FBN and HD…
Broadcasting & Cable’s Glen Dickson writes about the launch of FBN and High Def…
While HD equipment might represent a 25%-35% cost premium over standard-def gear, it didn’t make sense to invest in new SD equipment with an all-HD world looming on the horizon, says Warren Vandeveer, senior VP of operations and engineering for Fox News.
“It’s kind of irrelevant, because I don’t think anybody’s building an SD facility anymore,” says Vandeveer. “So whatever it costs, you have to do it. Even if you said, ‘I’m going to invest in a new facility, and I’m going to make it SD, because not everything’s HD yet’—well, then the life of your facility is just going to be a few years, because eventually you’re going to have to do it. So you might as well figure out how to do it cost-effectively now, and at least get yourself into HD, as opposed to having to redo it all later.”
The new high-definition production control rooms (two), master control room and technical infrastructure for FBN are located in space that used to be a garage and lower-level retail stores underneath News Corp. headquarters at 1211 Avenue of the Americas in New York.
Construction of the hi-def plant began in April. A team averaging some 50 people has been working to make the channel’s Oct. 15 launch, including on-site personnel from system integrators Ascent Media and National TeleConsultants. Last week, technical personnel were still busy filling equipment racks, hooking up cables and putting the finishing touches on the set.
Better hope that new pretty control room doesn’t meet the flood of LOVE! Btw, can someone answer a couple questions for me?
a) How many floors are in the News Corp building
b) How many floors does FNC/FBN occupy
Comment by Terance — October 8, 2007 @ 1:17 pm
Is FNC staying SD for now?
I know they can do 16:9 in SD from Studio D cause the FOX AM Show with Mike & Juliet is broadcast in 16:9 SD.
Comment by Richard W. — October 8, 2007 @ 1:39 pm
The newscorp building is 43 floors in New York City. Newscorp companies (TV Guide, FOX News, FOX Business, MySpace, FOX Sports, FOX Entertainment, FOX TV Stations, FOX, My Network TV, etc. etc. etc. etc. occupy most but not all of the floors.
Comment by Nobody — October 8, 2007 @ 1:51 pm
Thanks, Nobody. So, out of 43 floors, how many does FNC/FBN occupy? I’m trying to figure out why they’ve had such small studios and seem to be cramped for space. Is FNC somehow less important (to Newscorp) than the others?
Comment by Terance — October 8, 2007 @ 2:12 pm
That’s a good question. As it says in the article and Shep actually mentioned it in an interview recently, they’ve bought (I guess) a lot of that street- and underground-level retail space to give them more room. Shep said they were building five new studios, so I suppose now is the time to expand. I wonder if some of those (we know one already is) are going to be used for FNC.
Comment by SuperNoxic — October 8, 2007 @ 2:22 pm
I read somewhere the FNC will go HD sometimes in December. Has anyone else read this?
Comment by Jeff — October 8, 2007 @ 3:02 pm
I believe the space where the new Studio E is was part of an old department store. That would explain why it’s so big and house seperate spaces for Fox & Friends, Tne Big Story and The Fox Report.
Comment by Richard W. — October 8, 2007 @ 6:36 pm
I believe FNC occupies some of the bottom floors (maybe even underground?). I recall Shep mentioning that during a few broadcasts. As far as space goes, the shots I’ve seen of the new FBN studios appear fairly spacious and Shep’s new setup looks great with the background screens.
Comment by Caufield — October 9, 2007 @ 1:08 am