Rebuilding a broadcast operation is never a small undertaking, especially when moving from a Windows PC environment to Macs. For Lilly Broadcasting, it meant rethinking everything—from infrastructure and workflows to the tools their teams rely on every day.
What began as a search for a replacement system quickly evolved into a broader transformation. Today, Erie, Pa.-based Lilly is running a modern, software-defined operation.
Lilly selected a workflow product powered by Softron. With stations in Elmira-Corning, N.Y., and a longtime Caribbean operation, Lilly operates in environments where resources are limited and teams must do more with less. That shaped the company’s approach to technology, ultimately favoring Mac-based solutions.
As Lilly Broadcasting expanded, its legacy infrastructure began to show its age. A centralized hub system that once supported up to 24 streams was reaching end of life, prompting the team to evaluate replacement options. Yet many of the options they considered introduced a different set of challenges—particularly around cost and complexity. Recurring licensing fees were a major concern. At the same time, the team needed systems that are easy to operate and maintain in smaller markets where staffing is lean and turnover is common.
On the newsroom side, existing tools were also creating friction. The team had been using another broadcast solution that was better suited for post-production than live news, limiting their ability to dynamically adjust broadcasts and respond in real time.
“We had reached our limit,” said Jason Klocko, Director of Technologies at Lilly Broadcasting. More broadly, the team wanted to move toward a more streamlined model—one where production and master control could be managed more efficiently, even by a single operator when needed.
The turning point For Lilly Broadcasting came at the NAB Show. While walking the show floor in the sprawling Las Vegas Convention Center, Klocko found Softron and saw a demonstration of its software-driven approach to broadcast workflows.
For Lilly, Softron offered a way to handle news production, playout and automation within a unified environment that worked for them while still allowing the team to integrate with hardware like Blackmagic switchers over a Mac-based environment. “I saw the potential right away,” Klocko said. “We could do everything I was used to doing with larger systems, but in a much more flexible way.”
Lilly Broadcasting didn’t just replace a system. Rather, the company rebuilt its operation.
The transition included moving their central hub, redesigning control rooms and shifting from a Windows-based environment to Mac-based infrastructure. At the core of the new workflow are Softron’s OnTheAir Video and OnTheAir MOS Gateway software solutions.
On the newsroom side, Softron now drives end-to-end production. OnTheAir MOS Gateway connects newsroom systems to OnTheAir Video, enabling rundown-driven control. That creates both a video playlist and a production automation system controlling Blackmagic switchers for live production. However, Lilly Broadcasting took the software an additional step.
“We are using Softron not just for video playback but for the complete graphics workflow as well,” said Doug Rogers, Digital Media Director. “This offered much more value and flexibility than we expected.”
The same platform extends into master control, where Softron handles playout, graphics and crawls natively. This eliminates the need for multiple systems and reduces the complexity of routing and synchronization.
Behind the scenes, the team has built a highly automated environment. Mac-based systems—including Mac mini, Mac Studio and Mac Pro—support ingest, playout and control. Bitfocus and Stream Deck enable advanced automation and switcher control. Softron’s API allows custom scripting to push weather alerts, school closings and election data directly to air.
The result is a unified workflow where production and master control operate seamlessly.
Since deploying Softron, Lilly Broadcasting has streamlined operations across both production and master control. Tasks that once required multiple systems—and multiple operators—are now handled within a single environment. Graphics, crawls and overlays can be inserted directly, without additional routing or manual intervention. Automation has reduced the burden on staff while improving consistency across broadcasts. Equally important, the team has gained flexibility. They can now make real-time adjustments to newscasts and build custom workflows tailored to their needs.
“It really comes down to flexibility,” Klocko said. “The limitation is what you can create yourself.”
