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Defining Types of Automation
The term
“Automation” has come to mean different things to
different people.
Between magazine writers producing articles and comparison charts
that readily display their lack of understanding of Broadcasting and the
news workflow process, they also fail to understand and distinguish the
differences between their usage of Automation and the end users use of
Automation in the real world where most of us live and work.
Three Basic Types of Broadcast
Automation
In Broadcasting,
there are THREE Basic Types of Automation:
Control Room Automation is designed to automate the playout of
commercial spots, syndicated programs, station ID's, and so on.
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This is
the most straightforward definition and easiest to identify and recognize.
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This type
of automation is Time-based Automation, which simply means that
it performs tasks based upon the Tick-of-a-Clock.
The term “Newsroom
Automation” is where the most confusion occurs.
When it comes to newsroom activities, there are two major activity
stages carried out for each show ... Preparation and Presentation.
Newsroom Automation systems
address automating the routine tasks that take place in and
around the newsroom, handling assignments, ingesting/sorting/displaying
wires, scripting, and show stacking.
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Most
Newsroom Automation systems perform the same basic tasks, as these are the
main tasks that occur day in and day out within the newsroom environment.
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Thus, most
News Room Computer Systems (NRCS) do more or less very similar things
during the News Gathering and Preparation stage.
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Most
Newsroom Automation systems even make CG's as a part of
scripting.
The “News Preparation”
stage is where most Newsroom Systems stop.
NewsCast Automation takes over when the News Presentation
Stage begins.
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This is
the stage where you would typically see a Third-Party Automation Company
take over the operations from the Newsroom system.
This is where the Comprompter
NewsKing NRCS shines!
Not only does NewsKing handle all the newsroom chores during the Preparation
Stage, but also it controls all the automation during the Presentation
Stage of each show.
This is true NewsCast Automation at the highest level
because both the Newsroom Automation AND the Newscast Automation are 100%
integrated into a single application performs, track and coordinates:
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The
tracking, loading and playing of News Video Clips;
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The creation,
monitoring and call back of CG's;
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The calling
up of Still Store images;
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The
controlling of Robotic Cameras
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The
synchronized output of Close Captioning and so on.
Understanding the
Types of Automation is critical to defining how the system you are
evaluating uses the term “Automation” and how much automation
it actually does!
To read more about NewsKing NewsCast
Automation
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