by Bob Duthaler
JAG’s Voice Heard at BPU/Verizon Franchise Renewal
A lot changed in less than a month since I reported to you about JAG speaking out at the Verizon Franchise renewal during the BPU’s hearing along with the webinar we held. The BPU released the notice on Verizon’s Franchise renewal and wouldn’t you know, JAG’s name was mentioned in it. Not only was our testimony sited, but others who spoke backed JAG and our comments. The BPU was also in agreement on our comments and thought Verizon needed to step-up, provide an HD channel and provide the necessary contact, training and listings in the digital guide. Below are some segments I wanted to share with you in the BPU’s Franchise Document.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
At both hearings, comments were provided by Verizon which asserted that the applicant had satisfied all of its current franchise requirements and noted that its performance had been reviewed by the Board in the May 5, 2020 Ascertainment Report. Verizon stated that its franchise encompasses 392 municipalities and provides service to 372 municipalities by offering service that is competitively provided, that it delivers hundreds of high definition channels, and expounded upon the wide range of programming sources available to its customers. Verizon touted its financial investment in the State as an employer and through its capital investment in its network, as well as, the beneficial financial support provided to the municipalities through the franchise fees paid by the applicant. Verizon indicated that it has met its statutory deployment requirements and, since 2013, it has expanded its service territory to additional municipalities, as well as, made Fios TV available to 500,000 additional subscribers. Verizon noted it currently offers Fios TV to more than 60 percent of the households in two thirds of the other municipalities within the franchise territory. Additionally, Verizon stated that it is meeting the statutory requirement of providing Public, Educational and Government access (“PEG”) channels, along with training and equipment to support the PEG channels and free services in 310 municipalities across the state. Verizon noted that by providing the PEG channels, it is providing the public, local governments and schools with an opportunity to provide local programming and information….
…Those who spoke in favor of conditional approval were: Bob Duthaler, President of JAG; David Garb, Vice President of JAG; and Alex Rubenstein, Mayor of Byram Township. The representatives of JAG stated that while the Verizon FiOS service is good, there are several issues that should be addressed during the renewal. The issues JAG discussed included requiring Verizon to provide PEG equipment and training; provide a contact person to municipalities for PEG training and equipment requests; requiring PEG channels be listed in Verizon’s Guide; and require Verizon to address the disparity of PEG channels being cablecast in Standard Definition (SD) as opposed to High Definition (HD). JAG argues that HD is the method Verizon utilizes for broadcasting all other channels except PEG channels, and the broadcast of PEG channels in SD produces poor picture quality for the statutorily required PEG channels. JAG also provided written comments to the Board. Mayor Rubenstein concurred with JAG’s comments and requested that Verizon’s franchise territory be expanded to encompass all of the 526 municipalities where Verizon provides telecommunications service…
… At the October 1, 2020 hearing, the following entities participated in the hearing and spoke in favor of conditional approval: Brian Wahler, Mayor of Piscataway Township; Theresa Berger, Mayor of- Howell Township; Alex Rubenstein, Mayor of Byram Township; Nick Besink, Oradell Township PEG Channel; and George Fairfield, Station Manager, Piscataway Community Television Station. Mayor Wahler reiterated JAG’s requests and spoke to the issue of the PEG channels being carried in SD, which is problematic due to the degraded picture quality, as well as, the inability to get parts for the outdated SD technology, which could result in the municipalities reaching a point where they will not be able to program the PEG channels. In addition, Mayor Wahler requested a return system to allow monitoring of the PEG channels, as well as, requiring that the PEG channels be listed in Verizon’s Guide. Mayor Berger of Howell Township requested the expansion of Verizon’s service area because only a small portion of Howell currently receives Verizon’s FiOS service and there are problems with the incumbent operator. Howell Township requested the service area be expanded to provide a competitive entity and offer improved services. Mayor Rubinstein of Byram Township noted the Township would be adopting a formal Resolution to be submitted, and read a portion of the Resolution into the record, which requested that Verizon be required to provide competitive cable and internet service to all municipalities in which they operate. Nick Besink of Oradell PEG channel commended Verizon for being responsive, but noted that since approximately 2009 all television networks have switched to HD technology, except for PEG. The problem with SD is that the technology has become obsolete, replacement equipment is no longer being made and is impossible to obtain. He noted the importance of the carriage of local PEG programming during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the importance of local information being readily available. He also requested the expansion of the franchise territory, as well as, requiring Verizon to carry PEG programming on its Guide. George Fairfield, Station Manager of Piscataway Community Television Station and a member of JAG, stated that he supports all requests from Mayor Wahler and JAG, and noted that more residents would like to have access to FiOS as it is a good product…
…Rate Counsel believes that Verizon has substantially met the provision of service requirements delineated under the State Cable Act and under the applicable sections of the Board’s regulations. However, Rate Counsel’s support for approval of Verizon NJ’s SWF Renewal is conditioned on Verizon NJ’s commitment to swiftly and without delay upgrade PEG transmission equipment so that programming occurs via HD transmission. Rate Counsel particularly notes its alarm at the public comments that indicate the equipment that provides transmission in analog format (the only format Verizon appears to accept for PEG programming) is in disrepair with replacement parts limited and unavailable in the near future. They noted that this presents a danger that promised services ensuring PEG programming used by municipalities to provide emergency notice to residents are at risk. Rate Counsel found this to be unacceptable under both State and Federal service obligations, and therefore, called for an immediate resolution to this issue.
