RFO IN FRANCE COMMITS TO P2
RFO, Réseau France Outre-mer, the French public broadcaster with responsibility for serving French territories round the world has decided to use Panasonic’s P2 solid state technology. RFO was one of the first European broadcasters to adopt DVCPRO technology in the late-1990s.

At NAB, Mr. Christian Augereau, Technical Director of RFO announced that "P2 is clearly the next step and development for a major DVCPRO user like RFO. We saw immediately the advantages of this technology. As it is tapeless and with non-mechanical parts it is going to dramatically reduce operational costs and maintenance, an important feature for RFO with broadcast operations in many countries. P2 is also fully IT compatible which is becoming increasingly important as well as using DVCPRO compression.” He added, “we have worked with Panasonic for many years and the introduction of DVCPRO has made a significant contribution to our global operations. Our adoption of P2 will allow us to further enhance our global operations.”

RFO has a reputation for being a technically advanced broadcaster and was one of the first to use server-based transmission seven years ago to serve its customers, many in islands or small communities in nearly all the world’s time-zones. RFO broadcasts to the Caribbean and Guyana, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific, St Pierre et Miquelon in the North Atlantic as well as Europe from its headquarters in Paris.

“RFO’s decision highlights the strong and extended benefits that DVCPRO customers are eagerly anticipating with P2’s arrival” said Robert Pascher, Panasonic Broadcast Europe. “Panasonic has a long relationship with RFO and we are delighted that as with DVCPRO it is one of the first European broadcasters to commit to DVCPRO P2.” He added, “The arrival of P2 is helping drive increased sales in the whole DVCPRO family, but particularly DVCPRO50, as customers see that it enhances, not obsoletes existing investment in equipment.”

Gilles Bribant, Panasonic France, said “We are honoured by RFO’s decision and thanks to this announcement, France is helping lead the new P2 era in Europe”.