Sonifex, exhibiting for the first time at BETT on stand number V33, is displaying a complete easy to assemble radio studio for use by schools, colleges and other educational establishments.
Sonifex is a company that has been at the forefront of the design and manufacture of professional broadcasting equipment for over 30 years. It has an international blue-chip customer base including the BBC, ITV, GWR, and has its products installed in over 80% of all UK professional radio stations.
With this wealth of knowledge and experience at its fingertips, Sonifex is now making moves into the education market with its Solutions radio studio package - a complete professional broadcast quality radio studio. The beauty of the Sonifex Solutions package is that it can be set up easily and quickly and can be operated by a wide range of people of varying ability. This has made this particular studio package very popular with hospital and community radio which are staffed by volunteers with 'day jobs' who have no particular expertise, necessarily, in the technical aspects of radio broadcasting. The ease of use also makes 'Solutions' ideal for educational establishments where a similar broad range of ability and expertise exists.
The benefits of having a radio station within an educational establishment are many. As well as offering the more obvious curriculum benefits for English, Drama and Media Studies students for example, youth groups and schools who currently have radio studios on their premises report other benefits to the students such as team building skills, co-operation, time management, self confidence, etc. Other hidden talents such as technical skills, production and presentation have also become apparent when the opportunity presents itself. Additionally, a greater cohesion, trust and understanding within the community at large is also achieved as outside agencies and the wider community get involved both in terms of sponsorship and giving of expertise.
With the new education grants that are now being made available, Sonifex is now receiving many more enquiries from schools and youth centres wishing to set up their own studios and, in some cases, their own radio stations. As a family run company with a strong customer care strategy at its core, Sonifex believe that the personal service it offers can take on board the specific needs and requirements of the customer. In-house design and manufacture also ensures that quality control guidelines are strictly adhered to and that all processes are streamlined; the cost benefits of which are passed on to the customer.
As Sonifex is used to dealing with the many independent radio stations that often work within very strict budgetary confines, a move into the education market with the same restrictive budgetary constraints should not pose a problem. Sonifex feel that they have a headstart in being able to produce a package that will fit even the smallest budget.
Anyone interested in setting up a radio studio should visit the Sonifex stand for an informal discussion on facilities, advantages and costs.
