Since 2000, Randy Thieben has owned and led operations at Central Coast Uplink, a Monterey, California-based satellite video company. Randy Thieben counts among his clients major news outlets including ABC, NBC, CBS, PGA Productions, ESPN, BBC, The Weather Channel, The NASA Channel, and more. At Central Coast Uplink, Randy Thieben works with up to 24 freelancers daily to capture video footage of breaking news stories, sporting events, entertainment, and weather events. In 2010, Randy Thieben and Central Coast Uplink won an Emmy for live, on-location coverage of the San Diego Fires.
Randy Thieben’s work often takes him into precarious or tense situations; with Central Coast Uplink, he has covered earthquakes, fires, high-profile jury trials, and corporate events. He maintains a cool head on location partly by committing to proactive maintenance of his equipment. While on duty, Randy Thieben works with his equipment, setting up and operating microphones, video cameras, monitors, jibs, and lights, and communicating directly with network producers to ensure that video and audio levels are ideal. In addition to his careful attention to detail while shooting, Thieben maintains a meticulous backup system to avert last-minute equipment failures.
Before launching his own business, Randy Thieben spent years honing his craft at news stations in the southwestern United States. During his tenure at KOAT-TV in Santa Fe, New Mexico, he operated a satellite truck to shoot, edit, and distribute video newsfeeds from the state capital to various network stations. Randy Thieben also maintained and updated his satellite equipment as needed. Thieben later moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, where he supported the evening news broadcast for ABC News affiliate KTVX-TV4 as a videotape editor and photojournalist.
Randy Thieben started his training as a photographer at Humboldt State University in Arcata, California, where he studied journalism and art photography for three years. During a break from his studies, he transferred to Arizona State University, where he graduated with a BA in Photojournalism in 1990. Randy Thieben loves to travel and considers his job, which affords him the chance to see the world, his favorite hobby.