Sinclair Selects AWS as its Preferred Cloud Provider

Will Use AWS to Create a Centralized Platform, Transforming and Streamlining Technology and Media Operations

BALTIMORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sinclair Broadcast Group (NASDAQ: SBGI) a diversified media company and a leading provider of local news and sports, today announced it has selected Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS) as the company’s preferred cloud provider.

“The multi-year collaboration is an important step to improve Sinclair’s future operations by migrating its existing media and playout operations to AWS’s Cloud,” said Del Parks, President of Technology for Sinclair. “The move to AWS is essential to accelerate Sinclair’s ability to take advantage of the new business opportunities that ATSC 3.0 provides and improve the television viewing experience for the consumer.”

The AWS Cloud will help power the company’s efforts to create more compelling, multi-platform local news and sports content that can be distributed across fixed and mobile devices, as well as more interactive experiences for communities and fans. Sinclair’s migration to the cloud will also help enable enhanced tools to be integrated across the company’s networks for advertisers and partners.

Commenting on the collaboration, Brian Bark, Sinclair’s EVP and Chief Information Officer said, “We are welcoming and embracing a new era of technology flexibility, providing Sinclair with the platform agility to strengthen our existing business models and adopt new ones, while effectively optimizing costs.”

Sinclair plans to leverage AWS Media Services, such as AWS Elemental MediaConnect, to develop centralized, dynamic and scalable media operations for 200+ channels, including converged media storage and optimized media workflows with relevant metadata. The company also will use the compute, storage, databases, and other services and solutions from AWS and AWS Partners to create secure, streamlined, and resilient linear channel assembly and playout from the cloud.

Mike Kralec, Sinclair’s SVP and Chief Technology Officer, added, “This collaboration with AWS enables Sinclair to execute our vision for business transformation through optimized media and content operations. While this first step focuses on the core capabilities of our cloud media workflows and linear channel assembly, we expect this commitment to cloud to be our foundation for additional advancements and transformation in the future, especially as it relates to our implementation of ATSC 3.0 services.”

“Sinclair’s networks continue to inform and entertain millions of households in communities across the United States, and AWS is excited to be part of their digital transformation journey,” said Marc Aldrich, General Manager of Media & Entertainment at AWS. “Using the cloud to centralize and eliminate duplicate processes, AWS will work alongside Sinclair to help them reduce operational costs and grow their digital offerings, such as digital sub-channels, at scale.”

About Sinclair

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SBGI) is a diversified media company and a leading provider of local news and sports. The Company owns, operates and/or provides services to 185 television stations in 86 markets affiliated with all the major broadcast networks; owns Tennis Channel and multicast networks Comet, CHARGE! and TBD; and owns and provides services to 21 regional sports network brands. Sinclair’s content is delivered via multiple platforms, including over-the-air, multi-channel video program distributors, and the nation’s largest streaming aggregator of local news content, NewsON. The Company regularly uses its website as a key source of Company information which can be accessed at www.sbgi.net.

Category: General