EVERE, Belgium — Belgian private broadcaster NGroup, which operates NRJ and Nostalgie, as well as associated DAB+ stations NRJ+ and Nostalgie+, and the digital-only brand Chérie, has implemented a group-wide system of interchangeable, multibrand studios. Designed to seamlessly switch between audio, audio/video and voice tracking, the studio system is built around Wheatstone architecture. The latest development is the integration of NeoSIP, from French provider NeoGroupe, for advanced telephone management.
Geoffrey Naniot, NGroup’s radio network manager, has worked extensively with NeoGroupe technology since joining the broadcaster in 2013.
NGroup’s relationship with NeoGroupe dates back several years. “We had long been using NeoWinners across our two main brands, NRJ and Nostalgie, which at the time operated as fully separate stations in different locations,” Naniot explains. “Shortly after I arrived, we transitioned to SIP-based models, notably with Telos VX.”
The group also relied on NeoScreener alongside other technologies, including Telos hybrids and VoIP lines. As operational needs evolved, so did the search for tighter integration. “We needed a more advanced level of integration, so we began exploring new options,” Naniot says. “I reconnected with Philippe Halin, president of NeoGroupe, who introduced NeoSIP. It matched our requirements exactly, and we deployed it between June and August 2025.”
Multibrand studios
With multiple brands operating across different sites and formats — FM, DAB+, online, voice tracking and visual radio — flexibility has become essential. “With four brands and six studios, things could become restrictive if each studio were dedicated to a single brand,” explains Naniot. “To ensure both a main and a backup studio for each brand, we would have needed eight studios. The multibrand approach gives us that flexibility without expanding the infrastructure.”
Switching from one brand to another is simple. “In any multibrand studio, a single button allows you to switch from Nostalgie to NRJ or NRJ+,” says Naniot. NeoSIP fully supports this multibrand setup, with phone lines dynamically assigned, thanks to its architecture, which combines a physical “studio view” with a “show view.” The system centralizes telephone operations, routes calls in real time and integrates directly with production tools. “As soon as a host switches a studio to NRJ, calls to the 0800 number are automatically routed to it,” Naniot adds.
Increased autonomy for presenters has been another key benefit. “Hosts now operate fully in self-op mode, even when switching studios or brands. Some rotate across multiple stations, for example, hosting both NRJ and NRJ+.” Because NeoSIP builds on familiar tools, the transition has been smooth. “The presenters were already using NeoScreener, so their workflow hasn’t really changed — they’re working with the same interface.”
According to Naniot, NGroup primarily uses NeoSIP for its SIP functionality. “The biggest added value is the seamless integration into our existing system — presenters walk into a studio, and everything is ready; no manual setup is required.”
Interchangeable environments
The multibrand concept extends beyond audio. Studios are no longer visually tied to a single station — branding adapts dynamically through screens, lighting and LED elements. “The visual environment adjusts automatically to the selected brand,” Naniot explains. “The same logic applies to telephony — presenters don’t need to think about where they can be reached. They switch the studio to “On-Air” and the Wheatstone system controls the NeoSIP server to ensure the correct lines are active in the studio.”
All studios share a consistent technical setup, including integrated phone modules, console-based controls and PCs running NeoWinners and NeoScreener. Custom scripts developed with NeoGroupe and Wheatstone ensure that required phone lines are instantly available.
NGroup’s six studios are fully equipped with Wheatstone custom-built LXE consoles, designed to meet, among other things, each studio’s needs and size, plus NeoSIP. At the same time, two additional booths dedicated to production and voice tracking offer simplified, user-friendly setups.
Calls are handled via the Wheatstone WheatNet IP network for live programming. For high-call-volume shows — such as breakfast and afternoon drive programs — a producer manages incoming calls using NeoScreener. For solo presenters, backup options are built in. “A secondary screen running NeoScreener allows them to manage calls and automatically generate contest winner profiles in NeoWinners,” says Naniot. “Alternatively, they can use the PhoneBlade controller directly on the console.”
In-house infrastructure and future plans
NGroup continues to prioritize in-house control of its infrastructure. The group operates two NeoGroupe servers — one dedicated to NeoSIP and telephones, the other hosting NeoWinners and NeoScreener databases. “We made a strategic decision to manage everything internally, with redundant systems to ensure service continuity, rather than relying on the cloud,” Naniot explains.
The technical team comprises around 10 staff, including four focused on digital systems. Collaboration is key. “Our sound engineers and sysadmins work closely together to combine expertise across audio and network technologies,” says Naniot. “A next step would be to eliminate the NeoSIP phones currently in our production booths and manage telephony directly from virtual consoles entirely developed by integrator Raphaël Dolmazon of Save Diffusion for our specific use.”
Additional developments under consideration with BCE, a media technology and services company, include the dynamic display of program data and the real-time adaptation of studio visual and lighting elements.
At the core of the system lies Wheatstone’s WheatNet AoIP network, which enables flexible routing of any audio source to any studio via multicast architecture. Connectivity is supported by Belcenter, NGroup’s provider for SIP trunking and internet services.
“Since the WheatNet IP network is based on distributed intelligence across all network nodes, we were able to access NeoSIP via its specific protocol directly from Wheatstone screens. Custom screens are generated by Wheatstone’s ScreenBuilder, a software development tool used to create custom virtual control panels, touchscreen interfaces, and meters for the WheatNet IP audio network. Small programs run on our servers and connect to WheatNet IP, enabling direct interaction with various systems. These screens can run autonomously or require user input. All our studios’ actions are transmitted to the NeoSIP server, enabling the needed automation,” says Naniot. “The strength of the Wheatstone’s WheatNet IP is its programability. We can script virtually any function and assign it to any console button.”
This flexibility has enabled NGroup to integrate key tools such as RCS’s Zetta playout system and BCE’s StudioTalk automation platform into a unified production environment. “Frankly, there’s nothing better than Wheatstone right now in audio over IP,” Naniot adds.
By deploying NeoGroupe’s tools across its multibrand studios, NGroup has taken a significant technological step forward, streamlining operations while boosting flexibility, autonomy and responsiveness across its teams.
The author has worked in the radio industry for more than 30 years. She has held posts as both a producer and a presenter for French stations, including Radio Notre-Dame and Radio France’s France Culture. In addition to her involvement in academic research and EU consulting in Brussels, she specializes in print journalism.
This story originally appeared in the May/June 2026 edition of RedTech Magazine. You can read or download that edition for free here.
You can access all past RedTech publications, also for free, here.
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