The Signal Hill City Council approved a contract with Studios Spectrum, Inc. on Aug. 8 to install new video software and update its broadcasting services in order to improve the quality of live-streamed and recorded public meetings.
Studios Spectrum, Inc. is a Burbank-based company that provides audio visual equipment and related services. City documents state that the company has previously been hired by the cities of Long Beach, Alhambra, Arcadia, South Pasadena, Pasadena, Burbank, Cerritos, and more.
The contract will cost the City up to $198,088.79, and a 10% contingency has been put in place in case of unforeseen costs. The contingency funds can only be used with the authorization of the City Manager.
A $141,368.79 chunk of the contract will be spent in the first year, and will cover the costs of the new equipment, installation, maintenance, closed captioning and production staff. During the following two years, the annual cost will be $28,360, and will only have to cover maintenance, closed captioning and production staff.
Key upgrades to Signal Hill’s live-stream capabilities will include:
- Two high-definition monitors, featuring an 85-inch display on one wall of the city council chamber and a 75-inch monitor on the opposite side
- Relocation of the control room from City Hall’s basement to a dedicated IT room upstairs
- Introduction of a touchscreen control system for the audio visual system
- A portable microphone system adaptable to various meeting formats
- Inclusion of closed captioning and high-definition options
As well as installing the new equipment and setting up the new broadcasting systems, the contract also includes three years of supportive services from Studios Spectrum, Inc.
City documents state that the current streaming service used to broadcast city council meetings, Granicus, would cost $53,000 more annually if closed captioning was added. City staff determined it would be cheaper to add a second streaming service, Cablecast, which will provide closed captioning for a lower charge.
The Cablecast livestream will be available through the City’s website, smart television platforms such as Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon, and the Cablecast smartphone application.
The City will also be paying to upgrade the current standard definition video feed shown on the City’s website to 720P high-definition, which will cost approximately $1,000 for a 12-month period. City documents state that users can expect the updated video quality to be available by mid-September 2023.
According to City documents, this project is in line with the Signal Hill Strategic Plan’s sixth goal, to “promote a transparent and open government.”
Signal Hill City Council meetings are held biweekly on Tuesdays at 7 p.m, and can be watched online live or as a recording on Granicus.
