Omneon Video Networks today announced that Belgian cable television broadcaster Kanaal Z, a Roularta Media Group station, has upgraded its digital platform with a new Omneon Spectrum™ media server system that will support 24-hour news playout. The shift to an advanced digital platform will allow Kanaal Z to provide its news broadcasts more easily via emerging digital services across the country. The new system was installed by Brussels-based system integrator and distributor Video Promotion and operator Videohouse.

The Spectrum server system, operating under the control of an SGT automation system, is part of a tailor-made system designed to meet the station's long-term broadcast strategy. The combination of the highly scalable and modular Omneon Spectrum server architecture and the wide range of SGT products, which include transmission, traffic, and media management, provide Kanaal Z with enormous playout flexibility as the broadcaster continues to grow its operations. The interoperability of the Spectrum system and the facility's Avid nonlinear editing systems allows for rapid file transfers and a more efficient workflow in bringing breaking news to air.

"We were impressed by the modular design of the Omneon Spectrum server system and the ease in which it works with the SGT automation software, which is particularly well-adapted to Kanaal Z's needs," said Videohouse Technical Director Dirk Theunis. "With the knowledge and assistance of Video Promotion, we were able to combine these systems in a solution that offers Kanaal Z just the right workflow and efficiencies."

The Spectrum media server system is an exceptionally cost-effective and flexible media server designed for the professional television industry. An open architecture allows it to support a broad variety of third-party applications for control and transmission, media management, archiving, and collaborative production, while its modularity offers users maximum flexibility in scaling system components and capacity in small or large increments as desired. The system is available in a broad range of configurations to meet the specific needs of each installation.

More information about the Omneon Spectrum media server system is available online at www.omneon.com.

About Omneon
Omneon is a leading provider of flexible media server and active storage systems that optimize workflow productivity and on-air reliability for the production, distribution, and management of digital media. Omneon is a pioneer in the use of advanced IT technologies and open systems for broadcast applications, producing a modular and expandable video server architecture in the Omneon Spectrum. The company's MediaGrid active storage system delivers centralized content storage that is scalable in capacity, bandwidth, and media-processing power. The company has an extensive global presence with customers in 45 countries on six continents. Omneon is on the Web at www.Omneon.com.

About Kanaal Z
The cable television provider Kanaal Z, an initiative of the Roularta Media Group, is managed by Belgian Business Television. The 24-hour news channel and its Internet site (www.kanaalz.be) provide continuous coverage of critical business, financial, and economic news. In addition to regular daily news, stock index data, and updates for both local and global markets, Kanaal Z offers programming featuring leading business figures, the latest financial trends, and experts in economics, culture, and politics. Streaming video news features are available on the Kanaal Z Web site.

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