Posted by Gerry Wilkinson on November 21, 1998 at 19:38:05:
As you may or may not be aware, WHYY-TV, the PBS affiliate in the Delaware Valley is going through a reconstruction era. Our building at 150 North 6th Street on Independence Mall is being gutted on the inside and being rebuilt. The structure was once a museum and not really suited for professional broadcasting. It has, for example, a large theater with a very high ceiling and is very expensive to heat. The front part of the building has been gutted. Once this area is rebuilt, the second half will be torn apart and redone. The structure will actually be smaller and dramatically much more efficient. For years, WHYY has had to rent the entire north side of the seventh floor of the Cast Iron Building at 718 Arch. When the reconstruction started, WHYY had to rent additional space taking over the entire north side of the sixth floor. Once reconstruction is finished, everyone will fit into the 6th Street facilities with no need to rent additional space. Thus saving tons of money.
Some of edit and record facilities are now in the Cast Iron Building on the sixth floor. It is a temporary one year set-up.
Yesterday, I came down the back stairs from the 7th floor to the sixth and used my electronic key to open the rear door. Ed Cunningham's desk is near the door so that when you enter, you immediately see Ed. There was Ed working on the final details on his new show, "WE ARE PENN STATE." Ed and I chatted for a moment when Rob, one of our on-air promotion people asked Ed to cut the voice tracks for the weekend promos. Ed went off with Rob and I headed over to our PA (Production Assistant) to deal with a problem with an M2 tape (a broadcast quality version of VHS). With the problem now under control, I headed towards the back door to go back upstairs.
Until this point, I had never seen how the promos were cut. I guess I must have been busy elsewhere or simply just never noticed.
Ed was standing outside of ACE, our post-production facility with a mike in his hand. I, at first thought Ed was practicing. But then I realized that he was taping the tracks in the hallway with all the phones ringing and people talking. You know, all the things that go on in an office.
I looked at Ed. The appearance of my face was TOTAL AMAZEMENT. Then I realized he was facing the corner of the area and talking above a trash can (by accident or on purpose, I don't know.)
Cunningham finishes ready the copy and the great and very expensive talkback system went to work. Rob yelled through the door, "Okay Ed. That was good. Read the next one."
I shook my head and walked away. Major market, professional, public television at work.
Hey, you can't say we waste your money on fancy stuff like an announce booth or a talkback system.
Call and make your pledge now at (215) 923-1234. Help get Ed out of the hall. (By the way, you could not hear any of the background noise on the final product.)