Seven at a click
Private TV TeleNewsCombi now offers the digital transmission of commercials and television reports and is becoming more attractive for advertising customers.
Private TV The TeleNewsCombi now offers the digital transmission of commercials and television reports and is becoming more attractive for advertising customers If an advertising customer previously wanted to place a commercial on the TeleNewsCombi (TNC), they had to send a tape to the TNC marketer Publisuisse, which then forwarded it to a copying company. The company made seven copies and sent a copy to each of the seven TNC stations, whereby the tape had to be formatted according to the technical conditions at the individual stations. Not only did advertising customers have to allow around four to five days for this laborious process, but the copying and postage costs, which were covered by the TNC itself, were also relatively expensive. The TNC members TeleZüri, TeleBasel, TeleBärn, TeleTop, Tele M1, TeleOstschweiz and TeleTell have recently been digitally networked. To this end, they have implemented their own video transfer system, tncNET, so that the seven broadcasters can now exchange video and audio data with each other in broadcast quality. Publisuisse is also integrated into the system. The transmission of a 30-second spot from Publisuisse to all seven stations is now possible in a maximum of one and a half hours. Transmission takes place via ADSL lines and Internet technology. The system has multiple safeguards and is automated in order to avoid technical failures, breakdowns, booking errors or communication problems as far as possible. According to tncNET project manager Marcel Geissbühler, the total investment amounted to around CHF 250,000,000.
As simple as SF DRSThe TNC hopes that the new system will make it more attractive to advertising customers. "For us, this is a big step forward, because it will make handling at the TNC just as easy as at SF DRS and the advertising windows," says Geissbühler. What's more, with tncNET, all TNC members are introducing a uniform spot quality standard. "It also massively improves our response time," emphasizes Geissbühler. For example, if subjects need to be changed at short notice or even updated on a daily basis. From now on, the booking deadlines will be the same as for SF DRS and Publisuisse.
The digital network offers considerable advantages even within TNC. It can also be used to exchange images, audio data or short TV reports. Previously, this was also only possible using video cassettes and couriers. This brings the TNC closer to its long-cherished wish to set up a kind of pool with the regional news of TNC members. It would even be possible to make images and reports available to SF DRS. As picture and sound are transmitted separately, each station can also present the reports of another station itself in the relevant dialect and provide them with any additional information.
Finally, the tncNET will one day also facilitate the transmission and exchange of longer programs or even joint live broadcasts, but only when data lines with higher capacity are available. For the time being, the TNC must therefore continue to send cassettes of the jointly broadcast programs "Swiss Date", "Lifestyle" or "Tierisch" back and forth. Live broadcasts will only be possible via tncNET in around five years' time, Geissbühler estimates. For the transmission of events such as the "Prix Walo", the private TV network will therefore still have to rely on costly satellite transmissions.
Step by step closer to the customerThe tncNET is one of several measures taken by the TNC in an attempt to better establish the network of seven private TV stations in the advertising market. Thanks to cooperation agreements with Publisuisse, the TNC has been able to plan via Publiplan since 2002, handling has been centralized and professionalized and the product range has been expanded.
There are now six pools - two of which also include SF DRS - through which advertising time can be booked for specific target groups in connection with news and other programs.
The efforts are having a financial impact: TNC achieved the same turnover in the first half of 2004 as in the whole of 2003 and will at least double its turnover in 2004 compared to the previous year. (mk)
Technical quantum leap: Thanks to digital networking, TNC members can transmit data to each other more quickly.
Markus Knöpfli
As simple as SF DRSThe TNC hopes that the new system will make it more attractive to advertising customers. "For us, this is a big step forward, because it will make handling at the TNC just as easy as at SF DRS and the advertising windows," says Geissbühler. What's more, with tncNET, all TNC members are introducing a uniform spot quality standard. "It also massively improves our response time," emphasizes Geissbühler. For example, if subjects need to be changed at short notice or even updated on a daily basis. From now on, the booking deadlines will be the same as for SF DRS and Publisuisse.
The digital network offers considerable advantages even within TNC. It can also be used to exchange images, audio data or short TV reports. Previously, this was also only possible using video cassettes and couriers. This brings the TNC closer to its long-cherished wish to set up a kind of pool with the regional news of TNC members. It would even be possible to make images and reports available to SF DRS. As picture and sound are transmitted separately, each station can also present the reports of another station itself in the relevant dialect and provide them with any additional information.
Finally, the tncNET will one day also facilitate the transmission and exchange of longer programs or even joint live broadcasts, but only when data lines with higher capacity are available. For the time being, the TNC must therefore continue to send cassettes of the jointly broadcast programs "Swiss Date", "Lifestyle" or "Tierisch" back and forth. Live broadcasts will only be possible via tncNET in around five years' time, Geissbühler estimates. For the transmission of events such as the "Prix Walo", the private TV network will therefore still have to rely on costly satellite transmissions.
Step by step closer to the customerThe tncNET is one of several measures taken by the TNC in an attempt to better establish the network of seven private TV stations in the advertising market. Thanks to cooperation agreements with Publisuisse, the TNC has been able to plan via Publiplan since 2002, handling has been centralized and professionalized and the product range has been expanded.
There are now six pools - two of which also include SF DRS - through which advertising time can be booked for specific target groups in connection with news and other programs.
The efforts are having a financial impact: TNC achieved the same turnover in the first half of 2004 as in the whole of 2003 and will at least double its turnover in 2004 compared to the previous year. (mk)
Technical quantum leap: Thanks to digital networking, TNC members can transmit data to each other more quickly.
Markus Knöpfli
