner with a reputation for premium quality to whom we could outsource the complete technical supply chain. It was very quickly clear that Globecast is ideally positioned to create the fully managed service we need. We are very pleased to be working with leading experts in the field so we can concentrate on our core strengths in the creation, production, distribution and securing major advertising partners in support of Black owned and targeted programming to Black audiences.”

Chicago-based Central City Productions is a well-established name in the African American entertainment field, headed up by Don Jackson and Jennifer Jackson. Drawing on its rich history of content creation, promotion and syndication and new programming, the company created the Stellar Network as a new linear and FAST channel that also offers VOD content.

“Following an in-depth consultation process, it was clear the Stellar Network required an end-to-end solution, including content curation and preparation along with playout and distribution of both the linear and FAST TV channels as well as a VOD library,” Lou DiMauro, vice president of sales, Globecast, said. “Extending our well-established partnership approach, in conjunction with our market-leading cloud acumen, we’ve created a full-service solution, operating as the outsourced integrator and point of contact for the channel to ensure the seamless creation, playout and distribution of all services.”

For the launch, Globecast expanded its already-established relationship with LA-based Network In A Box (NIAB), a company specializing in branding, positioning and curation, as well as platform operations. NIAB is handling the content preparation – programming, scheduling, traffic, quality control and delivery – for both the linear and FAST program services. Content is uploaded to Globecast’s AWS platform. Globecast then handles the cloud playout, using Inetsat technology, and fiber distribution to MPVDs.

Globecast has also contracted LA-based MuxIP, experts in streaming channel preparation and playout, who also access Globecast’s cloud storage to pull together the FAST channel and associated VOD content. These materials are then supplied to streaming platform Xumo TV across smart TVs and its app.

PARIS—Globecast has developed and launched what it is billing as the first video public cloud video headend, powered by AWS, for a major European Telco. 

The unnamed telco was a returning Globecast customer. It wanted to optimize its video headend capabilities for its IPTV and OTT services, with an initial scope of 380 channels and 1,400 streams and a key objective to move to an OPEX environment, alongside greatly increased flexibility in terms of adding and removing services, Globecast explained. 

“We had extensive discussions with the customer and explained the benefits of moving to the cloud to satisfy its requirements,” Sylvain Merle, CTO and COO, Globecast, said. “With our market-leading understanding of public cloud use, working with AWS, supplying our cloud playout solutions for Hallmark Media and horse racing channel Equidia, who’s using our Managed Cloud Network service, the customer could see the level of our expertise and the benefits. Additionally, we understood that there were some functions it wanted to remain on-premise and Globecast could easily satisfy that requirement as well.”

“This project is an operational and technological paradigm shift, brought about by the combined capabilities of AWS and Globecast MediaHub, enabling the inception and worldwide delivery of new services such as video processing in this case, but also FAST, pop-up, playout channels, and supporting the highest levels of quality,” added Jean-Christophe Perier, CMO, Globecast.

In the new platform, all video processing functions are carried out in the cloud, with redundancy provided using different zones. 

Globecast has built a MediaHub allowing the interconnection of its points of presence with the cloud to be able to provide specific add-ons and any type of output for worldwide distribution with the strength of a fully managed network. Connections are secured using innovative Gateways and AWS Direct Connect over a private network. These gateways also provide additional operational and technical functions, including monitoring and the remapping of signals, the company reported. 

By using AWS Media Services, and AWS Elemental MediaLive as the core component, to build this video headend, Globecast said it was providing the telco with the capacity to scale resources up and down, as required and the video quality needed in today’s highly competitive market. 

LOS ANGELES—Globecast has announced an agreement with the newly launched EarthxTV to provide cloud playout for the linear TV channel and distribution to MVPDs.

EarthxTV is a Dallas-based TV entertainment network dedicated to environmental sustainability. It’s now available in millions of households through distribution deals including Spectrum and the National Cable television Cooperative (NCTC) in the U.S.; Sky and Freeview in the UK and Ireland; and M7 in Europe. 

Globecast is orchestrating the EarthxTV playback entirely in the cloud then delivering the linear channel signal via fiber and satellite to MVPDs.  Cloud-hosted content is used to deploy FAST and pop-up channels for virtual MVPDs and OTT providers. 

