Offer a production service for weather reports on a European level, that is the ambition of Jean-Charles Beaubois, meteorologist, presenter and responsible for the weather broadcasting service at the RTBF. The thought exercise started in 2009, but the service delivered its first images on the first day of Spring in 2011. KeyWall associated with MétéoFrance to develop an offer of meteorological content which can be adapted to the needs of the different channels. Thus KeyWall will directly provide AB3, the RTBF and Nostalgie with a news broadcast.

The RTBF, AB3 and Nostalgie are really different from one another though...

Jean-Charles Beaubois: … And we won't provide them with the same service. For the RTBF, we are working with an anchor facing the camera who will give the weather report by moving through a virtual studio (and no longer in front of a piece of cardboard like previously was the case). For AB3, it will be in the form of a graphic design with a voice over until September, when they will start bulletins with a presenter. Finally, for Nostalgie, we will provide "ready to read" reports, which will be read out by the radio hosts on the air.

What was your objective when externalising this RTBF service?

J.-C.B.: We wish to take advantage of a global structure to offer affordable prices for services which are often too expensive for the channels. Thanks to the entire infrastructure and the technology used, we can change the entire set-up in five minutes and record a second bulletin for a totally different channel. We are not doing half work. We insist on the fact that none of our presenters are simply announcers. They all followed a training course and passed exams to get the part. We will keep this requirement.

On the other hand, with the automation and presets, nowadays we only need one technician in the control room for the recording. That will allow us to concentrate more on the graphic design and to have better developed sets.

Would you be able to produce weather reports for other European television channels?

J.-C.B.: That is the plan. We are in discussion with EuroNews and France 24 to offer certain services. This project has only just begun. The sets will evolve, the graphic design elements also. Besides, KeyWall will soon be linked to the RTBF thanks to fibre optics, which will make the live intervention of weather reports possible during the news broadcast, for example.