The 2023–24 summer of cricket was a triumph for TVNZ, with coverage reaching more than 2.5 million viewers across TVNZ 1 and DUKE, and a further 459,000 accounts on TVNZ+. Behind the scenes, another milestone was achieved: the introduction of innovative remote production methods, a first for live sport in New Zealand.
UK-based Whisper, globally renowned for producing live coverage of major events such as Formula One, was enlisted as TVNZ’s production partner. One of Whisper’s biggest challenges lay in the high cost of traditional live sports broadcasting, particularly with the geographic spread of matches across New Zealand. The solution was remote production – a cost-efficient approach that kept most of the crew in Whisper’s Parnell studio, rather than relocating a large team to each game venue.
Key to remote production is a robust connectivity solution. Which is where Kordia’s Mobile Media team and NEP became involved, to get the live content from the match to the studio. Kordia’s connectivity technology enabled a live feed back to the Parnell studio, where the production team could work on creating a compelling coverage, seamlessly albeit from afar.
Even in locations with limited access to good fibre, such as Molyneaux Park in Alexandria, Kordia’s ability to provide end to end content distribution of real time video made capturing domestic cricket matches in the regions much more efficient.
With millions of New Zealand eagerly tuning in to watch the Black Caps and the White Ferns, the pressure was on to deliver continuous coverage, free from technical glitches. Kordia rose to the occasion, providing robust and reliable service for our partners and playing a small but essential role in delighting cricket fans throughout the country.