Clear-Com upgrades communication systems for Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune
When Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! needed to upgrade their wireless communications system, they turned to Clear-Com FreeSpeak wireless for their iconic television productions
Audio Masterpiece’s Gary Vahling, who has worked in the professional audio industry since the early 1990s, served as the lead systems Partner for the project. Known for his meticulous preparation and hands-on testing approach, Vahling made sure the communications system was fully validated before deployment, minimising risk and guaranteeing reliability once it reached the studio floor.
Chris Savage, technical manager and project lead for both shows, oversaw the system design and installation. “Both shows share a control room but have stages that are effectively miles apart due to walls, pathways, and even parking lots,” Savage explains. “We needed a system that could handle extensive travel between the control room and the stages without a single dropout, and that’s exactly what we achieved.”
The production team on Wheel of Fortune requested a more flexible and channel-rich system to accommodate a technically savvy crew with increased monitoring needs. Clear-Com integrated a combination of FreeSpeak II and FreeSpeak Icon systems, leveraging Bluetooth-enabled beltpacks for maximum ease-of-use, even for executives with minimal technical experience.
For Jeopardy!, reliability and streamlined communication were equally critical in supporting the show’s fast-paced production environment, where timing, contestant coordination, and precision cueing are essential. The Clear-Com setup provides dedicated wireless coverage across the stage and production areas, giving crew members instant, uninterrupted communication throughout tapings.
The system now supports 30 FreeSpeak II beltpacks and 6 Icon beltpacks for Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!, with easy intersystem connectivity.
The upgrade also included Arcadia Central Station, allowing full interoperability with existing Dante-enabled audio networks. This approach enabled lighting and PA crews to continue using legacy FreeSpeak II beltpacks while taking advantage of FreeSpeak Icon’s advanced capabilities.
“The goal was a system that would last for years and scale with evolving production needs,” says Savage. “The team at Clear-Com, working closely with our Partners, delivered a solution that was simple and useful. From control room to stage, operators experienced zero downtime, even during high-pressure live productions.”
