EMG / Gravity Media Italy, a leader in broadcast services and media production and part of the international EMG / Gravity Media Group, today announced the renewal of its multi year partnership with RCS Sport.
The shared objective is to further enhance the quality of television coverage for the most important cycling events on the Italian calendar over the coming years.
A comprehensive 360 degree production and broadcasting service will be provided, tailored to the needs of the rights holder (RCS Sport), the regions involved and the sponsors, with a strong emphasis on state of the art technology.
Key Productions and Races
EMG / Gravity Media Italy will be responsible for producing nine World Tour competitions. The most significant of these, in terms of media exposure and production format, is the Giro d’Italia, which this year reaches its 108th edition. This internationally renowned sporting event attracts millions of fans annually and consists of 21 stages, covering a total of 3,413.3 kilometres.
The renewed partnership began this season in March with Strade Bianche and Tirreno Adriatico, followed by Milano Torino (19 March), Milano Sanremo (22 March), and the Giro d’Abruzzo (15 to 18 April). It now continues with the Giro d’Italia, and will be followed by the Giro Women (6 to 13 July), Gran Piemonte (9 October) and Il Lombardia (11 October 2025).
Technological Innovations
Live drones will be used during the Giro d’Italia, with footage integrated into the main broadcast feed. Another new feature this year was the Sanremo Women’s Race, held simultaneously with the men’s race on a parallel course.
To manage this dual event, EMG / Gravity Media Italy carried out two simultaneous productions using the Outside Broadcast truck NOVA 128. The signal was transmitted via two aircraft, received at two locations and distributed through multiplexed satellite beams to cover both races and ensure aircraft autonomy.
The camera set up featured nine HD signals from seven motorbikes and two helicopters, 11 4G and 5G signals, one satellite drone and 13 fixed cameras in the finish and pre finish areas. This provided a comprehensive visual preview ahead of the Giro.
Giro d’Italia Coverage and Content
EMG / Gravity Media Italy is responsible for producing the international live feed, along with a wide range of additional content for the Giro d’Italia 2025, the flagship event among RCS Sport productions. This includes a weekly magazine show and a multiview feed sent via satellite to Warner Bros. Discovery, allowing viewers on Discovery Plus and MAX platforms to choose an alternative viewing experience. This will combine the international signal with live feeds from three mobile cameras on motorbikes and helicopters.
As is tradition, the mountain stages are expected to be decisive. Special focus will be placed on Stage 20 (Saturday 31 May), from Verres to Sestriere, spanning 203 kilometres with 4,500 metres of climbing. For many insiders, this is seen as the key stage of the Giro 2025. It will include the Col de Lys (13.7 kilometres with a 12 percent maximum gradient), leading to the Colle delle Finestre and the Cima Coppi at 2,178 metres. This is the fifth time the Colle delle Finestre has featured in the Giro, notably in 2018 when Chris Froome triumphed after a memorable solo breakaway.
Logistical Execution and Connectivity
Logistics are a major challenge in this production. More than 120 staff members, including technicians and operators, will be deployed to move from one stage to the next on a daily basis.
The mobile television compound, with OB trucks and support vehicles adapted to each location, ensures seamless transmission along a route that winds through the Italian peninsula. This year’s edition also features a special start abroad, with the ‘Grande Partenza’ taking place in Albania and including an individual time trial in Tirana.
Data Driven Graphics and Artificial Intelligence
One of the standout features of this edition is the use of advanced live graphics, including pixel tracking systems that display rider data in real time. A dedicated operator will manage data visualisation using the innovative Velon system.
AI enhanced GPS tracking will allow the race to be followed in even greater detail, showing each rider’s position, time gap and distance to the finish line, visible during aerial shots. This system, successfully used in other international events, will make the Giro d’Italia 2025 even more engaging for viewers.
Broadcast Technology and Audience Experience
The entire television production involves more than 15 mobile units, supporting both host production and rights holders. High frame rate cameras will be deployed to capture every detail of the action.
Drones will be used extensively, particularly in the mountain stages, to offer spectacular aerial views and unique visual angles, enhancing the immersive experience for the audience.
Claudio Cavallotti, Managing Director of EMG / Gravity Media Italy, commented:
“This renewed partnership with RCS Sport allows us to continue our strategy of growth and innovation. During the previous three year collaboration, we introduced important technological advances and managed complex logistics to deliver an unprecedented viewing experience.
The strength of our international group, which includes key markets such as France and Belgium, enables us to bring together valuable expertise and meet the specific needs of each production. Together, we are raising the quality of cycling coverage to new levels and delivering live broadcasts of some of the most stunning and challenging races in the world.
We have built a production model that guarantees excellence and consistency. Our ambition is to exceed the standards of previous editions and bring cycling fans even closer to the heart of the action.”
