HANGZHOU, China -Wednesday 19 September 2018 [ AETOS Wire ]
(BUSINESS
WIRE)-- Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) and Alibaba Cloud, the
cloud computing arm of Alibaba Group, announced today the launch of OBS
Cloud, an innovative broadcasting solution that operates entirely on the
cloud, to help transform the media industry for the digital era. Set to
be in place for Tokyo 2020, the OBS Cloud aims to offer all the
necessary cloud components, in specialized configurations, that can
support the extremely demanding content production and delivery
workflows of the broadcasting of the Olympic Games.
Tokyo
2020 will be a game-changer for broadcasters as it showcases new
possibilities for the industry by presenting solutions on the cloud. The
use of cloud technologies has been gradually adopted for content
creation and distribution purposes in broadcasting, however the
extremely demanding requirements for volume, speed and latency that are
inherent in live sports broadcasting of major events have kept the use
of the cloud at a very low level, despite its multiple advantages. Apart
from providing inherent flexibility and scalability, the use of the
cloud may also help with the limited time frame that broadcasters have
to set up, test and commission their on-premises systems. Traditionally,
broadcasters of the Olympics have only been able to implement and test
their equipment upon arrival at the International Broadcast Centre (IBC)
in the host city, and the physical space dedicated to broadcasters on
site has always been in high demand.
As
the host broadcaster, OBS can now provide most of the visual and audio
assets of the Olympic Games to all Rights Holding Broadcasters (RHBs)
through the new cloud platform efficiently, effectively and securely.
Broadcasters can also set up their own content creation, management and
distribution systems on OBS Cloud, a solution that has been optimized to
address the particular needs of the most demanding live multi-sport
workflows.
The
proprietary OBS Cloud leverages Alibaba Cloud’s services featuring
best-in-class technology infrastructure to create an optimal media
broadcasting environment for all RHBs of the Olympics. The OBS Cloud,
which will run on the most advanced Intel® Xeon® scalable processors,
offers a suite of solutions including super computing capabilities,
high-speed connectivity directly from the IBC, easily accessible cloud
storage considering the demanding Olympic requirements, real-time
monitoring, live video and audio broadcasting services and media
processing.
Also
announced today was a partnership aimed at advancing the digital
transformation of the Olympics and delivering volumetric content over
the OBS Cloud for the first time at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. Intel,
also an Olympic TOP Partner, will collaborate with Alibaba and OBS to
explore a more efficient and reliable delivery pipeline of immersive
media to RHBs worldwide that will improve the fan experience and bring
them closer to the action via Intel’s volumetric and virtual reality
technologies.
Additionally,
the live media service on OBS Cloud allows RHBs to experiment with new
program ideas in a secure sandbox environment or conduct interactive
event broadcasts, accelerating the digitization of the coverage during
the Games.
After
the Games, RHBs will also have the flexibility to move their deployment
home or keep the asset within the OBS Cloud for future Olympic events.
“We
are very pleased that Alibaba Cloud has come up with this innovative
and powerful approach to Olympic broadcasting. As the host broadcaster
of the Olympic Games, we at OBS see ourselves as a leader in
transforming the media industry,” said Yiannis Exarchos, CEO of OBS.
“Tokyo 2020 will be an opportunity for the International Olympic
Committee to champion digital transformation in the media industry, as
well as empowering broadcasters around the world with a cloud platform
that delivers new possibilities for how the Games are enjoyed by fans
around the world.”
Joey
Tan, General Manager of Global Strategic Accounts and Sports Business
Unit, Alibaba Cloud said, “The future of the Olympic Games is in cloud
technology and Alibaba Cloud is fully committed to contribute to the
digital transformation of the Olympic Games through innovation. This
partnership with OBS is an exciting initiative to expand the reach and
accessibility of the Olympic Games content and ultimately stimulate a
rethink on how the media industry operates in a digital era. We are
excited to create a new standard in broadcasting and a more enjoyable
experience for audiences around the world during Tokyo 2020.”
Jay
Sankar, CTO and Head of Product of Intel Sports, commented, “Sports
fans today are seeking more immersive and engaging experiences. Intel’s
partnership with Alibaba Cloud and OBS is aimed at delivering these
ground-breaking experiences to Rights Holding Broadcasters and fans in a
seamless, efficient manner over the OBS Cloud, powered by the most
advanced Intel Xeon Scalable processors.”
The
partnership between Alibaba Group and the International Olympic
Committee began in January 2017 when the two parties signed a long-term
strategic agreement that will help transform the Olympic Games for the
digital era. Alibaba is now serving as the official “Cloud Services” and
“E-Commerce Platform Services” partner.
About Olympic Broadcasting Services
Olympic
Broadcasting Services (OBS) was created by the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) in 2001 in order to serve as the Host Broadcasting
organisation for all Olympic Games. As Host Broadcaster, OBS is
responsible for delivering the pictures and sounds of the Olympic Games
to billions of viewers around the world. It produces and transmits
unbiased live radio and television coverage of every sport from every
venue, as well as content and data specifically designed for digital and
social media delivery.
OBS
has developed a consistent approach across all Olympic operations while
at the same time optimising resources to continually improve the
efficiency of the Host Broadcast operation. OBS does so to ensure that
the Games’ Rights Holding Broadcasters (RHBs) are satisfied with the
overall production of the Olympic Games and that the impact of the
broadcast footprint on the host city is as minimal as possible.
About Alibaba Cloud
Established
in 2009, Alibaba Cloud (www.alibabacloud.com), the cloud computing arm
of Alibaba Group, was China’s largest provider of public cloud services
in 2016 by revenue, according to IDC. Alibaba Cloud provides a
comprehensive suite of cloud computing services to businesses worldwide,
including merchants doing business on Alibaba Group marketplaces,
start-ups, corporations and government organizations. Alibaba Cloud is
the official Cloud Services Partner of the International Olympic
Committee.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180919005256/en/
Contacts
Olympic Broadcasting Services
Matthew Mason, +34 918 397 490
mmason@obs.tv
or
Alibaba Cloud
Jowie Law, +86 136 2571 9035
yukman.lym@alibaba-inc.com
Claudia Ju, +86 571 86561860
Claudia.ju@alibaba-inc.com
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