DM: First, let’s catch everyone up on the latest news. As many of our Wheatstone customers know, Broadcast Depot has been a Wheatstone dealer in Latin America for years. As of earlier this summer, that partnership has extended into the U.S. What does this mean to Broadcast Depot and Wheatstone customers in the United States?

TJ: We have a wide variety of customers in the U.S. that can really take advantage of your products and experience. We’re a full-service partner to our customers and so is Wheatstone, and that’s a powerful combination.

DM: It sure is. I don’t need to tell you that broadcasting is going through some changes right now, which requires a much tighter partnership between manufacturers and dealers.

TJ: Right. Studios are getting smaller, for example. They’re not building these facilities that have 15, 20 studios anymore. We are also seeing more of the talent working remotely and visual radio taking off. These are just a few areas where technology like Wheatstone’s AoIP and virtual consoles can make a difference and where we can come in with new ideas and approaches based on our experiences as an end-to-end provider since 1999. We’re also involved in ancillary audio and video industries and that is a great source of expertise for broadcasters.

DM: Let’s talk about that. Broadcast Depot carries a full product line of audio and video products, not only for broadcast but also for related audio and video industries.

MS: That’s right. For example, we just completed a project for an entertainment channel and we’ve done projects for the WWE [pro wrestling] and Poconos Whitewater, which are not broadcast companies although they have studios. By the way, Wheatstone products fit in very well in these markets.

DM: That’s true! It sounds like you’re involved in a wide range of projects and getting experience with a variety of audio and video products. That is especially beneficial to broadcasters as well, right?

MS: Yes. It gives us a different perspective that can be useful. For example, we have a product that we’ve developed called Quimera, which is an augmented reality TV set. In that process we’ve learned some things about visual radio. Take lighting. Lighting, as it turns out, is very important in visual radio. The right lighting gives you that crisp, clear picture that’s important. We wouldn’t have that expertise if not for the experiences we’ve had along the way with all these ancillary projects.

DM: Broadcast Depot is known for its deep support and service. You tend to take on those more complicated RF or studio projects. Why is that so important today?

TJ: That’s true. The fact is the average broadcast engineer is now covering 12 or more stations across 600 square miles, and that means they are relying on us more and more. We become their first level of defense, in many cases.

MS: The service area is what so many companies lack these days. I know you guys don’t fall into that category, but some companies just don’t have basic service. We’re less likely to sell those products because I know that on the backside, I’m not going to have the help and, more important, my customer is not going to get the help they need.

DM: What else should we tell the Wheaties out there about Broadcast Depot that might be relevant?

TJ: We keep over a million dollars of stock in our warehouse. We ship worldwide, so we can get things on the road right away. We have a team of engineers in-house. We have a first line of support, so if something happens, we can try to troubleshoot it and solve it before we go contact the factory.

MS: Also, sometimes I think our size makes us more flexible. Our size allows us to develop plans for projects that some other companies that are a bigger size or are more structured can’t do. Things like demos and terms, we just tend to be more flexible.

DM: Thanks, Tim and Mary. I think we’re going to enjoy working with you!