Film/TV
NeuLion Launches New Cloud-Based Virtual Announcer Technology (MESA)
Story Highlights
NeuLion today announced the launch of the NeuLion® Virtual Announcer™. Available as a new technology feature of the NeuLion® Digital Platform, the NeuLion Virtual Announcer enhances live OTT content streaming by offering viewers multiple audio choices from local language broadcasts to celebrity commentary.
The English Football League (EFL) is one of the first NeuLion partners to take advantage of the Virtual Announcer, giving all EFL clubs the ability to record a live audio voiceover and seamlessly sync and publish cloud-based broadcasting with the live game feeds coming from an EFL stadium. Fans of Norwich, Grimsby, Lincoln City, Portsmouth and other EFL clubs are enjoying this enhanced experience as part of the i-Follow subscription service, offered by the EFL and powered by the NeuLion Digital Platform.
The NeuLion Virtual Announcer allows sports and entertainment rights holders to utilize the cloud to quickly and easily add live broadcast commentary and analysis to live video feeds. Here’s how it works: NeuLion ingests the original video feed and streams it to the Virtual Announcer app; In the app, each cloud broadcast team will record commentary while watching the live video feed; The audio and video streams are seamlessly synced together and delivered to viewers on every screen based on geographic locations and other preferences managed by the NeuLion Digital Platform.
Allowing live video commentary to be recorded from anywhere in the world provides an array of program-enhancing options. Rights holders can feature multiple audio tracks within the live program for local language broadcasts, game-expert commentary and play-by-play, celebrity spotlights, sports legend showcases and even direct fan commentary.
The Virtual Announcer provides live OTT content rights holders the ability to capture, package and distribute unique audio commentary faster, more easily and at far less expense than under the traditional in-venue model. This new feature, and the many possibilities it offers, is expected to spark longer fan engagement, attract more subscribers, reduce subscriber churn for rights holders and drive the continued transformation of the broadcast commentary industry.
