Sony Outlines Broadcast Strategy For Broadband Network Era

At a press conference, Sony Electronics outlined the company's strategy for the broadband network era, as well as announced a number of new broadcast and professional products that will be on display at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) show in April 2000. ""We are entering a new era in broadcasting,"" noted Edward Grebow, President of Sony Electronics' Broadcast and Professional Company. ""The 21st century will see a merger of broadcasting, personal computing, and telecommunications - and Sony is at the forefront. To be successful, companies will need to combine not only digital expertise, systems integration and service capabilities, but network experience and an understanding of electronic distribution platforms."" According to Grebow, Sony is reinventing itself for the broadband network era and has reorganized much of its worldwide operations around the formation of ""network"" companies. ""This ëreinventioní is taking place because the introduction of digital broadcasting, the merging of broadcasting and telecommunications infrastructures, the growth of the Internet, and the progress of broadband networks are all proceeding at an incredible pace,"" Grebow said. Sony's belief is that in a networked world content will have added value, and that the desire to produce and distribute quality content will lead to joint efforts in diverse industries and applications, such as movies, medicine, education, publishing and broadcasting. ""Our goal is to help our customers by providing new hardware, software and integration services that create and maximize their assets,"" Grebow continued. ""The interactive aspect of this new broadband digital network will bring many benefits, including new business opportunities, new revenue streams, and new methods of distribution."" According to Grebow, Sony selected ""Complete the Picture"" as the company's theme for NAB 2000 because it recognizes the fact that advances in technology are changing the way in which broadcasters acquire, produce and distribute programming, now and in the future. ""We want to partner with our customers and help them 'Complete the Picture' by providing complete solutions today and in the years ahead."" Grebow identified a number of areas in which the company is focusing. These include: - Growing acceptance of MPEG by customers and manufacturers; - A complete high definition acquisition system which is cost effective and migration proof; - Networking via ATM, i.LINKÆ, SDI, SDTI-CP and Ethernet; - A complete newsroom featuring new nonlinear editing systems and new servers, as well as software and browsers which offer multiple network integration for a variety of applications; - An asset management system which can archive and repurpose content for both large and small facilities.About Sony Electronics' Broadcast And Professional CompanySony Electronics' Broadcast and Professional Company (BPC) is dedicated to providing its customers with the most advanced audio and video equipment and systems for a variety of markets, including broadcast, production, corporate, industrial, government, medical and education. Sony products and systems offer leading-edge digital video technology in acquisition, recording, production, storage, transmission, display and projection.

More information about Sony products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sony.com/professional, or phone 800 686 SONY.Source: Sony Electronics