BURBANK, Calif.—R-Gear is a communications and engineering equipment rental company specializing in audio and video for large-location builds in the reality TV genre. For more than 20 years, we’ve built production communications for some of the most logistically complex shows in the genre—”The Bachelor,” “Bachelor in Paradise,” “Temptation Island,” “The Challenge”—productions where the physical environment is unpredictable and the crew is rarely in one place.

On a typical reality build, we might be setting up communications across a multifloor mansion, a resort with satellite locations or a remote competition site—with producers, art department, lighting, audio and engineering all working in different spaces simultaneously. A single show might have 15 to 20 ENG camera and audio crews covering 30 cast members spread across an entire beachside resort, with control positions in trailers, tents or wherever space allows.

Producers regularly change their minds about coverage areas at the last minute and, when that happens, we need to extend fiber runs and add hardware quickly without disrupting what’s already running. The communications system must work the first time, every time.

Building for Distributed Productions
We’ve been building on Riedel systems since R-Gear’s earliest days, starting with the C44+ frame, Performer series panels, hardwire beltpacks and a RiFace to tie in two-way radios. That served us well for several years, but once we moved to Artist and Bolero, nobody could do without it.

Our standard build now centers on an Artist-64 or Artist-1024 with SmartPanels and Bolero wireless. Panel configuration depends on the setup: we use rack-mounted RSP-1232 panels and desktop DSP-2312s based on what users prefer. Cast mics and program audio come into the Artist matrix over Dante, so any panel can monitor any microphone on the show. Producers, audio and engineering can communicate with the crew and follow the show’s story from a single device.

Bolero provides the most flexibility for our distributed-location builds. At the main control room, it integrates directly with the Artist frame. For offsite crews, we build standalone systems using licensed antennas powered over Cat-6 with PoE, with an NSA interface bringing analog program audio into the system. Everyone uses the same beltpacks regardless of where they’re working. There is no reconfiguring and no workflow changes or equipment swaps when someone moves between locations.

Automatic Connectivity
“Top Chef” illustrates how that scales in practice. The main stage runs an Artist 64 with SmartPanels, integrated Bolero and a RiFace to bring walkie channels into the system. Two separate offsite locations run standalone Bolero systems with NSAs feeding program audio to the beltpacks. The beltpacks connect automatically to each location’s antenna network, so crew members move between all three sites during the day without stopping to reconfigure anything. From the user’s perspective, it feels seamless because it is.

The three-part Apple TV+ documentary “Fight for Glory: 2024 World Series” presented a different situation. The World Series broadcast was already running Bolero throughout the stadiums. Our documentary crew integrated directly into that existing environment—the director communicating from a Bolero in the trailer, every camera operator carrying a beltpack, all running on the coordinated antenna network already built for the broadcast. We didn’t install separate RF infrastructure; we stepped into a communications environment that was already built and operational.

That’s what gives me confidence in Riedel. Whether it’s a reality competition with crews spread across multiple locations or a major live event, the system must perform without question. After 20 years with these products, I know that anything with the Riedel name on it will be rock solid. In whatever conditions, wherever our shows take us, I already know the answer. It just always works.

More information is available on Riedel’s website.

LOS ANGELES—DirecTV and A+E Networks has announced an agreement that brings many of A+E’s top library franchises to DirecTV streaming and satellite customers via an initial slate of ten new channels. 

These new offerings immediately grow the rich variety of content available to DirecTV customers with a wide range of programming and popular series from A&E, Lifetime, and The History Channel. They are now available to all DirecTV via the Internet and DirecTV Stream customers and any satellite customers who want to access any channel can do so using the DirecTV app. 

A+E Networks is a joint venture of Disney-ABC Television Group and Hearst.

“Consumers today want more choice and customization in their video offerings, and we are working across all of our top programming suppliers to ensure they get it,” said Linda Burakoff, senior vice president of content and programming at DirecTV. “A+E Networks has a proven track record and strong portfolio, and we are pleased to enable our customers a wider array of choices among A+E’s most popular franchises and the ability to explore their most avid interests in greater depth.”

"A+E Networks deeply values our long-standing partnership with DirecTV,” said David Zagin, president, distribution, A+E Networks. “As the media landscape evolves and viewer interests shift, so do our offerings. We are excited to deliver these engaging lean-in experiences with some of the most beloved franchises in our extensive library of diverse content."

