Summary

CBS affiliate WAGM-TV of Presque Isle, Maine purchased a ParkerVision PVTV Digital Studio News 16 system to serve as the backbone of its digital control room transition, replacing aging analog equipment. The automated live news production system, scheduled for installation in late June 2001, includes robotic cameras and an automated audio mixer, and will support all WAGM weekday and weekend newscasts.

Source document circa 2001 preserved as-is

Thursday, April 5, 2001

CBS AFFILIATE IN NORTHERN MAINE TO INSTALL PARKERVISION PVTV STUDIO NEWS SYSTEM AS BACKBONE OF DIGITAL TRANSITION

Automated Solution for Live News Production to Serve as Studio Staple for WAGM-TV

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, April 5, 2001 - ParkerVision, Inc., a leading manufacturer of automated systems for live television production, announces the purchase of a PVTV DIGITAL STUDIO NEWS™ 16 system by CBS affiliate WAGM-TV of Presque Isle, Maine. The system, scheduled to be online in late June 2001, will be installed in the station's all-new digital control room and will replace a host of aging analog equipment.

WAGM-TV's PVTV DIGITAL STUDIO NEWS 16 package includes two 4:3/16:9 Digital CameraMan® 3-CCD robotic pan/tilt cameras and a SHOT Director™ multi-camera controller, replacing the station's analog studio cameras. Once launched, the ParkerVision system will be used for all WAGM live newscasts, which air weekdays from 6:00 a.m.-7:00 a.m., plus half-hour broadcasts at 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., and a 6:00pm broadcast on Saturdays.

According to Gordon Wark, President and General Manager of WAGM-TV, the station selected PVTV DIGITAL STUDIO NEWS 16 for a variety of reasons, including cost-effectiveness, consistency, the expansion of its news product, and area employment issues.

"PVTV STUDIO NEWS is an extremely cost-effective and consistent product," said Wark. "It will allow us the opportunity to expand our news coverage in the future by adding more programs without incurring greatly increased costs. And as the population in our region has an extremely low unemployment rate, this system aids in the difficult challenge of locating and retaining camera operators and other skilled employees essential to a live production environment."

Prior to installation, WAGM-TV will send two of its directors to ParkerVision's Jacksonville, Florida headquarters for initial training on the system, followed by a fifteen day period of advanced on-site training and template building at the station.

"One of the features that really struck me as beneficial to our news programs is that PVTV will prevent early and late microphones from hindering our newscasts," he said. "The automated mixer panel within the system provides us with a smooth audio program, which was previously the main technical weakness of our newscast."

PVTV DIGITAL STUDIO NEWS 16 includes 16 serial digital video inputs and 24 analog audio inputs. It is also a one mix/effect system, with eight control ports for cameras, VTRs, servers, character generators and still stores. The Digital 16 package, along with the Digital 24 and Digital 24 Plus! packages of the PVTV Studio NEWS product line, will be introduced at NAB 2001. The top-of-the-line Digital 24 Plus! system features 24 direct serial digital video inputs with an included 16x4 matrix switcher for up to 36 inputs and includes 48 analog or AES digital audio inputs (or a combination thereof). It is a two Mix/Effects system with 14 control ports for cameras, VTRs, servers, character generators and still stores. The Digital 24 system offers 24 SDI Video Inputs and 32 analog or AES digital audio inputs (or a combination of both). This package is also a two Mix/Effects system with 14 control ports for cameras, VTRs, servers, character generators and still stores.

All three versions feature ParkerVision's Transition Macro™ technology, which allows all segments of a live show to be pre-programmed and previewed prior to going on-air. All versions also offer ParkerVision's rundownCONVERTER™, which converts the producer's rundown from the newsroom computer systems offered by iNews, Associated Press and DCM into a full show's rundown, complete with graphics, cues and prompter scripts.

ParkerVision Inc., headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, designs, develops and manufactures communications technology platforms and products for the wireless and video industries. Additional information about ParkerVision and its products is available at www.parkervision.com.
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