Al Jazeera renovates main studio and adds Ross Video’s robotics to enhance its news broadcasting
Al Jazeera has recently aired the creation of a new upgrade to Studio 5. This renovation is in the context of the Qatar-based news organization 25th anniversary. For the new design, Studio 5 was divided into two newsroom areas and three studios. When revamping the studio, Al Jazeera chose to adopt a full suite of Ross studio robotic camera systems.
The infrastructure features five Ross SkyDolly ceiling-mounted camera systems, seven CamBot free-roaming XY pedestals, and the Vision[Ai]ry Facial Tracking (Ft) system. As part of the renovation, Al Jazeera installed four SkyDolly tracks on ceilings throughout the facility, with the largest being 60 meters long, circumnavigating the entire studio and newsroom. Another large circular track was installed in the main studio, which features two SkyDollies to cover every angle, and added tracks to the newsrooms as well.
CamBot pedestals can be combined with SkyDolly systems. In this way, they can be positioned and moved anywhere in the studio. With the Vision[Ai]ry Ft system, the news agency can automatically track staff movements in the studio.
“When we decided in early 2021 to completely renovate our flagship studio for Al Jazeera’s 25th anniversary, we were aware that the timeline was tight and challenging. However, Al Jazeera and the System Integrator had worked with Ross Robotics in the past and we knew that they could accomplish this within the short deadline,” commented Mr. Ahmed Marzouq AlFahad, Executive Director of Technology & Network Operations at Al Jazeera.
“It was important to Al Jazeera that five out of the twelve robots would be hanging from telescopic lifts while still providing perfectly stable moving on-air shots. At the same time, the robots had to be 100% fall-proof and perfectly integrated into the magnificent set design covering the floor, walls, and ceiling. And these challenging conditions are exactly where our SkyDolly shines. We are extremely pleased with the symbiotic cooperation between the customer, system integrator, set designer, lighting, and set builders on this project,” said Miguel Declerck, Senior Business Development Manager EMEA at Ross Video, about the completed project.
