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Smoothline Works for Seacrest Cincinnati

Children’s hospital studios get broadcast treatment with GatesAir furniture

CINCINNATI — When the Ryan Seacrest Foundation announced plans for its sixth Seacrest Studios pediatric location, the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center seemed an ideal choice. The foundation strives to present its studios in centralized locations where visitors, patients and staff often gather or pass through. The Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center had 970 square feet of unused space in the midst of its central atrium, serving as a perfect location to build a professional broadcast studio from scratch.

The Cincinnati Seacrest Studios location opened in November 2013, leveraging labor and equipment donations from broadcasters and industry vendors. The fully professional space accommodates an array of professional and amateur broadcasters, with patients, hospital staff, local broadcasters and national personalities all contributing to the on-air entertainment.

OUT OF THE ORDINARY

Studio comfort is a top priority for the young patients that are here for treatment yet able to come down and participate in the broadcasts. GatesAir modified an existing design for studio and cabinetry, building all studio furniture and cabinetry to ensure with comfort and visual appeal was achieved in equal measure. Clear Channel Communications joined forces with GatesAir and other vendors, playing an instrumental role in systems integration.

The on-air and production environment brings all the tools of a modern digital radio studio together, as well as cameras and a green screen for video production purposes. The centerpiece of the studio design is a one-host, five-guest custom design from the GatesAir Smoothline range of furniture. Built-in headphone controls and adjustable Yellowtec Mika! arms with Electro-Voice mics simplify the way that talent with varied levels of experience can comfortably contribute to the on-air program. The guest wing is raised to an elevation that accommodates wheelchairs and gurneys in addition to adjustable chair heights, which ensures that many patients can participate with ease. All together, the furniture layout creates an atmosphere where hosts and guests can interact with comfort.

The GatesAir design team ensured that the furniture designs were geometrically unique as well as bright and visible. The Smoothline trim is adorned with appealing, out-of-the-ordinary colors that pop when viewed from the central atrium area. Oval-shaped cabinetry was added to the top of the surface to the right of the host position, adding more visual appeal while providing storage for CD players and other source equipment.

Meanwhile, the sturdy and spacious desktop surface accommodates an array of on-air and production equipment for the 24/7 operation, including two automation systems, a 12-channel GatesAir NetWave console, audio processing gear, telephone codecs and various production accessories.

The furniture design accommodates a GatesAir Flexiva World Feed Panel, side-mounted to the desktop cabinetry. The Ryan Seacrest Foundation occasionally brings artists and celebrities into the studios as they pass through town, and the World Feed Panel accommodates any associated live performances. The 3RU audio signal connection system features an interface panel with support for common connector types, including RCA, XLR, 1/8-inch/3.5 mm, 1/4-inch TRS balanced and unbalanced connections. An active USB interface supports temporary connection of instruments, laptops, DJ coffins and other live performance gear to the house system.

Finally, the well-planned furniture design addresses the traditional design and integration requirements for neat and simple wiring and cable runs, with strategically placed punch-holes and tresses to accommodate a clean and professional installation. Electrical outlets were incorporated to simplify power connections across the integral on-air and production devices.

Collectively, the spirited and inviting feel of the studio atmosphere represents the essence of the project, which encourages a creative and interactive experience for patients working through the healing process.

For information, contact Keith Adams at GatesAir in Ohio at (513) 459-3447 or visit www.gatesair.com.

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