World’s Largest Broadcaster Chooses MetService

Meteorological Service of New Zealand Limited
World’s Largest Broadcaster Chooses MetService

News audiences around the globe are to get an injection of Kiwi weather graphics and animation ingenuity into all their weather news later this year.

The BBC has purchased Weatherscape XT, an innovative television weather graphics package developed by MetService of New Zealand Ltd, and marketed through its international and commercial arm Metra Information Ltd. Other users include Nine Network in Australia, and CNBC stations in Europe, Dubai, Turkey, and Asia and television stations in Beirut and Saudi Arabia The British broadcaster will use the software for all its national and regional channels, as well as BBC World and its internet site.

MetService chief executive John Lumsden hailed the multi-year deal as a huge sale for the company, and possibly one of the largest weather graphics software contracts in the world.

“That the world’s leading weather broadcaster has chosen MetService staff and products to update its weather presentation is a real endorsement of our people and their skills.” “We were up against very professional international competition from Europe and North America. It’s fantastic, and it just shows what good business and good business relationships are all about. We are looking forward to showing the British their own weather in a really neat way!” Mr Lumsden said.

“What Weatherscape XT does is apply technological advances in 3D graphics and animation techniques.

Coming hot on the heels of international recognition of Weta for Lord of the Rings, this is yet another application of New Zealanders’ graphics and animation expertise. But here we have the added aspect of complex weather information to deal with.” Weatherscape XT was developed by a team with experience in both graphics and meteorology, and offers cutting edge visual presentation of the day or week ahead. It even allows broadcasters to customise the software, presenting images of the local landscape and countries and the ability to develop their own look.

New Zealand audiences will be familiar with Weatherscape, the earlier version of Weatherscape XT, which MetService developed in partnership with TVNZ and is currently used on One News.

Feedback from the tender process indicated MetService’s customer focus and attention to detail had greatly impressed the iconic British broadcaster.

Some MetService staff are already working in Britain on the project, which will involve customising the software to the broadcaster’s specifications and training all meteorological staff. The process is expected to take a number of months.

ENDS

Weatherscape XT information sheet

What is it? Weatherscape XT software is a real time weather graphics package which automatically generates 3D animations from model weather data to create a visually exciting weather news presentation.

How does it work?

The system automatically downloads weather data.and converts it into scenes which play out live on television The weather presenter can preview the show, edit the data and then produce a script based around the presentation.

Weatherscape XT saves television production staff time and effort when creating each days weather news presentation.

What does it look like?

3D animated graphics give viewers a bird’s eye view of the weather as they fly over their region. Attractive 3D terrain images combine with cloud and precipitation graphics to summarise the weather changes ahead. Viewers literally experience tomorrow’s weather today. This, combined with the ability to show almost any type of weather data in a variety of different ways, makes Weathersccape XT a highly flexible graphics tool for weather news.

What equipment does it run on?

Weatherscape XT runs on industry standard PC based hardware, eliminating the requirement for more expensive graphics workstations.

What are the key business advantages?

Increased ratings, increased viewer loyalty, reduced production costs and greater flexibility.

ENDS

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