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96 ESPN+ Broadcasts for Jacksonville University

Gemstone Media produced 96 ESPN+ broadcasts for Jacksonville University from August 2024 through May 2025!  We are honored to have played our part in this non-stop athletic season, we are delighted by its success, and we are proud to share these reflections.

 

Rick Canter, JU Associate Vice President/Deputy Athletics Director:

“The hard work and dedication you all brought to our games this year was nothing short of tremendous. To see how far our quality production has come from my first year to now is amazing.

“I want to thank the entire Gemstone team for simply caring so much. I can’t tell you how many times I received a text talking about how our production was much better than our competitors’. We appreciate your constant support of our department, and I look forward to continuing our work together.”

George Birnbaum, Gemstone Media CEO & Founder:

“Our Tristan Morhous and Ryan Smolka were the backbone of this effort, taking JU ESPN presentations to a new level of sports entertainment excellence!

“And we appreciate the constant support from JU to ensure that we put on high quality, engaging broadcasts to represent the university proudly.”

Tristan Morhous, Gemstone Media Director & Production Supervisor:

“I cannot tell you how many times we have had parents, fans, students, come up to us to tell us how appreciative they are for what we are doing.

“The growth of the student workers has been something to be proud of as well. A lot of the students stuck it out till the very end of the season, which showed their commitment to the program.”

Reece Fishback, JU Assistant Director of Events & Operations:

“From all of us at JU, we greatly appreciate your team’s hard work and dedication this past year to help put on some of, if not the best, quality productions in the ASUN conference that even rival some Power 4 productions.

“We look forward to building upon our partnership and continuing to put out great broadcasts for our JU community. Looking forward to 2025-2026!”

 

Read more about Gemstone Media and our scope of operations here, and click for more under the Services tab above.

Gemstone on the Green

Gemstone Media produced the broadcast for the 2025 American Men’s Golf Championship, from opening tee to sudden-death playoff! 

Here are reflections from Maria Trivelpiece, Director of Video Communications and Reporter for the American Athletic Conference:

“Working the Men’s Golf Championship with Gemstone was fantastic. There was great coverage of the event throughout the course before, during and after play was going on. The ability to add multiple camera elements were great, and I think that the event was covered well making it a great experience for student-athletes. 

“As a reporter, the communication between myself and the producer was great as well and was happy to be a part of the event.”

 

Read more about Gemstone's work with The American Athletic Conference

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Learn about Gemstone Media and our scope of operations here, and click for more under the Services tab above.

Go anywhere, broadcast everywhere!

Take a look inside Gemstone Media’s MPU-1 Mobile Production Unit.

With our MPU-1, Portable Production System, and Fly Pack, we can produce your event from anywhere, and broadcast it everywhere!

 

 

MPU-1 specs:

  • Ross Carbonite
  • Ross Xpression Go! (1 Channel)
  • 3-Play Replay 4 In/2 Out
  • Behringer XENYX X2222USB Premium Analog 22-Input Mixer
  • Microsoft Surface – Music Player
  • SDI or Fiber ST connection
  • Hollyland Wireless Intercom System or RTS Intercom System
  • 1-Channel IFB
  • Blackmagic Hyperdeck Mini (1) – Video Recorder (SD card)
  • Blackmagic Hyperdeck Studio (1) – Video Recorder (SSD drive)
  • Blackmagic 40×40 Router
  • Sony PMW-320 XDCAM Cameras (4)

 

Gemstone Media is a versatile production company designed to help you tell and amplify your story.

Contact us today!

Gemstone “an invaluable partner in elevating USF Athletics”

A testimonial received from Michael Kelly, University of South Florida Vice President for Athletics: 

Michael Kelly headshot

Michael Kelly

“Gemstone Media Inc. has been an invaluable partner in elevating USF Athletics’ 21 programs through top-tier production quality and innovative storytelling while also inspiring the next generation of broadcasters through our student intern program.

“Their expertise and commitment to excellence—across more than 180 broadcasts annually, the most in the American Athletic Conference—have strengthened our brand and showcased our student-athletes in a way that inspires Bulls fans everywhere.”

 

Read more about Gemstone Media and our scope of operations here, and click for more under the Services tab above.

Completing the Broadcast Cycle (with a Walk-Off Grand Slam)

How about that historic walk-off grand slam by Alex Lodise, winning the Florida State vs. University of Florida baseball game for the Seminoles on March 25?

