KTRK Optimizes Look of Live Streams and Broadcasts with Smart Lighting Design from Brightline

Houston broadcaster KTRK-TV has been on the scene for 70 years and is known for community outreach as well as investigative journalism. Journalist alumni include Dan Rather and legendary consumer reporter Marvin Zindler. Home of the Houston Texans and Houston Marathon, it is also the city’s most-watched1 news station.

KTRK is the only major network affiliate in Houston to occupy its original studio facility. With 75 hours of locally produced newscasts each week and live and streaming content on Roku, Fire TV, Amazon and its ABC13 Houston app on Apple TV, its studios are continually updated to produce the best possible video content for local viewers – however they’re watching.

KTRK is a long-time Brightline customer, with over 60 Brightline fixtures in their Bissonnet Street location. Just last year they purchased 37 Brightline L1.2 variable white fixtures, eight L1.4 fixtures, and five Brightline Lupo fresnels to replace existing fluorescent soft fixtures and augment their LED fresnel inventory in the main news studio.

Late last month KTRK added to its Brightline complement. New L1.2 and L1.4 fixtures with DMX control now light all of Studio B. The station has been eager to add functionality to Studio B, including expanding its chromakey capability to enable virtual set production. A large chromakey corner, lit by Brightline, is the start of a complete upgrade. Later plans involve an interview set and possibly a talent stand-up area.

Lighting Designer/Director Chris Boyd installed the fixtures. Rob Kreps with Barbizon Lighting Company programmed the DMX console based on settings supplied by Boyd. “Thanks to the daisy-chain ability of the Brightline fixtures, we only used three 20A relay circuits to power the entire rig. Control was provided by DMX cable from an ETC Element console,” explained Boyd. “The set was lit to 3200k tungsten but can go up to 5600k daylight when needed.”

“KTRK has always been a true partner with Brightline,” said Kathy Katz, Managing Partner, Brightline. “We’ve worked closely with them for several years and look forward to many more. They truly understand the transformative power of great broadcast lighting.”

Last month’s lighting updates in Studio B at KTRK are as follows:

Brightline L1.2X variable white with DMX control (2x)

Brightline L1.4 variable white with DMX control (17x)

Wide control screens on back lights

Fixture mounted intensifiers on front lights

ETC Element console.