Radio & Audio News South Africa

Jacaranda FM blooms in Midrand

Jacaranda FM has moved to its new studio in Midrand, facing the N1 between New Road and Olifantsfontein, after 13 years in Centurion.
Jacaranda FM blooms in Midrand

The custom-built broadcast headquarters has enhanced technologies, ranging from the world's newest digital broadcasting equipment, specialised eco-friendly air conditioning and lights, access and facilities that make disabled access easier for both employees and visitors.

The new facility has also made space for top entertainers to perform live concerts and, through a unique set of networks, the HQ will be able to host up to 200 guests and listeners to experience these concerts onsite. These technological improvements will further enhance the station's ability to provide engaging content across all platforms.

For the staff, the station provides a spacious and well-equipped environment. The wallpaper has been created in conjunction with the interior design team and is a visual collection of a choice of every employee and key stakeholders including Kagiso Media's musical favourites in both artists and albums.

"In this way, the station has every person's DNA inside the building as a way of saying that the building belongs to everybody who works here and our stakeholders too. The open plan design means that all the employees share the office space and can communicate easily with each other and still have their own space," says GM Kevin Fine.

"We have grown as a company and in order to continue to serve our audience, advertisers and staff more effectively, we needed to create a space that allowed us to do this. The station, together with its holding company, Kagiso Media, agreed that it needed a change that was in line with its growth and vision for the business."

It has five studios; two main studios, two producer booths and a call-screening booth. The newly and fully packaged Axia system is installed, which allows for shared network that interlinks all studios and enables easy and immediate access to live content. Every audio device is allocated a unique stream that is also available for any of the set up facilities. With a push of a button, the mixing console can be reconfigured to suit each presenter, including pre-determined microphone and EQ pre-sets. The system allows a plug in of a CAT 5 cable between PC and the Axia frame, giving 16 high quality playback and recordings of audio.

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