Globecast’s cloud services are powered by AWS, with the company announcing earlier this year it has joined the AWS Partner Network, extending its reach and providing the cloud power Globecast and its customers need.  

“With EarthxTV being a newly launched linear network, our priority was finding a media services partner that fully understands what we want to achieve, the importance of it and can provide a technically elegant playout workflow that’s flexible and cost-effective,” explained Rajan Singh, executive vice president of global distribution at EarthxTV. “Globecast talked us through all the options and we were very impressed with their knowledge and expertise in cloud playout, especially with EarthxTV being new to linear.”

EarthxTV offers a 24/7 live channel and a large library of VOD content so viewers can control what content they want to watch, when they want it, with one simple sign-up — all for free. The content is available in all English-speaking countries.

Using cloud playout also offers a significant benefit in terms of sustainability. AWS provides a tool for calculating carbon emissions savings as a result of being in AWS instead of on-prem. In 2022 to date, Globecast Americas has saved over 18 metric tons of emissions, according to the tool, across all MCR services.

SINGAPORE—Globecast has announced that sports content provider beIN Asia Pacific has selected Globecast to provide multifaceted media processing and delivery services to the sports provider’s Asia-Pacific division. 

beIN Asia Pacific, which is part of beIN Media Group, operates in 11 countries across the Asia-Pacific region – Australia, New Zealand, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Singapore. The division offers a comprehensive line-up of live sporting events through its channel, beIN Sports and live streaming app, beIN Sports Connect and has 15 unique channel feeds. 

For those services, Globecast will be providing a wide range of services including cloud and on-prem playout, sports contribution services and content management. 

The company is also supplying satellite, fiber and IP streaming distribution and will host the sports provider’s OTT platform for the region as well as providing the ability to create and distribute pop-up channels as and when required.

“As a major sports broadcaster with a wide array of live events, we had to ensure that we partner with a media services company that can meet our requirements and align with our goals,” explained Sabil Salim, vice president media technology and operations of beIN Asia Pacific. “This isn’t only about the very impressive technical capabilities Globecast has demonstrated, it’s also about the fact the company has a significant background in sports. This is very much about the quality of the content - vital to sports fans – and the fast, flexible way this can be gathered, processed and played out across multiple languages and cultures. They genuinely understand the demands of sports fanatics, which is at the heart of what we do.”

LOS ANGELES—Globecast is providing Crown Media Family Networks with cloud playout services for Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries and Hallmark Drama, which together reach more than 150 million U.S. homes.

Globecast will manage the primary channel playout of linear and OTT feeds as well as all terrestrial and satellite distribution to MVPDs and VMPDs under terms of the five-year deal. Services include playout of both HD and SD for all of the channels as well as OTT variants of the linear product, Globecast said.

Globecast has engineered its completely cloud-based solution in partnership with its cloud service provider, and Crown Media has its content library managed in the cloud. The library feeds into Globecast’s media supply chain. Globecast’s media management solution and automation integrates ready-to-air files to the playlist. Channels are then distributed via satellite and terrestrially from Globecast’s Culver City facility, it said.

Hallmark Channels operate with a high degree of operational complexity. They have considerable on-screen graphics requirements, alongside regular template and branding changes that occur throughout the year to highlight various holidays and other events, it said. 

“We are very pleased that our long-standing relationship with Crown Media has led to this groundbreaking project,” said Eddie Ferraro, managing director of Globecast America. “Our development work has led to the creation of an industry-leading technology platform that will provide extensive operational and financial flexibility for our customers. We are absolutely confident in our market-leading playout technologies, further validating Globecast’s positioning in complex cloud-based media management services.”

More information is available on the company’s website. 

Globecast will highlight its market approach across key sectors, including OTT, remote production and media supply chains, at IBC2021.

The company will discuss its work to create ecosystems in each sector and feature those efforts prominently on its stand.

Globecast has significantly expanded its OTT solution portfolio over the past year with an end-to-end integrated service offering that optimizes business and technical approaches. It has partnered with a range of technology suppliers, including Viaccess-Orca and MainStreaming for OTT solution development.

Expanding upon its global media supply chain expertise, Globecast will highlight its best-in-class, cost-effective live 4K playout and significant updates to its sport-oriented Managed Cloud Network with the launch of version 2.0.

