“IP has revolutioned broadcasting”

In an exclusive interview with Ashwini R of CIOL Bureau, he shares his experiences and views on the technology and vision for the coming days

 How did you arrive at the idea of using IT technology for a radio station?

When we were faced with the challenge of setting up 45 radio stations in one year, we decided that it would happen only if we could roll-out a station in one day. Also, we needed to brainstorm on how we could execute this plan, train manpower, and so on. While exploring various options in technology, we came across Livewire. It seemed to us as the perfect solution to our needs.

What according to you are the advantages of IP technology?

IP has revolutioned broadcasting, It provides excellent audio quality, seamless flow or transfer of data, ability to monitor and correct hitches instantly, remote application, minimal maintenance and minimal wiring.

Also, since the adoption of this technology called for the usage of the usual set of IT products, our choice proved to be cost-effective.

Another major advantage is that it eliminates the need for hiring trained audio or broadcasting engineers. In our country, with the rapid spreading of IT, even small towns have qualified IT personnel. On the contrary, it is very difficult to spot trained radio engineers. One of the primary reasons for us choosing the IP-based technology was to get trained manpower from the IT field and make them broadcasting engineers.

More on the web-based remote management capability of this technology …

The system is based on interactive web-based remote management applications. Any equipment can be configured remotely and can be browsed through Windows Explorer. The easiest part of the system is that anyone connected to the network can access the system through the web and configure, install, troubleshoot and monitor the system and equipment in the network.

To give an example, if there is a problem with the console in the Aligarh station, a remote area, one cannot expect to get the same kind of expertise that’s available in say, Mumbai. But with remote management possible, technical personnel sitting in Mumbai station can reboot and correct the console in Aligarh station. This is one of the main advantages of the IP-based technology.

What kind of storage solutions do you use?

We record everything that’s on-air and even off-air. This is for two reasons – to give a monthly report to the government and also for our own records. Storage is hard disk-based, and is embedded in the IT software itself. In fact, this is one of the unique aspects of the IP software.

Your vision for the future?

We are focussing on taking forward our interactive plan – which includes our website and SMS – and aiming at making users experience it fully.

Also, if tomorrow the Government of India allows us to take the high-definition (HD) route, we are ready for it today in terms of technology. I’ve seen HD happening in the United States, and the quality of audio is simply amazing. We hope to bring the same experience to the Indian listener in the coming days.