Centralcasting - Professional Video Over IP Networks

Centralcasting is a new industry "buzz" word that describes how a TV network, or Station Group Owner, might consolidate equipment and operations support into a central facility. This central facility is able to control the programming, billing and management functions of multiple, remote TV stations located throughout the country, or even overseas. Centralcasting presents a large opportunity for digital video and streaming media equipment companies, as well as for companies such as Level 3, Qwest, Enron and Global Crossing, who operate IP backbone networks.

When considered within the "continuum" of all streaming media, Professional Video appears at the top - it requires the greatest amount of bandwidth, and the IP network must meet rigid specifications concerning latency, jitter, dropped packets and packets arriving out of sequence. Just recently, companies such as Path 1, Artel, and others, began demonstrating equipment that meets the needs for transporting Professional Video Over Internet Protocol Networks. With this technology in hand, major Television Broadcast Station Group Owners are seriously considering Centralcasting. A Centralcasting operation will save money on employee headcount.

This report lists the TV station assets of the Top 25 TV Station Group Owners.

The overall market for Centralcasting equipment and services in the United States will grow to more than $87.5 million (US) during 2005.

Table
of Contents

• Executive Summary
  
  


• Methodology
  
  


• Introduction
  
  


• What Is Centralcasting?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Centralcasting Gaining Interest With TV Broadcast Companies
    
    
    
  
  
  • Centralcasting Is Part Of The Continuum Of Streaming Media
    
    
    
  
  
  
  
  • Two Methods For Centralcasting
    
    
  
  
  • Real Time Video Distribution - "Pass Through"
    
    
    
    
    
    • Cable TV Networks Have Been Centralcasting For Years
      
      
      
    
    
    • The "Heavy Lifting" Gets Done By The Network
      
      
      
    
    
    • TV Broadcasters Are Considering Centralcasting
      
      
    
    
    • Centralcasting May Decrease Duplication Of Effort
      
      
    
    
    • Centralcasting Also Improves Control
      
      
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Store-And-Forward Video Distribution
    
    
    
    
    • Store-And-Forward Is More Flexible Than Real Time
      
      
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  
  • Broadcasters Use Store-And-Forward Video Distribution
    
    
    
  
  
  • Video Tape Operators At Local TV Stations
    
    
  
  
  • Master Control Operators Keep Log-Books
    
    
  
  
  • Automation Systems Help Out
    
    
  
  
  • Each Broadcast Station Duplicates Efforts
    
    
  
  
  • Companies That Own Multiple TV Stations Can Benefit
    
    
  
  
  
  
  • Centralcasting Reduces Redundancy
    
    
  
  
  • TV Broadcasters Copy The Model Of Cable TV
    
    
    
    
    • FOX TV Network As An Example
      
      
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Technology Issues And Obstacles To Centralcasting
  
  
  
  
  • Lack Of Real Time Video-Over-IP Networks
    
    
    
    
    • Latency
      
      
    
    
    • Jitter
      
      
    
    
    • Lost or Dropped Packets Require Forward Error Correction
      
      
      
    
    
    • Reordering of Packets During Transport
      
      
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Artel & Harmonic
    
    
  
  
  • Path 1
    
    
  
  
  • Interoperability Among Networks
    
    
  
  
  
  


• The Streaming Media Continuum
  
  
  
  
  • Who Uses Streaming Media?
    
    
    
    
    • Centralcasting Is A High-End Form Of Streaming
      
      
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • The Digital Dozen Tiers Of Streaming Media
    
    
    
    
    • Static Text And Graphics
      
      
    
    
    • Voice Audio
      
      
    
    
    • MP-3 Music Audio
      
      
    
    
    • Low Resolution Video Streams
      
      
    
    
    • Medium Resolution Video Streams
      
      
    
    
    • High Resolution Video Streams
      
      
    
    
    • Compressed MPEG-2 Video
      
      
    
    
    • Compressed MPEG-2-High Definition Video
      
      
    
    
    • Compressed Professional Serial Digital Video
      
      
    
    
    • Uncompressed Standard Definition TV
      
      
    
    
    • Uncompressed High Definition TV
      
      
    
    
    • Other Uncompressed Digital Video
      
      
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • What Products Are Applicable To Streaming Media And Centralcasting?
    
    
    
  
  
  • How Does Centralcasting Get Delivered?
    
    
    
    
    • Everything Begins In A Network Operations Center, Or
      NOC
      
      
    
    
    • Private Internet Protocol Networks Will Be Used
      
      
    
    
    • Local TV Stations Connected On The Network
      
      
    
    
    • Local TV Studios Still Provide Local News & Sales
      
      
      
    
    
    • Savings Come From Reducing Redundancy
      
      
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Top Twenty Five TV Station Groups Assets
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • TV Stations Listed In Order, From Top Market Downward
    
    
    
  
  
  • Geographic Regions Are Most Likely For Centralcasting
    
    
    
  
  
  
  
  • CBS Station Group
    
    
  
  
  • Fox Station Group & Chris Craft Group
    
    
  
  
  • Chris Craft/United TV Station Group
    
    
  
  
  • Paxson Communications Station Group
    
    
  
  
  • Tribune Broadcasting Station Group
    
    
  
  
  • NBC Station Group
    
    
  
  
  • ABC TV Station Group
    
    
  
  
  • Gannett Station Group
    
    
  
  
  • Hearst-Argyle Station Group
    
    
  
  
  • Sinclair Broadcasting Station Group
    
    
  
  
  • A. H. Belo Broadcast Group
    
    
  
  
  • Univision TV Station Group
    
    
  
  
  • Young Broadcasting
    
    
  
  
  • Telemundo Station Group
    
    
  
  
  • Cox Broadcasting
    
    
  
  
  • Meredith Broadcast Group
    
    
  
  
  • E. W. Scripps Broadcast Group
    
    
  
  
  • Ray