The automation gives the DFW Metroplex Americana-formatted station greater efficiency
From the Radio World "Who's Buying What" page: In the Dallas-Ft. Worth market, 95.3 KHYI(FM), "The Range," is using NextKast's automation for its daily broadcast operations and live event coverage.
The 17 kW Class C2 station, licensed to Howe, Texas, considers itself a "mom-and-pop" operation.
It serves the northern portion of the DFW Metroplex with a unique Texas/Americana-flavored music format.
"The Range" explained that it has limited resources compared to its big-market counterparts and it sought broadcast automation software that could both engage its listeners and enable remote broadcasts without costly add-ons.
Pandemic reveals need
"The Range" had been using OMT's iMediaTouch for its automation, which the station said was functional but required separate modules for its remotes.
The COVID-19 pandemic helped expose the station's need for an upgrade. KHYI hosts had to record individual breaks and upload them to Dropbox. Station staffers needed to then manually insert each voicetrack -- an inherently error-prone process.
As a result, KHYI looked for an automation solution that would simplify scheduling, enable remote insertion and provide built-in streaming.
Features fit "The Range"
Several of NextKast's integrated platform options appealed to KHYI, including its Scheduling + Audience Pleaser, which combines audience data with smart scheduling.
With its niche format, traditional research tools weren't readily available for the station. Now using NextKast, knowing what its audience tunes in and out of, KHYI explained, helps it play the best songs.
Every June, KHYI produces the Texas Music Revolution two-day music festival in McKinney. Using NextKast's GoLive feature allows the station to broadcast from local businesses on the McKinney town square with quality sound and no board operator needed.
With remote voicetracking, one musician in the Americana scene hosts a Sunday afternoon KHY shift on the road, broadcasting without stepping foot in the station's Allen, Texas studio.
"The Range's" day-to-day operations have also reaped benefits. Music logs require less editing, while staff onboarding has been simple, with approximately 30 minutes of training on NextKast needed in most cases.
KHYI lauded NextKast's support, including the help of developer Winston Potgieter.
The Range continues to explore new features as NextKast evolves. The station looks forward to innovations like AI hosting while relying on the system's core features.
Submit announcements for Who's Buying What to [email protected].