BCE, RTL: Pope Francis’ Luxembourg Trip Broadcast

This event, managed by BCE and RTL at the request of Luxembourg’s Service d’Information et de Presse (SIP), was a large-scale technical production that reached local and international audiences.

BCE teams began installing necessary infrastructure across key locations in Luxembourg City a week before the visit. The setup included sites such as the airport, Cathédrale Notre-Dame, Palais Grand-Ducal, Cercle Cité, and various streets in the city center to ensure a smooth broadcast experience.

Broadcasting on the Day of the Event

On the day of the visit, a total of 120 technicians and operators, along with 50 cameras, were positioned at strategic points to capture all key moments. BCE used a range of equipment, including Outside Broadcast (OB) vans and Satellite News Gathering (SNG) vehicles. These were connected to BCE’s Playout over IP broadcast center, which enabled live streaming on RTL Lëtzebuerg TV and website, as well as global distribution via the European Broadcast Union (EBU).

Tom Weber, RTL’s Technical Director, acknowledged the complexity of coordinating live broadcasts across multiple locations. He noted that the teams managed to achieve uninterrupted live coverage.

Production Challenges and Solutions

Christian Fischer, Director of the live broadcast, compared the production’s complexity to other large state events in Luxembourg, such as the accession and funeral ceremonies of Grand Duke Jean.

Advanced lighting solutions, such as specialized balloon lights, were implemented by BCE to enhance the visual quality during the ceremonies at Cathédrale Notre-Dame.

Xavier Thillen, Head of Production and Digital Media Operations at BCE, explained that the collaboration between BCE and RTL ensured the success of the project, which leveraged BCE’s experience in managing large live events.

Centralized Production and Technical Redundancy

For the first time in Luxembourg, BCE used a centralized production model based at Place Guillaume II. Signals from the 50 cameras across different locations were transmitted via fiber optic networks to BCE’s mobile broadcast unit. This approach improved team coordination and guaranteed high production standards.

To avoid disruptions, BCE provided a backup transmission system over 5G networks using the StreamHub platform. This ensured that live video transmission continued in case of fiber optic failure. The 5G connection, supported by Post and Tango, maintained broadcast stability.

Collaboration with Local Partners

The success of this large-scale event was made possible by strategic partnerships. BCE and RTL worked closely with Free Lens TV Sàrl, PRO MUSIK Sàrl, Codex Events S.A., Luxconnect & Post Luxembourg, Foodclan, Amplitude, and TV Skyline GmbH. Each partner contributed expertise to ensure smooth operations.

Multimedia and Global Distribution

BCE also handled several multimedia services, such as international TV and radio signal production, a media center, and global satellite distribution via Eurovision and ENEX. BCE provided live subtitling at public viewing locations in Luxembourg City for improved accessibility.

The scope of the broadcast included Pope Francis’ arrival at the airport, meetings at the Palais Grand-Ducal, his city tour in the popemobile, and his encounter with the Catholic community at Cathédrale Notre-Dame. A centralized production system allowed BCE to manage live signals from all locations, and feeds were also broadcast on large screens at the airport and public areas throughout the city.

Global distribution through Eurovision and ENEX ensured that the event was accessible to international broadcasters. BCE provided high-quality 16/9 format HD video and stereo audio in multiple formats, including ProRes HD and MP4, for media outlets.

During breaks between ceremonies, BCE produced beauty shots and highlight reels on-site, which were included in the international feed for viewers around the world.