Using just two switchers and Broadcast Pix's Remote Commander, CFN can broadcast live from several studios and churches in the New York City area saving the production team time and hassle of traveling to each location individually. “If it wasn't for the Remote Commander, we'd have a tough time trying to deliver our masses remotely as we do," says Josh Nemley, CFN’s lead engineer. "We're running a very efficient and streamlined house.”
Broadcast Pix builds integrated production switchers, as well as cloud-based solutions for media management, collaboration, and distribution.
Catholic Faith Network (CFN) has a unique and challenging mission to shoot, produce, and deliver multiple high-quality live productions every day. Programs range from daily masses to studio shoots and remotes. Additionally, CFN retransmits programs gathered from other sources that even include masses or messages from the Pope originating at the Vatican.
The unique challenge CFN has is in the switching of recorded and live content, both in-person and remotely, from multiple locations in and around New York City, all while maintaining high production values. As with any large multiple worship endeavor, robust video switcher options are a must. Nearly every video and audio signal will pass through the switcher at some point during the production.
With so much at stake, CFN relies heavily on its longtime partner, Broadcast Pix, known for its production switchers and cloud-based solutions for media management, collaboration, and distribution. CFN currently owns two Broadcast Pix MX Systems and two FX Systems, as well as Remote Commander. Utilizing the Remote Commander means worship services or programs being produced by CFN with their MX or FX Systems can be controlled and switched remotely from anywhere. Here is what CFN is currently working with:
BPswitch MX is a mid-sized integrated production switcher that can be tailored to fit worship production needs. The Broadcast Pix BPswitch MX also controls and delivers live video on up to three projection screens. BPswitch MX features patented control and automation technology, end-to-end workflow integration, high redundancy, ultra-low latency, cloud storage, media management, and a built-in customizable feature set.
BPswitch FX is a smaller, yet very powerful switcher that delivers performance and value in one complete video production solution. Everything that is needed to create great programming is integrated into a single software package with an easy-to-use interface and a layer of automation that result in a professional production.
Lastly, Remote Commander provides touchscreen control on the preferred device. It can be used in a web browser for secure, remote production control from anywhere. All control is IP-based and can be used over the public internet through a standard connection.
Josh Nemley, CFN’s lead engineer, had nothing but praise for Broadcast Pix and its Remote Commander. “If it wasn't for the Remote Commander, we'd have a tough time trying to deliver our masses remotely as we do. We use the Broadcast Pix Remote Commander every morning at St. Agnes Cathedral. That's how we are recording our masses. We have a direct fiber feed from St. Agnes Cathedral for video where the switcher is located. We have operators back at our studio in Uniondale that will switch the live mass via Remote Commander.”
"...it's amazing to see. We have a full-blown mass on Christmas Day, St. Patrick's Day or Columbus Day, [and] there's a single person behind the scenes switching four or five cameras." - Sean Kennedy Sr., Executive Producer at CFN
Nemley adds, “Remote Commander is very crucial for the switcher, [which] is used more remotely than someone in-person. We usually have one person onsite for special masses as well as the masses every Sunday. But more often than not, the switcher is fully controlled by the Remote Commander.”
In addition, Nemley has designed a flexible layout to help with operations. “I designed a layout where you have a regular switcher multi-viewer, but under the multi-viewer, there are nine presets per camera that you can click for different shots that we know are going to happen during the mass. In addition to the presets moving the cameras, you can also click on each camera itself for full PTC controls of all the cameras.”
Newley says that the setup has positively impacted the St. Agnes team’s workflow. “ We produce our live show on Tuesdays mornings from 9 to 10 a.m.EST. Then we do other production work, and our editor and prompter operator from Uniondale take in the feed, [and they] also control the prompter,” he notes. “It is amazing because you're not tying up someone’s entire day to go into the city where that same prompter operator who would've done the show in the morning. He's a producer, [he would have] worked on other shows, and then at two o'clock done a prompter for the Cardinal's show. So, we're running a very efficient and streamlined house.”
When asked how CFN gets all of these productions accomplished, Sean Kennedy Sr., executive producer at CFN, says, “Currently, CFN has the FX switcher at St. Agnes Cathedral. We have the BPswitch MX because of the latency on the video output. The latency is much less on the MX than the FX. So, in situations where we need immediate video, that's where we use the MX at St. Agnes Cathedral, [where] we have the FX because we're not too concerned about the video latency.”
Kennedy continues, “We not only have studios in Uniondale, we have studios in New York City at 1011 First Ave., which is the Cardinal's building. We also broadcast mass, not only from St. Agnes, but we also produce St. Patrick's Cathedral every day but Saturday. We also broadcast from Loretto, which is in Hempstead, and cover Spanish masses daily, as well, and [we] opened brand new studios in Yonkers, New York, at St. Joseph's Seminary, where we produce a show every Tuesday, called ‘Conversation with Cardinal Dolan,’ that airs live on SiriusXM at two o'clock on Tuesday and then airs Wednesday nights on Catholic Faith Network. Our audience for that is tremendous!”
CFN also has a control room in St. Patrick's Cathedral. As Kennedy describes, “The archdiocese of New York has a control room to the left of the altar. Tourists pass it every day and have no idea what's going on there. And it's amazing to see. We have a full-blown mass on Christmas Day, St. Patrick's Day or Columbus Day, [and] there's a single person behind the scenes switching four or five cameras. They also do the daily mass; we take every day and any special masses as well, including Columbus Day, Christmas Eve mass, the Easter masses, the Easter vigils, Good Friday, etc.. We're doing a lot of production out of there.”
Kennedy notes that he has been with CFN for about eight years, and at Cablevision MSG Networks for 24 years prior. “Pretty much my whole career has been in remotes and studio,” he says. “CFN is national. Our footprint in the tri-state area is interesting because our diocese is the diocese of Rockville Center, but our reach goes further with the archdiocese of New York, which is Cardinal Dolan's territory.” “Our Broadcast Pix rep, Russell Whitaker, has been fantastic. One of the things I take very seriously is the relationship, and I don't like to call them ‘vendors’ because I think they're better than that. But we have such a great relationship with Russell, that we can pick up the phone, send an email, or a text, and the response is immediate. And as it is with live television, if your switcher goes down, you are dead in the water.”
Kennedy continues, “I also just want to mention our leadership with Monsignor Jim Vaughn, our president and CEO, and also one of our on-air talents, and Joseph Perone, who is our general manager. They give us the latitude and the leeway to work with people like our Broadcast Pix rep.”
In closing, “As you know, being in broadcast, you can buy a really expensive switcher. And once it's delivered, it's ‘see you later.’ We don't have that type of relationship with Broadcast Pix. We have an incredible relationship, and we look forward to expanding that. And one last thing, what is important is the footprint of the switcher and the console space. Every inch is valuable when you're in a control room. And I think the amount of bang we're getting for those switchers is tremendous.”
