TV Studio Gets High-Definition Makeover

New state-of-the-art equipment in Kean’s on-campus TV studio is giving communication students hands-on TV production experience.

The University recently replaced the TV studio equipment with new high-definition equipment that is the standard in studios and newsrooms around the world.

“We are now able to put students in real-world scenarios,” said communication professor Gina Gili, who teaches TV Studio Production and Media Performance in the studio.

The new equipment includes a High-Definition media switcher; a graphics workstation with LiveText Software; a teleprompter workstation; two new flat panel TV displays; and three ProHD camcorders with high resolution.

Kean’s studio now offers virtual sets, which goes beyond green-screen technology in using video or photos to create realistic-looking backdrops. The new equipment also can record multiple streams of video, as well as stream over the internet. Up to eight cameras and other external devices can also be connected to the new switcher.

Gili said the media switcher, a TriCaster 8000, is “by far the coolest piece of equipment that we have.

“The media switcher is valuable to a student's skill development. You will see a TriCaster in every professional TV studio, and if a student is skilled enough, they can easily get freelance work or make a career out of operating this machine,” she said.

In Gili’s studio production course, students learn how to produce a show from beginning to end. The modernized studio allows students to learn how to properly operate the newest technology that major media use.

There are eight shows, created and produced by students, currently taped in the studio, including Around the World, an exploration of different cultures and customs; Professor of the Year, a satirical interview show; Stranger, a parody of Friends, and Jersey Flavors for foodies looking for places to eat on and near campus. All shows can be seen at KeanTV.com.

“It’s the closest I can get to all this real equipment without leaving campus,” said James Patti, a senior communication major with a concentration in media and film.

The TV studio is located on the second floor of Hutchinson Hall.