Nine Network, after a 12-year absence, is back to broadcasting the Olympic Games, securing rights until 2032. The network is using a multi-platform approach, covering the event through free-to-air TV, streaming, digital publishing, radio, and print.
Nine's Olympic production involves a collaborative effort across three continents with approximately 150 staff members on-site in Paris and 300 working remotely from Sydney. This hybrid model balances on-the-ground presence with cost-effective remote operations.
A unique studio setup in Paris features a famous backdrop and the latest in augmented reality technology. The International Olympic Committee provided shoebox studios in the picturesque Trocadero area, overlooking the Eiffel Tower. These compact spaces, also home to NBC, CBC, BBC, and others, presented challenges for traditional studio setups.
To overcome these limitations, Nine's team opted for a set design that combines a physical desk with expansive virtual set extensions, creating an extended reality environment. This allows them to create the illusion of a much larger studio while maintaining the coveted Eiffel Tower backdrop. The set's physical components are minimal, with the rest created and rendered using Unreal Engine through Stypeland. Real-time graphics are powered by Vizrt. Mark Roberts Motion Control provided a StudioBot XL as the primary camera in the space, with Stype camera tracking.
One of the key features of the virtual set is its ability to adjust lighting automatically based on external conditions, ensuring a consistent look regardless of changes in natural light. This technology was extensively prepared 18 months before the Olympics, with Nine collaborating with AE Live and Jago Design to design, build, and test the hybrid studio in a warehouse in the UK.
The production setup allows for a split operation. Camera operators and floor managers work in Paris, while the director, producer, switcher, and graphics operators work from Sydney.
While the virtual studio offers advantages, it also presents challenges. This technology, at this scale, is new to Australian sports broadcasting, and its use in a high-profile event like the Olympics carries enhanced risk. To mitigate potential issues, Nine has implemented contingency plans, such as programming the robotic camera to move into a tightly framed shot of the hosts in case of any glitches.
Nine Network suggests that if this production is successful, this technology could become more common in Australian broadcast sports production. Combining on-site and remote teams, the hybrid production model offers a blueprint for more efficient and sustainable broadcasting practices for future world events. This approach could become increasingly relevant as the industry adjusts to further economic pressures.