Fort Wayne's first full-HD station debuts Aug. 1

Fort Wayne's first full-HD station debuts Aug. 1: "WFFT-TV, owned and operated by Nexstar Broadcasting Group Inc., announced today that WFFT LOCAL will debut Aug. 1 and serve the Fort Wayne, Ohio and Michigan areas with local news and entertainment programming."

SBE-news - July 6, 2011

In this issue of SBE-news, read about the July 7 FEMA-sponsored EAS National Test webinar. We also have an update on the progress of H.R.2102, the FCC Commissioners' Technical Resource Enhancement Act, following a visit to Washington last week by the SBE Government Relations Chairman Barry Thomas and accompanied by the SBE General Counsel Chris Imlay.  There is also another excellent webinar coming up that will be of interest to many of you; this one is titled Managing a Project and Outside Contractors for Success. Check it out!    Vinny Lopez, CEV, CBNT SBE President     FEMA National EAS Test Best Practices Guide Discussion to be Held July 7 Join FEMA Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) and industry experts in a live webinar discussion on the Nationwide EAS Test Best Practices Guide: An Overview of the National EAS Message Process, on Thursday, July 7 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. EDT. In order to prepare EAS Participants for the Nationwide EAS Test scheduled for November 9, FEMA/IPAWS and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is partnering with industry leaders and experts to draft a comprehensive technical best practices guide on end-to-end National EAS message procedures. The guide will be updated incrementally with the EAS community through webinars, roundtables, and other activities leading up to the test. The July 7 webinar will provide an outline of the best practices guide and include: - An end-to-end summary of the National EAS message process. - Corresponding technical best practices from industry experts. - Nationwide EAS Test preparations and activities. - Questions and answers as well as feedback on improvements to the outline. - Discussions on the next version of the guide.  Presenters include: - Manny Centeno, FEMA/IPAWS EAS test and demonstration program manager - Chris Brandt, senior director, engineering and technology policy, National Association of Broadcasters Science and Technology Department - Chris Brandt, subject matter expert, head-end engineer        To join the webinar use the following Microsoft 2007 Live Meeting link. The link will be activated the morning of July 7. - https://www323.livemeeting.com/cc/eiip/join?id=IPAWS&role=attend Live Meeting Client must be installed in order to hear the audio portion of the program.  Microsoft Windows (XP or later) and sound card are required.  Please refer to the Live Meeting Instructions for configuring your system. Please contact ipaws@dhs.gov with any questions. For more information on the Nationwide EAS Test, please visit the FEMA IPAWS website.     Drive for Co-sponsors of H.R.2102 Continues SBE General Counsel Chris Imlay and SBE Government Relations Committee Chairman Barry Thomas visit Washington D.C. on June 30. Imlay and Thomas met with staff from 10 house districts. The effort to secure co-sponsors of H.R.2102, the FCC Commissioners' Technical Resource Enhancement Act, continued in earnest last week. The SBE Government Relations Committee Chairman Barry Thomas, CPBE, CBNT, and General Counsel Chris Imlay, devoted a full day visiting the offices of ten members of the U.S. House of Representatives who sit on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce; Sub-committee on Communications and Technology. If enacted, H.R.2102 would authorize each FCC commissioner to add an engineer or computer scientist to his or her staff.  The bill was introduced on June 2 by Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL). Since then, Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA) and Rep. Tom Petri (R-WI) have become co-signers.  A visit to the office of Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL) by Thomas and Imlay last week netted a commitment to co-sponsor from the congressman. More co-sponsors are expected as a result of last week's meetings. In late June, the SBE also sent dozens of emails to the SBE members who live or work within the districts of sub-committee members, asking them to write letters to their representatives that urge them to co-sponsor the bill. Copies of those letters have begun to arrive at the SBE headquarters. Members of the SBE are encouraged to write their representative and urge them to co-sponsor the bill and also to encourage their colleagues to do the same. A sample letter is available at the SBE website.     SBE to Host "Managing a Project and Outside Contractors for Success" Webinar  John Luff will be the SBE webinar instructor for the webinar set for July 20. The SBE will present a live webinar on Wednesday, July 20 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. EDT titled "Managing a Project and Outside Contractors for Success".  The instructor for this webinar is the SBE Engineer of the Year in 2010 John Luff, an independent media technology consultant.   The nature of our business is wrapped around change. One of these types of change occurs when stations face major projects that can be disruptive, yet fulfilling for those involved. This significant change causes stress unless a carefully designed structure is wrapped around the work. This webinar will help attendees learn the roles and responsibilities of those involved in planning and executing a capital project. Emphasis is placed on the roles and responsibilities of the station, consultants and system integrators.   This webinar will assist managers, design engineers, chief engineers and staff members planning and executing upgraded or new facilities plan effectively and manage without undue conflict.   The completion of this webinar from Webinars by SBE qualifies for one credit, identified under Category I of the Recertification Schedule for SBE Certifications.    The registration fee for the SBE members is $59 and $79 for non-members. Please note all revenue from this webinar goes to the SBE to continue building its education program.Register today.    If you have questions regarding this webinar, contact Kimberly Kissel via  email or by phone at (317) 846-9000.               The Society of Broadcast Engineers 9102 North Meridian St, Suite 150 Indianapolis, IN 46260 Phone: (317) 846-9000 Fax: (317) 846-9120

