SVG Sit-Down: NEP Broadcast Services Global President Mike Werteen on a Connected Production Future The key message at IBC 2022 was people and innovation' By Ken Kerschbaumer
Thursday, September 29, 2022 - 10:46 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
NEP Group's evolution was on display at IBC 2022 with representatives from around the world onsite to meet with clients and discuss future planning as well as innovations like the NEP TFC Flow System and the buildout of connected data centers, production facilities, and new trucks. During the show, SVG sat down with Mike Werteen, global president, NEP Broadcasting Services, NEP Group, to discuss all the developments and more.
NEP Group's Mike Werteen: This is an exciting time. We're able to give our clients more options in how they want to produce their stories.
NEP Group has changed a lot since the last IBC. What are some of the key messages this year?
It's all about people and innovation. For example, since the last IBC show, we've added a lot of great people to NEP, but, due to the pandemic in some cases, we've met only through Teams or Zoom. For instance, we acquired a broadcast-services company called HDR in Sweden in November 2019, and, while it has been a great collaboration, now we can all meet clients, vendors, and, importantly, each other in person. And that has been worth its weight in gold.
Has it also become more complicated?
That's where the innovation comes in. We spent time during the pandemic developing a number of new products that we think are real game-changers, like our IP-based NEP TFC Flow system, which, by the way, won Best in Show at IBC. TFC Flow combines the intuitive app of TFC (total facility control) with scalable nodes (hardware) across a network to manage the signal flow of data, intercom, video, and audio feeds in the field. It massively increases flexibility while speeding up and simplifying what was previously a very time-consuming complex setup. It's a great example of an NEP software solution paired with hardware to create a more efficient solution for our clients. Software streamlines the setup, but there is still a significant need for hardware in our industry. We want to make sure we're doing our part to keep our clients satisfied and our vendors healthy, as we're a large purchaser and integrator of gear.
NEP Group's TFC Flow allows a high level of control of data, communications, video, and audio signals between remote facilities.
And it's not just about what's coming next: it's about what we need to do now, as the future is already here. We're still building out mobile units, and we're going to have the largest number of mobile-unit builds in 2023, but they're now all IP-based with TFC fully integrated. We're also leaning into centralized production, and a lot of our clients have come on board and agree with the vision we have for remote production. We have a platform and a ring of connectivity in regions, but our ambitions are to extend that globally.
You mention the truck builds. What's the future of trucks? Are you surprised to be building so many? And will they be less hardware-intensive?
What has been surprising to me is, the mobile units that have not been tied to a specific client have been in high demand. That tells me there's still a need for those solutions, albeit with more connectivity and control. That said, our clients have demanded that there needs to be a roadmap to the next step. We believe in centralized production, and, when you have the control layer we have - NEP's TFC - and you incorporate that into new builds, it can help the design of individual shows and tie together large compounds with our data centers. TFC has also enabled us to build an overall platform that will be a launch point for all kinds of software-based tools and products. But more to come on that soon.
The new data center in Dallas opens within a couple of months. Where does that stand?
It's going to be launched in the fourth quarter, and we already have the racks in the space; now we're putting in the gear. We went through a long search to find the right location for it, but it won't be our only one. It will also be connected to our facilities in New York and Los Angeles as well as to the NASCAR Production Center in Charlotte, NC. Other clients will be connected to the ring and will be able to use the resources. In some cases, it will be true remote production; in others, it will include components of the production. Every one of the conversations with clients is a little bit different, but we want to make sure we can accommodate those needs. So far, we haven't run into anything we can't accommodate.
The beauty of a data center is how it allows you to get much more utilization out of gear, because gear in a truck driving from point A to point B isn't being used. How does this improve the economics and return on investment?
It definitely improves investment analysis when we get to a critical mass of clients on the network, which is important when you think of what has happened with inflation, people, and supply-chain constraints over the last few years. When you think back, the whole mobile-unit industry started with the outsourcing of resources because the networks couldn't make the business case based on the utilization that they had for their own events. It became advantageous for everyone because the equipment would be used for the primary work as well as additional contractual work. And the same gear, switcher, cameras, audio consoles, replay servers, and graphics benefited from that additional utilization.
We're taking that model and expanding it. What we're doing for centralized production supercharges everything. Built into the economics were things
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
13/05/2026
New Adobe Premiere Color Grading Mode Accelerated on NVIDIA GPUs
Joel Pennington May 13, 2026
0 Comments
New NVIDIA RTX-accelerated features streamlin...
