DAYTON -- New technology for Cox Media Group Ohio's Media Centerincludes both visible and behind-the-scenes changes designed toenhance the customer experience across all platforms -- television,radio and newspaper.
The $13 million project to combine broadcast and newspaperoperations at the 1611 S. Main St. center included technologyupdates to enhance newsgathering and presentation for televisionviewers, radio listeners and newspaper readers.
Turning the building, home to the Dayton Daily News since 2007,into a multimedia center for three media outlets required increasingthe number of TV monitors and radio sound feeds throughout thefacility, said Dave Thomas, senior director facilities/engineeringfor CMG Ohio.
At WHIO-TV, some of the new technology is highly visible toviewers. High-definition studio cameras, high-definition graphicsand high-definition Doppler 7 Radar along with a state-of-the-artweather system all are improvements viewers will notice, said DavidBennallack, the station's news director. But the changes go beyondmaking the newscasts simply more vibrant visually, he said. "Doppler7 HD allows us to track storms with even more precision to help keepour viewers safe," Bennallack said. For the staff, there has been alearning curve on new technology, but they gain more experiencedaily, he said. The switch to HD cameras and new studio light- ingalso required other changes, including the makeup worn by anchorsand reporters.
New computers for most of the television staff and new softwareprograms that affect every area of the production of news coveragealso have been added at the station's new home, he said.
The technological changes aren't complete for WHIO-TV yet. Olderequipment also will be replaced to improve in the field coverage,Bennallack said.
"In the next few months, we'll be replacing our older microwaverelay sites used to bring in our live reports with new equipmentthat will sharpen the images in our live field coverage," Bennallacksaid.
Coming sometime this year also will be the launch of mobile TV.
This will allow people to watch TV on their cell phones, if thephone is mobile capable.
There are other advantages to the new building location.
A more convenient base that's closer to the interstate helpstelevision crews get to the scene of news more quickly.
That "can speed our response to breaking news," Bennallack said.
The radio stations' programming remains the same, but allequipment has been upgraded to the latest state-of-the-art digital,said Nick Roberts, regional programming director for CMG Ohio'sDayton and Louisville operations.
"The sound quality on our stations is digital from the source allthe way to the transmitter," Roberts said.
"Clear audio is the highest quality possible."
Beyond the enhanced technology, the new building provides otheradvantages.
Sharing a facility with the newspaper and television operationsdefinitely is a plus for radio's operations, particularlynewsgathering Roberts said.
"Being in the same building gives us access to all the reportersfor the Dayton Daily News and WHIO-TV to give you faster and moreaccurate news coverage," he said.
"Our new space is incredible. It's truly the best radio broadcastfacility in the U.S.," Roberts said.
New equipment shared by radio, television and newspaper willallow viewers, listeners and readers to benefit from more completeand accurate information.
With the convergence of operations, all of CMG Ohio'snewsgathering media share a new web browser-based emergency radioscanner system.
The traditional monitoring of police and fire radio trafficinvolved multiple scanner radios located throughout the newsroom.Each required an antenna and reception often was limited to localpolice and fire jurisdictions.
The Rangecast system uses the Internet and remote scanners inlocations in Miami, Greene, Warren, Clark and Montgomery counties,said Ty Greenlees, chief photographer for the Dayton Daily News.
Scanner audio is compiled on a central server at Rangecast andaccessed locally through a web browser.
"This system has greatly increased our coverage of police andfire activity to more than nine counties and 90 jurisdictions,"Greenlees said. "This gives Cox Media Group a huge advantage tocapture spot news more quickly than our competitors."
The newspaper photo department also is anticipating new high-definition SLR cameras that capture still and video images with thesame camera and lens.
"This will give us the advantage of having two types of outputfrom one system, allowing us to switch seamlessly from stillphotography to videography," Greenlees said.
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