BRUSSELS — “This project is more than revolutionary technology — it’s about how we think about radio and media.” That’s how Alexis Vingerhoed, technology project coordination manager with multimedia company RTL Belgium, summarized Magenta, the complete rethink of the entire radio production infrastructure, including the group’s six studios in Brussels.
In the French-speaking part of Belgium, RTL Belgium operates two FM radio stations — Radio Contact and bel RTL, each with multiple additional online channels; the popular online station Mint; five TV channels — RTL tvi, club RTL, plug RTL, belVision and ContactVision; RTL Play, an on-demand content platform; the podcast platform RTL podcasts; and the online and app news and editorial service RTL info.
Fewer buttons, more content
With such a diverse offering, when the group management decided on a new radio infrastructure, there was a clear need for a new modus operandi. “After 15 years of unchanged technical infrastructure, it was time to renew the entire radio live production area,” said Frédéric Bochart, CTO of RTL Belgium.
“The easy approach would have been to replace ‘end of life’ equipment with new equipment. Instead, we decided to rethink radio workflows. We needed technology to reduce technical operations while increasing content production.”
Vingerhoed added, “The final aim was to end up with ‘radio-as-an-app’ — all functionalities for broadcast, recording, editing and podcasting on a single display. One of the goals was to focus more on content than technical components. Presenters, journalists and content-makers are highly skilled but sometimes don’t have technical radio experience. We aimed to simplify the tools and set up a user-friendly digital studio infrastructure.”
The Magenta project was initiated in 2019 when Bochart contacted consultant Alexander Josiassen, owner of All4Media. “We started from the adage ‘fewer faders and buttons, more content’ and stepped away from the old ‘cockpit’ studio with lots of equipment,” said Josiassen. “Our quest for technical equipment for playout, processing, console and a telephone hybrid translated into greater automation using minimal interfaces and maximum technology. RTL also wanted to build customized interfaces with a specific look and feel.” So, the Magenta project turned to Pluxbox.
The Pluxbox platform
Pluxbox is a no-code development platform that enables media companies to create a highly personalized digital ecosystem using different equipment providers’ software technologies, producing a seamless radio environment. “We took several radio stations using virtual touchscreen systems for content production as a reference; this strengthened our vision for the new studios,” explained Vingerhoed.
Josiassen started scanning the market for the specific tools to be integrated into the Pluxbox platform. All4Media set up demo sessions and consulted RTL regarding suppliers. “The workflows were determinative in selecting the services,” said Josiassen. “The whole set-up had to be connectable.”
“Pluxbox became a key element in the new studios, allowing us to add extra layers to control the applications used during broadcast, recording, interviews and podcasts with just one touch,” echoed Vingerhoed.
As a result, in the new RTL Belgium studios, everyone around a table has access to a Lawo VisTool screen with embedded Pluxbox. Each person can control and manage the OmniPlayer playout system and use Lawo’s Power Core and VSM buttons to open and close input sources.
The easy approach would have been to replace “end of life” equipment with new equipment. Instead, we decided to rethink radio workflows. We needed technology to reduce technical operations while increasing content production
Frédéric Bochart, CTO of RTL Belgium
Simplified and split
Technical operations at Radio Contact and bel RTL are simplified and split among users according to their control needs. Depending on the number of positions, some studios have two presenter displays — one VisTool screen and one standard PC IT display. “In the case of the six-position studio, we have three positions where the production is shared and decentralized,” Vingerhoed underlined.
Pluxbox also steers applications like RCS GSelector music scheduling software, SoundNodes DigiPlan combined with its CastLan advertising scheduling and regional ads playout system, and the control of visual radio components and studio backdrops.
Each studio uses the Lawo AutoMix function. “We opted for On-Hertz’s Artisto routing and DSP software. No more physical faders in the studio,” continued Vingerhoed. The Telos Alliance’s Omnia.9 ensures the final sound processing. All studios have Audio-Technica BP40 microphones and Genelec 8040A monitor speakers.
Every month, key users and engineers select what new features they want to implement. “For example, Pluxbox will play a timesaving role in the station’s ‘replay’ function by remotely recording with OmniPlayer and automatically routing the content directly to the website, apps, etc. “Instead of taking several hours, replay content is available in only a few minutes,” underlined Vingerhoed.
Strengthening visual radio
One of Magenta’s assignments was to strengthen the video component in the radio studios using intelligent production systems for speech detection, cropping and advanced video handling. “Vislink’s IQ vPilot proved to be the perfect solution here,” said Vingerhoed. “We use the OmniPlayer E3 playout system for audio and video of the broadcasts, recordings and podcasts.”
RTL also stepped away from five identical studios and one bigger guest studio once they used a roster to assess how staff actually used studio space. The result was two six-seater studios, one nine-seat studio with a separate control room and three smaller studios for up to three people. Vingerhoed cites the example of bel RTL — after a busy breakfast show with a presenter and many guests, columnists and journalists, the station relocates to a smaller studio for the next program. “The voice track program previously recorded in another studio runs directly from the playout in the technical room without the audience noticing,” he said.
The studios’ wall covering is neutral, with wall displays, automated backdrops and graphics that provide station or thematic branding. “When you enter a studio, the touchscreen allows you to adapt the backdrops automatically and individual presets and settings to your specific activity,” added Vingerhoed.
The RTL Belgium radio management team was involved throughout the whole Magenta project, which is seen as ongoing. “We have monthly internal meetings to evaluate the project and to ensure continuous evolution from day one,” Vingerhoed concluded.
The author is a veteran music and radio journalist. He began hosting a weekly program at a local radio station in 1980. He has worked for the Dutch-language national broadcaster VRT as a reporter and music programmer and as a freelance writer for various media outlets.
