Tag: #alwayslearning

Career, Employment, HLS Streaming, Mentoring, Moving Forward, Technology

HLS STREAM Tips: Formats, Encoding, Creation, Software, & Syntax Mastery for Broadcasting

HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) is an adaptive streaming protocol developed by Apple for delivering media content over the internet. To create an HLS stream, certain audio and video formats are required for compatibility with the protocol. Here are the audio and video formats required for HLS:

1. Audio Formats: HLS requires audio to be encoded in either AAC-LC (Advanced Audio Coding Low Complexity) or MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer III) format. However, AAC-LC is recommended because it provides better audio quality at lower bitrates.

2. Video Formats: HLS requires video to be encoded in either H.264 (also known as AVC, Advanced Video Coding) or HEVC (also known as H.265, High-Efficiency Video Coding) format. H.264 is the most widely used video codec for HLS, but HEVC provides better video quality at lower bitrates and is recommended for higher resolution and frame rate streams.

In addition to these audio and video formats, HLS also requires that the media files be segmented into small chunks of equal duration, typically between 2 and 10 seconds. These segments are then delivered to the client using a manifest file (usually an m3u8 file) that contains information about the segments and their URLs.

Overall, HLS is compatible with a wide range of devices and platforms, including iOS and Android devices, web browsers, and streaming media players. By following the recommended audio and video formats, it ensures that the media streams can be played seamlessly across all these platforms.

ENCODING HLS STREAMS

To encode an HLS stream, you need to follow these general steps:

1. Prepare your source media: Before encoding, you need to have your source media in a compatible format (see previous answer for required formats), and you need to segment it into small chunks of equal duration.

2. Choose an encoding software: There are several encoding software tools available such as FFmpeg, Elemental Live, Wowza Streaming Engine, and more. Choose one that fits your needs and supports HLS output.

3. Configure the encoding software: Configure the encoding software by specifying the input format, segment duration, output format (HLS), and other settings.

4. Set up a web server: Set up a web server for hosting your HLS manifest file and media segments. You can use a dedicated web server or a cloud-based one.

5. Encode the media: Use the encoding software to transcode the media into the required HLS format and segment it into small chunks. The software will create an HLS manifest file (.m3u8) that includes information about the segments and their URLs.

6. Upload the output files to the web server: After encoding, upload the manifest file and media segments to the web server.

7. Test the HLS stream: Test the HLS stream on different devices and streaming players to ensure it’s playable and doesn’t have any issues.

Overall, encoding an HLS stream requires specialized software and knowledge of encoding settings and web servers. It’s recommended to follow best practices and reference the documentation provided by your encoding software and web server provider.

How To Create an HLS Stream

To create an HLS stream, you need specialized software called an encoder, which can take your source media and transcode it into the required HLS format. There are several encoding software options available, offering various features and pricing models. Some of the popular encoding software tools for creating HLS streams include:

HLS SOFTWARE & HARDWARE

1. FFmpeg: FFmpeg is a free open-source software that can convert audio and video files into different formats, including HLS output.

2. Elemental Live: Elemental Live is a hardware and software solution that supports real-time video transcoding and streaming with features like ad insertion, scalable live streaming, and more.

3. Wowza Streaming Engine: Wowza is a software-based media server that provides live and on-demand streaming with features like transcoding, live stream recording, and more.

4. Adobe Media Encoder: Adobe Media Encoder is a media processing software that can ingest and output audio and video files in different formats, including HLS.

5. Telestream Vantage: Telestream Vantage is a transcoding software that provides multiplatform content creation and delivery, including support for HLS output.

These tools can help you transcode and segment your media files into the required HLS format and generate the necessary HLS manifest file (.m3u8) that contains information about the segments and their URLs. However, the specific software you choose may depend on your budget, workflow, and other requirements, so it’s important to research and evaluate your options carefully.

HLS SYNTAX

Here are ten examples of the correct syntax for an HLS stream using M3U8 playlist format:

1. #EXTM3U – declares the file as an M3U8 playlist file.

2. #EXT-X-VERSION:3 – specifies the version of the HLS protocol used.

3. #EXT-X-TARGETDURATION:10 – sets the maximum duration of each segment to 10 seconds.

4. #EXT-X-MEDIA-SEQUENCE:0 – indicates the starting number of media segments.

