CSC Media appoints WRN Broadcast as playout partner

WRN Broadcast today announced that it has signed an exclusive multi-year contract with CSC Media to provide playout and media management services.

A global broadcast company, WRN Broadcast provides multi-platform technology solutions across a complete range of broadcast services including multi-channel playout, media management and distribution for broadcasters, content rights holders and platform operators.

WRN Broadcast, which was awarded the exclusive contract following a competitive tender, will be responsible for CSC Media’s complete portfolio – the UK’s largest independently-owned bouquet of eighteen channels, including Chart Show TV, Tiny Pop, True Entertainment – and the social media TV channel BuzMuzik, launched in 2012. The channels, which are available 24 hours a day launched this week.

Remy Minute, Managing Director, CSC Media, said: “I’m delighted to have awarded WRN Broadcast the contract for playout and media management for CSC Media. It was of primary importance that we appointed the right partner to enable our continued growth and positively meet the demands on delivering the excellent channels we have in our network. I’m thoroughly impressed with WRN Broadcast and confident that with their first-class service and expertise we’ll be able to achieve success.”

Under terms of the contact, WRN Broadcast will be responsible for delivering 15000 hours of television services for CSC Media every month, across Sky, Virgin Media, Freesat  and international affiliate partners including DSTV/Multichoice.

David Treadway, CEO, WRN Broadcast, added: “We are excited to have been chosen by CSC Media to provide these services as its exclusive broadcast partner. This is a significant win for WRN Broadcast and it is testament to our growth, ambition and reputation as it is to our excellent track record in delivering high quality, reliable and cost effective broadcast solutions. We look forward to working with CSC Media and developing our relationship further over the coming years.”

 

WRN Broadcast selected to complete off-continent broadcast services for Middle East Broadcasting Center (MBC) Group

WRN Broadcast and MBC today announce a partnership that sees London’s leading broadcast managed services provider responsible for a range of broadcast services for the Dubai-based commercial broadcasting company.

WRN Broadcast, who secured the deal after initial discussions at NAB 2013, offers tailor-made end-to-end broadcast solutions as well as a comprehensive range of individual services from their four core broadcast areas – Manage, Originate, Deliver and Store – across TV, Radio and Digital. The London-based company has a strong reputation for global broadcasting projects, having worked with NHK World for almost a decade, enabled the launch the East African triple-play provider Zuku and most recently agreed an international distribution deal with UK-based Channel 4’s Box TV.

MBC was the first private free-to-air satellite broadcasting company in the Arab World, launching in London in 1991 and later relocating to UAE (in 2002). The MBC Group network includes both commercial radio and television services and reaches over 77% of MENA satellite households.

Andy Palmer, Group Director of Technical Operations, MBC, said: “WRN Broadcast have been appointed to work with MBC on a number of key projects moving forward. The company’s in-house expertise and leading technology are highly impressive and were a contributing factor to our decision.”

WRN Broadcast has seen consistent business growth over the past five years which has been supported by regular large-scale investment over this time – the most recent being £1m in January this year. This has enabled the company to strengthen and develop existing and emerging technologies and in the process future-proofing their London-based facility, whilst also developing new services such as OTT Delivery and building a dedicated Broadcast Data Centre, all to better support its client’s requirements.

David Treadway, CEO, WRN Broadcast, said: “WRN Broadcast is privileged to work with some of the greatest broadcasters in the world and we’re all thrilled to have the opportunity to include MBC in this as we partner with them on a range of broadcast managed services over the coming years. This project shows how we work with a client to understand their broadcast objectives and how our flexible and fast approach, alongside our expertise in certain key areas, can be used to realise the ambitions of the world’s major broadcasting powers.”

WRN Broadcast’s continued growth and heavy investment has been supported by staff numbers doubling, primarily focused on the operational and engineering teams as well as the dedicated account teams, now under the leadership of Andrew Davies, who joined WRN Broadcast in August from TSL’s Dubai office. (Source: WRN Broadcast press release)

Box TV goes borderless with WRN Broadcast’s Alto Cloud

Box TV and WRN Broadcast today announce a partnership that sees Box TV’s music portfolio available across the globe. The move signals a confident step forward for Box TV, the biggest music television player in the UK, accelerating its robust distribution strategy with WRN Broadcast’s cutting edge cloud-based broadcast technology solution – a key new element of the company’s OTT offering announced at NAB 2013 in April.

Box TV’s network features seven premium music channels including Kiss, 4Music, Kerrang!, The Box, Magic, Smash Hits and heat. Each channel has its own personality catering for every music enthusiast with original and innovative programming.  Kiss, Kerrang! Magic, Smash Hits and The Box have already launched successfully in new territories.

