CINCINNATI, January 18, 2017— The excitement is palpable at the global offices of GatesAir as the over-the-air broadcast pioneer celebrates its 95th year in business, following a year of significant growth and emerging opportunities tied to continued global digital transitions, US TV spectrum reallocation, global investment in FM Radio systems, and the ongoing development and adoption of new broadcast standards such as ATSC 3.0. In celebration, the company is planning a significant number of events and activities throughout the year.
From its humble beginnings in Quincy, Illinois—where the company’s main manufacturing center still exists—through its decades-long tenure as a key business of Harris Corporation, GatesAir continues to innovate for the wireless delivery of TV and radio content worldwide.GatesAir will first recognize this milestone publicly with its “95 Years Big Kick Off” customer event at the 2017 NAB Show. GatesAir will follow with public open housesat its Mason, Ohio headquarters and Quincy manufacturing center later this year, and 95-year receptions at IBC and The Radio Show in September.
In February, the company will unveil special customer contests regarding the oldest GatesAir transmitter and oldest “working” GatesAir transmitter installed today. Contest winners will be publicly announced in December, with winners recognized at a special party that will coincide with a private customer event in Quincy in November. Additional details on all events will follow in the coming weeks and months, to be announced on GatesAir’s website and social media channels.
“It’s an exciting time to be in this industry given the many opportunities that exist for the broadcaster moving forward,” said Phil Argyris, CEO, GatesAir. “Given the company’s recent sales success and product innovations, there is perhaps no better time to recognize our company’s achievements over the past 95 years as we lay the groundwork for the future of over-the-air television and radio.”
GatesAir’s roots date to 1922, when Henry C. Gates founded the Gates Radio and Supply Company. Henry’s son, Parker Gates, quickly established the company’s reputation as a visionary, responsible for industry firsts in audio and electronics. These innovations laid the foundation for groundbreaking over-the-air radio and television transmitter designs that continue to this day, with all products made and assembled in the USA. Industry firsts includes the world’s first solid-state AM transmitter in 1974; the 1981 development of the “Mod Anode Pulser” to reduce UHF TV power consumption, which planted the seeds for its groundbreaking PowerSmart® green transmitter architecture in 2009; and Intraplex® LiveLook, the broadcast industry’s first network analytics and optimization software for Audio over IP transport.
About GatesAir
GatesAir, Inc. provides complete solutions for over-the-air radio and television broadcasting, leveraging wireless spectrum to maximize performance for multichannel, mission-critical services. Powering over-the-air networks worldwide with unparalleled reliability for nearly 100 years, GatesAir’s turnkey solutions enable broadcasters to create, transport and transmit radio and TV content. With customers in more than 185 countries, the company leads the industry in innovation and design breakthroughs, improving efficiency and reducing total cost of ownership. Visit www.gatesair.comfor more information, Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/gatesair, and follow us on Twitter at @GatesAir.
