Live data that arrives correctly, on time, every time
Since 2020 I've been a lead developer of the server-side data services behind live on-air graphics for the BBC: live election results, live sports results, and the always-on information screens that keep channels live between programmes. The on-screen graphics request their data from services like mine, so I know what it takes to get the right numbers out on deadline, in front of a national audience.
Sound familiar?
- Election or results night is coming and your live data can't be allowed to fail
- Data feeds from multiple suppliers need normalising, validating and delivering in real time
- Your newsroom or venue needs live dashboards that update without manual intervention
- Your graphics or app team needs a reliable real-time data back end to build on
What you get
- Monitoring and ingestion of live third-party data feeds (results, scores, statistics), with validation and failover
- Storage and change streams, so every update is picked up the moment it lands
- Data services that answer requests from on-air graphics systems, apps and websites, and push changes to them in real time over WebSockets and message queues
- Operator tools for overrides, corrections and rehearsal modes
- Cloud infrastructure that scales for peak events
- On-call support through live events
Ways to work together
Every engagement starts with a small, paid, fixed-price first step. That's where requirements are gathered and the scope and cost estimate for the rest of the work are written, so you know what you're committing to.
Technical review
from £1,200
Review of your existing live-data pipeline, with risks and recommendations.
Event build
Quoted per event
Live data pipeline and delivery for an election, tournament or season.
Live event support
Day rate
On-call support through rehearsals and live transmission.
Common questions
Do you build the on-screen graphics?
No. I build the server-side data services that graphics systems, apps and websites request their data from, plus the operator tools around them. If you already have a graphics team or vendor, I work alongside them and make sure the data they show is right and on time.
What does the technical review cover?
The review starts from £1,200 and looks at your existing live-data pipeline: how feeds arrive and are validated, what happens when a supplier's feed is late or wrong, how changes reach the systems that display them, and how it all copes at peak. You get a written report of the risks and recommendations.
Can you support us through the live event itself?
Yes. Live event support is booked at a day rate and covers rehearsals and live transmission, so someone who knows the data services is on call when it matters.
Is this only for broadcasters?
No. The same work suits newsrooms, venues, sports organisations, and app or graphics teams that need live results, scores or statistics delivered reliably and without manual updates.
Can you tell us more about your broadcast work?
Only what viewers saw on air and my role in it. The details of the systems behind it are confidential, and your project would get the same discretion.
Have a project in mind?
Tell me what you're trying to achieve, and I'll reply as soon as I can to say whether it's a fit and what the fixed-price first step costs.