Etere for TV Parma

Etere MERP provides TV Parma with a flexible, modular and integrated framework of software solutions that is able to manage its end-to-end broadcast workflow.

TV Parma has deployed an Etere M.E.R.P software solution to connect and manage all the activities and workfkows of its four TV channels (TV Parma, TV Parma Shopping, TV Parma Sport and Radio Parma on TV).

With Etere M.E.R.P, TV Parma has now the opportunity to use flexible, reliable modular software and processes into a unique suite, to manage: commercial orders and planning, long-term programs/series scheduling with rights management, invoicing and accounting, acquisition, tapeless content reception, TV scheduling, playout automation, archiving, HiRes and proxy transcoding, web integration and video logging. Customer takes advantage of the integrated Etere Workflow Manager to design, run and track all the operational workflows above mentioned, to optimize and improve the productivity of each one.

TV Parma has equipped its system with Etere Airsales (Full or Lite version) according to the needs and the importance of each channel. Etere Airsales is the core of the advertising management (pre and post sales activities, advertising campaign sales, customer relationship, proposals, commercial planning, invoicing, Accounts Executive and agencies commissions) therefore it plays a central role in the revenue-bearing and in the success of the Tv station, thanks to its latest and advanced features.

Etere BMS is the module for the long-term planning of licensed programs/series and the management of the corresponding rights. Scheduling is also optimized because it allows broadcasters to track, inventory and monitor content rights use along its entire life-cycle.

The job done by commercial - programs and promo departments, converges automatically into the playout scheduling and the playlist managers can use Etere Executive Editor to finalize the playlist - manage secondary events and the last minute changes before or during airing.

TV Parma channels automation is managed by Etere Automation Main & Clone for a fully redundant solution that guarantees playout continuity through two synchronized processes, ready for switching automatically in case of fault, that run independently the same playlist driving two sets of device. Etere Automation at TV Parma controls video servers, master control and audio/video routing switcher while Etere STMAN plug-in manages logo – crawl and graphic for all channels. Moreover, it’s worth mentioning that channels transmission is recorded by Etere Memory to accomplish the legal recording requirements.

TV Parma can count on Etere Ingest for both manual or automatic content capture via SDI and on Etere Tapeless Reception, an efficient and secure web-based interface for file-based uploading/downloading among various departments inside the facility (NLEs, studios, post-production, news) or external content providers.

Content management, archiving and delivery is efficiently performed by Etere as the workflow system automates and streamlines many processes in the background to facilitate and speed the distribution. Most of TV Parma contents are stored into a disk array centralized storage. Etere Media Management is appointed to move and transfer media files automatically and quickly to make them available on time wherever is needed (playout, editors, producers, etc.). Etere Media Management also transcodes media files among different HiRes and Proxy formats (for playout, editing, preview, cataloging, etc.) through Etere HIRes Transcoder software or external transcoding tools.

Etere system at TV Parma controls the following equipment:
• 3 Matrox-based GammaRed Shine video servers;
• 2 VTR;
• 4 Logo generators;
• 4 Crawls;
• 50TB EMC VNX series cluster storage;
• 16 workstations

TV Parma has been using Etere for scheduling since the first half of 90’s. The first step towards automation was in 1998 with the installation of Etere RD72 videodisk recorder for the digital transmission of advertising. The migration to our first complete playout automation system was reached again thanks to Etere and a SeaChange BMS video server. With the switch to the digital terrestrial television and the need to expand the number of TV channels, we upgraded our hardware infrastructure in 2011 with new Matrox-based video servers……always under the control of Etere.” said Mr. Vittorio Bottazzi “The benefits achieved with Etere’s new solutions are considerable and go from a multi-channel scheduling and playout system with content sharing capability to a flexible and powerful commercial planning system never seen before.”
Etere M.E.R.P makes real the collaborative workflow among heterogeneous departments also with the sharing of company's technical and human resources. Etere is a consistent system !