Background
EMG / Gravity Media were appointed by TNT Sports UK as the supplier of host broadcast services, unilateral services, as well as CCR, TOC and FANTV services on behalf of UEFA, at the 2024 UEFA Champions League Final (UCLF); the biggest domestic team event on the European football calendar held at the iconic Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday 1st June 2024.
With a global live match audience estimated at 145 million, watching Real Madrid’s win against Borussia Dortmund, the UCLF represented one of the company’s largest UK projects since the merger of EMG and Gravity Media with staff working together and demonstrating the combined technologies of the Group to support TNT Sports.
The Challenge
TNT Sports UK developed a world-class editorial strategy and technical plan to enable the delivery of its live coverage of the biggest game in club football. To support its production plans, TNT Sports UK contracted EMG / Gravity Media to supply supplementary equipment, RF facilities and crew not only for coverage of the match itself but also for MD-1 activities, team arrivals and the opening ceremony. In addition to this significant provision for the host broadcaster, the team supported a number of unilateral broadcast productions with their specific requirements. This included TNT Sports UK’s own channel presentation coverage, a comprehensive set-up for IMG to cover the match for CBS’ American audience, facilities for blue Sport Switzerland as well as UEFA’s bookable unilateral facilities, included in the multilateral production. In total, two-thirds of EMG / Gravity Media’s UK based fleet was brought in for this major event, for a deployment that included a total of 63 cameras, seven OB trucks plus helicopter coverage.
EMG / Gravity Media teams were also the supplier of the IP Technical Operation Centre (TOC), FAN TV and serviced up to 30 commentary positions on behalf of UEFA.
The Set-Up
TNT Sports UK’s host broadcast set-up comprised of a main OB truck taking in 42 camera feeds, including two super-slow RF HDR Steadicams; a second OB truck covered the ceremonies as well as acting as a back-up for the main truck; and a third OB truck provided service feeds for UEFA. These service feeds could be booked by broadcasters with specific unilateral requirements, such as flash or pitch-presentation stand-up interviews. 11 EVSs were housed in a cabin next to the main truck.
For TNT Sports UK’s own channel coverage, a further two trucks were available with 10 cameras to cover pitch-side presentations and natural coverage to supplement the host broadcast feed.
Two additional trucks were provided to IMG for CBS’ US coverage, 10 cameras plus a Steadicam 1080i50 SDR, an Autocue prompt system for the Steadicam and an RF monitor system working pitch-side.
Working with TNT Sports’ own team, EMG Connectivity coordinated RF frequencies including all the cameras, monitors and camera control. In addition to the stadium requirements, links were co-ordinated for a static beauty camera located on a rooftop on Wembley Way looking back at the stadium, as well as a downlink and production talk back to and from a helicopter that captured aerial shots of the team coach arrivals and the stadium itself. EMG / Gravity Media’s specialist camera division, ACS, supplied the helicopter and aerial coordination with a GSS stabilised gimbal package in HD 1080p HDR format.
Within the stadium, specialist cameras included two SMARTgrip™ systems positioned behind the goals, a SMARThead™ remote head with Sony HDC-P50 camera offering tunnel coverage and a new addition to the Final’s coverage with two HFR ‘Manager-Cam’ systems.
A crew of over 180 combined TNT Sports and EMG / Gravity Media visual, audio and technical engineers rigged, tested, operated and maintained the equipment for the entire event.
The Result
EMG Head of Production Operations, Chrissie Collins, commented:
“This match is always one of the most anticipated sporting events of the year, the conclusion of the exciting European season and an absolute highlight for anyone who loves football. For our clients, the stakes are high and it’s imperative that the broadcast goes without a hitch. For EMG / Gravity Media, it was one of the largest UK events handled this year and there were a lot of moving parts to coordinate. We’re so proud of our talented crew from across our expanded company, who came together and worked incredibly hard to produce such a fantastic result.”
1. What is your favourite part at Gravity Media?
My proudest but certainly not my favourite period was the way Gravity as a team navigated our way through Covid, it has been a difficult 18 months in which we have had to completely change the way we work and come up with new ways and ideas to get TV to air when it mattered most. There were some incredibly tough times but we never failed to deliver and I strongly believe it has made us all stronger in doing so.
2. What motivates you at work?
My biggest motivator is the team around me, I am extraordinarily lucky to work with a dedicated and talented team of individuals who all bring something different to the table.
3. A tip for someone starting out in the broadcast/ tech industry?
Our industry is very niche to those not privy! It is different, vibrant and fun – there is always something new to learn and the opportunities are endless. My tip is if you want something, don’t give up because if one door closes, there’s always another open and it could be completely different to the path you thought you were heading down. TV has a funny way of doing that.
