Radio World Buyer’s Guide articles are intended to help readers understand why their colleagues chose particular products to solve various technical situations. This month’s articles focus on codecs and STLs.
Craig Landis is a regional engineer for iHeartMedia, working with the nine of the company’s stations in Honolulu. They reach listeners on all of Oahu, on other Hawaiian islands and those streaming its stations throughout the United States.
For the majority of his career, stretching over three decades, Landis has specialized in remote broadcasts to do everything from live worldwide concert broadcasts to major American sports events to Olympics coverage. Today, in addition to other projects, Craig coordinates live broadcasts for iHeartMedia Honolulu, and turns to Comrex for many of the remotes.
KSSK 92.3 is a popular iHeartMedia station that is consistently rated number one in market share nationwide in the adult contemporary format. Every year, KSSK hosts a radiothon to benefit Kapi’olani Medical Center for Women & Children, Hawaii’s only children’s hospital.
The Kapi’olani Radiothon for Kids features all of KSSK’s on-air personalities, including Michael W. Perry, host of “Perry & The Posse,” the top-rated morning radio show in the state. In 2023, the radiothon was a two-day affair that ran from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m., live from the hospital.
To get the event on the air, Landis uses Comrex Access NX.
“We send the hosts out with the Access, and they set up in the same room as the radiothon operators,” Landis said. “They also have a mixer and wireless microphones, so they can walk around and interview patients.” Because Access NX is portable and can be handheld, the hosts are able to carry it with them as they do their interviews, while connected to the hospital’s internet.
This live programming is effective for fundraising. Last year, the Kapi’olani Radiothon for Kids raised more than $820,000, all of which went to supporting programs at the hospital.
“It’s the only hospital in the state that provides this specialized care for pregnant mothers,” said Landis. “It’s a very worthwhile cause.”
He takes comfort from the reliability of the equipment. “It’s also reassuring to know we have the support of Comrex’s engineering team. You not only get a piece of equipment, you get a solid group of people who care about the end user.”