 

SBE EAS Alert

SBE EAS Alert National EAS Test Set for November 9  Rear Admiral James Barnett, Jr., Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, today announced that the National Emergency Alert System (EAS) Test will take place November 9, 2011 at 2pm EST. The announcement was made during today's regularly scheduled FCC Meeting.     "With the date of the National EAS Test now set, broadcast stations will now be able to make their plans to participate. SBE will continue to provide information to our members to assist in their preparation," said SBE President, Vinny Lopez, CEV, CBNT.   Watch the EAS pages on the SBE website for updates to the SBE's FAQ section that reflect this and other EAS announcements.   Today at 12:30 EDT, FEMA will be holding a Virtual Roundtable to discuss the National EAS Test. The roundtable includes industry and government leaders including SBE President Vinny Lopez, CEV, CBNT and SBE EAS Education Co-Chair Jeff Smith, CSRE, CBNT.   Session 1: AM, FM, Digital Radio Industry Session June 9- 12:30pm - 1:50pm   Session 2: Digital Television, Cable, Satellite Industry Session June 9- 2:30pm- 3:50pm   View today's Virtual Roundtable by following the URL below: https://www323.livemeeting.com/cc/eiip/join?id=IPAWS&role=attend      Instructions for configuring your system are available on the FEMA website.    The Society of Broadcast Engineers 9102 North Meridian St, Suite 150 Indianapolis, IN 46260 Phone: (317) 846-9000 Fax: (317) 846-9120

 

SBE to Certify Broadcast Networking Engineer - TV Technology

SBE to Certify Broadcast Networking Engineer - TV Technology: "

SBE to Certify Broadcast Networking Engineer TV Technology It's been almost 10 years since the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) Certification Committee rolled out the Certified Broadcast Network Technologist level. It has become one of the most popular certification ...

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Robovision All Over the Track on Memorial Day Weekend

Robovision All Over the Track on Memorial Day Weekend: "

Memorial Day weekend has never been much of a vacation for Robovision. It’s among the busiest of the year for the robotic-camera-system provider, which has delivered an arsenal of systems to the Indianapolis 500 since 1992 and to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, NC, since 2001.

“Lucky for us, we are busy doing a lot of racing during the summer, so we can handle that kind of [weekend],” says Richard Glandorf, director of field operations for Robovision. “We are certainly operating at near full capacity and using most of our equipment and [crew], but it is nothing we can’t handle.”

Robovision was on hand at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with 11 remote pan-bar robotic camera systems for ESPN and deployed 13 systems at Charlotte Motor Speedway for NASCAR and Fox Sports.

On the Track

Robovision’s remote pan-bar system allows a camera operator to remotely control the wall-mounted robotic camera via a traditional pan-bar system and monitor located in the OB compound. The company relies heavily on Ikegami cameras with Canon 40x lenses to capture race action up close without endangering camera operators. In addition, the system is capable of performing hard pans that would be far more difficult with a traditional hard camera.

“Auto racing and robotics go hand-in-hand, primarily because of the safety issue,” says Glandorf. “But the pan-bar system we use also lends itself to making that fast pan that is required when you’re positioned right on the wall. These systems allow you to adjust your settings to dial in the pan that is required. Our systems are able to make the hardest pans lap after lap, race after race.”