Additionally, and based on the same concerns previously expressed, Rate Counsel agrees with commentors that PEG channel locations must be clearly disclosed in Verizon NJ’s channel lineup. Rate Counsel agrees that now more than ever due to increased storm activity and the current COVID-19 pandemic, town residents will need access to information provided on their PEG stations.
Rate Counsel also urges the Board to require Verizon NJ to immediately provide the necessary PEG equipment upgrades and training, and require inclusion of PEG channel locations in Verizon’s lineup, particular to each town served….
The BPU later on in the documents, summarizes the comments and the Board recommends that Verizon Franchise Renewal should take place but that Verizon should address the issues that were brought up. Below is a portion of what the BPU board said.
…N.J.S.A. 48:5A-28(i) requires the applicant for a SWF provide a commitment to provide each municipality with two (2) PEG channels, as stated. In taking into consideration the provision of the PEG access channels in SD, it is noted that several municipalities, as well as, Rate Counsel have stated that community needs for the provision of PEG access channels are not being met.
The parties noted that the PEG access channels are an important source of public information on a local level, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the Board as the federally-recognized local franchising authority (LFA), may establish requirements for PEG channels to be provided in a manner that addresses community needs.10 Although the Petitioner provides the PEG channels, they are provided only in SD which produces problems with signal quality, while providing all other channels in HD, which Verizon and a number of commenters have stated provides higher quality service. It appears that Verizon is capable of correcting the poor signal quality issue by broadcasting the PEG channels in HD. Therefore, while the Board as LFA is not inclined to deny the SWF based on the above issue, it is recommended that Verizon be required to take corrective action of this issue as a condition of the renewal of the SWF.
N.J.S.A. 48:5A-28(l) requires the applicant to provide a commitment to provide equipment and training to access users. A number of parties stated that Verizon was not providing the required training and equipment, and requested a designated contact from Verizon to assist the municipalities. It is noted that Verizon has provided the information requested to OCTV&T regarding the equipment and training, as well as, provided the municipalities with info on the designated contact. It is recommended that Verizon provide reports to OCTV&T staff regarding the provision of PEG equipment and training.
N.J.S.A. 48:5A-28(m) requires that the applicant shall provide a return feed from any one location in the municipality without charge to the CATV company’s headend or other location of interconnection to the cable television system for public, educational or governmental use. The return feed, at a minimum, must provide the ability for the municipality to cablecast live or taped access programming in real time, as may be applicable, to the CATV’s customers in the municipality. However, no CATV company is responsible for providing a return access feed unless a municipality requests such feed in writing. Several parties, including the Mayor of Piscataway, noted a lack of return line which Verizon is required to provide upon written request from the requesting municipality.
Additionally, several parties have noted that the PEG channels are not listed in the channel guide. Verizon has provided the OCTV&T staff with information indicating that the PEG access channels are listed on their guide and have provided information to that end. The OCTV&T staff will monitor this issue to ensure Verizon is meeting all notice requirements for channel allocation…
The complete BPU Document on the Verizon Franchise Renewal will be made available in the Members Only Section of the JAG website. Please feel free to go to the website and download the document and share with your municipality. In addition, if you are ready to move on Verizon giving you a channel in HD, I would suggest that you reach out to your Broadcast Server Provider and make sure your equipment is ready to give the proper HD Signal. Once you have confirmed this, you should reach out to Verizon (see past article in newsletter for contact information) to make arrangements to have your channel updated. Please note this will not happen immediately, but Verizon will be willing to work with you to make this happen. There is no doubt this will make a huge difference in the way our channels are viewed and will highlight the great quality programming that we create.