13/05/2026
Grass Valley announced that dB Broadcast has delivered new IP-based outside broadcast (OB) trucks for Cloudbass, featuring Grass Valley LDX 100 Series cameras a...
13/05/2026
Ikegami will exhibit the latest additions to its wide range of broadcast production cameras, control units, viewfinders and monitors on stand 5D3-1 at Broadcast...
13/05/2026
FISE, working with the founding members of the XR Sports Alliance (XRSA), Accedo, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and HBS, have collaborated to develop an immersive...
13/05/2026
Canon Unveils New EOS R6 V Full-Frame EOS Camera and RF20-50mm F4 L IS USM PZ Bu...
13/05/2026
Boston Conservatory at Berklee Honors Beth Morrison and Moses Pendleton at Comme...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Creative software developer Foundry today announced the latest developments on Nuke Stage. A purpose-built application for end-to-end virtual production and in-...
13/05/2026
A definitive portrait of one of Ireland's most influential musicians
New TV documentary airs Monday 18 May on RT One and RT Player at 9.35pm
Watch the...
13/05/2026
Agentic AI is changing the way users get work done. Following the success of OpenClaw, the community is embracing new open source agentic frameworks. The latest...
13/05/2026
Reinforcement-learning agents - AI systems that learn by trial and error - can c...
12/05/2026
Beyond the Hype: A Strategic Post-Hoc Analysis of NAB 2026 If NAB Show 2026 had an underlying theme, it was a quiet, industry-wide pivot from the high-energy sp...
12/05/2026
Guntermann and Drunck (G&D), a Panoptec Technologies Group company, and CT Square, led by Chandresh Shah, have announced a joint venture to distribute G&D and V...
12/05/2026
With 30 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament in the United States, has announced th...
12/05/2026
The NHL has announced the return of Stanley Pup for its third consecutive year, a 90-minute special featuring adoptable rescue dogs competing on a miniature rin...
12/05/2026
NBCUniversal presented its 2026 Upfront to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall, detailing upcoming programming across NBC, Peacock, Bravo, and Versant properti...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced funding for the Fandom and Social Connection Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Publ...
12/05/2026
TNDV and Live Media, both divisions of Live Media Group, supported live broadcast coverage around NCAA Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, including the March M...
12/05/2026
The European Football Alliance (EFA) has announced a content distribution agreement with Fubo Sports Network, the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel ...
12/05/2026
For the first time, Spanish-speaking fans in the U.S. will have two separate tel...
12/05/2026
CP Communications led a comprehensive spectrum management initiative on behalf of Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week, coordinating RF assets across the ...
12/05/2026
LiveU has announced a strategic partnership with DRONERESPONDERS, a 501(c)3 non-...
12/05/2026
Open Broadcast Systems has announced that BMC TV, a specialist in IP transport of broadcast content, has selected the Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway solution...
12/05/2026
NEP Europe, part of NEP Group, has announced it will deliver broadcast solutions...
12/05/2026
Grass Valley has announced continued collaboration with Ravensbourne University ...
12/05/2026
Stats Perform has announced the launch of Opta Pulse, an AI-assisted video creation and distribution platform for leagues, rights holders, and broadcasters. The...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced a collaboration with Sesame Workshop to integrate Sesame Street characters into FOX Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 programming. Conten...
12/05/2026
To date, NHL Productions has produced 19 broadcasts with commentary in American Sign Language
NHL in ASL (American Sign Language) may be just one show, but the...
12/05/2026
Google's Brian Albert: creators, athletes, highlights, nostalgia, second-scr...
12/05/2026
A still from Past Lives by Celine Song, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | p...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
12/05/2026
Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology
Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...
12/05/2026
New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more
Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...
12/05/2026
One month to go! SBS reveals expansive FIFA World Cup 2026 lineup beyond the pi...
12/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Tyrell Corporation, specialists in high-end live sports and entertainment broadcasts, was tasked with delivering compelling broadcast coverage of premier equest...
12/05/2026
Registration is now open for IBC2026 as the global media, entertainment and technology community prepares to converge on the RAI Amsterdam from 11 14 September ...
12/05/2026
Ross Video, a global leader in live video production technology, will present its latest innovations and integrated production workflows at BroadcastAsia 2026, ...
12/05/2026
500 selected leaders from around the world across start-ups, corporates, and venture capital. Over 50bn in assets under management among attending investors, a...
SVG Sit-Down: NEP Broadcast Services Global President Mike Werteen on a Connected Production Future The key message at IBC 2022 was people and innovation' By Ken Kerschbaumer 
