KHON-2, Honolulu's local FOX television station, reported live Election Day reactions from previously inaccessible locations via AirNow!, a portable news production solution that allows field reporters to stream video live to air via cellular data networks.
On November 4, KHON-2 used AirNow! to present live video from Honolulu's busiest mall, the Ala Moana Center, to cover shoppers' Election Day opinions. Extremely simple to use – the AirNow! remote unit easily connected to a broadcast camera, turned on, and content streamed directly to the station for immediate broadcast.
"Joe McNamara, the station's general manager, was excited to be the first station to use AirNow!," said Ken Lee, Bitcentral’s Senior Engagement Manager. "He was impressed with the audio and video quality of AirNow!, and that it integrates seamlessly into the station's production workflow."
"With its ease of use and good quality video, AirNow! will give us the ability to get more stories to air our viewers care about,” McNamara commented. “We were impressed with what we saw.”
KHON's broadcast was the first of its kind to be shot live from inside the Ala Moana Center, since the station's electronic news gathering trucks are too large to fit inside the mall's parking structure. AirNow! empowers reporters to operate freely in office buildings, hotels and shopping centers without being tethered to a live truck.
AirNow! uses multi channel cellular data technology (EVDO) to reliably deliver broadcast quality live video to a station's viewers in real-time. AirNow! also provides journalists a portable wireless hotspot so authorized notebook computers can access the Internet. Reporters can use AirNow! units to upload stories to the station from just about anywhere, even while driving between assignments.
"AirNow! is the answer for broadcasters who need reliable, cost-efficient remote production solutions," said Bitcentral's CEO, Fred Fourcher. "We've seen a tremendous need to get video to the audience from remote locations where a truck can't readily access without costly investments in portable satellite gear. AirNow! embodies our commitment to give local news organizations the ability to produce quality news with no barriers.”
About Bitcentral, Inc.
Bitcentral provides innovative solutions that transform the management, production and distribution of the news. Established in 1987, Bitcentral delivers cutting-edge turnkey systems that combine proven broadcast and network computing technologies to enable end-to-end digital workflows. With a growing suite of solutions, Bitcentral changes the way broadcast news does business. Bitcentral is headquartered in Irvine, CA.
For more information about AirNow! or any of the company's products, contact Bitcentral, Inc. at: 18872 Bardeen Avenue, Irvine, CA 92612; Phone: 949.253.9000; or visit the company's website at www.bitcentral.com/airnow.
