TWiRT 768 - Live at WABE 2025 in Calgary

We’re coming to you live from the Western Association of Broadcast Engineers Convention (WABE 2025) in Calgary, Alberta, Canada! This episode of This Week in Radio Tech takes you right to the heart of one of Canada’s premier broadcast engineering events. Kirk Harnack talks with a range of broadcast industry professionals — from seasoned engineers to manufacturer representatives and even a broadcast student — capturing the pulse of our ever-evolving industry. Featured guests include Jeff Welton of Nautel, Cameron Thompson with Alberta South, Michael Peterson from Stingray Digital, Randy Opperman of Rogers Communications, and Grant Bebrick of PTS. Join us for candid conversations, fresh perspectives, and valuable insights straight from the WABE show floor.

Guests:
Jeff Welton, CBRE - Regional Sales Manager, Eastern U.S at Nautel
Cameron Thomson - Manager Media Engineering Alberta South
Michael Peterson - Stingray Digital
Phil Bignell - Broadcast Systems Architect at Broadcast Bionics
Randy Opperman - Senior Broadcast Technician at Rogers Communications
Adam Robinson - Director of Sales, Marketing, and Business Development at MaxxKonnect
Grant Biebrick - Sales & Marketing Specialist at PTS
Ben Barber - President / CEO of Inovonics Inc.
Phoenix Mantel - Broadcasting Student at SAIT

Host:
Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, Star94.3, South Seas, & Akamai Broadcasting

Follow TWiRT on Twitter and on Facebook - and see all the videos on YouTube.

TWiRT is brought to you by:
Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. 

Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.
Aiir, providing PlayoutONE radio automation, and other advanced solutions for audience engagement.
Angry Audio and the new Rave analog audio mixing console.
The new MaxxKonnect Broadcast U.192 MPX USB Soundcard - The first purpose-built broadcast-quality USB sound card with native MPX output.

 
Subscribe to Audio:
iTunes
RSS
Stitcher
TuneIn

Subscribe to Video:
iTunes
RSS
YouTube

TWiRT 768 - Live at WABE 2025 in Calgary

TWiRT 767 - Laughter, Languages, & Leveraging AI with Dan McQuillin

Artificial intelligence isn’t here to replace radio — but it is coming for the audience’s attention, and it’s doing so on radio’s most important turf: deep personal connection. Dan McQuillin, Managing Director at Broadcast Bionics, joins Kirk to explore how AI and large language models can augment radio production rather than compete with it. Dan shares the fascinating “DanGPT” experiment — an AI version of himself so convincing it won over his wife of 34 years — as proof that AI can be just as personal and engaging as traditional radio. Together, they discuss how radio’s greatest strengths — shared experience, belonging, and community — remain central, and how embracing AI as “Augmented Intelligence” can amplify those qualities. With a growth mindset, AI becomes more than a cost-cutting tool; it’s a creative partner that makes the once-impossible possible. As Dan puts it, we used to have more ideas than time — now, thanks to AI, ideas are the only limit.

Guest:
Dan McQuillin - Managing Director at Broadcast Bionics

Host:
Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, Star94.3, South Seas, & Akamai Broadcasting

Follow TWiRT on Twitter and on Facebook - and see all the videos on YouTube.

TWiRT is brought to you by:
Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. 

Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.
Aiir, providing PlayoutONE radio automation, and other advanced solutions for audience engagement.
Angry Audio and the new Rave analog audio mixing console.
The new MaxxKonnect Broadcast U.192 MPX USB Soundcard - The first purpose-built broadcast-quality USB sound card with native MPX output.

 
Subscribe to Audio:
iTunes
RSS
Stitcher
TuneIn

Subscribe to Video:
iTunes
RSS
YouTube

TWiRT 767 - Laughter, Languages, & Leveraging AI with Dan McQuillin

TWiRT 766 - Midwest Regional Broadcasters Clinic 2025

The Midwest Regional Broadcasters Clinic is where broadcast engineers and technologists gather each year to learn, share, and connect. Hosted in Wisconsin, this premier event features deep-dive sessions on both cutting-edge and legacy technologies, a vibrant trade show floor, and plenty of opportunities to network with peers from across the Midwest and beyond. Jointly organized by the Wisconsin and Minnesota Broadcasters Associations along with SBE chapters from both states, it’s a true collaboration for the industry. This year, TWiRT is once again going live from the trade show floor—right in the middle of the action—bringing you the latest insights, innovations, and conversations from one of the broadcast community’s most valuable gatherings.

