There are four essential elements to ensure high-quality video distribution and boost end-user loyalty, so one can concentrate on his content. Four primary elements play a critical role in the channel’s success for end-users and advertisers. Hosting, service quality, resilience and recovery must all be in place before a channel can focus on creating quality content. It doesn’t matter what programmes, shows, or events one streams through his channel. Without the technical elements in place, no-one will watch, advertisers will pull out, and Channel will fail. Quality of experience is key for end-users, so ensuring that your hosting, service support quality, resilience solutions, and recovery functions are well prepared is the first step towards creating a successful channel.
Addressing The Functions
a. Hosting/Data Centre: what is it? refers to where one’s servers are located. It refers to the physical location of where your broadcasting streams originate. (If one doesn’t have own data center, if you have your data center then where is the disaster recovery)
Why is it important? Without hosting or a datacenter, TV channels simply don’t exist. If your servers go down, your broadcast abruptly stops. You need a location to store the hardware that takes care of broadcasting your content efficiently and effectively. By failing to invest in quality hosting and data centres, you risk equipment damage, data leaks, overheating, and complete loss of information and broadcasting. If the under-mentioned elements are not present, its time for alternatives.
⮚Dedicated server rack into collocated or private rooms.
⮚Secure site, physically and digitally.
⮚Power, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning.
⮚Full redundancy with automatic monitoring and switching for power, heating, transmission systems and cabling.
b. Support quality: what is it? Broadcasting quality depends on the equipment you possess and the proficiency of the staff operating the equipment. However, things often go wrong and need service or help to get back on track quickly. This is where service quality comes in as a major element to a channel’s success. Having technical assistance as well as a dedicated monitoring team on standby is the difference between a disaster and a close call.
Why is it important? Sooner or later, hardware fails, bugs emerge and streaming quality dips unexpectedly. Without a team of experts to help you get your channel back online, you lose viewers and advertisers every minute. A provider that offers support focused on providing you with the quality of service you deserve prevents downtime, optimises your channel, and enables you to bring in more viewers and reliable advertising revenue. If the undermentioned elements are not present, then it is time for alternatives.
⮚Priority access to technical assistance in case of troubleshooting.
⮚Full visibility over delivery monitoring and operations.
⮚Fully redundant ground network architecture.
⮚Remote expert support.
⮚Short response times (under 15 minutes).
c. Resilience Solutions: What Is It? For many services, interference from external factors can cause problems for their end-users. Broadcasting streams can grind to a halt due to circumstances such as unfavourable weather or accidental damage. Resilience solutions help mitigate the impact of those interferences, ensuring a smoother experience for your end-users.
Why is it important? Interruptions and interference on a broadcast cause frustration to end-users. This creates a negative experience of your channel, associating it with unreliability and low-quality service. Over time, you will lose viewers who can never seem to get a consistent experience from your broadcast. Resilience solutions help you to avoid that and keep external situations from hurting your channel. If your following is missing, it may be time to consider alternatives.
⮚Interference detection through continuous monitoring of transmissions.
⮚Specific transmission antenna used to increase broadcast power.
⮚Uplink power control procedures to reduce the relative importance of external factors on transmissions.
b.Recovery Functions, what is it? In the case of critical disasters, faulty equipment or serious damage, recovery functions provide a backup to channels and a guarantee of 24 broadcast operations with a disaster recovery plan and business continuity plan.
Why is it important? The ability to activate a back-up satellite transmission in less than 1 hour until the main uplink is repaired in case of a disaster is essential to offering a service to end-users. End-users today as well as advertisers expect a constant stream of broadcasting, ready to be accessed at any time. Recovery functions ensure that this is the case, even in the direst of circumstances. If following is missing plan for alternatives.
⮚Quick fail-over solution (less than 1 hour)
⮚Guaranteed access to backup transmissions
⮚24/7 monitoring and support
⮚Highly reliable service operated on a WTA Tier 4 teleport
A One-Stop Solution: You must have a good BCP (business continuity plan). Hosting, service quality, resilience, and recovery all contribute to presenting your channel as one of quality and consistency. However, finding the right provider for each of these services can be complicated and cause unnecessary confusion. That’s why you must have a person who can plan and execute a business continuity plan deliver your video content safely and effectively. There is a need for PBA or PEMRA to come up with one window solution to look after these potential issues, and SPV can be formed by broadcasters to serve the purpose and pool resources. Especially at this time, high operating costs and low economic activity are making the survival of news media difficult. Similarly, this SPV can buy the satellite bandwidth for all at much cheaper rates, ensuring quality of service and helping in the journey towards OTT and the launch of DTH without any external support. The news and media industry should not wait for miracles; all will be well. There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed collectively.
Work as a team; don’t look towards the government or PMRA for all favours; get united; make plan; only then can news and media in Pakistan survive.
Special Correspondence.
