ST. JULIAN’S, Malta — Bay Radio must stay on its toes.
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The new
Wheatstone Evolution digital console is put to work by drew Zammit, Bay Radio’s
breakfast show host.
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With a top 40 hit music format, the station targets the ever-changing audience of 15- to 24-year-olds. And as one generation succeeds another, Bay Radio remains in place, successfully transitioning with the times, a process that has been going for more than 20 years.
Staying in touch with the young requires constant attention, however. Broadcasting on 89.7 on the FM dial, Bay Radio’s “forever young” policy is so strong that the station purposely avoided holding a bash for its 20th anniversary so as to not pass a potential message that the station is getting old and risk losing its audience.
NEW GEAR
Now with the summer season fast approaching, and in order to preserve its leading market share and undeniable appeal to Malta’s youth, Bay Radio has revamped its technical wardrobe. Engineers have just installed and commissioned a new transmitter in the hilltop village of Għargħur, and a new digital console at the station’s studios, which are located in trendy St. Julian’s.
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Engineer
Gerhard Ebber works on the cabling for the new studio.
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The new air-cooled Rohde & Schwarz 2-kW FM transmitter is compact and equipped with a digital state-of-the-art exciter. It comprises two units: The first unit houses exciter functions, an amplifier with an integrated splitter and a power supply, while the second unit holds the second amplifier, combiner, absorber and a second power supply.
Bay Radio’s main studio now boasts a Wheatstone Evolution digital audio mixing console, which features a built-in computer screen for readouts, monitoring and controlling functions. On the programming side, the station’s RCS system lets users gracefully control its broadcast output, while an Omnia system processes the sound.
The Bay Radio complex in St. Julian’s also houses two DAB+ stations: Bay Easy, which showcases more relaxed music, and Bay Retro, which airs the best of the ’70s and ’80s.
Kevin De Cesare Jr., Bay Radio station manager, says they worked on the technical upgrades for months. “We paid extreme attention to making sure we had the latest state-of-the-art equipment, gear that could project our image appropriately,” he said.
“Since day one we have prided ourselves on ensuring that our loyal listeners enjoy the best sound possible thanks to the finest equipment available on the market,” De Cesare Jr. said. “This time around was no different — we once again guarantee that our listeners get nothing but the best.”
Twenty years on and still going strong, for Bay Radio staying young and dynamic is a priority.
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