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Racing TV has unveiled a new virtual studio, based at Ealing Studios in West London, to ‘take horseracing TV coverage to the next level’ with the aim of ‘revolutionising how viewers enjoy the sport’.
Timeline TV, which has served as Racecourse Media Group’s technical managed services provider since 2012, has collaborated with the firm on the creation of the studios, along with MOOV.
The studio will accommodate up to three guests per live programme, featuring an augmented reality big screen to integrate data and analysis into panel discussions, a timing information data area designed for analytical shows and a panoramic area for festival coverage.
Adam Binns, Director of Broadcast and Production at RMG, commented: “The studio will enable Racing TV to deliver immersive and interactive horseracing presentation coverage to our audiences.
“The virtual and augmented reality environment helps us to keep the racing fraternity closely linked on an ongoing basis and will be the perfect platform for video-conferencing and other remote tools, which are so vital now. We are very grateful for all the support and expertise which Timeline TV and MOOV have contributed to the project.”
Viewers of the channel, which broadcasts racing from 35 British racecourses and 26 Irish racecourses, will see the studio in action later today with the Mark Your Card preview show, followed by racing from Exeter, Warwick and Dundalk Stadium, along with The Friday Club programming.
The studio was also first used for British Horseracing Authority’s (BHA) Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Award.
“This has been a hugely collaborative project between RMG, MOOV and Timeline TV,” said David Harnett, Head of Operations at Timeline. “Racing TV required a studio that would be flexible and adaptable to allow them to create different sets for a variety of their horseracing shows.
“We already work alongside MOOV at BT Sport’s Broadcast Centre, so we had no hesitation in collaborating with them and relied on their expertise and knowledge to deliver a truly immersive and innovative virtual reality studio.”
Furthermore, the high-end studio – which utilises technology from Unreal Engine and Brainstorm InfinitySet, originating from the gaming industry – will bring together all of Racing TV’s race-day feeds, with reporters at every course, creating a ‘watch together’ racing community experience.
