Aggregator

Franken FM stations may have some hope after all. The Federal Communications Commission has opened that door, at least a crack.

The commission has granted special temporary authority to one digital LPTV station that is also still operating an ancillary audio signal at 88.7 FM. The STA will allow it to continue its “FM6” operations for at least the next six months rather than shut down at the July 13 deadline.

Radio World has learned that the commission will consider similar STA requests until it decides how it will handle the FM6 issue.

Similar requests “will be considered”

KBKF(LD) in San Jose, Calif., which is licensed to Venture Technologies Group, converted to ATSC 3.0 digital operations earlier this year. It then requested special temporary authority from the FCC to continue its analog FM6 operations beyond the July 13 deadline for LPTV analog stations to complete their digital facilities.

KBFK airs contemporary Christian music from the Air1 Radio Network from the Educational Media Foundation. EMF in March urged the FCC to “act expeditiously” on the FM6 proceeding.

FM6 proponents say the ATSC 3.0 standard allows a station’s DTV signal to occupy as little as 5.509 MHz, which leaves room for an analog audio carrier that does not degrade the station’s DTV signal. FM6 operations may only be conducted on 87.75 MHz.

[Read our prior story “Time Running Out for FM6 Stations?”]

An FCC spokesperson told Radio World: “This STA will allow for such stations to continue operating, with conditions, until the commission determines how to act on the broader rulemaking. The STA operations will help inform such future action.”

This development doesn’t change the fact that analog LPTV stations must terminate analog television operations by July 13. “However, if other analog Channel 6 LPTV stations convert to digital 3.0 by the July 13 deadline and request similar STA relief, those requests will be considered,” according to a FCC Media Bureau official.

Paul Koplin, president of Venture Technologies Group, told Radio World in an email: “This provides Channel 6 the path forward to survive in a digital world. The technology works without interfering with other stations or its own signal.”

Ari Meltzer, a spokesman for the Preserve Community Programming Coalition (PCPC), a FM6 advocacy group, said: “This will prevent any disruption for listeners on July 13 and help establish a record of real-world operations for the open rulemaking proceeding.”

Operators of “Franken FM” stations have lobbied for several years to be able to maintain an analog output on 87.7 FM even after converting to digital TV6 service. Analog LPTV’s were allowed to request an extension to complete their digital TV facilities beyond July 13.

Nothing Ventured …

In its letter to Venture Technologies Group acknowledging the special temporary authority, the FCC emphasizes that the designation is temporary and there are conditions the licensee needs to meet, including making immediate modifications if any interference is reported.

The FCC noted in its STA letter that Venture had provided notice to all potentially affected Channel 5, Channel 6 and 88.1 FM stations in San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland and adjoining Designated Market Areas, telling them that it was beginning digital service with ATSC 3.0 video and an ancillary audio signal.

The letter was dated June 10 and signed by Barbara Kreisman, chief of the video division of the Media Bureau.

Venture Technologies Group also committed to making efficient use of the ATSC 3.0 video portion of the station’s signal. “Venture represents that KBKF(LD) will provide at least one stream of synchronized video and audio programming on the ATSC 3.0 portion of the spectrum on a full time (24×7) basis,” according to the FCC correspondence.

Venture must also submit several written reports to the FCC during the six-month period detailing any reports of interference to other licensed users and any interference between KBKF(LD)’s video and audio services that in any way limits the coverage of its video, according to the FCC.

The post FCC Throws Lifeline to an FM6 Station appeared first on Radio World.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau has confirmed that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Commission, has selected the day it will conduct a nationwide test of the EAS and Wireless Emergency Alerts.

The date chosen: Wednesday, Aug. 11.

The time: 11:20am Pacific, or 2:20pm Eastern.

There is a backup date of August 25, should there be an unforeseen glitch that prevents the test from occurring on August 11.

All EAS Participants must renew their identifying information in ETRS Form One on or before July 6; the ETRS is now available for the acceptance of 2021 filings.

During the event, a test message will clearly state that the alert is only a test.

FEMA will transmit the EAS portion of the nationwide test through a hierarchical, broadcast-based distribution system, otherwise known as the “daisy chain.” Because the test will be disseminated in this manner, FEMA indicates that “full message text and multilingual messaging will not be available.”

FEMA explains, “[T]he intent of conducting the test in this fashion is to determine the
capability of the [EAS] to deliver messages to the public in the event that dissemination via internet is not available.”

