Working alongside the BBC, Multilink Broadcast are proud to have provided all core technical facilities for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Delivering over 250 hours of live sport from 32 events across digital and online platforms as well as 12 hours of daily coverage on radio.

Operations were split between the International Broadcast Centre (IBC), central studio from the stunning location of the Paris Trocadero and an off-site production office, all of which relied upon infrastructure we planned and deployed alongside the BBC teams.

The IBC operation comprised of a main switching master control room taking in over 90 live video feeds from host and unilateral circuits. Our custom modular furniture allows for many different operational configurations and compact shipping, without compromising on stability or ergonomics on site. 30 large format 42″ and 50″ displays provided appropriate multiview monitoring for all users alongside individual operator monitors.

All equipment was pre-wired and delivered to site in our shock-mounted equipment bays, allowing detailed equipment preparation, testing and configuration. This also contributed to a fast on-site rig time with fewer risks. We deployed our Ross Ultrix FR12 and FR2 routers to support all operations. These were configured with 12 multiview heads, 22 in built frame synchronisers as well as on board audio mixers, delivering a powerful processing capability in a compact form-factor. This was coupled with Calrec audio routing and integrated with Riedel Artist

Both the Opening and Closing Ceremony’s were covered in UHD, we built a streamlined workflow around a Ross Carbonite Ultra mixer and AJA FS-HDR units which also allowed signals to be efficiently delayed to synchronise coverage commentary.

The BBC chose an incredible location for their main presentation studio, overlooking the Eiffel Tower in the centre of Paris. We chose to use a distributed routing system on site which allowed great flexibility across the facility and was also controlled by Salford operators and the IBC. Deployment of industry leading Sony cameras and broadcast qulity lenses provided top-end pictures. The hybrid studio combined physical set elements with extended reality (XR), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) componants, creating a seamless blend of real and digital environments.

The Offsite Production Office provided a bolthole in the middle of Paris allowing production efforts to be efficiently deployed according to real-time requirements. Mainly comprised of IT equipment, there was also IPTV for internal and external monitoring, radio voiceover broadcast facilities and Reidel Communications within Paris and the UK.