Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Global Citizen Live: 24-Hour Live Production Is the Olympics of Music' With a Cause

24/09/2021

Global Citizen Live: 24-Hour Live Production Is the Olympics of Music' With a Cause Transcontinental concert is among the most complex productions in history By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor

Friday, September 24, 2021 - 2:24 pm

Print This Story | Subscribe

Story Highlights

More than 70 performances, 100 standups, 30 features and profiles - all done over six continents in 24 hours. A live music event the size and scale of Saturday's Global Citizen Live comes along once in a generation. With that in mind, the production team behind the scenes is taking a page out of the largest live sports production on earth in carrying out this monumental live show.

This is not just a music-festival stream from a production, ops, and engineering point of view, says Broadcast Lead Jeff Jacobs, a veteran of multiple Olympics productions at NBC and music festivals at MTV. It's a music Olympics. That's why we are utilizing many live-sports-broadcast-workflow principles and people with experience in both entertainment and live sports to get this show done. If you've done a live Olympics, you can do anything. So we have people for this show at master control who, a month ago, were working in Tokyo and Stamford for the Olympics. And this gives us a major advantage for a show this big.

Executive Producer Jane Mun has devised a 24-hour run of show that includes a multivenue Opening Ceremony and cross-venue pop-ins connecting the globe via behind-the-scenes cameras and a series of cross-talk.

To pull it off, Jacobs and the Global Citizen team led by SVP, Broadcasting and Events, Lee Rolontz brought on production companies Ken Ehrlich Productions, Deviants, Done + Dusted, and LiveWire out of London, which have deployed mobile units for live feeds from Lagos, London, Los Angeles, New York City, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Seoul, and Sydney (as well from the International Space Station), pulling all feeds into All Mobile Video's 57th Street Manhattan facility, which will serve as the Global Operations Control Center for the broadcasts.

NEP's mobile unit is on hand at the Eiffel Tower in Paris for the Global Citizen Live production.

We put together an all-star team of the best creative and technical producers in the live-TV business to create a master feed and feature shows for Global Citizen. Global Citizen Live is broadcasting to and from six continents, notes Rolontz. With no direct network affiliation, we had to create our own bespoke international operations control. When we get to create with our partners and artists this caliber of music entertainment and at the same time spread the message of Global Citizen, everyone wins.

To Make a Difference: From Ending COVID to Promoting Equity for All Global Citizen Live is a 24-hour global event starting on Sept. 25 to unite the world to end COVID-19 for all, end the hunger crisis, resume learning for all, protect the planet, and advance equity for all. Produced from six continents, the broadcast will feature artists, celebrities, and world leaders who come together to create change and impact climate change and poverty.

The 2019 Global Citizen Festival at Central Park in NYC.

Finding the right technical partners to customize their facilities - or build one - to the needs of this show was [challenging]. There is no turnkey solution that fits the requirements of our production, says Technical Producer Gayle De Poli. The biggest challenge [involved] the number of remotes coming in from all over the world simultaneously. What made this show even more complex was the length of time we are on the air: 24+ hours.

The entire event will be live-streamed on ABC News Live, YouTube, Apple TV, and Twitter and is being carried by more than 30 broadcasters around the world. In addition, on Sept. 26 in the U.S., ABC will televise a one-hour Global Citizen Live special, and FX will broadcast a four-hour show. In the UK, Global Citizen Live will be broadcast live on BBC One on Saturday night with a special highlights show on Sunday.

Colossal Undertaking: Seven Locations Across Six Continents Each venue around the globe has at least one mobile unit, one audio-mix truck, and several editors onsite. All Mobile Video is providing mobile units and satellite-uplink trucks at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles and at Central Park in New York City (plus one outside AMV's Manhattan facility). NEP has supplied mobile units and satellite uplinks at the Sky Garden in London, Eiffel Tower Paris, and the Sydney Opera House in Sydney.

All Mobile Video has provided a mobile unit at Central Park in NYC.