The Media Bureau adds that testing the daisy chain will allow the FCC and FEMA to assess whether the national EAS would perform as designed, if activated, and help to ensure the reliability and effectiveness of broadcast-based alerting as part of our national emergency communications infrastructure.

For further information regarding the nationwide EAS test, contact Maureen Bizhko, Attorney Advisor, Policy and Licensing Division, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, at 202-418-0011 or maureen.bizhko@fcc.gov; Rosemary Cabral, Attorney Advisor, Policy and Licensing Division, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, at rosemary.cabral@fcc.gov; or Christina Clearwater, Deputy Chief, Policy and Licensing Division, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau at christina.clearwater@fcc.gov. 

It signed on the air in 2009 as a Class A FM serving the Adirondack Mountains town of Saranac Lake, N.Y. Since January, it has been one-half of a Variety Hits operation branded as “Lake FM,” with coverage of nearby Tupper Lake provided by that second FM.

Now, a deal is in the works sending the Class A to a new licensee.

It sees noted longtime media executive turned licensee Randy Michaels agreeing to its sale.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

DTV America Corp. has of late been an entity fully controlled by HC2 Holdings, today led by Wayne Barr and until nearly a year ago by Philip Falcone.

As part of a capital-raising campaign led by HC2’s current leadership, DTV is spinning a group of low-powered TV stations in various locales.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

In Boston, WBZ NewsRadio has begun a 100-day celebration leading up to its 100-year anniversary.

The station, owned by iHeartMedia, passes the century mark on Sept. 19 and is thus one of the oldest in the United States. It originally was located in East Springfield, Mass., and first broadcast from Boston in 1924.

[Read: Remembering the Early Days of KWTX]

“WBZ NewsRadio is set to celebrate 100 years of being a legendary cornerstone of the Boston media landscape, broadcasting the latest headlines and news coverage on 1030 AM,” it announced.

“The station will celebrate on-air and online with short stories and photos of memorable moments in WBZ’s rich history.”

The announcement was made by Market President Alan Chartrand and the market’s VP of News, Talk & Sports Rob Sanchez.

They highlighted the station’s “heritage brand” and its strength as a local news source.

Interesting tidbit: In the earliest days, the station announcers were not allowed to use their names, just their initials. Chief announcer Arthur F. Edes was known as EFA, according to the station’s website. Gordon Swan, who would later become WBZ’s program director, was known as AGS.

Radio historian and Radio World contributor John Schneider noted recently that WBZ was the first radio station to receive a commercial broadcasting license. (Pittsburgh’s KDKA, he noted, was licensed as a “Commercial Land Station,” a category that had existed for years before, and on the night of its famous election returns it was using the call sign 8ZZ.)

WBZ has a whole section of its website dedicated to celebrating its history with fun photos and timelines.

The post WBZ Celebrates 100 Years appeared first on Radio World.

The EAS spotlight will be on broadcasters on Aug. 11. The national test of the Emergency Alert System that day will not involve the internet IPAWS portion of the system as it has in the past. That’s because federal officials want to make sure the traditional broadcast daisy chain is reliable if the internet is not available during an emergency.

As we reported earlier, the test of EAS and the Wireless Emergency Alert System will take place Aug. 11 at 2:20 p.m. EDT with a backup date of Aug. 25.

Now the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission has announced details and also has made the EAS Test Reporting System available to accept 2021 filings. All EAS participants — including most U.S. radio stations — must renew their identifying information using ETRS Form One by July 6.

FEMA will transmit the EAS portion of the test only through the familiar broadcast distribution daisy chain, not the internet using the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System this time. Even though EAS participants must be able to receive alerts from both, FEMA wants to determine the capability of EAS to deliver messages in the event that the internet is not available.

“Testing the daisy chain will allow the FCC and FEMA to assess whether the national EAS would perform as designed, if activated, and help to ensure the reliability and effectiveness of broadcast-based alerting as part of our national emergency communications infrastructure,” the FCC wrote.

FEMA will initiate the WEA portion of the test using the State/Local WEA Test category for the first time.  Only subscribers who have opted in to receive WEA tests will receive that message. Participating CMS Providers are required to transmit the State/Local Test message and enable subscribers to opt in to receive it.

The commission also reminded EAS participants of steps to take to be prepared, including ensuring that their EAS gear has the latest software and that it can receive and process the NPT code and “six zeroes” national location code. Further recommendations are in the FCC notice.

