What overall problem or challenge were you
trying to solve by getting Information Radio Stations?
FS: Visitation had dropped off at the Park over the
years, from a high of 260,000 in 1998 when we opened POW
Museum, to a low of 114,000. We needed to do something
to promote the site.
What made you decide on MP3 Edition
Information Stations?
FS: I used to be chief ranger at the Jimmy Carter Site
in Plains, Georgia, at which time I first became
familiar with the value of TISs [Travelers Information
Stations]. Harper's Ferry and former National Park
Service wireless program chief Frank Weed referred me to
Information Station Specialists, who had supplied
numerous stations to parks across the country.
How was your project funded?
FS: The project was funded through 'Friends of
Andersonville' and the 'Andersonville Trust.'
How is your radio system set up and managed?
FS: We placed 2 stations on the Interstate to attract
visitors and 1 in the Park itself to greet guests as
they enter, i.e., 'Welcome. Here's what we have for you
to see . . .' We write our own scripts and hire
professional voice artists in a studio in Atlanta to
record broadcasts. Then we download the recordings from
the studio's FTP site onto our memory sticks (flash
drives), which we plug into our station's transmitters.
Playlists are usually 3 to 5 minutes long to catch
motorists on the Interstate traveling at highway speeds.
Our stations' antennas are strategically located near
the highway; then billboards announcing the stations are
located 2.5 to 3 miles from our transmission sites. With
our stations, we purchased from Information Station
Specialists recording software for creating our own
messages to advertise special programs, as they come up,
and to change messages ourselves, quickly, if needed in
an emergency.
|
 |
Billboards along I-75 in Georgia invite travelers to
tune to 1640 AM.
Photo courtesy National Park
Service
|
| |
 |
|
Two
strategically located Information Stations steer
motorists to the site from busy I-75. Another near the
park entrance welcomes and informs visitors of site
specifics.
|
|
|
What do you see as the overall result of your
effort?
FS: One way we measure the success of the stations is to
announce in our broadcasts, 'If you let museum staff
know you heard this message, you will get a free gift at
the museum store.' We have given away many bandanas.
Visitation has increased approximately 14% since the
billboards and radio stations were put in place.
What advice do you have for others who might
be considering the purchase of such a communication
system?
FS: The stations themselves are obviously very
practical. It's just a matter of the appropriate
solution for each individual application. As I said,
they're a great marketing and welcoming tool for the
Andersonville National Historic Site! Another idea might
be to use Information Stations for driving tours to tell
travelers about sites they are passing through.
What was your experience working with
Information Station Specialists?
FS: Great. No problems. In our case, we did the heavy
installing, and Information Station Specialists just
came in and did the final setup and staff training. It
was straightforward.
|
