The founder of iTV Network, Kartikeya Sharma, is responsible for introducing many innovative ideas to the media industry. One of his many accomplishments is the incorporation of sophisticated technology in news broadcasting. ITV Network is India’s leading media group for a plethora of reasons. They took the industry by storm with their two most popular channels, India News and NewsX, which are known for giving people unbiased and differentiated content in the crispest quality possible and with a reach that extends to even the most remote areas of India. They started with a bang in 2007 and ever since, they have only been growing, taking hold of a majority of the market share.
At the beginning of this year, Kartikeya Sharma of iTV Network announced that they would be introducing Artificial Intelligence Voice Technology, which would revolutionize the news industry not just in India but all over the world. The AI voice assistant was specifically introduced for the NewsX studios and is known as NewsX AI. The purpose of this integrated Studio Voice Assistant (SVA) is to take daily news broadcasts and operations to the next level. According to Kartikeya Sharma, Promoter of NewsX, this technology would take the channel to new heights.
NewsX AI and the General Elections of 2019
When NewsX AI was introduced, it was said that it would be used for special events, such as the national elections, and it proved to be very successful. The integrated SVA answered questions regarding the elections, providing people with answers and key facts in real-time as the elections were taking place. While AI has been incorporated in a lot of aspects of media operations around the world, its presence in the news industry had been minimal. But iTV Network changed this and used AI technology to gain an edge other media groups.
During the elections, NewsX AI was used with live debates and shows, so that smooth audio and video output could be ensured along with the existing PCR systems. Viewers particularly appreciated the holographic data projections of NewsX Ai, a kind of on-screen graphic visualization of data, so that any watching could understand it without any strain. The team at iTV Network intended to ensure that the viewer experience was enhanced in every way possible, and that is exactly what they managed to achieve.
Kartikeya Sharma is a leading pioneer of innovative technologies in the media industry, and he encourages his team to constantly come up with newer ways of delivering content because of the network is dedicated to their partners, customers and viewers. This ultimate goal is what enables them to improve the viewing experience, as well as enhance accessibility and interactivity in news content. This is what NewsX AI has accomplished by making the General Elections an even more exciting and accessible event.
How do the studios manage to execute operations with the SVA?
Because the technology is extremely sophisticated, the team at the studios has to take cautionary measures to ensure things go smoothly. They have to make certain that the SVA does not disrupt their current operations. This means that, for the time being, AI can only be used to answer fact- and data-based questions, and is only allowed to be operated through a human interface. The NewsX AI is currently limited to certain areas and is not used for crucial PCR operations. Also, for privacy purposes, the transcripts of the studio discussions are not recorded by the AI system. However, this does not mean that the functionality of NewsX AI will be restricted forever; the team is constantly working on possible improvements, so they can get more use out of it in the future.
This is only the beginning of Artificial Intelligence at iTV Network. In the coming years, more futuristic capabilities would be designed into it. Moreover, they are also working on incorporating AI technology in other aspects of their studio operations, such as having voice-operated studio lights, video selections and more during live broadcasts. The people of India have already seen what NewsX AI did during the General Elections; it is only a matter of time before they get to see much more.
