By Marty Sacks
AoIP (Audio over IP) has been a part of radio’s infrastructure for well over twenty years now, but the misconception that it’s only suitable for large-scale installations in major markets remains — much to the detriment of more modest installations in smaller markets.
AoIP isn’t about size and scale; it’s about flexibility, efficiency, embracing a mature technology, and, ultimately, survival – and smaller stations stand to benefit every bit as much as bigger ones.
The Old Model No Longer Fits
The days of analog infrastructure and the miles of multi-pair shielded cable and rows of patch panels that powered it are long gone, as are purpose-built hardware devices that had one job to do and lived in the same rack for years. It all worked well enough when radio operations were stable and predictable, and a single program made its way from the studio to the transmitter and into a listener’s radio.
But today, even small stations have grown beyond their traditional analog signal to include HD, DAB, and streaming audio, not to mention supporting a dispersed network of remote talent. And let’s not forget modern radios that can display more information than ever before, allowing your over-the-air station to compete more vigorously; they need IP information too!
Being wherever your listeners are is no longer an option; it’s a requirement. And hanging on to yesterday’s infrastructure just can’t support that demand.
IP Levels the Playing Field
AoIP – moving audio over standard IT network cables – makes workflows that were once the domain of large, dedicated facilities available to everyone. On-air talent is no longer tied to one console in one studio. Production can be done from any studio – or from home. By making any audio source available anywhere on the network – and routable to any destination – smaller stations now have the same flexibility as their major market counterparts, and without the massive capital investment and engineering overhead of yesteryear.
Remote Capability Is Now Essential
If the past few years demonstrated anything, it’s that remote operation is no longer a convenience – it’s a requirement. Station operations will continue to exist beyond the four walls of a studio or a single building, and a dispersed workforce, including talent for live programs, isn’t an anomaly; it’s becoming the norm. The kind of flexibility required to support that model is built into IP-based systems.
Efficiency Matters More in Small Operations
Inefficiencies can be overlooked – accidentally or intentionally – in larger organizations, but they have nowhere to hide in smaller operations, and their impact is greater. Automating repetitive manual workflows is often cited as low-hanging fruit as a step toward increased efficiency, but the limitations imposed by legacy infrastructure quickly become apparent when stations begin to explore those opportunities. The relative simplicity and inherent flexibility of IP-based solutions remove those barriers and natively support efficiency initiatives.
Growth Without Disruption
The traditional approach to building out a broadcast facility has served the industry well for years, but what happens when the time comes to add a studio? Or incorporate a complete additional station? Most broadcasters know the answer all too well: The new equipment and cabling get tacked on and spliced into what was once the perfect operation, and things quickly go downhill on the engineering front, assuming the current space can even support those changes. Operations are disrupted, entire systems get replaced, and there is still no promise that it won’t all happen again in a few years. IP changes that model, allowing for incremental or expansive growth with equal ease. New ways of working can be integrated without starting from scratch, and unanticipated capital swings that threaten the bottom line are eliminated. And since IP solutions can be flexibly structured as either OPEX or CAPEX, depending on what works best for a given situation, it reduces disruption on the business side of the operation, too.
Reliability Is a Given
Many broadcasters who haven’t taken the plunge into the AoIP world are fearful that it is unreliable and untested, but nothing could be further from the truth. This isn’t emerging technology; this is the way things have been done – with great success – in major and mid-sized markets for decades. Done properly, an IP-based infrastructure offers redundancy, failover and backup capabilities, and a distributed architecture that doesn’t rely on any single path or piece of equipment. It doesn’t introduce risk; it minimizes it.
The Bottom Line: The Real Barrier Is Mindset
The biggest barrier to IP adoption is not technical or financial; it’s cultural. “We’re too small.” “We can’t afford it.” “The way we’ve always done it has worked for years.” While changes to radio have accelerated in many ways, the idea of changing and evolving is hardly new. We accept that a new solid-state transmitter will be more efficient, reliable, and compact compared to a tube rig from 30 or more years ago. We acknowledge that POTS and ISDN lines are very nearly extinct. Carts have long been replaced with computer-based playout and automation systems. Yet embracing IP infrastructure remains a step too far for those who stand to benefit most from its myriad advantages. It’s not a luxury reserved for large broadcasters or speculative tech waiting to be proven in the field. It is a proven approach that helps address the common challenges faced by all broadcasters. Reaching audiences on multiple platforms, maintaining relevance in a shifting media landscape, and embracing the necessary tools to grow and adapt on the fly are not optional – they’re required – and IP is at the core of helping broadcasters survive and prosper.
Marty Sacks serves as Executive VP of Sales, Marketing and Strategy at Telos Alliance. He may be reached at 443-531-8996.
