New Look Attracts More Viewers to KJHR
KJRH uses Design by Light Service Program to improve show quality and maximize HDTV investment
KJRH
Headquarters:
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Type of business: Local TV station; NBC affiliate
Design by Light services: Design by Light Service Program
Customer since: 2007
Challenge:To enhance the station’s set & lighting, create a flattering effect on talent and maximize HD investment
Solution:Design by Light’s Service Program provided high-quality lighting design and comprehensive consulting services throughout every stage of the process—from assessment to training and support
Benefits:Significantly improved show quality with minimal investment; elevated employee skill level and morale; HDTV transition increased show ratings and recognition
Challenge
When Ross Greenawalt joined KJRH as production manager in 2006, the station was ready to begin its transition to HDTV. KJRH had upgraded its cameras to High Definition five years prior, but Greenawalt knew that the transition would require additional changes in the studio. “Because HDTV shows much finer detail on camera than Standard Definition broadcasting, we needed to make some changes to our set. But to create the right aesthetic, high-quality lighting design was going to be crucial,” says Greenawalt. At the time, the station was using fluorescent lighting that illuminated the entire studio. “Our lighting created a flat, washed-out look on screen. We needed a lighting design solution that would enhance the look of our set, create a flattering effect on our talent and maximize our investment in HD.”
Solution
Greenawalt began searching for a professional lighting designer and found
Design by Light online. “I looked at the Design by Light website and found the exact lighting style we needed in the studio. We chose to work with Design by Light because of its proven record working together with TV shows, as well as stations transitioning to HDTV, to create truly unique lighting,” he says.
The Design by Light (DBL) Service Program enabled KJRH to work with a seasoned lighting professional throughout every stage of the lighting design process—from evaluation to training and support. Design by Light lighting designer, Jim Sichinolfi, studied KJRH’s news shows online before arriving at the station. Greenawalt recalls, “When he arrived on site, Jim discussed our needs with us and provided an evaluation of the studio lighting, including a list of materials that would create the more dramatic effects we desired.”
"Working with Jim was really easy". For the next five days, Jim redesigned the lighting for KJRH’s various sets while providing hands-on training to the station’s production technicians. “Jim redesigned the lighting for our interview, weather and news sets, as well as for promo shots of our reporter stand-up areas. Jim has a great instructional style. Everyone—including myself and the news director who already have lighting backgrounds—learned an enormous amount.”
As part of the DBL Service Program, Jim also provided additional lighting consulting and post-design support. “We use a kitchen set for cooking demos and live-audience segments. Since the set was in the process of being rebuilt at the time, Jim consulted with us on the lighting design we could implement on our own.” Greenawalt also scheduled a make-up artist to consult with Jim on site, ensuring lighting and make-up worked together to enhance the look of the anchors on camera. Since the initial lighting design, Greenawalt has consulted with Jim via email. “I’ve bounced a few ideas off of him on the lighting of the kitchen set, as well as how to color correct our monitors. It’s really helpful to have a dedicated lighting expert who I can consult with,” he says.
Benefits
As a result of working with Design by Light, KJRH has been able to elevate the skill set of its staff, improve employee morale and maintain the quality of lighting of its shows. Thanks to Design by Light, our technicians really understand lighting, and we’ve been able to light our new kitchen set using the techniques we learned from Jim.” Now, lighting training has been adopted as part of the management program.
Design by Light helped KJRH significantly improve the quality of its shows with minimal investment. “Whether you’re broadcasting in Standard or High Definition, your show won’t look good if you’re not lit well—regardless of the quality of your set, talent or technology. If your anchors look washed out, your show looks cheap,” says Greenawalt, adding, “Since working with Jim and Design by Light, both our Standard and High Definition shows look ten times better on the air, and we didn’t have to spend a ton of money on set design.” Jim was able to accent the set background and highlight anchors without having to buy additional lighting instruments. “By creating a professional aesthetic for our shows, high-quality lighting design makes the investment in HD worthwhile,” says Greenawalt.
KJRH has experienced steadily increasing ratings and industry recognition since its upgrade. While it used to rank third, the station reached number one ratings during and after the Olympics. “Today, we consistently beat our competitors, and we receive a lot of comments from other stations and people in the industry about the new look of our show. Our work with Design by Light was an important factor in making this happen,” says Greenawalt.
Future
In the near future, the station plans to extend its HD capabilities to its field and local commercial shoots. As it continues to expand, KJRH intends to continue working with Design by Light. As part of the DBL Service Program, Jim will revisit the station to ensure that the integrity of the lighting design is maintained. “We’ve had a great experience working with Jim. We look forward to meeting with him again. He’s exactly the type of designer we wanted to find. His talent, combined with his lighting design and training experience, made the process really easy for us and we got results that exceeded our expectations,” says Greenawalt.
