Remote Capabilities in the Age of Coronavirus with RCS

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Q&A in the Time of Remote Workflows: Zetta2GO

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Thursday kicked off another open Q&A Remote Workflow session. Reminder that RCS will continue to host Facebook Live sessions twice a week for the foreseeable future. If you have any questions or are looking for remote solutions for you and your team, you can always ask us via social media (www.facebook.com/RCSSoundSoftware), live@rcsworks.com or tune into one of our open sessions.

In a very user focused session, we covered a wide array of topics from Zetta2GO, Zetta Cloud Based Disaster Recovery and Selector2GO, just to name a few. Highlights included RCS recommended Zetta2GO configurations. If you’re a Mac user, after some Apple updates, RCS recommends users combine Zetta2GO with Safari. Do you need processing for your Zetta2GO microphone? We would ask, “With all the processing done down the line, how does your voice track sound? If it sounds ok, then Zetta and your station’s processing is doing the heavy lifting. If it doesn’t, perhaps it’s time to upgrade your mic.” We covered Zetta2GO voice track settings (From the iVT module, choose the gear settings icon and then make note of the Audio and Behavior Settings tabs) as well as the Configuration / Global Settings.

After showcasing some real life RCS user remote configurations, we pivoted to Zetta Cloud Based Disaster Recovery, discussing the benefits of a Cloud Radio Automation backup source. Like the 2GO products, by utilizing a URL and not an app, multiple users can access and control the station, including voice tracking and adding new audio. When disaster strikes, enable Zetta Cloud Based Disaster Recovery’s online stream from your phone and you’re back on the air instantly. After the disaster, simply restore your Zetta backup and operate back from your studio. Right now, if new users sign up for Zetta Cloud Based Disaster Recovery, RCS is throwing in a free Zetta2GO license. Remember, a Zetta2GO license acts as a seat. An unlimited number of users can access that seat at any given time, which can be beneficial if you’re practicing social distancing and your team is working remotely. Reach out to your local Sales Representative now to make sure your installation and bonus Zetta2GO seat is next in line to be configured!

Finally, there were some GSelector users who wanted to talk about some new features, like changing GSelector’s theme: Tools / Global Settings / Appearances / Style. Just make sure to close and reopen GSelector so that Windows recognizes the change. Next, there was a discussion on how to properly configure a remote GSelector. If you’re traveling and need multiple devices to quickly access GSelector, then RCS recommends to focus on Selector2GO to schedule, edit the log and/or export to your local automation. If you’re integrated with Zetta, then any live changes are instantly reflected in Zetta2GO or Zetta proper. If you are working from a home office and are utilizing GSelector throughout the day, then RCS recommends that you use the same VPN access to connect your GSelector client to the GSelector Server. For example, if you open GSelector without a VPN connection, GSelector will wait for the proper authorization access (VPN login) and then you can use GSelector in full. For those who need access to multiple markets or GSelector Servers, create a Remote Server Connection: Tools / Servers / Remote Service Hosts and add a description and the IP of the desired GSelector Server. Then GSelector will ask the user which market or GSelector you would like to open and make live changes.

RCS will be live again next Tuesday at 2pm and will be able to answer questions on any RCS product. As we continue these open questions and answers, the first session’s date and time will float during the first half of the week and the second session will be locked in for every Thursday at 11am (NOTE: All times will be Eastern).

Q&A in the Time of Remote Workflows: Aquira2GO

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RCS invited Brian Radka from the RCS New Zealand Aquira Team to talk about the benefits of Aquira2GO.

Just like the other RCS line of 2GO products, including Zetta2GO and GSelector2GO, Aquira2GO is not an app, rather a URL that users can access via any web browser or operating system, as long as they have VPN access to their Aquira Server. Brian went into extensive detail on how Sales Representatives who are working from the road can efficiently utilize Aquira2GO. Starting with their daily agenda, users can schedule meetings, view the location on a Google Maps interface, as well as see other advertisers in the area in case they needed to schedule another meeting. In Brian’s example, after “meeting” with his first client, he sent a signed contract proposal with a schedule to his Sales Manager. Then, while he waited for the returned approval, he jumped to another client in Aquira2GO and added their commercial’s audio as an attachment. Don’t forget, once social distancing is a thing of the past, Sales Representatives can also play audio for clients in person or have them sign a contract or schedule on their device. Next, Brian went over the Sales Management tools, including budgets, forecasting and other reports available in Aquira proper.

