CEI Teams Up with Gentile for Backpack Journalism Solution
Story Highlights
Communications Engineering, Inc. (CEI) has joined forces with Emmy award-winning producer Bill Gentile to develop a dynamic solution to one of the industry’s biggest challenges — turning a broadcast journalist into an entire in-the-field production crew. Following several months of research and development, CEI and Gentile have created the Bill Gentile Backpack Journalism System, a versatile, cost-effective solution designed to meet the demands of remote location broadcasting. The system will debut at InfoComm June 9-11 in Las Vegas at CEI’s booth (#C5177).
A pioneer in backpack journalism, Gentile has covered stories on five continents over a 30-year career, and has taught countless other journalists his methods.
“Today’s news organizations are under increased pressure to minimize costs and expand the capabilities of their reporters, and the backpack journalism system provides them with the comprehensive tools to do their jobs effectively in a variety of environments,” Gentile said. “Partnering with CEI to create this custom backpack system makes perfect sense because of their technical knowledge and long-term experience in the broadcast industry.”
The entire system is configured by CEI and covered by a three-year warranty, backed up by CEI’s experienced in-house service department. The system features equipment and accessories from leading manufacturers, including Sony, Apple, G-Technology and Manfrotto. The customized system offers extensive features and options for a wide range of uses and environments.
“We’re fortunate to have such a skilled, highly respected journalist as a partner in the development of the backpack journalism system,” says John Wesley Nash, EVP and COO of CEI. “Bill brings a tremendous wealth of knowledge to this project. He knows exactly what photo journalists need in the field, understands the challenges they face, and has helped us put together what is certain to be a system that allows them to be very mobile and still deliver high-quality stories.”