Robovision has become ubiquitous at NASCAR Sprint Cup event, having deployed 12-13 systems at nearly every race since 2001. Most of these POV cameras are mounted directly to the walls of the track, usually going into and coming out of turns, where accidents tend to occur. Various robotic cameras are positioned to cover the pits, flag stand, and straightaways.

Robovision at Indy

ESPN deployed 11 Robovision systems for its coverage at the 100th running of the Indy 500, a far cry from the four on hand in 1992 at the company’s first 500. This year, Robovision positions included two cameras in the pits and two in no-man’s land (the forbidden area between the pits and the track).

“Indy is a very big track, so you tend to get really spread out along the front stretch,” says Glandorf. “The two cameras in the no-man’s-land area are a challenge because it is an area that you don’t get access to during the race. But it also provides a great angle.”

"

Indiana TV station defends cutting off Indy 500 finish

Indiana TV station defends cutting off Indy 500 finish: "SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A South Bend television station is defending its decision to cut away from the finish of the Indianapolis 500 for a severe weather report."

TV station defends Indy 500 cut in

TV station defends Indy 500 cut in: "A South Bend television station is defending its decision to cut away from the finish of the Indianapolis 500 for a severe weather report.

SBE-news June 1, 2011

As we welcome the month of June, this issue of SBE-news includes information about this fall's SBE National Meeting in Ohio, which will be co-located with a fine educational event presented by the Ohio Association of Broadcasters. Also in this issue are details of our next SBE RF Safety Course webinar, to be held on June 21.  Our instructor, Richard Strickland, does an excellent job on a topic that's very important for our safety, as well as others who may come in contact with RF-emitting sources. Be sure to sign up if you haven't yet.   Vinny Lopez, CEV, CBNT SBE President       SBE National Meeting Heads to Columbus, Ohio SBE President Vinny Lopez speaks to members at the 2010 National Meeting. The 2011 National Meeting and Annual Membership Meeting will be held in Columbus, Ohio this fall. The 2011 National Meeting of the Society of Broadcast Engineers will be held on September 27-28 at the Crown Plaza Hotel and the adjacent Columbus Convention Center in downtown Columbus, Ohio.  The National Meeting is being held in conjunction with the Ohio Association of Broadcaster's, Ohio Broadcast Engineering Conference.   The Ohio Broadcast Engineering Conference, now in its ninth year, is attended by broadcast engineers from across Ohio and neighboring states. The Conference includes technical papers and an equipment trade show on September 28. SBE Members in all five Ohio SBE chapters are encouraged to attend. All SBE members, their guests and others interested in the SBE are invited to attend. Registration for the Ohio Broadcast Engineers Conference will open later this summer. National Meeting activities include meetings of the Board of Directors and national Certification Committee, both held on September 27. The annual Fellows Breakfast, Membership Meeting and National Awards Reception and Dinner will all be held on the September 28. The dinner program will include the presentation of the SBE Broadcast Engineer of the Year and the SBE Educator of the Year Awards, which will be announced later in June. Three members will be recognized with the highest membership rank awarded by the SBE, the SBE Fellow: Chuck Kelly, Halifax, N.S., Chapter 49; Art Lebermann, CPBE, San Francisco, Chapter 40; Barry Thomas, CPBE, CBNT, Chapter 5, Atlanta, Ga. Some of the awards bring presented to chapters and individual members during dinner include Best Technical Article, Best Chapter Newsletter, Best Chapter Website, Best Regional Convention or Conference, Most Certified Chapter, Greatest Percentage Growth and Highest Average Member Attendance. Tickets for the reception and dinner are $15 and may be ordered on-line. Tickets may also be ordered by calling the SBE National Office at (317) 846-9000. A special guest room rate of $99 for single and double occupancy has been arranged for attendees of the SBE National Meeting and OAB Engineering Conference. The rate includes complimentary Internet connection.  To make reservations, call (614) 461-4100 and ask for the special OAB rate. Or make your reservation on-line at the Crown Plaza website. Use group code: OAB. The reservation deadline is August 27. After this date, rooms are available subject to a space and rate-available basis. We hope to see many of you in Columbus for this year's SBE National Meeting and the Ohio Broadcast Engineering Conference.       SBE RF Safety Course Webinar to be Held June 21 Richard Strickland Richard Strickland of RF Safety Solutions is teaching the 14th SBE RF Safety Course for Broadcast Engineers on Tuesday, June 21 from 2:30-5:45 p.m. ET. An attendee to the RF Safety Course held February 17 of this year said,"Richard did a great job of providing examples, answering questions, and keeping the material interesting. I appreciate the ability to download slides for future reference." The course is designed for broadcast station personnel, including chief and assistant chief engineers, transmitter site engineers, ENG and SNG maintenance personnel and management that need to have an understanding of RF safety issues and regulations. An overview of RF radiation issues and practices for broadcasters is addressed in the course, including:   Biological effects of RF radiation and the distinct differences between RF radiation and ionizing radiation FCC and OSHA regulations - what they are and what you need to do to comply Workplace hazards Transmitter sites SNG and ENG trucks Remote operations (where news personnel can find problems, such as on rooftops) The unique issues at AM stations RF hazard protection equipment - you may not need it but your contractors probably will Signs - what they mean and what you need  As with all education programs by SBE, this course qualifies for SBE Recertification Credit. The completion of this webinar qualifies for 1 credit, identified under Category I of the Recertification Schedule for SBE Certifications.   The cost for SBE Members is $85 and $125 for non-members.  SBE Chapters and companies are encouraged to secure a suitable training site where local members or employees can participate in the course. Other than the individual registration, there is no additional cost to host a location. We make it easy for you by accepting and tracking registrations!  If you do not live near a confirmed site, you may register for your own log-in port. There are a limited number of ports, so availability is limited.  Individuals interested in attending this course are encouraged to contact their chapters or employers to get multiple people registered to attend from a central location.  Reserve a log-in port now. Visit the SBE website for more information on the SBE RF Safety Course.   The Society of Broadcast Engineers 9102 North Meridian St, Suite 150 Indianapolis, IN 46260 Phone: (317) 846-9000 Fax: (317) 846-9120