5. #EXT-X-PLAYLIST-TYPE:VOD – specifies that the playlist represents a video-on-demand stream.

6. #EXT-X-ALLOW-CACHE:YES – allows the client to cache the media segments.

7. #EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY – indicates a discontinuity in the media stream, such as a change from one bitrate to another.

8. #EXT-X-STREAM-INF:BANDWIDTH=2000000 – specifies the bitrate and resolution of the video stream.

9. #EXT-X-ENDLIST – indicates that no more segments will be added to the playlist (for live streams, this should be omitted)

10. #EXT-X-MAP:URI=”init.mp4″ – specifies a separate initialization segment for the media stream.

Note that some of these tags are optional, and the syntax may vary depending on the media server and player used. It’s always a good idea to test your playlist with different players and devices to make sure it works well.

Career, Mentoring, Moving Forward, Technology

Broadcasting Standards Info Track – SaaS, IaaS, PaaS, & Dev Ops

SaaS (Software as a Service) is a cloud computing model where software is provided as a service over the internet, without the need for the user to install or manage the software themselves. With SaaS, users can access software applications through a web browser or mobile app, and the provider takes care of the infrastructure, maintenance, and security of the software.

When using a SaaS application, the user typically pays a subscription fee on a monthly or annual basis. The provider hosts the software on their servers and manages the infrastructure, storage, and security. The user can access the application from anywhere with an internet connection, and can use the application on a pay-as-you-go basis.

VMware is a company that provides virtualization software and cloud computing services. VMware’s flagship product is vSphere, a virtualization platform that allows businesses to manage their data center infrastructure more efficiently by virtualizing their physical servers and creating virtual machines (VMs). VMware also provides cloud computing services through its VMware Cloud platform, which allows businesses to run their applications in the cloud, either on their own infrastructure or in public clouds like Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Microsoft Azure. VMware’s offerings include Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is a cloud computing model where a provider offers virtualized computing resources, such as servers, storage, and networking, over the internet. With IaaS, a user can rent these resources on a pay-per-use basis and can scale up or down as needed without having to manage the underlying infrastructure. Examples of IaaS providers include Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform.

Platform as a Service (PaaS) is a cloud computing model where a provider offers a platform for developing, deploying, and managing applications over the internet. With PaaS, a user can develop and deploy applications without having to manage the underlying infrastructure, which includes servers, storage, and networking. The PaaS provider takes care of these tasks, allowing the user to focus on developing and deploying their application. Examples of PaaS providers include Heroku, Google App Engine, and Microsoft Azure.

Software as a Service (SaaS) is a cloud computing model where an application is provided as a service over the internet. With SaaS, a user can access the application through a web browser or mobile app, without having to install or manage the software themselves. The application is hosted on the provider’s servers, and the provider takes care of maintenance, updates, and security. The user typically pays a subscription fee on a monthly or annual basis. Examples of SaaS applications include Google Workspace, Microsoft Office 365, and Salesforce.

DevOps is a software development approach that emphasizes collaboration, communication, and integration between software developers and operations teams to deliver high-quality software applications. The following is a step-by-step breakdown of the DevOps process:

1. Planning: The first stage of the DevOps process is planning. This involves defining the project requirements, establishing goals, and creating a timeline for the project.

2. Development: In the second stage, the application is developed by a team of software developers using an agile development approach. The code is stored in a version control system and automated builds are triggered when changes are made.

3. Testing: Once the application is developed, it is thoroughly tested to ensure it meets the requirements and is free of bugs. Testing is automated as much as possible, and any issues found are immediately reported to the developers for fixing.

4. Deployment: In the deployment stage, the application is packaged into a container or executable and deployed to the testing and production environments. Deployment is automated to minimize the risk of errors and improve the speed of the release cycle.

5. Monitoring: Once the application is deployed, it is constantly monitored to ensure it is performing optimally and any issues are promptly identified and resolved. This includes monitoring the infrastructure, the application, and customer feedback.

6. Feedback: Finally, feedback is gathered from users and stakeholders, and the results are used to inform future development projects. The feedback is collected continuously throughout the DevOps process, allowing the team to make informed decisions and continuously improve the application.

