Paris, FRANCE – April 3, 2024 – As the host broadcaster of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, France Télévisions innovates to launch the france.tv Paris 2024 Olympic channel starting May 8. In partnership with TVU Networks, France Télévisions will broadcast the Relay of the Olympic flame powered by a novel 100% cloud-based and 5G/Starlink network.
With the desire to unite French citizens from the moment the Olympic flame reaches France, france.tv Paris 2024 will offer 10 hours of live coverage each day, tracking the 1625 km journey via the france.tv app, connected TVs and digital platforms that host france.tv.
Committed to greater energy and environmental sustainability, the group is transforming its broadcasting methods, adopting solutions for the flame’s journey that leverage cloud technology, 5G, Starlink, and the use of drones. For this purpose, France Télévisions has chosen the comprehensive tools and ecosystem provided by TVU Networks.
“This innovation gives editorial teams the ability to produce more content with greater adaptability and responsiveness, while controlling costs and maintaining the quality standards dear to France Télévisions,” explains Frédéric Brochard, CTO and CIO at France Télévisions.
“Broadcasting live the journey of the flame is a unique offering, rightly aligned with France Télévisions’ ambitious editorial stance for covering the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” states Laurent-Eric Le Lay, Director of Sports at France Télévisions. “This innovation allows us to embrace this challenge, offering French citizens the opportunity to continuously experience the 80-day relay, enriched with content and emotional moments that are certain to unfold throughout the course.”
This approach, innovative for even simple live productions, becomes groundbreaking as it applies to every facet of production for an event of such scale and complexity, including live feeds, multi-camera switching, graphics, commentaries, audio mixing, intercom, and playout. To guarantee comprehensive coverage of the flame’s journey, the project leverages AWS infrastructure to deliver an optimal experience. By leveraging TVU Networks’ solutions across the entire media workflow, this partnership achieves the first end-to-end cloud broadcast for a major event and opens up endless possibilities for new content that resonates closely with audiences.
“Through this collaboration, France Télévisions and TVU Networks are setting a new standard for the future — one that prioritizes innovation, sustainability, and the power of cloud technology to bring fans closer to the action,” said Romuald Rat, Director of Technological Innovation and AI at France Télévisions. “By opting for a 100% cloud approach, we are saving several dozen tons of CO2 emissions compared to traditional methods.”
“It’s about working together, challenging what we accept as possible,” says Paul Shen, CEO of TVU Networks, emphasizing the collaborative effort in turning visions into reality. “This isn’t just a milestone; it’s a wake-up call to the industry. The future of broadcast is here, and it’s accessible, sustainable, and opens up endless possibilities for bringing more content to fans everywhere.”