Scott Monks, Box TV’s director of international said: “Box TV has already secured carriage on a number of key television platforms across the world. Demand has also been particularly high from small and medium sized platforms. However, physically accessing the channels from the UK was a problem for some and we required a fast, innovative and cost effective distribution solution. WRN Broadcast’s Alto Cloud solution solves this issue for us. If a platform has good IP connectivity they can receive our premium channels in broadcast quality anywhere in the world. It’s great to see the portfolio reaching new and emerging audiences which is really at the heart of our plans to make Box TV borderless.”

David Treadway, CEO, WRN Broadcast commented: “Our new range of OTT delivery services are proving a fantastic way of delivering content to a global market and the tailored Alto Cloud solution for Box TV is a perfect example of this. WRN Broadcast continues to listen to it’s clients in order to better assist them in meeting their business and broadcasting objectives. We look forward to continuing our work with Box TV and watching the continued success of the network on a global scale.”

Box TV’s seven channels are available via WRN Broadcast’s ground-breaking technology now.

(Source: WRN Broadcast press release)

 

WRN Broadcast to partner with Somethin’ Else to syndicate The BRIT Awards 2013

WRN Broadcast, the international broadcast services company, has today confirmed it’s partnership with the content design and creation company, Somethin’ Else, to syndicate radio content for The BRIT Awards 2013.

WRN Broadcast, which has partnered with Somthin’ Else since 2004 for this annual music awards event, will be transmitting the event on it’s own dedicated events channel – an audio-only channel specifically available for such ad-hoc projects.

David Treadway, CEO, WRN Broadcast, commented, “WRN Broadcast is again thrilled to play a part in syndicating the BRIT Awards – and as such, celebrating the very best in British music and continuing our longstanding relationship with Somethin’ Else.”

The BRIT Awards, which has been going since 1977, is the biggest event in the British music calendar which last year saw Adele, Coldplay and Blur win British Female Artist, British Group and Outstanding Contribution to Music Awards, respectively.

Tom Green, Executive Producer, Somethin’ Else, said, “Somethin’ Else has been syndicating content for The BRIT Awards for over ten years and have consistently relied on the broadcast expertise and services WRN Broadcast provides. We’re very proud to bring BRITs fans this fantastic annual event, wherever they may be.”

The BRIT Awards 2013 with Mastercard will be taking place on 20 February 2013, at London’s o2 Arena. (Source: WRN Broadcast press release)

WRN Broadcast appoints Dave Travis as CTO

WRN Broadcast, the international broadcast services company, has today announced the appointment of Dave Travis as Chief Technology Officer (CTO).  Travis, who was formally Head of Operations & Technology Services, has been appointed as technology chief following the company’s continual growth in broadcast operations – which this year included the opening of it’s broadcast data centre.

Over the past three years since joining WRN Broadcast, Travis has been responsible for overseeing the company’s broadcast solutions and technology partnerships.  His contribution has seen WRN Broadcast increase it’s offering to become one of the most comprehensive broadcast managed services company in the industry.  This has meant working with some of the best known television broadcasters and content owners in the world; ranging from Viacom Media Networks to East Africa’s Zuku platform alongside the company’s longstanding clients, which include NHK World and VOA, as well as Jazz FM and Absolute Radio here in the UK.

Dave Travis, CTO, WRN Broadcast, comments: “WRN Broadcast has an immensely strong offering across TV, Radio, IP and Broadcast Support and it’s been great playing a part in developing those areas.  We have a first-class team of people here providing broadcast solutions that are innovative and cost effective enabling us to realise our client’s business objectives.  My appointment as CTO will be a challenging and rewarding role which will allow me to help drive the company forward with the rest of the executive management team.”

Travis was Director of Engineering at TSI Broadcast before WRN Broadcast acquired it in 2009.  Prior to that he had worked at Viacom, including MTV Networks and was part of the team responsible for building Showtime, Arabia’s multi-channel playout facility in Dubai Media City.

David Treadway, CEO, WRN Broadcast, says: “Dave’s expertise in broadcast technology has helped us realise one of our core ambitions – to make WRN Broadcast the most complete broadcast managed services company – enabling us to better serve our broadcast clients, regardless of the area of the media they work in.  I wish to welcome Dave to the Executive Board as CTO at this exciting time in our history, as we continue to drive forward making sure we can take advantage of the opportunities in the ever-evolving media and broadcast sectors.”

About WRN Broadcast (www.wrnbroadcast.com)

WRN Broadcast is an international broadcast services company enabling broadcasters and media owners to deliver content to audiences worldwide.

Founded in 1992, WRN Broadcast has become one of the leading broadcast services companies, working across digital content platforms to provide broadcast clients with worldwide coverage.  The company specialises in end-to-end solutions for ingest, content management, playout, encoding, multiplexing and worldwide fibre and satellite distribution.  It has a state-of-the-art Media Centre offering clients the latest in broadcast technologies.

The company manages playout and distribution services for over 250 clients worldwide including some of the most recognised broadcast brands such as Top Up TV, Jazz FM and Wananchi (Zuku platform).

WRN Broadcast is committed to providing a complete, professional service to all of its clients, accompanied by its investment in the latest technologies available.