Category:
Digitization
Digitization of RBA Archives by MediaGuru
Digitization of RBA Archives by MediaGuru
Digitization of RBA Archives by MediaGuru
Category:
Digitization
Company Name:
Company Name:
Rwanda Broadcasting Agency
Number of Employees:
Number of Employees:
200-250
Problem:
Problem:
Preservation of historical analogue archives. Enabling reuse and searchability and facilitating monetization through VOD.
Solution/Product:
Solution/Product:
MediaGuru provided digitization services, including Legacy content assessment, Setup of the digital factory with MAM, Conversion to digital formats, Quality enhancements, VOD system implementation, Metadata entry
Implementation Type:
Implementation Type:
Large-scale digitization and media management project
INTRODUCTION
A national legacy goes digital: The RBA audiovisual archive project
Rwanda’s voice for a decade
The Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA) is a public broadcaster established by Law No. 42/2013 on June 16, 2013, with a vision for excellence in broadcasting. They aim to provide quality content that meets audience needs and promotes cultural values, socio-economic development, and citizen participation. RBA envisions itself as the leading and most trusted media company on all platforms.
However, a wealth of historical content – radio and TV archives dating back to National Radio (1962) and TV Broadcasting Services (1992) – remained inaccessible. These archives, inherited from ORINFOR (Office Rwandais de l'Information), were in analog format, incompatible with modern technology. Preserving this irreplaceable heritage and enabling access became a critical challenge for RBA. MediaGuru, a specialist in digitization projects, stepped in to offer a solution.
A national legacy goes digital: The RBA audiovisual archive project
Rwanda’s voice for a decade
The Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA) is a public broadcaster established by Law No. 42/2013 on June 16, 2013, with a vision for excellence in broadcasting. They aim to provide quality content that meets audience needs and promotes cultural values, socio-economic development, and citizen participation. RBA envisions itself as the leading and most trusted media company on all platforms.
However, a wealth of historical content – radio and TV archives dating back to National Radio (1962) and TV Broadcasting Services (1992) – remained inaccessible. These archives, inherited from ORINFOR (Office Rwandais de l'Information), were in analog format, incompatible with modern technology. Preserving this irreplaceable heritage and enabling access became a critical challenge for RBA. MediaGuru, a specialist in digitization projects, stepped in to offer a solution.
PROJECT CHALLENGES
Addressing limitations
The digitization project faced several key challenges:
Preservation:
Ensuring the long-term survival of these historical materials.Reuse:
Making the archives readily available for RBA's daily production needs, research, and reruns.Searchability:
Facilitating easy searching and retrieval for RBA reporters and the broader public, both within Rwanda and internationally.Initial Metadata Creation for Radio Assets:
Generating initial metadata for audio assets from RBA's paper-based records and reconciling it with the actual content.Indexation:
Segmenting the digitized content at regular intervals and creating detailed summaries for enhanced searchability.Preprocessing/Preparation of the Spools:
Organizing and preparing the often damaged and tangled audio reels for digitization.Monetization:
Exploring opportunities for generating revenue through the archives, such as video-on-demand (VOD) services.
Addressing limitations
The digitization project faced several key challenges:
Preservation:
Ensuring the long-term survival of these historical materials.Reuse:
Making the archives readily available for RBA's daily production needs, research, and reruns.Searchability:
Facilitating easy searching and retrieval for RBA reporters and the broader public, both within Rwanda and internationally.Initial Metadata Creation for Radio Assets:
Generating initial metadata for audio assets from RBA's paper-based records and reconciling it with the actual content.Indexation:
Segmenting the digitized content at regular intervals and creating detailed summaries for enhanced searchability.Preprocessing/Preparation of the Spools:
Organizing and preparing the often damaged and tangled audio reels for digitization.Monetization:
Exploring opportunities for generating revenue through the archives, such as video-on-demand (VOD) services.
SCOPE OF PROJECT
Embracing the digital age
The project encompassed the digitization of:
38,000 hours of audio
29,084 hours of video
This involved:
Setting up a dedicated digitization facility at RBA Headquarters, complete with necessary infrastructure.
Deploying the required workforce, both locally and internationally.
Training local staff on the technology and resources used for digitization and production.
Transferring all archives from analog to digital format and establishing a media asset management system (MAM) for efficient management.
Migrating existing metadata to the new platform and linking it with the digitized files.
Maintaining the digitization machines throughout the project.
Digitizing metadata for radio archives.
Indexing all digitized files for efficient search and retrieval.
Storing all digitized files in a centralized system with online access and VOD service capabilities.
Providing expert support throughout the project.
Embracing the digital age
The project encompassed the digitization of:
38,000 hours of audio
29,084 hours of video
This involved:
Setting up a dedicated digitization facility at RBA Headquarters, complete with necessary infrastructure.
Deploying the required workforce, both locally and internationally.
Training local staff on the technology and resources used for digitization and production.
Transferring all archives from analog to digital format and establishing a media asset management system (MAM) for efficient management.
Migrating existing metadata to the new platform and linking it with the digitized files.
Maintaining the digitization machines throughout the project.
