In an ever more competitive broadcast environment, radio students in a hurry to grasp job opportunities as early as possible, have the option of choosing a post-grad program compressed into two semesters rather than the more traditional four.
Canada’s Humber College claims to be the only Radio Program provider in the country to offer an accelerated Radio and Media Production program. The program in question combines practical and theoretical aspects of radio broadcasting, including training in producing for radio, using state-of-the-art RCS software.
Humber College’s Radio Diploma Program prepares students for the performative, creative, technical and business aspects of the radio and audio world. Students learn about radio station operations, broadcast and production equipment, and the fundamentals of gathering, writing, producing, and delivering content for all genres of radio and podcasting. Additionally, students learn in-demand skills in station management, sales, marketing, news, programming and market research.
Students in the program contribute to 96.9 FM Radio Humber (CKHC-FM), heard in Toronto and worldwide via radio.humber.ca. It is claimed that Radio Humber is Canada’s first and only “All Canadian” radio station. Their output is both a 60-watt campus-community radio station operating from Humber’s North Campus and a best of class, award-winning training facility that counts several well-known broadcasters among its alumni.
Radio Humber breaks and promotes new and emerging Canadian artists from all musical stylings. Its massive jazz/folk/instrumental catalogue is performed, recorded and supplied by the students and faculty from their award-winning music programs at the Lakeshore Campus.
Wide-ranging programming includes Humber Hawks sports broadcasts, unique Canadiana features and content, live concert series, news magazine programming, and co-operative programming with Humber’s Broadcast Television/Videography program.
State-of-the-Art Software
Humber College utilizes a modern fully integrated radio delivery platform that features RCS Zetta radio automation and RCS GSelector music scheduling operating on a sophisticated network that embraces AoIP (Audio over Internet Protocol) audio. Zetta software is used in seven studios for on-air, production and voice tracking with a central audio and database server.
GSelector music scheduling manages the music library and scheduling process and is fully integrated with Zetta, providing a seamless interface to manage audio content and music scheduling. Zetta is integrated with Wheatnet-IP AoIP audio, offering powerful audio management and routing capabilities.
With Zetta’s unique “Live Data Everywhere” architecture combined with the AoIP audio technology, any studio can manage station audio content, schedules and be live on air at any time. Zetta’s powerful security design provides the system administrator with the tools to define what functions and activities each group of users may or may not perform. Security is an important aspect to system management, when many users with different needs, skills and roles have access to the system.
New Radio Streaming Project
Humber is in the process of developing four streaming Internet music stations that feature all Humber College recorded music. Powered by Zetta and GSelector, the streaming stations will feature the Humber produced music across four music genre themed channels.
Audio will be ingested into the music library from the existing Radio Humber production studios and streamed to the internet using two Zetta playout workstations. The integration between Zetta and GSelector will simplify the music management and programming functions and allow Humber to launch and operate these new streaming stations with minimal effort and maintenance.
Each streaming service will be a unique station within the Zetta and GSelector data architecture, providing Humber with the ability to manage each stations broadcast content and programming from any workstation on the existing Radio Humber network.
Dean Sinclair – Professor of Radio Studies and Station Manager at Humber College, says RCS is important to Humber’s program. He explained: “Our vision is to provide a successful student experience: from learning to industry placement. Against that background it’s critical that we offer ‘state of the art’ tools our industry embraces on a daily basis.
“RCS does exactly that, with a comprehensive (yet easy-to-digest) suite of products that make the ‘learning’ part of studio operation understandable, especially for new learners. Students who have no previous experience are now mastering advanced operating techniques and skills thanks to the easy learning processes with RCS.
“Multi-format content (music to Play-by-Play) is easily learned with the easy-to-use editing, and voice-tracking features. RCS Zetta’s compatibility with Wheatstone made my life a lot easier when it came to implementing our new studios.”
RCS President/CEO, Philippe Generali, commented: “We are proud that RCS products are being used to help train the broadcasters of tomorrow. Integration with GSelector music scheduling provides educators with the most advanced music scheduling, music library management and programming tools to groom future program and music directors.
He added: “RCS Academy programs offer students and educators an industry recognized certification program for GSelector music scheduling and Zetta automation.”
More information about Humber College’s Radio Diploma Program at:
https://mediaarts.humber.ca/programs/broadcasting-radio.html