Digital technology is transforming business activities across a vast spectrum of industries from medicine to the media. The communication industry in particular is migrating away from aging analog communications platforms toward digital services based on Internet Protocol (IP).
In the local broadcast news industry there is a growing trend toward what is known as IP network migration; that is, the replacing of traditional broadcast infrastructure with IP-based systems.
IP Network Migration and Television
The television industry has traditionally been focused around what used to be called “baseband networks,” or coaxial-type physically hardwired networks, designed for real-time broadcasting. Now the industry is beginning to follow the trends seen in other aspects of the communication industry and is migrating increasingly towards an IP centric model for transporting broadcast video across an increasingly varied network of endpoints.
This trend is very much in keeping with viewer habits as TV users are also migrating away from a traditional viewing model. While 10 years ago, you still had to be sitting in front of your flat-screen to catch the six o’clock news, today’s viewers no longer watch solely on traditional television sets, but rather on laptops, smartphones, and tablets.
The challenge for content producers is to create content that can be transcoded in such a way that it can be disseminated across these different endpoints seamlessly. This is essential for local broadcast news stations who must provide a seamless, uninterrupted content stream. Any kind of on-air blip or disruption could entail the risk of running afoul of the advertisers who pay their bills.
Unlike other communication industries that have already made the transition, television stations are just beginning to shift from traditional SDI to IP based environments. Digital technology is more agile, provides better information security, and will be better able to support their applications going forward.
Many application providers already working within the industry are going to be releasing software versions of their applications. ATSG provides versatile solutions for digital transformation that can assist stations looking to take steps towards IP network migration.
Overcoming Obstacles to IP Network Migration
Perhaps the greatest obstacle to IP network migration for local broadcast outlets is resistance within the industry. It’s been shown that senior staff within the local broadcast industry has a strong tendency to “kick the can down the road” when it comes to transitioning to digital technology.
Cost is another obstacle to adoption. Completing an IP network migration can often require replacing major portions of a station’s infrastructure. Even preliminary “spine leaf” architecture for such a migration can require upwards of eight to 10 additional data center level switches, adding significant costs to any customer data center. This makes many station operators wary of making the switch.
Why IP Networks are More Cost-Effective
However, while replacing existing infrastructure can seem cost-prohibitive, IP based environments are in many ways, more cost-effective overall to set up than traditional infrastructure, which can cost hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars to set up. Digital technology is far more affordable than analog baseband inputs, video switches, and routers.
And IP network migration offers stations more flexibility than traditional infrastructure, which is more rigid than IP-based networks, which are dynamic and flexible. IP networks for instance, can accommodate multiple inputs and outputs and channel them through one output or many.
Keeping Up With the Pace of Technology
For the local broadcast news industry, IP network migration is a matter of “when” rather than “if.” While some stations in smaller markets may be able to afford holding off longer, in major markets like New York City, Boston and Los Angeles, local new stations have already begun taking steps toward adopting the new technology.
As content becomes more high quality and moves further and further away from traditional 4 x 3 frames towards formats like HD, 4K, and very soon – 8K, media network migration to IP-based transport is going to become even more essential. Especially when you consider the standards on the horizon are even greater, with 400-gig or one-terabyte per second formatting looming just a few years down the road.
For local broadcast stations, in major and secondary markets alike, having the proper infrastructure in place before these changes are introduced will be vital to keeping the pace with the technology.
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