How NEP is helping Norway's trotting industry to race ahead with production innovations By George Bevir
Thursday, September 12, 2024 - 14:15
Print This Story
Trotting in Norway is a major industry. With hundreds of racing events and thousands of races every year, the sport has a dedicated audience, many of whom place bets that generate millions of Norwegian kroner annually. Norsk Rikstoto is the company tasked with overseeing horse racing betting and is responsible for delivering coverage to fans.
Supported by NEP Norway, a company that originated as a department within Norsk Rikstoto, the two organisations have worked together to share racing action with viewers - and developed several innovations over the years that are now part of the broader NEP Group.
As well as racing from Norway, Norsk Rikstoto broadcasts races from other territories, including Australia, France, and a bit closer to home, Sweden.
Each day, our afternoon coverage begins from one of the Norwegian tracks. Sometimes even during lunchtime, says Frode Martnes, executive producer at Norsk Rikstoto.
The daily broadcast we service [for the Norwegian races] is between three to five hours, depending on how many races are taking place. And that leads us into the night shift, where we might go back to Australia again, or to the US, depending on the time zone and races available. Due to the regulations in Norway, we deliver the TV pictures for everything you can bet on in Norway.
Norsk Rikstoto's journey to controlling its broadcast operations dates back 25 years when they created their own TV channel, Rikstoto Direkte.
We look after the distribution of the daily competitions along with our betting menu from early in the morning to late in the evening, says Martnes.
The next step in this evolution is Norsk Rikstoto's new OTT platform, expected to launch in early 2026. Martnes acknowledges that they may be a little behind in terms of on-demand offerings, but he emphasises the shift towards direct-to-consumer services.
Frode Martnes, executive producer at Norsk Rikstoto
We realised that we were some years behind, but we're looking forward to our new OTT platform hopefully launching in Q1 2026, he says.
What we lack with today's distribution of a linear channel is that our on-demand offering disappears. So the upsides of having an OTT platform are an important priority for us as a company in terms of attracting tomorrow's customers.
Close relationship
NEP Norway's close relationship with Norsk Rikstoto dates back to its origins as an internal department before it was sold to Mediatec and then to NEP.
It was back in 2015 that we started doing remote production [for Rikstoto] over IP, explains Terje R ijen-Hammer, director of sales at NEP Norway.
And in response to a recent RFP from Norsk Rikstoto, NEP Norway built on that relationship when it developed a connected production ecosystem, modernising the entire setup with new fibre lines and using NEP's Total Facility Control (TFC) system for both production and signal transport.
This year, NEP Norway and Norsk Rikstoto also launched a new connected production ecosystem to support Norsk Rikstoto's operation.
The system includes a Production Control Room (PCR) in the Oslo Broadcast Centre and an OB truck, with all racing venues throughout Norway connected by fibre and routed to the PCR.
This setup supports in the region of 430 productions each year, broadcasting races in real-time with low-latency transmission (one frame of delay from the arena to the broadcast centre)-an essential feature for sports betting, provided by a JPEG XS contribution network from the arena to the broadcast centre delivered by NEP.
NEP's media asset management platform, Mediabank, also plays a crucial role in the system, facilitating both live streaming and archiving. Since 2008, Mediabank has been used to manage Norsk Rikstoto's branded TV channel, Rikstoto Direkte, and has archived over 50,000 races, all tagged with relevant metadata for future access.
Mediabank's role dates back to 2008, when physical storage space for tapes became an issue. We understood we needed to digitise this, so we began utilising Mediabank, and we still use it for trotting, says Rojien-Hammer. It's been a lot of amazing innovation together with this client, where we need to solve issues with solutions that are then used across the globe.
According to R ijen-Hammer, the feedback on the new system has been positive, particularly the choice to partner with a single company that could manage everything from glass to glass -from the cameras in the arena to the broadcast center.
Remote production
Eirik Nakken, NEP Norway's director of technology, highlights the strong relationship developed with Norsk Rikstoto. NEP provides the technical setup, from cameras in the arena to distribution.
It's all remote production, says Nakken. All the arenas are equipped with fixed installed equipment, which means that the crew just shows up in the arena and then starts using the equipment. We only travel OB units when it's a larger production where we add more cameras.
Nakken explains the complexity of the production, which includes full TV production for the main channel and multiple OTT feeds for specific horses or tracks. NEP is also responsible for the playout of the linear TV channel, the OTT channels, and encoding and origin services.
We've had very close cooperation with Lawo on the audio part, Nakken adds. With so many feeds, the audio mixes have been a challenge, but NEP's use of Lawo's crystal panels has helped streamline the process.
Eirik Nakken, NEP Norway's director of technology
NEP is also developing an HTML5 graphics package based on betting data and sports data from Norsk Rikstoto, further enhancing the
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
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...
10/06/2026
DAZN-owned digital-media company launches three fan-first series leaning into cr...
10/06/2026
Clear-Com has announced the appointment of Jason Dino as Southwest Regional Sales Manager USA, covering Southern California and the Southwest region. Dino joins...
10/06/2026
An 11% decrease in number of global broadcast deals reflects the organization...
10/06/2026
The Women Without Boundaries Awards recognize women whose work is advancing the future of media, broadcast, AV, workplace technology, digital experience, and re...
10/06/2026
Today is match day minus two for FIFA and HBS. On Thursday, there will be two ma...
10/06/2026
SES is supporting broadcast distribution of the world's biggest football tou...
10/06/2026
NDI has announced that BirdDog has become the first hardware manufacturer to achieve full NDI 6.3 compatibility across its complete lineup of cameras, encoders,...
