WGBH Uses Volicon For Video Monitoring, Logging

Volicon today announced that PBS station WGBH Boston (DMA 7) is using the Observer Professional for digital video content monitoring and logging. With the Volicon system, WGBH is monitoring its own broadcasts in concert with the as-run logs generated by the station’s existing automation system. The Observer’s interactive Ratings Import Module also allows WGBH to keep an eye on the popularity of content aired by other PBS stations.

“We are familiar with the installations at PBS headquarters and other sites where the Observer has been a reliable and cost-effective monitoring system,” said Michael Foti, director of engineering at WGBH. “When Volicon introduced us to the Observer Pro, which is not only compatible with our automation system, but also interoperable with our many Mac OS X clients, it seemed like it would be a good fit for us.”

The Observer Professional is a video content monitoring, logging and compliance system that provides WGBH with two channels of 24/7 SD recording and 90 days of storage, along with Volicon enhanced support. The system’s Microsoft Silverlight framework has enabled integration, eliminating the need for WGBH to update its existing inventory of Mac-based client workstations. The Observer Professional interface also supports import of as-run logs from the station’s Harris automation system, thereby giving WGBH the ability to segment the recorded content for simpler program access and clip creation.

The Ratings Import Module is designed to enable broadcasters to understand the popularity of aired content. At WGBH this capability allows the station to import viewer approval ratings data into the Observer system and then view multiple PBS channels with a synchronized ratings time-based graph. Operators can navigate to points of interest simply by clicking on any recorded point in time in the graph to view the content in real-time. In addition, there are several supported chart types, including demographic breakdowns, to gain a better understanding of the content’s effectiveness.