THE media technology monthly magazine XYZ has been produced in
Shetland, 600 miles from its normal base in the south of England, by
using the north of Scotland's advanced telecommunications network to
handle the massive data transmission requirements.
Four journalists left Teddington in Middlesex for Lerwick after
accepting a challenge from Highlands and Islands Enterprise to produce a
68-page issue. In the November issue the Shetland project is put under
the microscope.
XYZ, published by the Haymarket group, was keen to test the viability
of remote publishing. On trial was the all-digital communications
network developed in a #16m joint venture by HIE and BT and called the
Highlands and Islands Initiative.
The questions were: Could it cope with transmitting and receiving the
huge amounts of typesetting, design, colour imaging and other data
involved between the team's temporary headquarters and the London-based
printers?
Would the magazine get out on time? And could it be produced with no
reduction in quality?
Deputy editor Sue Weeks who led the Shetland team said: ''The answer
to all three was a resounding yes.''
According to HIE, success in the venture has proved much more than the
ability to publish one edition of a magazine using the digital network.
HIE's telecommunications consultant Mr John Lough, said: ''The
revolutionary aspect of the exercise was that it was achieved through a
dial-up public phone system, not through the expensive dedicated land or
satellite lines which publishers have had to buy or lease until now.
''More important from our point of view, it proves that the Highlands
and Islands digital network can handle massive data transmission and
that our area is an excellent location for any type of 'knowledge' work.
''A magazine page, for instance, comprises a lot of words and pictures
which are translated by computer into a mass of data and sent down an
ISDN phone line at very high speeds. That data could equally be
financial information, word or document processing or computer-aided
design files. The same system now enables video telephones and video
conferencing.''
Sue Weekes said: ''I'm not saying that XYZ is about to pack its bags
and shift to Shetland after the success of this project. However, from a
financial point of view the arguments can be very persuasive.
''We were quoted office rental figures in the Highlands and Islands of
between #4 and #11 per sq ft, for example, compared with #50 in London
W1, #35 in the City fringe or from #15 to over #20 in Teddington.
The business benefits of the area's advanced telecommunications
network, allied to a pool of skilled labour and a range of financial and
other incentives, will be highlighted in HIE's campaign to attract
inward investment and to raise awareness among local firms of the
commercial opportunities.
Note to Editors: A 20-page reprint, featuring the relevant sections of
the October and November issues of XYZ, is being sent by mail to all
media representatives on the HIE mail list with a copy of this release.
The implications of the exercise are being discussed at a European
publishing conference in Holland this week.
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