Bexel, a unit of the Vitec Group's Services Division and a leading worldwide provider of broadcast services and solutions, contributed broadcast equipment and engineer expertise to the recent telecast of Healing in the Heartland: Relief Benefit Concert at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. Organized by Oklahoma native Blake Shelton, the concert was televised live on NBC. It also aired live and/or delayed on cable networks Style, G4, Bravo, E! and CMT.
"Bexel has an outstanding relationship with some of the top tech managers throughout the country, and when the Healing in the Heartland event was conceived, they reached out to us," says Justin Paulk, fiber business segment manager, Bexel ESS. "Due to our involvement with the NBA, we have documentation showing the infrastructure of the Chesapeake Energy Arena. We provided this information to the tech managers, giving them quick insight into the facility. We also offered available gear and staff, including prebuilt press bridges from our Burbank office."
Due to the quick nature of this project, the Bexel team drove the necessary equipment and staff to Oklahoma City. Once there, Bexel provided onsite technical support, the press bridge set up, fiber cable, and the fiber electronics to move the additional signals needed around the arena.
"We were honored to be a part of something so special and thrilled that the network of people we work with regularly trusted us to respond," adds Paulk.
The program, which earned the highest viewer ratings the night of May 29, was executive produced by R.A. Clark (Academy of Country Music Awards, MDA Show of Strength) with supervising producer Rob Paine and director Gregg Gelfand.
In addition to Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire, Vince Gill, Rascal Flatts, Luke Bryan and Darius Rucker performed.
The event raised funds for the United Way of Central Oklahoma May Tornadoes Relief Fund. The United Way of Central Oklahoma will use the money for recovery and rebuilding efforts in Oklahoma following the tornadoes that recently devastated the area.
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