Adapting to an evolving media landscape with more content across OTA, OTT, FAST channels and social media, Raycom Sports has upgraded its flagship HD1 unit with a 60-fader Calrec Argo S console and a pair of redundant ImPulse1 DSP cores. Replacing a Calrec Omega that has been in constant use since the truck was built in 2011, the upgrade, carried out by systems integrator Diversified, is designed to meet the changing demands of Raycom’s wide roster of clients which includes CW Network’s ACC college-football and basketball and PWHL Broadcasts.
A member of the Gray Media group of companies since 2018, North Carolina’s Raycom Sports will use the Argo S to produce content for professional hockey, college football and college basketball. It will also be used as part of the Raycom Sports station group at bigger events like the Kentucky Derby and with broadcast clients including ESPN and Fox.
With a growing requirement to deliver live content over digital channels in addition to its traditional broadcast television clients, Raycom says rights holders are looking to develop even deeper fan engagement over FAST channels, OTT and OTA platforms, and the company looked to Calrec to manage the increasing demand on its channel count. In addition, Raycom provides content archive solutions for multiple clients. The additional audio channels and mapping capabilities enhances Raycom’s partners’ archiving goals.
“Our clients’ needs have changed over the years,” says Raycom’s Vice President of Engineering and Technology Operations, Bill Stafford. “Different leagues have specific requisites, and we cater to all our partners’ requirements across international, OTT, FAST channels and league archiving needs. There are more effects microphones and more sources than ever before, and our clients want more output channels and more embedded channels. Those shows are often manipulated or edited; modern shows want a 5.1 output but with multiple additional stems of audio, such as announcers-only, an international mix, or a mix with commercial music that can be used anywhere.
“They like to have every available audio feed to have more options when they re-edit the show, and one game may now have four or five different outputs from the truck. We needed something that is industry standard with the horsepower to do everything, and Argo gives our operators the freedom to do much more.”
The ability to provide increased functionality is a recurring theme across the broadcast industry, and Raycom is focused on IP and stepping up output in several areas.
“Everything is going IP, it gives you a lot of flexibility to do more things with the amount of resources that you have,” adds Stafford. “Maybe it’s not the easiest way to do things just on a regular baseball game, for example, but if you want to do things other than a single baseball game feed it’s important. And again, there’s a lot more feeds in and out of production trucks now than there used to be, you have to talk with the league, you have to talk with officiating and you have to talk with the venue.
Driving fan engagement is also front and centre for Raycom Sports. “We’ll take eight or 16 channels of audio on our program records and our social and digital teams will remix it to allow clients to tell a different story on their social posts, says Stafford. “We also run a couple of FAST channels, so on our Origin Sports Network, ACC Digital Network and Big 12 Networks we’re taking this content and we’re re-airing a cutdown or a highlight. We want different audio for all these channels.
“Where Argo really helps is by isolating tracks of audio; background music is flagged by YouTube and isolated channels mean we don’t suffer from those issues. While that’s not a function of the board, its channel count and flexibility give us the ability to do it.
“Our A1s are already seeing opportunities where they can do more and if we can enhance a show, and producers and directors can hear the difference, it’s always helpful.”Stafford says that Argo also gives Raycom greater flexibility in other areas. Although the company still manages most of its shows onsite, Argo enables it to be strategically placed and gives it the opportunity to work differently in the future, with remote and distributed production as well as remote maintenance firmly on the agenda. He also explains why Raycom continues to put its trust in Calrec.
“We want a product that a lot of people understand how to drive. Calrec stands behind its products, plus the success that we’ve had with it in our trucks. Our engineers know Calrec, they know the workflow, and the customer service is good. Whenever we have issues or questions, they’re quick to help. All those things play into the decision to go with Calrec. The working relationship that we have with Calrec is a multiplier on a points scale.”“Like many of Calrec’s broadcast customers, Raycom is meeting the demands of its clients by adopting technologies that give it the flexibility to move with the times,” says Calrec’s Regional Sales Manager, Rob Lewis. “Operating on an AoIP backbone gives its operators and engineers the power to manage more audio workflows today and gives Raycom the ability to keep up with industry standard best practices in the future.”