News & Events
Posted: July 16, 2021 by Doug Seidel
Independent Producer Corner: Four Ridiculously Simple Things That Will Increase the Production Quality of Virtual Shows
By Dustin Dumas
As we slowly return to in-person studio shoots, there will still be many who may not be able to return to the studio and some who will prefer the flexibility of filming outside of the studio. That’s great but what elements are important in virtual video production. In this column I will discuss network connectivity, camera phones, clothing, B-roll and images.
Network – Keeping It Connected
Producing a show outside of the studio has its own unique set of challenges but when taping a show via a web conferencing tool, there are additional challenges, especially when striving to create a product comparable to one taped in the studio. One way to get the highest quality product is ensuring your network is operating at maximum capacity. While having Wi-Fi is nice and very convenient, when shooting a show virtually, the stability of your Internet is extremely important to the overall production quality. It is best to be connected “straight into the wall” as opposed to using Wi-Fi. Some of the issues with Wi-Fi are that during taping, the frame may freeze, the video and audio may become unsynchronized or the connection may drop altogether. These are not things you want to have happen during your taping, especially if this can be prevented by connecting your cable directly into the wall to your device. You may still have issues with direct connectivity, but your chances are significantly reduced compared to relying solely on Wi-Fi. There are so many other things to worry about when taping virtually, your connectivity should not be one of them.
On the other hand, if you have to use Wi-Fi because you are unable to connect a cable to your device, disable all other unnecessary devices connected to your Wi-Fi while taping. If you are familiar with your router and it has an app, many will allow you to prioritize devices. This is useful when disconnecting other devices is unavailable to you. By prioritizing the device (Computer, iPad, iPhone, etc.) you will be using to tape, this will allow that device to have the strongest connectivity. However, ideally, disconnecting other devices that will be competing for the same bandwidth is ideal.
Regardless of whether you are using Wi-Fi or are plugged into the wall, do a test run before your actual taping to ensure everything is set up as you want. Things may still not go as planned but with a little preliminary work, you can, at the very least, prevent a major mishap.
Camera Phones – Use What You Have
Independent producers continue to have to use resources outside of the studio and many times that means using the camera that they have. And in many cases that means their phones. If you had told me five years ago that producers would be relying on the device that they had in their pockets as a means of producing a show, I would have wrinkled my brow and thought that it did not seem feasible. My thinking would have been that phone camera videos are a novelty where you can shoot a low-resolution clip of an event and send it to on to a friend but would have nowhere near the quality of an in-studio production. Well, here we are in 2021 and not only have circumstances prevented us from using the perfectly good equipment in the studio for the last year but the camera phones available today are excellent! My phone has 4K capabilities and there is already a next generation phone after it! If you will be using your phone for taping, there are a few things to consider. Storage is one. 4K videos are huge and if you do not have enough storage on your phone, it does not matter if you use 4k if you can only store 5 minutes on your phone. Determine if the highest resolution available is the best solution for you, otherwise, use a resolution that is compatible with the storage capacity of your phone and the requirements of airing on television, such as high definition (HD).
The other consideration is the orientation of your phone. Unless you are going for an artsy look and want to have black bars on either side of your footage when it airs on television, turn your camera so that it is in landscape mode, not portrait. That simple 180 degree rotation turns your footage from one a concertgoer may have taken to footage that may be indistinguishable from something shot in a television studio. Shooting in landscape mode increases the overall production quality of your end product and makes it look more professional. I have used footage from my phone in HD and 4K on television and no one knew it was shot on the phone due to the quality of the footage. However, there are other things to consider, such as audio and lighting, which I have covered in a previous column. The bottom line is you can shoot great footage with the camera you have as long as it meets the specifications for where it will air.
Clothing –What Not To Wear
Virtual taping is new to many of us and one thing we may not be used to is the head and shoulder shot that is inherent in taping with virtual web conferencing tools. As a consequence, be aware of clothing that may have unintended consequences. In a taping that I did early on, after we had decided to tape shows virtually, I wore a blouse with thin shoulder straps. The unintended effect of having my hair over the straps was that it looked as though I was topless. Seeing the obvious faux pas early in the taping, I was able to correct it, but it reminded me that even clothing choices had to be thought out carefully to ensure that the production quality stayed the same. My choice of clothing would not have been a problem with our traditional studio shot but because our shots were all head and shoulder shots, my clothing choices had to be approached differently.