In addition to filling out Form One by July 6, EAS participants must fill out Form Two on Aug. 11 or 12 for “day of test” info; and Form Three is due Sept. 27.

Filers can access ETRS on the FCC website. You can update previously filed forms in ETRS by clicking on the “My Filings” menu option. Broadcasters can pre-populate Form One by completing the FRN and Facility ID fields but should doublecheck the data.

“Each EAS participant should file a separate copy of Form One for each of its EAS decoders, EAS encoders, or units combining such decoder and encoder functions,” the FCC wrote.

The post National EAS Test Will Focus on Broadcast Chain appeared first on Radio World.

“Every presentation is a performance,” says veteran public relations executive Rosemary Ravinal, who has emerged from the pandemic as a Zoom etiquette expert for the professional work force.

“It is a performance with a specific audience in mind, concise content, delivered with energy and authority,” she writes in this new column. “Whether you are doing a virtual presentation or in-person, there are common best practices that will ease your discomfort and greatly improve your impact.”

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

Fueled by stronger than anticipated digital advertising results, respected Wall Street financial analysts at MoffettNathanson are raising its 2021 overall U.S. ad growth estimate.

This offset will be partially offset by lower than expected broadcast and cable advertising.

But, what do the radio advertising trends look like? Senior Analyst Michael Nathanson offers a few details.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

On September 19, 1921, one of America’s oldest radio stations will celebrate its 100th anniversary.

On Friday (6/11), the 100 day countdown to a century of serving New England began for a station currently offering an all-News format, owned today by iHeartMedia.

WBZ-AM 1030, a Class A 50kw directional facility using 2 towers on the opposite of Nantasket Beach, Mass., is the station already saluting itself. This will see on-air and online vignettes recalling the most memorable moments in the station’s history.

“For a station to broadcast for 100 years is nothing short of amazing,” said Alan
Chartrand, Market President of WBZ parent iHeartMedia/Boston. “Listeners and advertisers
consistently utilize this heritage brand as evidenced by WBZ’s continued ratings and
revenue success. People lean into objective news sources to remain informed and none
has been more dependable than WBZ NewsRadio.”

Rob Sanchez, Vice President of News, Talk & Sports for iHeartMedia in Boston, added, “WBZ NewsRadio is defined by our strong, unmistakable presence in the communities we serve. As the media landscape continues to evolve, our reach has only increased as WBZ listeners have adopted streaming on smart devices and the iHeartRadio app.”

With FM accessibility via WXKS-FM 107.9 HD2, the primary listener connectivity point for WBZ remains its booming AM signal, which covers all of eastern Massachusetts; Rhode Island; southern New Hampshire; and coastal Maine. At night, WBZ’s signal expands to much of the Northeast. While a Class A, it shares that designation with a Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, radio station.

The WBZ of today features all-news programming from midnight to 8pm weekdays, and Nightside with Dan Rea from 8pm until midnight. Saturday evenings feature talk programming, while The Ric Edelman Show holds the 10am-noon Sunday slot.

WBZ is one of the original Westinghouse radio stations, and has been at its present dial position since 1941. It was a member of the NBC Blue Network, and then switched in 1942 to the Red Network. That lasted until August 1956, when a dispute over daytime programming led WBZ to take on a “MOR” music approach. At this time, legendary hosts including Dave Maynard entered the WBZ annals of history.

In the 1960s, WBZ became a Top 40 station, competing with WMEX. But, in 1969, WRKO had emerged as the market’s hit music leader. This led WBZ, even with its much bigger regional signal, to shift toward Adult Contemporary as it adopted a more Full Service approach, incorporating Sports programming and Talk shows.

In 1985, as many AMs were doing, Full Service programming gradually faded. By the time the Persian Gulf War began in 1991, all music programming was done. This resulted in WBZ becoming “Boston’s News Station.”

Meanwhile, WBZ’s ownership was still associated with the old Westinghouse, this time as a CBS Radio property with Viacom a part of its historical ownership lineage. With CBS Radio’s merger with Entercom, now Audacy, in 2017, the company opted to swap WBZ — along with a group of other stations — to iHeartMedia.

A “digital cartop network” is one that can run ads and other content on top of ride-sharing vehicles; and Cumulus Media just did a deal with one.

The company signed an agreement with Adomni, an ad platform with 460,000 “out of home digital screens” in the United States.