Digitizing metadata for radio archives.
Indexing all digitized files for efficient search and retrieval.
Storing all digitized files in a centralized system with online access and VOD service capabilities.
Providing expert support throughout the project.
SOLUTION & EXECUTION
MediaGuru, your trusted partner
MediaGuru addressed the challenges with a series of targeted solutions. A comprehensive legacy content assessment was conducted, involving physical verification and barcoding of all media, with special treatment for extremely damaged items. Existing databases were consolidated into a single source, and a unique QR barcode was assigned to each material for easy tracking. For preparation, all carriers were inspected, and tapes/reels were repaired, cleaned, and baked as needed to reduce moisture and sticky dirt.
The digitization process involved establishing a digital factory with a vendor-agnostic MAM system. Signal processing, analog-to-digital conversion, real-time quality checks, and conversion to required file formats were all part of the process. Disjointed content was merged into single files per editorial object, with the assistance of RBA staff. Quality checks ensured the content met broadcast standards, addressing luminance, chrominance, audio issues, and more.
Additionally, video and audio enhancements like color correction, grain reduction, defect removal, noise reduction, and audio level adjustment were applied. Deeper and more precise indexing was performed. A Video-on-Demand (VOD) system was established to support adaptive playback, multi-device streaming, integration with CDN providers, and security with DRM (Digital Rights Management). Custom metadata entry was implemented for deep archiving, allowing for automatic or manual asset movement to long-term storage.
These efforts resulted in the successful preservation of Rwanda's historical materials in a digital format, making them easily searchable and accessible. RBA can now leverage their archives for VOD services and other platforms, significantly streamlining media management and retrieval processes.
Unlocking the Power of Digitization
MediaGuru’s specialization in large-scale digitization projects ensured the seamless conversion, restoration, and secure archiving of RBA's audiovisual treasures. This digitization allowed RBA to share its content more widely, reaching new and different audiences. It improved their brand visibility, enabled real-time updates, and strengthened their connection with the audience through engaging audiovisual storytelling.
Through MediaGuru’s strategic approach, RBA unlocked new revenue opportunities, optimizing space, ensuring content security, and transforming its operational capabilities in the digital era.
MediaGuru, your trusted partner
MediaGuru addressed the challenges with a series of targeted solutions. A comprehensive legacy content assessment was conducted, involving physical verification and barcoding of all media, with special treatment for extremely damaged items. Existing databases were consolidated into a single source, and a unique QR barcode was assigned to each material for easy tracking. For preparation, all carriers were inspected, and tapes/reels were repaired, cleaned, and baked as needed to reduce moisture and sticky dirt.
The digitization process involved establishing a digital factory with a vendor-agnostic MAM system. Signal processing, analog-to-digital conversion, real-time quality checks, and conversion to required file formats were all part of the process. Disjointed content was merged into single files per editorial object, with the assistance of RBA staff. Quality checks ensured the content met broadcast standards, addressing luminance, chrominance, audio issues, and more.
Additionally, video and audio enhancements like color correction, grain reduction, defect removal, noise reduction, and audio level adjustment were applied. Deeper and more precise indexing was performed. A Video-on-Demand (VOD) system was established to support adaptive playback, multi-device streaming, integration with CDN providers, and security with DRM (Digital Rights Management). Custom metadata entry was implemented for deep archiving, allowing for automatic or manual asset movement to long-term storage.
These efforts resulted in the successful preservation of Rwanda's historical materials in a digital format, making them easily searchable and accessible. RBA can now leverage their archives for VOD services and other platforms, significantly streamlining media management and retrieval processes.
Unlocking the Power of Digitization
MediaGuru’s specialization in large-scale digitization projects ensured the seamless conversion, restoration, and secure archiving of RBA's audiovisual treasures. This digitization allowed RBA to share its content more widely, reaching new and different audiences. It improved their brand visibility, enabled real-time updates, and strengthened their connection with the audience through engaging audiovisual storytelling.
Through MediaGuru’s strategic approach, RBA unlocked new revenue opportunities, optimizing space, ensuring content security, and transforming its operational capabilities in the digital era.
CONCLUSION
A world at your fingertips
The digitization of RBA archives by MediaGuru preserved Rwanda's audiovisual heritage and improved RBA's operations. It demonstrated MediaGuru's expertise in large-scale digitization, meeting both preservation and monetization needs. This project ensures secure, accessible content for future generations, enabling wider reach, deeper engagement, and new revenue streams.
Company Name:
Company Name:
Rwanda Broadcasting Agency
Number of Employees:
Number of Employees:
200-250
Problem:
Problem:
Preservation of historical analogue archives. Enabling reuse and searchability and facilitating monetization through VOD.
Solution/Product:
Solution/Product:
MediaGuru provided digitization services, including Legacy content assessment, Setup of the digital factory with MAM, Conversion to digital formats, Quality enhancements, VOD system implementation, Metadata entry
Implementation Type:
Implementation Type:
Large-scale digitization and media management project
INTODUCTION
A national legacy goes digital: The RBA audiovisual archive project
Rwanda’s voice for a decade
The Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA) is a public broadcaster established by Law No. 42/2013 on June 16, 2013, with a vision for excellence in broadcasting. They aim to provide quality content that meets audience needs and promotes cultural values, socio-economic development, and citizen participation. RBA envisions itself as the leading and most trusted media company on all platforms.