Cloud Providers, Life Choices, Mentoring, Technology

Info – Overview: Cloud Providers & What They Do

Here are some popular cloud service providers:

1. Amazon Web Services (AWS)

2. Microsoft Azure

3. Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

4. IBM Cloud

5. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI)

6. Alibaba Cloud

7. DigitalOcean

8. VMware Cloud

9. Rackspace

10. Salesforce Cloud

Here’s a brief explanation of what

each of the cloud providers do:

1. Amazon Web Services (AWS): A comprehensive cloud computing platform that provides Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS) offerings. AWS offers a wide range of services, including computing, storage, database, analytics, machine learning, networking, and security.

2. Microsoft Azure: A cloud computing platform that provides IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS offerings. Azure offers services for computing, storage, database, security, analytics, AI, and IoT. It also provides integration with Microsoft’s other products, such as Office 365 and Dynamics 365.

3. Google Cloud Platform (GCP): A cloud computing platform that provides IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS offerings. GCP offers services for computing, storage, database, analytics, machine learning, networking, and security. It also provides integration with Google’s other products, such as Google Workspace and Android.

4. IBM Cloud: A cloud computing platform that provides IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS offerings. IBM Cloud offers services for computing, storage, database, analytics, AI, and IoT. It also provides integration with IBM’s other products, such as Watson and Red Hat.

5. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): A cloud computing platform that provides IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS offerings. OCI offers services for computing, storage, database, analytics, security, and application development. It also provides integration with Oracle’s other products, such as Oracle Database and Oracle Fusion Middleware.

6. Alibaba Cloud: A cloud computing platform that provides IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS offerings. Alibaba Cloud offers services for computing, storage, database, security, networking, and big data analytics. It is mainly focused on serving customers in Asia.

7. DigitalOcean: A cloud computing platform that provides IaaS offerings, particularly for developers and small businesses. It offers services for computing, storage, networking, and security, with a focus on simplicity and affordability.

8. VMware Cloud: A cloud computing platform that provides IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS offerings. VMware Cloud offers services for computing, storage, networking, security, and application development. It is particularly focused on providing hybrid cloud solutions that integrate with on-premises infrastructure.

9. Rackspace: A cloud computing platform that provides managed hosting and cloud services. Rackspace offers services for computing, storage, networking, security, and application support, with a focus on customer support and expertise.

10. Salesforce Cloud: A cloud computing platform that provides SaaS offerings focused on customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise applications. Salesforce Cloud offers services for sales, marketing, customer service, analytics, and app development, with a focus on helping businesses grow and succeed.

Please reply and add anyone I missed.

Life Choices

Broadcasting Standards a Quick Overview: SMPTE2110 & AES67

SMPTE 2110 is a set of standards developed by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) for professional video over IP (internet protocol) networks. It comprises three separate parts: SMPTE ST 2110-10 for system timing and synchronization, SMPTE ST 2110-20 for uncompressed video, and SMPTE ST 2110-30 for uncompressed audio.

AES67 is a standard developed by the Audio Engineering Society (AES) for professional audio over IP networks. It defines a common protocol for high-quality, low-latency audio transport between different manufacturers’ products and solutions, allowing interoperability between different audio networking systems.

Both SMPTE 2110 and AES67 are widely used in the broadcast and professional media industries, where they provide a flexible and cost-effective way to transport high-quality video and audio signals over IP networks.

Life Choices

Tips: Breaking into the Broadcasting Field

You will need to gain (over time) extensive knowledge and experience in the field. Here are some steps you can take:

  1. Get a degree: A bachelor’s degree in broadcasting or a related field can provide you with a strong foundation of knowledge and skills required in broadcasting.
  2. Gain hands-on experience: Get involved in student radio, TV stations, or other broadcasting organizations to gain hands-on experience.
  3. Specialize: Choose a niche or specialty field within broadcasting, such as sports, news, entertainment, or production, and become proficient in it.
  4. Stay current: Stay up-to-date with the latest trends, technologies, and developments in broadcasting by attending industry events, webinars, and workshops.
  5. Build a network: Build connections within the broadcasting industry by attending conferences, industry events or joining related groups on social media.
  6. Share your expertise: Share your knowledge by writing articles, giving talks, or teaching others in the broadcasting community.

Remember that becoming an SME takes time and dedication. Continuously developing your skills and expertise will boost your career and improve your chances of becoming an SME in broadcasting.

