In 2007 TRACT Ltd (as of November 2008, INTV Ltd – an independent business entity) won the tender to put into effect an educational television facility for students of the Journalism Faculty at St Petersburg State University. At the time, we were faced with a challenge of setting up a brand-new modern studio. Fitted with advanced equipment, it would be accompanied by a number of editing rooms whereby the students could work and practice their reporting skills. As always, our specialists worked very well. They designed the project to ensure the installation of technical equipment made available for future journalists. Our experts have also carried out hands-on training sessions with all of them and other technical personnel.

The television complex consisted of a broadcast control centre, shooting pavilion and editing rooms, two of which were linear and five non-linear ones. The equipment comprised a number of light, audio and video devices; the Panasonic AW-E650 professional TV cameras; the PROFITT PDMX-1016 16-channel video switcher; the PROFITT SDI+AA 16x16 audio-video routers; converters and distribution amplifiers of the PROFLEX module system; as well as an ATLAS graphic station produced by our Company.

All materials shot at workshops were processed in a specially-designated classroom where the Avid Express Media Composer non-linear edit stations were used. From there the appropriate information was transferred to a news archive and to the videoserver.

This new studio witnessed a sharp increase in the number of candidates wishing to study mass media at the University. The possibilities of organizing the above-described practical hands-on seminars and workshops should equip the would-be reporters with all the skills they need once they have made an entry into profession. Those with best skills could land good jobs.

The sessions gave the students an opportunity of making news reports in busy environments of TV studios. As practice shows, even quite a few 1st year students had expressed a wish to participate in them.

Victor Sulaev, the University Professor who worked with us as Studio Director, has summarized the positive experience his pupils had gathered in the course of these working seminars. Says Mr Sulaev: ‘We at the faculty came to regard this new TV facility as a virtual breakthrough for students. All those who have used it would have accumulated invaluable experience which will serve them in good stead in the months and years to come. Working at the facility built by INTV, they have operated from the real TV studios with advanced equipment and technology.’