Independent radio stations require 5 main pieces of equipment: a controller to control music and jingles alongside DJ software, a mixer to combine audio signals, a compressor/limiter to regulate sound levels, a laptop to run DJ software and access social media, and a microphone and headset for mixing and presenting. Commercial radio stations require additional equipment like multiple computers and monitors dedicated to specific tasks, radio station software to store and play songs, commercials, and jingles, digital cart walls and playlists to prepare content before shows, and digital playback systems to schedule and track songs.

1. Equipment In Independent And
Commercial Radio Stations
Kyle Jones

2. Equipment used by Independent Radio
Stations
There are 5 Main pieces of equipment needed for independent radio stations to operate at a
professional level, These include:
Controller- The controller is where the music and jingles are controlled from along side the DJ
software. It allows you to change the music levels with dials and knobs on its panel. When
connected to the Mixer, Its also allows the radio presenter to smoothly change between songs
whilst also talking over them and adding jingles. Example Controller, ’Novation Twitch’
Mixer- The mixer is connected to the Controller. The mixer allows multiple signals coming into in
to be combined into one. For example, if the presenter was talking over a song playing, the mixer
merges them into one signal .
Compressor/Limiter- This makes sure levels of sound don’t exceed a certain point, otherwise the
sound can be flat, fuzzy or grainy and reduce the quality of the radio show. Example Behringer
MDX1600
Laptop- This is where the DJ software is run from, you can also of course access social media
from these devices.
Microphone/ Headset- Both are important pieces of equipment that are essential for mixing
music and presenting.

3. Equipment used by Commercial Radio
Stations
Commercial Radio Station can have a lot going on at the same time so they need The previous
equipment and More. They need
• Controllers
• Mixers
• Compressors/Limiters
• Microphones/ Headsets
• Computers- in commercial radio stations, it is common place for their to be multiple computers and
monitor with dedicated jobs
They also need things that independent radio stations don’t. This includes dedicated radio station
software, that stores songs, commercials, jingles and even pre-set software which can run a show
without a human there. This software also creates phone line ques for incoming customers.
Digital cart walls and playlists- these are the recourses you gather before the show such as the jingles,
adverts and other pre recorded sounds. These are then loaded onto the system ready for the show.
Digital payout systems are where all the songs are run out. It allows you to see what's playing, the song
line up. You can put these songs on different channels which can be switched between when changing
song.