TORONTO—Nextologies LIMITED, a provider of broadcast video delivery network solutions, has acquired The Video Call Center LLC (VCC), a Palisades, NY-based company that specializes in remote media production and delivery technology, for an undisclosed sum. The transaction, which Nextologies says will help it transform its services into a “glass to glass remote workflow solution,” was finalized on Dec. 23, 2022, and the new division will retain the VCC brand and continue serving its entire client portfolio. 

In August 2022, VCC owner Wolzien LLC announced that patents and other intellectual property developed by VCC had been split off into a new company, Video River Group LLC. As part of the transaction, Nextologies is licensing the global patent portfolio amassed by VCC and held by its affiliate Video River Group LLC.

VCC, which counts Discovery, NBC, Fox Sports, CBS and the NFL among its clients, has been a pioneer in adapting the use of smartphone technology in expanding and improving cloud-based live television remotes. And while advances in smartphone technologies and connectivity were prompting professional media companies to look closer at using such consumer-grade devices in their live remotes in recent years, the onset of the Covid pandemic in 2020 accelerated the move when the pandemic forced networks and local stations to almost exclusively rely on home-based live remotes.  

However, Nextologies CEO Sasha Zivanovic noted that VCC’s work in the live remote production space was impacting the industry long before the pandemic.

“When the pandemic forced many media companies into remote production, our partners called on us to create a solution as quickly as possible. Because at our core, Nextologies is a problem-solving company, that’s exactly what we did. We built a solution, called NexToMeet, and it was being used in major productions within 30 days,” says Sasha Zivanovic, CEO, Nextologies. “But what’s exciting about VCC is that they’ve been enabling remote video feeds and production way before Covid. We’re getting the chance to bring on this deep bench of experience in all aspects of remote production enablement and workflows and then inject it with a steroid shot of Nextologies engineering innovation.” 

In 2020, faced with their partners’ urgent remote production needs, Nextologies developed NexToMeet, their browser- and mobile app-based remote production solution, an instant web/mobile to SDI video network that allowed them to execute numerous events, including UFC, XFL, WWE, NBA SpaceX, Top Rank Boxing and American Idol. 

“Our NexToMeet solution was our first step into the remote workflow and production arena, but now that we’ve all seen the huge potential, we knew it was possible to do so much more. With the VCC acquisition, we are able to bring on a team that’s deeply experienced in the entire remote interview process. And we’re adding the VCC remote management plane, which has been vetted and refined over years of serving many happy high profile productions.”

Former VCC CEO Larry Thaler, who will consult with Nextologies after the close, says, “I am incredibly proud of the VCC team, creating new categories in production services and SaaS, while servicing 70 major media companies and over 30,000 remotes. In order to grow, VCC needs to be part of a company with additional products and services, a larger, more global sales team, and greater engineering resources. Nextologies is exactly that kind of company.”   

“VCC and its extraordinary team have made great strides in creativity, customer service, and innovative products while amassing a global intellectual property portfolio,” says Tom Wolzien, founder and chairman of VCC and parent Wolzien LLC, “but the businesses of smaller companies need the global operational and financial resources to grow, and it is exactly those resources that a dynamic company like Nextologies will bring.” 

In fact, as Nextologies takes the helm of VCC, the transaction is precisely the kind of growth the company’s leadership was seeking. “We’re growing quickly as a company, fueled by the engine of ingenuity at our core. VCC is just one opportunity where we can bring a developing company into our family and empower its growth with our innovative engineering and resources. We look forward to doing the same for other companies who are seeking a way to achieve their next level of development.”

Wolzien LLC has announced that patents and other intellectual property developed by The Video Call Center, LLC (VCC), has been split off into a new company, Video River Group LLC. Both are wholly owned by Wolzien LLC.

VCC provides daily high end management of smartphone remotes for major news, sports, and entertainment companies through software as a service and traditional production services.

The portfolio assigned to Video River Group includes two dozen granted patents in 16 countries and the European Union, trademarks, and software that has driven nearly 30,000 smartphone remotes to air through VCC services, the company said. The patents focus on management of large numbers of video callers for any broadcast, cable, or internet use in television and other industries and related automation tools.

“Over the past decade the VCC team has created an extraordinary portfolio of intellectual property that goes far beyond daily national television production,” says Wolzien LLC chairman Tom Wolzien. “Video River Group will explore other options while VCC continues to operate under a non-exclusive license for news, sports, entertainment, and corporate production.”

STAMFORD, Conn., and PALISADES, N.Y.—NBCUniversal Syndication Studios has chosen The Video Call Center (VCC) for the second consecutive year to bring live remote guests to “Maury” and “The Steve Wilkos Show” for the 2021-22 broadcast season, VCC said today. 

VCC offers smartphone remote contribution services, providing clients with a reliable way to book top-tier guests virtually for shows. It offers high-quality, low-latency audio/video while reducing travel costs and environmental impact, it said.