In addition to making sure your clothing choices do not make you look nude, if you choose to use a green screen, be aware that your clothing choices will make parts of you disappear depending on if there is green in your outfit. This has always been the case but because you don’t need an actual green screen on some of these web conference tools, people have forgotten that they cannot wear green. Choosing your clothing for a virtual taping has to be intentional due to the restricted frame space and color limitations if you choose to use a green screen. One thing that people have been taking advantage of is that you do not have to wear the accompanying skirt or pants when wearing a suit jacket so that is even more of an incentive to make sure that everything in the camera frame looks great since you do not have to worry about the bottom.
B-Roll and Images
Unlike being in a studio where you can have performers and multi-camera shots to create movement and visual energy to a show, taping shows virtually usually becomes talking heads talking straight on in square boxes. Unless the people are famous, charismatic or have a huge fan base, you are going to have to keep the attention of the audience. The number one way is to tell a great story and have a compelling discussion; however, there are a few ways to enhance the story that only take a few more minutes of preparation.
The first way is inserting images. For example, let’s say the show is about a new electric car that is coming to the market. The people discussing the car may talk about the specifications of the car such as the time it takes to get from 0-60, the horsepower, the green footprint of the car and more. These are all nice things to verbally describe the car but when an image is inserted at the very instance when the car is being described, the audience not only hears about the car but they are now able to see the car. This impact on the viewers takes the car from a theoretical concept to an actual physical car. They now have an image that allows them to see the size of the car, the shape and even the color of the car. Now your audience is more accurately able to understand this specific car and, thus, become more engaged in the story that you are telling.
Now let’s take it one step further and talk about B-Roll. B-Roll is additional footage that complements the current discussion. Using the example above where there is a new electric car coming to market and it is being described beautifully, now, instead of inserting an image, you insert a video clip of the same electric vehicle in motion. Now, as the car is being described, you audience gets to see the size of the car, the color and the shape. However, they also get to see just how fast the car is, as it speeds away, along with the screeching of the tires with smoking rising, if audio is included. The viewers are treated to being able to see the movement of the car and the sounds of the car. The B-Roll footage provides additional information to the audience that complements the discussion and makes for a fuller, more engaging story to keep your viewers engaged, interested and excited. This is what you want as a storyteller!
Inserting images and B-Roll can be as simple as inserting an author’s book image when she is saying the title of her book or inserting a few seconds of B-Roll from the author’s book signing. The reason to insert B-Roll and images is to keep your viewers engaged, connected and enhance the story you are telling.
As independent producers, understanding how network connectivity, camera phones, clothing, B-Roll and images can produce a high-quality product that will keep your audience engaged is important. All of these pieces working in concert, can assist in telling a wonderful and powerful story.
Dustin Dumas is the host and producer of Dustin’s Kaleidoscope and What’s Up Around Town. She is the station manager of South Orange Maplewood Television (SOMAtv) and serves as Vice Chair on the Jersey Access Group, External Relations Committee. She has been part of community television stations in Illinois, California and New Jersey and enjoys helping people tell their stories.
Posted: May 4, 2021 by Doug Seidel
Spotlight on Old Bridge TV Addressing New Issues During the Pandemic
Old Bridge Township has over 65,000 residents and our municipal access station, OBTV, is working to keep them informed and engaged through our programming and social media content. While our local channels OBTV15 (Optimum) and FIOS 22 are only available in Old Bridge, our content is
accessible to everyone on the township’s YouTube channel. Over the years, OBTV’s staff has expanded from a small group of volunteers to a full-time station manager, and through my efforts, a part-time media production tech and a successful internship program. I am eager to continue our growth through reinstating our JAG membership and becoming more involved with the organization.
I was hired as station manager in January 2016, after almost 10 years of working in the industry on a freelance basis. My vision for the station was to improve the quality and overall look of the channel. Although we broadcast in SD, I upgraded our recordings to HD and created new motion graphics packages and intros for each series. I secured capital funding to build new, versatile studio sets and upgraded the lighting to LED. We now have three stand-alone sets with multiple options that enables us to change the look for each show.
As a municipal access station, we have a responsibility to keep the public informed. Part of that includes covering the township’s three most important board meetings: Township Council, Township Planning Board and Township Zoning Board. While our buildings remain closed to the public, we’ve made adjustments by holding virtual and hybrid meetings with call-in sessions for public comment. All of our meetings air live on OBTV and YouTube. We also have a large social media presence on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram which is a great tool to instantly reach residents for emergency and non-emergency updates and information.
