RTBF relies on EVS to develop next generation control room

ЕВС will be working with Belgian broadcaster RTBF to develop the next-generation control room.

Building on the capabilities of the EVS Cerebrum broadcast control and monitoring system, the solution aims to introduce a common production environment that users can access through a dynamic and flexible interface, whether they produce content for the broadcaster’s TV, radio or digital platforms. The resulting front end will display the necessary functionalities and propose various widgets to suit the multiple production requirements as well as the operator’s skills.

The solution, which is being developed in view of the RTBF move to its future Media Square production facility in 2024, is an evolution of Control Room 42 (or CR42), a prototype born out of the broadcaster’s ambition to reinvent its working methods using cutting-edge technology. The proof of concept built by RTBF users and engineers gained high visibility in the industry for its innovative potential and was even awarded an EBU technology and innovation prize in 2020.

Thierry Piette, project manager of this RTBF renovation project, appreciates that EVS was the winner of the tender: “EVS’ reliable solutions and forward-looking technology roadmap are giving us the right foundations to make our ambitious vision, as outlined in CR42, RTBF’s new reality. As a result of this partnership, our teams can look forward to working in a highly flexible, software-defined environment that removes the constraints of physical, dedicated workspaces and can easily adapt to all our future production needs.”

Creativity and technology

In addition to extending the scope of operational control, the flexible control room solution will support new creative formats и optimise the back-end infrastructure without compromising the quality of output. What’s more, an open architecture will allow control of any EVS or third-party product needed in a live production through modular interfaces that abstract the complexities of the underlying infrastructure from the user. The solution will also be scalable on demand, to accommodate additional operators if a live production suddenly grows in complexity or to allow RTBF to quickly adapt its control room functions for back-to-back productions.

Серж Ван Херк, генеральный директор ЕВС, is very happy to work with RTBF “on a groundbreaking solution that fosters the deployment of EVS’ visionary blueprint on many aspects: transforming the live production user experience, relying on flexible infrastructures, optimizing resources and accelerating customer capabilities in terms of live storytelling.”

С другой стороны, Cécile Gonfroid, director of technologies at RTBF, considers EVS to be the ideal partner to undertake this innovation project: “As a long-standing customer, we’ve witnessed first-hand EVS’ deep understanding of live environments, and we trust their teams will continue to work closely with our staff to make sure the solution perfectly meets our needs in terms of usability. This project is an integral part of our 2027 strategic road map where we aim to modernize our live production infrastructure across our facilities in the French-speaking community of Belgium and more importantly, where we position RTBF as a driver of technological innovation in a rapidly changing media landscape.”