A case in point: SCN, a regional public educational broadcaster, operating as an agency of the provincial Government. Known as ‘Saskatchewan’s Storyteller’, SCN operates a broadcast network, dedicated e-learning and broadband networks for schools and educational facilities, as well as associated technical services.

Having recently celebrated its 15th anniversary, SCN marked the occasion with the grand opening of its new, state-of-the-art Broadcast Operations Centre in Regina.

As such, it became the first broadcaster in Canada to adopt BUG.tv’s innovative concept, as it sought to simplify and automate the tasks of operating its public network.

SCN’s Director of Technology, David Stanchuk, celebrated his own 15 year anniversary with the network at about the same time. He’s seen a lot of changes in the TV industry, but many passed him by due to the capital acquisition costs and implementation times often associated with cutting edge technology.

Master control rooms are not usually as neat, clean and straightforward at the one at the Saskatchewan Communications Network. Simple mouse commands and drag-and-drop functionality gives Dallas Brown, Manager, Broadcast operations, complete control of the on-air presentation using customized software from BUG.tv.

But, having encountered the BUG.tv concept at the National Association of Broadcaster’s show (the largest industry trade show and conference in North America) a couple of years back, he knew this was the approach he should recommend.

“My presentation to management was pretty simple,” Stanchuk recalls. “I told them, ‘We can be first, we can be last, or we can be out of business.’”

Working with the team at BUG.tv, and with the support of his local Apple dealer, Regina-based RCE, Stanchuk did describe the opportunity as one that was both economically feasible and operationally rewarding.

For example, one of the most immediate benefits of the new technology was an enhanced on-screen presentation for viewers. Program listings, station identification, supplemental material such as local news and information is presented on screen using text and graphics, served up by BUG.tv’s integrated graphics servers.

Moreover, workflow at SCN is now more streamlined, Stanchuk relates, increasing staff productivity. The new system also sets the stage for SCN’s future transition to HDTV, and is opening up opportunities for multi-platform program distribution, across cable, wireless, Internet and satellite.

SCN’s entire programming library has been digitized, and is digitally stored and easily accessed by production and editorial staff for program creation, packaging and near-instant broadcast. It’s fast becoming a truly tapeless broadcast environment. The archive of analog tape is being digitized at the DV 25 format specification.

Like Final Cut Pro, which revolutionized the way TV shows are edited and produced, Apple is becoming the de facto standard for other creative and technical activities.

Stanchuk describes how easy it is now to update program schedules, add or delete content elements, create graphics and add transitions, simply through drag-and-drop commands.

SCN’s fully automated broadcast servers are integrated with a massive on-line storage facility, with some 4,000 hours of digital programming instantly available.

“It’s three clicks to air,” he says after a moment’s pause to calculate the steps in his head. “That’s the new simplicity of doing TV. Anything created on the Final Cut Pro editing timeline is ready to go, really. In fact, when some of my industry peers from other public broadcasters were visiting our set-up, looking at our new creative ‘Air Flow’, they said out loud: ‘I can’t believe it’s that simple!’”

Simple, and economical. Stanchuk describes the core SCN Master Control playout set-up (including the BUG.tv software and Apple hardware) as “a broadcast quality, full SDI output server, for less than $10K Canadian!”

Easy to learn, simple to operate, economically rewarding, creatively empowering.

Apple has long embodied those benefits in its product philosophy, with its user-friendly focus, productive interface and open and extensible operating system, Savard says.

“Like Final Cut Pro, which revolutionized the way TV shows are edited and produced, Apple is becoming the de facto standard for other creative and technical activities,” he notes, adding that Apple’s nonlinear digital video editing program has achieved close to 50 per cent penetration in its target market, and continues to grow at a ten per cent per year rate.