[Read: Cumulus Stations Support DTS AutoStage]

It means that in markets where Cumulus has radio stations, Adomni becomes its exclusive ad partner to local businesses for the Uber OOH cartop ad network.

“Uber OOH is the official Uber digital out-of-home national advertising network which, in partnership with Adomni, features two-sided internet-connected, video-enabled screens on the tops of Uber vehicles,” they said in a press release.

The announcement was made by Dave Milner, EVP of operations at Cumulus Media, and Jonathan Gudai, CEO of Adomni.

Milner said this gives Cumulus another platform to offer to its advertisers.

The post Cumulus Signs Ad Deal for Uber Cartop Screens appeared first on Radio World.

American Public Media and Audacy are working together on a podcast initiative, a deal that brings together two prominent organizations from the worlds of public and commercial radio respectively.

APM’s podcast arm and Audacy’s Cadence13 business announced a multiyear “strategic partnership.” APM is the programming and distribution division of Minnesota Public Radio. Audacy is the company formerly known as Entercom.

[Read: Audacy/Entercom Signs Deal With Big Sportsbook]

“Cadence13 will serve as the exclusive podcast sales representative for APM,” they said in a release. “Additionally, the organizations will develop future on-demand programming initiatives, co-productions and collaborative new revenue opportunities.”

The announcement was made by Lily Kim, general manager of APM’s podcast division, and Chris Corcoran, chief content officer for Cadence13. Kim said the organizations “share a complementary vision for premium audio storytelling.”

The companies highlighted APM’s podcast programming and the “reach and scale” of Cadence13’s audio and ad networks, with the goal of offering better and more targeted opportunities to their advertisers.

APM says its podcasts reach 3 million listeners and 17 million monthly downloads. Titles include “Marketplace,” “In the Dark,” “Don’t Ask Tig” and several popular “kids and family” podcasts. Cadence13 shows include “We Can Do Hard Things with Glennon Doyle,” “The Goop Podcast,” and “4D with Demi Lovato.”

Audacy will support the partnership via marketing and development on its radio and digital platforms.

The post APM, Audacy Create a Podcast Partnership appeared first on Radio World.

You’ve heard the reports about the demand in the 2021 Upfront season being quite strong.

But, there’s an ugly truth that MoffettNathanson Senior Analyst Michael Nathanson can’t get past.

Starting in 2015, TV ad spend, most like due to declining cable network impressions, has “decoupled” from U.S. economic growth.

The erosion forecast isn’t pretty.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

At the end of November 2019, Urban WBLS-FM 107.5 and Hip-Hop WQHT-FM “Hot 97” in New York shifted from Emmis Communications’ full ownership to a newly created entity that saw Emmis become a 23.72% interest holder in MediaCo Holding Co.

The remaining 76.28% interest holder is Soohyung Kim-controlled Standard General, the private investment group that has stakes in TEGNA, Bally’s Corporation and Cumulus Media. 

Now, MediaCo has selected a CEO while appointing a President/COO, creating an executive team for the Gotham operation that also includes Fairway Outdoor.

Starting July 1, MediaCo’s CEO is Rahsan-Rahsan Lindsay — most recently an Urban One EVP. As CEO, Lindsay will be responsible for setting MediaCo’s overall strategic vision and expanding its radio and outdoor divisions — with an emphasis on transforming the digital business.

Lindsay spent 9 years at Urban One, where he directed advertising sales, integrated marketing and sales operations for TV One and sister network CLEO TV. In 2020, he took over the role as head of iOne Digital ad sales and One Solution, Urban One’s cross-platform marketing group, as well as One X Studios, the branded content production arm of Urban One.

Before that, Lindsay spent nearly eight years in Ad Sales for Viacom Media Networks, focused on new business development for MTV, Comedy Central, Spike, CMT, and TV Land. He also served as VP of Ad Sales for MTV2, mtvU, and Palladia.

“The opportunity to work with iconic brands like HOT 97 and WBLS is just too good to pass up,” Lindsay said. “I see a number of potential ways to further cultivate both brands, build on their well-established legacies, and drive new revenue streams. I’m also energized by the opportunity to leverage the Fairway footprint in a way that helps fulfill the MediaCo mission to connect with broader audiences.”

Does MediaCo’s desire to “expand” its radio division involve the acquisition of additional stations?

That remains to be seen, as Emmis continues to seek the right buyer for WLIB-AM 1190 in New York.

