FEED Issue 15

8 NEWSFEED Updates & Upgrades

Due to open in 2020, Montreal’s new CBC broadcast centre will be a creative hub for the city’s digital and artistic communities. It will be an advanced facility, epitomising the 21st-century public broadcaster, with an IP-based infrastructure and support for end-to-end SMPTE ST 2110 and 2022-7. Overarching management of CBC’s broadcast infrastructure will be provided by Lawo’s VSM IP broadcast control system, which has over 3000 concurrent device connections and 100,000 managed signal paths. Lawo’s vm_dmv Infinitely Expandable IP Multiviewer will also handle multiviewing for TV production. NEWCBC BROADCAST CENTRE

Lawo’s mc296 and mc256 mixing consoles with support for SMPTE 2110- 30 and AES67/RAVENNA will be used in audio production, and 18 of its ruby radio broadcast consoles, integrated with touchscreen GUI, will operate the radio. Multi-format Power Core audio nodes handling AES3, HD MADI, analogue and AES67 audio channels will be used for audio acquisition, along with Lawo Commentary Units and A_stage

multi-format stage boxes. Massive audio processing will be run by A_UHD Core DSP engines. CBC has also selected Grass Valley’s ITX integrated playout platform to help its production teams manage multiple formats, such as 4K UHD, and mix IP inputs using back-to-back IP sources and file-based clips. Arista Networks will provide CBC with its cloud networking solution – Arista EOS – and IP Switching.

US JUSTICE DEPARTMENT WARNS ACADEMY OVER RULE CHANGE

The US Department of Justice has warned the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences that rules for excluding Netflix and other streaming services from the Oscars could raise antitrust concerns and violate competition law. Makan Delrahim, chief of the DOJ’s Antitrust Division, wrote to Dawn Hudson, Academy CEO, to express concerns that new rules would be written “in a way that tends to suppress competition”. He also wrote: “In the event that the Academy... establishes certain eligibility requirements for the Oscars that eliminate competition without pro- competitive justification, such conduct may raise antitrust concerns.” The letter came in response to reports that Academy board member Steven Spielberg was planning to push for restricting movies that debut on Netflix and streaming services around the same time they show in the cinema.

The proposed rule change was voiced shortly after the streaming giant got its biggest Oscars achievement to date, with Roma winning three awards. Netflix promptly responded on Twitter, writing: “We love cinema. Here are some things we also love. Access for people who can’t always afford, or live in towns without, theatres. Letting everyone, everywhere enjoy releases at the same time. Giving filmmakers ways to share art.” Spielberg’s grumble with Netflix isn’t new. Last year, he told ITV news that the company produces “TV movies” and should compete at the Emmys. An Academy spokesperson responded to Delrahim’s letter, saying: “We’ve received a letter from the Department of Justice and have responded accordingly. The Academy’s Board of Governors will meet for its annual awards rules meeting, where all branches submit possible updates for consideration.”

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