BEIJING: Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing arm of Chinese billionaire Jack Ma’s Alibaba Group and Intel Group announced on Wednesday the launch of the Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) Cloud, an innovative broadcasting solution that operates entirely on the cloud, to help transform the media industry for the digital era starting from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.]
The OBS Cloud aims to offer all the necessary cloud components, in specialized configurations, that can support the extremely demanding content production and delivery workflows of the broadcasting of the Olympic Games. Apart from providing inherent flexibility and scalability, the use of the cloud may also help with the limited time frame that Rights Holding Broadcasters (RHBs) have to set up, test and commission their on-premises systems.
Traditionally, broadcasters of the Olympics have only been able to implement and test their equipment upon arrival at the International Broadcast Centre (IBC) in the host city, and the physical space dedicated to broadcasters on site has always been in high demand.
The OBS Cloud will leverage Alibaba Cloud’s services featuring best-in-class technology infrastructure to create an optimal media broadcasting environment for all RHBs of the Olympics. It will run on the most advanced Intel Xeon scalable processors which will offer a suite of solutions including super computing capabilities, high-speed connectivity directly from the IBC, easily accessible cloud storage considering the demanding Olympic requirements, real-time monitoring, live video and audio broadcasting services and media processing. Intel’s volumetric and virtual reality technologies are set to improve fan experiences digitally.
As the host broadcaster, OBS can now provide most of the visual and audio assets of the Olympic Games to all RHBs through the new cloud platform efficiently, effectively and securely. Broadcasters can also set up their own content creation, management and distribution systems on OBS Cloud, a solution that has been optimized to address the particular needs of the most demanding live multi-sport workflows.
Additionally, the live media service on OBS Cloud allows RHBs to experiment with new program ideas in a secure sandbox environment or conduct interactive event broadcasts, accelerating the digitization of the coverage during the Games.
After the Games, RHBs will also have the flexibility to move their deployment home or keep the asset within the OBS Cloud for future Olympic events.
“We are very pleased that Alibaba Cloud has come up with this innovative and powerful approach to Olympic broadcasting. As the host broadcaster of the Olympic Games, we at OBS see ourselves as a leader in transforming the media industry,” said Yiannis Exarchos, CEO of OBS.
“Tokyo 2020 will be an opportunity for the International Olympic Committee to champion digital transformation in the media industry, as well as empowering broadcasters around the world with a cloud platform that delivers new possibilities for how the Games are enjoyed by fans around the world.”
Joey Tan, general manager of global strategic accounts and sports business unit, Alibaba Cloud said, “The future of the Olympic Games is in cloud technology and Alibaba Cloud is fully committed to contribute to the digital transformation of the Olympic Games through innovation. This partnership with OBS is an exciting initiative to expand the reach and accessibility of the Olympic Games content and ultimately stimulate a rethink on how the media industry operates in a digital era. We are excited to create a new standard in broadcasting and a more enjoyable experience for audiences around the world during Tokyo 2020.”
Jay Sankar, CTO and head of product of Intel Sports commented, “Sports fans today are seeking more immersive and engaging experiences. Intel’s partnership with Alibaba Cloud and OBS is aimed at delivering these ground-breaking experiences to Rights Holding Broadcasters and fans in a seamless, efficient manner over the OBS Cloud, powered by the most advanced Intel Xeon Scalable processors.”
The partnership between Alibaba Group and the International Olympic Committee began in January 2017. Alibaba is now serving as the official “Cloud Services” and “E-Commerce Platform Services” partner. Intel on the other hand, is one of the TOP (Worldwide Olympic Partner) making it amongst its highest level global sponsors.
