Globecast, the global solutions provider for media and content management, announced its return to the island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean to participate in the success of the Ultra High Definition (4K) broadcasting project of the famous ultra-trail event Le Grand Raid de la Réunion 2022 with Réunion la 1ère and France Télévisions. The event took place from October 20th-23rd.
Le Grand Raid de la Réunion 2022, which celebrated its 30th anniversary, is recognised as one of the hardest ultra-trail races in the world. It consists of four races designed for different levels, from La Diagonale des Fous for the most expert to the Mascareignes, Le parcours du Trail de Bourbon and the Zembrocal Trail relay.
During the 2021 edition, Réunion la 1ère, France Télévisions and Globecast had successfully completed a 4K contribution/distribution and 5G contribution trial at the finish line and a live 4K pop-up channel using cloud playout. For this year’s anniversary event, Globecast chose Solution RF as its partner to acquire the content using Ultra-HD and HD hybrid video acquisition and HF transmission. Multiple cameras, including a drone, were deployed at the event start in addition to the broadcaster’s own cameras/feeds. A native 4K production unit was deployed by Réunion la 1ère at the start site. The finish line feeds were produced remotely on the island from Technopole.
The course also offers many other opportunities to capture the dramatic action as it happens. Globecast partnered with Orange to provide all the 5G and 4G mobile communication modules that allowed Réunion la 1ère to capture full HD footage of the athletes on the course during the race.
Once the content was received in Paris using fibre-based Internet, it was then uploaded to France Télévisions which operated an event channel for four days 24 hours a day. Globecast managed the global channel supply chain to France Télévisions affiliates – DTT with TDF, Eutelsat satellite and Orange’s platform. In France mainland, the pop-up channel was distributed on multiple platforms, including DTT with TDF, Eutelsat for the DTT-by-satellite platform FRANSAT Ultra HD, Nordnet, Orange, OrneTHD and Vialis.
Yann Madeleine, Globecast France Head of Sales, said, “We worked tirelessly with our partners with Réunion la 1ère and France Télévisions Outremer through the trial last year so that we understood what is and isn’t possible. This is a very challenging environment in which to work, a challenge to which we have all risen. The coverage we facilitated was great and demonstrates our integration expertise to deliver end-to-end live 4K coverage, using hybrid network solutions, integrated with remote production as well cloud-based media supply chain infrastructure.”
