WATERLOO — As broadcasters began transmitting news reports from home or other remote locations due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many of them turned to broadcast video transport specialist Dejero to provide the necessary solutions to quickly set up home studios.
As previously reported by Cartt.ca, CP24’s Nick Dixon (pictured) began anchoring his newscasts from the basement of his home in Burlington, Ont., on March 23 (he’s dubbed it the BBB, or Burlington Basement Bureau). As explained in a blog post on Dejero’s website, Dixon has been using the Dejero EnGo mobile transmitter to report from home.
On Wednesday, Dejero issued a news release saying it is providing free access to its LivePlus mobile app until September 30, 2020, to allow broadcast talent and content contributors to create and deliver high-quality live video back into the broadcast workflow during the Covid-19 crisis. According to the news release, Dejero has already seen a tenfold increase in the number of live streams from its mobile app over the last month, with a jump of 10,000 streams in the last week alone.
Broadcasters working from home also rely on the ability to view return video and teleprompting feeds from the broadcast facility. Viewable on smartphone, tablet or computer monitor, these feeds are served by the Dejero CuePoint return video server and teleprompter situated at the broadcast facility, the news release explains. CuePoint’s low latency allows on-screen talent to read updated text as it flows, ensuring the audience receives the most up-to-date information, says the release.
To help newsrooms find credible experts on topics related to the novel coronavirus, Dejero’s “Find an Expert” search capability, accessible within the Dejero Control cloud-based management system, enables time-strapped journalists and show producers to source experts within minutes, the release says.
The database powered by Toronto-based ExpertFile hosts vetted international experts, including healthcare professionals, university academics and industry experts, who are available and ready to be contacted to share their expertise and fact-based insights with the media, the release says. Dejero says it is providing complimentary licences of its broadcast-quality apps to these pre-qualified experts, to achieve broadcast-quality live content.
Dejero says it is also helping public safety agencies deploy emergency connectivity rapidly, especially in areas where connectivity options may be limited. Powered by Dejero’s Smart Blending Technology, the company has made easy-to-deploy portable connectivity a reality, enabling mission-critical live video and real-time data from remote locations. Organizations can leverage the combined bandwidth potential of multiple networks for greater overall capacity and enhanced reliability, Dejero explains.
Finally, Dejero remote connectivity solutions that feature the Dejero GateWay products can be used as reliable back-up connectivity to provide business continuity. If primary connectivity fails due to a weather event or service interruption, Dejero portable connectivity solutions can be rapidly deployed, the company says.
“This unprecedented situation has presented major challenges for both broadcasters striving to continue its live news reporting while staff adhere to government requirements, and for emergency teams striving to mobilize and respond quickly in times of great network stress,” said Bogdan Frusina, founder of Dejero.
“We commend the critical services that broadcasters and public safety organizations are providing to the public during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, and as circumstances are constantly changing, we are doing everything we can to ensure that video and general-purpose connectivity needs are met, and we continue to provide the high-level of technical support that our customers expect, even with our transition to remote work for the vast majority of our employees,” Frusina added.
