Centralcasting: Few Takers, Many Skeptics

The challenges of broadcasting in a consolidating yet increasingly competitive marketplace have motivated many station groups to explore centralized broadcast operations, also known as "centralcasting." ¶ By centralizing broadcast operations for the entire group at one "hub" location, broadcasters hope to save money by eliminating redundant personnel, equipment and processes at the individual stations to become more competitive and profitable. Those at least are the goals of centralcasting. ¶ But experts caution there's a downside to this proposition. If the wrong centralcasting model is chosen, station groups can find their savings wiped out by the capital costs--like high-bandwidth fiber-optic or satellite connections, automation technology or skilled engineering and IT staff--needed for centralcasting. And, they can lose money if their on-air product is jeopardized. ... TVTechnology link

Comments

[Dennis]

The difference is central control over the local operations processes at broadacst stations...ingest, insertion of local content like commercials, monitoring, etc. It can take the form of a complete localized programming stream coming from a remote source or the form of storing content locally but having it assembled using instructions that come over a lower bandwidth pipe from a remote source. --Dennis

Dennis,
This Centralcasting sounds a lot like satellite radio stations and television networks. Haven't broadcasters been doing this for decades? What's the real difference here?