Last year, [Rolontz] invited me for coffee and told me this was going to be the largest global music festival in history, says Jacobs. That's when I said, This ain't no music festival; this is the Olympics of music.' My next two emails were to [NEP Broadcast Services Global President] Mike Werteen and [AMV President] Eric Duke, and I said, We can't do this without your involvement and global reach.' And they have delivered exactly what we needed for such an epic show like this.

These mobile units will serve not only the live broadcast but also the onsite video-display production for attendees at the respective venues. Performances at Lagos, Mumbai, and Rio have been taped, but these locations will also have live elements.

Our executives and production teams have worked with the best production companies in the world, says De Poli. They were able to bring in the best of the best to put together the local festivals in each country. In turn, our technical team has worked around the world and has relationships here and overseas that broaden our spiderweb of connectivity for transmission and production facilities.

NYC Central Production Hub: AMV Is the Axis on Which the Operation Spins Global Citizen has taken over a co
LINK: https://www.sportsvideo.org/2021/09/24/global-citizen-live-24-hour-liv...
See more stories from svg

Most recent headlines

14/03/2025

Avid Appoints New CTO, Adds to Its Executive Leadership Team

BURLINGTON, Mass. Avid has expanded its executive leadership team (ELT) with the appointment of three experienced executives: Tom Sharma as chief technology off...

14/03/2025

TVU Networks Celebrates 20 Years of Innovation at 2025 NAB Show

CUPERTINO, Calif. TVU Networks, a pioneer in live video production and a leader in cloud-based media solutions, is marking its 20th anniversary at the 2025 NAB ...

13/03/2025

You Will Leave Opus Singing the Original Bops Performed by John Malkovich

(L-R) Stephanie Suganami, Tatanka Means, John Malkovich, Ayo Edebiri, and Juliette Lewis attend the premiere of Opus at Eccles Theatre in Park City. (Photo by...

13/03/2025

How Spotify Is Driving Growth, Discovery, and Innovation in the Audiobook Market

Spotify took center stage at the London Book Fair this week, reaffirming our commitment to the audiobook market and showcasing our impact on the publishing indu...

13/03/2025

Spotify Audiobooks Launches a New Publishing Program for Independent Authors

At Spotify, we work every day to lift up new voices, giving creators the opportunity to live off their art. Through Spotify Audiobooks, our in-house publishing ...

13/03/2025

Evolving EO/IR Technology For All-Domain Airborne Law Enforcement

Every time airborne law enforcement (ALE) teams fly, they expect their equipment to perform. Whether airborne units are conducting support for ground teams, bor...

13/03/2025

Craft Interview: Jamie McCombs, Audio Consultant / Sr. Audio

Sunday February 9 saw the annual return of the US' biggest television event, the Super Bowl LIX. Jamie McCombs, Fox Sports Audio Consultant / Sr. Audio capt...

13/03/2025

Craft Interview: Paul Sandweiss, Production Sound Mixer/Audio Director

On Sunday March 2, stars across the film industry gathered at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles for the 97th Academy Awards. Production Sound Mixer Paul Sandweis...

13/03/2025

Riedel To Showcase New StageLink Smart Edge Devices At 2025 NAB Show

WUPPERTAL, Germany Riedel Communications will feature its new StageLink family of smart edge devices, Smart Audio and Mixing Engine (SAME) and Virtual Smart Pan...

13/03/2025

TAG Video Systems and Harmonic Partner to Deliver Enhanced Real-Time Monitoring for VOS360 Streaming Workflows at the 2025 NAB Show

TAG Video Systems and Harmonic Partner to Deliver Enhanced Real-Time Monitoring ...

13/03/2025

DigitalGlue Invites NAB Visitors to Experience New Features in Managed Storage Platform that Empowers Video Teams to Scale Effortlessly

DigitalGlue Invites NAB Visitors to Experience New Features in Managed Storage P...

13/03/2025

FOR-A America Theme - Connecting the Present, Building the Future - Comes to Life at NAB 2025 Exhibition

FOR-A America Theme - Connecting the Present, Building the Future - Comes to Lif...

