1 Studio outputThe red frame round this screen indicates this is the picture viewers at home are seeing, and means there’s no mistaking what’s going out on air. Here you can see Sarah Hughes presenting from the Sky News desk. 2 Preview

This is the next image, cued up and ready to air when the director cuts from the current shot, unless there is a last-minute change.

them. He also talks to the presenter via an earpiece, so they know exactly what is coming next. He ensures everything happens when it should – taking the programme from a computer running order and turning it into TV. 5 Vision Mixer

The focus of the whole room. When the director decides which picture he wants the viewers to see next from all the monitors in

Sky News has come a long way since its first broadcast in 1989. Last year, Sky+HD viewers were given a taste of the future when Sky News simulcast US President Barack Obama’s inauguration in high definition, live on Sky Arts 1 HD.

This month the channel launches a 24-hour high definition news service – which will bring you the headlines in more detail than ever. Not only will the pictures be sharper, a brand-new ‘news sidebar’ will mean extra facts, information and analysis to make the headlines come alive.

The launch of a new channel meant a brand-new high definition control gallery had to be built at the Sky News Centre in Isleworth, West London. Here’s a sneak preview...

front of him, the vision mixer selects them by pressing the corresponding button on the control panel.6 Outside sourcesThese are the pictures from Sky’s reporters around the country and the world, who can be cued up from the gallery. Graphics and stills are also displayed here. 7 The opposition

These screens display other channels’ news feeds, so Sky can make sure they are

3 Monitor stackThese monitors show all the other shots and feeds which the director can choose from to cover the on-air story. All live shots edited reports and related graphics are displayed on these monitors. 4 DirectorThe director is in charge of everything that goes out on screen. He chooses which shots he wants, plus when and how to move between

always ahead of the competition. 8 Executive ProducerIn charge of the programme – deciding what stories are covered, what order they go out and all other editorial decisions. The executive producer leads the team of producers in the newsroom to generate a programme’s content, whether it’s edited reports or live interviews. 9 Text ProducerThe text producer sits

on the front row and is in charge of writing all of the onscreen captions that accompany the news items, including the scrolling ticker at the bottom of the screen. 10 Technical DirectorMakes sure all the feeds come in to the gallery and that the output gets to the transmission suites. These then send the programmes to the satellites, so they get to the viewers TVs.W

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Inside the Sky News HD gallery

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SKY NEWS AT TENDaily, 10pm, Sky News (517 HD/501)

As Sky News launches in HD this month we look around the new high-tech nerve centre that means you’ll get the stories behind the headlines in more detail than ever before…

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