How AI makes news production more efficient
AI SmartCut revolutionizes video editing with artificial intelligence
In the fast-paced world of TV news journalism, the process of manually editing and publishing video reports can be a time-consuming and inefficient endeavor.
However, Mediacorp, in collaboration with Voice Interaction and Qvest, has developed an innovative solution to address this challenge: AI SmartCut, an artificial intelligence-powered video editing solution. The editing solution has already won recognition at INMA Global Media Awards.
Streamlining editing processes
Leveraging advanced voice recognition and natural language processing algorithms, AI SmartCut is designed to identify news video stories and interviews from Mediacorp's 24/7 livestream channel, CNA.
By automatically recognizing key elements such as packaged reports and analyst interviews, this cutting-edge technology streamlines the editing process, effortlessly transforming them into individual clips.
Voice recognition to identify stories
“We use voice recognition and natural language processing (NLP) to identify news video stories and interviews and feed them into our content management system (CMS) for easy publication within minutes of airing”, says Chung Lyn-Yi, Deputy Chief Editor of CNA Digital.
The integration of AI SmartCut into CNA's content management system provides a seamless pathway for these clips to be readily published on CNA's website, app, and YouTube channel. This not only accelerates the delivery of news video reports but also empowers CNA editors to devote more time and energy to value-added journalism, enhancing the overall news experience for readers across various platforms.
Comprehensive metadata
One of the key advantages of AI SmartCut is its ability to analyze and process vast amounts of speech data. By training the AI on hundreds of hours of speech from news anchors and journalists, the system can accurately identify audio patterns, ensuring precise recognition and segmentation of video content.
Moreover, the AI solution offers automatic transcription and keyword tagging capabilities, enabling the videos to be equipped with comprehensive metadata for easy search and discovery within the content management system. The models can run offline and be customized with CNA's vocabulary including names of people and places in Asia, based on its house style of spelling. They will support future implementation of regional languages such as Malay.
80% accuracy rate
Through rigorous testing and continuous refinement, AI SmartCut has achieved an impressive accuracy rate nearing 80%. This remarkable level of precision significantly enhances the efficiency of the news video publishing process, reducing the time and effort required for manual clipping and metadata entry.
Promise for the broadcasting industry
Looking ahead, the implementation of AI SmartCut holds tremendous promise for Mediacorp and the broadcasting industry as a whole. The availability of a larger number of news video reports online, across CNA's website and YouTube channel, ensures that viewers have access to a diverse range of insightful field reports and expert interviews. Furthermore, this technology expands video inventory for online ad impressions, creating new opportunities for monetization.
By harnessing the power of AI to automate labor-intensive tasks, such as manual video clipping and metadata input, AI SmartCut liberates journalists to focus on producing high-quality content. This transformative initiative not only improves the efficiency of news production but also sets the stage for a future-proof and personalized news experience tailored to the preferences of online audiences.
New era of news coverage
At Mediacorp, the objective is to extend the shelf life and maximize the impact of TV news content across multiple platforms. Through their commitment to embracing AI and optimizing the processes, the company is spearheading a new era of news coverage that is both dynamic and audience centric. Ultimately, the solution will help the news brand appear more nimble, up-to-date and better showcase the content of offerings and insight, giving greater value to readers and viewers. With AI SmartCut leading the way, Mediacorp is poised to deliver news that is timely, engaging, and impactful, setting new standards for the broadcasting industry as a whole.
In May 2023, Mediacorp won an award for Best Innovation in Newsroom Transformation for its artificial intelligence-powered video editing solution AI SmartCut at International News Media Association’s (INMA) Global Media Awards.
