Live from Carmel

Broadcast Club gives Carmel live updates

Students circling the track during the all-school mass might look like they are training for the upcoming track season, but they’re not trying to shave time off their personal bests.

They are members of the Broadcast Club and they are live.

Led by librarian Eric Franklin, senior Derek Tilli and senior John Collin, these tech-savvy students broadcast to a dedicated Youtube channel. For the best coverage, the students set up three cameras around the track and send the video into a device called the TriCaster.

“I joined because it’s a good way to learn new things and I get to watch mass from a different perspective,” junior Wyatt Kron said.

The $6,000 component was a part of the 2013 Information Commons build and has been a Broadcast Club staple ever since. A computer program then transfers high definition video straight onto Youtube, making live mass feeds better than ever.

Sophomore Jake Rohlwing set up the feed and kept an eye on the signal during the ceremony.

“Small adjustments are required during mass, such as camera angle changes and subtitle pop-ups,” Rohlwing said.

Rohlwing, Tilli and junior Noah Stansbury act as the technical ring leaders, sitting at a desk that looks like the cockpit of a plane, with two screens and tons of cables running to and from different components.

They are in charge of every aspect  of the production from set-up to tear-down.

When the Broadcast Club isn’t perched on the track during mass, they cover athletic events, like basketball and hockey, which are broadcast on the National Federation of High Schools Network.

The Broadcast Club also got the chance to cover a game being broadcast on the IHSA platform which was a big deal for all of the club members.

Next time you look up during the homily at mass and see members of the Broadcast Club scampering along the track, you’ll know what they’re up to.