The EBU Membership, though diverse, regularly comes up against similar challenges, which is a great benefit for shared learning. This week participants in the EBU Integrated Media Production Strategies (IMPS) programme visited Yle to see how the Finnish broadcaster has designed and organized its multi-platform production facilities. This was the second IMPS site visit, and it's already clear that the formula is a success. The mix of presentations focusing on the visionary, organizational and technical aspects, combined with a tour of the facilities and plenty of discussion time, encourages the participants to reflect on their own organizations.

An important objective of IMPS is to bring editorial and technical staff together to foster a constructive dialogue on deploying integrated production facilities. Here are a few examples of what was learned in Finland:

Mobile First

Although the Internet is a flexible medium, producing content for it is not necessarily trivial. The motto is “mobile first”. A practical issue is that there is a whole series of different mobile devices. Yle therefore has focused on creating a ‘responsive design’, which allows journalists to address all devices at once, without having to tailor content for each one specifically.

Special focus is also being given to original ways to present information on the web in a lighter way, for example by presenting election results as a skiing competition (pictured above).

Open Calendars

It may sound trivial, but one of the best ways to integrate Radio, TV and Online production has involved starting with a common calendar, as Yle news producer Riitta Jäälinoja-Jussila explained.

Technical Hurdles

Besides the editorial and organizational aspects of media integration, a substantial part of the IMPS work focuses on overcoming technical integration hurdles. The participants shared their most recent experiences with e.g. NLE and MAM systems and ways to overcome their current limitations.

Photo: IMPS participants in Finland.