STS TV (St.Petersburg) (Russia) - case study

STS was launched in December 1996 and today is a leading entertainment network in Russia. Focusing on entertainment, STS broadcasts a mix between Russian productions and international programming of interest to its target audience, viewers aged 6–54, especially younger audiences.

Approximately 100 million people are within STS’s signal reach. In 2007, STS achieved an average audience share in its target demographic of 11.3%.STS network reaches approximately 87% of urban households. It ranks as the fourth most watched nationwide broadcaster in Russia overall.

The STS Network currently has about 350 affiliates, including 19 owned-and-operated stations.

To automate broadcasting on «STS – 6th Channel» the VSN system was installed. The installation was performed in March 2006. It was the second VSN-based automation project performed by specialists of DNK Corporation.

VSN provides STS with a reliable automation project for its 6th Channel

The Challenge

• STS was looking for automation software for its 6^th Channel.
• The number of journalist working places had risen to eight, and all of them needed to be transformed into video editing places.
• The system was required to be installed two stages. During the first stage it was assembled and adjusted in Moscow, at DNK Corporation, and for several weeks it had to work properly in a test mode and as a demo stand. Then in a week time it would be installed on operating TV channel in Saint-Petersburg.

The Solution

• VSNAIRNEWS system, CG title station and teleprompt system were installed. In addition, VSNARCHIVE system and 2 VSNAUTOREC systems were delivered: the digital one (SDI), and analog one (component)
• Journalists’ editing places were connected to existing editing systems of the Channel. Programs edited on these stations are translated not only at “STS-Piter Channel”, but also at the central “STS Channel”.

The Results

• VSNARCHIVE allows maintaining an order in a huge amount of video material, performing material search, as well as providing access to it to the entitled persons. Searching and viewing materials are performed at low resolution, which allows relieving Gigabit network.
• Journalists bring video and give it for capturing to the VSNAUTOREC station.VSN system allows flexible adjustment of journalists’ rights for use and access to video, as well as for deletion and addition of material in the system.
• Due to the high speed of their new network all journalists can use shared net resources without having to copy video to their computers.