10/06/2026
Vince Caputo and Scott Carter, winners of the 2026 Sports Emmy for Outstanding Post Produced Audio have been announced as presenters for the 2026 SVG Advanced A...
10/06/2026
FOX One today unveiled a slate of new product features and enhancements designed to elevate the viewing experience for fans on the official streaming platform o...
10/06/2026
Primary production partners Dome Productions and Raycom Sports once again played...
10/06/2026
The Women in Sports Filmmaking Experienceship is an immersive professional devel...
10/06/2026
The league has expanded its HSAN architecture for the NBA Finals to manage more ...
10/06/2026
The inaugural MoonPay X Games League (XGL) Winter Draft will take place Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at Cosm Los Angeles from 7-9 p.m. PT. The event will strea...
10/06/2026
The University of Oklahoma (OU) Athletics Department and Learfield have announce...
10/06/2026
The Video Services Forum (VSF) has released TR-06-4 Part 8, a new specification for RIST Satellite-Hybrid: Out-of-Band Method. The specification creates a mecha...
10/06/2026
Riedel Communications provided the communications infrastructure for the 14th World Live Neurovascular Conference (WLNC) in Lisbon, supporting live medical proc...
10/06/2026
A still from The Doom Generation by Gregg Araki (Courtesy of Sundance Institute)
By Lucy Spicer
Have you checked out our Sundance Film Festival 101 list yet...
10/06/2026
Get Hands-On with Interfaces & Mic Preamp Brands
If youre after a new interface or preamp, then GearExpo UK is the place to be! Well have a whole host of au...
10/06/2026
November 13-14 2026, The Midway, San Francisco
Following their recent rebranding, MONO Music Conference (formerly Music Expo) have officially announced thei...
10/06/2026
Debut instrument free for limited time
deFORM is the debut release from newly founded developer ebbandflow, and it's being offered as a free download fo...
10/06/2026
Alone Australia Season 4: Meet the Cast
10 June, 2026
Media releases
WATCH THE TRAILER
Smash-hit survival series Alone Australia drops its highly anticipa...
10/06/2026
DEADLY THEN, DEADLY NOW, DEADLY ALWAYS: SBS & NITV IGNITE NAIDOC WEEK 2026 WITH ...
10/06/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and TRUMPF advance laser-based drone defense with THORIS LCS Rohde & Schwarz is showcasing THORIS at ILA 2026: A sovereign, end to end counter...
10/06/2026
MAHLE and Rohde & Schwarz develop application for sensor testing of modern drive...
10/06/2026
Production and Development Funding supports the creation of compelling, commercially viable, artistic and culturally relevant South African screen content. Deve...
10/06/2026
Media buyers and sellers can now compare YouTube reach from computer, mobile, an...
10/06/2026
Accedo, Humans not Robots, and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) have announced the launch of Ecoflow X. Formerly an IBC Accelerator project, ...
10/06/2026
Frequency, the engine powering the world's leading streaming television channels, today announced that James Smith has joined the company as General Manager...
10/06/2026
At the 14th World Live Neurovascular Conference (WLNC) in Lisbon, Riedel Communications provided the communications infrastructure for live medical procedures s...
10/06/2026
Globecast, a leading provider of broadcast, media, and entertainment managed services, today announced the launch of its Content Exchange platform powered by Or...
10/06/2026
Klvr will showcase how venues, integrators and production teams are rethinking disposable battery usage at InfoComm 2026 (Las Vegas, June 17-19, booth #N6311). ...
10/06/2026
The Video Services Forum (VSF) has further enhanced the Reliable Internet Streaming Transport (RIST) protocol by incorporating a new feature, RIST Satellite-Hyb...
10/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
10/06/2026
10 Jun 2026
VEON's Banglalink Brings Every World Cup 2026 Match to Football...
10/06/2026
Wednesday 10 June 2026
How to watch every ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 match live on Sky Sports
Where is the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 availabl...
10/06/2026
Wednesday 10 June 2026
P RLA brings first-ever Beautifully Clean Oral Care'...
10/06/2026
Wednesday 10 June 2026
Sky reveals pulse-pounding first teaser trailer for upco...
10/06/2026
Wuppertal June 10, 2026
Riedel Artist at the Heart of the 14th World Live Neurovascular ConferenceAt the 14th World Live Neurovascular Conference (WLNC) in Li...
10/06/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Showcases New Mobile Experience, Collections and Games Vision in APAC
Product
10 June 2026
GlobalSouth KoreaJapan
Link copied to c...
10/06/2026
Back to All News
Ready to Join? The Netflix Fan Club Arrives at Cannes Lions
Business
10 June 2026
Global
Link copied to clipboard
Download all assets
N...
10/06/2026
Chemists snap together complex 3D molecules from highly reactive radicals-without losing their shape Scripps Research team develops stereoretentive radical-radi...
09/06/2026
Kiswe announces an expanded long-term partnership with ONE Championship (ONE), t...
09/06/2026
SiriusXM will broadcast FOX Sports' English-language commentary for all 104 FIFA World Cup 2026 matches from June 11 through July 19, available to subscribe...
09/06/2026
EVS has announced it is changing its corporate name from EVS Broadcast Equipment to EVS, reflecting the company's expanded portfolio beyond broadcast equipm...
09/06/2026
Fox Corporation and the NFL have announced a multi-year agreement to bring NFL c...
How NEP is helping Norway's trotting industry to race ahead with production innovations By George Bevir 
