With many years in broadcasting, Delargy Media can literally send you into orbit (well, by live broadcast at least!). From any location with satellite line of sight, we can beam your pictures to any providor on either private or public TV networks.
Working at HBOS PLC, James Delargy managed the satellite TV network which delivered private encrypted internal communication programmes to retail and corporate colleagues across a global infrastructure.
The first project was to extend the network to 350 Bank Of Scotland sites who, at this time, received TV via DVD and VHS only. This project took over 12 months with complex planning issues, scheduling and building infrastructure hurdles to solve. On a budget of £1.3 million pounds, regular team meetings, reports and updates helped to maintain the project's delivery on time and on budget.
To deliver an end-to-end service well, additional roles were added to ensure the process delivered from concept to screen effectively.
Management of the Halifax-based TV studio facility required a redesign including 4 miles of new SDI cabling, comms links between the 2 edit suites, the control room and the studio, new editing computers, and a studio set. All materials had to be fully compliant with electrical and fire safety standards. Technical drawings and cabling diagrams were produced to make future modifications simpler. Contractors were required to submit risk assessments and method statements for their services, as were internal producers. The lighting and power systems required PAT testing and inventorising.
To ensure the benefits of satellite broadcasting offered maximum return on investment, James also managed the airtime schedule for all broadcasts, allowing regional variations to broadcast after national programmes to deliver more personalised communication from regional managers.
Working with the Group Legal department, PRS and MCPS costs were reduced by £240,000 per annum by quantifying actual airtime useage rather than paying a blanket fee for always on licencing.
Maximising the benefits of satellite broadcasting, live transmissions became a part of the HBOS TV calendar, using SMS and live phone in along with studio audience interaction. Live broadcasts were made from Channel Four's London studios, STV's Edinburgh studios and across various HBOS Head Office sites using OB crews.
Coupled with the technical requirements of delivering and managing content over a broadcast network was the relationship between the operator and HBOS. Loral Skynet inherited an analogue system from BT after winning a contract tender in the late 1990s. As James began to manage the process in 2002, the first project was to contact all 1050 Halifax branches and establish viewing habits, behavious and issues. This project concluded that 40% of the network had problems gaining access to the TV content.
James then went to work on two fronts. A service level agreement was set up with Loral Skynet to ensure lines of demarcation were agreed and understood. Other agreements were then required with the Group Property department to manage the HBOS-owned infrastructure beyond Skynet's demarcation point. The second front saw an intranet site for HBOS TV where colleagues could find TV schedules, help with fixing a fault, and a support structure for colleagues who had missed the programmes to receive a copy within 3 days.
Following the first audit, subsequent audits continued bi-annually for 2 years, and anually thereafter. The fault rate was reduced to 2% with a mitigating process of ordering copies if broadcasts were missed.
The reliability of the service was recognised by the Head of Internal Communications, the CEO and Head of Marketing. The infrastructure was then used to deliver audio privacy to branches front of house. HBOS brand radio launched in 2004 offering privacy to areas of the banking hall where confidential conversations took place. Placing speakers strategically in 1400 branches across the retail network offered audio privacy allowing more conversations with customers to take place.
From inheriting an infrastructure that was costly and unresponsive, James turned the HBOS network around and found new ways of maximising its potential. Delargy Media offers project management of complex multi-owned systems to help clearly define processes, find new opportunities and maximise ROI.
