The second US Presidential ‘town hall’ debate was held at Hofstra University on New York’s Long Island. It saw President Obama recover from a poor performace in the first debate with a number of heated exchanges with Governor Romney. Supporting the audience’s questions, relaying the answers and feeding the broadcast were Audio-Technica mics, a pair of Yamaha DM2000 digital consoles and a Clear-Com communications system.

Michael Abbott, owner of Los Angeles-based All Ears chose, Yamaha DM2000 digital consoles for audio control: ‘The dual DM2000s were chosen specifically to provide two separate audio streams. Size and audio I/O capabilities also played a key role in the set-up – we routed six Yamaha AD8HR 8-channel preamps to eight groups: four for the house mix and four for the broadcast pool truck.’

Abbott explains that Dugan-MY16 cards were inserted into the consoles for the 24 Town Hall participant mics, along with moderator and candidate microphones.

Clear-Com Strategic Technology Specialist Larry Estrin is Audio and Production Communications Director for the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), and chose Audio-Technica mics for each of the four debates in the series. These include A-T’s 5000 Series wireless with AEW-T5400a condenser handheld transmitters and AEW-R5200 receivers to allow the candidates to roam while answering the evening’s questions); AT898cW cardioid condenser lavalier mics with AEW-T1000a body packs (doubled for redundancy) for moderator Candy Crowley; AE6100 handheld (wired) hypercardioid dynamic microphones, connected to Audio-Technica’s AT-MX351a SmartMixer Five-Channel Mixers for audience questions; and BP4071 line/gradient condensers for room ambience. Candidate backup mics were additional AT898cW units with AEW-T1000 body packs and AEW-R5200 receivers.

Clear-Com, meanwhile provided the communications – an Eclipse Median digital matrix and HelixNet Partyline intercom systems and Tempest2400 digital wireless intercom with the new Seamless Roaming feature, providing production team members at each of the four debate locations with an integrated communications solution for coordinating all the production elements within the venues as well as the pool broadcast truck.

With more than 100m viewers watching the debates around the world, every production cue, from lighting to camera angles, is critical. Equally important is coordination between the director and producer of the debates, as well as between these positions and the producer in the pool broadcast truck, who is managing the camera and audio feeds for the broadcast on all the major networks.

Central to the communication set-up is the Eclipse Median frame located backstage for venue communications, while a second and third Eclipse frames, located in the media pool, allow broadcast and print media management personnel to communicate with the production crew about shot selection and other important elements. A fourth Eclipse frame is positioned at the pool broadcast truck. Its primary function is to interface with the venue’s Clear-Com system and the truck’s installed intercom system. This set-up allows the crew to place a Clear-Com V-Series panel at or inside the pool truck.

Throughout the venues and the media center, V-Series panels connect to the communications network via panels. HelixNet is integrated with the backstage Eclipse frame to handle communications and cues for the various technical departments within each debate hall. Tempest2400 is being used by crew members who need to move throughout the debate hall, such as the stage managers and handlers for the candidates.

Clear-Com CC-300 and CC-400 headsets are used with all the systems.

‘Clear-Com has the total solution when it comes to wired and wireless intercom and digital partyline,’ Estrin says. ‘Eclipse and HelixNet proved themselves at the Summer Games and will continue this success during the debates. Adding Tempest2400 with the Seamless Roaming feature provides an additional wireless element that allows staff required to be in all areas of the venue to move freely without loss of signal or having to change the settings on their BeltStations. Most important, all the Clear-Com intercoms were designed to be used together, providing us with a seamless fit across of all communication elements.’