BBC and TVU Revolutionised UK Election Coverage ingesting 369 live feeds into an innovative Cloud Production Workflow

BBC shattered all live broadcast records during 2024 General Election. “This was the BBC at its very, very best. Serving our audiences with honest, transparent and behind-the-curtain journalism.” Jonny McGuigan, Streaming Editor at the BBC

CUPERTINO, Calif., July 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The BBC, in collaboration with TVU Networks, transformed the 2024 UK General Election coverage by deploying a cloud-based platform that managed 369 live feeds across the UK. These were integrated into the BBC iPlayer, the BBC News website and displayed on a virtual mosaic screen in London Broadcasting House, reaching a peak audience of 4.6 million.

Using the TVU Anywhere app, the BBC sent custom mobile streaming kits to each voting location, enabling rapid, environmentally friendly coverage without traditional broadcast setups. Additionally, the TVU Search was utilized to ingest and record hundreds of live feeds in real time, enhancing the ability to manage and replay critical election moments instantly.

“This approach not only upheld the BBC’s highest quality standards but also pioneered a new method of election broadcasting that would have been near impossible using traditional methods,” said Geraint Thomas of BBC News. “The TVU cloud platform allowed us to scale up a vast number of feeds and handle peak traffic seamlessly without investing in additional hardware. This was both an editorial and technological innovation that transformed the viewing experience, bringing the vote counting process closer to our audience, setting a new benchmark in election coverage.”

Regional coverage was enhanced through TVU Partyline, customizing broadcasts for various UK regions. “We delivered the most personalised election coverage ever in live video. Across the UK, wherever you looked you could see democracy in action, live,” noted Jonny McGuigan. This extensive accessibility ensured comprehensive coverage across digital and traditional platforms.

The integration of IP and SDI outputs through the TVU platform supported seamless transmission across media outlets. Geraint added, “In a matter of weeks, we managed to achieve what we thought would take months to develop, integrating the TVU cloud platform with our on-premise workflows in a cost-effective manner.”

Paul Shen, CEO of TVU Networks. “It’s about innovating together and redefining the boundaries of broadcast technology. This collaboration is a testament to what’s possible when we combine our strengths. The future of broadcast is now, offering an accessible, sustainable model that opens up endless possibilities for storytelling to audiences everywhere.”