Brownsboro ISD on the air
By Nathan Straus News Reporter

Nathan Straus Photo Perry Eaton demonstrates how to connect the broadcasting equipment to student Zack Bailey.

Brownsboro Independent School District has recently acquired its own radio station. But there are no transmitter towers to be found on the campus; rather, the radio station is an internet radio station. BISD will transmit football games, menus, announcements and music over the internet.

Perry Eaton, parent involvement coordinator at BISD, said the idea of putting the school on the air occurred around January of last year.

"I looked at the school and I wanted to get information about the school to the home," Eaton said.

Eaton added that he was able to build the station when the budget was approved and the equipment was purchased.

The internet station, right next door to Eaton's office, is staffed by handpicked students of BISD, Eaton said.

"I have three different shifts," Eaton said just past 11 am on Monday. "This is my Gold shift. They operate from 10:40 am to about 12:10 pm."

The Gold shift has three students in it; Zack Bailey, Bret Ralson and Jeremy Miller, all 10th graders.

Bailey said he was excited to be a part of the station.

"It's great working here. Hopefully we'll be broadcasting district games," Bailey, also a varsity quarterback, said.

Eaton said the station, Bear Radio, has already recorded Bear football games. The games are recorded when the commentators for the station call into a machine at the station, which in turn can transmit the color commentary to the station's website.

Eaton added that eventually live football broadcasts will be a regular event.

Jeremy Miller, who is also in the school band, said the training students working for the station receive may one day help them become professional DJs, and the work they do helps the parents.

"I think it's cool because Mr. Eaton is trying to get parents involved, " Miller said. "Any announcements or games parents can't get otherwise they can get from the station."

Miller added that the prospect of working at the station keeps students out of trouble.

"If you get in trouble you can't do this," Miller remarked.

Bret Ralson, a junior varsity running back, said he thinks highly of Eaton for putting the station together.

"We're learning and working as we go," Ralson said.

Eaton said there are currently no plans to upgrade the station to an actual AM/FM station, but it will remain a possibility. For now, listeners will have to tune in to www.brownsboro.k12.tx.us.