The new KUT Public Media Studios – Facility Overview
The new KUT Public Media Studios will bring together production and delivery of content in one interactive, dynamic space. The space will use the power and efficiency of digital technology to create content on multiple platforms for multiple audiences. It will demonstrate our work from the inside out, showcasing KUT as one of the most creative, exciting and community-focused public media organizations in Texas and the world.
KUT’s We Are Here capital campaign seeks $9.8 million to build the KUT Public Media Studios, a 20,000-square-foot facility in The University of Texas College of Communication’s Belo Center for New Media. Located at the prime corner of Guadalupe and Dean Keeton, the KUT Public Media Studios will invite interaction in every facet of KUT.
With this new world-class facility, KUT will truly become a daily destination—not just on the radio dial—but a place that engages the community in an immersive media and learning experience unlike any other.
For more information regarding KUT’s Capital Campaign efforts, please contact Stewart Vanderwilt at svanderwilt@kut.org or Sylvia Carson at scarson@kut.org.
Visible and Sustainable Location
Creative design and use of space will showcase our work to the public and provide opportunities for direct interaction. Creative and open workspaces will replace a traditional office structure to enable exciting and productive collaboration between all departments and the community. As a part of a larger institution, KUT can focus resources on programming and services rather than building operation and maintenance. Designed for LEED certification as an environmentally responsible and sustainable building, and a healthy place to visit and work.
Performance Studio
A 72-seat Performance Studio will accommodate live audiences for KUT’s 300 annual in-studio performances. Broadcast forum and performance space will invite the community into the station’s creative and editorial process. Glass-walled studio looks out onto a beautiful, naturally landscaped plaza and outdoor performance stage.
Plaza and Outdoor Stage
A dramatic street-level plaza along Dean Keeton features a performance lawn with outdoor stage, beautifully framing a view into the Performance Studio. Native landscaping will be sustained by captured water.
The new KUT Public Media Studios will bring together—for the first time—production technology, music libraries, studio space, staff, and the community. Far more than just more space, it enables an entirely new approach that will make KUT even more valuable and meaningful to our audiences. It will let us bring together creative and editorial production and delivery of content in one interactive, dynamic space. Here are some of the highlights:
Producer Commons
An open, innovative, and technologically advanced collaborative work area brings together KUT’s newsroom, on-air hosts, music producers, program producers, online producers, and interns. Every studio, control room, and producer desktop will be networked together—making every corner of the station part of a powerful integrated media production facility. Studios will be on-air ready with the ability to immediately stream digital audio content to multiple platforms. The facility will triple our current capacity to provide professional-level internships, offering critical hands-on education on the role of responsible journalism.
Community Engagement Room
The Community Engagement Room will promote daily interaction between KUT and the public via forums, workshops, or events. The Community Engagement Room will be available for local organizations to host general meetings and events.
Production Studios
New interview and performance spaces will create a positive and productive work environment for staff as well as guests, including notable public figures that frequent KUT’s studios for interviews with various (national and international) media organizations such a NPR, PRI, and the BBC Additional production studios—including two on-air control rooms—will meet KUT’s growing need to provide content to its multiple channels while continuing to expand its online presence and reach. New space and technology will enable KUT to digitize content—including our entire music collection—and share our unique programming in multiple formats around the world.
Green Room
The KUT Green Room will provide a welcoming and comfortable space for guests —artists, authors, scholars, politicians, and newsmakers —to prepare for their appearances.
For more information read the KUT Public Media Studios Fact Sheet.