Golf, Life Choices, Mentoring, Moving Forward

Giving Yourself Credit

If you’re like me, you beat yourself up for every mid-step, mistake you make, big or small. I played softball yesterday and made a ton of good plays, ran for first to be safe like a jet, scored at home plate twice by out running the throw, but also was thrown out once at second base, bobbled a ground ball and didn’t get the runner. I remember the mistakes more than the good stuff.

The same goes for my golf game. I hit the ball straight most of the time, but a lot of the time I don’t hit it very far, or get “air” on it. The ball rolls down the fairway pretty far at least and is competitive. But, if I’m swinging over water I choke. If I swing out of a bunker or high grass, I chip like a champ. My tee shot is terrible, my short game is awesome. I love chipping and putting. I practice driving on the range into the water, and I hit equally good and bad shots. Putting and chipping, I’d say I do what I want to do and am successful 90% of the time.

On the driving range

What do I remember most? The misses. It’s time to change that. Especially after all my lofty (pun intended) plans in January. They weren’t resolutions, they were plans.

I also wanted to write everyday. I’ve written some, so I’ve attained that. But, I haven’t written everyday and posted it like I planned to.

I wanted to improve my running time, I hurt my ankle and had to take downtime, so now I started over again last week – slowly.

The Swimming – ankle support

I swim, I’m trying to improve my lap time, but my ankle kept torquing there too, I had to get a swim ankle brace, but I’ve been able to swim regularly again now, and my lap time has improved, and I now do over a mile 5-6 days a week. Days that I feel tired, I have a slower lap time, I beat myself up for going so slow all the way home, but try to shake it off while making dinner.

At work, I can do every right. Cross all I need off my list, and I feel accomplished. Then I realize I forget to get an essential ingredient(s) for dinner at the store. What do you think I think of? Not the accomplishments, but then I pivot on the dinner, and make something else, most of the time it turns out better than I thought it would.

Improvising works!

So, my point it, it’s time to reset. Reset your thinking if you’re like me. Remember the good, the great, the lucky break even. Yes, I’d rather be great or even good than lucky, but I’ll take the luck, any day.

We all need some encouragement sometimes, so hopefully this has helped someone recalibrate their mindset to remember the good or great things you’ve done and accomplished up to now. And, if you’ve taken mid-steps or not even started your plans for 2023, reset now.

There are 24 hours in a day. You can restart your 24 hours at any time, whether it’s 10am, 2pm, or Midnight. It’s YOUR 24 hours. Let go of any regret of not even starting what you set out to do – YET. You can start your 24 hours now, or anytime you choose.

Love Yourself First, the rest Will come. Act and think like “it’s on its way”, and it will come. You need to think that it’s coming first, then it will. Be patient, be persistent, be courageous, be humble, be grateful.

Love yourself like you’re the last YOU on earth, because you are.

Charity and Giving, Giving Back, Life Choices, Moving Forward

Rescued Right Back

Peter Parker 12.27.22

I love to help people and animals. One of my rescues is Peter Parker (aka Spidey). He’s a jumper 😊 I adopted him when he was a few weeks old, and now he’s almost 15 years old.

Same day 12.27.22

This year, a few months after moving into a new place he ate something – I still dunno what. But he went from a playful carefree cat to practically not moving in a day.

I brought him to the vet immediately. His kidneys and liver were failing. Overnight, I picked him up gently, but he was inanimate. The vet was grim. “He’s stage 4 and won’t get better”. No more jumping, no more belly rubs, no more knocking everything off my home desk while playing.

That was the prognosis not the reality.

We brought him home with an IV bag that I learned how to administer to him. We were giving him a few days, and processing what was going on. The next day, he was a little better, and every day for weeks we gave him IV, other medication to entice his appetite, and he slowly became his playful self again.

The vet said, “he won’t make it to thanksgiving”, he did – in fact he’s back to stage 2, thriving, playful, flips over for belly rubs, and playing, he runs to eat food without medication or IV, although it’s standing by if need be. So, don’t accept the worst, better can happen.

Lola left, and Peter Parker right 12.27.22

But here he and his sister are waiting to be fed 16 & 14 years later. Everyday is a gift. They stay by me when I’m sick, they run to the door to greet me when I come home, they nudge their heads into mine when playing – we are family

I may have gone to the animal rescues to adopt them both, but in turn they have rescued me. All these years later I consider every moment good or bad, a gift from the universe.

