Hearst-Argyle stations to use Sony XDCAM for ENG, creative services

Hearst-Argyle Television is converting to Sony’s XDCAM Professional Disc System for electronic news gathering (ENG) and creative services operations across several of its stations.

The broadcast group will be using a combination of Sony’s standard- and high-definition XDCAM technology.

One of the goals of the station group in adopting the XDCAM system is to streamline production from acquisition, said Marty Faubell, Hearst-Argyle Television vice president of engineering.

According to Faubell, the creative services departments at several Hearst-Argyle stations will begin using the high-definition version of the XDCAM system, specifically Sony’s new PDW-F350 optical camcorder, to acquire content for internal and external communications, promotional spots and advertising material.

They include WCVB in Boston; WTAE in Pittsburgh, PA; WESH in Orlando, FL; and KCRA, Sacramento, CA. WLWT in Cincinnati, OH; WYFF in Greenville, SC; WXII in Winston Salem, NC; KOCO in Oklahoma City; and KITV Honolulu, HI, will begin using Sony’s standard-definition PDW-530 camcorders and optical decks for ENG operations.

Initially, these systems will be used in a hybrid, nonlinear editing production chain, with content transferred back to tape for playback.

For more information, visit: www.sony.com/news.