The Detroit-area company founded in 1983 that has become a pioneer of the use of computer-based, digital audio and program automation for radio stations and TV studios has teamed up with PHF COM to “harmonize” the newsroom flow for Morroco’s Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP).
The partnership with ENCO ensures that the state-owned news agency’s TV and radio operations can share the same Ross Inception newsroom computer system.
PHF COM, ENCO’s channel partner in Morocco, managed the Media Object Server (MOS) protocol integration work that now allows TV and radio journalists to use the same system to produce new stories, and share news content with others as needed.
Founded in 1959, MAP offers complete, diversified and objective national and global news coverage over its 24-hour news channel M24 and on RIM Radio, which provides live broadcasts and podcasts online and through free iOS and Android apps. RIM Radio, which launched in 2019, uses DAD radio automation to support its live broadcast streams.
Younes Yamouni, CEO of PHF COM, commented, “One of DAD’s benefits is that ENCO designed it to be an open system that can speak to third-party systems. “This was important for several reasons, one being that MAP operates an all-IP workflow. M24 operates a native ST 2110 video infrastructure on the TV side, and both stations utilize AES67 audio flows. Both ST 2110 and AES67 benefit from seamless interoperability across all systems.”
ENCO’s Ross Inception MOS Interface enables Media Object Server (MOS) protocol integration between Inception and the DAD automation system, allowing journalists and news producers to access DAD audio asset libraries directly within Inception’s client interface. Users can search the ENCO library, preview clips, trim media as needed, and bring the desired elements into their stories through drag-and-drop functionality.
Importantly, Inception rundowns are automatically synchronized as playlists on the DAD automation system to keep everything effortlessly updated for subsequent playout. “That is especially useful when journalists have a last-minute change,” said Younes. “They simply go into the interface to make changes to the story and modify the rundown. The change in running order is immediately reflected in the playlist, even if that playlist is already on the air.”
Younes notes that three separate studios can access the shared systems today, and all three can be used to support TV and radio operations. Journalists from both stations interact with the DAD system primarily through the Inception plug-in. Audio clips can be recorded into the DAD system, or imported as files either manually or through watch folders using the DAD Dropbox utility.
“It’s a very flexible system,” said Younes. “News stories can be provided for live feeds, or they can be pre-produced for podcasts or for live playout at a later time.”
RIM Radio operators also utilize DAD’s intuitive Presenter on-air interface for managing live playout, and Younes adds that DAD offers a platform that MAP can grow with as new streams and services are added.
— With reporting by Brian Galante
