ABS-CBN Studio Tour 201

In the studio exposure that we had last July of 2012, many questions of mine about broadcast communications got cleared. The tour happened at the studio of ABS-CBN which is located somewhere in Quezon City. It was a place filled with actors, actresses, people under mass communications, make-up artists, but most of all; it is filled with broadcasting equipment as well as their respective technicians and operators. I can already imagine life there after we graduate.

I started the day early. The reason is because I am completely clueless of how to get to the place. I had to rely over the internet and search for directions. Luckily, I was able to find clear instructions quickly. This gave me a peace of mind. The tour was scheduled to start after lunch, at around 1pm. I took the MRT in going there because it is definitely more convenient compared to taking my car with me. I was able to arrive at the tricycle stop early and so I took the extra time to eat lunch. After that, I went straight to the studio where I was still ahead of schedule.

The studio was pretty amusing even from the outside. I was even able to see some actresses on their way out of the place. It was really fun seeing television personalities move in accordance to who they really are in real life. Most of them were cheerful but that is expected.

Me and my thesis group mates at ABS-CBN

Upon entering the vicinity, we came across several stalls selling snacks and souvenirs. Moving further inside brought us to a small room where we were entertained by a studio staff. He was pretty good when it comes to building relationships with the public. I easily got comfortable talking to him and did not notice the time pass by.

The tour started when we were already complete. In two groups, we were brought to places like their transmitter stations, their broadcast stations, the studios that they use, and many more. From there, we were able to see how each individual functions in operating the whole site. We personally had close encounters with the machines that they control and maintain.

Their transmitter station was really capacious. I can tell by the number of their equipment that they are really in for some serious broadcasting business. Every machine was conditioned and is up-to-date. We were thankful that the operators or station managers were there to assist us in understanding each broadcast apparatus. They discussed the purpose of each device and also gave us some quick questions and trivia about them.

Pictures from the Transmitter Site:

 

Their broadcast stations were splendid. Every room is equipped with all the necessary devices used to provide success to their shows. What amazed me was the process that they do when it comes to launching advertisements on our screens. The timing for every interval was perfect. I did not expect that playing commercials would be that complicated. Their operators were really good that they don’t fall asleep while working. Moreover, I was also informed by the tour guide that they are already using the latest digital televisions. This technology proved to be better than the previous ones that we use. The only thing that makes it bad is that it causes a noticeable delay of about 3-5 seconds.

Pictures from the Broadcast Stations:

Their studios were another wonder. All of the rooms were fully-furnished and were fully air-conditioned. The reason is because they need to overcome the heat that all their lights emit. Nobody would want to see their television personalities perspire while on-air. Moreover, we were also able to see the level of technology that they allotted just to bring their viewers high-class shows. It was really a pleasure having seen the exact rooms that they use when broadcasting news.

ABS-CBN News Center

Even though the weather was harsh on us during that day, I still had fun. The tour guide was effective in discussing to us even the technical sides of their work.  I am really thankful that our professor, Engr. Roman Palo, gave us a chance to explore how it is to be inside a broadcast station. I hope that there will be more of this for the next batch so as to also give them a head start with what life would be after graduation.