In order to better assist our clients in these challenging times, RCS also announced that they’re offering a free Zetta2GO license to new Zetta Cloud Based Disaster Recovery installations. If you’re looking to backup your schedule, audio, metadata and backups to the safety of the Cloud, Zetta Cloud Based Disaster Recovery is the way to go! Reach out to your local Sales Representative now to make sure your installation and bonus Zetta2GO seat is next in line to be configured!

RCS will be live to answer questions on any RCS product in the upcoming weeks. The first session’s date and time will float during the first half of the week and the second session will be locked in for every Thursday at 11am (NOTE: All times will be Eastern).

Remote Capabilities in the Age of Coronavirus. How does Zetta and GSelector adapt to your health policy changes?

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Driven by our customers, RCS is hosting an open discussion on mobile workflows to keep you and your station on the air – safely.

Join us Thursday March 12th at 11AM Eastern on Facebbook Live

We’ll showcase how users can VoiceTrac, add audio elements, and created schedules from Zetta2GO and Selector2GO. We’ll discuss, what happens if the Engineer is the one out and no one can make it into the studio?

If you have Zetta2GO, you can do this right now. And if you run into an issue with hardware, Zetta Cloud Disaster Recovery can help you immediately. If you want to get things done from any location, you need to take a look at the RCS2GO lineup.

RCS Academy Hits the Road

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GSelector and Zetta training is coming to a trade show near you.

When we launched RCS Academy last year, our goal was to bring you top-quality instruction on RCS software in a self-paced, online format. Starting with GSelector Certification, the response has been very positive. As we move into 2020, we’ve envisioned additional ways to educate our customers and expand RCS Academy to include Zetta Certification.

While many people thrive on self-paced learning, others want or need the social component of real-time, in-person instruction. To that end, we’ll be presenting GSelector and Zetta training sessions at several trade shows this year.

Most of the workshops will be in two sessions, dedicated to either GSelector or Zetta. In the first half of the session, RCS trainers and master-users will guide you through the GSelector Library or Zetta Intro / On-Air Module course inside their respective RCS Academy Certification series. You’ll leave the workshop at the conclusion of the each session with a course micro-degree and credit towards becoming either GSelector or Zetta certified.

After taking the course, you will sit with GSelector and Zetta master-users and participate in a database Q&A where you’ll learn tips and tricks to make RCS products work even better for you. When you complete the classes, you will have new music scheduling and automation skills, contacts you can reach out to for help and resources to help keep you learning when you get back to your station. You’ll also get to meet RCS staffers Nate Mumford and Drew Bennett, and ask them anything about GSelector or Zetta.

The lineup for 2020 trade shows includes:

  • Country Radio Seminar (CRS) – February 19-21, Nashville
  • National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) – February 25-28, Nashville
  • WorldWide Radio Summit (WWRS) – March 25-27, Burbank
  • NAB Show – April 18-22, Las Vegas
  • Canadian Music Week – May 19-23, Toronto
  • Momentum 2020 – May 27-29, Orlando
  • The Conclave – June 16-17, Minneapolis
  • Texas Association of Broadcasters (TAB) – July 29-30, Austin
  • Radio Show – September 13-16, Nashville
  • College Broadcasters Inc. – October 21-24, Baltimore

RCS Academy session times vary with each conference. Although walk-ins are welcome, we strongly suggests that you register beforehand. Reach out to your local RCS sales representative or email academy@rcsworks.com to sign up or get more information.

Meet Revma, say Happy Birthday at the Radio Show

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There probably isn’t any type of broadcasting resource you can’t find at the NAB Show in Las Vegas. But the sheer scale of the week-long event can be overwhelming, particularly if you’re a radio person. If you’re looking for a conference geared more to your interests, the annual Radio Show may be more to your liking.  This year,the joint NAB-RAB event will be held from September 24-26 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas Texas.   And yes, RCS will be there.

Be sure to visit us at booth 120 in the Chantilly Ballroom. While you’re there, check out the demonstrations of Revma, our new streaming service. 2019 is also the 40th anniversary of RCS, and the roving birthday party that began at NAB in April continues at the Radio Show. Join us and share recollections about our history.

