Young Broadcasting has selected Crispin as their master control automation and asset management solutions partner for nine of their master control facilities in their station group.
The upgraded master control facilities will feature some of the industry’s latest technology, including Crispin’s newest products for managing file-based workflows such as Digital Transfer Agent and DigiPrep, along with Omneon video servers, Miranda graphics & routing, and Elemental transcoding servers.
“Young Broadcastings strategic plan is to upgrade our on-air automation system to take advantage of the industries transition to file based content delivery. This will provide our stations with the highest quality content processed though our stations in the most efficient manner,” explained Craig Porter, Vice President of Engineering for the Young Broadcasting station group. “The combination of our vendor partners, including Crispin as the automation and MAM solution, is the best-of-breed approach that we are confident will accomplish our corporate goals.”
The group is also planning to utilize Crispin’s multi-facility master control automation technology that will allow key Young stations to provide monitoring and control of sister stations’ channels in the event of an emergency or to help facilitate new growth and operational changes in the future. “Having our stations linked by a common automation product that can control channels from anywhere over our private wide area network was important,” explained Mr. Porter. “It fits with our strategy of staying flexible and being able to accommodate growth or handle new operational challenges quickly with proven technology.”
Some of the new capabilities that will be utilized immediately include the automated delivery of catch server content such as Pathfire, Pitch Blue, and DG services with Crispin DTA in addition to all-digital media preparation using Crispin DigiPrep that enables operators to time and segment shows with low resolutions proxies on standard personal computing workstations, freeing up expensive dedicated video server ports and other equipment in the master control area.
“Having a reliable on-air automation and transmission solution backed by superior service is essential and that was our first priority in making selection,” said Porter. “Following this, the biggest operational efficiencies to be gained are by making file-based workflows much easier and more automated. This is the one of the improvements that our chief engineers and operators are most excited about.”
Alan DeVaney, President and Founder of Crispin, explained that the new partnership with Young Broadcasting is a culmination of many years of both R&D and experience serving station groups like Young. “We are poised to celebrate Crispin’s 15th year in business this February. Forging this partnership with Young Broadcasting is more than just a business arrangement; it’s a milestone in the development of our strategy to build long term relationships based upon trust, service and exceptional value.”
All of the newly acquired master control systems are expected to be operational in the spring or early summer 2012.
About Crispin Corporation
Founded in 1997, Crispin is a leading supplier of highly modular, highly scalable on-air master control automation and media asset management solutions.
Based in Research Triangle Park, N.C., Crispin has installed hundreds of systems throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and South America, including many public and commercial broadcasting facilities. Crispin counts many single station facilities as customers as well as several cable and network groups such NBC Network, CBS Sports, Gannett, Scripps, Journal and Raycom.
We back this up with our amazing Crispin4Life, 4 Year Free Service, Support & Hardware Warranty Plan, plus unrivaled customer service, both unmatched in the industry. But most important is our commitment to personal attention and working closely with our customers to develop a highly individual, fail‐safe, broad horizon automation solution with an intuitive human touch.
About Young Broadcasting
Young Broadcasting is a nationwide group of 10 television stations which originated in 1986.