SALT LAKE CITY -- Jan. 9, 2008 -- KMBC/KCWE, a Hearst-Argyle broadcaster in Kansas City, Mo., has deployed a UTAH-400 routing switcher from Utah Scientific at the core of a new 51,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility located southeast of the city proper. With the new facility, KMBC/KCWE becomes the first HD news station in the No. 31 media market in the United States.
“We selected Utah because we believe in the product,” said Jerry Agresti, director of engineering at KMBC/KCWE. “I have been at this station for five years, and through previous jobs, I have a long association with Utah Scientific. The company has always been there for me. Here at KMBC, we had a 17-year-old AVS-1 router from Utah, which the company continued to support, even supplying parts.” One reason that Utah can offer their renowned no-fee service plan for a full 10 years is that 10 years is nothing in the useful life of one of their routers. Utah knows its products will last a long, long time.
Utah Scientific president and CEO Tom Harmon echoed Agresti‘s theme. “At Utah Scientific, we build solid products for the long term, which means we build solid relationships for the long term as well,” he said. “Our relationships with Jerry and with KMBC are good examples of that.”
KMBC is an ABC affiliate, and KCWE is part of the CW network. The two broadcast four channels, including 3 ½ hours of KMBC‘s locally produced news in HD each day as well as quick-casts for the Web site, and will soon launch a 24-hour weather channel. Besides the all-HD 288-frame UTAH-400 router with Utah Scientific‘s SC-4 control system, KMBC/KCWE has deployed three Utah MCP-400 master control panels. The development of those control panels demonstrates Utah Scientific‘s commitment to customer responsiveness. The Kansas City broadcaster specifically wanted a panel that would enable an operator with a single button push to bypass master control automation in the event of, for example, breaking news, traffic, or weather. As a result, Utah engineers have increased the flexibility of the panel by incorporating just that design feature into it.
The UTAH-400 digital routing switcher family includes HD and SD digital video switchers and AES/EBU digital audio switchers in all matrix sizes. The UTAH-400 is specifically designed to address the growing requirement for large switching systems. The UTAH-400 is based on a revolutionary new matrix architecture that greatly reduces the complexity of large systems, resulting in considerable improvements in rack space and power requirements as well as yielding significant cost reductions.
In August, KMBC/KCWE began operating out of the new facility after the move from the historic Lyric Opera House in downtown Kansas City. The Opera House had been home to KMBC since its inception more than 50 years ago with the television studios located beneath the performance stage, and business and executive offices located on various different floors. So outmoded was the old operation that only about 15 percent of legacy equipment made the move. An unusual feature of the new facility‘s design, by architects Rees Associates, Inc., of Oklahoma City, and system integrator Beck Associates of Littleton, Colo., is that the studio and newsroom are one room, with the second floor forming a mezzanine that overlooks them.
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About Hearst-Argyle Television
Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc., owns 26 television stations, and manages an additional three television and two radio stations, in geographically diverse U.S. markets. The company‘s television stations reach approximately 18 percent of U.S. television households, making it one of the largest U.S. television station groups. The Company owns 12 ABC affiliated stations, and manages an additional ABC station owned by Hearst Corporation, and is the largest ABC affiliate group.
About Utah Scientific, Inc.
Utah Scientific, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of analog, digital, and HDTV routing switchers, master control switchers, and related products including a full range of software for controlling and managing switching systems. The company has been serving the broadcast industry for 30 years with industry-leading products and best-in-class service and support as recognized by Frost & Sullivan with its 2005 Customer Service Leadership Award and demonstrated by the industry‘s first 10-year warranty. Additional information about the company can be found at www.utahscientific.com.