There will be lots to see at the show. The 24th  launches a new feature for the Radio Show – ‘Tech Tuesday’, a day of sessions and a luncheon just for the technically inclined amongst us.  Join VP Sales Neal Perchuk for his session:  RCS: Why Zetta Cloud Disaster Recovery is the Pro Playout Safety Net for Radio: From natural disasters to viruses taking down IT infrastructure, whatever the emergency, Zetta Cloud is a high-tech, cutting-edge safety net that gets broadcasters back on-air, easily, efficiently and quickly. Learn how your station can quickly recover from an unforeseen situation from the worldwide leader in broadcast software, RCS.

The exhibit floor opens on Wednesday, and there are sessions asking what business you’re really in, a discussion of the podcast revolution and how to reach Generation Z, those born and raised in a digital world.

Amsterdam in the Fall, it Must be Time for IBC

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It’s billed as “The world’s most influential media, entertainment and technology show.” IBC 2019 is coming to Amsterdam September 13-17. Six leading international bodies are the partners behind IBC, which represents both exhibitors and visitors. The 2018 show attracted more than 55,000 attendees from 150 countries around the world, as well as over 1,700 exhibitors and more than 400 speakers. Needless to say, RCS will be one of those exhibitors.

IBC will be held at the RAI, one of Europe’s largest exhibition and convention venues. It’s just ten minutes by train from Schiphol international airport, which has direct flights to over 200 cities in 97 countries.

Be sure to visit us, we’ll be in Hall 8.C32. While you’re there, meet Revma, our new professional grade streaming solution.

2019 marks the 40th anniversary of the founding of RCS. Our roving birthday party that kicked off at the NAB Show in April continues at IBC. Be sure to grab some refreshments and join the conversation about the history and future of RCS. You’ll earn bonus points if you’ve been to any of our previous parties.

If you want to take a deeper dive into the business and social implications of emerging technologies, IBC offers the executive forums, an exclusive, invitation-only club bringing together a network of media and entertainment’s most eminent leaders to engage in open debate, discussion and problem solving. With no press permitted, delegates can speak freely, addressing critical issues and highlighting their concerns in a more open environment. Three programs will be presented in the Executive Forum – the Leaders’ Forum, Cyber Security Forum and Telco & Media Innovation Forum. All are scheduled for September 12.

There will be lots of other things to see and do at IBC. Awards that are presented at the show celebrate everything from exceptional booth design on the IBC Exhibition floor to innovative thinking and research in our technical papers to creative collaborations between technical partners and end users to outstanding achievement in the industry. It all takes place on awards night.

Australian Broadcasters Award Sponsored by RCS

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The RCS Australia team gathered with friends from AFTRS, the Australian Film and Television School before the conference. Pictured L to R are: Tony Rasmussen, (AFRTS); Mike Pfeiffer, (RCS); Keith Williams, (RCS); Dani Torresan, (AFRTS) and Mike Crothers, (RCS). AFRTS also sponsors ACRA events most years.

At RCS, not only do we operate sales offices around the globe, we’re also a part of the broadcasting communities that we serve. Sometimes that means sponsoring events or awards at professional trade organizations. RCS Australia is proud to be a Silver Partner with ACRA (Australian Commercial Radio Awards), and for over ten years, sponsor of the Best Music Presenter awards.

The ACRAs are the pinnacle event in the Awards weekend, which also includes the National Radio Conference. The Awards weekend is the only weekend of events in Australia dedicated to the commercial radio industry and is the largest gathering for commercial radio professionals in the southern hemisphere.

RCS always has a small booth at the CRA conference. It is located in the break out area and gives our staff a good chance to speak with clients in between the conference speakers.

The national Awards include 39 categories and cover all areas of radio broadcasting. Winners are awarded in each category across three divisions: metropolitan, provincial and country commercial radio stations.

Last year, the Best Music Presenter awards went to: Bryce Ruthven, Edge FM, Deniliquin NSW, ACE Radio Broadcasters – Country; in the Provincial division, Josh Olek,, K rock, Geelong VIC, Grant Broadcaster; Melissa Doyle, smoothfm, Sydney NSW, NOVA Entertainment in the Metropolitan division.

The ACRAs are held annually, and were previously known as the RAWARDS, first held by FARB in 1989. The ACRAs are held as part of the Awards weekend in either Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or the Gold Coast.

The 2019 ACRAS will take place Saturday October 19th at the Royal International Convention Center in Brisbane.

