APRIL 2015
Vol 212
Bigtime Streaming the Traditional Way We are with Nick Haines, engineering manager, at the Auckland offices of OSB, Outside Broadcasting … is that correct? Nick: Yes, it used to be Onsite Broadcasting but when Sky bought OSB, we changed the name. We wanted to retain the initials, so we became Outside Broadcasting. Ed: And you’ve been engineering for a long, long time? Nick: Yes, I’ve been around a little bit too long probably. I’ve been here from Super 16 News footage through to what we’re at now, with HDTV. Ed: Now Nick, it’s been quite difficult for me to get to talk to you, because you’ve been a very busy man rushing around with the crews in New Zealand. You’ve got a very busy season I understand?
Nick with a nearly empty garage – they are all at work.
Nick: Yes. We started off doing something like 160 OBs a year and now we’re somewhere in the 500 mark, so the growth has been exponential. We’re basically running a similar amount of gear and a similar number of crews and just all working harder with more contract support at the moment. Ed: Is this going to continue, or do you see the whole industry tailing off? Nick: No, live sport is a thing that’s very hard to cover. People want to see it “live”, they want it now, they want it as it’s actually happening. You only get one shot at it, so it’s critical that you have good gear in the right place, at the right time and we manage to do that.
Fantastically, this year New Zealand’s doing well in every sport, so you know we’re going right through to the finals. We just won the basketball, we’re at the top of the soccer tournament, the cricket’s going well, rugby’s just kicking off and we’re probably not doing quite as well as we’d normally expect there, but I’m sure that will come into play as well. Ed: I’m sure a lot of this is due to the relationship you have with Sky … well Sky owns OSB, so you are getting all their work, but it’s not only that, you also hire yourself out to other broadcasters who want an outside broadcasting service?