Leading horse-racing network expands Volicon Observer system
Volicon has revealed TVG, a broadcast channel dedicated to providing in-depth analysis and race coverage of horse racing around the world, has expanded its Observer video monitoring and logging system to accommodate the company’s recent acquisition of its television broadcast competitor, HRTV.
Offering separate slates of programming, the two networks now operate out of TVG network studios in Los Angeles, with Volicon technology enabling compliance monitoring for each HD network signal and giving personnel convenient desktop access to live and recorded broadcast content from both TVG and HRTV.
“Programming on both TVG and HRTV is live and ever-changing, and the day-to-day schedule is dictated by the unpredictable behavior of large, strong animals with their own priorities,” said Mark Depping, director of broadcast operations at TVG Betfair. “In addition to supporting ad verification and compliance monitoring, the Volicon Observer system makes it easy for us to review live and recorded programs on both networks so that we can assess how well we dealt with unexpected developments during live production and, in turn, improve our agility in handling those situations.”
Featuring live and near-live races, as well as statistics and handicapping information from horseracing experts, TVG and HRTV broadcasts are delivered to 56 million households via cable and satellite direct-to-home services across the country. For both broadcast channels, the Observer system records aired broadcast content 24/7/365 and provides instant access to this content through an easy-to-use, Web-based interface. Working at the desktop, multiple users can locate, stream, and review content immediately following its broadcast. Enabling rapid searches and fast access to content, the Observer system simplifies the process of checking specific ad spots and facilitates review of TVG and HRTV programs by directors and producers.
“Like many Volicon customers, TVG first deployed the Observer system because of its reputation as the industry standard for compliance monitoring and ad verification, and then realised how valuable ready access to recorded audio and video could be in other use cases,” said Gary Learner, CTO at Volicon. “We’re pleased that the Observer system has become a key part of operations at TVG and that the company has continued to expand the system to match its ongoing growth.”