Other programs we produce include Old Bridge Outlook, You and Your Health, and our very popular Pet of the Month series where we feature an adoptable pet from the Old Bridge Animal Shelter. We’ve worked with the animal shelter and township council to eliminate adoption fees for featured pets as an extra incentive for adopting – especially senior and long-term shelter pets. This program has been so successful, that we often need to feature more than one animal because they’re adopted so quickly!
While some of our regular programming has halted during the pandemic, we have created new, dynamic content to keep our residents informed and entertained. Old Bridge Update is a weekly PSA-style program where our Mayor delivers a brief address on COVID-19 and its impact on the community. Department Update is a 10-15 minute interview program that brings focus to the projects, programs and services offered to residents and the adjustments made during the pandemic.
For our younger residents, we’ve worked with our Parks & Recreation Department to record Story Time! and Virtual Recreation.
And, for our older residents, we’ve collaborated with Silver Linings at Old Bridge, our senior center here in Old Bridge, to produce Silver Strength: Mind & Body. This is a 35-45 minute wellness program featuring classes originally taught live at the center, now virtually. Each week will feature Chair Yoga, Gentle Strength Training or Move 2 the Groove – a more advanced exercise dance class. The feedback on the new programming has been very positive and we’re planning to continue production on these programs post-pandemic. Looking ahead to the future, our goals are to continue to expand programming, to create a stable revenue stream, and to procure funding for projects to upgrade and sustain the growth of our station. This summer, the Old Bridge Township courtroom/council chamber will undergo a complete renovation from a new dais and public seating to improved lighting and an upgraded sound system. I’m working with a vendor to incorporate technology that will give the board president the option to control all microphones, presentations and lighting.
We are going to be installing telephone conferencing technology, which will make it easier for consultants and residents to participate in public meetings during the pandemic. Another current project is the upgrade to our broadcast and community bulletin board server. The new server will have enhanced bulletin board features and increase our audience reach through closed captioning and live streaming for non-cable customers who use Apple TV or similar devices. My plan is to create a steady revenue stream through local sponsorships of our community bulletin board. We have a thriving business community here in Old Bridge who has generously contributed to past township events. This anticipated revenue will not only offset current operation costs, it will help fund future upgrades, projects and equipment.
Old Bridge Television has undergone many upgrades over the past five years and I’m excited to continue the station’s expansion and bring new programming to our residents.
Posted: March 24, 2021 by Doug Seidel
Reach New Product Release
Introducing the new interAct6 auto tracking and switching lecture/event capture and streaming device from Reach. This 4th generation streaming and recording engine uses Artificial Intelligence to automate wide and close up shots of the presenter and audience to make any presentation, town hall meeting or lecture look professional – all without the need for mats, fobs, volunteers, editors, or production assistance.
Let the interAct6 take control and automatically manage your event, or go manual and take control of cameras, image switching, transition and titling. With an onboard 11” touchscreen and POE switch, the interAct6 is easy to set up and operate.
The last year has clearly demonstrated the need for capturing and sharing content remotely and in a way that engages the viewer with multiple camera angles and multi-media content. The interAct 6 takes control of two 4k cameras placed around the room as well as presentation content and uses a combination of Auto-Tracking and Smart Switching technology to keep the content and viewer engaged!
The Reach interAct6 integration into Zoom, Meets, Teams etc… allows for remote viewers of an event to interAct and keep remote viewers immersed in the presentation. Clearly see both the remote audience and in person local participants and all their reactions to the presenter and never miss a beat!
Make your meetings come to life with the Reach interAct 6.
Join us for our presentation at JAG’s General Meeting on March 31, 2021 at 12.12pm.
Posted: March 18, 2021 by Doug Seidel
Independent Producers Corner
What do poor lighting, indecipherable audio, busy backgrounds and improperly set video cameras have in common, they make poorly produced shows, every time. This is never what you want for your show if you can prevent it and, fortunately, it is something that can be prevented with a little preparation and knowledge.
I am Dustin Dumas and I have been part of community television stations in Illinois, California and New Jersey so I have covered both coasts and the Midwest. I have seen many different styles of television production and have learned a lot along the way. I am a host, producer and station manager; however, in this column I am focusing on independent producers. While this information will certainly help independent producers, it will also help others who want to elevate the production quality of their shows. Since most stations that are producing community shows during the Pandemic are taping virtually, I will address that form of taping in this column.