Speaking for MediaCo, board member Laura Lee said, “Rahsan-Rahsan is a talented and dedicated leader with the right strategic vision, relentless drive, and passion for media required to lead the MediaCo team at this critical time. He forged his career at the intersection of technology and media, and his vast experience and keen perspective will be invaluable in taking the company into the future.”

Joining Lindsay in the C-Suite, as President/COO, is Bradford Tobin. He joined MediaCo in August 2020 and leads the business operations, and formerly served as a general counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for Standard Diversified Inc. He’s also been general counsel for RadioShack.

Tascam released a V1.1.0 firmware update for its VS-R264 Full HD Streamer/Recorder and the VS-R265 4K/UHD Streamer/Recorder.

“With multiple simulcast and backup enabled by the availability of three RTMP (Real-Time Messaging Protocol) streams simultaneously, this important new update adds a wealth of functionality,” the company said in its announcement.

[Check Out More Products at Radio World’s Products Section]

The update supports three simultaneous RTMP streams, so users can stream programs to three different streaming platforms at the same time. “As an example, content can be streamed to YouTube, Facebook and Dacast simultaneously. Further, this update also facilitates simultaneous backup distribution (main and backup) to the server of the same streaming service.”

The update supports a total of eight simultaneous streams. “This includes 3 x RTMP / RTMPS, 1 x RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol), 1 x HLS (HTTP Live Streaming), 2 x RTP / UDP Unicast, and 1 x RTP/UDP Multicast.” The company noted that RTMPS is a variation of RTMP that has an added layer of security.

The V1.1.0 update for the two models of streamer/recorder is available for download. Scroll to Firmware/Software and click: Main unit software V1.1.0.11.1 dated 02-12-2021.

Info: www.tascam.com

The post Tascam Streamer/Recorders Get Firmware Update appeared first on Radio World.

Today’s sale of several unbuilt LPTV stations by DTV America, controlled by HC2 Holdings, is just one of many seen over the past several weeks.

And, more could be on the way, as the Media Bureau has just issued a reminder to “certain  permittees” of new digital low power television and television translator stations that their construction deadline is fast approaching.

That date is July 13. At 11:59pm local time on that date, these permittees “must complete
construction of their facilities, begin operating, and within 10 days file a license to cover application.”

Failure to do so will result in the construction permit being automatically forfeited without any further affirmative cancellation by the Commission.

Yikes.

What if a permittee needs additional time to complete their new digital facilities? The Media Bureau says they may submit an application for extension of their digital construction permit. However, this will need to include a waiver request for the CP extension filing deadline of March 15, 2021.

“Permittees that do not plan to complete construction of their digital facilities are encouraged to submit their construction permits for cancellation as soon as possible,” the Media Bureau instructs.

Or, in the case of HC2, find a buyer at any price.

Podcasting and smart speakers are two media that, according to TechSurvey 2021, appear to have been unaffected by COVID, holding fast to their established growth trajectories.

This year, there was a growth of three percentage points, from 26 to 29% of those who listen to podcasts daily or weekly. No surprise, the charge was led by the younger demographics of Millennials and Gen Z.

Although podcasting has grown from a grassroots movement to adoption by mainstream media, the secret sauce for rapid growth remains to be discovered. 42% of TS 2021 respondents never listen to podcasts, while 20% tune in less often than monthly. Looking back five years to TS 2016, there has been a shift of 10 percentage points in each direction over the past five years, meaning the number of never or less-than-monthly respondents has dropped from 72 to 62%, while the daily/weekly/monthly number has increased from 28 to 38%.

Smart speaker ownership experienced meteoric growth in the past, but slowed down over the past year, according to TS 2021, increasing just two percentage points from 33 to 35%.

A few years back, some media analysts predicted smart speaker sales might hit an invisible wall until privacy concerns about the devices were resolved. Issues such as who has access to the recordings and how they are used have yet to be addressed in a credible manner.

[Read: Survey Surprises With Superb Statistics for Subscription Services]

The recent announcement of Amazon Sidewalk, an opt-out wireless mesh service will share a small segment of consumer’s internet bandwidth with nearby Sidewalk-capable devices that don’t have connectivity may only serve to raise concerns over smart speakers and privacy.

What is increasing steadily, the survey says, are the numbers who own two or more smart speakers. The TS 2018 report said that just 42% of smart speaker owners had two or more of these devices. That number has steadily increased to 61% for TS 2021.

What do people do with their smart speakers? According to the Jacobs survey, most of them listen to streaming music, 37%, according to the survey data. That is followed by listening to an AM/FM radio station, say 31% of those surveyed.

