TWiRT 798 - Engineering in Market #4 with Shane Toven

Ever wonder what it takes to keep major-market radio on the air from transmitter sites built at the San Francisco Bay—and studios where space is at a premium? On Episode 798 of This Week in Radio Tech, we’re joined by Shane Toven, Chief Engineer for Cumulus Media in San Francisco, who shares hard-earned insights from some truly unique installations around the Bay. From towers rising out of the bay itself to high-demand remote broadcasts at sporting events, concerts, and local businesses, Shane walks through modern, practical techniques for getting reliable audio back to the studio. He also reveals how Cumulus is rethinking the Technical Operations Center (TOC) with an unconventional design and workflow that maximizes efficiency in tight quarters. It’s a fast-moving, engineer-to-engineer conversation packed with real-world experience—don’t miss Episode 798 of This Week in Radio Tech.

Guest:
Shane Toven - Chief Engineer at Cumulus Media, San Francisco

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

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Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.
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Angry Audio and the new StereoToolBox - delivering FM and HD audio processing, plus streaming, RDS, and microMPX - all for less than half of the other boxes.
The new MaxxKonnect RMT416 Multi Tuner - 4 to 16 AM/FM/WB/HD web-connected tuners in 1 RU

 
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TWiRT 798 - Engineering in Market #4 with Shane Toven

TWiRT 797 - Live at NAB 2026

We’re live from the Central Hall at NAB 2026 in Las Vegas. It’s one of our biggest shows of the year—and we’re especially glad to welcome back our co-host Chris Tarr, joining us on-site for the conversations and insights that matter to working engineers.

This episode is packed with voices from across the broadcast technology landscape—covering AI-driven tools, AoIP infrastructure, remote broadcast solutions, and the business and connectivity strategies that keep stations on the air. We’ve gathered an outstanding lineup of guests from companies like Comrex, AudioScience, Logitek, and MaxxKonnect—all bringing practical, real-world perspectives from the show floor.

If you couldn’t make it to NAB this year, this episode brings it to you—with meaningful conversations, fresh ideas, and the technology engineers need right now. Tune in for this special live edition of This Week in Radio Tech.

Guests:
Lee Price - AI Product Specialist at Audio.co
Chase Daniels - Senior Support Specialist at Aiir.com
Jeff Schick - Chief Technology Officer at Sprite Media, Inc.
Keith Paglia - Sales & Marketing at Sprite Media, Inc.
Tom Hartnett - Technical Director at Comrex
Chris Crump - Sr. Director of Sales at Comrex
Adam Robinson - Director of Sales, Marketing, and Business Development at MaxxKonnect
Stephen Turner - Vice President at AudioScience
Richard Gross - President at AudioScience
Tag Borland - President at Logitek
Heather Jeffcoat - Vice President of Finance at MaxxKonnect
Josh Bohn - President/CEO at MaxxKonnect

Hosts:
Chris Tarr - Field Engineer at KLOVE / Air1
Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, Star94.3, South Seas, & Akamai Broadcasting

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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 USB Phone Gizmo - Put VoIP callers on-the-air
The new MaxxKonnect RMT416 Multi Tuner - 4 to 16 AM/FM/WB/HD web-connected tuners in 1 RU

 
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TWiRT 797 - Live at NAB 2026

TWiRT 796 - What's Next, Live at PREC

This week on This Week in Radio Tech, we’re coming to you live from the Public Radio Engineering Conference (PREC) at the Tuscany Hotel in Las Vegas, just ahead of NAB. We’re talking with leading technology suppliers about practical solutions for terrestrial distribution of both long-form and short-form programming—tools that are already making their way into public radio operations. We’ll also explore emerging captioning technologies designed to help stations meet upcoming regulatory requirements for captioning of both live broadcasts and on-demand content like podcasts. Plus, we sit down with the president of the Association of Public Radio Engineers for insight into where the industry is headed. Join us for a fast-moving, on-the-ground look at the ideas and innovations shaping public radio’s future.

Guests:
Bill Bennett - Product Design & Solutions Manager at ENCO Systems
Mike Pilone - Senior Software Architect at NPR
Scott Fybush - All-Purpose Broadcast Consultant
Scott Hanley - President, Association of Public Radio Engineers
Alex Hartman - Broadcast Equipment Designer and Partner at OMG
Dan Merwin - Owner at Broadcast Telecom
Michael Chase - SVP, Technology at Spectroteld

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

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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 USB Phone Gizmo - Put VoIP callers on-the-air
The new MaxxKonnect RMT416 Multi Tuner - 4 to 16 AM/FM/WB/HD web-connected tuners in 1 RU

 
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TWiRT 796 - What's Next, Live at PREC

TWiRT 795 - You Might Need a Data Center with Chris Tarr

Episode 795 of This Week in Radio Tech—“You Might Need a Data Center”—features Chris Tarr explaining how a smart infrastructure decision transformed operations across an entire station group. As VP of Engineering at Magnum Media, Chris made the case to centralize automation, file servers, and metadata systems into a purpose-built data center with robust backup power and redundant connectivity. The result? Greater efficiency, fewer site visits, and a more resilient, well-controlled technical environment. In this episode, Chris walks us through what a private data center can do for broadcasters—capabilities that often go beyond what cloud solutions can offer—and gives a live tour of the racks, systems, and network design. Join us to see how centralization, done right, can streamline your entire operation.

Guest:
Chris Tarr - Field Engineer at KLOVE / Air1

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 USB Phone Gizmo - Put VoIP callers on-the-air
The new MaxxKonnect RMT416 Multi Tuner - 4 to 16 AM/FM/WB/HD web-connected tuners in 1 RU

 
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TWiRT 795 - You Might Need a Data Center with Chris Tarr

TWiRT 794 - Embrace Podcasting Now with Mike McVay and Craig Bowman

Radio broadcasters can’t ignore the shift to on-demand listening—and podcasting is a key part of that evolution. On this episode of This Week in Radio Tech, we hear compelling insights from Mike McVay on why embracing podcasting is no longer optional for stations that want to stay relevant. Craig Bowman from Futuri Media joins us to explain how technology is making it easier than ever to turn broadcast content into compelling digital assets. Together, they outline both the strategic importance and the practical pathways for getting started. If you’re thinking about extending your station’s reach beyond the airwaves, this episode is a must-listen.

Show Notes:
Why Radio Needs to Embrace Podcasting - by Mike McVay
Craig talked about POST, an appliance and workflow to turn broadcasts into podcasts.
A Futuri article emphasizing time as being a broadcaster’s most valuable resource.

Guests:
Mike McVay - President at McVay Media Consulting
Craig Bowman - Senior Vice President at Futuri

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 USB Phone Gizmo - Put VoIP callers on-the-air
The new MaxxKonnect RMT416 Multi Tuner - 4 to 16 AM/FM/WB/HD web-connected tuners in 1 RU

 
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TWiRT 794 - Embrace Podcasting Now with Mike McVay and Craig Bowman