Gray TV Invests in 12 Facilis TerraBlock SANs

VP of technology Jim Ocon runs a tight ship at Gray Television Inc. – overseeing the technical scope of digital infrastructure, newsroom content acquisition and mobile TV for 36 television stations serving 30 different markets.

Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, Gray TV serves 17 CBS affiliates, 10 NBC affiliates, eight ABC affiliates, and one FOX affiliate, as well as 40 secondary channels that are affiliated with either ABC, FOX, CW, MyNetworkTV, Untamed Sports Network or The Country Network.
To deliver high quality content that is packaged to air before it ever hits the station, each Gray TV news team strives to capture and edit all footage in the field.

On any given day, 12 or more reporters hit the field and return to the station with hours of high-res footage.
Jim and his team depend on Facilis Technology, Inc.‘s TerraBlock Shared Storage Systems to help manage this influx of media and get the right content to air on time. To date, Gray TV has invested in 12 TerraBlock SANs that span 12 different stations.

Ocon said: "Gray TV is the station you grew up with – a station that really identifies with the community. We want our viewers to have the best possible experience, so we’re selective when introducing new technology into our workflow; decisions are not made lightly."

When researching new technology Jim and his team consider four key factors – affordability, flexibility, ease-of-use and quality support.

He shared: "Storage needs to be priced at a point that middle market stations can afford. TerraBlock is an affordable, flexible solution that is easy to use and manage. If we experience any issues, support is quick to answer our needs. Overall TerraBlock has been a great addition to our workflow."

Gray TV is in the process of transitioning to a new workflow with TerraBlock as the storage backbone. Connected to Gray TV’s Ross Overdrive automated production system using either ENPS or Inews for media management, the TerraBlock is primarily used in the newsroom to collect the media that is sent to a Nexio system.

"TerraBlock has played an integral role in this new workflow transition. The system makes it easier for our news staff to obtain, edit and disseminate content quickly," Ocon said. "It’s critical to delivering the high-caliber content our viewers expect on deadline. TerraBlock also gives us the flexibility to adapt to constantly evolving codes."

He concluded: "When designed right, great technology should always be invisible; you shouldn’t ever have to worry about it. For us, TerraBlock is that; it’s a powerful, inconspicuous piece of technology that allows all the other equipment to shine."