New Zealand public broadcaster RNZ has selected Dalet to transform its editorial systems with the media solutions provider’s story-centric news production technologies, the company said.
RNZ is making the upgrade as it enters its 100th year of operations. It plans to transition to the new system in 2025. Dalet is currently working with the broadcaster on a comprehensive staff training program.
“RNZ’s upcoming centenary marks not just a celebration of our past, but a bold stride into the future,” RNZ Chief Technology Officer Mark Bullen said. “This investment underscores our commitment to digital transformation, leveraging modern technologies to streamline operations and enhance our capacity to deliver timely news and information.”
RNZ provides independent news and current affairs and a range of diverse programs and podcasts, on-air and online, with both audio and video programming. The new system will free RNZ’s staff to spend more time on what matters most, the broadcaster said—delivering impactful narratives to audiences.
RNZ said it plans to deploy Dalet Pyramid, a news solution that enhances resource sharing and story collaboration for chaos-free operations that are open and auditable. The integrated solution will modernize content production and delivery with a story-centric approach.
The replacement newsroom management solution includes planning, story editing and approvals, wire feeds, contact management, publishing, rundown management and archiving. In addition, the updated audio editing and management solution will let RNZ staff capture, edit and publish audio anytime and anywhere. The tech upgrade represents an investment of NZ$4.5M for the implementation and first five years of operation, RNZ said.
“One of the systems we’ve been relying on dates back to 1999,” RNZ Chief News Officer Mark Stevens said. “To put that into perspective, in 1999 Nokia 3210 topped phone sales and Google had just hired its first employee. Our dedicated RNZ kaimahi (staff) have worked wonders with these outdated tools, finding creative solutions wherever possible. However, we owe it to our storytellers to provide them with state-of-the-art technology so they can concentrate on delivering quality content to our audiences.”
Dalet was chosen to deliver the new system after a rigorous six-month tender process with almost 200 specific requirements, including RNZ’s role as a lifeline utility needing a hybrid cloud and on-premise solution. This ensures that RNZ can remain on-air to deliver news broadcasts during emergencies.
