'On screen, Mr. Worf!' (space-age communication technologies)(includes glossary)

Captain's Log: Star Date: 10.05.92

OK, maybe I'm not Gene Roddenberry, creator of the TV series "Star Trek." But in the past two years, since I began managing our company's private satellite network, I have had a taste of the excitement, thrills and chills that only live television (and possibly skydiving) can bring. And if current multimedia trends are any indication ... it's a thrill that many of you may be experiencing sooner than you think.

Technology has quickly become a part of every communicator's world. A few short years ago, electric typewriters were standard equipment (with self-correcting ribbons if you were really high-tech). Today, PCs and Macs are the keying device of choice. What was once reserved for typesetters and layout artists is now public domain with desktop publishing, flat-bed scanners and 600 dpi laser printers. Even paper has changed in its role as the preferred method of distribution. Today, electronic mail, personal terminals and video cassettes have supplemented and, in some cases, replaced standard print communication pieces.

It would seem, then (with just a little imagination), that the next step in a communicator's technical evolution may well be flight ... straight to the stars ... courtesy of your corporation's new satellite technology.

Now, before you grunt "Bah humbug" or quickly close this magazine to calm your shaking hands, take a deep breath, close your eyes and chant this mantra for the '90s: "The information superhighway is my friend .... the information superhighway is my friend."

Oh, sure ... any highway, super or not, has its share of surprises around each comer. But, with a little careful planning, you can merge into the high-speed satellite lane as easily as you can say "horizontal transponder."

Getting down (or up) to basics

Armed with your command of the vernacular, you're ready to move into setting up your first satellite telecast.

The first thing you should know is that you can actually run a satellite network without incurring a single capital expense. As with video production, satellite services can be contracted in part or whole through third-party providers. These are vendors who own and operate any combination of:

1) a live television studio with two or three cameras;

2) uplink facilities;

3) satellite transponders or time on a transponder, and

4) downlink equipment.

These elements all can be rented for temporary setups, giving you the flexibility of satellite capability without owning the network.

Although economical to initiate, an all-rental system has a higher "per telecast" charge than other options because the downlink equipment for each receiving site adds to the total rental price. That, and the frequency of our weekly telecasts, is why Broadway Stores Inc. purchased all of its downlink equipment for its 83 stores in California, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Nevada, its central service building in Los Angeles, and its two remote administrative and information systems buildings in Phoenix, Ariz., and Anaheim, Calif., respectively.

With this basic downlink equipment in place, our costs for telecasts have become economical and stable regardless of the number of stores tuning into the telecast. And, because the footprint for the communication satellite we use spans the entire country, our program can even be viewed at a downlink site on the East Coast at no additional charge.

Costs for telecasts vary based on the provider you select and the competitive bargaining possible in your marketplace. In general, however, you can expect services to break down as follows:

* Satellite transponder time (also known as "space") -- U.S. $350 per hour for prime time and $250 per hour for non-prime time.

* Uplink charge -- $150 per hour.

* Studio rental -- $700 per hour for two-camera facility plus crew.

* B-Mac encryption (for optional security) -- $550 per hour.

If your company wants to permanently install downlink sites rather than rent them, you can project basic installation and equipment to cost about $5,000 per site. This cost will decrease by about $500 if you decide a B-Mac decoder (for security and encryption) is not necessary.

At this point, if your background includes video production, you're home free. If, however, the closest thing to directing you've ever encountered is sitting through the entire credit roll of "Jurassic Park," you may need a little more help. Besides requiring an understanding of camera angles, rules of composition, lighting and program design, live television brings with it some interesting twists. Fortunately, most satellite providers will be glad to walk you through your first few telecasts. Your technical director will follow your basic camera directions or, if you like, will direct the show for you.

At the Broadway, our basic telecast includes 15-20 minutes of presentation or training, followed by 25 minutes of questions from our store audience. Calls are channeled through a Gentner and are heard in our studio and over the network simultaneously. Many of our program guests have commented that the question-and-answer portion of our show is the most important element. Not only do our associates get direct answers, but our vendors also get important feedback from the people who know our customers the best.