4. Favourite sport & TV programme?
Being a Melbourne girl, born and breed my favourite sport is most definitely AFL, my career kick started here doing GFX on the AFL for Channel 10 and Fox Footy, I spent many a winter’s afternoons rugged up in the back of an OB truck!
5. What makes great live TV?
Great live TV is produced by a great sporting team and a great production team!
Ian Stokes, Director of Engineering at Gravity Media in Australia, was invited as a guest speaker at the SVG Australia Summit, hosted on Wednesday 1 June 2022, held at the Telstra Customer Insight Centre in Sydney.
Due to Covid, it has been a couple of years since SVG hosted their last in-person event in Australia. The summit was a great opportunity for the Australian sports production community to come together for an afternoon of information exchange and networking. The event also celebrated the innovations that had allowed the industry to move forward in challenging times and discuss post-pandemic workflows and the future of the sports TV and OTT landscape.
The SVG and Telstra executives got things started with a quick welcome before the programme began. There were six talks throughout the afternoon with speakers from Google, Amazon, Foxtel and Telstra, just to mention a few.
Ian Stokes joined the panel on the “Which Flavour of IP is Right For Your Organisation?” session. The panel discussed how to figure out which option is best for you and why going to IP matters? The discussion was in the context of productions embracing IP-based signal transport in the interest of flexibility, reliability, and quality. SMPTE continues to develop new standards and enhancements that can make a difference and NDI also is a key option.
Gravity Media had a strong presence at the event with several senior team members in attendance.
The event concluded with a networking reception where guests were invited to stick around and catch up with industry colleagues and enjoy drinks and canapés. Thank you to SVG for organising another fantastic event.
To find out how Gravity Media can support you on your next production, email enquiries@gravitymedia.com
PRESS COVERAGE
Following the recent high-profile announcement of Gravity Media’s five-year deal to provide end-to-end production broadcast for the Goodwood Season of motorsport events, Goodwoof marked a change of both pace and subject matter. The brand-new showpiece, broadcast live on ITV 1, was dedicated to the positive impact dogs have on British society. It now sits proudly alongside the three motorsport events Gravity Media have been appointed to produce – the Members’ Meeting presented by Audrain Motorsport (which took place on April 9th – 10th), the Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard (June 23rd – 26th) and the Goodwood Revival (September 16th – 18th).
Hosted by The Duke of Richmond in front of the estate’s famous kennels, Goodwoof is a spectacular new weekend festival dedicated to our canine companions – featuring a fantastic line-up of activities to entertain dogs and their humans: from world-class competitions with top canine athletes and wellness workshops, to behavioural and veterinary experts taking on topics from anxiety management to the secrets of your dog’s body language, there was something for all dog lovers. Celebrations of pop culture canine icons and heroes from history were paired alongside trails, treats and plenty of play to create an all-inclusive experience.
Hosted by Julia Bradbury, with the duo of Radzi Chinyanganya and vet Dr Paul Manktelow out and about sampling all the festival had to offer, Goodwoof live gave viewers a true taste of this unique event. Whether it was joining comedian Bill Bailey and Grand Design’s Kevin McCloud as they judged the inaugural Barkitecture competition, enjoying Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville giving a reading at Canine Literary Corner, exploring the wellbeing workshops for dog yoga, massages and Reiki or learning more about the action sports such as Flyball, Disc Dog and Barkour – the entertainment, and puns, were nonstop.
The Goodwood partnership will see Gravity Media responsible for supplying more than 90 hours of live content across the four events, including seven days of live coverage for ITV. There will also be world feeds for international partners, dedicated digital production, exclusive partner content and fully-crafted highlights shows for domestic and international fans.
Gravity is also providing end-to-end production for the events, combining editorial expertise from some of the most highly-regarded producers in the UK, with long-established technical pedigree and innovation, such as Gravity Media’s patented live camera systems. The turnkey operation also includes full design and rebrand on the onscreen graphics, support for Goodwood’s digital content strategy and project management across all events and partner activities.
Laura Wignall – Gravity Media’s Project Lead for Goodwoof, comments:
‘We were delighted to partner with Goodwood to broadcast their inaugural canine event, Goodwoof, live on ITV 1. It was a great chance to showcase our creative skills outside of sport, demonstrating our wide scope of production capabilities. This was another end-to-end broadcast, using both Gravity Media’s technical and production expertise to bring this broadcast together. We utilised a hoist, drone and even mini cameras on canines, to capture the action from every possible angle; from paw level to portraying the beauty of the Goodwood estate high above the tree line. This was one more exciting step on the new journey we are on with Goodwood’
Will Kinsman – Creative Director, Goodwood, says:
“We started working with Gravity Media at the beginning of the year principally on our three Motorsport events but, with Goodwoof, it’s a whole new event concept. The way it was positioned to the public in attendance was really important but, equally, the way that it’s positioned to the wider general public who aren’t here, and may want to come in future years or watch on TV, is even more important. So, working with Gravity creatively to capture the essence of the event was key, and the production crew that they brought on board has been, from directors, cameramen and individual producers, a lot of fun. Ultimately that’s what Goodwoof should be about – fun, it’s about celebrating the imitable bond between humans and canines and getting that across on screen.”
