JW Stations Upgrade With Utah Scientific

JW Broadcasting’s co-located KMIZ (ABC), KQFX-LD (Fox) and KZOU-LP (MNT) Columbia/Jefferson City, Mo. (DMA 138), have upgraded their shared analog facility to digital using Utah Scientific equipment. Now with the ability to take HD sources directly to air, the stations report they have realized greatly streamlined workflows and the potential for increased ad revenue.

The stations upgraded their analog router with a complete Utah Scientific digital master control setup, which includes two MC-4000 master control processors with built-in logo, EAS, and DVE capabilities; an MC-400 HD/SD channel branding system; a UTAH-400 V-144R frame loaded 3G HD/SD 48×40, SD 32×0; an SC-4 control system; two GS-4000 graphics systems; an MC-GUI panel; and various control panels and SoftPanel-2 GUI.

“Our new Utah Scientific equipment not only helps us improve our viewers’ experience by broadcasting a higher-quality HD signal, we can also accommodate advertisers that want to broadcast their commercials in HD, whereas before we might have had to turn them away. It helps us get ahead of the curve for a market our size,” said KMIZ Chief Engineer Eric Jones. “Plus we now have fewer pieces of equipment that do more than we were able to do before, so we save space and use less power.”

Heartland Video Systems, Inc. provided system design, integration, and training for KMIZ.