Inovonics Gets Audio Cameo on Stranger Things
The FM250 Processor by Inovonics Helped Create the Sound of the 80's
Posted on February 04, 2026 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter
The inner workings of morning radio, 1980s style, play prominently in the first episode of the long-awaited fifth season of the Netflix sci-fi drama “Stranger Things.” Carts with sound effects are shoved into worn-out cart machines, vinyl is cued up on vintage turntables, posts are hit, and there’s even a manic tower climb. It’s all part of a realistic depiction of ’80s small town radio at “The Squawk” WSQK, a fictional station used as a cover for anti-Vecna activities in the equally fictitious town of Hawkins, Indiana.
To help market the show’s final season, Netflix and UK radio giant Global launched a pop-up online version of “The Squawk.” “Turning the airwaves upside down” is the promise from the companies. Positioned as “50,000 watts of tubular tunes,” The Squawk” plays non-stop ’80s hits. DJs Vance Goodman and Mindy Flare drop in plenty of inside jokes from the blockbuster TV show.
The station weaves themes from the show into features. Songs are played backwards on “Rewind at 9: Turning Hawkins Upside Down.” No-nonsense advice show “Talk To Tammy” and “Dial-A-Dedication” are also part of the mix, along with ’80s radio relics like hourly newscasts. Jingles and fake spots abound.
The ’80’s flavor goes beyond just the programming. To replicate the sound of the decade, WSQK is being processed with a vintage Inovonics FM250 audio processor. These were released in 1983 and were in use across thousands of stations around the world during the latter part of the ’80s.
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