Satellite Truck and 'Gridiron Glory' Team Up for Live Broadcast
Contact: Anne Keyser, External & Alumni Relations Coordinator, College of Communication, 740-593-0030, 740-593-0459 (fax) or keysera@ohio.edu
ATHENS, Ohio (October 26, 2000) -- Football-loving public television viewers throughout the region are enjoying high school game scores, interviews and highlights every Friday night, thanks to "Gridiron Glory," a half-hour program created by students at Ohio University's Telecommunications Center. This Friday, Oct. 27, "Gridiron Glory" presents its most cutting-edge development to date: a live report on the New Philadelphia-Dover high school football game from New Philadelphia, Ohio, to be aired on WOUB/WOUC and likely on the Ohio News Network as well.
Public television viewers can watch for New Philadelphia native Robert Metzger's report during "Gridiron Glory" at 11:30 p.m. and a live preview of the game with Tony Gacek during the sports segment of the Telecommunication Center's "Newswatch" Friday at 6:30 p.m.
The live broadcast segment is made possible by the university's 27-foot news-gathering satellite truck, acquired in September with private gifts to the university. In the last month, the truck has covered such events as Bobcat football at Western Michigan University and the music of the "Rarely Herd" at Nelsonville's Stuart's Opera House. It also has given video production and broadcast journalism students experience in broadcasting live events.
"It is the kind of hands-on experience with state-of-the-art technology that draws students from all over the state and sets our students apart after graduation," said Michael Rodriguez, the center's student training coordinator. Rodriguez worked with University Media Services to arrange use of the truck.
"Gridiron Glory" reporters typically attend games no more than 90 minutes from Athens so that they can return by 10 p.m. to edit video, write stories and prepare for broadcast. At 11:30 p.m. they report live from the newsroom or in the studio with the show's host.
While on-site live reports can be transmitted to the Telecommunications Center though microwave transmission, they are limited to the University's regional campus microwave sites. Satellite transmission allows "Gridiron" reporters to broadcast from anywhere they can drive. The only added cost is the satellite uplink time.
Ohio News Network (ONN) viewers can also look for "Gridiron Glory" highlights Friday at 11:30 p.m., says Matt Hein, ONN executive sports producer. Hein is working with Rodriguez to pick up Ohio University's satellite feed and make Metzger's report available statewide on the "High School Sports Site," a weekly sports wrap-up show.
The Ohio University Telecommunications Center, a unit of the College of Communication, operates two television stationsWOUB-TV/Channel 20 in Athens and WOUC-TV/Channel 44 in Cambridgeand six radio stationsWOUB-1340 AM, WOUB-91.3 FM, WOUC-89.1 FM, WOUH-91.9 FM, WOUL-89.1 FM and WOUZ-90.1 FM.
The center, a trusted community resource, uses the power of noncommercial television, radio and other media, such as the World Wide Web, to enrich the lives of children and adults in Southeastern Ohio and Western West Virginia through quality programs and educational services that inform, enlighten, inspire and entertain.
