WPTY-TV AND WLMT-TV SELECT JVC'S D-9

Wayne, NJ (February 12, 1997) _ ABC affiliate WPTY-TV and UPN
affiliate WLMT-TV in Memphis, Tennessee, recently upgraded their news
programs to digital with the purchase of 10 BR-D80 D-9 recorders
and 10 BR-D50 D-9 players.
  The stations, which share news studios and equipment, both cover
the Memphis area, Northwest Mississippi, Southwest Tennessee and East-
ern Arkansas.  WPTY-TV owners, Clear Channel Television, Inc., based
in San Antonio, Texas, also manages WLMT as an LMA.
  Steve Pickell, chief engineer at the affiliate stations, said
they are also planning to round out their purchase with at least seven
BR-D40 D-9 dockable recorders when they are released in the
spring.  This way, the stations can acquire and edit their news
through a totally digital process.  The stations are currently using
eight JVC KY-27C cameras for news gathering and have integrated the
D-9 equipment with their existing S-VHS equipment.  WPTY-TV
broadcasts news programs at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., while WLMT-TV
broadcasts news at 9 p.m.
  Pickell said he considered DV and its professional derivatives
before deciding on D-9 but ruled them out because he did not
have faith in the smaller format size.  _We wanted something rugged,_
Pickell noted.  _D-9 looked like it fit the ticket exactly._
  Pickell first saw D-9 at NAB, and when the station got a
demonstration this year, he was sold.  _We wanted 4:2:2 and it was af-
fordable,_ said Pickell.  _The picture quality of  D-9 is great.
Now that we've switched formats, we have a visible edge over our com-
petition._
  The station has six edit rooms of  which four are cuts-only and
two are A/B-roll edit rooms.  The facility also has an ENG record room
where four BR-D80s are used, and a playback room where news is aired
via four BR-D50 D-9 players.  News is gathered using S-VHS and
is edited digitally with D-9.  At present, the stations have six
BR-D80s and three BR-D50s in their news edit rooms.  They are awaiting
delivery of more D-9 equipment and will soon add five more BR-
D50s on-line in the news edit rooms.  A BR-D50 will also be used in
each of  the stations' ENG trucks and in their satellite uplink truck.
  JVC PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTS COMPANY, headquartered in Wayne,
New Jersey, distributes a complete line of broadcast and professional
equipment including cameras, recorders and editing products.  For more
information regarding D-9, contact David Walton at 1-800-JVC-
5825.
                               ###