A new sponsored white paper produced jointly by MusicMaster and Radio World explores how the family-run music scheduling solution, which has been used by radio and other media entities since the 1980s, is expanding its reach to playout.
MusicMaster is announcing an integration partnership with InfoAudio, bringing music scheduling, broadcast automation and support in one package.
Founder Joe Knapp explained that it was the next step in helping clients save their valuable time. Throughout the search for an automation partner, MusicMaster said that its priority was maintaining its standard of customer support.
After a two-year journey of researching and vetting automation solutions, the MusicMaster team identified Informa’s InfoAudio, a platform with more than 25 years of experience and 1,700 customers in Latin America.
While it pledges to continue to support third-party automation solutions, including through its cutting-edge Nexus API, this announcement extends beyond an integration, the MusicMaster team explained. They believe it is a full, turnkey solution that covers scheduling to playout that, most of all, their team can support.
MusicMaster and InfoAudio introduced new features such as embedded voicetracking and a Marks Editor for modifying mix points within the workflow.
MusicMaster’s team is also excited about the mature feature base in InfoAudio, which includes the modular design of its automation screen, Instacart decks and visual radio capabilities. The software allows operators to control cameras, switch video feeds and manage A/V mixing directly from the automation interface.
The unified MusicMaster and InfoAudio package also includes a new approach to its software architecture. Rather than two siloed programs connected by a fragile export bridge, the platforms were retooled to share the same database server. For a radio ownership group, MusicMaster believes the potential return on investment is significant.
For stations seeking disaster recovery and IP scalability, InfoAudio’s built-in monitoring system provides resiliency options. The software performs a pulse check on the primary system, ready to switch to a backup instance should something happen.
InfoAudio can also emulate a traditional satellite distribution network over IP. This includes network head-end and affiliate synchronization, allowing endpoint followers to track the network programming.
As a result of the partnership, MusicMaster now supports and guides the software development timeline for InfoAudio. As the team explained, over its history, every new feature originates from actual user requests, and it will be no different with its playout solution.
If streamlining automation is what it takes to propel MusicMaster through its fifth decade of serving stations across the globe, the company is more than ready for the challenge.
“I think in the end, our search was about identifying a playout product that was already closely aligned with our brand philosophy, and then working with a team that was 100% dedicated to us and to our customers, and with InfoAudio, it’s a perfect marriage,” CEO Laurie Knapp said.
Read the white paper: MusicMaster and InfoAudio: A Unified Approach to Radio Scheduling and Playout
