Smaller Video Server Team Achieves Impressive Output with Cablecast Equipment
Campbell Media, a community programming service based in Campbell County, KY, is known for providing meeting coverage for 11 different cities and the county's fiscal court. The service's workflow, however, remains somewhat of a mystery, as detailed proprietary information is scarce.
To gain a better understanding of typical community media workflows, we can examine the general practices that such services often employ. These workflows usually involve a combination of live video capture systems, encoding and streaming software/hardware, content management systems or platforms, and automated workflows.
Live video capture systems, including cameras and switchers, are used to cover meetings in real time. Professional live streaming encoders, such as OBS Studio, Wirecast, or dedicated hardware encoders, are often employed to compress and stream the live feed over the internet. Streaming platforms like YouTube Live, Vimeo, and local cable or community access channels are used to broadcast the live streams to the community.
Archiving solutions store recorded meetings for on-demand viewing, either through their own websites or platforms. Workflow automation tools streamline scheduling and publishing, sometimes integrated with local government or organizational calendars.
Campbell Media, in particular, utilizes a variety of technologies. The service relies on the full spectrum of automation hardware and distribution service solutions from Cablecast Community Media. Teradek VidiU streaming appliances are used for live meeting coverage, feeding the video into the Cablecast ecosystem using an Ethernet port at the government building.
Campbell Media's studio serves as its only permanent setup. The service covers approximately 19 different regularly scheduled meetings every month in about 15 locations. These meetings are streamed on their website for live viewing and simulcast on social media platforms like Facebook if required.
Campbell Media supports six channels: CGOV, CCMC, CCTV, CCRN, and two local education channels. The service's app is available on Apple TV and Roku platforms. To cater to the growing demand for VOD content, Campbell Media uses Cablecast REFLECT to cache popular content in the cloud.
The education channels use a combination of a Cablecast VIO Lite and an older Flex Series server. For the government and Campbell Media channels, Cablecast VIO 4 video servers are allocated, while Cablecast VIO 2s are dedicated to the public content channels.
Brady Wurtz serves as the programming coordinator at Campbell Media. The service is a service of the Campbell County Cable Board. While specific details about Campbell Media's workflow and technology choices may not be publicly available, this overview provides a glimpse into the technologies and practices employed by such community media services.
For those interested in learning more about common live streaming technologies or community media best practices, further guidance is available upon request.
- The workflow of a typical community media service, such as Campbell Media, often integrates live video capture systems, data-and-cloud-computing solutions like Cablecast REFLECT for on-demand viewing, and a variety of technologies including Teradek VidiU streaming appliances and OBS Studio for encoding and streaming.
- In addition to live event streaming, community media services like Campbell Media typically employ a combination of features such as workflow automation tools, archiving solutions, and technological enhancements like Cablecast VIO series video servers to cater to the growing demand for both live and on-demand content.
