The media database stores details on media files, typically mp3 encoded files. For profit radio stations rely on advertisements, or commercials, to generate revenue and sustain their operations. Audio can range from a simple talk over, a song or jingle to a sophisticated program with authored content. The basic thing that a radio station does is to broadcast audio to its listeners. Some systems includes administration facilities for the traffic department, disc jockey schedule, live assist windows and even artificial intelligence automation control.

Nowadays with invention of the MP3 bit compression technology and standard audio cards there are a lot of automation software providers at the market. See also earlier developments of a music scheduling system such as of the US company Radio Computing Services in 1979.

Bonello delivered the first radio automation working technology using the masking curves published by Richard Ehmer. The basis of the Audicom was the first application, targeted at radio automation, of the audio bit compression technology used to reduce the amount of data. The world's first radio station to use it was one in San Francisco, California.

The first radio software for automation, using lossy compressed digital audio codecs, was named Audicom and was internationally introduced at the 1990 National Association of Broadcasters Convention in Atlanta, USA. This technology is claimed to be invented in Buenos Aires by Oscar Bonello in 1989. Standard PCs are connected in a LAN network to be used on the master control, production, news, administration, etc. Then, 24 hours radio stations are possible, also in small towns that can not afford to have operators and speakers all around the clock. It is possible to create a “playlist” that can reproduce automatically, without a board operator, a complete radio program, including meteorological announces, advertising campaigns, music tunes, satellite network connection, etc. Radio software not only reproduces audio. Now the PC is part of every AM and FM broadcasting, webcasting or podcasting system around the world. Then, instant replay of all the recorded material is done from a keyboard or with a click of the mouse. Usually the radio stations stores all advertising campaigns and most of the music in hard disk. Radio software allows AM and FM broadcasting to reproduce music and voices from the computer’s hard disk instead of using CD, MD, tape recorders or the old cartridge tape (see Fidelipac). There are many commercial and free radio automation packages available. Although some only use small scripts in audio players, a more robust solution is using a full radio automation suite. Almost all radio stations today use some form of broadcast automation.

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