Electronic Journalism Editing at NBC
At the heart of electronic journalism (EJ) at NBC is a small, battery-powered, portable VTR — the Sony U-Matic® VO-3800, which uses 20-min 3/4-in cassettes. Whether the stories on these cassettes are beamed to the studio by microwave or carried there by courier or by the News team, they are soon ready for editing on Sony VO-2850 VTRs prior to airing. The EJ edit rooms at NBC's Radio City studios are described in detail and a number of useful modifications of standard equipment are discussed. Such modifications have made a time-code reader more versatile, provided a new edit-preview capability, allowed the VTRs to be used in a fast-search “Videola” mode, and — by using the video signal for control purposes — permitted camera-trigger operation of the portable VTR and (optionally) a time-code generator. Block diagrams of the audio, video, and monitoring systems are discussed. Finally, a new tri-color VTR system is revealed for obtaining full-fidelity NTSC color signals with low-cost helical-scan VTRs. The system records white, red, and blue signals with separate portable VTRs; a time code on a soundtrack and three separate time-base correctors are used to assure proper registration. The resulting improvement in picture quality may extend the use of portable EJ VTR equipment into new programming areas.
- Print ISSN
- 0036-1682
- Published
- 1976-08
- Content type
- Original Research
- DOI
- 10.5594/J07582