 

IBA - Hall of Fame Press Release - 2011 Inductees: Joe Angotti, Ken Beckley, Rick Cummings, John DeCamp, Bob McClain, Don Payne, Joe Piggott and Chuck Workman

THE INDIANA BROADCAST PIONEERS TO INDUCT EIGHT

INTO THE RICHARD M. FAIRBANKS HALL OF FAME IN 2011

 

The Indiana Broadcast Pioneers will induct Joe Angotti, Kenneth “Ken” Beckley, Richard “Rick” Cummings, Robert “Swoop” McClain, Joe Piggott and Chuck Workman into the Richard M. Fairbanks Fame at an awards banquet, October 6, 2011 at The Fountains in Carmel, Indiana.  John DeCamp and William Donald “Don” Payne will be inducted posthumously.

 

The Hall of Fame honors members of the broadcasting industry who have made significant contributions to broadcasting’s growth and improvement.  140 people have been inducted since the Hall of Fame was founded in 1981.  They have represented all areas of broadcasting: “on air” talent, engineers, technicians, sales people, owners and management.  This year’s inductees include:

 

National Emmy award-winning veteran Joe Angotti was born and raised in Gary where he filled jelly donuts at his dad’s bakery before delivering them to the steel mills. While at IU, he was the first student news director of WFIU and earned the first graduate degree ever awarded at IU in radio and television.  After stints at Louisville’s WHAS and Chicago’s WMAQ, he was promoted to New York where he was eventually named Senior Vice-President of the NBC News division and Executive Producer of NBC Nightly News.  From 1993 - 1998, he taught broadcast journalism at the University of Miami School of Journalism.  In 1999, he was named professor and chair of the broadcast program at the Medill School of Journalism.  He is now a journalism professor at Monmouth University.

 

Lynnville, Indiana native Ken Beckley was a broadcaster for 14 years with stints at Terre Haute’s WTHI-TV, Asheville, North Carolina’s WLOS-TV and Indianapolis’ WRTV-TV.  It was at WRTV in 1970 when he and Howard Caldwell were pioneers, as one of Indiana’s first dual-anchor teams.  He became the station’s first executive news producer in 1976.  From 1977 - 1983, he served as IUPUI’s first Director of University Relations.  In 1983, he became Vice President of Advertising and Public Relations for H.H. Gregg.  From 2002 - 2007, he was President and CEO of the Indiana University Alumni Association.  He served as vice-president of the Indianapolis Press Club and president of the Indiana Broadcast Pioneers.

