Justin Arnall, Network Program Schedule Manager chats to us about the unique experience of launching 10 Shake during a global pandemic.
Can you tell us a bit about how the team has worked together to launch 10 Shake during the pandemic?
If there’s one thing we know working in television, it’s that it cannot be achieved by one person alone, it takes many dedicated teams to deliver the best possible viewing experience to our audience and the launch of 10 Shake is certainly a testament to this fact.
The 10 Shake channel launch has touched every facet of our business, connected every department and utilised every available resource to deliver a brand new free to air channel to the Australian media landscape…and most of this has been taking place from home!
But it’s not only the teams in Australia that are bringing this channel to life, for this launch we have gone global, calling on our CBSViacom family in New York, UK, LA, and Amsterdam to help. In fact, as I write this I’m waiting for a conference call to start where there will be 71 people from all corners of the globe working together from home to ensure this launch is a success.
Can you tell us how 10 Shake is different from the other members of the Network 10 family? What sets it apart?
Every channel has its own unique personality, 10 Shake will complement our channel offering by delivering the best in kids programming for 0-12 year olds from 6am and come 6pm we shift gears to an older demographic catering to people under 40.
Apart from the programming and the amazing look and feel of the channel created by the incredibly talented Creative team at Network 10, what really sets 10 Shake apart is the way it will be delivered and broadcast.
Stay with me on this…10 Shake will be programmed out of Sydney, pick up programs via Amsterdam, deliver them to New York and play out via the Cloud. 10 Shake will be breaking new ground and using the latest in technology and systems putting it at the cutting edge of channel delivery.
What have the biggest challenges been launching 10 Shake with staff working remotely? And how have you overcome these challenges?
Every channel launch has its challenges, launching a channel is no small feat and 10 Shake is no exception. There have been some major curve balls that all teams have had to work with, it ultimately comes down to the ability for everyone to work together to problem solve. I’ve said it before, I didn’t think we would be able to do what we do working from home for five days let alone 140 days, but technology is an amazing thing.
I’m sure we have all said or thought we wish we had shares in Microsoft Teams or Zoom prior to COVIID-19. Personally, I’ve found the video conference call a game changer, being able to dial in and see members of the local and international teams has been invaluable and super-efficient way to solve problems.
I’ll share a unique experience, during this launch we were on one of the many conference calls (they usually start at 7:30am with the last one for the day ending at 11:30pm…if you’re lucky!), and a problem was raised right at the start, it was quickly decided by everyone on the call that no one was leaving until the problem was solved, and for the next 45 minutes I witnessed everyone feeding in their knowledge and expertise which resulted in a fix! Usually a problem like this would be taken offline to solve and report back, but here was an instance where everyone from all over the globe worked together to solve an important issue.
Nothing will beat a face to face but with the assistance of technology and our incredible Network 10 IT Team who keep it all running, it goes a long way to ensure the constant flow of information.
What have you enjoyed most about working on the launch of 10 Shake?
Hands down the best thing about working on 10 Shake is being a part of delivering a brand new channel from a germ of an idea to the realisation with an incredibly talented and dedicated team of people, not just at the Network but with our entire global ViacomCBS family.
Coming in a close second would be all we have learnt. With this channel launch there has been a whole lot of NEW. It’s been a vertical learning curve to wrap your head around the new technology and the new workflows 10 Shake will be utilising. These kind of challenges drive you to perform at your best and push the boundaries of what you previously thought possible.
Everyone would agree when working in television it is always moving and changing with the times. 10 Shake is pioneering channel delivery, and everyone should be incredibly proud of what they have achieved… You are all nothing short of inspiring and together have created something special for everyone to enjoy!
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https://youtu.be/MINxjz6U1eQ
