A Montreuil, France, based technology company has enhanced its fully automated “visual radio” solution, which was displayed at no less than three exhibit booths at the recent 2017 NAB Show in Las Vegas.
Multicam Radio, from multiCAM Systems, was on display at not only the company’s booth, but also at those of two partners—RCS and Wheatstone.
According to the company, Multicam Radio “offers a convergence of reliable server and switching hardware and feature-rich software that brings together artificial intelligence (AI), speaker detection, automated graphics, and live streaming and podcasting capabilities.”
At the 2017 NAB Show, multiCAM Systems shared new features to simplify social media moderation. Instead of a continuous feed of all posts, operators now have the ability to decide what Tweets and Facebook comments it wants to show.
Operators can immediately filter and move approved content into the display queue, and quickly overlay graphic scenes to further enhance the mood.
Stan Walbert, CEO of multiCAM Systems, pointed to better social media integration as an important pain point to solve in a rapidly evolving Visual Radio landscape – from both an operational and experiential perspective.
“Visual Radio is all about engaging the audience is a broader way,” Walbert said. “Terrestrial radio remains a strong medium worldwide, and as broadcasters build onto their traditional audiences with strong online and mobile programming, social media is without a doubt a significant part of the visual element. Our new toolset makes it easier for broadcasters to moderate and deliver an engaging social media platform, while audience interaction is amplified through the ability to share video content and provide input across the social network. This is all important to spreading interesting and engaging information, and reaching a larger audience.”
At the Wheatstone booth, multiCAMSystems demonstrated how its AI capabilities automatically select shots from PTZ cameras, detect speakers (host/guests) and manage audio levels, and deliver titling information for speakers. The AI function is paused when in semi-automated mode, allowing operators to manipulate video coverage through camera and microphone control. Additionally, the system’s special STUDIO Add-On feature enables full manual control of all video filming and mixing.
At the RCS booth, multiCAM Systems will focus on the graphics automation power of its Visual Radio solution. This includes the easy and visual setup process of scenes that correspond with information received from the radio broadcast, including tracks, jingles,
RSS feeds and social media content. MULTICAM RADIO’s rich metadata management
capabilities populate all dynamic visuals and text playing out of the automation system.
“Our solution decrypts every piece of metadata, with automatic and direct matching to each specific field,” said Walbert. “This means that the broadcast is populated with all
relevant information associated with artist and song data, album cover and musical
genre among other information. It’s a highly important element of the Visual Radio
experience, and one that can turn off audiences if not properly addressed.”
— Reporting by Adam R Jacobson, from Las Vegas
