Manchester, UK - December 20, 2011 - Blackmagic Design today announced that MTV, a division of Viacom International Media Networks, used Blackmagic Design’s ATEM Production Switcher to help broadcast the 2011 MTV EMAs.

The 2011 MTV EMA show is the brand’s largest international music property, hosted in a different city each year. This year’s show was hosted by Selena Gomez live from Belfast, and featured ‘A-list performers’ such as Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Coldplay, Snow Patrol and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

MTV used Blackmagic Design technology for live video switching and graphics for production of daily news content for their international TV channels, as well as with MTV’s digital media group to produce online content and live webcasts on the night of the awards. To accomplish this MTV used Blackmagic Design’s ATEM 1 M/E Production Switcher and ATEM 1 M/E Broadcast Panel, plus Blackmagic Design’s Micro Videohub, Smart Control, DeckLink Duo and Mini Converters!

Blackmagic Design’s ATEM 1 M/E Production Switcher was used to bring exclusive behind the scenes footage to viewers from numerous cameras located on the red carpet and backstage. Video bumpers, lower thirds and inserts, including a red carpet fashion highlights package, were played out using Blackmagic Design’s Media Express software and were mixed using ATEM’s built in DVE and chroma key functions.

The show’s production room had four Apple Final Cut Pro editing stations equipped with DeckLink Studio cards for broadcast quality monitoring, along with three live ingest stations with DeckLink Duo cards. Video sources were managed using Blackmagic Design’s Micro Videohub, which was controlled by a Smart Control panel, allowing a fully tapeless production workflow that routed content to various on site OB trucks. Live webcasts of the show with additional backstage footage were also mixed during commercial breaks using the ATEM 1/ME Production Switcher and ATEM 1 M/E Broadcast Panel, along with a number of Mini Converters, to piece together all incoming footage.

About ATEM Production Switchers

Empower live creativity with the new ATEM Production Switchers! For the first time extremely powerful broadcast grade features, incredibly small size and low cost have been designed in a live production switcher! ATEM Production Switchers include 4 upstream keyers each with independent chroma, shaped and linear keying, 2 downstream keyers, stinger effects, graphic wipes, media players for stills and clips and a built in DVE for amazing DVE transitions or key repositioning. For portable use, the built in Multi View showing all cameras, preview and program can be viewed on a single SDI or HDMI monitor.

ATEM also includes loads of HDMI and SDI inputs allowing professional SDI cameras as well as consumer HDMI cameras and computers to be connected. Only ATEM allows low cost HDMI consumer cameras in a professional switcher so it's easy for customers starting out in live production! ATEM includes a free software control panel and media pool management software for Mac OS X and Windows 7. ATEM is sold independently of the hardware control panel allowing lower initial cost and greater customization.