Smarts was never a big computer firm or software giant. Smarts (the name started as an acronym: Small Market Accounts Receivable and Traffic System) grew out of our initial product, an early version of traffic and billing software. That software sprouted from the true roots of Smarts, KEMB radio in Emmetsburg, Iowa--a town of less than 4,000 people.
John and Jan Schad started KEMB after years of working at radio stations and radio broadcast equipment manufacturers around the country. For 13 years the Schads worked diligently at KEMB, doing local news, sports, weather, and a morning show every day of the week. But during that time, something happened to rock the foundations of all businesses in the world: an affordable desktop computer was developed. John recognized that the personal computer, even in its infancy, could take away one of the most tedious jobs in broadcasting, the preparation of the daily program log.
After working with a student from a local college, John began to write a traffic program in the late 1970’s. His ambition was to have a way to save money at his small station by computerizing the program log. Several years later, in 1983, he had a rudimentary log running at KEMB. The Iowa Broadcast association heard about those efforts and asked John to explain to a convention panel how computers could do logging in a radio station. John was there at the invitation of the Iowa Broadcasters to show what he had written for KEMB. But, after the demonstration many broadcasters came up to see if they could purchase what he had written. Some even came to Emmetsburg in the subsequent weeks to encourage him to begin selling the program, and eventually Smarts Broadcast Systems was born. The first office was the trunk of a 1982 Escort that John drove around the country to demonstrate the software program.
Smarts Broadcast Systems grew rapidly, and within a few years it was obvious that the tail was wagging the dog. John was on the road a lot, and couldn’t be at KEMB. So in 1989, the Schad’s sold KEMB and began operating Smarts Broadcast Systems out of a spare room in their home in Emmetsburg.
When the very first audio card that would allow a computer to store and retrieve audio was developed, John bought one. Before long, he had a computerized version of a cart machine. After experimenting to suit market needs, the first Smartcaster became a reality. Today Smarts operates from their world headquarters, still located in Emmetsburg, Iowa. The company in 2001 purchased On Air Digital of Dallas, Texas and operates an office in that city as well. Almost every employee has broadcast experience, and many have experience in owning or managing a radio station.
As time went on, computers began to become more capable, and more intelligent. John and Jan faced a major decision: to migrate their software into Windows, or to write new software in the Linux operating system. The Windows route was enticing, but the Schad’s had enough experience in computers to know that the operating system was not ideal. Windows might lock up for any number of reasons, and take a station or multiple stations off the air. Windows was susceptible to viruses, and a radio station connected to a computer 24/7 would eventually have that problem.
Smarts undertook a 10 year development cycle to develop the only Linux digital audio product in the industry. Skylla launched in 2008, and is now in hundreds of radio stations across the country. Skylla is a winner! And the time investment paid off.
Smarts growth has always kept a major goal in mind: don’t lose the relationship with the customer. Smarts is the company with a face. John and Jan’s home phone numbers are given to every customer. You’re dealing with friends who know broadcasting from the inside out when you deal with Smarts Broadcast Systems. Sometimes smaller is better, and when you need help with any Smarts product, our company is there 24/7 to get things back on track.