NovaEnt will upgrade seven metro stations and one regional with high-efficiency GatesAir transmitters, lowering operational costs through reduced footprint
GatesAir, a global leader in wireless, over-the-air content delivery solutions for TV and radio broadcasters, has won a large contract with NOVA Entertainment in Australia to upgrade six FM radio transmission sites within the continent. GatesAir will supply a total of 16 Flexiva FAX air-cooled FM transmitters, with in-country partner RaeAir conducting all site evaluations, installation, commissioning, and post-sales services.
NOVA Entertainment’s national FM footprint first took shape in 2001 with the launch of Nova 96.9 in Sydney, followed by stations in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth. The broadcaster will first upgrade these five metropolitan sites, beginning with the Melbourne and Perth locations. NOVA Entertainment will subsequently upgrade the remaining metropolitan sites, followed by a regional location on the NSW Central Coast.
GatesAir won the contract in large part due to its growing presence in Australia, bolstered by the recent expansion of its in-country sales and support team. NOVA Entertainment also anticipates an attractive return on investment through GatesAir’s high-efficiency transmitter designs, which will reduce annual rental and utility costs at transmission sites.
“The remarkable compact footprint of GatesAir transmitters will take up substantially less space than our existing transmitters, lowering our monthly expenditures and our long-term total cost of ownership,” said Matt Steadman, Head of Technology, NOVA Entertainment. “We are also confident that GatesAir’s Australian presence, both through direct personnel and their partners at RaeAir, will efficiently guide us through the installation process and ensure excellent post-sales service and support.”
NOVA Entertainment’s FM radio transmission project represents part of a broader strategic initiative that follows a recent upgrade of its studio systems. GatesAir will deliver twelve 10kW and four 20kW models, with redundant transmitter configurations for all five metropolitan sites; and integrated IP-based control and monitoring across the network. NOVA Entertainment will also benefit from streamlined maintenance and the ability to share common spare parts across the network.
“GatesAir and our partners at RaeAir worked closely with the NOVA Entertainment team to develop a strategy that would transition them to a high-efficiency FM infrastructure, and with the greatest possible ROI,” said Rich Redmond, President and Managing Director, International for GatesAir. “The exceptional performance of our Flexiva transmitters will also optimize audio quality and performance for NOVA Entertainment’s number one metropolitan network. We look forward to working closely with their team for many years to come.”
About GatesAir
GatesAir, Inc., a portfolio company of The Gores Group, provides complete solutions for over-the-air radio and television broadcasting, leveraging wireless spectrum to maximize performance for multichannel, mission-critical services. Powering over-the-air networks worldwide with unparalleled reliability for nearly 100 years, GatesAir’s turnkey solutions enable broadcasters to create, transport and transmit radio and TV content. With customers in more than 185 countries, the company leads the industry in innovation and design breakthroughs, improving efficiency and reducing total cost of ownership with all products designed and assembled in the USA and Europe. Visit www.gatesair.com for more information.