13/03/2025

Ajit Pai Appointed President of CTIA

CTIA, the wireless industry association, has named former FCC Chairman Aji Pai as its President and Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1. He replaces Mere...

13/03/2025

NAB: FCC's 60 Minutes Investigation Is Unconstitutional, Invalid

he National Association of Broadcasters is urging the FCC to end its investigation of that controversial CBS interview with Kamala Harris stating there is no ...

13/03/2025

CBS Miami to Launch AR Coverage of Weather and Sports for March Madness

MIAMI CBS News & Stations continues to expand its use of augmented and virtual reality technologies with the planned launch of an augmented reality/virtual real...

13/03/2025

Meet the co-founder and chief customer success & innovation officer

Srividhya Srinivasan, co-founder and chief customer success & innovation Officer at Amagi, tells TVBEurope how staying ahead of the latest trends is essential f...

13/03/2025

FCC Chairman Carr Launches Massive Deregulation Initiative

WASHINGTON FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced that the agency has launched a massive, new deregulatory initiative that could potentially subject virtually all ...

13/03/2025

SDVI Integrates Rally With Spectra Vail

SUNNYVALE, Calif. SDVI has announced that it has integrated its Rally media supply chain management platform with the Spectra Vail multi-cloud data management s...

13/03/2025

FCC Approves Gray's Acquisition of KXLT

ATLANTA Gray Media has announced that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted a waiver of its local ownership rules to permit Gray Media to acqu...

13/03/2025

NAB Show 2025 Exhibitor Insight: Blackmagic Design

TV Tech: What do you anticipate will be the most significant technology trends at the 2025 NAB Show?...

13/03/2025

Watch Student Naomi Soleils Folk Pop Performance on The Voice

Watch Student Naomi Soleils Folk Pop Performance on The Voice The songwriting major sang Stars by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals during the blind auditions. ...

13/03/2025

Roku Debuts NWSL Zone' Within Roku Sports to Spotlight Live Games, Content

Roku Debuts NWSL Zone' Within Roku Sports to Spotlight Live Games, Content Feature marks Rokus first women's league-branded zone within service By Bra...

13/03/2025

Pixels, Images, Video, AI - and Us: A Perspective on AI from NDI Inventor Andrew Cross

Pixels, Images, Video, AI - and Us: A Perspective on AI from NDI Inventor Andrew...

13/03/2025

SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Lighting Design Group's Steve Brill, Dennis Size on Completing Customizable Studios for All Clients

SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Lighting Design Group's Steve Brill, Dennis Size ...

13/03/2025

IOC, Comcast NBCU Ink $3B Media-Rights Extension for Olympic Games Through 2036; Add Digital Projects, Initiatives

IOC, Comcast NBCU Ink $3B Media-Rights Extension for Olympic Games Through 2036;...

13/03/2025

NCAA March Madness Live Returns with Expanded Availability of MultiView Vertical Video Feed, Mascot Mode, and Popular Boss Button

NCAA March Madness Live Returns with Expanded Availability of MultiView Vertical...

13/03/2025

SVG Sit-Down: Cosm's Devin Poolman on What It Takes To Deliver the Immersive Experience for Daytona, The PLAYERS, and March Madness

SVG Sit-Down: Cosm's Devin Poolman on What It Takes To Deliver the Immersive...

13/03/2025

Sky Business Launches Cloud Voice A New Cloud Communication Solution for UK Businesses

Sky Business, Sky's B2B division, providing connectivity and content to busi...

13/03/2025

Rohde & Schwarz launches R&S NRP140TWG(N) thermal power sensor: A new benchmark for F band applications

Rohde & Schwarz launches R&S NRP140TWG(N) thermal power sensor: A new benchmark ...

13/03/2025

The ICG Marketing Survey 2025

We asked the questions, analysed the answers and now we're excited to share the results of the fifth edition of the ICG Marketing Survey. Our 2025 survey p...

13/03/2025

Harmonic Amps Up Video Streaming Efficiency with New Origin Capabilities

SAN JOSE, Calif. - March 13, 2025 Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced a breakthrough in video streaming innovation with the launch of new origin capabilitie...

