Friday · 1 hr 27 min
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Technology
This Week In Radio Tech (TWiRT)
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“TWiRT” is your go to show if you want to get behind the scenes on what makes broadcasting possible. The show addresses common issues as well as explaining past experiences from a wide array of hosts who each come from a different background in radio technology. This show is a must for any tech geek or for anyone who is interested in what goes on behind the boards and wires.
- 12 episodes
- Updated Friday
Episodes12
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July 24 · 1 hr 12 minTWiRT Ep. 810 - Speaker Design & Technology with Lars-Olof Janflod
Few studio monitors are as instantly recognizable—or as trusted—as those made by Genelec. On episode 810 of This Week in Radio Tech, our guest is Lars-Olof Janflod, Genelec’s Strategy Advisory Officer and a member of the company’s team since 1992. We trace Genelec’s story from its origins in Finland through the development of the distinctive, rugged monitor designs that have become familiar sights in studios and broadcast facilities worldwide. Lars-Olof explains the thinking behind Genelec’s unusual speaker designs and how the company has maintained its reputation for accuracy and reliability across three decades of technological change. We also explore today’s Smart Active Monitoring systems, which combine onboard DSP with automated calibration to optimize each loudspeaker for the room in which it is actually installed. It’s a fascinating conversation about loudspeaker engineering, acoustics, innovation, and the pursuit of truly trustworthy monitoring. Join us for TWiRT episode 810—listen or watch wherever you enjoy This Week in Radio Tech.
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July 18 · 1 hr 7 minTWiRT Ep. 809 - Public Radio Studios in Knoxville with Tim Berry
Our guest on This Week in Radio Tech episode 809 is Tim Berry, Chief Engineer at WUOT-FM, the public radio station at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. WUOT combines NPR news with classical and jazz music, much of it still played live from CDs and occasionally from the station’s enormous collection of LPs. Tim gives us a tour of the control room, performance area, technical center, and an extraordinary music library that also includes thousands of historic 78 RPM records. We’ll see one of Tennessee’s earliest Audio over IP installations, built around Axia Livewire technology and operating for about 15 years. Tim also maintains more than 20 analog and digital amateur radio repeater sites throughout East Tennessee. Join us for a fascinating look at preserving broadcasting’s rich history while planning the technical upgrades that will carry WUOT into the future.
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July 9 · 1 hr 8 minTWiRT Ep. 808 - When the Chief Engineer Becomes CEO with Brett Gibson
On this episode, Brett Gibson joins Kirk Harnack and co-host Chris Tarr, for a practical conversation about what it takes to build and maintain a reliable broadcast operation today. Brett shares how Voice of the Master’s technical plant has evolved over the years, what systems and standards have made the biggest difference, and how deeply IT has become integrated into modern radio engineering.
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July 3 · 1 hr 9 minTWiRT Ep. 807 - Today's FM Radio Technology with William Harrison
This Week in Radio Tech, Episode 807, features William Harrison, Chief Engineer for WETA-FM in Washington, D.C. William got his start in public radio in the 1990s at WAMU-FM, where computer work quickly expanded into audio and electronics. Since then, he’s worked with PBS, NPR, The Metropolitan Washington Ear, and a number of FM and TV broadcasters. He also chairs SBE Chapter 37 in D.C., serves on the Virginia SECC, sits on the board of the Association of Public Radio Engineers, and occasionally writes for Radio World. In this episode, we talk about real-world FM engineering, including Capital Concerts fireworks show coordination, HD Radio timing and “ballgame” mode, receiver metadata behavior, liquid-cooled transmitters, HLS streaming for broadcast STL use, and dynamic range control in xHE-AAC. Join us for a practical, wide-ranging conversation about broadcast engineering, public radio operations, and the listener experience on This Week in Radio Tech.
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June 26 · 50 minTWiRT Ep. 806 - Engineer of the Year, Terry Harper
This Week in Radio Tech is on location for episode 806 at the Auburn Marriott Opelika Resort & Spa in Opelika, Alabama, where the Alabama Broadcasters Association is celebrating its 80th anniversary with one of several regional receptions around the state.
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June 19 · 1 hr 6 minTWiRT Ep. 805 - FCC Mandatory Cybersecurity for Broadcasters
Cybersecurity is no longer just an IT department concern—it is becoming a broadcast engineering issue, and possibly soon, a regulatory one as well. On episode 805 of This Week in Radio Tech, we’re joined by three experienced broadcast engineers from Georgia and South Carolina: John George, Charles Kinney, and Earl Welsh. We’re talking just ahead of the Georgia-Lina Broadcast Engineering Conference in Augusta, Georgia, and our topic is both timely and practical: the FCC’s proposed cybersecurity rules for broadcasters, especially as they relate to EAS equipment, studio-transmitter links, remote access, and other internet-facing systems that can affect what goes on the air. We’ll discuss what the FCC appears to be concerned about, why default passwords and exposed web interfaces are no longer just “bad practice,” and what station engineers can do now to improve security before a rulemaking turns into a compliance deadline. This is not a theoretical conversation — it is about real broadcast facilities, real equipment, and real operational risks. Join us for episode 805 of This Week in Radio Tech as we look at cybersecurity through the eyes of working broadcast engineers.
