Two local TV production companies are coming together to broadcast the Olympic relay events in Magherafelt. Anderson Videos and NEELB TV are joining forces to provide live internet coverage of the Olympic torch coming to town.
The team will use their combined skills to record the community carnival parade on Wednesday 6th June and stream a live transmission of events via the internet on Thursday 7th June, including the arrival of the world famous torch.
The partnership came about when Magherafelt District Council approached Raymond Anderson from Anderson Videos to cover the prestigious events. Raymond realised the potential of the broadcast and suggested contacting Peter Simspon from NEELB TV about working together to provide a full Outside Broadcast.
NEELB TV has a full production facility not unlike a small TV station, including HD filming, a television studio and a ten camera Outside Broadcast Truck with satellite webcasting . They currently produce programs for two web TV channels for teachers www.neelb.tv and www.esags.tv . These channels provide Continual Professional Development support for teachers under the Department of Education’s ‘Every School a Good School Policy.’ Programmes are available 24/7 and are used by educationalists around the World.
Peter says “We are looking forward to covering the two-day event and will have full OB support on the ground. This event gives us the opportunity to use some of the local students in the production which will provide them with a unique broadcasting experience. The main question has been ‘how can we cover this?’ Running cables couldn’t be an option due to the lengths required so we decided to use four microwave links including a helicopter link and six wired cameras. This meant we had to re-think things and use a hoist for aerials in order to get a signal.”
Raymond says “When I was told about the event I jumped at it. This is an event happening now that most likely will not happen again in our lifetimes. Magherafelt needs a record of it. We want to show the excellence of the people of Magherafelt in areas such as commerce, sport, music and education. We want to promote the area and people from it. In fact, most of the people involved in recording the event are from the area.”
The program will be hosted by local personality and BBC sports presenter, Claire Glancy. A dedicated studio and green room will be set up in a hall at First Magherafelt Presbyterian Church at the head of town where Claire will be joined by guests from the district. Cameras will then be linked from events around the town, including the filming of visual displays at Meadowbank where 3000 children will assemble. Weather permitting, the children from 31 local schools will come together to form an Olympic message which will be filmed from a helicopter and streamed live over the internet. The school children will then line the streets to welcome the torch as it passes through the town.
The arrival of the Olympic torch to Magherafelt will also be recorded as it travels up the Ballyronan Road, through to the town centre roundabout, down Broad Street and on to the Castledawson Road. The events will be streamed live via the internet from 12.30pm to 2pm and can be watched via Magherafelt District Council’s website www.magherafelt.gov.uk.
NEELB’s résumé has included training young people to cover the Milk Cup for BBC Blast viewed by some 800 000 people across the globe as well as the ‘F1 in schools finals’ viewed in over 20 countries and on Information Tv on the Sky platform. All the work they do is part of the Education Board’s curriculum and support service and assists in all areas of school improvement. The group also take clients on virtual field trips. For example, they recently took a teacher to the Giant’s Causeway and she was able to take 900 pupils on a live, virtual tour 3000 miles away in Virginia, USA using the OB truck and live satellite links.
Viewers from around the world are expected to tune in to watch the live broadcast of Magherafelt’s Olympic relay events on Wednesday June 6 and Thursday June 7. For further information contact Michael Browne, Davina McCartney or Charmain Bell at Magherafelt District Council 028 7939 7979 or email olympictorch@magherafelt.gov.uk
