Study: IP-Based Remotes Using Smartphones Can Have Significant Impact on TV Newsroom Speed

The Video Call Center (VCC), a developer and provider of smartphone and laptop-based IP video remote technology and services, has released a new study called “New management technology for video remotes drives change across TV News production.” The report explores the steps taken by a major cable news organization that quantifiably improved its ability to create content using remotes from smartphones and laptops by:

the ability to create more content in less time

• Reducing time to air.
• Decreasing operational complexity and improving communications  for staff.
• Enhancing the ability to create more content in less time.
• Improving ease of use for non-technical remote guests and other contributors.

According to VCC, IP remotes are increasingly important to television news organizations that need near-instant access to journalists and experts worldwide. With no technician at the remote end of the connection, news organizations are challenged to connect quickly and effortlessly with their non-technical guests, achieve high-quality connections, and shorten time-to-air to improve productivity.

The report uses testing data from nearly a year of on-air production to compare the organization’s legacy IP remote workflow to a modernized process using VCC’s AirFirst platform. Among the findings in the report:

• Execution time has been reduced by more than 76%, creating thousands of hours of improved efficiency.
• A 42% reduction in the need for time-consuming test calls.
• An increase of 267% in the number of air calls made reflects an increase in the quantity of content being produced.

According to Larry Thaler, CEO of VCC: “To compete effectively in today’s media landscape, TV newsrooms need to leverage their access to experts around the world and do so as quickly as possible. Every minute counts, so media organizations need smart tools and efficient workflows that reduce complexity for their contributors, empower their staff and accelerate time to air. Our goal with this report is to provide a glimpse of the real world data to show how news organizations can best use IP remotes to give them a competitive advantage.”

The report is available free of charge here.