Broadcast Engineering - February 2009 - (Page 10)

DownloaD Beyond the headlines Examine workflows implementing BXF can be advantageous for your organization’s flow. By Chris Lennon The capabilities of BXF Schedule/as-run is the most commonly referenced component of BXF. The main benefit that BXF offers is the ability to dynamically tie together scheduling and playout areas so that changes in Automation Playout BXF schedule one area are automatically re(playlist) flected in the other. This way, day-of-air program or commercial content changes can Playout server be made easily and seamlessly BXF as-run in scheduling — and playout is aware of these changes BXF schedule (inventory) quickly and automatically. On Scheduling and Ingest the flip side, immediate aspresentation BXF BXF schedule content run notification is also pos(spot schedule) BXF content sible using BXF. transfer Content metadata can be Airtime sales File-based easily shared among systems delivery using BXF. The depth of content metadata supported is quite deep, both for Figure 1. A typical broadcast workflow with sales, scheduling and playout linked by BXF data program and nonprogram exchange (commercial) content. This without properly examining the reaFor example, many wonder whether allows for more automated ingest sons behind the implementation and BXF means that traffic and scheduling procedures, as well as better synchrothe likely impact on the way business starts controlling automation. The nization among systems dealing with is conducted. Clearly, an understand- answer is not simple. BXF does allow content metadata. ing of the technology is required, traffic and scheduling to dynamically With content (both program and but one must also consider how the update events on automation’s playout commercial) increasingly being delivtechnology will affect the people and list, exchange content metadata and ered as files, the need to manage the workflows that it touches. automatically exchange content trans- transfer of this content in an autoA good initial goal is to understand fer information. This automates many mated fashion becomes more imporwhat you are trying to accomplish previously manual processes. Whether tant. BXF allows systems to exchange common misconception about the Broadcast Exchange Format (BXF) is that the technology is what’s so interesting about it. While the technology and capabilities of BXF are indeed impressive and considerable, the workflow aspects are the most compelling. The workflow aspects are the most likely to have the biggest effect on organizations implementing BXF. Few broadcasters decide to introduce new technology without a solid business case to support it. It can be expensive and disruptive if done a with a technology such as BXF. Do you hope to cut costs? Do you want to find new revenues? Is your plan to streamline operations? Once you identify your objectives, you can appreciate the deeper effects of the technological change on your organization. It is critical to comprehend the significant workflow changes that something like BXF implies before rolling it out across your organization. Above all else, workflows with formerly loosely and poorly connected processes will be brought closer together with systems integration rather than interoperability being the key. it means that traffic and scheduling is taking over automation is up to how a particular organization chooses to adjust its workflow, staffing and even structure in response to the implementation of BXF. (See Figure 1.) This article will discuss some of the capabilities of BXF. Examining these capabilities is a good way to gauge what effect such a rollout could have on your organization. 10 broadcastengineeringworld.com | February 2009 http://www.broadcastengineeringworld.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Broadcast Engineering - February 2009

Broadcast Engineering - February 2009 Contents Viewing the Slowdown in 3-D Examine Workflows Tapeless Technology Digital Audio 24p and 25p Judder Video Routing: A Look at What's Next Managing AFD The Right Connections Solid State Logic's AWS 900+ SE and More... Advertisers Index

Broadcast Engineering - February 2009

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