WICHITA, Kan.–ABC affiliate KAKE Television, owned by Lockwood Broadcast Group, went on-air in 1954 from a facility here in Wichita, Kan. The station serves as the flagship of KAKEland Television Network (KTN) which comprises eight stations that relay ABC shows and other programming provided by KAKE. Central to our success is our popular locally produced newscasts that reach homes across central and western Kansas and stretch as far as counties in Colorado and Oklahoma.
This year marks a milestone for KAKE as we celebrate our 70th anniversary by launching a totally redesigned state-of-the-art studio. We wanted only the very latest cutting-edge technology to provide our viewers with a superior visual experience. The project included an updated camera system, new LED lighting and an advanced motion graphics package. We also knew that this major upgrade had to include the very latest and most reliable teleprompter technology available.
New Studio, New Tech
As corporate chief engineer of the Lockwood Broadcast Television Stations Group, I oversee growth initiatives for the group and am involved in all technical operations. As such, I was determined that each equipment choice represented the latest technologies, met our requirements, and was interoperable.
I was introduced to CueScript at several industry events and came to know the company as a forward-thinking organization. Michael Accardi, CueScript’s founder and president, was a terrific ambassador for the brand, always available and always paying close attention to our requirements and priorities. I knew both support and performance would be top notch.
IP-Based Teleprompters
We installed six IP-based CueScript teleprompters which are a combination of the hardware framework, and the software that run the scripts. We use Juniper switchers in the studio that are connected by fiber to our Juniper core IP infrastructure. Connectivity is only as good as the network and using IP connectivity made setup fast and easy.
The actual installation was also a breeze and very intuitive. KAKE Chief Engineer Mark Jenkins— who was on set daily—said the process was effortless and the smoothest part of the installation. The prompters pointed at our MOS system, connected, and started pulling scripts immediately. We didn’t need any real training either, just a short remote session and we were up and running.
CueScript prompters offer a choice of handheld remotes or very sturdy foot pedals. So far, our talent seems to prefer the remotes, but it’s nice to have the choice. Looking forward, if we have a need to increase our prompter family, I will call CueScript.
More information is available at www.cuescript.tv/
