Amsterdam, the Netherlands, September 11, 2009 (IBC 2009, Stand 11.F20): Megahertz (MHz), an international independent systems integrator, announced it has been awarded the system integration contract by ITN to build a new links vehicle to provide additional news gathering facilities to its existing fleet. A replacement for an ageing news gathering vehicle, this new truck has recently gone into production at MHz’s Ely premises and will be delivered to ITN in November 2009.
The vehicle, with a fully integrated, HD-compliant infrastructure, will initially be used for standard-definition newsgathering. It is based on a 5 Ton Mercedes Sprinter and includes an on-board 8kVA Fischer Panda diesel generator, together with batteries and inverter for emergency power should this be required in the field. The new vehicle will be equipped with two pneumatic masts — one will support a terrestrial microwave link while the other will be mounted with a panoramic camera, both on pan & tilt heads. Feeds into the truck will originate from radio link cameras and fibre cameras while further inputs can be directed via on-board VTRs routed through a For-A vision mixer and an Allen & Heath audio mixer.
“We chose Megahertz to design and build our new vehicle because they come with a proven track record for building durable, state-of-the-art links trucks, but more importantly they understood the requirements of the news environment,” said Malcolm Smith, head of newsgathering operations at ITN. “MHz recognised what we were trying to achieve and are working together with us to implement a mobile facility that meets our news gathering needs while at the same time providing the cost-efficiencies we required.”
The new ITN vehicle has been designed with two roles in mind. In addition to its core role delivering live news content from story locations via radio link, the vehicle will also be equipped with the additional facilities that we need to enable ITN to anchor news bulletins from major story locations around the UK.
“We first built an SNG truck for ITN 10 years ago. Since that time we have acquired a significant amount of experience in both fixed newsroom environments and newsgathering vehicles to better understand our clients’ needs in such a demanding environment to reduce cost and increase productivity,” said Greg Hoskin, Managing Director of Megahertz. “We worked very closely with ITN to define their requirements and provide designs that would better meet their operational needs within a space-constrained setting.”
Part of the AZCAR Group, one of the world’s largest and longest-established independent broadcast systems integrators, MHz plays a significant role in designing and delivering innovative solutions to the world’s leading broadcasters, telecommunication and digital media companies.
About ITN
ITN is one of the world’s leading news and multimedia content companies creating, aggregating, packaging and distributing news, entertainment and lifestyle content on multiple platforms to a wide range of customers around the globe.
In the UK, ITN has built a strong reputation as the leading provider of independent broadcast news delivering powerful, authoritative, world-class coverage. ITN produces news for the two largest free-to-air commercial broadcasters in the UK, ITV and Channel 4. ITN’s news bulletins are watched by nearly 10 million viewers daily in Great Britain and millions of other viewers worldwide through partnerships with news outlets such as CNN, NBC and Channel 9.
ITN On produces news, entertainment and lifestyle video for online and mobile outlets including Telegraph Media Group, Yahoo, Mail Online, Teachers TV, YouTube, MSN, Bauer Media and the UK’s leading mobile operators.
ITN Source is the gateway to over one million hours of iconic broadcast footage and creative moving imagery captured over three centuries. As well as ITN’s own news material, ITN Source represents content from Reuters, ITV, ANI, Channel 9 (Australia) and Fox Movietone amongst others.
ITN Consulting is a key growth business for ITN, providing technical broadcast solutions to broadcasters worldwide and video production and media advisory services to corporate clients, public bodies and pr agencies.
ITN Factual is ITN’s award winning documentary division producing entertainment and factual programming for UK and international broadcasters.
ITN’s headquarters are in London with international bureaux and offices in New York, Washington, Beijing, Paris, Sydney, Bangkok, Johannesburg and Tokyo.
For further information please visit www.itn.co.uk
About Megahertz Broadcast Systems
Established in 1984, UK-based Megahertz Broadcast Systems is one of the world’s premier independent broadcasting systems integrators. Their experience covers every aspect of systems implementation from engineering planning, project management, design, product evaluation, commissioning, training, support and IT services. MHz has completed turnkey projects for some of the world’s leading broadcasters, telecommunication and digital media companies. It has constructed sophisticated fixed HD broadcast facilities as well as providing the “best of breed” Outside Broadcast Vehicles. Megahertz is a subsidiary of Canadian technology integration company, AZCAR Technologies Incorporated. For more information, please visit www.megahertz.co.uk and www.azcar.com.
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For any further details or photographic requirements relating to this news, please contact Meriam Khan, meriam@mkm-marcomms.com or +44 (0)20 8537 2698.
Statement
Except for historical information, this news release may contain certain 'forward-looking statements'. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity and performance to be materially different from the Company’s expectations and projections.
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