Spring Break
Mixing board, pieces of technology on their way out at KBVR
Student studios get facelift thanks to efforts of new engineer, process may take two years
Rachel Crews
Issue date: 11/1/07 Section: News
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Kemp has undertaken a complete assessment and clean-out of KBVR-TV equipment and facilities since he began working at OSU this past spring. The studios are home to outdated technology.
An outdated Mackie mixing board here. A telephone interface from the mid-1980s there. Even a machine which has no known function. Kemp is surprised at every turn.
Formerly he taught courses at Portland State University but decided he preferred the more hands-on work that KBVR had to offer. KBVR allowed him to stay in a college atmosphere and work with students rather than over students. To him, it's more than just a radio or TV station; to him, its a place for students to learn and grow.
Last summer Kemp began a clean-out of KBVR-FM facilities with the help of student engineer Dustin Miller. Kemp and Miller used thousands of feet of cable, brand new equipment and a wealth of knowledge to renovate KBVR-FM. That led to a very grateful KBVR-FM staff.
"Jack is amazing," Colt Murray, the hip-hop director of KBVR-FM, said. "He came in and recognized all of our problems. He even built an entire [computer] program from scratch that has saved paper and time."
Another student involved in KBVR-FM, Emma Sales, the promotions director for KBVR, has felt the impact of Kemp's work as well.
"He's doing a lot with digital that used to be on paper," Sales said. "The station looks a lot more professional."
Now Kemp is taking on a clean-up and renovation of KBVR-TV's facilities, a process that he is predicting will take two years, mainly due to an excess of unnecessary equipment. The clean up has entailed removing much of the studio's current equipment, testing it to make sure it is still operational and deciding if it is needed. If it doesn't pass certain criteria, it goes in the dumpster - and not too many items made the grade.
"We've already hauled away three 6-foot dumpsters," Kemp said. "I'd like to see a clean and well-functioning facility for everyone."
Along with the clean-out comes replacement. Kemp is hoping to replace the ancient, dust-covered equipment with newer technology - technology that will serve students better and prepare them for the modern-media world they will be stepping into after graduation.
"That's what I'm after," Kemp said. "The best environment for students so they can learn and have fun."
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