Interactive Learning on Broadcasting

Interactive Learning on Broadcasting

Last July 27, 2012, we went to ABS-CBN for a studio tour and things to know in the field of broadcasting. ABS-CBN is famous not only because it holds radio and television operations in the country and worldwide but also they have lots of other managements that help the society especially the poor and at times of calamities; they are the ones that help immediately. ABS-CBN or Alto Broadcasting System, Chronicle Broadcasting Network is a corporation that is very well-known as country’s largest and foremost media and entertainment company. It does not only operate in the country but also worldwide because Filipinos are all over the world and the continuous development of technology helps the company to achieve a worldwide operation on television. 

ABS-CBN logo

At first place, I don’t really have an idea on what the logo of ABS-CBN really means but after attending the studio tour, I learned that the vertical line means the broadcasting tower of ABS-CBN, itself. The three different colors, blue, green and red signifies the fundamental colors use to produce images in the television and they also signifies LUZVIMINDA which are the 3 parts of the Philippines.

ABS-CBN is operating in the Very High Frequency Range at around 54 MHz to 60 MHz bandwidth. Channel 2 is the TV frequency assignment and there they operate in both audio and video. Today, a lot of advanced technology used in the field of broadcasting and acoustics are used by the corporation to be able to give the best quality of service to customers in both radio and television. As the tour started, we were told that we will be visiting studios used for taping and live production. Transmitters will also be visited in order to know how the company transmits images in televisions and sounds in radio.

First studio that we went was Studio 10 wherein a lot of programs are done here. Studio 10 is the biggest of about 500 sqm and smartest studio in the country because of the advanced visual effects like that in the teleserye about terrestrial beings “Kokey” in 2010. As you can see in the photo, a lot of cameras can be seen above the studio and each one of them corresponds to each of their function in adding and making good visual effects depending on the production that will be made there. The black curtains was also told to us that they add to the visual effects by reflecting images and making the studio even bigger than it really looks like in reality than on the camera or television. I also think that this studio is very much used by pre-taped production and that many programs are done here because of the quality that the studio brings.

Studio 10 at ABS-CBN Studio Gallery, ELJ Communications Center

The next studio we visited was Studio 9 wherein it is a lot smaller in terms of sqm of about 250 than that of the Studio 10. Some of the famous programs that used this studio are Kris TV, Gandang Gabi Vice, Umagang Kay Ganda and a lot more. The tour guides told us that the studio’s props and other used technologies will only be changed if there will be a big difference in the program that will pre-taped production or the props will be needed to support other studios. This studio is also sound proof and that the green curtains help that achieve wherein no sound will come out of the room because the sounds will be brought back to the ground and the proof of it is that there is no echo bouncing back. The cameras also used wide lenses that is why we see artists in the television to be fat or looks like they widen and the place too. From the pictures below, those are the things inside the studio that are useful in making the room sound proof.

Studio 9 at ABS-CBN Studio Gallery, ELJ Communications Center

Studio 9 at ABS-CBN Studio Gallery, ELJ Communications Center

ANC Studio, the International Media of ABS-CBN

ANC is a news channel that operates in the UHF Band wherein it occupies a small area because mainly news anchor and staffs are there at a live reporting. Those lights aren’t only just for them to see what they are going to report but also help the skin of the reporters to look whiter and that it hides the marks like pimples of reporters that is why we see them in the television to be so beautiful, no marks at all on their skin.

Equipment use by reporters at ANC studio

This is the camera inside the ANC studio that is use to shoot the reporters. It is equipment that is ready to use by reporters without being shooting in many different angles and to memorize what will be reported. The equipment has a built-in camera and a small desk for the reporter to just have a straight look in front of the camera while reading which not much of a notice in television is. As the tour guide also told us that ABS-CBN was not the first one to use this kind of equipment but rather President Marcos was the first one to use it in his speeches in the Philippines.

DWRR FM RADIO STATION at ABS-CBN

From the picture above, we just happened to pass by this FM radio station and we were not able to see the inside because they are currently broadcasting and it is working time.

After all the studio tours, we were brought to the transmitter building where all means of transmission and how they broadcast were told to us by the tour guides. Transmitter equipments are showed to us based from the pictures I took and they were all used in accordance to the standards too because as a company they don’t want to violate the rules assigned by the NTC.

Equipments used to monitor transmission at ABS-CBN

Transmitters used at ABS-CBN transmitter building

Even though, one of the tour guides told us that over modulation is the only one that they violate and because only over modulation is something that is in competition with other television companies and that they just do not over modulate when a person from NTC comes and checks.

Televisions used to monitor transmission at ABS-CBN

Equipments at the transmitter building of ABS-CBN

Some other equipments they used in the production of advertising schemes like VHS, Betamax, tape recorders and others but mostly Sony brands as always told by the tour guide are used to air those advertising schemes of different companies endorsing their products. It was also told to us that the average cost of a 30-sec air of advertisement is nearly P400,000 and this will increase depending on the time especially when companies want to air at prime time from 5 pm to 10 pm because this is the peak times where a lot of people watch and the cost here increases more and that slots are normally taken so that other companies will not be able to take their slot.

Equipment used to play advertisements of companies at ABS-CBN

Equipments monitoring the transmission at ABS-CBN

The last room and most equipments are operated here is called the master control room. In this room, all storage and managements of all other facilities are monitored in terms of all the video processes that are either for documentation or for transmission. All of their channels are monitored here and the mixing of audio and video system are controlled here and special televise shows are also controlled here to have a priority on what they will air in the television. For example, basketball games, boxing, SONA and other important events that are televise that will surely be watched by most people will be prioritized and aired at the time after it starts rather than the exact time because more advertisements are aired especially at this times.

Master Control Room at ABS-CBN

Master Control Room at ABS-CBN

Overall, I think that our organizer did a spectacular job in arranging the tours that we will have and quality wise, equipments that should be seen and known are thoroughly discussed by the tour guides. It is also worthwhile to be able to see some advance technologies and operations that the company undergoes and how artists appear on television. We also are amazed of the studios that are used for many programs because they look huge in the television but in fact they are camera tricks or wide lenses are used in cameras to make the place and people wide. Therefore, I think for lower batches, this can be implemented from time to time to broaden the knowledge of ECE students in the field of broadcasting communications and other advances technologies.

Outside of ELJ Communications Center at ABS-CBN