Reliable PMM Model Provides Gainesville’s Public Broadcast Station with Operational and Financial Efficiencies
Sept. 15, 2021 - In an effort to improve the reliability and functionality of North Central Florida public television station WUFT-TV, the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) has partnered with Media Management LLC (Media Management) to transition WUFT to Media Management’s PMM cloud-based broadcast technology platform (PMM).
The transition of WUFT-TV, the local PBS affiliate housed at UFCJC, to the PMM operational model on June 28, 2021 is being paid for via a two-year grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting called the "Healthy Network Initiative." All expenses related to the transition to PMM are covered by the CPB grant.
PMM provides the technology and operations model to improve reliability and dramatically reduce the need for future capital investments as technology evolves and enhancements are needed by traditional in-house operations. The PMM Network Operations Center constantly monitors WUFT-TV’s programming and coordinates with WUFT-TV’s television programming and operations staff to ensure the over-the-air signal is always of the highest quality.
"PMM’s emphasis on maximizing technology to the benefit of public broadcasters has really taken the company to the next level," said Randy Wright, executive director of WUFT-TV and the UFCJC’s Division of Media Properties. "We love their model and how well it’s already functioning for WUFT-TV. This has made budgeting so much simpler and the lack of any capital purchases in the future related to our master control operation is going to make our financial future much more secure."
"As PMM grows, it continues to gain acceptance among leading public broadcasters in key markets across the nation, and Gainesville’s WUFT-TV is no exception," said John Studdert, President of Media Management. "As we expand our user base, customers are choosing PMM as a way to easily and inclusively streamline management and distribution of their programming, which can be easily implemented and operated by staff with wide-ranging background, experience and skills. PMM not only provides stations like WUFT-TV with the tools to enhance their workflows, but the autonomy and independence to make critical decisions at a local level, with the needs of their specific audience in mind."