By: Lathan “Laytin” Gil
Well, well, well … guess what? 107.7 The Bronc is getting NEW equipment this upcoming fall semester to keep all of YOU entertained! We’re getting an additional camera for another camera angle, and new sideline reporting equipment!
Lights … Camera … Action!
With the help of iMedia Software, we started live video streaming some of our student shows last spring, but this fall we’re planning to video stream every student show! That’s right, every student show will be video streamed. We are adding a fourth streaming camera to the mix to give you more ways to watch and listen to our students behind the mic and behind the scenes. Sophia Guiro ‘27, The Bronc’s new Video Production Director, says that there are still some kinks to be worked out, “The [camera] placement and angle is currently being determined, as we have to figure out where all the possible [viewing] positions are.”
This is going to be a great addition to some of our current multi-host student student shows like CliffNotes, ODog Garden Salad, The Bronc Box Score, the award-winning Wake Up Rider, and MORE! Plus, it’ll offer more angles for viewers to watch our solo shows including A Random After Party, Through the Eras, Talk of the Town and The Jersey Noise, just to name a few.
Our Student Chief Engineer, Clifford Russell ‘28, will be working closely with Sophia this summer to properly learn the equipment, so they can teach it to all of our students when the semester starts, “We work hand-in-hand with this new equipment. We are both learning. There is a lot of visual and audio pairing that has to be done, so it’s good we have Clifford here.”
I can say from hands-on experience, with these new cameras and vMix, the live video production and streaming software provided by iMedia Software, you learn something new everyday. There is something new happening and something new to fix every time you come to the studio. “You learn a lot very quickly, but there are also a lot of little things that are learned through experience and just toying with the cameras.”
Sports! Sports! Sports!
The Comrex Corporation designs and builds portable live broadcast equipment for radio stations like 107.7 The Bronc. This is the equipment our team of student broadcasters take on the road to broadcast live on location from our many sponsors, the Philly Auto Show as well as Rider Basketball and high school football and baseball games.
This year, we are adding the Comrex Fieldlink to enhance our sports broadcasts for our listeners as well as give more experiential learning opportunities to our students. Beyond The Mic asked our Sports Director, Lindsay Scarola ‘27, what will our student broadcasts learn and be able to do with the Fieldlink? “Well, with this new one [equipment], you will actually be able to be on the field [and court] and do sideline reporting. Instead of just being in the booth. This will give everyone a better experience!”
The ability to create major league style professional broadcasts at the collegiate level will be a true resume builder for our sports media students. “With the Comrex Fieldlink, our students will have the same tools to skillfully execute a live broadcast just like they do on ESPN Radio, Fox Sports Radio, Audacy and Westwoon One that will give them the advantage when looking for a job after their time at 107.7 The Bronc and Rider University,” according to John Mozes, Executive Director of the Student Media Center at Rider University.
And according to Lindsay, nothing is easier to learn and operate than Comrex equipment, “You turn it on, you plug in the MiFi (which is your personal WiFi), and then you connect to the station. The engineer makes sure everything is connected, it takes like five minutes.”
The new Comrex Fieldlink will make its debut at all Rancocas Valley Regional High School games this fall and Rider Basketball home basketball games this winter.
This is GREAT … for now …
We don’t think we will need anymore upgrades in the near future, however, after our upcoming Radiothon2, Lindsay believes we may get even more cool things to give our students the competitive edge. “When new equipment comes out we may get it, we’ll see.”
And We Will Start Streaming On Our Website!
Remember when I said, “we will start streaming every student show this upcoming semester?” There’s another surprise, too! The stream will be directly on our website via Restream! A lot of people have been asking why not stay on YouTube? And our GLORIOUS resident WebMaster, Shir Hami ‘27 explained exactly why, “It’s easier to be on the website. Viewers can easily access it and now it gives us the ability to not only stream talk shows, but ALSO music shows as our [music] license covers what’s on our website! Along with that, being on the website can give people a “behind the scenes” kind of vibe!”
Get ready for these new student experience, this new equipment, and to see the new ways we use it at 107.7 The Bronc and on 1077TheBronc.com! Keep up with us on Instagram and TikTok to keep up-to-date with the news!