The new 4K live channel cloud playout capabilities use a leading cloud service provider alongside Globecast’s Orchestrator in-house cloud MAM to enable customers to take full advantage of cloud OPEX models for live 4K playout.

Version 2.0 of Globecast’s Managed Cloud Network (MCN) solution allows customers to add value to an event they bought the rights to by facilitating cost-effective, secure, cloud-based distribution of additional content. This means affiliates can air content specific to each affiliate without the additional cost of more fiber or satellite capacity. 

The company will also feature its remote production service offering developed in close cooperation with several customers this year. Globecast provides low-latency, high-capacity, premium reliable connectivity for remote productions from the site out to wherever the production is happening.

See Globecast at IBC Stand 1.A29.

More information is available on the company’s website.

LONDON & PARIS—Globecast and Gravity Media have announced a partnership to provide end-to-end production and connectivity services to their customers for next year’s FIFA World Cup.

Gravity Media will provide on-site technical facilities, including standup positions and complete temporary studios. Globecast will provide fully redundant satellite and fiber connectivity as well as public internet if needed.

“This partnership is about making life better and easier for customers. By working with Globecast, we can provide clients with a single, tightly integrated offering that we can tailor to the needs of each customer,” said Ed Tischler, managing director at Gravity Media in EMEA.

“We can offer remote production as well, with customers able to use our production facilities in London, San Francisco and Sydney, again supported by Globecast’s connectivity," he added. "We have also had offices in Qatar since 2007 so we know the country very well.”

The two companies have worked together in the past, so each understands how the other works and their respective technologies, Tischler added.

“Broadcasters not only need our combined technical capabilities, they also need premium level signal reliability wherever they may be,” said James Whittaker, business development manager at Globecast. “Alongside this connectively, we’re really focusing on our customer approach with this partnership as well.”

More information is available from Globecast online as well as from executives from both companies at Sportel 2021 in Monaco, Oct. 5-7.

LOS ANGELES—Globecast has been selected by the Classic Arts Showcase to provide playout, linear satellite distribution, VOD and streaming services for cultural content that is available to more than 65 million homes.

Classic Arts Showcase is a 24-hour programming service offered through local public service channels, cable and broadcast stations, as well as online. Globecast is providing HD network origination, cloud-based library storage, uplink of the channel to satellite, VOD and streaming services. The channel originates from a broadcast facility in Culver City, Calif., and is uplinked and streamed from there as well.

Classic Arts Showcase delivers its content to Globecast over the public internet. Globecast then automatically monitors it for technical quality, timing and missing content, verifying all content against the playlist. The channel is then uplinked in HD to satellite for onwards distribution.

Globecast also encodes selected content for Classic Arts Showcase’s VOD offering. The linear channel is also encoded and supplied to the Class Arts Showcase website via CDN to end users.

James D. Rigler, president at Classic Arts Showcase, says that they are pleased with the services that Globecast has put together.

PARIS—Globecast has announced Antoine Guilbaud as chief financial officer. He replaces Nathalie Krick, who moving to Globecast’s sister company, Orange Cyberdefense.

In a statement announcing the news, Globecast CEO Philippe Bernard said, “Antoine has the exact hands-on approach and the strong financial experience that we’re looking for with this role. He knows how to work within a challenging business landscape and he has the keen ability to continue to drive the company forward.”

Guilbaud brings to his new position more than 20 years of experience in the telecom industry. As the former chief financial officer and general secretary at BuyIn, Guilbaud was in charge of finance, IT, legal and compliance, as well as procurement engineering. Prior to this he served as the chief financial officer/deputy CEO at Orange Slovakia, where he was a member of the company’s executive management and Board of Directors. He also worked as finance director at Orange Belgium.

LOS ANGELES—Industry veteran Lou DiMauro joins Globecast as vice president of sales for the East Coast. He will be responsible for selling media management, contribution, distribution and IP services to customers based in the United States and Canada. He will also be responsible for Globecast’s advanced media services including cloud-based playout and media management services and OTT platforms.

DiMauro will report to Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing for the Americas Tim Jackson. Jackson commented, “Lou is well respected in the industry and will be a tremendous asset to our talented team, especially as our customers continue to embrace and adopt IP workflows and virtualization.”

