MediaCityUK in Salford Quays, Manchester, is ready to support significant levels of programming now that systems integrator TSL has completed the second phase of the broadcast infrastructure.
In the first phase, completed in September 2010, TSL commissioned a number of radio and television studios and the central facilities to support them. TSL was contracted for the second phase to enhance and expand the original facilities to provide increased flexibility and functionality for the multiple broadcasters and styles of programmes being recorded and distributed. In particular, Studio HQ3 is now equipped to handle technically complicated, multiformat/distribution programmes, such as sports. The number of incoming HD circuits is now 34 and an existing post-production area now offers 10 edit suites — eight of them capable of using either Avid or Final Cut Pro — under the control of a replay supervisor to orchestrate the workflow.
The project also included a dynamic connection between the centre and the BBC Digital Media Initiative (DMI), which makes content available on desktops anywhere, and forms part of the main portal for all BBC media entering and leaving the studio complex.