Local publicists might be keen to get the flyer printing presses underway to spread the word on a bit of Medford trivia most residents will not know know - the area ranks #1 in the country as having the highest concentration of broadcast technicians.
The face was revealed this month by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), but it may have caused those not familiar with the industry here some bewilderment. It turns out that it has to do with geography and topography.
According to a Mail Tribune article written by Greg Stiles, all the major television networks, public television, and Christian broadcasting have an affiliate in Medford. The same is true for radio. However, it takes a far-flung network of translators to capture and transmit all the signal activity thanks to proximity and nature. The Rogue Valley is almost 300 miles from Portland and more than 300 miles from Sacramento. In addition, the region is also home to the Cascades and Siskiyous mountain ranges with their surrounding valleys.
It takes a lot of equipment to keep the broadcast transmissions streaming, and so it takes a number of experts to service the equipment. As Bill Whitt, chair of the local chapter of the Society of Broadcast Engineers, noted in the Mail Tribune article:
"With new technology, there is equipment that needs updating and retrofit, but in this economy you just can't do that. As long as the technology runs, it will be maintained."
There are 70 technicians in Medford, according to the BLS numbers, which means concentration is four times greater than anywhere else in the country.