Guests:
Jim Armstrong - Senior Director of Sales US/Canada at Telos Alliance
William Kerkhof - Director of Engineering RTVF at University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

Paul Kriegler - US Manager Omnia Sales at Telos Alliance
Paul Stewart - President at Summit Technology Group
Brad Young - Sales Manager at WideOrbit

Keith Paglia - Sales and Marketing at Sprite Media, Inc.
Seth Stevenson - Broadcast Engineer Intern at Northwestern Media
Earl Sondreal - Director of Sales & Marketing, Americas at Inovonics
Bob Goff - General Manager at Heart of Wisconsin Media LLC

Host:
Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, Star94.3, South Seas, & Akamai Broadcasting

Follow TWiRT on Twitter and on Facebook - and see all the videos on YouTube.

TWiRT is brought to you by:
Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. 

Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.
Aiir, providing PlayoutONE radio automation, and other advanced solutions for audience engagement.
Angry Audio and the new Rave analog audio mixing console.
The new MaxxKonnect Broadcast U.192 MPX USB Soundcard - The first purpose-built broadcast-quality USB sound card with native MPX output.

 
Subscribe to Audio:
iTunes
RSS
Stitcher
TuneIn

Subscribe to Video:
iTunes
RSS
YouTube

TWiRT 766 - Midwest Regional Broadcasters Clinic 2025

TWiRT 765 - Delete, Delete, Delete with Scott Fybush

On This Week in Radio Tech, we’re joined by veteran broadcast journalist Scott Fybush, publisher of NorthEast Radio Watch and Fybush.com, and the well-known Tower Site Calendar. Scott unpacks the FCC’s new deregulation initiative, popularly nicknamed “Delete, Delete, Delete”, which proposes removing a range of legacy rules. We also explore the sobering reality of declining radio station values, what’s driving the trend, and how it’s reshaping the broadcast landscape. On a lighter note, Scott shares details about a different kind of stage performance — a comedy act with his wife that will soon debut at Rochester’s Fringe Fest. It’s an episode that blends policy, economics, and a dash of humor — all through the eyes of one of radio’s most trusted observers.

Show Notes:
Scott’s article entitled, The FCC in Authoritarian Times
Scott’s main website, Fybush.com
FCC Deletes Outdated Broadcast Rules and Requirements - from FCC.gov
Delete, Delete, Delete; Removal of Obsolete Regulations - from the Federal Register
FCC Deletes Outdated Broadcast Rules and Requirements - from FCC.gov

Guest:
Scott Fybush - Editor/Publisher at NorthEast Radio Watch/Fybush Media

Host:
Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, Star94.3, South Seas, & Akamai Broadcasting

Follow TWiRT on Twitter and on Facebook - and see all the videos on YouTube.

TWiRT is brought to you by:
Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. 

Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.
Aiir, providing PlayoutONE radio automation, and other advanced solutions for audience engagement.
Angry Audio and the new Rave analog audio mixing console.
The new MaxxKonnect Broadcast U.192 MPX USB Soundcard - The first purpose-built broadcast-quality USB sound card with native MPX output.

 
Subscribe to Audio:
iTunes
RSS
Stitcher
TuneIn

Subscribe to Video:
iTunes
RSS
YouTube

TWiRT 765 - Delete, Delete, Delete with Scott Fybush

TWiRT 764 - Radio & Engineering in Latin America with Juan and Caroline

We tend to live, work, and observe within the circles of friends and colleagues that we already know. The TWiRT podcast strives to introduce radio engineers and creators who bring new ideas, technologies, and techniques to our thinking. Juan Punyed and Caroline Delamarque are visiting and talking with Latin American broadcasters every day, and frequently visit radio stations with huge audiences in Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Santiago, Brasilia, Panama City, and Bogatá, among others. What are broadcasters doing technologically in these places? And how are engineers implementing and supporting these advances in broadcasting? Juan and Caroline give us a taste of what broadcasters are doing - and perhaps not doing - in Latin America.

Show Notes:
SET Expo - The Biggest Broadcast and New Media Event in Latin America
HD Radio Makes Headway in Latin America - RedTech News

Guests:
Juan Punyed - Broadcast Sales Director for Latin America at Telos Alliance
Caroline Delamarque - Sales Specialist for Latin America at Telos Alliance

Host:
Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, Star94.3, South Seas, & Akamai Broadcasting

Follow TWiRT on Twitter and on Facebook - and see all the videos on YouTube.

TWiRT is brought to you by:
Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. 

Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.
Aiir, providing PlayoutONE radio automation, and other advanced solutions for audience engagement.
Angry Audio and the new Rave analog audio mixing console.
The new MaxxKonnect Broadcast U.192 MPX USB Soundcard - The first purpose-built broadcast-quality USB sound card with native MPX output. 

Subscribe to Audio:
iTunes
RSS
Stitcher
TuneIn

Subscribe to Video:
iTunes
RSS
YouTube

TWiRT 764 - Radio & Engineering in Latin America with Juan and Caroline