Snell Kahuna powers new BBC studios
Not sports, but of definite interest, UK systems integrator dB Broadcast has chosen the Snell Kahuna HD/SD multiformat production switcher as a central component in the BBC’s Broadcasting House redevelopment in central London.
Installed in each of the four largest studios in the W1 centre, the Kahunas will drive live news programs and support a seamless migration to HD operations for the world’s largest broadcasting organisation.
“Within the W1 development, the BBC is creating a centralised focus for its national and international news operations that will bring the World Service and the domestic news service together on one site,” said Tom Swan, sales and marketing director for dB Broadcast.
The newly developed Broadcasting House will host one of the world’s largest newsrooms. The Kahunas will see heavy service in three fixed-rig studios and one flexible-rig studio, switching all incoming content and clips for the 24-hour World Service and News Channel broadcasts, but will still draw from many sources that exist in SD and other formats — thus making the Kahuna’s multiformat capabilities crucial. In addition to the four Kahunas, the W1 campus will feature two Snell Sirius 850 1152×1152 routers.
“At any one time, more than 10 million people across the UK will watch or listen to output from the new Broadcasting House, and every week at least 150 million people worldwide will tune into the World Service broadcasts,” said Mark Gardner, sales director, Northern Europe and MEA at Snell. “The fact that the BBC will be using both our switching and routing solutions for such a visible and influential project on the global broadcasting stage speaks volumes for the versatility and reliability of our products, and we are pleased to be involved at such an integral level.”