Measured on precision: NRK vision mixer Mari Libach talks travel and technology
Mari Libach, [closest to the camera] a vision mixer at Norwegian public broadcaster, NRK, at the World Athletics World Championship in Budapest 2023
“Second, my personal interest in sports. Having played handball for many years, I have a natural appreciation for athletic competition, and being part of broadcasting brings me close to the action in a unique way.
“Lastly, the opportunity to travel. Working on sports productions often means traveling to different venues, cities, and even countries. That aspect of the job has allowed me to experience other cultures, meet professionals from all over the world, and work in diverse environments.”
Measured on precision
Like many roles in sports broadcasting, vision mixing is learned on the job, notes Libach. “Vision mixing is what I would call a “learning-by-doing” profession. It’s both a technical role and social role. While the technical aspects can be taught more easily, the social dynamics – such as working with a director under high pressure conditions – are more difficult to learn without hands-on experience.
“It is a profession where you’re measured on your precision,” she continues, on what is hard about the role. “To cut to the right source when given the correct command, but also when given the wrong command. It is human to make mistakes and working as a team and getting to know each other well does make it easier to save each other from letting those mistakes make it on-air.”
That high pressure demand is now coming from the audience, says Libach: “One of the challenges is that the demand for real time, dynamic coverage has increased. Audiences now expect more immediate and detailed access to information – such as live stats, instant replays, and social media interactions – while the event is unfolding. This can put a lot of pressure on the production team to be as fast and accurate as possible.”
Pictured this week at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2025 at the setup for leaderboard position, NRK’s Mari Libach
Evolving technology
Despite the daily pressure for perfection, it is a great job, Libach says: “I love working in a team, where everyone is striving for the best result possible. I like the fact that I still learn new things in my field, not only from being on different types of TV productions, but also because the technology is constantly evolving, and the industry is demanding new ways in broadcasting.
“Being forced to adapt new ways of doing things such as automated production and remote productions can be challenging, and a bit conflicting, as I want to be part of the development but still appreciate doing things the way I know best.”
The technologies used in sports broadcasting have evolved rapidly over recent years. There are several that Libach has noticed changing the industry – and her job – for the better.
She explains: “In my daily work, remote production must be one of the bigger advancements. The ability to cut a live sports event from a centralised control room rather than being on site has transformed the production process. It’s not without challenges, of course, but it reduces travel, which not only lowers costs but also minimises the environmental impact of broadcasting. While it means I don’t get to travel as much in my role as a vision mixer, it has also allowed for better coverage of certain events, where the cost of sending a full team were too high.
“One of the developments I’ve seen is how sports broadcasts are being optimised for the viewers. This includes using AR graphics, enhanced data overlays, and better camera angles that bring viewers closer to the action.
“For example, in some sports, cameras and microphones are now placed in positions that were previously impossible, such as body cams on referees or athletes. This brings the audiences at home closer to what is happening.”
There have been several highlights in Libach’s career, but a few stand out, she says:
- The 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea – The opportunity to travel across the world, so early in my career and be part of such a massive event was an unforgettable experience
- The 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest – I was part of the Norwegian coverage. It was especially exciting to be there to watch the Norwegian athletes compete up close
- Melodi Grand Prix (Norwegian Eurovision selection) – While not a sports event, working on a high profile entertainment show like MGP has been a career highlight because of its large audience and the mix of live music, graphics, and effects
- Looking ahead, I’m excited to be part of the 2025 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Trondheim, where I’ll be working on the host broadcast for the cross country skiing production. It’s amazing getting the chance to contribute to such a big event, especially on home soil in the city I was born
NRK’s Mari Libach at her exam in classical music production the spring of 2016
From physio to broadcast
As to how she found herself pursuing a career in sports broadcasting, Libach says: “When I went to college I did a general studium with a focus on media. It was during this time that I was introduced to multi-cam and live broadcast. I found it fun and challenging, but at the time, I had no idea how to get into the industry.
“Initially, I pursued a career in physical therapy, being an active kid playing handball until the age of 20, I found sports and recovering from injuries interesting. However, I decided not to pursue a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy and instead took a year off, to work and travel the world. When I got back, I realised that I wanted to pursue a career in media. I enrolled in a one year media studies course in Kristiansand, and while studying there applied to the University College of Lillehammer’s TV production Bachelor programme.”
