Grass Valley Awarded 2012 Technical & Engineering Emmy

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has honored the Grass Valley Ignite automated production system with a 2012 Technical & Engineering Emmy Award for pioneering the development of event-driven control room automation systems for production of live television shows, which encompasses full control of robotic cameras, audio, graphics, and video resources. 

The Ignite system, based on technology originally developed and patented by ParkerVision (then called the PVTV NEWS system), allows a single operator to run an entire newscast. The first live public broadcast using the PVTV NEWS production automation system was produced by News 12 The Bronx, in New York City on June 22, 1998.

After acquisition by Grass Valley in 2004, the second-generation system, under the name Ignite included an integrated Grass Valley switcher and robotic cameras that helped local stations create more news programs, and improved consistency and quality of the on air presentation, all while reducing technical errors.   To date, Grass Valley has sold over 200 systems and enjoys approximately 60% market share in North America.

“The National Academy’s Technology and Engineering Achievement Committee is pleased to honor Grass Valley and all other technology companies and individuals whose innovation and vision have materially affected the way the audience views television and who have set the standard for technological excellence in the industry,” said committee Chairman, Robert P. Seidel, Vice President of CBS Engineering and Advanced Technology. “The Grass Valley Ignite system was key in gaining market acceptance of this new way of producing a live newscast and became an essential component of many automated news control rooms,” said Alex Holtz, Lead Inventor of the PVTV News and Ignite Systems and Senior Director for Grass Valley. “By altering the economic model and delivering more content with a production crew of only one or two operators, the Ignite system allowed budget-conscious television stations to do more with less. The technology continues to be a key component in Grass Valley’s strategy of enabling Non-linear Production techniques, by automating control rooms and not only bringing efficiencies and ensuring consistency but also increasing content output across all Live Production genres.”

Grass Valley also congratulates Manolo Romero, Managing Director, Olympic Broadcasting Services on receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award. The Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards are presented by NATAS to individuals, companies, or to scientific or technical organizations in recognition of significant developments and contributions to the technological and engineering aspects of television. The 64th Annual Technology and Engineering Emmy Awards will be presented on January 10, 2013 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.