Enex’s James Glynn and Alen Kezele present Create and Exchange: a project to develop a next-generation video distribution platform for news partners.

Enex is leading a €1.6 million European-Union-funded consortium for the Create and Exchange project, developing a next-generation video distribution platform that uses AI for rapid translation and transcription. The consortium, which includes Groupe M6, RTL News Luxembourg, RTL Deutschland, SIC Portugal and former RTL entities RTL Croatia and RTL TVI Belgium, aims to enhance live news feed distribution, explore new video formats, and increase shared video material among EU news partners. The project is led by Project Director, James Glynn, and Alen Kezele.

1. What is the Create and Exchange project?

James Glynn: Create and Exchange aims to improve the information-sharing ecosystem in the EU to promote high-quality, accurate and impartial news information. There are four main parts to this project: Technical, Editorial, Young European Innovation Fund (YEIF) and Expansion.

From a technical point of view, the project will bring in a content-sharing platform called the News Exchange Platform (NEP), which utilises AI technologies.

From the editorial point of view, the project aims to explore new video formats mainly geared towards web and social media usage, increasing the quantity and quality of video material shared between EU-based partners.

The third stream is the YEIF - which finances the development of up to five innovative digital content formats. These projects will be aimed at the creation of easily replicable innovative digital news formats for young European audiences, addressing issues they care about, on platforms they use for news consumption.

Finally, we hope to help Enex expand its membership to more European countries.

Alen Kezele: Create and Exchange also allows us to bring new formats into news exchange – Social Edits, which bring news to younger audiences.

2. Which AI technologies will be used on the new platform?

Alen: Up until now, every script has been translated manually to English only, which was a time-consuming process that was slowing down the footage exchange between partners. On the new platform, an AI speech-to-text translation tool will be implemented. This will automatically translate scripts to English, German, Spanish and French, with a possibility to be translated to other European languages on demand. This way, the process of news exchange will speed up significantly.

James: This technical development is being led by BCE (Broadcasting Center Europe) in partnership with Enex. It relies on cloud technologies and replaces a previous hardware-based system.

3. What capabilities does the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) have and where has it been launched?

James: The MVP is a fully functional content-sharing platform that allows Enex partners to upload and download content. It also allows them to receive transcripts of audio from video and translations into any European language. This removes a lot of the cross-language barriers for our members using Enex content across the EU.

Alen: MVP has been launched on the NEP platform. It includes translation and transcription, as well as news on a map. It allows our partners to explore the possibilities of the new platform, speed up their work and provide us with their valuable feedback.

4. How has the collaboration been with BCE and the other consortium members?

James: The collaboration has been very strong. The consortium members have been very adept at helping to guide the project with their expertise and input. Enex has worked closely with our partners to really understand what the user needs for the NEP to make it a useful content-sharing tool and an improvement on the current system. BCE has taken those needs and built the initial MVP, which is now with Enex partners for testing over the next few months.

Alen: BCE has been involved in the project since its start, providing valuable technical requirements and support. The other consortium members contribute with their experience and support the project through participation in our regular Editorial Board meetings, where we share information, ideas and get feedback.

5. What do you personally enjoy the most about working on this project?

James: I really enjoy working with all of the various Enex partners around the EU. The newsrooms are so diverse and varied, and trying to find solutions that help the maximum number of our members has been a very satisfying challenge.

Alen: As previous Head of News Production at RTL Croatia, I had the chance to experience Enex’s news exchange as both a user and a contributor. This project gave me the chance to step to “the other side” and use my previous experience to upgrade and improve the existing news exchange system. It makes me happy to be a part of a project that will improve, modernise and boost news exchange through Enex, and make our partner’s future work easier.