As this year is coming to a close, I want to acknowledge how much they mean to me. They are part of my family, and as I’m writing this, the boy (old boy now) has situated himself on my lap.

They rescued me right back.

Career, Charity and Giving, Giving Back, Golf, Life Choices, Mentoring, Moving Forward

Lessons Learned: My First Golf Experience

I’ve learned to Face Everything And Recover (facing one’s fears)

When I was young we had a couple of golf irons (I just called them clubs back then) among a garage bin-full of other sporting equipment. One day my brother and sisters decided to try “golfing” in our front yard for the first time.

I couldn’t tell you the brand of the 2-3 irons, or the golf balls we had acquired from a garage sale, but since it was something we were “trying out” for fun, they did the job for a group of kids ages 7-19 years old just trying something out.

Our corner property was long and large enough to play many sports on. We didn’t have an actual hole or pin, just a target we competed to get within range of. We did this with many activities and sports, it was a lot of fun.

At 7 years old (I was the youngest), I didn’t know anything about golf, but I had watched Wide World of Sports on TV, so I tried to emulate what I saw. Big swing, aim for the ball, and off it went – in at least the smallest of coincidences – it did so in the right direction. But, not for everyone in the group of course.

Here’s where a massive problem arose. It was my third turn up to swing (we started each “round” in order of oldest to youngest at the same place in the yard from the target at the end of the property). I blithely set-up the ball and positioned the shared club (fearless, and unaware at that time). Started on my BIG back-swing. Aaaaaand Whammm – my sister was sneaking up behind me to break my concentration. She succeeded. Aaaaaaand, I accidentally hit her hard with the club just above her left eyebrow. It was a gash, (lucky it wasn’t her eye), but with that back swing, I had given her not just a welt, but a bloody gash, aaaand turns out – a concussion.

She was rushed to the hospital. It took decades for the guilt to go away, and seeing the scar to this day, brings the whole episode to the forefront of my memory. Yes, I do realize that it wasn’t my fault, but I was involved, I was holding the club, I still hold myself responsible even though ultimately my sister was and is ok.

But, I was so traumatized, I didn’t pick up a golf club again until last year. I still to this day look around me before ever thinking of striking a ball (whether a softball, or golf ball, a good idea no matter what).

Later in life, I worked at ABC’s Wide World of Sports – in fact I told my mom earlier that same summer when I was 7, yes 7 that I was going to “work there someday”, and I did. Out of the mouths of children comes truth. I didn’t know what that meant at the time, luckily I do now.

I never was told that was a big dream back then, I wasn’t told it wouldn’t be attainable, I just received the gift reply of “ok honey”. My parents had no idea what it meant either, so there was no reason to not believe it was true.

I worked on many different sporting events including golf – I studied the players for each event I worked so I could recognize them if and when needed. From Golf, College & Monday Night Football, Horse Racing, Auto Racing, Bowling, Ice Skating, and Gymnastics. It was a great time. Thing is, I worked out all the, but stopped playing sports. I didn’t really even realize that until right this moment when I wrote that.

I played sports, did running events, did gymnastics, and dance class in grade & middle school, then went to performing arts high school for dance, but with that stopped “competitive sports”.

After college, I took to physical volunteering for different causes: cycling events, running events, swimming events, then began triathlons, just last year I participated in tough mudders too (and I love doing all of them).

Last year I started playing softball again. I’m relearning everything, I also have set aside my predisposition regarding golf, have taken lessons, and love the entire process. I regret not getting out of my own way mentally about the game. I’m still cognizant of my surroundings, where people, animals, and things are in relation to what I’m doing, not just in golf, but in life as well.

My Personal Take Away:

It’s wise to always know my surroundings, the fear has left, but the good practice of ensuring my and others safety prior to taking any swing (in sports, personally, and business opportunity), is just good sense. Don’t let fear stop you, let it inform you to be careful, but not hinder you action.

Keep Moving Forward, and Enjoy the Journey.

Career, Employment, Life Choices, Mentoring, Moving Forward

The One Single Word Everyone Wants to Hear

There are many articles on many subjects about creating connections, friendships, collaborations, instilling trust with colleagues. Are you connecting? If not as much as you’d like, or if you don’t know what missing it could be this one essential thing.