DiMauro most recently held the position of vice president of sales, North America, for Encompass Digital Media as part of his more than 30 years with the company. During that time he oversaw sales of current and new services, managed an annual sales budget of $75 million and with large-scale accounts including A&E Television Networks, CBS and ABC, among others. Prior to working for Encompass, DiMauro was broadcast operations coordinator at ESPN Media.

LOS ANGELES—Globecast has announced that Chris Pulis will become the company’s new chief technology officer for the Americas, effective immediately.

Pulis will be responsible for all technical aspects of Globecast Americas. This will include working with sales and media executives to develop technology applications for customers, lead operations line managers, negotiate with clients and develop and oversee the strategy for representation in major industry technical groups.

Pulis comes to Globecast with more than 25 years of industry experience, including most recently as the vice president, product strategy, at digital technology consultancy Diamond. He has also worked at Deluxe Entertainment Services Group, and has held roles with Ascent Media Group and ReelzChannel Television Network.

“We’re seeing significant shifts across the media, entertainment and technology sector, not least the move to cloud playout and alternative affiliate distribution technologies alongside our work with direct-to-consumer social media platforms,” said Pulis. “I’m excited to be joining Globecast as we continue to grow its role as a modern, multifaceted media services supplier.”

Pulis will be based in Globecast’s Los Angeles office. He will report to Eddie Ferraro, MD Globecast Americas.

LAS VEGAS—The 2020 NAB Show will be a chance for Globecast to demonstrate the work that it has done regarding cloud technology and live sports content acquisition services, highlighted by recent customer deployments and products like the Globecast VN.

The Globecast VN service brings two-way, high-bandwidth, IP-over-satellite connectivity to locations where terrestrial networks fail or are inconsistent, per Globecast. The system is designed to allow for easy delivery of streaming, file transfers, Wi-Fi, 4K, 8K and 360-degree live content using native IP-based satellite transmission from remote locations. Globecast also touts the platforms use for live sports and other events, or to deliver a signal, or group of signals, to a remote venue.

The company also has its new live sports content acquisition service set for demonstration. The service manages the acquisition and distribution of content across the entire chain and deploys high-volume, premium quality encoding technology from Globecast’s Media Center in Culver City, Calif.

In addition, Globecast will highlight some of its real-world customer development and deployments that showcase its global cloud playout technological and service models. A new expansion of the Galaxy 19 platform and international channel business, which was acquired as part of a wider deal with PSSI, will also be shown.

Globecast will be located at booth SU9910 during the 2020 NAB Show, which takes place from April 18-22 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

For more information, visit www.globecast.com. 

LAS VEGAS—Globecast, a worldwide provider of content acquisition, management and distribution services, is partnering with SnifferCat to introduce Server Side Dynamic Ad Insertion (SSDAI) technology at the 2019 NAB Show, April 8-11 in Las Vegas. Primarily targeting premium OTT markets, SSDAI dynamically detects and substitutes broadcast ads with more personalized or targeted ads.

Using SnifferCat’s patented cloud-based technology, Globecast’s expanded offering allows media owners and their service providers the ability to automate and simplify their OTT migration by employing sophisticated automated cue point detection, ad insertion, channel scheduling and advanced data analytics.

The technology was designed to simplify and address market changes from consumer’s ever-evolving viewing habits. With no CAPEX infrastructure investments and virtually no learning curve for users, SSDAI is creating new revenue streams for content owners.

The company will also showcase its Globecast Business Continuity services, comprised of disaster recovery, cyber threat protection and content protection. Globecast will also highlight the latest advances in its telco services at NAB 2019. To help channels gain coverage with the world’s leading pay-TV and telco platforms, Globecast aggregates and distributes international TV channels and multicultural TV offers to platforms worldwide.

More than 150 TV channels are currently acquired, processed and delivered for broadcast, forming an important part of the line-up of pay-TV platforms worldwide, including tier one telco and cable operators.

Globecast will be in Booth SU9910 in South Upper Hall of the LVCC.

To register for the NAB Show, visit www.nabshow.com. 

PARIS & LOS ANGELES—Eutelast and Globecast look to have the Americas covered with a new media platform. This partnership between the two companies will provide broadcasters across the Americas to gain access to Globecast’s advanced media management system.

The platform will be based at Globecast’s Culver City, Calif., teleport and transmitted to Eutelsat’s EUTELSAT 117 West A satellite at 117-degrees West. With this set up, the solution can handle linear television distribution and new media technologies—including streaming, local ad insertion, IoT services, HEVC encoding and regionalization services—and will serve the Americas from Alaska to Argentina.

