Andrea Cummis Brings Over Thirty Years of Experience to the PBS39 Team
Bethlehem, Pa. — March 22, 2018 — PBS39 is pleased to announce the appointment of Andrea Cummis to the position of Chief Technology Officer. Andrea comes to PBS39 with over thirty years of experience in engineering, project management, and consulting. Her expertise is welcomed at PBS39 as the public media organization transitions to a variety of new technologies and updates equipment in the studios, control rooms, and editing bays.
The changes that Cummis and the production team are implementing include moving to a Joint Master Control arrangement with WCNY in Syracuse, N.Y.; upgrading to new Panasonic studio cameras; adding PTZ robotic cameras to the mix; and bringing a Playbox clip player online. “All of these changes require teamwork,” said Cummis, “and I’m happy to be part of a great team here at PBS39.”
PBS39 is broadcasting five channels under a channel share arrangement that Cummis is overseeing with other Lehigh Valley television stations WFMZ and WBPH. This will be an engineering feat, essentially allowing transmission of up to ten channels over a relatively small bandwidth. Not only will this increase the reach of the PBS39 signal, but the changeover will also allow the station to turn off their outdated transmitter, tentatively scheduled for July, 2018. Cummis has also implemented a video over I.P. system from LTN, which will modernize the way live video feeds are managed to networks like CNN, MSNBC, FoxNews, and others. This system is typically used when local political figures appear remotely as guests on those networks.
“PBS39 is incredibly fortunate to be able to attract someone as talented and with as much national experience as Andrea Cummis,” said Tim Fallon, CEO of PBS39. “As PBS39 continues on the path of WLVT 3.0, we truly need someone with Andrea’s passion, knowledge and abilities to achieve the vision of a community that is inspired, engaged and vibrant.”
Cummis has an impressive academic resume. She earned her B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, a law degree from Concord Law School at Kaplan University and an MBA from Pepperdine. She has also studied a variety of forms of martial arts in her travels around the world and is a third degree blackbelt in Taekwondo.
About PBS39
PBS39 is a community-owned public television station licensed to Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton, Pa., serving eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. PBS39 is owned and operated by the Lehigh Valley Public Telecommunications Corporation. PBS39 acts as the catalyst to promote civic engagement, and to fulfill the regional needs of the Greater Lehigh Valley through its dynamic communication platforms and resources. For more information, visit wlvt.org.
Information Provided By:
Tyler Winston
PR & Marketing Coordinator
PBS39
