Consumers in the digital age are quick to adapt new media consumption habits as new media and methods of accessing it and interacting with it evolve. Every media technology must innovate and compete or become obsolete. For broadcast television, this challenge is practically existential. The broadcast model of one-to-many for television (and radio) dominated the second half of the 20th century. But the introduction of cable and satellite TV and the Internet enabled not only a direct one-on-one relationship between a media source and consumers but tailored personalized services and offerings that bolster “stickiness” or loyalty.
Broadcast television is the point where the creative arts and technology meet. It’s different from any other discipline as to operate at an optimum level, and get the best possible quality, artisans, producers, and creatives have a deeper technical understanding of their craft than any other artistic discipline. And over the years, the demarcation between creativity and technology has become blurred as members of the creative teams have found themselves delving deep into engineering disciplines.
When setting up new audio monitors in a studio, their placement is an important choice in the successful operation of the monitoring system. Since no two rooms sound the same, here are a few tips to make the installation easier.
Due to advances in IP content delivery and production crew collaboration, new virtual tools are augmenting the connected studio. Broadcasters are now able to customize studios and workflows with virtual interfaces that talk directly to anything that touches the IP audio network. They’re replacing hardware newsrooms with virtual mixers, mobilizing the studio using tablets and other virtual interfaces in the field, and scripting their own version of what broadcast looks and feels like.
Sometimes — when boom or lavalier mics aren’t appropriate — engineers must record good audio with microphones hidden on a set. This can be a challenge. Here’s a look at how to hide microphones for maximum effect.
For engineers with a taste for adventure, nothing beats the complex challenge of live recording. On location, anything can happen and often does. It can be a test of one’s wit, preparedness and skill. Here are a few tips on how to be ready for it.
Today, as video crews get smaller and are often only one-person, audio inevitably suffers. Many times no one even monitors sound on a location shoot. For proof of this, watch any local newscast and listen to the sound. Of course, bad sound is usually preventable if the videographer takes minimum steps to prevent it.
One of the most useful technological advancements for conducting interviews is Skype. Call anywhere in the world and — in most cases — get a clean audio and video feed that can be used on-the-air, in a documentary or on a podcast. A frequent question is how does one record a Skype call.
