Amsterdam, 11th September, 2015: Turner Broadcasting System Europe, the London-based arm of the Time Warner-owned global media organisation, has successfully implemented Sony’s Media Backbone Conductor across parts of its operations as a pivotal part of its transformation towards a more flexible, agile production and distribution environment. Turner Broadcasting’s new, fully file-based European Media Hub will ultimately streamline media management for 35 channels across Europe, integrating the tools, processes and applications used in its Media Preparation Centres in London, Madrid, Munich, Paris, Rome and Copenhagen.

Turner Broadcasting has standardised and automated, where possible, media preparation across a five-phase process: planning, ingest, compliance, masters and packaging. Optimised for multi-channel, multi-language content, this process can require the creation and management of over 30 different additional subtitle and audio tracks linked to the original master content.

Media Backbone Conductor efficiently automates the Turner workflows, including the management of all media throughout the processing phases, and manual operations such as QC and review, ordering and approvals and automated functions such as file movement and storage, transcoding, QC, and packaging for playout and distribution. All master files, and versions, are automatically archived for security and future use.

As Turner Broadcasting continues to transition to a business model predicated on flexibility, agility and the ability to respond rapidly to new business opportunities, the solution has helped it reduce production timelines and enjoy significant operational savings.
​ “Over the last few years, digital tools have created new possibilities for our teams in terms of creative production, swift acquisition and multi-platform distribution of content; we wanted to harness digital technology to benefit our asset management in the same way,” explained Steve Fish, Department Head of Technology and Operations, Turner Broadcasting System Europe. “By selecting Media Backbone Conductor we’ve been able to modernise our existing workflow while retaining the necessary flexibility to adapt and extend our approach as our business requirements change in the future.”

Media Backbone Conductor is used by major broadcasters around the world, combining a powerful Service Orientated Architecture integration platform with a Media Bus that automates the management of large media files, and a Media Workflow Engine that optimises processes across the entire production environment. Sony partnered with Turner Broadcasting to configure the solution in-line with existing 3rd party tool integration and existing business systems, and worked closely with internal teams to provide documentation as part of Turner’s on-going programme of business change management.

“An agile, integrated workflow is fundamental to world-class broadcasters who want to produce and distribute brilliant, creative content, fast,” said Niall Duffy, Head of Workflow and IT Solutions, Sony Professional Solutions Europe. “By choosing Media Backbone Conductor, Turner has invested in an infrastructure that standardises and automates its media logistics, acting as the cornerstone for a revamped commercial and operational approach.”