The Daily Show : HD Studio Upgrade

To accommodate the planned migration of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report from Standard to High Definition (HD), NEP Studios tapped Control Group, which not only handled the HD upgrade, but also identified a one-in-a-lifecycle opportunity for NEP to improve its network architecture and streamline its entire creative workflow.

Control Group's innovative solution included context-busting technology applications and integration. The multi platform graphics group (Macintosh, PC, VizRT, Quantel) shares assets seamlessly with the Avid editing pipeline via file based workflow, high throughput interconnects, and advanced network routing. Such tight integration is exceptional for the broadcast world.

Network architecture was based on enterprise/financial models, providing increased virus and malware security. The typical approach: install antivirus software and limit access to the Internet, diluting the processing power of workflow-critical systems along with staff productivity. Here, terminal servers act as airlocks between internal and external networks so staff working on protected systems can still have an online life, without sacrificing productivity or adding to maintenance burdens.

Implementation and transition was completely transparent, with no negative impact on the production or staff of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. To manage the impact on the shows’ creative staff, the upgrade project was broken into hundreds of “bite size” packet/phases that were implemented strategically and systematically over a period of 18 months. This allowed staff to continue doing their jobs effectively while coming up to speed on the new technology.