Gannett Goes Sony For HD In The Field

Gannett Broadcasting is standardizing its news field acquisition operations on Sony’s XDCAM EX solid-state HD camcorders, Sony announced today.

The group will roll out Sony shoulder-mount EX camcorders across each of its stations — a combination of Sony’s PMW-350 2/3-inch and PMW-320 ½-inch shoulder-mount cameras, as well as the PMW-EX1R and HXR-NX5U handheld camcorders, the vendor said.

The first Gannett station to convert to the Sony technology was KUSA Denver. Next in line: KPNX Phoenix, WLTV-WJXX Jacksonville, Fla., and KSDK St. Louis.

According to Jeff Johnson, VP of Technology for Gannett Broadcasting, the new XDCAM technology will deliver greater production flexibility, higher image quality and a more efficient overall workflow.

“The entire Sony product line addresses multiple applications and price points, and these camcorders are a perfect fit for our news operations,” Johnsonsaid in a prepared statement.

“Our crews cover such a diverse range of shooting assignments from day to day, and our ENG gear needs to be equally flexible to keep pace. Using this technology, our crews are more flexible in the field in terms of the footage they are able to quickly capture, and when it gets back to the studio, the file-based content can be easily and quickly edited and made ready to use.

“This all translates into getting news on the air more quickly and more efficiently, which in the end, increases our competitive advantage.”