Online Web Conference Tools
First, let us discuss the web conference services available. Choose one that you are comfortable with and then make sure your guest is comfortable with that specific tool. Every web conference tool has its own nuances and it is best to know where basic things are, such as the mute button, how to select gallery view versus speaker view and other basic functions. Since most independent producers will have dual responsibilities, as both host and engineer for a show, go over the specific buttons so you know where they are before taping. After you have decided on the best web conference tool for your show, walk your guests through the technology. Never assume that they understand how to use that tool even if they have been using the same technology for months during virtual meetings. Passive users who use that same tool during a meeting, may be flummoxed by something as simple as screen sharing during a live taping so go over any function of the particular web conferencing tool you will use. Now that you have decided on the tool you will use, let’s cover four important aspects of a successful web conference taping: audio, video, background and lighting.
Audio
The independent producer no longer has the convenience of being in the studio where the audio is handled by the studio engineer. In the past all that was required was a mic check from the control room. You, and your guests, are now responsible for determining the best audio for your show. Whether you use an internal mic or an external mic, test the mic before taping, always. Even if your mic quality is fine, your guests now have to determine the audio quality of their mics, something they may not know how to do without assistance. Since some guests may choose wireless versus wired headphones, check audio equipment for sound consistency. I have had to help guests find their mic settings to adjust them since most have never had to deal with this. However, as an independent producer, it behooves you to make sure all participants understand how to adjust their audio settings to get the best quality end product. There is nothing more frustrating to viewers who have to hear several rounds of “Can you hear me?” when this could have been avoided with a mic check before taping.
Video
Now that independent producers have become consultants for their own shows, they have to manage everything before every virtual taping, including video. I prefer the external video cameras since cameras that are built into laptops and monitors were never intended to be used for taping television shows. Using internal cameras, may result in letterboxing, pixelation or a myriad of other things that will diminish the quality of your overall show. The good thing is that external video cameras are relatively inexpensive with many being under $50.00. So a small investment can elevate the overall quality of your show. However, if a built-in camera is the only option, make sure it is set to the best quality available for your device. This could mean, for example, going from 540p to 720p if 720 is your max.
Another reason to choose external cameras is that they usually include a mic. The microphone in an external camera may be superior to the internal microphone of your device. Just as you would test your microphone, test your camera before you tape a show and assist your guests in testing their cameras too. Your guests may not be used to adjusting the video settings but it will increase the overall quality of your video. In addition to checking the video settings, ensure a great video by placing the camera so that each person is in the center of the frame and is looking straight into the video, not leaning down or looking up. The viewers should not be able to see the ceiling or the floor, just the person in the frame, straight on. This will make a huge difference when taping a show. A head and shoulders picture is best as it will allow for postproduction edits such a lower third titling. If the subject is too close to the camera, the lower third titles may be across the subject’s chin or neck. If the camera is too far from the subject’s face, the lower third titling could be across the subject’s stomach. A solid head and shoulders shot will ensure that lower third titles will be placed properly in your video. And never underestimate the usefulness of a good lens cloth. I once had the experience of helping a guest adjust his camera settings, to find that there was still a haze over the entire picture. I suggested that he wipe the lens and that cleared everything up, pun intended. Seriously though, some of the most basic housekeeping can result in better image quality.
Background
Some web conferencing tools will allow everything from virtual backgrounds to added animation. My focus today is on the real backgrounds. If you and your guests have taken the time to dress appropriately and check the equipment, ensure your room is camera ready. This means both you and your guests must be aware that what is seen in the background will be seen on television. An unkempt background will have viewers wondering what is in the corner instead of focusing on what is being said and may actually decrease your credibility. A jackhammer may have viewers thinking about possible renovations, an unmade bed may have viewers wondering if that speaker just woke up and cases of paper products may have viewers assuming that you have just returned from Costco. These are all examples of things that I have seen and wondered about myself.
Avoid lopsided shows where the host has prepared a great background but the guest’s background looks messy and disorganized. It will not only diminish the credibility of the guest but lowers the overall production quality of your show. It is up to you to speak with your guest about the importance of a neat background. I have seen many otherwise good shows, ruined due to a messy background by one of the parties involved in the taping. It is fine to show your personality in your background but just keep it neat. Taping in front of a plain wall is fine too. It’s clean and will ensure that viewers focus on your every word.
Lighting
Last, but not least, is lighting. I cannot emphasize enough that lighting works in concert with the other elements discussed above and is just as important. The light source should come from in front of the subject and, if possible, include light sources on either side of the subject and above, for balance. If in doubt, turn on every light source you have, overhead, in front and on the sides. I have yet to see a video that has too much light so always err on the side of what you perceive as too much light as opposed to too little light. You can always look at your monitor to see how you appear. We no longer have the studio lights, which are more powerful and brighter than anything we have in our homes, so when in doubt, add more light. In addition, in lower light, most cameras will attempt to brighten the video and the tradeoff may be a slightly brighter but grainy video which never looks good. If you have a subject who is completely silhouetted in a video, that is usually due to backlighting without an equivalent front light source. A window will create such a silhouette. A simple and easy way to prevent this is to reposition the camera and subject so that the natural light source is in front of the subject or add a light in front of the subject and on the sides to balance out the backlight.
