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Tech / Content
August 2017

CSC Radio

Launching an interactive online school radio from scratch using streaming tech and zero budget

Promotional image for CSC Radio

Project Overview

For years, students at CSC (Colegio San Carlos) dreamed of having their own radio station, but repeated attempts failed, likely due to the perceived complexity and cost of traditional setups. Between January 2016 and August 2017, I took on the challenge to finally realize this vision, creating CSC Radio – an engaging online platform built with modern, accessible technology and zero budget.

Instead of costly hardware, the solution involved leveraging free live streaming software (Twitch, OBS Studio) and automation bots for interactivity, transforming what was previously seen as an unattainable goal into a vibrant community platform. The station featured music discovery sessions, gaming shows, music history segments, debates, interviews, and sports livestreams – all created by students for students.

"Our purpose is to show you new music that you might like. Cultivating tastes together. We are an Indie radio station from Colombia, from Colegio San Carlos in Bogotá, created by students for students. Here you can request songs with the command !songs request (YouTube or SoundCloud link), and from time to time, something special happens!"

We have:
-Music discovery sessions
-Gaming shows
-Music history sessions
-Debates
-Interviews
-Sports livestreams
and more!

Join the community, and discover music!

— CSC Radio Mission Statement
🎯

Goal

Launch the school's first successful student-run radio, fostering engagement and providing a platform for student musical expression.

⏱️

Timeline

19 months (January 2016 - August 2017)

🧠

Role

Founder and Digital Radio Director (concept, technical setup, content creation, operations, marketing, team coordination)

🛠️

Tools & Technologies

Twitch, OBS Studio, Chat Bots, Web Development, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro

Challenge & Solution

The Challenge

Bringing CSC Radio to life meant overcoming significant obstacles that had stopped previous efforts, requiring creative solutions to technical, operational, and resource constraints.

  • History of failure and cost barriers: Traditional radio seemed too complex and expensive for a student-run operation
  • Need for real-time interactivity: A passive stream would offer limited engagement for the intended school audience
  • Sustainability and maintenance concerns: Constant monitoring was impractical for a student project with limited personnel
  • Zero budget for marketing and onboarding: Getting students to discover, understand, and use the platform with no financial resources
  • Limited human resources: Creating a fully functional radio station primarily as a solo effort requiring broad skillsets

The Solution

The approach leveraged modern, accessible technology and creative problem-solving to bypass traditional barriers and create a sustainable, engaging platform.

  • Adopted Twitch/OBS – free, robust, and familiar platforms – bypassing traditional hardware costs and complexity entirely
  • Implemented chatbots via Twitch chat to automatically receive and queue YouTube/Spotify song requests from listeners
  • Instituted defined "Listening Hours" – specific times the station was live and actively moderated – making operation manageable
  • Executed a zero-cost social media campaign and created an animated tutorial explaining how to listen and request songs
  • Personally handled most roles and streamlined processes (like bot automation), integrating audio with the school's PA system for wider reach
Modern radio studio setup with microphone and computer

Using modern streaming tools like OBS and Twitch to create a professional radio experience without traditional equipment

Process & Methodology

The project evolved through several distinct stages, each requiring different skillsets and approaches to transform the concept into a fully functional school radio station.

1

Research & Platform Selection

After identifying the historical barriers to success, I researched various broadcasting options and selected Twitch/OBS for their accessibility, reliability, and interactivity potential. This unconventional approach to school radio bypassed the traditional equipment costs that had derailed previous attempts.

Computer screen showing streaming platform options
2

Technical Setup & Integration

I configured OBS for broadcasting, set up song request chatbots to enhance interactivity, and built a simple website hub for the station. The technical implementation focused on creating systems that could be easily maintained and operated by a small team, with particular attention to automation for sustainability.

Screenshot of OBS Studio software interface
3

Content Strategy & Operations

I defined the core content pillars (student music, staff interviews, music discovery sessions) and established the sustainable "Listening Hours" schedule that made the operation manageable with limited personnel. This approach balanced content quality with operational sustainability.

Person speaking into a microphone in a radio studio setting
4

Marketing, Launch & Education

I created an ARG-inspired guerrilla marketing campaign with mysterious posters showing progressively more modern music devices, building curiosity before reveal. To aid adoption, I developed an animated tutorial explaining how to use the radio and request songs, and integrated broadcasts with the school's PA system during recess for passive discovery.

Mysterious posters hinting at a launch event

Results & Impact

CSC Radio successfully launched and operated, achieving its core goals of providing a platform for student expression and community building while overcoming the technical and resource challenges that had blocked previous attempts.

~1,000
Listeners Reached
Built a substantial audience of students and community members during the station's operation.
1st
Successful School Radio
Successfully launched the first functional radio station after multiple failed previous attempts.
$0
Marketing Budget
Built awareness and drove engagement through creative zero-cost campaigns and organic promotion.

Qualitative Outcomes

Beyond the numbers, CSC Radio achieved several important qualitative benefits:

  • High Student Engagement: Active participation observed through song requests and positive feedback, with Twitch analytics confirming consistent listenership during active hours.
  • Platform for Expression & Connection: Gave students a voice for their music tastes and fostered transparency through staff interviews, creating unexpected community connections.
  • Innovative Tech Use: Demonstrated creative application of readily available streaming technology for community building, offering a model for other resource-constrained initiatives.
  • Cultural Impact: Contributed to the school's culture by introducing new music and creating shared experiences around content like interviews and special events.

"Our purpose is to show you new music that you might like. Cultivating tastes together... Join the community, and discover music!"

— CSC Radio Mission Statement

Reflection & Learnings

Building CSC Radio from concept to functional community platform provided rich learning experiences across technical implementation, content creation, operations, and community building.

What Worked Well

  • The innovative platform choice (Twitch/OBS) successfully overcame the cost and complexity barriers of traditional radio
  • Automation for interaction through chatbots made the station highly engaging with minimal operator burden
  • The "Listening Hours" strategy created a sustainable operation model despite limited human resources
  • Zero-cost ARG-inspired marketing campaign effectively built curiosity and engagement before launch

Challenges & Solutions

  • Past failures were overcome by selecting accessible, modern technology over traditional radio equipment
  • Operational sustainability was achieved through scheduled programming and automated systems
  • User adoption barriers were addressed through targeted tutorial content and PA system integration
  • Limited personnel was managed by focusing on efficient processes and prioritizing core content types

Future Considerations

  • Implement stronger succession planning to ensure project continuity in school environments
  • Explore content expansion through partnerships with other student organizations
  • Develop more robust analytics to better understand listener preferences and behaviors
  • Create documentation to help other schools replicate the success with similar limited resources

Personal Takeaway

CSC Radio was a defining project that integrated disparate technologies into a cohesive system while allowing me to execute across the entire project lifecycle – from ideation and technical build to content creation, marketing, and operations. It demonstrated how significant impact is achievable without financial resources through ingenuity, adaptability, and broad skill application. The experience of building something that genuinely engaged the community while overcoming historical barriers proved invaluable in shaping my approach to future technical and creative challenges.