[Tig] backdrops (journalism) shifts to RCA Broadcast News...

[Ted Langdell]

On Jul 5, 2008, at 3:26 PM, Rob Lingelbach wrote:

> but for me it's what's going on in that clip in the background  
> that's interesting.   of course when I was a kid and I was allowed  
> up late enough to watch (ahem, Jack Paar and then) Johnny Carson, I  
> studied for hours the backdrop of LA or Burbank when they were on  
> that coast to see what these weird californians were like.  I  
> wanted to spot Frank Zappa.  It took a while to notice that  
> California was so laid-back it wasn't even moving.
>
> --
> Rob Lingelbach


What the set designers and builders did on the Carson show, and  
continue to do for Leno, Letterman and others is pretty amazing. Am I  
correct to remember one of the NYC based shows had a working elevated  
train?

They looked very real... with perspective and all.

There are quite a few stations that are using large screens (either  
LCD/Plasma or projection) behind their anchors with moving graphics.   
Maybe I'm showing my age, but I find it distracting.  The mind wants  
to look and examine the eye candy, instead of focusing on the content.

Perhaps that's the intent... load the show with production values  
<ahem> to disguise shallow depth of actual news content, as opposed  
to "news."

Anyway...

I'm enjoying looking through two RCA Broadcast News volumes that  
arrived in the mail, today.  Vol. 145, Oct. 1970 and Vol. 156,  
August, 1975.

Highlights include the beta test of the TCR-100 quad cart machine at  
WDCA-TV, Washington DC, the new TP-55 "Solid State" Multiplexer in  
the 1970 volume.

The 1975 edition has more TCR-100 users, the TCP-1624 16mm film  
cartridge player and an announcement of the new "Video processing and  
color correction accessory" for the TK-28 telecine camera.

The two modules allow the TK-28 to achieve "an extended range of film  
correction which is strikingly noticeable."

The two modules replace the processor module in existing TK-28's and  
"provide all video processing, flare correction, shading correction  
and master gamma selection for the TK-28 system."

With existing auto functions, the new modules formed what RCA called  
"ASCET (Automatic System for Correction of Errors in Telecine.)"

It's about four paragraphs.  I can post the text to the Tig Wiki at  
some point.

I plan to acquire decent OCR software and begin to scan some of the  
articles and pictures.  Will post telecine and color correction items  
to the TIG Wiki if desired.

The Quad related material will likely find its way to a Quad history  
and knowledge preservation site.

If anyone has material they'd like to donate or loan for this  
purpose, please contact me off-list.

Hope all are enjoying a relaxing weekend... especially if you also  
had Friday off for the Independence Day holiday in the US.

Ted

Ted Langdell
Ted Langdell Creative Broadcast Services
Marysville, CA
Main:   (530) 741-1212

tedlangdell.com. Storytelling through Broadcast Coverage and Creative  
Services since 1974
Now with 3GHz MacPro powering Final Cut Studio