Audio, video, background and lighting are a few of the many things that an independent producer must focus on when taping outside of the studio. But if these four areas are done well, the final show will be successful look great and the information from you and your guest will be well received.
Dustin Dumas is the host and producer of Dustin’s Kaleidoscope and What’s Up Around Town. She is the station manager of SOMA (South Orange Maplewood) Television and serves as Vice Chair on the Jersey Access Group, External Relations Committee.
Posted: February 22, 2021 by bduthaler
Broadcasting in a Virtual World
Between advancements in technology and the pandemic, the progression to an increasingly virtual world is accelerating. Almost everything is veering virtual – work, school, meetings, events, conferences, major motion picture releases, doctor’s appointments, grocery shopping, you name it. While vaccines will hopefully reopen the world soon this year, there is little doubt that virtual is here to stay, including throughout the broadcast industry.
For community broadcasters, the virtual trend might have started with establishing remote access to existing, on-premise equipment, and a few live feeds migrating from dedicated meeting rooms to streaming video conferencing platforms like Zoom. Even this first step presented new challenges for broadcast engineers and operators–as you were used to having hands-on access to everything in your broadcast chain.
At this point it is clear that remote live production will quickly become the norm, and more of your equipment and applications will move to the cloud. IP video, cloud integrations, and mobile devices are becoming the glue for broadcasters in a virtual world, and will change the way we think about workflow, operations, redundancy, and high availability.
The same trends are driving changes in viewer habits. In a virtual world, viewers expect programming to be easy to find with instant access on a variety of devices, including mobile phones while on-the-go. From traditional broadcast to OTT, Social Media to phones and apps, your channels and content need to be everywhere.
TelVue has long embraced new industry trends to make the migration to modern broadcasting easy for community broadcasters.
● We partnered with you to move from tape swaps and DVD drop-offs to the JAG Media Exchange on TelVue Connect.
● The PEG.TV streaming platform developed into CloudCast, complete with mobile apps for iOS & Android, OTT apps for Roku, Apple TV, and Fire TV, and podcasting.
● The original Princeton Server Group channel-in-box evolved into the modern TelVue HyperCaster AIO, and virtual HyperCasters for 100% Cloud broadcasting.
It has been exciting to work with so many JAG stations through major industry transitions including analog to digital, SD to HD, baseband to IP video, and now to virtual and cloud.
Join TelVue virtually at the February 24th JAG meeting to discuss the evolution of community broadcasting in a virtual world. At the meeting we will demonstrate and review:
● the latest features in HyperCaster v7, “where automation rules”, specifically for streamlining remote operations, managing remote live meetings and events, and increasing automation to save you time scheduling, acquiring programming, enhancing the on-air look of your channels, and delivering your content to more viewing destinations.
● how you can automatically and affordably Live caption your programming with HyperCaster v7.3, no additional hardware required. Captioning is great for both accessibility and for making it possible for viewers to search meetings for topics of interest.
● The latest IP video protocols and provide tips on best uses and practices for live production, meetings, sports, sharing live programs, and social media.
● how easy it is to launch your own Apple & Android mobile phone apps with CloudCast, in addition to OTT apps on Roku, Apple, TV, and Amazon Fire TV.
We will also share our 2021 roadmap that includes even more automation, plus streaming & app “paywall” monetization for new sources of revenue. As always, we hope to get some great feedback from you to help us shape our products and services to be virtually future-proof. We are looking forward to seeing you virtually at the next JAG meeting!
Posted: February 19, 2021 by bduthaler
Asbury Park TV (APTV) Takes on the Coronavirus
January 2020 marked the beginning of the eighth year on the air for the Asbury Park Cable TV station, better known around the shore community as APTV. But 2020 would soon become a year of challenges for the station, and for viewers of its programs on Cablevision/Optimum and Verizon FiOS.
Staffed by volunteers and part time technicians and advised by a committee of nine members, the city recognized there was a need for APTV to have a full time Station Manager and begin an expansion to include a second channel and upgrade of its equipment. Station Manager Nate McCallister was scheduled to start on Monday, March 16.