 

In 1981, Rick Cummings, from Cloverdale, became Emmis Broadcasting’s first program director at flagship station WENS-FM, 97.1.  In 1984, he was named Emmis’ National Program Director, launching KPWR in Los Angeles, followed by WQHT in New York, and then the country’s first all-sports station, WFAN in New York.  In 2002, he became President of the Radio Division of Emmis Communications, overseeing more than 20 radio stations.  In 2008, he became President of Programming for Emmis’ domestic radio group.

 

John DeCamp began his journalism career as a paper boy for the Kendalville News Sun.  While earning his electrical engineering degree at Purdue University, he served as a student announcer on the school’s public radio station, WBAA.  For 43 years, DeCamp was the “Voice of Purdue,” doing play-by-play for Boilermaker basketball and football.  For 22 years, DeCamp was part of the Indianapolis “500” Radio Network.  In 1971, he was named “Top Broadcaster of the Year” by the Indiana Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.  In 1974, he was inducted into the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame.  DeCamp died on December 5, 2003.

 

Bob “Swoop” McClain was born and raised in Chicago where, as a kid, he watched his hero Harry Volkman on television.  Volkman is known for being the first weatherman to issue a tornado warning.  McClain is remembered for making swooping gestures while talking about weather fronts.  McClain majored in meteorology and minored in Radio/TV at the University of Wisconsin in Madison where he did a weekly weather program on the campus TV station.  Graduating in 1967, he became a weather officer in the Navy.  His first TV weather job was at WKZO, Kalamazoo, Michigan.  And in May, 1972, he became a TV meteorologist at WFMB-TV, Channel 6, staying until 2002.

 

At the University of Arkansas in Little Rock, Don Payne worked at radio stations KAAY and KLPO.  While attending Purdue University’s School of Engineering, he worked at WZUS and WAZY in Lafayette.  He was a trained engineer but also an on-air personality heard live on WZPL in Indianapolis and WAZY in Lafayette simultaneously.  After working as Director of Engineering for WKRQ in Cincinnati, he returned to Indianapolis to be Chief Engineer for Radio One‘s one television and four radio stations.  Payne died on December 12, 2010. 

 

Born and raised on Indianapolis’ Eastside, Joe Piggott became his broadcasting career in Logansport in 1951.  A four decade long career with stops in New Albany, Connersville, Columbus, Cincinnati and West Palm Beach, Florida. In Indianapolis, he was on the air at WXLW, WIBC and WFBM.  In the early 60’s, he teamed with Glenn Webber of WFBM for the “Piggott-Webber Thing,” a top-rated morning program which was one of the city’s all-time best talk radio programs.

 

Chuck Workman grew up in Indianapolis’ Lockfield Gardens.  As a teen, he went to legendary jazz clubs along Indiana Venue.  In 1967, his dream of becoming a broadcaster was realized when he joined WTLC-FM (formerly WAIV) as music director.  It was the inaugural year for the station and the first station to be fully-owned by African Americans.  Two years later, he joined WTTV as the first African-American sports director in Indiana.  He continued in that role until 1980 when he became Director of Public Affairs.  The jazz enthusiast has hosted jazz programs at WIAN-FM, WFYI-FM and WTPI-FM.  He has written a jazz column for NUVO for seventeen years.  Black Expo recognized him in 2010 for contributions to jazz culture with the Lynn Dean Ford print award.  He is a member of the Indiana Jazz Hall of Fame.

 

Sid Weedman and Julie Slaymaker are co-chairmen of the event.

ESPN, ABC Look Forward and Back for Indy 500

ESPN, ABC Look Forward and Back for Indy 500

via Sports Video Group by Jason Dachman, Associate Editor on 5/24/11

The Indianapolis 500 has always been celebrated for its innovation, dating back to Ray Harroun's use of the world's first known rearview mirror during his victory at the inaugural race in 1911. Now, 100 years later, ESPN and ABC will follow that tradition, deploying an arsenal of new and updated technologies during its live telecast from Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday.

"Throughout the show, we're going to offer all the stories of this year's race but, at the same time, take our viewers through a history of the greatest spectacle in racing," says ESPN VP of Motorsports Rich Feinberg. "We will also have a combination of some new technologies that we're deploying and upgrades of state-of-the-art things we've done in the past."

