BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — In the spring of 2015 Withers Broadcasting President Dana Withers and WETT(FM) General Manager Tim Defazio came to me with a request to design and equip a state-of-the-art studio for a new morning show on Withers’ West Virginia radio station WETT in Clarksburg/Bridgeport, W.Va.
With a tight deadline of July for the launch of the “Jack Logar Show,” I visited with Ben Palmer of Arrakis Systems at the NAB Show with a request for a custom-built desk. Withers Broadcasting has had a 20+-year relationship with Arrakis custom-built studio furnishings, including countertops and cabinetry built for Founder Russ Withers for flagship stations WMIX(AM/FM) in Mount Vernon, Ill. With this relationship, I knew we wouldn’t be disappointed. Seeing their Accent furniture line at NAB, I was also excited to see how the custom furniture would turn out. The durability, ease of maintenance and competitive pricing were also major factors in selecting Arrakis studio furniture.
Before even leaving the show in Vegas, I emailed Ben a basic layout of the room, along with dimensions that were provided by the WETT staff. Palmer was able to create a custom design and send dimensional drawings for approval. The dimensions of the furniture were a consideration, since we wanted to have guests on the opposite side of the table, and we didn’t want to block the main entrance. We also wanted to make sure that the current console would fit comfortably on the main table.
From the drawings Ben sent, we felt comfortable with moving forward on the purchase. We also specified that we wanted a keyboard drawer added to the main table, and standard 13RU racks for the two pedestal tables.
The furniture was assembled in one afternoon by Chief Engineer Dave Compton, Esker Davis and me. Step-by-step instruction made assembly quick and simple. The solid construction and materials used make the furniture something that will endure for a long time.
We are happy with how it all turned out. It fits wonderfully in the room and compliments the rest of the studio. We are pleased with the flow, functionality and how beautiful it all looks together. The studio turned out to be a great success.
For information, contact Ben Palmer at Arrakis Systems at (970) 461-0730 or visit www.arrakis-systems.com.
