The nationally syndicated talk radio program The Dave Ramsey Show, based in Brentwood, Tenn., recently upgraded its facilities to include a new Axia IP-Audio network based around the Axia Element modular broadcast console. The program is broadcast on more than 250 U.S. radio affiliates, as well as XM and Sirius satellite radio. The upgrade to Axia came after Ramsey signed a deal for wider distribution with Cumulus Media, the nation’s second-largest radio broadcast group.
“We were very impressed with the Axia system’s ability to handle remotes and Dave’s Fox News simulcasts,” says Blake Thompson, the show’s producer. “The system has made the entire procedure very simple in both regards. With Axia, there’s no more ‘patching in the closet’ to make things work properly. Now, we can set up our radio show, our local TV show and a remote or simulcast using the Show Profiles on the Element console. With essentially one push of a button, we’re ready to go.”
Ramsey frequently works from his lake house, so the Axia system’s ability to handle remote broadcasts was an important consideration. An ISDN line at the house connected to a Telos Zephyr Xport sends Ramsey’s aacPlus remote audio to the Zephyr Xstream in the studio.
“All of the calls, production elements, and spots come out of the Brentwood studios and are mixed with Dave’s feed from the lake house,” says Thompson, “which are then fed back out to ABC via the Telos Zephyr. Our new Axia Element makes it easy for us to set up a ‘Lake House’ Show Profile, so when it’s time to do the remote, all we have to do is hit one button to set the entire board.”
For more information, visit www.axiaaudio.com and www.daveramsey.com .