She continues: “At Lillehammer we were trained in the professional TV broadcasting way of doing things, I was in the technical/engineering class, where we got to try out all the various roles such as camera operator, replay operator, graphics, vision mixer, and audio engineers. At the end of the programme our class did internships at different companies, where we got hands-on experience and networking opportunities, and I graduated in the spring of 2016.”
Focus on vision mixing
Next up for Libach was an internship at TV2. During this time she was able to try out different roles, which allowed her to find out not only where her talents could take her, but what she loved to do.
She says: “My first job after finishing my studies was at TV2 Norway, where I had my internship. I worked as a freelancer, on the morning show called ‘God Morgen Norge’, some days as a graphics operator and some days as a vision mixer. During my studies, I had found vision mixing the most fun and aspired to do that onward in my career. I was thrilled to have a foot in the industry. Even though working on a morning show meant waking up very early, the excitement of doing vision mixing on live television made it all worth it.”
“Being at TV2 I got contacts in OB-Team (now NEP Norway), where I began freelancing on outside broadcast sports productions. I worked as a graphics operator or vision mixer on a variety of sports events, including football matches, handball, cross-country skiing, and hockey.
“After a couple of years doing both roles, I finally had enough experience and contacts to focus solely on vision mixing,” she says. “During this time, I also freelanced for Discovery and Eurosport who, at the time, held the broadcasting rights for the Olympics. In 2018 I got to travel to Pyeongchang in South Korea for the 2018 Winter Olympics to do the Norwegian coverage of the Games.”
Read more:
- Ready for takeoff: Inside NRK’s camera plans for the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2025 cross country and ski jumping in Trondheim
- Goggles and athletes: NRK outlines how it will excite younger viewers with coverage of the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2025
- Focused on the slopes: How production partner NRK has prepared for the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2025
From that point, Libach’s career took off. “That year my career accelerated; the jobs were numerous and varied. I started to freelance for NRK, Norway’s public broadcaster, and in the fall of 2018, I got a temporary position.
“At NRK the opportunities were wider to more than just sports, and though I enjoyed that a lot, doing entertainment, gameshows, music competitions and big events was a way for me to gain a broader perspective and higher competence in my field. After just half a year I got a permanent 80% position at NRK, which allowed me to continue freelancing on the side. And now, since January 2024, I have been fully employed at NRK as a vision mixer.”
Libach was lucky to get her first role at NRK, because, she says, once you’re in, you’re in. She explains: “It was a combination of luck and timing, getting into NRK, but once you’re in, you are sort of in for life – in a good way.
“Norway is a relatively small country, with a limited number of companies that hire broadcast-engineers. NRK is the largest and offers the widest variety of productions, giving me the opportunity to work on both entertainment and sports broadcasts.”
She continues: “My role as a vision mixer primarily involves cutting between different sources during live TV broadcasts. However, it also includes setting up the vision mixer for each production. This means configuring sources on the mixer, ensuring that graphic sources appear correctly, setting up replay wipes, and preparing any necessary split screens, effects, or animations that will be used on-air during the broadcast.”
From the 2023 World Cup in Holmenkollen, Mari Libach from NRK with all the women working in the OB truck on this day [Libach is third from the right]
On challenges she has faced, Libach says it has all been about confidence and career building. “I haven’t faced many challenges related to my age or gender, but in the early stages of my career, it was stressful to secure enough freelance work. To build my skills and expand my network, I said yes to every opportunity that came my way.
“I may have been lucky, or perhaps Norway is just a very gender-equal country, but I’ve never felt sidelined as a woman in the technical side of broadcasting. However, I have experienced moments where I was underestimated – where people assumed I wasn’t qualified or experienced enough. Over time, as my skills and confidence grew, I learned to trust myself and can now say that I know how to do my job.”
To other women thinking of moving into live sports broadcasting, Libach says: “My advice is that you should not hesitate to go for it! If you have a passion for live production and sports, there’s a place for you in the industry. But you have to be proactive about learning. This field is highly technical, and gaining hands-on experience with equipment, software, and workflows is crucial.
“Connect with others. Sports broadcasting thrives on teamwork, and having a strong network can help you find opportunities and support. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people in the industry to visit a production on-site or ask ‘stupid’ questions on how things are done.”
On Wednesday 19 March, SVG Europe Women is hosting A City United, a learning, inspiration and networking event taking place at the Hot House in MediaCity, Salford, in association with Dock10. Find out more and register here.