Grass Valley partners with SBA for technology upgrade at Makkah facility
Grass Valley has announced a partnership with the Saudi Broadcasting Authority (SBA) to deliver a major broadcast technology upgrade at SBA's key facility in the holy city of Makkah (Mecca). The project, executed in collaboration with local systems integrator First Gulf Company (FGC), represents a substantial enhancement of SBA's live production capabilities, particularly for continuous online coverage from the Grand Mosque (Al-Masjid Al-Haram).
SBA, the official state broadcaster of Saudi Arabia, is responsible for delivering high-quality news, cultural and entertainment programming to audiences both within the Kingdom and internationally. Its Makkah facility serves as a central hub for religious broadcasts, especially during key events such as Ramadan and Hajj. The latest upgrade is part of a broader, long-term initiative to modernise SBA's infrastructure across television, radio and digital platforms with advanced, scalable solutions.
Grass Valley's equipment was selected for the project after detailed technical planning and assessments. Delivered in December, the systems are currently being installed by FGC. 'SBA chose Grass Valley for its proven broadcast technology, reliability, and seamless integration,' explained Joe Chbat, Executive Vice President at FGC. 'The solution ensures high-quality video switching, scalable infrastructure, and efficient signal processing, which are critical for SBA's current and future broadcasting needs. Grass Valley's strong track record in the region, alongside its renowned long-term support and competitive pricing, made it the ideal technical partner for a project of such importance.'
At the heart of the upgrade is a 12G technology platform, which dramatically increases capacity, boosts performance and positions the facility for future high-definition and 4K production demands. The system includes Grass Valley's flagship Kayenne K-Frame XP 3ME switcher paired with the XP ELITE Performance Suite and 12G license, along with a compact K-Frame XP system for secondary operations. Also featured are the Sirius 850 dual-frame router, Kaleido multiviewers within Densité modular frames, advanced audio and video processing units via the Densité glue platform, the XIP-3911 SDI/IP processing solution and the Masterpiece 12G-SDI Master Control Switcher.
Hany Bartella, VP of Sales for MEA at Grass Valley, added: 'This project has been years in the making, and we're proud to be a collaborative, enabling partner of SBA's growth journey. The deployment of the Kayenne switcher, Sirius 850 Router, and Densité processing at the Makkah facility enhances live production capabilities for a location of immense global significance. These state-of-the-art solutions from Grass Valley will modernise SBA's infrastructure and enable it to fully realise its commitment to delivering world-class religious and cultural programming both now and into the future.'
The company will showcase its full portfolio at CABSAT 2025, taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre from May 13–15, where visitors can explore how the GV Media Universe is shaping the future of live broadcasting.
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