PRESS RELEASE   August 29, 2001

from: Universal Satellite Communications, Inc. (UniSat)

UniSat Lands Production of Condit Interview

 In what may be considered one of the biggest media events of the year, Rep. Gary Condit (D-Calif.), spoke with reporter Connie Chung to a viewing audience of more than 23 million on ABC’s PrimeTime Thursday on August 23rd, and Universal Satellite Communications, Inc. (UniSat) found itself at the center of it all.

With all the major news networks vying for the interview, ABC came out on top, choosing UniSat to complete the team. Contacted just days before the interview, UniSat geared up to provide complete production and digital transmission of the event.

Details surrounding the interview’s time and place were cloaked in secrecy and several broadcast limitations were set by Condit. “The logistics of this job were difficult going in, but our planning, experience and extensive inventory of equipment kept us prepared for just about anything,” commented George Llamas, UniSat Executive Vice President. 

The 30-minute live-to-tape broadcast made use of UniSat’s TES 2 Mobile Digital Production Unit. Equipment for the job included five cameras and six Betacam SP recorders. Extensive communication with ABC headquarters in New York was supplied by 13 cellular phones and three satellite phones. TES 2 is specially designed for multi-camera live production. The unit includes five of Ikegami’s latest digital broadcast Triax camera systems, over 62 broadcast quality monitors, a 24-channel RTS digital intercom system with four master stations, wireless IFB and 8 Telco hybrids. Implementing both digital production and transmission resulted in far superior picture and  sound quality than a traditional analog production uplink. However, UniSat’s analog transmission truck, TES 1, provided the capability of point-to-point microwave link if needed. 

UniSat provided pre and post-story coverage, as well as live shots of the interview for use on World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, Nightline and Good Morning America.

In addition to live event programming, UniSat’s services include breaking news coverage, sporting events, international broadcasts, mobile television production, satellite media tours, video news releases and wide screen digital production.

UniSat Los Angeles Office/Operations: 13426 Rosecrans Ave., Suite C, Norwalk, CA 90650  

Phone: (909) 943-4750 / (800) 867-6620    Fax: (909) 943-0263   www.unisatmobile.com