Visit any television station and you are likely to see racks filled with videotapes. Finding, loading, playing, rewinding and re-shelving this media is a workflow that is no longer required.

A press release posted on a broadcast industry news site reports:

Igor Orlo, First Deputy Head of the Department of Production and Technology at VGTRK, said: “Unlike low-end media servers that rely on PC-based platforms, the Omneon MediaDeck media server is engineered to provide mission critical reliability and performance tailored to the specific demands of broadcast operations. In our transition from tape-based operations to a file-based workflow, the Omneon systems allowed our stations to accelerate and optimise content production, from ingest to media preparation to playout.”

Between the industry jargon and the product names, it’s a little challenging to follow the quote above; however, the essential fact is that the company has made a “transition from tape-based operations to a file-based workflow.” In the fast-paced world of television, moving from tapes to files can save serious time, frustration and money.

Even if you’ve never worked at a television station, it’s easy to see how workflow, based on videotape, creates challenges. Footage recorded on the scene must be physically transported back to an editing station; it cannot be sent via the Internet like a file. Only one person can work on a tape at one time, unlike a file which can be copied with virtually no expense or overhead. Tapes wear out with repeated use, but a qualified systems administrator can keep safe backups. And of course, the editing process itself is much easier without videotape. There’s no need to wait to “rewind” a file!

If your office or operation contains videotape, you should consider moving to a file-based workflow. But whatever your information—whether it is stored on paper invoices, printed intake forms, telephone conversations or whiteboards—the most effective way to improve productivity and satisfaction is to improve the sequence and manner of handling work. Every organization, from TV stations to doctor’s offices to non-profits, deserves the chance to make positive changes to workflow. For more information, contact Slaughter Development.

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