If you or your company are thinking of making your own TV station then there are some preliminary steps you need to take to get started. You will need to begin by asking yourself some basic questions.
- What type of station will this be? Entertainment, NEWS, religious?
- What will be my distribution platform? Satellite, Cable, or Internet?
- Will you be making your own video content? or will you purchase content? You might do some of both.
- Will this be a 24/7 channel?
- Will you need the ability to broadcast live? If you need the ability to broadcast live, will this be from inside your studio or outside your studio? This is important because if you are a news team and you want the ability to broadcast live then you would need to plan in advance for a way to deliver your live feed from the field. Then once the signal is delivered live to your studio it must still be put through a video server to add on-screen graphics overlays and sent out live to your satellite or cable operator.
All of the above steps may seem elementary, but you still need to take the time to write them down and discuss them with your team or board of directors. As the saying goes, “the devil is in the details,” and your planning stages should be comprehensive.
Next you need to decide on a studio location. Or decide where you will be setting up your equipment. There is no need to get an extravagant office downtown. That is the beauty of TV, you only show what you want your viewers to see.
Many of my clients have setup studios in their basement or in their own homes to save money and time. If you are just re-broadcasting prerecorded content then you really do not need a very large space at all. In fact, you could do it from a closet.
Develop your work flow. Once you have the space you need, then it is time to contemplate what type of equipment you will need. For example, if you are starting a news station then you need to take into consideration several elements.
One your filming element. What type of cameras do you need, how many cameras for multiple angles, what type of video server and graphics overlay you need (for stock quotes, scrolling headlines and so forth), virtual studio equipment and so on. Two, you need to consider the sets you will be filming on. You need to decide how many sets, what type of news desks, lighting and background. You will also need to decide the type of image you want your channel to portray and choose the right sets to do so. Three, you need to configure a live feed from the field and a live feed from your studio to the satellite up link or cable operator.
As you can see, putting together a TV station is a combination of several elements, too many to be listed in just this short article. Another element you will need to consider is obtaining a carriage agreement with a satellite or cable operator. This in itself can be a task that can take up time and resources.
Our company offers an array of services to help you to make your own TV station. We offer services from consulting all the way up to full service turn key packages for your own TV station. You can also buy our eBook to learn more about how the process works. Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have regarding your new project.
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For more information see How To Start A Satellite Tv Channel What-Equipment Is Needed