University News
Sample to Retire After 34 Years at WIU
April 29, 2014
MACOMB, IL -- Rich Sample, chief broadcast engineer in University Television at Western Illinois University, will retire May 30 after more than 34 years of service at Western.
Sample, a 1979 WIU mass communication graduate, began his career at WIU in 1979 as a work program participant as part of the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA). He was promoted to television director/producer in 1982. Sample was promoted to assistant chief broadcast engineer and worked in that capacity for educational broadcasting and extended learning, public radio, satellite services and Center for the Application of Information Technologies (CAIT). He was reclassified as a chief broadcast engineer in 1991, and in 2003, joined the Television Services staff following CAIT's reorganization.
"Rich and his expertise and experience will be greatly missed," said Mike Taylor, director of television services. "We wish him well in retirement and thank him for his many years of service to WIU."
Since beginning his career in the television industry at Western nearly 35 years ago, Sample has witnessed numerous changes in technology. According to Sample, television at Western in the late 1970s involved playback of programs for professors to the classroom over a closed circuit cable system, and in the early 80s, the advent of VHS videotape allowed the professor to play the programs on their own in the classroom.
"At the same time the television production facilities were evolving. The studio went from three black and white cameras to color, and a modern production switcher was installed as well as professional videotape editing," Sample recalled. "The engineering staff also worked with Dan Wise to bring the first weather radar, which was housed in the area of television, to west central Illinois."
A major leap occurred in 1989 with the installation of the KU band satellite uplink to deliver high school classes to small schools across the United States, and in the 1990s the television studios were upgraded to professional cameras, switcher and videotape recording/editing systems. Over the past four years, the television facility has been completely upgraded to high definition, a tapeless recording work flow and video file based playback for programming on Macomb cable channels 3 and 15.
"I've truly enjoyed my years at Western. It has been interesting to witness the technology advances over the years," he added.
In addition to his role at WIU, Sample served as the emergency coordinator for the county, City of Macomb and WIU for 12 years. As emergency coordinator, he obtained NOAA weather radio coverage for the area, and was successful in writing a grant to get weather radio into schools, daycares, public buildings and academic building on campus.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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