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June 12 · 1 hr 4 minTWiRT Ep. 804 - Demystifying RDS/RBDS Data with Tyler Woodward
RDS may be one of the smallest signals your FM station transmits, but getting it right matters more than ever. On Episode 804 of *This Week in Radio Tech*, broadcast network engineer and podcast host, Tyler Woodward, explains the technical details behind RDS and its U.S. counterpart, RBDS. We discuss the data fields every FM engineer should understand, including PI codes, program type, alternate frequencies, and the way field repetition rates affect what listeners see on their radios. Tyler also explains why accurate PI codes are increasingly important for connected-car services such as RadioDNS and dts AutoStage—and points broadcasters to a useful online tool for verifying the correct PI code for their call letters. If you are responsible for an FM station, this is a must-listen—or must-watch—conversation.
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June 5 · 1 hr 8 minTWiRT Ep. 803 - Touring the New Radio ONE in Indianapolis
This Week in Radio Tech is on the road for Episode 803 as we tour the new Radio One broadcast facility near downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. Radio One operates nine radio stations from this facility, with more than 20 studios supporting music, talk, news, and sports programming. It is also home to Network Indiana, which produces and distributes newscasts and long-form programs, along with radio broadcasts for several professional and college sports teams. Mike Hutchens takes us inside the new technical operations center, and Nick Lopez joins us to explain the planning and execution behind the studio build-out. We also visit one of the music-station studios to see how today’s studios can be built for efficiency and human workflow. Join us for a close-up look at how modern audio-over-IP technology, signal routing, metadata, system control, and monitoring all work together across the IP network. It is a practical tour of a large, busy broadcast operation designed for flexibility, reliability, and the demands of today’s radio industry.
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May 29 · 1 hr 1 minTWiRT Ep. 802 - Generative AI in Broadcasting with John Pooley
Generative AI is showing up everywhere, but what does it really mean for broadcasters and broadcast engineers? On This Week in Radio Tech episode 802, John Pooley, CSTE, joins us to share his SBE presentation, “Human Centered Generative AI for Broadcasting,” and to take questions about the practical, ethical, and operational implications of using AI in our work. John’s message is clear: use AI well or risk being left behind—but use it carelessly and you can lose money, judgment, data security, and trust. We’ll talk about keeping humans in control, verifying AI-generated work, protecting sensitive station and customer data, and using AI as a coworker for research, troubleshooting, planning, and professional learning. Join us for a thoughtful, engineer-to-engineer conversation about where generative AI can help broadcasting—and where it absolutely still needs adult supervision.
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May 23 · 1 hr 1 minTWiRT Ep. 801 - WELY - Rising From the Ashes with Erick Burnstad
This Week in Radio Tech Episode 801 takes us to Ely, Minnesota, where WELY AM and FM — long known as "End of the Road Radio" — is getting a new birth. Civic Media is now the licensee, and Chief Engineer Erick Burnstad walks us through the real-world work of rebuilding a small-town radio station with new studios, a new transmitter, and a new FM antenna system. WELY’s story includes deep local history, a period of silence, and now a renewed commitment to community radio in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters region. Erick shares what the project has taught him about planning, tower work, transmitter replacement, automation conversion, and keeping local service alive while the rebuild continues. It’s a great conversation about the kind of engineering that blends RF, logistics, patience, and genuine hometown purpose. Join us for TWiRT Episode 801 and hear how WELY is coming back to life.
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May 15 · 1 hr 10 minTWiRT Ep. 800 - An Engineered Alternative to Satellite Delivery with Adrian Berkovits
For the 800th episode of This Week in Radio Tech, we’re joined by Adrian Berkovits of Adventure33 to take a deeper technical look at the Prism audio program distribution platform. Adrian explains how Prism can serve both as a one-to-many program delivery system for radio networks and as a reliable studio-to-transmitter link solution for individual broadcasters. The discussion covers redundancy strategies, transport concepts, endpoint deployment, and practical implementation considerations for broadcast engineers. Adrian also shares the development philosophy behind Prism and details many of the technical nuances engineers will want to understand before deploying a modern IP-based program distribution system. Join us for Episode 800 of TWiRT for an informative engineering-focused conversation about modern audio distribution for radio broadcasting.