Chyron interview with tv-bay

Author: Dennis Lennie

Published 1st October 2008


Chyron has moved into the online content creation space. What is driving this shift?
The foundation for this new division is Chyron’s recent acquisition of AXIS Graphics, a unique web-based graphics system that has pioneered online graphics production. Chyron and AXIS bring innovation to graphics creation workflow and production - and most importantly, the ability for clients to reduce costs. Chyron has fully integrated the vast feature set of its new Online portfolio, which includes AXISNews, FastMaps, FastQuotes, FastCharts and FastWX, with its sophisticated graphics portfolio.
How does AXIS work?
Combining existing on-air and online graphics packages with up-to-the-minute and relevant content, AXIS enables anyone with an Internet connection the ability to build broadcast quality news graphics, charts, quotes, maps and weather instantly. The AXIS model is absolutely unique in that it gives users what they need; ease-of-use with relevant, current content, immediately. Map data is constantly updated via the web -journalists and producers have access to the latest breaking news images immediately via direct interface with news services such as AP Graphics Bank. AXIS requires no updates or costly administration, just connect online and use it!
What is the principal behind web graphics in a broadcast environment?
The evolution of graphics on the Internet has delivered a new workflow that strips back the traditional methods attached to graphics production by removing the complexity of broadcast equipment. Now, using a PC or a Mac, an operator or freelancer can browse graphics online, fulfil online templates and publish immediately to the station, and they can shift the image story telling capabilities from traditional broadcast to any new media outlet in a fraction of the time. This new process will reduce costs for broadcasters by centralising graphics online, allowing a 24/7 library for operators worldwide.
Which applications do web graphics suit best?
Television or newspapers, and in fact any mass communication environment, can tell a story through an image using an integrated toolset. The introduction of sophisticated templates means that an operator can take a carefully pre-designed template and marry that template with content, rather than starting from scratch each time a graphic is required; maps are a classic example. One may argue that this could easily be done within a television station environment but the difference is that on the Internet, we are seeing a merging of templates with content, allowing a new workflow that not only rivals but improves the traditional broadcast graphics workflow.
How does this online process differ from traditional broadcast processes?
Broadcast graphics have evolved over the years to provide sophisticated images that tell a story, with the common perception that as a story breaks, graphics are live and on-air almost immediately - this is not always the case. Often when a breaking news story occurs, the producer places a request to the art department for a graphic, which can sometimes take up to an hour to produce. Traditionally, if you view an online newspaper there is typically a picture of an event with detailed text describing the picture. The key difference between a picture and a graphic here is that with a picture you have to read the text to understand what the story is about – the picture does not tell the story. In the television environment, onscreen graphics can tell the story before the presenter has spoken. For example, a story announcing that Boris Johnson has been appointed as the new Mayor of London might have a title, a subtitle and possibly some bullet points, the viewer immediately understands the content before the presenter speaks. This is where broadcast and new media are beginning to merge and what could have taken up to an hour within in the broadcast facility can now be achieved much, much quicker online.
Do you think people have lower expectations from web graphics than TV?
When talking about web technology, 2.0 is often mentioned, but in reality most of us view 1.0. What this means is that most web material is text-based so we read everything that we see, which has worked well until now. Because of the historically slow speed of the Internet, there has previously been very little emphasis on images, uploading an image with a lot of data simply wasn’t credible. With speed significantly increasing, the web is more ubiquitous as technology improves and content is more readily available and web 2.0 becomes a reality.
How does this transition affect the broadcaster?
The transition to digital and HD is a global issue with some territories more advanced than others. Broadcasters are in the process of re equipping their facilities and as part of that process are putting more and more channels on air across a number of platforms. They are not reaching more people because the ratio of viewers hasn’t changed, but the competition to capture those viewers has increased significantly, and there is even greater pressure to reduce costs. As a result, broadcasters are re evaluating their workflows and are looking to improve efficiency and reduce operational costs by implementing web-based solutions, bypassing traditional methods by using IT technology.
What can the broadcaster expect to gain from AXIS?
Now, for the first time, broadcasters have access to a simplified workflow and centralised graphics production process. Is it necessary for 600 broadcasters to have 600 art departments to fulfil the graphics requirements for the same story, on every six o’clock news bulletin? No. Broadcasters need local branding and access to a web based order management system and the ability to tap into a central resource where images are created in a virtual environment. This process opens up the artistic community to operators 24/7 worldwide, whilst reducing those all important operational costs. As long as pre-designed sophisticated graphics templates are available, anyone in the world can fulfil those templates and new media simply becomes media.

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