13/03/2025

Haivision Showcases Mission-Critical Video Solutions at SOF Week 2025

Haivision Showcases Mission-Critical Video Solutions at SOF Week 2025 Haivision's video wall systems, ISR technology, and DoDIN APL-certified video distri...

13/03/2025

FOR-A America Theme Connecting the Present, Building the Future Comes to Life at NAB 2025 Exhibition

Company Leads the Way with New Software-Based Production Platform, 12G Switcher,...

13/03/2025

2025-03-13

A new Apple Immersive concert experience, Metallica, is coming to Apple Vision Pro this Friday, March 14. Filmed in Mexico City during the sold-out second-year ...

13/03/2025

Italia 90 Republic of Ireland Squad, Riverdance, Cian Ducrot & B*Witched on Friday's Late Late Show

Here is your host, Patrick Kielty! Shake your Shamrocks, Patrick Kielty will be...

13/03/2025

RT Celebrating all things Irish this St. Patrick's Weekend

This St. Patrick's weekend, RT invites you to celebrate all things Irish, showcasing the very best of Irish sport, entertainment and live coverage from the...

13/03/2025

GTC 2025 - Announcements and Live Updates

What's next in AI is at GTC 2025. Not only the technology, but the people and ideas that are pushing AI forward - creating new opportunities, novel solution...

13/03/2025

T-Mobile, Thales and SIMPL ease IoT deployments with a flexible and secure connectivity solution

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn By combining T-Mobile's robust network, Thal...

13/03/2025

Relive the Magic as GeForce NOW Brings More Blizzard Gaming to the Cloud

Bundle up - GeForce NOW is bringing a flurry of Blizzard titles to its ever-expanding library. Prepare to weather epic gameplay in the cloud, tackling the genr...

13/03/2025

Gaming Goodness: NVIDIA Reveals Latest Neural Rendering and AI Advancements Supercharging Game Development at GDC 2025

AI is leveling up the world's most beloved games, as the latest advancements...

13/03/2025

Drop It Like It's Mod: Breathing New Life Into Classic Games With AI in NVIDIA RTX Remix

PC game modding is massive, with over 5 billion mods downloaded annually. Mods p...

12/03/2025

Como o Impacto Cultural e Financeiro da Indstria Musical Define Seu Sucesso em 2025

O Spotify acaba de lan ar o relat rio Loud & Clear deste ano, uma vis o transpar...

12/03/2025

Cmo el impacto cultural y financiero de la industria musical define su xito en 2025

Spotify acaba de presentar el informe Loud & Clear de este a o, una mirada trans...

12/03/2025

Nourish Mind, Body, and Soul This Ramadan With Spotify

Ramadan, a period of profound spiritual significance for Muslims worldwide, is a time for fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. Enrich your experience thi...

12/03/2025

How the Music Industry's Cultural and Financial Impact Define Its Success in 2025

Spotify has just unveiled this year's Loud & Clear report, a transparent loo...

12/03/2025

FAST now transcends back catalog content

More than 70% of FAST programming has been produced since 2010, according to new Gracenote report NEW YORK March 12, 2025 Gracenote, the content data busin...

12/03/2025

Viamedia Adopts ShowSeeker Pilot To Streamline Ad Workflows

GEONA, Nev. Independent digital and linear advertising rep firm Viamedia will adopt cloud-based ShowSeeker Pilot as its primary ad campaign and order management...

12/03/2025

Mediagenix Appoints Wael Yasin as Sales Director Central Europe

BRUSSELS Mediagenix has announced that Wael Yasin has joined the company as sales director Central Europe....

12/03/2025

Omdia: Global Online Consumer Expenditure to Hit $6.6 Trillion by 2029

LONDON A new study highlights opportunities for shoppable TV and the massive impact online consumer spending is having on the economy, with Omdia predicting tha...

12/03/2025

Comcast Technology Solutions Upgrades to Interra Systems BATON Version 9

CUPERTINO, Calif. Interra Systems has announced that Comcast Technology Solutions has integrated recent updates to BATON Version 9 into its operations....