The Latest and Greatest for Indy's Centennial
Feinberg and company will deploy a total of 64 cameras for the ESPN on ABC telecast two super-slo-mo systems, 15 robotic POV cameras (one at the start/finish line and 14 scattered throughout the track), and a variety of specialty camera systems. NEP's SS-21, ESPN's primary mobile unit for motorsports, is on hand to run the show.

Depending on last-minute team confirmations, ESPN expects to have 12 in-car HD camera systems available, each outfitted with a 360-degree rotating camera mounted behind the driver.

Providing high angles and aerial shots will be a HeliCam and aerial camera system that ESPN calls the Bat Cam, which features an HD camera running from the start/finish line down the front stretch and into turn one. The Bat Cam will provide coverage of pit road, fans in the crowd, and the action down the front stretch.

The Rev of the Engines in 5.1
Racing fans can expect to hear the sounds of the Indy 500 like never before. ESPN will produce the race in Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound for the first time.

"5.1 audio allows for a truly enhanced experience — whether it's the sounds of the engines, the crowd, the effects, the radios, and everything else mixed in," says Feinberg. "When you can take all that audio and split it up into multiple channels, it just makes those sounds that much more realistic."

Also attracting viewers' ears will be a new radio-replay system from TASCAM that allows ESPN to record, play back, and edit radio audio from any of the 33 drivers. Although ESPN has used the system for its NASCAR coverage in the past, this marks its debut at the Indy 500.

"On NASCAR, I call it the world's biggest TiVo," says Feinberg. "It's got extended recordable capabilities. You can separately record all 33 teams, and then you can go back in — just like on a TiVo — and, while you're continuing to record, you can pick out sections and edit them together to help tell the story."

New Look and the Return of RaceFX
In terms of graphics, ESPN will debut an insert look for motorsports, which will be deployed for all of ESPN's IndyCar coverage going forward. The network will add the new look to its NASCAR coverage beginning with the Brickyard 400 on July 25.

All 33 cars will once again carry Sportvision RaceFX boxes for the RaceFX data-driven graphics system. The boxes supply GPS in-race car-positioning data for the graphic pointers that help viewers identify each car. It also provides telemetry data that allows ESPN to feature graphics indicating a car's speed, RPMs, G-force, steering radius, breaking tendencies, and more.

"Unlike stock-car racing, we don't have these big numbers on the roof and on the doors; they are basically just on the nose cone and the rear wing," says Feinberg. "With the speed of these cars and the amount of side-by-side racing that you have in an open-wheel race, the pointer system is the key to identifying cars to viewers."

Catering to the Casual Fan
Much like the Triple Crown of horseracing, the Indy 500 draws a throng of casual motorsports fans, who may watch only one or two races a year. Feinberg is well aware of this fact and sees elements like RaceFX as a valuable way to bring these viewers back for more.

"We're very cognizant that, like other big events of this stature, a large portion of our audience are viewers that don't necessarily watch a lot of IndyCar races," he says. "We want to make sure that we are embracing those new viewers with our storytelling, graphics, camera work in hopes that they'll enjoy the race and become fans down the road. Our goal is to remain authentic in our presentation and offer insightful details to hardcore IndyCar fans, while also embracing new viewers."

Pre-race All About the History
The ESPN on ABC coverage will begin at 11 a.m. ET with The Indianapolis 500 — A Centennial Celebration, an hour-long prerace special hosted by Brent Musburger from a brand-new set that will be located right on the racetrack.

"Brent will be surrounded by current cars as well many of the old winning cars dating back to the Mormon Wasp in 1911," says Feinberg. "We think that that will give a great feeling of nostalgia throughout the pregame."