Gemstone Media’s crew captured it.  And get this:  the game almost wasn’t televised!

We received the request the evening before the opening pitch:  “Could you broadcast the UF/FSU game on ESPN+ and ACCNX?”

Immediately, Gemstone began gearing up.  “While we did not have access to cameras everywhere we wanted, which added to the challenge, we got the game on the air and provided a solution to the last-minute need,” declared George Birnbaum, Gemstone Media CEO & Founder.

“The client was thrilled, especially with what we could pull off on under 24 hours’ notice.  And what a finish!  We’re ready to do it again, with even more lead time.”

Need a production company for sports, corporate communications, long-form programming?  Whether you have a year to plan, or the pitch timer is ticking, call on Gemstone Media to step up to the plate!

Gemstone on the JU Baseball Diamond

Catch these behind the broadcast photos from Jacksonville University baseball!

Follow our work with JU all season(s) long on Instagram @Dolphins_Broadcasting, and read more about Gemstone Media’s partnership with JU Athletics here.

The vehicle pictured is our Mobile Production Unit (MPU-1), which can be available for your production.  See the inside and check out the specs here.

 

CSX turned to Gemstone to help train First Responders

CSX has a reputation for being prepared to respond to any incident on their railroad.  Part of that is sharing with First Responders and Emergency Managers the extensive resources CSX makes available to them.

Emergency Response to Railroad Incidents is the training presented aboard a dedicated train for Responder Incident Training.

 

Gemstone Media developed a multimedia training program which CSX Hazardous Materials Specialists use in conjunction with hands-on training on actual rail cars and a locomotive.

Gemstone also developed the video modules and the accompanying course manual to help instructors customize the training for the communities where first responders operate.

More than 10,000 First Responders are expected to benefit from the training.

Read more about our work with CSX here.

Varsity 4: REMI Kickoff Return

The high-energy environment of a high school football game makes for an exhilarating and rewarding broadcast experience for us and the audience—no matter where the crew is positioned, or where the audience is watching!

This past high school football season, WJXT called on Gemstone Media to produce a weekly feature game.  “We wanted to showcase the talented teams in our area and were able to do that each Friday night through the high school football season,” explained Justin Barney, WJXT sports editor.  “The quality of production was top notch. Gemstone allowed us to bring a professional feel to the high school game each week.”

The resulting 11-week Varsity 4 series on the station’s streaming platform, News4Jax+, was a REMI (Remote Integration) production.

First, Gemstone sent camera operators with intercoms and bonded cellular encoders to the host stadium.

Back at the Gemstone Media office, we decoded the signals, switched cameras, inserted graphics, added slow-motion replays, and mixed audio.

Then, Justin Barney and Cole Pepper at the TV station watched and added commentary, with their audio coming back to Gemstone and the final product being streamed to viewers on News4Jax+.

While this configuration isn’t unique in sports broadcasting, it is technically challenging.  One goal was to allow Justin Barney to be able to walk out of the station’s podcasting room following the post-game wrap, and take his position for The 10 O’Clock News.

“I can’t even tell you how many compliments we received from local fans and even those who were out of state who thanked us for streaming a game of the week in 2024,” Barney concluded.

Watch this fall 2025 for another slate of top high school football matchups, as Gemstone Media produces Varsity 4 again!

Local Program Support: Property Tours of Northeast Florida

“Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live on vacation? With all the amazing homes and activities here in Northeast Florida, it can seem like you’re doing just that!… We invite you to join us as we dive in to the premier communities, properties, and attractions that make Northeast Florida such a desired destination.”

The Hammond Family Group recently called on Gemstone Media to support their production of Property Tours of Northeast Florida in its new season.

While we often encourage potential program production clients to “get your story out of your head and onto the screen,” we also receive requests to provide support and guidance to established productions in a specific area.

The Hammond Family Group approached Gemstone with one season of Property Tours of Northeast Florida already completed, and a clear vision for its future improvement, namely with the interview portions.

“Working with Gemstone has been a great experience as part of our team at Property Tours of Northeast Florida.  Their professionalism, expertise, and willingness to go ‘above and beyond’ has been a great blessing that’s allowed us to take this season to the next level!” declares Brady Hammond, lead residential agent for the Hammond Family Group, and the show’s co-host.  Season 2 premieres Sunday, February 16 at 11:00am on ABC25 (WJXX).

Gemstone Media can assist with your existing production, too, in whatever areas you need. Let’s chat!