The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and GlobeCast were co-host broadcasters for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 17), event which took place from the 28th November to the 9th December in Durban, South Africa. Together we provided six ad hoc fully manned live positions; indoor and outdoor studio facilities and managed a multi format/multi standard VT play out facility. Six dedicated satellite paths were also provided for both domestic and international clients. Our engineering team also built a complex internal distribution system for the Plenary and Press conference rooms. The MCR routed on-demand and switched out individually to Press, Radio and Media booths in the UN IBC Media area.

Technically challenging, our engineers used four video routers, two audio routers and 10 km of video and audio cable at the Durban ICC. The complexity of the engineering was created by the need to group the various UN languages together, embed them correctly for both SD and HD feeds and thus ensures that each customer was fed their preferred language requirement. The United Nations had six languages broadcast simultaneously, as well as content from the plenary sessions and press conference rooms.