EAS Update

EAS Update     The Society of Broadcast Engineers is excited to announce a new series of educational Web events presented by FEMA regarding the EAS.  The first event will be a virtual roundtable on June 9th, focused on the EAS National Test. This, and future web events, will be led by FEMA officials along with other government and industry experts.    Please take time to go to the IPAWS Idea Sharing website before the June 9th webinar to share your ideas, questions and concerns about the upcoming EAS National Test. Please note that neither the Idea Sharing Site or the webinar will focus on CAP. These are meant solely to help broadcasters and governing agencies work out the issues with the National EAS Test preemptively.   Please read the information below from FEMA carefully to learn about the virtual roundtable on June 9th and note there are separate radio and television virtual roundtable sessions scheduled.       You're Invited Thursday, June 9, 2011 to a National Dialogue on the Emergency Alert System with Industry and Government Leaders! Share Ideas. Discuss Possibilities. Inspire Others.    In preparation for the National Emergency Alert System (EAS) Test in fall 2011, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS)Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) is hosting a Virtual Roundtable event Thursday, June 9, with industry and State and local government leaders in the emergency alert and warning field.     Virtual roundtable leaders and experts will discuss experiential and anecdotal EAS technical challenges and EAS community outreach and engagement activities to harness and share existing lessons learned. The virtual roundtable is designed to promote a free exchange of solutions-based ideas in a positive, authentic, and collegial atmosphere. This ground-breaking, collaborative forum will spotlight perspectives and share best practices for improving the EAS across a wide range of discussion topics.    Additionally, IPAWS is encouraging idea sharing for the National Dialogue on the Emergency Alert System website, opening Monday, May 23rd.  Specific EAS topics include:    · EAS Technical Challenges (i.e. Audio quality, Crawl, Color, Speed) · EAS Equipment Installation, Configuration, and Operation · EAS State Plans and Monitoring Assignments · Clarifications of EAS Rulemaking · EAS Community Engagement and Awareness   This virtual roundtable is one in a series of planned roundtables and webinars on the Emergency Alert System, so please stay tuned for upcoming events. FEMA IPAWS, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will compile informed best practices in preparation for the National EAS Test.    EAS Participant Virtual Roundtable with Industry and Government Leaders   June 9, 2011 Session 1: AM, FM, Digital Radio Industry Session 12:30 p.m. - 1:50 p.m. EDT    Session 2: Digital Television, Cable, Satellite Industry Session 2:30 p.m.- 3:50 p.m. EDT    Please email: ipaws@fema.gov for an Outlook meeting invitation.    Want to directly engage before, during, and after the Virtual Roundtable discussion? Please submit your ideas, best practices, and vote on the National Dialogue on the Emergency Alert System website, which opens on Monday, May 23, 2011!    Voting and discussion by peers is essential for our virtual roundtable discussion. The Top 5 most "Popular" ideas will be directly discussed among virtual roundtable industry leaders and experts.      Virtual Roundtable 2007 Live Meeting Connection Information The Live Meeting Client must be installed in order to hear the audio portion of the program.  Microsoft Windows (XP or later) and sound card are required.  Please refer to the Live Meeting Instructions for configuring your system. http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/ipaws/livemtginstruct.pdf.    Use the following URL to log in to the Webinar: https://www323.livemeeting.com/cc/eiip/join?id=IPAWS&role=attend   We look forward to hearing your ideas and questions at the June 9 discussion!   The Society of Broadcast Engineers 9102 North Meridian St, Suite 150 Indianapolis, IN 46260 Phone: (317) 846-9000 Fax: (317) 846-9120

 