The bottom line is that the Broadway Satellite Network improves productivity and reduces travel costs at the same time. Like no media before it, our network closes the miles between our 83 stores and gives our people in five different states immediate access to important information and each other ... without ever making them leave their home stores.

Almost makes a transporter seem obsolete, doesn't it?

RECENT DOWNSIZING of our home star system, Broadway Stores Inc., has required a reassessment of all standard communication channels. Central command has asked us to explore the newly defined space within our system, and determine the best way to link all current sectors with two-way communication, quick response, and high visual capabilities.

Armed only with basic desktop systems and modest video capabilities, we venture forth to explore new media, reshape corporate culture ... and boldly go where few communicators have gone before.

Glossary

Here are some basic terms you should commit to memory:

Ad Hoc (n) A temporary uplink or downlink, usually at a remote location outside of a studio.

B-Mac Decoder (n) A scrambler/descrambler device for processing an encoded signal.

Bird (n) A communication satellite in geosynchronous orbit.

C-Band (n) One of two types of signals used to transmit a satellite program. Less expensive than KU-Band, it requires a larger dish to receive the signal, typically six- to nine-feet in diameter.

Dish (n) A satellite antenna, named for its dish-like shape.

Downlink (n) The antenna or dish at the receive site of a telecast.

(v) To receive a signal from an orbiting satellite.

Earth station (n) A permanent receive site for monitoring or relaying a transmitted signal.

Encode (v) To scramble or protect a transmitted signal.

Footprint (n) The geographic area covered by a satellite's return signal.

Frequency/Channel (n) A four-digit number (in kilohertz) which represents the signal used to transmit your program. Usually corresponds to a specific channel on your decoder/tuner.

Gentner (n) A telecommunications gateway device which allows for multiple calls on a live telecast. Both the viewer and originator can hear the calls simultaneously.

KU-Band (n) One of two types of signals used to transmit a satellite program. Requires a small dish to receive, usually only two- to three-feet in diameter.

Non-prime time (n) Any uplink transmitted after 6 p.m. and before 9 a.m., Eastern Standard Time. Less expensive because it uses the transponders when demand is low.

Point-to-MultiPoint (n) A telecast with one origination point and two or more receiving points. This setup is usually video and audio going out, and audio-only coming back.

Point-to-Point (n) A telecast with one origination point and one receiving point, each with video and audio. This setup is typical of most teleconferences.

Prime time (n) The time of day when uplinks are higher in volume and more expensive. Prime time is 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Eastern Standard Time.

Transponder (n) One of many antennae on a satellite, capable of receiving and sending a video/audio signal. These may be classified as vertical or horizontal.

Uplink (n) The antenna or dish at the origination point of a telecast.

(v) To "beam" or transmit a signal up to a satellite.

Resources

If you're attracted by the possibilities of space-age communication, but afraid of crashing or going off-course, try contacting one or more of the following companies. They can help you produce video conferences, video news releases, video media tours, and use satellite technology. Some provide training and consultation. Some lease equipment.

AMA by Satellite 135 West 50th St. New York, NY 10020 [phone] Contact: Joan Milczarski

Beach Associates 370 S. Washington Street #400 Falls Church, VA 22046 [phone] Contact: Jane Bergamin

DWJ Television 16 East 65th St. New York, NY 10021 [phone] Contact: David Johnson 

Keystone Communications, Inc. 303 E. South Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84111-1226 [phone] Contact: Blaine Colton

Northwest Teleproductions 142 East Ontario Street Chicago, IL 60611 [phone] Contact: Amy Brierly

NTV Studio Productions 50 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 1018 New York, NY 10020 [phone] Contact: Elyse Rabinowitz

Potomac Television 500 N. Capitol St., NW Washington, DC 20001 [phone] Contact: Kelly Luther

Reuters Television 630 Fifth Ave. New York, NY 10111 [phone] Contact: Marcy Simon/Richard Frisch

TSD Communication Services 2200 Wilson Blvd. #102-248 Arlington, VA 22201 [phone] Contact: LaRene C. Tondro

Yonchenko Communications 432 No. Canal St., #20 So. San Francisco, CA 94080 [phone] Contact: Michael Yonchenko

Mark Schmitt is director of internal communication, Broadway Stores Inc., Los Angeles.