DirecTV described the A+E channels now available on the DirecTV streaming lineups as follows:  

• Crime 360 – a true crime destination featuring award-winning investigative series and covering all sides of crime, all the time.
• Deal Zone – Go big or go home. Follow the best deals around with unforgettable pawns, antiques, auctions and road trips.
• UnXplained Zone – Join top investigators as they seek to uncover the truth behind some of the world’s greatest mysteries and cover-ups.
• Movie Favorites by Lifetime: Lifetime movies all day, from psychological thrillers to seductive love stories.
• Duck Dynasty – Meet the close-knit family behind a multi-million-dollar sporting empire, as they live life with a mix of downhome practicality and sharp wit.
• Cold Case Files – There are over 100,000 cold cases in America. Only about 1% are solved. Cold Case Files presented by A&E tells the stories of those who never gave up searching for answers - and finally found justice. Get 24/7 access to this iconic series.
• Modern Marvels – Celebrate the ingenuity and imagination found in the world around us. 24/7 episodes of Modern Marvels, television's most innovative series.
• Tiny House Nation – Renovation experts John Weisbarth and Zack Giffin travel across America to show off amazing and ingenious tiny homes and the inventive people who live in them. Watch the hit shows behind the Tiny Home movement all day, every day, and travel the globe in search of unique tiny homes, 500 square feet or less.
• Ice Road Truckers – At the top of the world, there’s a job only a few would dare! 24/7 episodes of the legendary series.
• Ax Men—Deep in the woods, these loggers are risking it all! 24/7 non-stop episodes of the hard-hitting series.

As the major streaming companies attempt to navigate the recent downturn in profits, they’ve turned to consolidation, subscription price increases and cutting programming budgets, with a more increased focus on unscripted (read “cheaper to produce”) programming such as game shows and reality TV.

This is according to Ampere Analysis which estimates that while the major global streaming platforms (Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV+, Paramount+ and Max/HBO Max) will raise their programming investment to $42 billion total this year, that represents only a 7% increase, compared to 24% growth in streaming spending in 2022. And although 90% of budgets go towards high-budget scripted originals, streamers are increasing their budgets for unscripted game shows and reality TV by 22% in 2023.

Scripted TV content remains the most powerful tool for attracting subscriptions and maintaining subscriber engagement, Ampere said, with Crime & Thriller topping SVoD spending at $12 billion this year. Sci-Fi & Fantasy and Comedy genres also command substantial funds, as well. 

The unknown X factor in how all of this will impact production budgets is that although the writers' strike has been settled, production still is at a standstill with actors staying on the picket lines. 

Perhaps that's why Ampere said that acquiring legacy content will also be an increased focus among streamers as well. Content acquisition spend for major SVoD platforms is projected to grow by 5% next year, reaching $14.8 billion. Crime, Romance, and Drama genres lead in acquired content spending, offering substantial potential for cross-border content licensing, Ampere said, citing recent  successes with NBCUniveral's Suits and HBO shows Band of Brothers and Insecure on Netflix.

Ampere notes that at the platform level, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video adopt a balanced approach to genre allocation, leveraging their scale to cater to the preferences of diverse demographics, while other SVoD players are pursuing more targeted spending strategies, focusing on key genres and IP to cultivate loyal subscriber bases. Apple TV+, for example, dedicates 40% of its budget to Crime & Thriller titles, building on past successes such as Slow Horses and Severance. Disney+ has prioritized Sci-Fi & Fantasy and Children & Family genres, anchored by TV spin-offs from the Star Wars, MCU and Pixar franchises.

Ampere says that in light of intense competition and the influence of macroeconomic factors, SVoD platforms will prioritize cost management and effective content acquisitions to thrive in 2024 and beyond.

“The moderated spending growth rate in comparison to previous years underscores the maturity of the SVoD market and the importance of strategic spending across genres,” said Neil Anderson, Senior Analyst at Ampere Analysis. “At $15 billion, Netflix will retain its position as the top investor in global streaming content, albeit with a modest 2% increase. Meanwhile, rivals such as Disney+, Paramount+, and Apple TV+ are poised for more substantial budget expansions, projecting year-on-year increases exceeding 10%.”