However, a wealth of historical content – radio and TV archives dating back to National Radio (1962) and TV Broadcasting Services (1992) – remained inaccessible. These archives, inherited from ORINFOR (Office Rwandais de l'Information), were in analog format, incompatible with modern technology. Preserving this irreplaceable heritage and enabling access became a critical challenge for RBA. MediaGuru, a specialist in digitization projects, stepped in to offer a solution.
PROJECT CHALLENGES
Addressing limitations
The digitization project faced several key challenges:
Preservation:
Ensuring the long-term survival of these historical materials.Reuse:
Making the archives readily available for RBA's daily production needs, research, and reruns.Searchability:
Facilitating easy searching and retrieval for RBA reporters and the broader public, both within Rwanda and internationally.Initial Metadata Creation for Radio Assets:
Generating initial metadata for audio assets from RBA's paper-based records and reconciling it with the actual content.Indexation:
Segmenting the digitized content at regular intervals and creating detailed summaries for enhanced searchability.Preprocessing/Preparation of the Spools:
Organizing and preparing the often damaged and tangled audio reels for digitization.Monetization:
Exploring opportunities for generating revenue through the archives, such as video-on-demand (VOD) services.
SCOPE OF PROJECT
Embracing the digital age
The project encompassed the digitization of:
38,000 hours of audio
29,084 hours of video
This involved:
Setting up a dedicated digitization facility at RBA Headquarters, complete with necessary infrastructure.
Deploying the required workforce, both locally and internationally.
Training local staff on the technology and resources used for digitization and production.
Transferring all archives from analog to digital format and establishing a media asset management system (MAM) for efficient management.
Migrating existing metadata to the new platform and linking it with the digitized files.
Maintaining the digitization machines throughout the project.
Digitizing metadata for radio archives.
Indexing all digitized files for efficient search and retrieval.
Storing all digitized files in a centralized system with online access and VOD service capabilities.
Providing expert support throughout the project.
SOLUTION & EXECUTION
MediaGuru, your trusted partner
MediaGuru addressed the challenges with a series of targeted solutions. A comprehensive legacy content assessment was conducted, involving physical verification and barcoding of all media, with special treatment for extremely damaged items. Existing databases were consolidated into a single source, and a unique QR barcode was assigned to each material for easy tracking. For preparation, all carriers were inspected, and tapes/reels were repaired, cleaned, and baked as needed to reduce moisture and sticky dirt.
The digitization process involved establishing a digital factory with a vendor-agnostic MAM system. Signal processing, analog-to-digital conversion, real-time quality checks, and conversion to required file formats were all part of the process. Disjointed content was merged into single files per editorial object, with the assistance of RBA staff. Quality checks ensured the content met broadcast standards, addressing luminance, chrominance, audio issues, and more.
Additionally, video and audio enhancements like color correction, grain reduction, defect removal, noise reduction, and audio level adjustment were applied. Deeper and more precise indexing was performed. A Video-on-Demand (VOD) system was established to support adaptive playback, multi-device streaming, integration with CDN providers, and security with DRM (Digital Rights Management). Custom metadata entry was implemented for deep archiving, allowing for automatic or manual asset movement to long-term storage.
These efforts resulted in the successful preservation of Rwanda's historical materials in a digital format, making them easily searchable and accessible. RBA can now leverage their archives for VOD services and other platforms, significantly streamlining media management and retrieval processes.
Unlocking the Power of Digitization
MediaGuru’s specialization in large-scale digitization projects ensured the seamless conversion, restoration, and secure archiving of RBA's audiovisual treasures. This digitization allowed RBA to share its content more widely, reaching new and different audiences. It improved their brand visibility, enabled real-time updates, and strengthened their connection with the audience through engaging audiovisual storytelling.
Through MediaGuru’s strategic approach, RBA unlocked new revenue opportunities, optimizing space, ensuring content security, and transforming its operational capabilities in the digital era.
CONCLUSION
A world at your fingertips
The digitization of RBA archives by MediaGuru preserved Rwanda's audiovisual heritage and improved RBA's operations. It demonstrated MediaGuru's expertise in large-scale digitization, meeting both preservation and monetization needs. This project ensures secure, accessible content for future generations, enabling wider reach, deeper engagement, and new revenue streams.
Company Name:
Company Name:
Rwanda Broadcasting Agency
Number of Employees:
Number of Employees:
200-250
Problem:
Problem:
Preservation of historical analogue archives. Enabling reuse and searchability and facilitating monetization through VOD.
Solution/Product:
Solution/Product:
MediaGuru provided digitization services, including Legacy content assessment, Setup of the digital factory with MAM, Conversion to digital formats, Quality enhancements, VOD system implementation, Metadata entry
Implementation Type:
Implementation Type:
Large-scale digitization and media management project