“Resigning our agreement with VCC makes perfect sense for the production of our nationally syndicated shows like ‘Maury’ and ‘The Steve Wilkos Show,’ said Vinnie Fusco, Stamford Media Center vice president and general manager. 

“We began working with VCC initially at our Stamford Media Center Studios to address pandemic-related production challenges but discovered that VCC's remote production technology is a cost-effective way to work. As we continue to produce our shows in a safe COVID-compliant manner, VCC gives our producers the tools to book dynamic remote stories that make our shows compelling."

Last year, VCC provided NBCU Syndication Studios with 800 remotes for the two shows. At its highest, VCC enabled remotes for 22 guests in a single production day. VCC provided the Stamford Media Center with pre-production and call-producing services as well as technology and live support during production hours, VCC said.

"High-energy shows like ‘Maury’ and ‘The Steve Wilkos Show’ depend heavily on great banter between show hosts and guests who may be anywhere in the world,” said VCC CEO Larry Thaler. “VCC enables NBCU Syndication Studios to extend its reach to access the most relevant guests and have them on air in real-time at the highest quality.”

VCC's StageDoor feature enables remote guests to join the production by clicking a texted or emailed hyperlink. There is no need to create user names or download software. The link connects guests with a VCC call producer who uses VCC's new Tenaciti feature to optimize the connection for the device and bandwidth of each guest for the best possible audio and video during long-duration shoots, it said.

VCC call producers take cues from the Stamford Media Center creative team to ensure guests are fully prepared for their appearance, know what to expect and look their best. During production, VCC's patented technologies deliver hyper-low-latency video return and IFB mix-minus for effortless interaction between host and guest, it said.

More information is available on the company’s website.

PALISADES, N.Y. — Discovery Inc. has entered into a multi-year contract with the Video Call Center (VCC) to provide two-way video call acquisition technologies, management and production services for its global networks, VCC announced this week.

Discovery will use the services of VCC for new programs enhanced with video calling for its U.S. and international networks.

“The VCC has repeatedly demonstrated to Discovery that its platform is uniquely capable of delivering reliable, high-quality video remotes that help us make distinctive, cost-effective TV experiences,” said Jhamal Robinson, SVP of production management for Discovery Communications.

[Read: MLB Hits Home Run With VCC Caller Queue Fan Chat System]

TLC, a Discovery network, has already used live video content in the production of its “90 Day Fiancé.” VCC provided seven live, two-way remotes into a show on July 8. The most difficult was of a cast member on the outskirts of Nazareth, Israel. Connectivity was limited, and traveling was not an option due to security concerns, VCC said.

The solution was for the cast member to originate the content for the live, national show with her smartphone under the coordination of VCC call producers. No local producer, crew or transmission coordinator was required.

Recently, TLC productions have paired VCC technology and its team with production and creative teams at Sharp Entertainment, which produced “90 Day Fiancé: Epilogue.”

“The VCC platform has become an essential component in the production of immersive television experiences for TLC audiences,” says Mike Granowsky, VP of production for Sharp Entertainment. “It’s reliable IP video call technology means hosts and cast members can stay in the moment for an extended period regardless of location, which allows them to really open up without technology distractions getting in the way.”

The VCC service has made shows possible that otherwise would have been cost prohibitive or undoable because of logistics, he added.

“Discovery continues to break new ground in both the types of programs it creates and in its embrace of new production techniques to make them possible,” said Larry Thaler, VCC CEO.

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Major League Baseball fans can tweet all they want in the hope of catching the attention of their favorite baseball personalities. But only the Chatting Cage, a collaboration between the league and sponsor Edward Jones, gives baseball fans the opportunity to pose questions and speak directly via reliable, live video chat with the game’s biggest names.

“Video call-in is what makes the Chatting Cage a special opportunity for fans and players alike,” said Chris Lundberg, senior coordinating producer for MLB.com. “We get calls from all kinds of fans, from kids asking All-Star hitters for tips to break out of a slump to adults with thoughtful questions based on their lifelong passion for the game. The Chatting Cage brings MLB and its fans closer together.”

Stability of video chats had been a thorn in the side of producers. Last fall, the MLB.com team sat down with The Video Call Center to discuss a different approach — a complete live video call production solution built around VCC’s patented video caller management system, Caller Queue.

[Read: MLB Partners With The Video Call Center To Manage Live Video Caller Production]

The Video Call Center solution offered MLB numerous video call options. Callers use popular calling apps they already have on their devices such as FaceTime (native on iPhones), Web-RTC-based Gruveo (built into Android) which only requires a browser, or Skype. The VCC has patented reliability-enhancing technology to further stabilize and improve call quality, and according to the company it has achieved success with 99.3% of all calls the system has fielded for commercial customers.

NEW HOME, NEW TECH

As the 2018 season approached, the Chatting Cage team prepared to move from its original home within Manhattan’s Chelsea Market to the MLB Network studios in Secaucus, N.J. With the move came the opportunity to revisit the technology and workflows used to create the show’s unique fan interaction. 

