New Broadcast Studio Facilities for the Voice of America

Abstract

A new and permanent broadcast plant for the Voice of America has been constructed in Washington, D. C. International broadcasts were initiated from these facilities on September 15, 1954. Unique features of this plant include a complete system design for equipment, which was fabricated to specification and requirement and a performance specification for all interior acoustical work. The equipment is comprised in part of a fully presettable, 100 input—50 output Master Control Desk and a 40-channel Recording Console. The Western Electric cross bar system is used for switching, and the recording functions are handled in a ten-cubicle recording room, each cubicle containing four disk or tape machines, the sets being completely interchangeable. Fourteen studios have been built which may be increased in number to thirty-six. A reference recording system of unusual application has been introduced. Five separate air-conditioning systems are used for the facilities area. Both tape and disk playback facilities are provided in every studio control room, all of which are indentical in size and layout to minimize operational problems. The studios are acoustically designed for speech reproduction suitable for the highest intelligibility of thirty-five different languages and are constructed to maintain an operational residual noise level of no greater than twenty-seven decibels. The acoustical performance specification demanded for the prescribed interior acoustical work is described. A variety of acoustical problems posed themselves during the plant design. A discussion is held concerning these problems and their practical solution.