RCS Sponsors Awards to New Zealand Broadcasters

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While RCS sells software to customers worldwide, our commitment to the communities that we serve runs much deeper than that. We spoke with Max Davies, Managing Director, RCS(NZ) Ltd. about some of the awards that are sponsored by RCS to recognize those who toil in neglected segments of New Zealand’s broadcast community.

The New Zealand Radio Awards began in 1978, and were created with the aim of supporting and recognizing excellence in radio broadcasting in New Zealand. The Awards celebrate the very best of New Zealand radio, honoring personalities, programming, news and sports reporting, production and creativity within the industry. This year, the event was held at the SkyCity Theater in Auckland, with about 800 in attendance.

RCS is proud to sponsor the annual “Associated Craft Award” which recognizes those working behind the microphones. As Davis explains,”This award is made to individuals or teams who show the highest standards of overall professionalism in providing support services to radio broadcasting. e.g. schedules, administrative, accounts, public relations, office management, technical, training or research.”

This year, the award was presented to Alison Watt, the Content and Marketing Manager for The Radio Bureau (TRB). TRB is an industry-owned sales organization that provides a platform for national buying agencies to buy radio nationally without having to deal separately with multiple radio organizations. They also market radio as a national medium. Davies adds that TRB uses Aquira’s predecessor, Airwaves (and Airmail) to electronically broker bookings to radio stations across the country, and to provide reconciled post campaign reports to their advertiser clients.

“From our perspective, these awards are a key event in the calendar for our customers and give us a chance to catch up socially with many of our customers,” says Davies. “It also allows us to raise the profile of those who support the “Rock Stars” of radio.”

The other awards that RCS supports are the Maori Radio Awards, held once every two years. The Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand, and they consist of many separate “Iwi” – or tribes. The majority of them are a part of the 20-plus station “Iwi Radio Network.” They are partially funded by the government, and part self-funded through advertising. They have to meet fairly stringent compliance rules in order to retain government funding. This event is a highlight of the Iwi network calendar.

here were 18 categories at the most recent awards ceremony held in October 2018. One of these categories looks at developing youth in the industry. Riria Dalton-Reedy, winner of the youth award representing Radio Ngāti Porou, says, “This is a surprise. I’m up with the best of Māori broadcasters and I’m still young so I am very lucky to win this award for best youth show.”

Tumeke FM was a finalist in nine categories. The station won the awards for Best Station Imaging, Best Current Affairs or Talk Show, Best Program Director, Best outside Broadcast and the supreme award of the night.

Davies and tech support manager Simon Tims were also asked to present two of the awards, which sounded like fun until they were told (after arriving) that they were also expected to make a small speech. Sounds like no big deal, except they were expected to deliver it in the indigenous language. Needless to say, Davies and Tims both hope to have mastered the fundamentals of Te Reo Maori before the next event in 2020!

The Party Continues with RCS at Broadcast Asia

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BroadcastAsia is the region’s must-attend international convention for media, entertainment and technology professionals. This year, the event was held alongside CommunicAsia and the new NXTAsia under the ConnecTechAsia brand umbrella. BroadcastAsia was held June 18-20 at the also-new Suntec city venue in Singapore. Over 17,000 were in attendance, and it goes without saying that RCS was in the thick of it.

The RCS 40th birthday party, which began in April at NAB, continued at BroadcastAsia. Combined with the traditional RCS ‘Happy Hour’, the celebration included fellowship and conversations, beer on tap, lots of snacks and balloons.

And speaking of balloons, a trial balloon of sorts was launched at BroadcastAsia 2019. A media student with an interest in radio joined the RCS team at the show and acted as an assistant. Think of it as a short-term paid internship.

Competition for the position was intense, and the winner was a second-year communications student at Singapore’s Temasek Polytechnic College, Joey Lim. Joey made a great impression on the RCS team and visitors to our booth during the three days of the conference. That shouldn’t come as a surprise. Joey actually is actually a Zetta user, since she is one of the on-air team at Temasek’s campus radio station, Radio Active.

Based on the success of this experiment, we may make it a regular thing at future trade shows. We’d love to team up with college media departments and seek out bright and talented students interested in a career in radio broadcasting.

The observant among you may have noticed that we added an additional stripe to the design we have long used at the back of our booth at international trade shows. The new stripe is green – and shows Revma (our new streaming service) as a fifth major product category. For the extra observant, the colors run in order of the RCS logo (which features the colors of the rainbow, of course). So there are two colors still available for future ideas: red and indigo!