SEATAC, WASH.: When Zolo Media purchased KBNZ-TV in 2010, master control for the CBS affiliate in Bend, Ore., was handled through another station in Portland. An ambitious project to build an on-site master control facility was approved in early 2011, with a Sept. 1 start date for 24/7 operations. With a tight deadline and no finalized plan in place, Advanced Broadcast Solutions was tasked with designing and building the facility.
ABS originally had been hired as consultants when the small market station was exploring its master control options. Before taking over the project, ABS provided a site survey, offered recommendations on space and power, and calculated costs for both the build and continuing operational expenses.
KBNZ’s master control was built in an area of the facility that had been filled with office cubicles. Once the walls were built, there was only a 13-by-15-foot room for master control, so efficient use of space was essential. Racks were pre-wired with equipment and tested at the ABS facility in SeaTac, then moved to KBNZ for permanent installation.
Based around Harris ADC playout automation, the native 1080i HD master control features an embedded audio workflow. There are two Harris NEXIO four-channel playout servers, one for each channel. Content is mirrored on both servers for redundancy. A Harris IconMaster master control switcher provides two layers of automation and integrated graphics. Other equipment includes an Evertz Xenon routing switcher, Evertz VIP-X multi-viewer, two Samsung 58-inch commercial LCDs, Linear Acoustics audio processing and Wohler audio monitoring gear, and a Argosy custom console.
The new facility handles master control for KBNZ and COTV, a PEG channel located in the same facility and operated by sister company BendBroadband, a locally owned cable television, digital phone, and high-speed Internet service provider in Central Oregon.
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