This is part of DPG Media’s extended news coverage and should lead to launch of further digital channels.

The cloud-based playout automation Q.Air is orchestrated with the multicloud management platform Qvest.Cloud and runs on the AWS cloud infrastructure. Q.Air combines cloud applications from various manufacturers for ingest, playout, automation, and graphics in a ready-to-use, scalable, and expandable package solution that enables the multiformat and multiplatform distribution of video content. Integrated cloud applications of the SaaS solution include HMS Media Solutions’ playout automation Makalu, Singular.Live’s graphics software Singular and the live video streaming application Wowza. Makalu also supports dynamic ad insertion into live OTT streams and digital broadcasts, which helps generate additional advertising revenues for DPG Media.

Video content for HLN Live is produced in close cooperation between HLN’s online video team and the news channel VTM Nieuws. Journalists from different editorial offices can feed pre-recorded video content and live streams into the new system via a web browser at any time and from anywhere. “Content can be managed location-independently and from different users while technical processes are automated and run in the background of the cloud”, says Ulrich Voigt, Head of Design at Qvest Media.

Ingest, transcoding, and proxy creation are fully automated after the content has been uploaded. The subsequent traffic planning and graphics insertion for real-time on-air design of video content is also achieved with Q.Air. Ready-to-broadcast content is played out automatically to the recording devices and multiple external service providers.

Sven Van Vlem, Innovation Manager at DPG Media: “HLN Live is a prime example for innovation. We had maximum freedom regarding the technical framework while planning our new digital channel.”