People love many many varied things in their relationships whether in business or personal. Having things in common is a great conversation starter, but halfway in after meeting someone for this first, second, or third time, they and YOU may not even know what’s missing. Have you guessed it yet?

You’ve had a great conversation with your new doorman, store clerk, waiter/waitress, business contact, interviewer, interviewee, video or in-person conference meeting, or a friend of a friend you met at a gathering, now what are they and you subconsciously waiting on?

I can’t believe I don’t remember, they “just said it” you think to yourself. Uhh, thank you……. “Thank you, nice to meet you”, with a node or handshake depending on the situation. That’s nice but that’s not it. Plus, that’s more than one word – just sayin!

What is The Single word everyone wants to hear?

Their Name! It’s the ultimate recognition.

Tips to remember:

1. If on the phone speaking with a customer service person, pharmacist, sales person, anyone who is helping, or trying to help, write down their name right away. Say their name back to them a few times in the conversation if you can.

2. If on a video call or meeting, jot down the person’s name discreetly if it’s not displayed on the screen. If there are many people in the same meeting take a quick screen shot so you can revisit the name with the face. The participant drop-down menu is also usually a good resource to get full names depending on each participant’s input.

3. In-person meetings, if you have a meeting invite, writing down the name of whom you’re meeting with before the meeting can solidify their name. Make sure when you’re first introduced to make eye contact and say their name back. “Nice to meet you, X”. Use their name as much as is comfortable in your conversation.

Pro Tip: If in an interview remember to follow-up with a Thank you email. Get their physical or digital card. Or, their email address should be on the invite. Don’t be shy in asking for their email address in the interview, it shows interest and initiative.

4. Ok. So you met someone you like at a gathering – big or small, but just about everyone is a new face and name (this can also apply to a new work situation). When you first meet people via remote video, or in-person again, say their name back to them as soon as comfortably possible. Again, use it in sentences as much as you can without being creepy.

5. Stop saying you’re “bad with names and faces”. I know this sounds odd, but if you keep saying it, it “becomes” your truth statement. Say to yourself, out loud in the mirror, “I’m great at remembering names and faces, I Rock at remembering names, I own remembering names”, repeat it, believe it. Write it on a post-it notes still. You’ve got this too! You can do this.

It’s not a trick, it’s not creepy, it solidifies to another human that you’re paying attention to them. It shows them you believe they are worth knowing. With a little practice, you’d be amazed at how fast and easy remembering becomes.

I worked at a very large company for 26 years. I knew just about everyone’s name. I made sure I called everyone, yes everyone from the security personnel, cleaning crew to the President of the company by their first names, or the nick name they enjoyed.

I loved making those connections, and it showed them that I respected them, which I do to this day.

Lastly, I want to express my gratitude to everyone else out there – from strangers who have helped me when I needed it, to acquaintances who brightened my day with a smile. Thank you all for being part of my life and helping me become the person I am today

#Offering help: If you need assistance in getting started, I’m open to free consultations. Just contact me via this site, or LinkedIn. You’re not alone in this – I’m here to help every step of the way.

If you would like to converse about my services please reach out as well. I am passionate about helping people reach their goals and turning them into a reality. I know I can help you make the impact you are hoping for, as well as reach your target audience either by writing product information, learn more “call to actions”, newsletter and email writing.

Career, Charity and Giving, Employment, Giving Back, Life Choices, Mentoring, Moving Forward, Technology

The Broadcast Engineer Unicorn

#Offering Help: #Mentoring, #Writing, & #Engineering Services

I’ve been fortunate throughout my 33 year career to have found many mentors. I now happily find myself still working, but also mentoring the next generations of broadcast employees. Not only to have had such a diverse career So Far – it’s certainly far from over, but a female engineer in the world of broadcasting I have been termed a Unicorn. Who me? Yup!

Indeed, for many many years I have found myself to be the only female in the room. The only adult in the room, but that’s another story. I’d be promoted into a full room of men and me. If there was another women, she was an assistant or secretary, so I’d do my best to be inclusive and share insight. Paying back the kindness that was so graciously bestowed upon me along the way.

Although, I have to say, I was underestimated along the way as well. I didn’t spout or boast my knowledge, pat myself on the back for a job well done, I just kept my mouth shut and did my job, and did everything I could think of to “move the needle forward” for women in broadcasting.

