Photo courtesy of market wired

Throughout Wake Radio’s tenure at Wake Forest, the station has gone through several transitions, ranging from switching from an FM radio station to an internet station in the earlier 2000s to transitions as simple as a newer sound board. This year in particular marks a major transition for Wake Radio: the switch from analog to digital. NexGen, an automation software, will propel Wake Radio to the digital age.

Through the use of NexGen, Wake Radio will not only increase the quality of its radio shows, but also gain access to greater degrees of automation. By going digital, Radio will gain access to the use of digital music, meaning that the station will be able to play digital tracks. As the CD slowly dies, promoters and artists increasingly send music in digital, not physical formats, so the transition will allow our DJs to continue playing the newest tracks with ease.

Automation, the main feature of NexGen, gives the station access to a variety of useful tools. First of all, at times when a DJ does not have a show, NexGen can play random tracks from a set list, so the station can continue to play music while no one is there selecting tracks. Dead air is the cardinal sin of radio, and this feature will greatly reduce instances of that from Wake Radio.

Secondly, DJs can now record their show with the software before their show time, and then have the recorded show played instead of a live set. Recorded shows will allow DJs to edit their shows before it airs, increasing the quality of each individual show. This will also allow DJs who cannot make their shows to just record them beforehand.

With the ability to record things beforehand, the station will also be able to have prerecorded jingles. These sound bites could be a cool way to tell listeners they are listening to Wake Radio or even a specific show. Since they are customizable, each DJ could have their own. As most major stations use jingles, this will bring Wake Radio more in line with its professional counterparts.

Finally, NexGen will generate more revenue for Wake Radio. Prerecorded sound bites could also be advertisements from the local community or even other on campus organizations. With this additional source of revenue, Wake Radio will be able to obtain better equipment and have more funds to promote various artists.

By shifting to NexGen, Wake Radio hopes to fall in line with the industry standard for radio. The professionalism of radio shows will only increase, and Wake Radio’s ability to promote artists will greatly improve.  Wake Radio’s move to the digital age will bring Wake Radio the tools it needs to succeed in the current industry.