Cloud-based broadcasting revolutionizes radio industry
SummitMedia, a leading radio broadcaster, has adopted cloud-based solutions to streamline its operations and enhance efficiency. The company's choice of RCS ZettaCloud and AudioDisplay as its cloud-based applications is a testament to the growing trend of cloud adoption in the radio broadcasting industry.
Jeff McGinley, responsible for engineering aspects in the nine markets where SummitMedia has stations, first encountered cloud-based radio operations at the 2015 IBC Show in Amsterdam. Since then, he has been a strong advocate for this shift, believing that broadcasting, like other tech-focused industries, was destined to embrace cloud-based solutions.
Benefits of Cloud-Based Solutions
The benefits of cloud-based solutions for radio broadcasting are numerous. ZettaCloud, a cloud-based version of the RCS Zetta production and playout platform, allows broadcasters like SummitMedia to perform most automation and playout operations entirely in the cloud. This facilitates easier remote access and operational efficiency.
One of the key advantages of ZettaCloud is its scalability and flexibility. It allows stations to scale up or down without investing heavily in on-premise hardware, and enables seamless remote access for distributed teams, which is crucial for companies like SummitMedia operating multiple stations or remote staff.
Another significant benefit is cost efficiency. By moving from on-premise infrastructure to the cloud, broadcasters reduce the need for expensive server maintenance and capital expenditure related to hardware purchases.
Moreover, cloud platforms like ZettaCloud support improved data backup and redundancy, reducing risk from hardware failure and supporting uninterrupted broadcasting. Integration with tools like AudioDisplay helps streamline content management and scheduling, making operation smoother for broadcast teams.
Challenges of Cloud-Based Solutions
While cloud-based solutions offer numerous benefits, they also present challenges. Chief among these is the dependence on reliable and high-bandwidth internet connections. Any network outage or latency can disrupt the broadcast or impair live automation.
Centralized cloud systems can also be vulnerable to cyberattacks, necessitating robust cybersecurity measures to protect broadcasters’ content and operations. Transitioning from traditional on-premise systems to cloud platforms like ZettaCloud can require training staff on new workflows and proper change management to mitigate initial disruptions.
Reliance on central cloud infrastructure means outages there can impact multiple broadcast operations simultaneously, creating single points of failure. However, these challenges are being addressed as product development for cloud-based solutions matures, making them ready for widespread use.
SummitMedia's Experience with Cloud-Based Solutions
SummitMedia's experience with RCS ZettaCloud and AudioDisplay exemplifies many of these points. The Barix Exstreamer at SummitMedia's transmitter sites streams the output from ZettaCloud. The learning curve for these solutions is minimal for SummitMedia's staff, and both can be easily logged into from anywhere and are responsive.
The hosting costs for cloud-based solutions are currently a bit pricey for SummitMedia, but the time-saving aspect for the engineering staff by reducing server management responsibilities is significant. Migrating over to the cloud for the air chain is a long-term financial decision for many companies, and smaller companies and independent stations may have a slow implementation of cloud-based solutions due to initial financial costs.
In summary, SummitMedia’s use of RCS ZettaCloud and AudioDisplay illustrates how cloud-based solutions can enhance operational efficiency, scalability, and remote capabilities for radio broadcasters. However, it also highlights the need to manage internet reliability, security, and organizational change carefully. As hosting and bandwidth costs decrease, more companies are expected to move to hosting-based applications, further revolutionising the radio broadcasting industry.
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- SummitMedia's adoption of RCS ZettaCloud and AudioDisplay, cloud-based applications, demonstrates the expanding trend of cloud adoption in the radio broadcasting industry.
- The benefits of ZettaCloud for radio broadcasting include its ability to facilitate remote access, scalability, cost efficiency, improved data backup, and streamlined content management.
- However, cloud-based solutions like ZettaCloud present challenges such as the dependency on reliable internet connections, vulnerability to cyberattacks, and potential single points of failure.
- SummitMedia's experience with RCS ZettaCloud and AudioDisplay shows that while there may be initial financial costs, the long-term benefits of enhanced operational efficiency, scalability, and remote capabilities make cloud-based solutions valuable for radio broadcasters.