That was the day City Hall was closed because of the rapidly spreading Covid 19 Pandemic and everyone was working from home. With Nate’s background in commercial TV, he was able to keep the station on the air and provide information and entertainment to a community that was stuck at home.
During the Pandemic we curated dozens of PSAs on Covid 19 from the CDC, state and county. These ranged from preventing infections through mask-wearing, hand washing, and social distancing, detecting infections in yourself and others, caring for infections, contact tracing and minimizing stress. Because schools were closed and classes were held remotely, we had discussions on talking with children about a Pandemic and returning to school and returning to work. We also utilized the station to share free Covid 19 testing dates and locations and now information about getting the vaccine.
Asbury Park Mayor John Moor appeared on APTV to help communicate the new rules in place as the summer season approached with limited dining and the city’s popular nightclubs, including the Stone Pony, Paramount Theater and Convention Hall, closed and daily beach badge sales limited. Government continued to function with the City Council, and the various Boards and Commissions taking to ZOOM for meetings, hosted by APTV.
At the same time, APTV began laying the groundwork for “APTV-2.” McCallister said APTV plans to use the second TV channel as an information hub for all city residents, employees and business owners and tourists. Using digital signage hardware and software from our longtime partner TelVue, APTV will have up to the minute weather event and safety information available via cable TV, the website, www.AsburyParkTV.com , and the Roku/Apple apps. Rollout is expected in the Spring 2021. APTV serves the city of Asbury Park on Optimum channels 77 and 116 and Verizon FiOS channels 28 and 30.
The new channel is not the only new development at APTV. Changes are also planned in other areas where the technology that was available in 2013 has been replaced by newer technology for the 21st century. APTV last year purchased a Sling Studio for use in multi-camera situations. The Sling Studio was first used to live stream the Asbury Park High School Graduation, which took place in the summer because of Covid 19 restrictions. The outdoor ceremony has been viewed more than 500 times. The station also added a new SONY Camcorder, a SONY 4k, model PXW-Z150. Other improvements are being considered for the Council Chambers. Originally, there was just one camera mounted on a tripod that was replaced by two PTZ cameras from GRAMCO which also updated the audio system in the room.
Hopefully, the Council and the public will be able to return to City Hall when the world returns to “normal.”
Posted: February 16, 2021 by Doug Seidel
Announcing the JAG YouTube Channel
In our continuing effort to enhance the Social Media profile of JAG, through the efforts of the Production and External Relations committees, we are proud to announce the launch of the JAG YouTube Channel. You can find the new channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmA3j3MeNeEjN5WkZarVilQ. We are asking all our members to subscribe so you will receive notices when new shows are posted. We need to get 100 subscribers to get our own JAG YouTube URL.
It is our hope that the YouTube Channel will become a showcase for the outstanding work of our stations, religious institutions and independent producers. The channel will launch with productions from our local JAG stations and some older material produced by member stations from the JAG produced “Access New Jersey” shows. The material posted to the channel should be not time sensitive and should have appeal to an audience beyond your local township. Once you are subscribed, you can sit back and enjoy the outstanding work of your JAG colleagues. Below are the instructions as to how to add a video to the channel.
Please consider adding material to the Channel. It can only be as good as the content that our members supply. If you are a Municipal or Access Channel this will give you another venue to showcase your best work. If you are an Independent Producer, this is yet another way to distribute your program. The kinds of material that you might consider adding would include:
• Profiles of interesting people in your community—artists, authors, business executives
• Concerts or other music programs with universal appeal
• Shows based on history or historic events
• Children’s shows
• Shows on Nature, Climate Change, and Environmental issues
• Health related programs with universal topics
• Lectures with prominent thought leaders in your community
In short, any kind of programs that are timeless and have universal appeal.
Please note that members of the Production and External Relations Committees will review videos for approval before they will be added to the YouTube page. Thanks to Doug Seidel and Robert Horvath for their contributions to the development of the Channel.
How to submit your video for the JAG YouTube:
Do you have a YouTube account for your station/show/entity?
Just send the URL for the video and it will be added to the playlist on the JAG channel, plus you still get the view counts for anyone that watches it.
Do you have the video on the shared connect server?
Be sure it is shared with the JAG group and send an email letting us know you would like to submit that video for the channel. It will be downloaded and then uploaded to the YouTube page.
Don’t have connect or a YouTube page?
Upload the video to a file transfer site like dropbox, google drive or wetransfer and send it over to Doug Seidel at the email address listed below. It will be downloaded and then uploaded to the YouTube page.
dseidel@piscatawaynj.org