LOS ANGELES—The Television Academy Foundation is launching a new internship program designed to promote diversity in the unscripted/reality TV sector of the entertainment industry, with the first-ever batch of interns to take part in the summer of 2021.

The Diversity and Inclusion Unscripted Internship Program will provide five internships to students from low-income backgrounds that are attending college/university within the greater Los Angeles area; only graduating students with degrees conferred by June 2021 are eligible to apply. In addition, the TV Academy wants students who “demonstrate a commitment to promoting voices and stories of underrepresented communities and increasing diversity and inclusion” in the TV industry.

The eight-week, paid summer internship will give students exposure to professional unscripted/reality TV production in Los Angeles. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, only remote internships will be offered for this year. There will also be weekly online evening professional development, including panels with TV industry leaders, customized seminars and access to Foundation alumni.

At the completion of the internship, participating interns will join the TV Academy Foundation’s Friends and Alumni Network and be eligible to participate in career support programming provided by the Foundation.

Among the types of internships that the TV Academy Foundation has listed on its website right now are development of unscripted TV with a production company or studio and casting with a production company or office of a casting director.

Per Variety, the internship program was announced on Jan. 26 by Chris Abrego, who serves as chairman of the TV Academy Foundation. Variety quotes him as saying:

“How do we find these younger people of color who want the opportunity? I literally grew up, born and raised, 22 miles from Hollywood, but it might as well have been more than 3,000 miles. [This idea] spoke to exactly what was my story and how I got started. And it made complete sense to me. We truly want to integrate them into this business. Our ultimate goal is employment.”

The submission period for the Diversity and Inclusion Unscripted Internship Program will open on April 7 and run through May 5. Voting members of the TV Academy will select the finalists in early May, upon which finalists will have to submit a video interview to specific questions. Students selected for the program will be notified in late May. Remote internships would take place from June 13-Aug. 13.

For more information, visit the TV Academy Foundation website. 

NEWARK, N.J—Panasonic this week began delivery of its new AW-UE 150 4K/60 pan/tilt/zoom (PTZ) camera and the AW-RP 150 remote controller.

The new PTZ camera offers UHD 60p output, a wide horizontal viewing angle of 75.1 degrees, 20x optical zoom and 32x intelligent zoom in HD mode. Applications for the camera include reality TV production as well as use in stadiums, lecture halls, churches and other venues.

The UE150 relies on a 1-inch MOS sensor and supports various 4K interfaces, including 12G-SDI, HDMI, optical fiber and IP connectivity. The camera outputs 4K and HD at the same time and achieves smooth video moves –even when rapid movement is required. Images shot in 4K can be output full frame while simultaneously outputting cropped parts of images.

The camera offers high dynamic range (HDR) support and has an optical image stabilizer for automatic correction of vibrations. The camera’s Night Mode offers infrared shooting. Pan and tilt operation speeds vary from a minimum of 0.08 degrees/second to 180 degrees/second.

The AW-RP150 camera controller relies on a 7-inch LCD touchscreen to display a GUI for monitoring and menu setting. A joystick with a seesaw lever for zoom and focus control offers single-hand operation. An SDI input to the LCD panel for camera monitoring is provided.

The panel is outfitted with frequently used buttons. Menu, camera switching function and indicators are assigned to the touch panel. Focus is quickly aligned to the area on the screen that is touched. A Focus in Red function assists with aligning focus by framing in red the area of the image to be focused.

Scene files, system settings files and other camera settings can be saved on the RP150 SD card and then copied to multiple cameras.

More information is available on the Panasonic website.

Like it or not, reality television has wormed its way into the American psyche, and this kind of programming will not be leaving us any time soon. Audio is not always considered a critically difficult part of the production process, but it can be, particularly if the show you’re working on involves the risk of injury or death. Such is the case with “Deadliest Catch.”

Since it premiered in 2005, this Discovery Channel programmed has reeled in millions of viewers and a pair of Emmy Awards for outstanding sound mixing for nonfiction programming. Two pros from the show, Bob Bronow (re-recording mixer/sound designer) and Josh Earl (picture editor) will be at the 135th AES Convention as part of the “Sound For Picture” seminars (http://www.aes.org/events/135/soundforpicture/?ID=3718).