Versatility the key at Primocanale Sport
Italy: The channel is called Primocanale Sport and as the name suggests it is the first channel in the beautiful Riviera ligure to devote all programming to sports.
It is broadcast on the digital terrestrial network as an illustrious member of existing Genoa TV “Primocanale” MUX. Liguria is, along with Tuscany, among the latest regions in Italy to switch over to digital terrestrial TV transmissions. The channel belongs to the Primocanale Group which was born in 2008 -derived from former TV Telecittà Genova. The switch over happened gradually inside Primocanale which still remains on air as a general entertainment channel while including part of Primocanale Sport programming. Since last July all transmissions are broadcast thoroughly in digital format, following the whole region’s trend to DVB-T.
“We wanted our viewers to get accustomed to follow us on our digital terrestrial network” – says Maurizio Michieli head of editorial offices at Primocanale Sport, “even while our sports programming was still broadcast simultaneously on the traditional analogical frequencies of Primocanale.”
Actually the existing programmes of Primocanale have always dealt with sports with several hours during the daily schedule, and while launching the new DVB-T Mux, along with several others thematic channels, it was almost natural to spin off one channel totally devoted to the regional sports events. So the new TV channel is based on the efforts of a six journalists which actually cover not only soccer but the whole sports Liguria landscape, from Ponente to Levante.
Six professionals derived from the staff of Telecittà (absorbed by Primocanale in 2008) are the technical workforce along with two journalists who daily engage in covering soccer with Genoa, Sampdoria, Carige Genova Volleyball, both in terms of match coverage and brief reports to be inserted in other programmes. Not to mention the National/Regional Cards Championship, the main car rally events (Sanremo) and Formula 3 racing, the “Palla pugno” championship (very popular in these areas), and others.
Some of such programmes are fed to Primocanale Sport in pre-prepared format needing only but few finishing touches, mainly graphics; many other hours of programming are created here from scratch using four external ENG troupes plus two freelancers.
“The ratio of in-house produced programming compared to external ready to use programmes is rather high,” says Maurizio Michieli, “including daily reports, many live broadcasts at fixed hours during the day, just like the ones aired from 13,45 to 15, “Liguria in diretta sport”, dealing with soccer, the previous Sunday tournaments and open to public viewer calls which can talk directly to the anchorman, to opinion leaders, commentators, sportsmen, and so forth”.
Another daily broadcast, “Primo Sport” deals with all other sports but soccer and TV troupes are engaged in touring sports venues to interview athletes and trainers, sports leagues like CONI and prepare a daily 24-minute report recorded in the afternoon and aired in the evening at 18H.
All broadcasts are ingested in a SI Media playout system which takes care of all Primocanale MUX transmissions..
Tech manager of Primocanale Sport, Marco Scopesi, comments: “I’ve been very lucky since the six professionals I am leading here are derived from Telecittà. So they are used to being very interchangeable: they can practically take care of everything. They were selected to perform -first of all- a main task according to their personal skills, editing, directing, graphics editing, shooting. But, as requested, everybody can perform -in case of emergency- all functions requested; I can quickly interchange an editor to shooting or to direct an external broadcast. This is our strength, versatility – everybody can do almost anything!