Federación de Organismos de Radio y Television Autónomicos (Forta) has completed a two year project to share content between its member stations through a centralised database, using Media Amigo technology from Tedial. Forta is the association of 12 regional public broadcasting networks across Spain.
As well as allowing broadcasters to contribute and share material, it also allows Forta to manage web publishing and online access for other broadcasters.
Each broadcaster has its own independent asset management system, some developed by Tedial, some from other vendors with different metadata models and file formats. The Media Amigo platform uses Tedial’s Media Process Manager, which processes the video, audio and metadata on the fly so that it is delivered to the requesting broadcaster in the right format, including codecs, wrappers and aspect ratio.
The architecture of system meant that Forta had to establish its own IP network. This provides 1Gbps links between each broadcaster and the central database in Madrid, and 100Mbps links between member broadcasters. Members can subscribe to specific content types and media groups, and they can search the central database. Once content is identified the download starts at the maximum speed available, arriving in the right format for immediate broadcasting.
Forta broadcasters can also make their content available for distribution online, allowing them to maximise the revenue available from it. According to Rafael Dubois of Tedial, “Forta has overcome the challenge faced by broadcasters and media organisations that have successfully digitised their archive: how to distribute content to the outside world. This is a proven, working system that is generating a great deal of interest among broadcasters all over the world.”
