A View From The Media Centre: DTV Part 2

WBOC-TV Studios in Salisbury, Maryland

This is the second of two pieces, the first one was started in September 2008. In this part, I will update a couple of events which happened and look at the production aspects of DTV/HD which includes my much anticipated impressions of the WBOC news plex.

Wow, what a whirlwind few months. Let's talk about the obvious, the digital television deadline has been pushed back to June. Even though this has been advertised for over a year and a half, President Barack Obama felt that people are not prepared. Not that he is totally wrong, the government just did not allocate enough money for DTV coupons, but I do think people did know about it, but I digress.

Despite the delay, more than 300 stations decide to save some money and shut off their analog transmitters on the pre-determined deadline, February 17. This does include WBFF-TV (Channel 45) and WNUV-TV (Channel 54) in Baltimore. Both are managed by Sinclair Broadcasting Group (WBFF is officially owned, while WNUV is effectively owned since members of the family that own Sinclair owns WNUV's parent company, Glencairn.) The switch does not include WBOC-TV (Channel 16) which wanted to switch early, but the FCC rejected their request and part of the blame goes to WMDT-TV (Channel 47). WMDT went all-digital this past September, and the FCC wants to keep at least one analog signal on, particularly in small markets, as sort of a night light before the absolute last day this summer.

Stations in the Greater Washington Area are still sticking to analog, at least for now. No word has been given on a transition date.

Among stations serving Maryland in High Defenition are WUSA-TV (Channel 9) in Washington, which was the first station. WBFF was the second station, however they were first in Baltimore. WTTG-TV (Channel 5), WJLA-TV (Channel 7) and WBAL-TV (Channel 11) all went high def within the past six months. WBAL has a really cool open as well. However, it's a shame that the news sets for these stations in markets no. 8 (Washington) and 24 (Baltimore) are very unimpressive, when it compares to the WBOC NewsPlex serving the Salisbury-Ocean City market, which currently ranks at no. 147.



Behind the WBOC building on N. Salisbury Boulevard is the WBOC NewsPlex, which looks and feels like a sound stage in Los Angeles. Now the moment every has been waiting for, a look at the WBOC News Plex from a broadcasters point of view. These pictures were taken during my visit in August, when I was in Ocean City for the MACo Summer Conference.



The NewsPlex is controlled by a production system called "Ignite" which was made by Grass Valley, a long time maker of television equipment. This is state of the art equipment which is being used in a lot of big markets in addition to small markets. Where the control room would be filled with a crew of people working various roles (audio, teleprompter, robotic cameras, graphics, etc.,) with Ignite, all of these roles are done by ONE person.

For a preview of what Ignite was like, a friend of mine, who worked for Disney/ABC-owned WTVD-TV in Durham, North Carolina, which went HD last May. He sent me his reactions around the time I wrote part one. "At WTVD the reaction to me has been very mixed, however most see it for what it is, a cost cutting measure and quick way to go HD. I've seen good and bad from IGNITE but at the same time the "RUN" button is only doing the techinical directing and audio though a coded timeline controlled by the director. Graphics operator (my position), cameras and teleprompter are still done by people. The biggest problem I've seen from our IGNITE is audio related problems like losing mix-minus or clip mics. Also, another problem is routing remotes or live shots. It has not been too bad during breaking news events [but] you can tell it doesn't respond well to unplanned events. We've had one day where we lost our video sources and had to roll everything from a backup edit bay."

The best part for me is that WBOC is now streaming their news on their website. So far, none of the glitches that I have heard about happened. In one case, WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh had to do one of the noon newscasts in the parking lot of their studios.

The cameras at WBOC are set in place, except for a crane camera, which is still controlled by a human. I should also note that it is the only camera that has a viewfinder. The other cameras in the studio do not. They are completely under the direction of the director.



Here is the newsroom. The area that is most visible is the producer bullpen towards the front of the picture. The back area where the station logo is where the assignment area is. Behind the logo is a little secret that is coming out right now in case it hasn't already...



A hidden audio booth where reporters can record narration. I would not be surprised if they fix it so Don Elkins and Steve Hammond would not have to run towards the front of the building to do radio updates. The audio booth is a similar set up to what I have in my home studio in Laurel, Maryland. I am one step away from being able to do live broadcasting from my living room (although with the internet, I am already there with the right software.)



This is the interview area towards the left. The green walls can be used as chromakey for the weather segment. In addition, to the green screen, anything can be inserted in the background. This part of the NewsPlex is mostly used during the 7:00pm news.



The weather set is conveniently next to the interview/background area.



Here is a close up of the infamous rotating anchor desk. I did not see it turn, unfortunately. The only other set in the region with a rotating anchor desk is WBFF in Baltimore. The difference is that WBOC's desk is machine controlled.

The WBOC NewsPlex is extremely impressive for a market the size of Salisbury, let alone in generic terms in the world of broadcasting on the east coast. A lot of planning has gone into this and it shows. Special thanks for Craig Jahelka, General Manager of WBOC and Renee Marine, the Executive Producer of WBOC who showed me around. I would also want to say hello to the afformentioned Don Elkins and and Steve Hammond, who I met on that day. I hope that MACo invites me to their conference again this year.



kenny@kennyburns.com