The broadcast industry has a significant environmental impact. The production of content requires a lot of energy, fuel, and resources. It also generates a lot of waste.
Remote production can help to reduce the environmental impact of the broadcast industry. By producing content from remote locations, broadcasters can reduce the need for travel and transportation. They can also reduce the amount of energy and resources used in production.
Here are some of the ways that remote production can help to move the broadcast industry towards sustainability:
- Reduced travel and transportation: Remote production eliminates the need for crew members to travel to and from production locations. This can save a significant amount of fuel and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, remote production allows producers to bring in fewer production trucks or OB vans.
- Reduced energy consumption: Remote production can help to reduce energy consumption by using more efficient equipment and facilities. For example, cloud-based production platforms can help to reduce the need for on-premises servers and other equipment.
- Reduced waste: Remote production can help to reduce waste by using digital workflows instead of paper-based workflows. It can also help to reduce the amount of waste generated from sets and props and from the staff required to be on site in a traditional production environment.
In addition to its environmental benefits, remote production also offers several other advantages for broadcasters. For example, it can help to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and expand reach.
Here are some examples of how broadcasters are using remote production to reduce their environmental impact:
BBC: The BBC has been using remote production for several years. In 2021, the BBC produced over 10,000 hours of content using remote production. The BBC estimates that remote production has saved it over £100 million in costs and reduced its carbon footprint by over 100,000 tons1.
NBC: NBC is also using remote production to reduce its environmental impact. In 2015, NBC produced the Super Bowl using a remote production workflow. This was the first time that the Super Bowl had been produced remotely2. The remote production workflow saved NBC over 100,000 miles of travel and reduced its carbon footprint by over 200,000 tons. Since 2015, NBC has made major strides in its remote production workflows and is considered one of the leaders in the industry in remote production.
As more and more broadcasters adopt remote production, we can expect to see a significant reduction in the environmental impact of the broadcast industry.
Through education, more advanced technologies, and total deployment of 5G, the adoption of remote production in the broadcast industry can be accelerated. One of the critical components of success will be implementing, then educating and training staff on remote production workflows. Utilizing a centralized solution to schedule and manage media operations will help to ensure that remote production is used effectively.
Remote production is a key technology that can help the broadcast industry to move towards sustainability. By adopting remote production, broadcasters can reduce their environmental impact, save costs, improve efficiency, and expand reach.
1. https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/tech/covid-19-accelerated-bbc-news-remote-working/5153397.article
2. https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/nbc-sports-super-bowl-xlix-remote-production-powered-by-avid