Blair Wood – Gravity Media Director of Business Development, EMEA, says:
“Our partnership with Goodwood continues to highlight the flexibility and depth of Gravity Media’s services and Goodwoof was a spectacle so many in the business wanted to be involved in. It’s a programme many wouldn’t naturally associate with Gravity Media so to see it progress from initial discussions to a fun and engaging two hour broadcast live on ITV, in the space of just three months, is a great credit to all involved.”
Click to watch the video here.
PRESS COVERAGE
1. What is your favourite part / proudest moment at Gravity Media?
As a new comer to Gravity Media, the new relationships I am building with my colleagues and team motivate me to work together to achieve greatness!
2. What motivates you at work?
The idea of taking the company to the next level. Finding innovative ways to drive new business and build new client relationships.
3. A tip for someone starting out in the broadcast / tech industry?
Be open minded about what the future holds. There are endless opportunities that can shape ones future. Be curious and try different areas of the business until you find the perfect fit!
4. Favourite sport / team / film / tv programme?
I have two favourite sports-Major League Baseball and NFL football. I am a native Clevelander so my teams are the Indians and the Browns.
5. What makes great live TV?
I have to give credit to the crew. Without the crew, there would not be a show!
1. What is your favourite part / proudest moment at Gravity Media?
The way we came together during COVID, without a doubt. It was an incredibly tough period with so many people going through so much. It brought the team a lot closer, and seeing the team respond to so many challenges was incredible. Running 21 OB’s, delivering 32 world feeds over the opening weekend of January 2021 for The FA Cup amongst many other things, when Omicron was at its height, was proof in itself about what this group can do.
2. What motivates you at work?
Seeing talent come through the ranks. We’ve always tried to grow our own staff, which is even more important in the current climate. Many at the company started as runners or other entry level roles, and have progressed to high level roles in production and technology. Promoting people, and seeing the reaction of them to being given that chance, is always the best part of that journey.
3. A tip for someone starting out in the broadcast / tech industry?
Try and stand out a bit from the crowd and back yourself. A lot of what we do is subjective, so try and be creative, be enthusiastic and commit completely to whatever you’re doing.
4. Favourite sport / team / film / tv programme?
Obviously football is my sport, but I’ll watch any sport I can. Being a QPR fan, often means I’d rather watch anything other than football, when I’m watching them. Film wise there’s too many to choose, but if Back to the Future, The Usual Suspects or Goodfellas is on, I’ll watch it again, and again, and again.
5. What makes great live TV?
The right team. You can’t make good TV without the right people. In a live situation, it’s about reacting right to those big moments. Whether it’s a football match, a gig or a light entertainment show – those big moments are what count. If you’ve got the right director and camera op, you’ll have the best angle, same with replay operators, presenters or commentators. It all comes back to the team that’s been picked.
1. What is your favourite part / proudest moment at Gravity Media?
Tough decision but I’d have to split it into two; one part is most certainly upon joining whereby I quickly understood the sheer impressive growth the business has grown into both talent-wise but also in terms of the impressive nature, size of projects & also the wide depth of clients across all parts of the world + TV & Entertainment industries. Delivering the FIFA WC Draw here in Doha is another, delivering five projects for such rewarding clients at such a high-profile event has whet the appetite ahead of the Finals this November.
2. What motivates you at work?
It’s a combination of factors to be honest. First & foremost, the opportunity to be in the heart of delivering high-profile productions alongside highly engaging & knowledgeable people from all over the world who have complementary skills & advice to absorb from is enough to motivate. The variation of projects & locations including the ongoing feasibility of delivering signals as a remote v hybrid v on-site model brings extra motivation to absorb how different productions, sports + people operate which again offers a learned experience. Moving to the Middle-East has challenged me in so many ways that it brings additional motivation to adapt to the local business environment & succeed.
3. A tip for someone starting out in the broadcast / tech industry?
Be yourself, engage with an open mind with everyone you interact with & constantly ask questions absorbing the best learned experiences whilst reflecting on parts you may have done differently. Communication skills can never be under-estimated especially in the global, inter-connected world we live.
4. Favourite sport / team / film / tv programme?
Aston Villa + the PSA (Squash) World Tour take up a part of my free time, for better or for worse!
5. What makes great live TV?
Content that intrigues the mind, that brings you alive + excites you to try or do something different! Future mainstream VR & AR technologies including use within the ‘Metaverse’ will also widen the experiences you can explore that is content or TV-related.