One feature of the platform is its ability to provide fleet protection and redundancy via the EUTELSAT 113 West A satellite. This is located four degrees away from the same transponder plan and polarization and will offer protection and restoration capabilities for programmers, per Globecast and Eutelsat.

LAS VEGAS—Globecast will use the NAB Show stage to introduce its new Cloud Channel Playout and GlobeCast liveSpotter video contribution and distribution services. With its global hybrid fiber and satellite network, Globecast provides Content Acquisition, Aggregation and Distribution (CAAD) of video content to more than 110 networks—covering news, sports, and special events—and feeding media outlets spanning TV Everywhere OTT, satellite, cable, video-on-demand and CDN.

Cloud Channel Playout is a media management service for SD, HD and 4K channels that allows broadcasters to reach new international markets with lower upfront investment and higher revenues. It reduces time-to-market by allowing dynamic scaling of channels, event-specific channel branding and advertising localization.

Globecast liveSpotter, a live-to-VOD packaged content service, lets customers create monetizable short-form content efficiently from signal-to-screen from a single supplier. Addressing rapidly changing viewer habits, it allows unlimited short-form VOD content to be created from a live feed in near real time and for content to be shared across OTT, VOD and social media platforms.

Globecast will also show Globecast XN (GCXN), which provides video internet delivery as a service, including broadcast-quality distribution, disaster recovery and monitoring. Globecast owns 12 interconnected media facilities worldwide, including in Los Angeles, London, Singapore, Paris, Rome, and Johannesburg.

The 2018 NAB Show takes place in Las Vegas, April 9-12. Globecastwill be in boothSU11406CM. For more information, visit www.nabshow.com.

Read up on all of TVT's NAB Show Sneak Peeks and other 2018 NAB Show news here. 

LONDON—On the opposite ends of the world, a pair of Globecast facilities will share a common feature courtesy of Mediaproxy. Globecast is going with Mediaproxy’s LogServer software for its London and Singapore facilities to handle broadcast and IP monitoring.

The LogServer software provides real-time compliance monitoring, reporting and incidence management. At Globecast, LogServer can ensure full compliance with local broadcast regulations including loudness, subtitling and closed captioning.

Mediaproxy’s U.K.-based partner, Polar Graphics, handled the installation of the LogServer system at Globecast’s London facility.

LOS ANGELES—Globecast is partnering with Los Angeles-based Crown Media Family Networks to supply a twofold disaster-recovery system for Crown’s networks, including Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, which together reach more than 150 million homes in the United States. The collaboration is said to safeguard the continual security of the channels, represents a powerful recognition of Globecast Americas’ cutting edge capabilities.

Under its DR plan, Globecast Americas is providing continuous channel origination services using its 24/7 server-based playout system and associated storage, controlled by advanced automation technology. This end-to-end service includes content aggregation and tracking, playout and distribution including 24/7 monitoring and long-term content storage.

Globecast’s DR service includes the encoding and transmission for both channels in the event of a failure. This entails encoding for MPEG-4 HD and DVB-S2 satellite transmission to Crown’s transponder on the AMC-11 satellite.

Crown’s disaster recovery plan is being serviced by Globecast’s Media Center in Los Angeles. The Center boasts the company’s Media Factory technology, which manages ingest, media logistics, transcoding, and order/schedule management for linear and VOD content to satellite, fiber, cable headends, CDN, IP and OTT. It features technology from leading providers centered on the Evertz Mediator platform.

LOS ANGELES—There’s a new CTO in town at Globecast Americas, as Ken Fuller has officially been appointed to the position. Among Fuller’s responsibilities will be to lead the company’s technical developments and work with the executive management team to establish a clear and strategic technical vision.

Fuller joins Globecast from Deluxe Entertainment Services Group, where he served as senior vice president of operations. Other past positions include years as a senior VP and general manager at Encompass Digital Media, and as the director of broadcast and network operations at NBC New York. He has also served as a president of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers and continues to be a SMPTE Fellow.

His new role will have him oversee vendor relationships and investigate, purchase and implement new technologies, as well as manage a staff of 30 in Globecast’s U.S. offices. Fuller will report to Globecast COO Philippe Fort in Paris.