“Changing technology and workflow for the show presents a variety of challenges at any time,” said Lundberg. “Having to make the shift while moving facilities probably could have been insurmountable. Along with the technical team at MLB Network, the VCC were great partners and, despite the tight timetable, we were able to successfully launch to air on time.”

With project management assistance from the VCC, system preparation began Feb 14 and by March 6, the Chatting Cage team was in rehearsal using the system. VCC’s interface system provides flexible connectivity for broadcast facilities, which helped smooth the transition. For example, VCC was readily configurable for embedded audio used in Secaucus instead of unbalanced AES3 needed in the Chelsea facility.

One of the challenges faced when bringing live video callers to air is the fact that there’s no crew at the caller’s end. While the video feed of players comes from MLB Network’s award-winning Ballpark Cam, a network of in-venue cameras, fans are using phones, tablets and laptops from wherever they happen to be.

The show’s call screener, Segment Producer Marissa Morris, serves as gatekeeper and the first person with whom every caller interacts. Morris trained with video call production experts from the VCC who went over different techniques to ensure calls are the best possible in terms of video and audio presentation. “They taught us that small changes can have a big impact,” said Morris. “Asking a person to move closer to a window or to use headphones in a public place makes a huge difference.”

CUSTOM-BRANDED

To join a show, callers first enter the online Caller Queue, the VCC’s cloud-based caller management platform which has been custom-branded for MLB. Callers provide basic identifying information, the question they wish to ask, as well as specify their preferences regarding video calling apps. The Caller Queue permits the call producers to see all the candidates for air, what devices they are on, what topic they would like to discuss, and select them for air.

After reviewing the information, Morris uses the VCC text chat feature to introduce herself and set expectations about when she will call the fan. Text chat is a new feature, integrated into the VCC platform at the request of MLB.

A few minutes before the fan joins the live show, Morris will call them via their preferred app. If the chosen app is problematic, Morris can quickly reconnect via another option. Crop marks on the laptop help her work directly with the fan for ideal framing.

“In the past, we had only one option for video chat,” Lundberg said. “If an issue popped up in making the caller’s camera work with the system, or the connectivity wasn’t great, our only choice was to move on to the next caller.”

VCC call computers are in racks alongside other MLB production equipment. Outputs are fed to a monitor in the control room so operators can QC visuals at air time. But, when it comes to running the show, all that is needed is a laptop.

ON THE FLY

Having four VCC call computers online makes it far less stressful for Morris to juggle large volumes of callers. “We have the option to have four different fans fully vetted and ready to go,” he said. “Having choices means we can bring in a caller who is relevant to what is happening at any moment in the show, rather than relying solely on chronological order. And while we have yet to experience an unresolvable technical issue with a caller, we always have a fallback option.”

When the show’s drivers bring a caller to air, the show visually shifts to a three-up screen that includes the host, guest, and the fan. VCC’s Call Manager Pro system automatically clears all the interface buttons and return video windows normally displayed by calling apps, so all viewers see is distraction-free video. After the question is posed, the show switches to a two-box for the response, with the option to revert to three-box if follow up is required. Morris explains to the fan what they will see on screen, so they aren’t surprised when their video feed vanishes.

“The Chatting Cage has been on MLB.com in various forms for several years, even prior to when I joined the show,” said Lundberg. “The VCC platform along with the helpfulness and experience of their call production team has made this the best iteration yet. The result is a completely unique opportunity to grow the connection between MLB, its teams, players and fans.”

Evan Sirof is president of Marcomm-on-Call.

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PALISADES, NY—The Video Call Center has announced a partnership with Major League Baseball to handle live video caller production.

As part of the multi-year production support relationship, MLB will use VCC’s patented call computer systems to manage live video caller production within digital programs where fans and special guests from around MLB can interact. VCC’s cloud technology and video call computer systems were integrated into the production facility within the MLB Network headquarters in Secaucus, NJ.

According to VCC, the integration will give MLB the flexibility to enable callers from anywhere in the world to connect from smartphones, laptops and tablets using a variety of native IP video calling apps including Apple FaceTime and Google’s Web-RTC format (via Gruveo), which require no downloads for callers, as well as Skype. Call quality is expected to dramatically improve and support for simultaneous callers has also been added.

[Read: MLB 2018: A Clearer Image]

MLB will use VCC’s Caller Queue management platform custom-branded for MLB, to provide producers with sophisticated caller management and pre-screening tools to ensure participants are appropriate for both content and visual/audio quality. MLB producers and hosts will use VCC’s Call Manager Pro software, a suite of productivity tools to quickly launch/end calls, dynamically and automatically reposition and resize call windows to achieve the optimal look-and-feel of programs, and to achieve lip-sync across multiple video call applications.

The VCC is also providing live video call production training services to MLB personnel. 

PALISADES, N.Y.—The Video Call Center (VCC) has signed a technology license and services agreement with Fox Television Holding’s Half-Life Productions with the goal of developing video caller television programming.

The VCC is the provider of video caller platform and content development services. VCC technology allows for the simultaneous connection of multiple video callers from around the world through computers or smartphones and brings them together with a live broadcast program.