Germany's N24 Goes on Air With IBM

11 Apr 2008

German news channel N24 has signed a several million Euro contract with IBM to deploy a new editorial production system.

The new newsroom system will accelerate news processing and production and integrate broadcast news into N24's Internet offering at the push of a button. By allowing journalist-based editing, the system also will help to reduce costs and improve turnaround time and accuracy. Drawing upon its proven media and entertainment digital workflow integration expertise, IBM will work with broadcast industry provider NorCom to implement the new system by the end of 2008.

"We get to the point. Up-to-the-minute news from politics, business, sport and the world" is N24's motto. To deliver on this promise, N24 is investing in new offices and modern technology. By the end of 2008, the station will open a new studio in Berlin to enable it to respond faster to the latest political events. At the same time, N24 is investing in setting up a new newsroom system to enable editors to produce news stories faster, more efficiently and with more flexibility than ever before.

"What matters to us above all is the integration capability of the new newsroom system. The existing components in our editorial landscape will now be integrated swiftly and easily," said Frank Meißner, general manager for production and technology of N24. "IBM and NorCom are supplying us with a compelling system with exact-fit process support, an open architecture, and flexible adapter technology."

Further advantages of the new system are seamless integration of TV content distribution into the N24 Web site at the push of a button, shorter production times, and the opportunity to use the new system across media and editorial departments in the production of offerings for IP and mobile TV.

"N24's Berlin studio is one of the most innovative news centers in the world," said Niko Waesche, partner, IBM Global Business Services. "Speed and efficiency are decisive success factors for any news network. One-off production and multi-channel distribution is increasingly important for all information providers. The use of powerful production systems will be the decisive competitive advantage that sets media networks apart."

N24 chose the NorCom newsroom system due to its open architecture and workflow-based media production. IBM will integrate NorCom with an automated gallery, including text, pictures, art design, audio and video that compiles information from archives, traditional news tickers, RSS feeds and the Internet, independent of file formats. NorCom will also be integrated with N24's existing Sony production system.

The contract was signed at the end of February 2008.

Separately, German kitchen manufacturer ALNO has signed a five-year, double-digit million euro services agreement with IBM. IBM will provide comprehensive technical support, helping ALNO to establish a solid basis for further future projects and strengthening its position in the market.

Approximately 850 ALNO employees will benefit from streamlined internal processes.

"With this cooperation we are investing in the future. We are pleased to have found a very reliable, productive and visionary partner. With the collaboration we achieve highest quality, modernity and flexibility for our IT-systems. This is a decisive factor in a field which is characterised by permanent development," said Dr. Georg Kellinghusen, chairman of ALNO.

IBM will provide services including Application Servers, SAP Hosting, Notes Hosting and Citrix Operation as well as on-site local desktop service.

"IBM's expertise in bringing business value to fast growing mid-market companies like ALNO is key to our growth strategy," said Bernd Spahlinger, General Business Service Executive at IBM. "The agreement with ALNO provides them with the best quality services enabling them to gear up for the future."

The contract was signed in March 2008 and work on the project begins in October this year.