20 TVBEurope Workfl ow
www.tvbeurope.com September 2014
The Croatian challenge C
Philip Stevens talks to the Croatian public broadcaster about its restructuring and signifi cant investment to bring HD to the country
roatian Radio-Television, usually shortened to HRT (Hrvatska
Radiotelevizija), is a public broadcaster based in the capital, Zagreb. HRT started as Radio Zagreb with the fi rst live broadcasting service launched on 15 May, 1926. Thirty years later, the radio broadcasting service was complemented with the television broadcasting service by Television Zagreb. Today, almost 90 years later, HRT produces and distributes four television channels, which are accessible via DTT, IPTV, cable, satellite and OTT platforms. In addition, an international satellite channel is used to serve the needs of Croatia’s
scattered population. Beyond that, 13 radio channels are broadcast, three with national coverage, eight with regional and local coverage and one for an international audience. Annually, HRT produces 28,000 hours of TV content and 105,000 hours of radio content. Apart from Zagreb, HRT owns and manages a very diverse network of regional and local production sites across Croatia. There are eight major locations situated in Rijeka, Split, Osijek, Zadar, Knin, Dubrovnik, Pula and Bjelovar, plus 14 smaller sites across the country. HRT also operates four international correspondent offi ces situated in Washington, Brussels, Mostar and Sarajevo.
Within 12 months, the output of HRT channels will be upgraded to HD
Meeting the new demands In 2013, the then newly-elected management board initiated a restructuring process involving organisational, fi nancial, personnel, as well as technological changes. “In today’s liberalised media market, with the emerging of new production and distribution technologies, changes in media regulation, convergence of IT and broadcast technologies, broadcasters are facing many challenges,” explains Goran Gvozden, HRT’s director of integrated media operations. “In order to fulfi l our role as a public broadcaster, we needed to create a more productive environment.”
He continues, “The major TV and radio production sites are currently separated, each in their own building, with their own technical infrastructure and technical and administration crew. However, our plans call for those facilities to be moved and merged, and then become equipped and prepared for integrated media production. The process of integration of television and radio technical facilities should be completed by the end of 2014.”
But the upgrading of the facilities will continue after that integration is complete. And the fi nancial commitment is considerable. “In 2014 and 2015 HRT will replace outdated equipment, remove the remaining parts of an incoherent and ineffi cient production environment, and tape workfl ows,” reveals Gvozden. “So, in order to improve and optimise television and radio production and create a more productive and effi cient environment, HRT will invest around €30 million. The investment plan will be carried out in two phases. The fi rst investment phase started this year and the second is planned in 2015.”
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