[BC] Radio stations that buy new equipment...

[Kevin Trueblood]

There are a lot of good points about this topic being passed around.

I certainly can understand Paul's perspective.  Up until six months ago our stations were owned by a company that did not like spending money on engineering.  We had halfway decent equipment, but for the most part we had to make do.  That meant looking for some consumer gear at pawn shops and making old Pentium II computers (even running Windows ME...gads!) run far longer than they should.  The only way we could get new equipment was, for the most part, if something was broken that put us off the air.  

Six months into new ownership and we've upgraded quite a bit.  The new company believes that you should put into the stations exactly what you want out of them.  Every dollar you spend, whether on personnel, promotions, facility, or electricity bill is an investment into your business.  Having a showcase studio is important, especially as a talk studio or production studio because it adds a "wow" factor to people (especially clients) who come into your building.  More importantly, as we add more staff we have to make sure our equipment is reliable, functional, and efficient.  You can't get that from a Behringer console being used on-air in the long run.  Having a system like Scott Studios or Audio Vault allows you to do a lot more than just automate shows or play music from a playlist.  Having faster computers means less time sitting around waiting for Cool Edit sessions to mix down.  Having a new transmitter often means lower power bills (built to handle energy more efficiently), more reliability, better tech support, and better availability for parts.  Having an Omnia 6 can put your station's presence on the dial on-par with cross-town competitors, something that listeners do take notice of.  A good job candidate might choose to work for you over someone else because you have a better facility.  In radio needs change, often quickly, and you need equipment that can handle a wide variety of applications.  These days new digital consoles and accompanying audio routers can make changing a format a piece of cake, moving a studio, or simply adding an audio source and sharing with other studios.  

In my opinion, and it's shared with many, is having a top-notch facility reflects what kind of broadcaster you are.  That is something the public notices, especially when compared to other stations in town.  

By the way, there is some value to buying used equipment/parts or things on eBay.  A deal is a deal is a deal! 

For your situation, you're doing what you have to do to get by and nobody faults you for that.  There are plenty of stations in the same boat as you.  However, spend some time working for an owner who values spending money on a good facility and/or working at a station that does have state-of-the-art equipment and I think your opinion will change.  

Kevin Trueblood
Operations Manager
Great Plains Media - Bloomington, Il
WDQZ-WYST-WRPW
ph:  309-888-4496
fax: 309-452-9677
kevint at greatplainsmedia.us



Message: 31
Date: Sat, 27 Oct 2007 08:43:50 -0400
From: "Paul B. Walker, Jr." <walkerbroadcasting at gmail.com>
Subject: [BC] Radio stations that buy new equipment...
To: "Broadcasters' Mailing List" <broadcast at radiolists.net>
Message-ID:
<8bce0fe80710270543r17efef8atbcdf96ee1685df3c at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Maybe Imslighted by the fact Ive never worked for top notch, big budget
stations with top dollar equipment.. but in my mind, you do what you gotta
do to get by.

Can my listeners tell, do they know or even care that I'm using a Behringer
6 Channel Mixer instead of a "professional" broadcast console?
Can my listeners tell, do they know or even care that I'm using a $40Shure
PG48 Microphone for my on air microphone compared to a $300 to $500
"professional" broadcast mic?
Can my listeners tell, do they know or even care that I'm using a USED
Emachines Computerfrom a local pawnshop for $210 using Raduga for
automation?

The answer to all 3 is NO!

In fact, Ive had several people surprised when I tell them what I'm using
here. A few people who've seen the studio were quite surprised that I was
using such "consumer" equipment... not the fact that it sounded bad, but
that I had it all doing what it was doing

Sure, none of it's far from perfect and top notch, but when you're at a low
budget station you simply have to do what you haver to do to get by. Some of
the equipment has quirks, especially Raduga, but it's justsomething I deal
with and find ways around.

It's just me and George, The 3 yr old Beagle Dog as full time employees
here. I have a Part Time Sales/Promotions/handyman here. I also have a
Contract Engineer. Somehow, we manmage to keep this place in one peice.

I honestly think the desire to buy new equipment is just to brag to fellow
broadcasters about your new toys and make yourself feel better. Sure, it
raises morale a little.. but if that late 80s/early 90s console has been
well maintained and is still in greatshape, why get rid of it.

Im perfectly content with my Behringer Mixer Board, Shure Micrphone and
EMachines Computer. Would I like better equipment? Sure, but Im not going to
saricfice things just to get fancier equipment when they seriously wont help
the bottom line. A NEW computer and a real console might be ncie but they
wouldnt improve the overall sound of the station, therefore.. not imrpoving
the bottom line.

-- 
Sincerely,
Paul B. Walker, Jr.
www.walkerbroadcasting.com
www.myspace.com/walkerbroadcasting