Two Lochs Radio study
Aim
Using a dial-up connection, Internet access just wasn't quick enough for the station and was far too restrictive. Alex Gray, station manager at Two Lochs Radio, explains, "Day to day activities just took us far too long. It was really limiting what we were able to do, and we had a distinct disadvantage compared with larger, city-based stations. For example, downloading a three-minute music track would take up to half an hour.
"We realised we needed broadband. However, being in such a remote location meant that it took longer for this technology to be available to us. About a year and a half ago broadband became accessible here, so we jumped at the chance to install it."
Radio station reduces costs and expands broadcasts with Nildram
As one of the most remote radio stations in the UK, Two Lochs Radio has reduced station running costs and improved its broadcasting service for listeners by implementing a broadband solution from award winning Internet service provider, Nildram. The main benefits of having the high-speed connection are:
- Ability to stream outside broadcasts live back to the studio
- Quickly download the latest music releases - download time reduced from 30 minutes to under three
- Remotely control the station from any location
Background info:
Two Lochs is the UK's smallest fully licensed local radio station, and is run as a community-owned, not-for-profit organisation. Based in the remote Wester Ross area of the Scottish Highlands, serving a population of around 2,500 people, Two Lochs Radio boasts listening figures of around 75 per cent of the community.
As a community-oriented station, Two Lochs operates an open door policy, where any member of the public can get involved. This gives children and young people the opportunity to gain real broadcasting experience and become involved in a local organisation - an opportunity that would not be possible in a large town or city.
Going online
Two Lochs selected Internet service provider Nildram to supply a 2Mbps broadband connection and telephone solution. "We looked around at various providers and decided to go with Nildram," continues Gray. "As a company that specialises in broadband for business, it had what we were looking for in terms of cost and reliability. Nildram has the ideal balance between price and a good reputation and we enjoyed an easy and trouble-free implementation."
Better broadcasting
The radio station has seen enormous benefits and improvements in the general running of the station. Everyday tasks such as downloading tracks, exchanging programmes with other stations, and transferring interviews are significantly more efficient and less time consuming. Downloading a music file, for example, now takes little over two minutes.
"We really have seen advances at the station since implementing Nildram's broadband," continues Gray. One of the major advantages is that the station is now able to do live broadcasts from locations outside of the studio. "As a local, community-based radio station this has been especially good for us, as we can move out of the studio and really interact with our listeners and local events."
Two Lochs has successfully conducted live broadcasts from the Celtic Connections music festival in Glasgow, over 200 miles away, as well as the local village halls, hotels and schools. "It also adds a bit of variety to our shows and gives listeners something different, as well as publicising what is going on in the community and encouraging local businesses to get involved in local projects," adds Gray.
Two Lochs also broadcasts a Cape Breton Gaelic programme, which previously was sent over from Canada on a CD. Gaelic language programmes, which are hugely popular in the community of Wester Ross, can now be downloaded from the Internet and re-broadcast, with live streaming now possible. This enables the station to save both time and money.
Remote control radio
"Thanks to the Nildram connection, there have been vast improvements in efficiency and the way we can broadcast, but one of the key aspects for me is the fact that we can now control the station remotely," Gray explains. Due to the nature of community radio, Two Lochs often plays pre-recorded or external programme feeds with no technical staff on site to deal with any difficulties. Now, with the computerisation of the station, and broadband, it can be remotely controlled. "We can control the station from anywhere, whether I'm down the road at home or over the other side of the world. It is now possible for me to change what is being aired, or assist one of the presenters based in the studio. This has been a lifesaver at times and is so useful for me to provide the additional out-of-hours support when needed."
The cost benefits have also been significant for the station. "As a local organisation, any money we can save is important to us. Just saving on dial-up charges, postage of CDs and phone calls is really good for us. We are dependent on local fundraising and advertising, and the more we save, the better service and broadcasts we can provide to our community," enthuses Gray. "It really has revolutionised the way we work."
Fast forward
Two Lochs plans to increase broadband speeds even further, and is looking to get an 8Mb connection, to be able to stream broadcasts over the Internet routinely. "It would be ideal if we could get balanced upload and download speeds however, as this is not yet possible, we will be looking to get an 8Mb connection with its improved upload speeds. When this is available in our remote location, we hope to gain even greater benefit from broadband," concludes Gray.
As a company that specialises in Broadband for business, it had what we were looking for in terms of cost and reliability. Nildram has the ideal balance between price and a good reputation.