Unfortunately, back then the loudest person in the room was thought to be “right” or the most knowledgeable, I certainly wasn’t loud, so I took the brunt of a lot of wrongs. Should I have spoken up? Looking back, absolutely yes, I just didn’t have those tools in my toolkit – YET.

Finally one day, I started a new job in the control room. I had not only one woman boss, I had two! I felt lucky. I was in certain respects, in other respects – uh, not so much.

I won’t distinguish which was which, but one superior was never satisfied. If I took care of every single aspect of my job, went beyond what was expected, took initiative to do more, it still wasn’t enough. More was thrown at me (sometimes literally) and I would scramble to “figure it out”. I could ask the other superior clarifying questions, but mostly I was on my own, they were both busy, and that’s why I was there right? Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

Finally about 3 months in, the superior who was never satisfied went on a 2 week vacation. I was elated, and for good reason. The other “boss”, would check in with me, and on my 2nd day with just her in-charge, she physically came into the control room. I showed her all I did, what I was watching for, what I still needed to finish, and of course asked if I could help her with anything. A simple “Nope, I’ll be in my office, if you need anything, call. You’re smart, I trust you, and I know you won’t wait until you get into trouble to call me”. Then she left. Wow! What a feeling of empowerment.

To this day I do not know that that boss knows what she gave me. Autonomy for one thing, but also confidence. She gave me an example of how I wanted to be when I was in a position like that, respectful, inclusive, giving, everything I needed summed up in a short sentence. Not only did I learn what I wanted to be like, I learned something even more important, what I didn’t want to be like. I didn’t want to create/rule by fear every time I walked into a room, I didn’t want to make anyone feel less than, no matter who they were, I didn’t want to make anyone feel like they were only as good as their last mistake. And so, I’ve taken that goal and hopefully not only successfully achieved it, but surpassed it.

I knew what I wanted, so then I sought out through positive leaders/achievers in and outside of the company. Learned from their vast historical knowledge and applied it to new ways of developing standards. All the men and women of my past have made me who I am today.

Have I made mistakes? Absolutely. Really big ones? That’s an even bigger Absolutely. Have I learned and grown from them? Absolutely. Do I regret some? Absolutely. I don’t regret learning from my mistakes, I regret how I handled my failures sometimes. We all fail sometimes, or a lot of the time, but it’s how we get back up, how we recover that matters. It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.

I cannot change the past though, I can only move forward with integrity and perseverance in the future. I can pass on my knowledge to usher in the new generations. And, I do.

In 2019 I took a seasonal broadcast streaming engineer position at MLB Advanced Media. I was fortunate to work with a newly assembled group of engineers. All men and me (a Re-occurring theme throughout my career). Not only was I the only woman, I was also the oldest person in the room by far. The youngest wasn’t even born when I graduated college, he wasn’t even of drinking age yet. But he was/is brilliant. The takeaway is to remain open, accepting, giving, and teachable. And, check your ego at the door.

It was a new system that we all rolled out in only 3 months, so we All were learning something literally brand new together. It was extraordinary. I had as much to learn, and unlearn as they did, but we did it all together. To this day it was hands down one of the best teams I was ever a part of. We all worked together in this small closet of a room, and we successfully streamed out 32 minor league team’s games for the season, ending in an all time high of adding in some major league games too. We all helped each other through processes and SOPs, it was amazing.

The season ended, some found other full time jobs, the rest of us stayed on part-time to work on Major League ballpark infrastructure upgrades in the off-season. Another great experience. But we did it together. I’ve gone back as a part-time employee season after season with great anticipation and openness to learning all the new tech forward innovation each year. I am truly grateful to have found MLB, and many others along my Broadcasting journey. I was asked once, “What will you do when or if they hire another girl/ woman for this office?”, my response was simple, “I’d throw a parade first, then make sure you all treated her with the same respect you’ve shown me (which was a lot, and it never waivered), or you’ll have to answer to me!” That was said with a somewhat joking lilt, but it was true then, and true now. That was verbatim comment recollection. Very smart, accomplished women were hired, and the respect was given, I was proud of this group of fine men and now women.

It’s not over yet – not by a long shot!

If you’d like to chat please feel free to contact me. I can learn just as much from you as you can hopefully from me.