eNCA takes news coverage to new heights with innovative tech

11 Dec 2020

eNCA is on the verge of taking news coverage to new technological heights with its innovative use of one of the largest video walls in Africa and also with the launch of Arti, an augmented reality (AR) data reporting system.

Photo by Anete Lusina© from Pexels

News broadcasting technologies driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) are being introduced to the broadcasting workflow globally. These technologies increase productivity, efficiency and creative opportunities for broadcasters. The use of AR enables news channels to convey data in a 3D format, thereby enhancing the viewer experience of regular news coverage and special events.

Although AR is used internationally, eNCA is reportedly the first and only broadcaster to bring this type of AR technology to the African continent.

Arti is an AR tool that allows journalists to tell engaging stories and share data reports in real-time - be it at live events, on-location or in-studio.

Michael Marillier, eNCA’s data reporter, officially launched the AR technology called Arti to viewers on DStv channel 403 recently. He used Arti to display survey responses from South Africa, India and France on the acceptance of the newly developed Covid-19 vaccine.

The way Arti works is, is it takes data streams from the cloud, collects it and shares it in the form of user-friendly AR graphics.

Rosemary Rogers, head of technical operations at eNCA explains further, “Arti brings data reporting to life using state-of-the-art AI and AR technology. It adds a deeper dimension to our technical offering and allows us to convert data into 3D elements in real time.”

Norman Munzhelele, MD of eNCA, adds, “Arti combined with the use of the largest video wall in Africa and HD technology is going to have a significant impact on eNCA's coverage of the 2021 municipal elections.”