LAS VEGAS—Globecast has its Optim’Net CDN cost optimization solution ready for display at the 2017 NAB Show. With its peer-assisted media delivery approach, this CDN off-loading service relies on the audience watching the content to participate in the delivery to other viewers. It integrates seamlessly with CDN vendors, and improves network performance and the user experience. 

Globecast LA facility

Globecast will also promote its VOD Logistics service, which makes the creation and delivery of VOD packages easier by handling the complex and intricate requirements of each VOD platform. The company assembles and delivers VOD content packages in the technical formats demanded by VOD platforms globally, including all relevant metadata, languages, graphics, subtitles and promos.

For broadcasters, networks and studios requiring proximity to Southern California, or access to the Los Angeles market, Globecast will promote how it provides infrastructure, personnel and expertise to manage low-cost disaster recovery feeds for primary networks.

Broadcasters will also see Globecast’s Media Factory, which processes content and delivers it anywhere to any device, as well as its contribution and distribution services, and content localization and monetization solutions.

The 2017 NAB Show takes place in Las Vegas, April 24-27. Globecastwill be in boothSU10706CM. For more information, visit www.nabshow.com.

SAINT-GRÉGOIRE, FRANCE—Video contribution system provider Aviwest is teaming up with content delivery services provider Globecast with the deployment of Aviwest’s DMNG StreamHub receiver, decoder and distribution platform at Globecast’s Paris location. With StreamHub’s digital, mobile ENG application, Aviwest and Globecast customers can share live HD video content with other broadcasters.

DMNG StreamHub

StreamHub supports a set of input IP protocols, allowing for the reception of up to 16 incoming streams from remote Aviwest DMNG Pro transmitters, DMNG smartphone apps, or third-party systems. Multiple output streaming protocols are also supported by the StreamHub platform. Up to 16 IP outputs can be used to enable re-streaming of video content over LAN or WAN to CDNs, media servers, streaming platforms, IRDs, or other DMNG StreamHub platforms.

The DMNG StreamHub platform is based on a Linux server.

CULVER CITY, CALIF.—Globecast has announced that it has added a new satellite platform on the AMC-11 satellite, which is owned by SES. With the new platform, the satellite provides a power orbital position for distribution of cable head-ends, currently hosting more than 70 Tier-1 American channels.

Globecast facility in Culver City, Calif.

AMC-11 now uses DVB-S2 modulation to offer a range of premium cable distribution capacity. Globecast also offers origination and playout services supported by Media Factory to provide end-to-end technology. The platform and uplink are managed out of Globecast’s Culver City, Calif., facility.

GolTV, a 24/7 sports channel, is among the first companies to transition their HD feed to Globecast’s new platform.

Globecast is a provider of media management, distribution, monetization and contribution systems.

PARIS—Globecast has announced the successor to former chairman and CEO Olivier Barberot, Philippe Bernard.

Philippe Bernard

Bernard joins Globecast from the Orange Group, where he served as executive vice president of quality, customer experience and sales since July of 2013. Prior to that Bernard served as VP of Orange Business Solutions for the Orange Group, handling the European sales and customer relations division. He also previously held the position of CEO for Transpac.

Globecast is a provider of media management, distribution and manifestation and contribution systems with offices in Paris, London, Singapore, Los Angeles, Rome and Johannesburg.

PARIS – Global coverage of President Obama’s three-day trip to Kenya and Ethiopia last week was broadcast throughout the world by Globecast. The Paris-based company was contracted to live broadcast the three-day 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.

Globecast's transmission set-up for President Obama's trip to Kenya and Ethiopia

In addition to covering the conference, Globecast also provided the primary and backup link at the State House in Nairobi for the joint press conference between Obama and President Kenyatta of Kenya. International feeds of the speeches were delivered to broadcasters in both Europe and the U.S.

Globecast also provided a TVRO feed to the American pool so they could receive pool content at their hotel in Kenya. Globecast continued to provide transmission services for the American pool when they moved to Ethiopia, using a MPEG-4 HD uplink.

President Obama’s visit to Kenya and Ethiopia took place from July 24-26.

Globecast is a provider of media management, distribution, monetization and contribution technology, with locations in Paris, London, Singapore, Los Angeles, Rome and Johannesburg.