Media Pioneer Publishing AG Expands Editorial Capacity
Pioneer 2 boat production environment powered by Blackmagic Design on Europe’s inland waterways.
Blackmagic Design today announced that Pioneer Two, the newest boat in the Media Pioneer Publishing AG fleet, has adopted a Blackmagic Design workflow for acquisition, control, and delivery in its onboard production facilities.
Pioneer Two is a floating editorial office and event production space built at the Lux shipyard in Mondorf am Rhein, Germany, which spans 52 meters in length. The vessel’s 300 square meters can accommodate up to 200 guests and builds on the success of Pioneer One, which launched in 2020.
“Pioneer Two is more than a newsroom. It’s a platform for independent journalism, free from advertising and powered by our members, whom we call ‘Pioneers,’” said Kevin Jevtic, technical lead at Media Pioneer Publishing AG. “Our goal is to directly engage readers, viewers, and listeners through live discussions, interviews, and audience driven investigations.”
Media Pioneer Publishing AG operates on a subscription based model where members actively support journalism and participate in events and reporting. By putting members at the center of its model, Pioneer Two fosters a direct connection between journalists and their audience, ensuring financial independence and editorial freedom. To support this vision, an equally forward thinking technical solution was required.
With a Blackmagic Design solution forming the vessel’s technical backbone, the ship’s production capabilities are built around a central control gallery employing a Blackmagic Videohub 80×80 12G router and two ATEM 4 M/E Constellation 4K live production switchers, enabling independent operation of the ship’s multiple production spaces.
“Whether it’s the ballroom for live events or the boardroom serving editorial needs, every part of the ship is designed with production in mind,” Jevtic explained.
A SMPTE fiber like workflow using 10G Ethernet facilitates multicamera production in the ballroom, with five Blackmagic Studio Camera 6K Pro cameras paired with Blackmagic Studio Converters providing video transmission over the ship’s network infrastructure. “Each camera position can be operated in person, monitored remotely, and shaded from the control room using an ATEM Camera Control Panel,” added Jevtic.
For recording, the Pioneer Two relies on eight HyperDeck Studio 4K Pro broadcast decks with FTP network connectivity, providing direct access for the onboard post production team. “For fast turnaround projects, recordings are captured directly to USB-C drives on the cameras, while the HyperDecks create parallel recordings for backup purposes,” Jevtic noted.
Looking ahead, Media Pioneer Publishing AG is exploring broader applications of SMPTE 2110 technology, having already implemented Blackmagic 2110 IP Converters to transform standard signage displays into fully integrated components of the ship’s video system. “We are now exploring how to expand our usage of 2110 as new IP ready technologies come to market,” concluded Jevtic.
Media Pioneer Publishing AG also continues its commitment to sustainability, with Pioneer Two constructed using climate neutral green steel and powered entirely by green electricity.
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