Exceptional sound: Telos Alliance on why we need next gen audio in live sports
By Costa Nikols, Telos Alliance strategy advisor M&E.
High-quality audio is a crucial component of live sports broadcasting. Exceptional audio intensifies live sporting events and creates unforgettable moments that resonate on a deeper level. Reproducing the unique sounds of a stadium or racetrack to create truly engaging experiences for TV audiences is complex, but emerging technologies and deep innovation are beginning to change the game.
Despite breathtaking advances in video resolution to bring fans richer visual experiences, the truth is that developments in audio are often overlooked. Every day, audio pioneers are elevating auditory experiences across major live sports, including the most-watched events like the Paris Olympics. Early adopters of immersive audio are championing new levels of quality and customisation, leading the wider sports broadcasting industry to realise that “just good enough” audio won’t cut it anymore.
Next generation audio
Live sports viewing expectations have evolved rapidly. Rising costs of maintaining multiple sports subscriptions means fans want to get their money’s worth, particularly those who have invested in modern entertainment systems and sound devices.
While 4K UHD video quality and new interactivity features enhance fan experiences to make them feel closer to the action, subpar audio quality can leave viewers feeling one step short of true immersion. Picture hearing the sharp scrape of skates on the ice during a hockey game, the crack of a bat hitting a home run, or the punchy sound of a paddle striking a table tennis ball. In these moments, high quality audio is essential; it’s what differentiates an engaging experience from an exceptional one.
Next generation audio (NGA) is an evolving standard which empowers both producers and consumers to adapt the audio to provide the best listening experience in any situation or listening environment. Imagine live sports coverage where you can adjust the volume of the commentator or crowd noise to suit your preferences, or tailor your output to deliver surround sound audio that maps back to specific camera angles and on-screen object tracking. NGA offers improved sound clarity and opens up intuitive, user-friendly features like advanced dialogue enhancement for those with hearing impairments, and the ability to select different commentators or language tracks during sports events, all while delivering an immersive or surround sound experience to every viewer.
NGA offers diverse workflow and distribution options that help simplify production for multi-platform, multi-format environments, along with enabling flexible, personalised user experiences in a smaller data rate footprint. This allows broadcasters and content distributors to deliver more audio profiles without Increasing the size of their data payload. Object-based audio marks a step change in traditional audio processing methodologies and empowers users to control and customise their auditory experience. Inherent customisation potential and user-centric features mean live sports innovators no longer need convincing that NGA is something worth exploring; it’s all about how quickly they can get started.
FAST needs better audio
Throughout television history, viewers have voiced their frustrations over the significant volume differences between commercials and regular programming. Established in 2010, the European Broadcasting Union’s R 128 guideline for loudness normalisation has significantly influenced volume standardisation in traditional linear broadcasting. This legislation makes broadcasters accountable for maintaining consistent volume levels throughout all aspects of their programming.
However, when you move away from the traditional linear world and into the emerging ecosystem of free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST), there are few regulations in place. Traditionally limited to cable channels and premium subscriptions, a range of live sports are increasingly finding homes across digital and FAST platforms. Sports broadcasts include high energy moments, such as scoring a goal in a football match, which can temporarily alter the volume level. As live sports continue to transition to streaming and FAST platforms, it is essential that providers deliver audio that not only complies with regulatory standards, but also enhances audience engagement. Not to mention, solving the original problem of ads being normalised so that they don’t blast the viewers’ ears, making them reach for the remote. Improved audio quality among emerging platforms is advantageous for consumers and it’s good news for business too, helping retain eyeballs and boost ad value across new digital frontiers.
What’s next?
Emerging technologies are increasingly capable of observing, analysing, and driving new functions within sports production. Today, artificial intelligence (AI)-supported workflows can analyse vast amounts of audio data to improve sound clarity, optimise audio mixing, and automate specific tasks in a practical, pragmatic way that helps pressured teams create more content with tightened resources.
Future trends in audio technology are increasingly centred on improving production efficiency while making content available to a broader audience through greater customisation and accessibility features. In the years ahead, many advancements in live sports will be heard rather than seen. For sports broadcasters who want to be a part of that change and a true champion for unforgettable fan experiences, betting on Next Generation Audio is a smart place to start.