Data Center News Digest from Lifeline Data Centers

Data Center News Digest          May 2011   Follow Us     Insider Info Disaster recovery and your old data center There is a big switch that is happening with many enterprise data centers.  Companies are seeking sophisticated primary data center space with better reliability. Companies are moving the primary data center off-site to colocation facilities that offer better access to more carriers, higher uptime, and room to grow or change.  Many of these companies are then faced with a decision regarding a secondary data center.  There are plenty of options: Rent space in another outsourced data center facility Use virtual cloud infrastructure for a second data center Repurpose the old primary data center as the disaster recovery site. There are a few advantages to repurposing the old "headquarters" data center.      Many of the maintenance costs are already sunk, so the ongoing costs of the data center may be low.   Connectivity is already in place and can be shared for day-to-day use and for duplicating data from the primary to the secondary data center. This can reduce costs even further.    In the event of a loss of the off-site primary data center, no external telecom connectivity is needed at the headquarters data center location.  Anyone who is in the building has LAN access to the disaster recovery systems.   Interested in learning more about repurposing the headquarters data center ?  Call 317.423.2591. Bandwidth Street Prices   Point to Point T1   $99-$399 Internet T1s   $120-$299   10 Mbps Ethernet $500-$1100   100 Mbps Ethernet   $1400-$3500 Bulk bandwidth per mbps   $6-$20 Dark Fiber   $1800-$4500       Trusted Information Partners Perpetual Technologies TLS Periodicals ComputerWorld Baseline Magazine InfoWorld Network World Processor CIO Data Center Journal More about us   Data Center Double Duty Data centers continue to be filled with more and more IT systems, but enterprises aren't necessarily hiring more people to manage that new equipment, two surveys have found. In a survey conducted in March by AFCOM , a data center managers group, 37% of the respondents said they had reduced their data center staffs over the past three years, and 29% said they kept their staffing levels the same. The balance, nearly 35%, increased staffing. But over that same period, nearly 74% of the data centers increased their physical server count, according to the AFCOM poll of 360 IT managers and other senior IT executives. The upshot is that 66% the data centers covered in the AFCOM survey are managing more systems with the same number of people or fewer. A separate study by Metrics Based Assessments, also released in March, explains what's happening. CIO.com article       IT Maturity Assessment and Data Center Transformation   The pace of change, degrees of complexity, and explosion around the uses of new devices and increased data sources are placing new requirements and new strain on older data centers. Research shows that a majority of enterprises are either planning for or are in the midst of data center improvements and expansions. Deciding how to best improve your data center is not an easy equation. Those building new data centers now need to contend with architectural shifts to cloud and hybrid infrastructure models, as well as the need to cut total cost and reduce energy consumption for the long-term. An added requirement for new data centers is to satisfy the needs of both short-and long-term goals, by effectively jibing the need for agility now with facility and staffing decisions that may well impact the company for 20 years or more. All these fast-moving trends are accelerating the need for successful data center transformation (DCT). As a means to beginning such a DCT journey, to identify some proven ways that explore how to do DCT effectively, BriefingsDirect now examines two ongoing HP workshops as a means of accurately assessing a company's maturity in order to know then how to best begin and take a DCT journey.  SOA World article     The Five Core Competencies For Developing IT Leaders For CIOs to be business and community leaders, they need to build a strong team of officers and departmental directors that can execute without a lot of detailed direction. Without them, the CIO must spend valuable time on daily execution and less time working with the other corporate leaders, reinforcing the perception that the CIO is technology-centric. So building a strong bench is a prerequisite for success. Over my 40-year IT career, most recently as senior VP of architecture and technical strategy at FedEx, I've found that most senior IT officers don't do enough to develop the core management skills of their VPs and promising directors. Performance reviews and annual objective-setting exercises are useful -- at best -- in aligning individual tasks, management expectations, and organizational goals. But they don't build leaders. Particularly when it comes to high-potential individuals, developing IT leaders is a continuous process of mostly small exchanges.  InformationWeek article     Data centers experiment with new power sources Solar arrays, gas turbines and fuel cells are among the innovative options for powering data centers. Data center power usage is soaring -- the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that data center energy requirements will double in the next five years. To address that surge in energy use, some companies are turning to alternative sources of energy, including solar arrays, natural gas turbines, wind power, fuel cells and hydro power. But one big question is whether these power sources will deliver a return on investment in the near future. Ted Ritter, an analyst at Nemertes Research Group, says many companies are having a hard time justifying an investment in alternative power sources right now -- especially if it means completely replacing the reliable AC power already coming into their buildings, as opposed to merely supplementing it. But some users are forging ahead with alternative energy projects anyway, figuring on a payoff within 15 years. For the North County Transit District (NCTD) in San Diego, solar was the most obvious choice for alternative power. The organization's data center is relatively small, but it's big enough to enable the agency to handle ticketing for 12 million public transportation users annually and process video from security cameras in transit stations. Computerworld article   The Shutdown:  Dismantling a Data Center We've seen lots of time-lapse videos of people building server rooms and data centers. But here's the first example I've seen of a time-lapse video of someone breaking down a data center. YouTube user dragonfly5446  has put together a unique look at the decommissioning of a facility in northern Virginia with 300 servers and 40 network devices. The video was created by positioning a Nikon D7000 camera in high-traffic areas of the data center and setting it to take a picture every seven to 12 seconds. The entire process is set to music, to very cool effect. This video runs about 11 minutes. Data Center Knowledge article

What We Do Lifeline Data Centers provides: N+N redundant facilities with 99.995% uptime:  F5 tornado resistant building, redundant power and cooling, security, fire suppression, and 24x7 access Customized private cages and rack space for your computer systems and communications equipment Private caged staging and storage space Technology office space Multiple carriers, carrier neutrality, and no monthly cross connect fees* Remote backup services for disaster recovery Systems monitoring and notification 24x7 NOC Services For more info, call Doug Theis at Lifeline Data Centers:  317-423-2591