BUILDING TOWARD THE FUTURE
November 1954. Nebraska Public Media’s first station is on the air. There are no cameras, no microphones and no television equipment. Undeterred, our fledgling crew produces three hours of live TV each morning using equipment and studio space borrowed from – and shared with – Lincoln station KOLN. The crew must disguise a support column in the middle of the studio for every program. Sometimes it’s a tree. Sometimes it’s a lamppost. In this awkward arrangement, a commitment to a new kind of entertainment that informs and educates Nebraskans takes shape. However, General Manager Jack McBride knows that building our own production facility is vital to harness the power of public television.
Several photos courtesy of Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries.
A SPACE TO CREATE
A 1956 grant from the Ford Foundation funds construction of a studio in the basement of the Temple building on the University of Nebraska’s downtown campus. Once again, there was a support column in the middle of the studio. Luckily, this time, a large I-beam shoved through the building’s foundation could replace it.
From this original studio, Nebraska Public Media created new and more sophisticated programs that only grew in popularity with educators and the public. The network continued to expand, and by the late 1960s, we worked from offices scattered across 14 buildings on the city campus. It was time for a new broadcast center.
Getting the Unicameral to approve our visionary proposal for a six-floor, state-of-the-art production facility was a monumental task. Armed with our reputation as an unbiased information and education resource that connected the state, McBride and others presented our case and won the support of the legislature. In 1972, officials gathered on the University’s East Campus to dedicate a new building that would house four studios.
THE CROWN JEWEL
The Ron Hull Studio (formerly Studio 1) was the crown jewel. Finding a comparable television production facility required travel to a larger market like New York City or Los Angeles. During a visit to the high-tech space, actor Vincent Price remarked, “We don’t have anything like this in Hollywood. You could do anything here!”
Our studios and the local and national programs we produced inside established Nebraska Public Media as a pioneer in educational television. Together, we built one of the most innovative, resourceful and unique public broadcasting partnerships in the country – one that remains an inspiration for other stations and networks.
The early visionaries who could see past the pole in our very first borrowed studio did much more than make television programs.
They cleared the path for a future full of possibilities.
NEW DEMANDS, NEW OPPORTUNITIES
We connect with our audiences in ways our founders never imagined — and more change is ahead.
Today, we stand at the threshold of a transformation. During the next few years, an exciting new generation of technology will revolutionize broadcast television and the tools needed to produce programs. This new technology offers incredible features too numerous to list. One of the biggest changes our viewers will experience is the number of channels we can broadcast with our signal. Our line-up of five television channels will soon expand to more than 20 public media channels!
Along with all of these new choices comes an exponential increase in the number of programs we need to produce. We already face increasing demand to do more as we create content for YouTube channels, social media and streaming services like PBS Passport.
Time has taken a toll on the Ron Hull Studio, and the space is not equipped for the latest technology or the fastpaced television production it requires. For 50 years, the studio nurtured trailblazing content, but today, much of its equipment is outdated or at the end of its service life. Nebraska Public Media now faces a unique convergence –the need to replace aging equipment and prepare for a new era in broadcast technology.
Artist rendering
RON HULL STUDIO UPDATE
In this era of increasing choice, it’s paramount that the Ron Hull Studio be equipped to produce diverse television programs efficiently and safely. We must anticipate equipment needs and confidently prepare for a future that is just coming into focus. To succeed in this new environment, Nebraska Public Media proposes these improvements to our studio space.
• Upgrade overhead rigging and fixed grid
• Enable advanced scenic set designs
• Acquire new cameras
• Acquire a new video switcher
• Install a large LED video wall
Purchase and Installation
Estimate: $6 Million
• Install LED studio lighting
• Upgrade work lights
• Replace backdrop curtains and tracking
• Upgrade vents and ducts for heating and cooling
IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES
We demonstrate our value to Nebraska by the stories we tell, the trusted news we report, the fine arts and music we showcase, the history we share and the new technologies we embrace.
Our award-winning network is an industry leader, and our accomplishments and reputation set high standards for broadcast journalism and storytelling at stations across the country.
Your public media network creates a common experience that connects us to each other and the world. When we invest in ourselves, we secure our future as a relevant, essential resource for future generations of Nebraskans.
Like the investment early visionaries made in Nebraska Public Media seven decades ago, the Ron Hull Studio Update will sustain our work and provide the critical infrastructure to unleash possibilities in a new era of television technology.
YOUR SUPPORT CREATES A STRONGER, MORE EFFICIENT NETWORK:
• Helps us manage an increasing demand for new programs.
• Provides additional creative opportunities for television producers.
• Creates a safer workspace for our production team.
• Generates programs with a more contemporary look.
• Minimizes the risk that key pieces of equipment might fail moments before airtime.
• Maximizes resources so our television productions are more cost efficient.
A STRONGER, MORE EFFICIENT NETWORK BENEFITS YOU:
• Maintains a strong and independent media resource even as the industry consolidates.
• Provides more creative and varied programs.
• Supports the creation of innovative news and information services.
• Reinforces our statewide institution.
• Strengthens connections to Nebraska and the world.
• Offers you new programs to love!
PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE FUTURE
As we enter a new era in television and design a $6 million technical upgrade for the Ron Hull Studio, we respectfully seek your partnership to help fund the renovations.
Nebraskans know we can achieve great things by working together. The Nebraska Public Media Foundation is offering a 50% match to support the campaign and increase the impact of your gifts – accelerating our fundraising and bringing us closer to our goal.
MISSION
Our mission is to enrich lives and engage minds by connecting communities and celebrating Nebraska with services that educate and enlighten.
NebraskaPublicMedia.org
For questions or more information, please contact: Molly Delaney, Chief Strategy Officer 402.470.6380 or mdelaney@nebraskapublicmedia.org