KHQ-DT, the NBC affiliate in Spokane, WA, is using the Broadcast Pix Slate 2100 live TV production system for single-operator production of the station’s Weather Plus Updates.
The weather report is broadcast daily on its DTV channel 6-2; carried locally by Comcast, and is available from the station’s Web site. The updates are also fed to KNDO-DT in Yakima, WA, and KNDU-DT in Kennewick, WA, which KHQ-DT owns. They also broadcast the updates on their DTV secondary channels and Web sites.
The Broadcast Pix Slate 2100 system integrates a production switcher, production control panel, Inscriber CG, transition effects, chroma keyer, clip store and multiview monitoring in a single workstation-based system. The system can be operated with a production switcher-style control panel or by using a keyboard and mouse interface.
Weather Plus Updates are polished TV weather reports formatted as two- or four-minute recorded segments and updated seven times daily using the Slate 2100 platform. A KHQ meteorologist provides the latest weather forecast illustrated by satellite and Doppler radar maps, 3-D animated weather maps and live shots showing current weather conditions.
The video plays inside a window that’s bordered by an L-bar graphic that displays the humidity, time and temperature in the left-hand vertical bar, and icons for the six-day forecast along the horizontal bar underneath the video.
Another feature that allows a single operator to manage every aspect of the video production is Scripts, a companion software to the Broadcast Pix system that automates program execution, including chroma keys, camera takes, dissolves and graphics, as well as other roll-ins.
For more information, visit www.broadcastpix.com and www.khq.com.
