Paul Barto - Associate Athletic Director, Broadcast and Video Production - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Paul Barto

Title:
Associate Athletic Director, Broadcast and Video Production
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Paul Barto joined the University of Pittsburgh Department of Athletics in 2004 as the first Director of PantherVision after eight years in a similar role with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Since that time, Barto has played an integral role in Pitt Athletics branding and his leadership has seen marked growth in both the technological infrastructure and video production capabilities of Pitt Athletics. In 2017 Barto was promoted to Associate Athletic Director for Broadcast and Video Production.

Currently the Broadcast and Video Department is comprised of 14 full-time staff members responsible for the production of all live ACC Network Extra broadcasts, creation of regional television programming for Pitt Athletics, video content for PittsburghPanthers.com, social media outlets, in-venue video boards, recruiting needs and video coaching support for 13 of Pitt’s 14 varsity sports teams.

In 2018, Barto oversaw the opening of Pitt Studios, an ambitious $12 million project to support the launch of the ACC Network in 2019. The state-of-the-art facility housed inside the Petersen Events Center features fiber connectivity to all of Pitt’s athletic venues, three redundant broadcast level control rooms, six edit suites, and a broadcast studio located in the lobby of the Petersen. The facility was built in conjunction with Harmarville based NEP Group. Barto’s passion for providing educational opportunities to students is on display during live broadcasts as student workers routinely occupy key production positions.

Barto was instrumental in the conception and launch of the weekly television program “Pitt: Beyond the Script” in 2018, a unique collaboration between Pitt Studios staff and local production company Awesome Films. The show, which airs on AT&T Sportsnet Pittsburgh, is hosted by Rob King and features all of Pitt’s varsity sports as well as feature stories on other initiatives taking place throughout athletics and the entire University of Pittsburgh community. At the conclusion of its first season in 2019, “Pitt: Beyond the Script” won the Mid-Atlantic Emmy award for Daily or Weekly Sports Program.

During his eight years with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Barto initially served as an associate producer and online editor for Penguins television programming and in-arena scoreboard content. The Penguins television program “Pens Confidential” which aired locally on WPXI was a two-time Telly Award winner and was nominated for an Emmy award. In 1998, Barto was named Director of Event Presentation by the Penguins. Initially the only full-time employee dedicated to game presentation, the Game Entertainment Department grew to six full-time employees under his leadership. His role included oversight of all video production staff, and acting as the in-game producer during Penguins games, cueing in-arena lighting, music and video boards.

Prior to his time with the Penguins, Barto spent three years as the primary editor, and later, associate producer of the Emmy-nominated Foodland High School Sports Show which aired locally on WPXI and KBL (now Root Sports) and was hosted by Mark Malone, Paul Steigerwald, and Bob Pompeani.

Barto graduated from Waynesburg College in 1994, earning a Bachelor of English - Communications Arts Media Studies degree with a Sports Broadcasting emphasis. He was named to the Dean’s list in 1992, and is a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity, serving twice as chapter president from 1991 to 1993.

A native of Evans City, Pa., Barto currently resides in Harmony.