The post Survey Says Podcast Use Increases, Although Many Still Not Onboard appeared first on Radio World.

Robert Orban is a consultant to Orban Labs Inc. He has been developing audio processing algorithms and hardware for broadcast and studio use, including the Optimod line of broadcast processors, for more than 50 years. He holds over 20 U.S. patents.

This is one in a series of interviews from the ebook “Trends in Audio Processing for Radio.”

Radio World: What’s the most important new development in design and use of processors for radio broadcasting?

Bob Orban: There are several possible answers. For some operations, virtualization of processing software has become significant, although putting processing software in the cloud is constrained by the need for reliable, high-quality audio connections with 100% availability. For other operations, compatibility with audio over IP connections and digital composite connections to the transmitter are more important. Others may value the ongoing refinement of processing algorithms that improve stations’ sound.

RW: How different are processing needs of analog broadcast, digital OTA, podcasts and streaming?

Orban: The processing for these transmission channels can be very similar except for the peak limiting technology.

For analog AM and FM, peak limiters must not pump or compromise loudness when faced with preemphasized signals, which implies clipping-like limiting with sophisticated distortion control.

For the other transmission channels, all of which include lossy codecs with no preemphasis, it is more important not to waste bits by encoding limiter-induced distortion spectrum, so limiters for these services should be very clean spectrally.

Additionally, some streamers may wish to use static file normalization to a target loudness instead of radio-style processing, although static normalization does not handle transitions and voiceovers nearly as well.

RW: What is the impact of the cloud, virtualization and SaaS on the processing marketplace? 

Orban: There is considerable interest in these concepts. However, moving the audio in and out of the cloud without dropouts, glitches and/or unacceptable latency is challenging.

Broadcasters must make a choice between the reliability and low latency of the current hardware processor infrastructure and the potential convenience of not having to own and maintain processing hardware. Orban offers products for both scenarios.

I find it interesting that there seems to be a backlash developing regarding putting everything in the cloud, with some players moving infrastructure requiring high performance back from the “cloud” to the “edge.”

RW: With audio coming from so many locations, what role do loudness and loudness range (LRA) play? Will future audio processors have monitoring capability for both on-air and streams?

Orban: As a member of the AES committee working on revising the AES TD1004.1.15-10 “Recommendation for Loudness of Audio Streaming and Network File Playback,” I am familiar with how industry experts in this area are thinking. We all agree that it is important to have consistent loudness between streams so that consumer can switch between streams without uncomfortable loudness jumps, and the ITU-R BS.1770 loudness measurement algorithm has been standardized for that purpose despite some limitations.

For example, its relative simplicity causes it to handle speech and music such that speech needs to be normalized about 3 LU below music for an esthetically pleasing balance between speech segments and music segments in a program.

As for LRA, its main values in the context of processing are, first, to help users assess if a single BS.1770 integrated loudness measurement corresponds well to perceived content loudness (high-LRA content will have parts whose short-term loudness is very different from its integrated loudness value), and second, to help users decide if dynamic range reduction for high-LRA content will provide a better listening experience to listeners in typical environments.

As for monitoring capability, most of Orban’s Optimod-FM processors and all of its streaming processors — Optimod 6200, 1101e, and 1600PCn — have had built-in BS.1770 loudness metering for several years, and some also include the CBS loudness measuring algorithm, which uses a more sophisticated psychoacoustic model than BS.1770. Additionally, Optimod-TV 8685 provides loudness measurement and automatic logging. No Orban processor displays LRA, but our free loudness meter software for Windows and MacOS (http://orban.com/meter) does this and more, and also allows logging and file analysis.

RW: Has processing attained a state of “hypercompression” from which there has been little change in how loud one can make over-the-air audio?

Orban: I agree that this is true for FM processing, and most improvements in FM processing are refinements. However, our new XPN-AM incorporates our MX limiter technology for the first time in an Orban AM processor, and this has enabled as much as 2 dB of increased modulation density for a given perceived distortion level compared to previous Orban AM processors. This provides meaningfully improved ability to increase coverage, to reduce power bills when using AM transmitters with dynamic carrier control technology, or to split the difference.

Given the ever-increasing amount of noise in the AM band and the financial challenges of maintaining an AM operation, we feel that XPN-AM processing helps support the economic viability of the AM service.

For both AM or FM, more sophisticated processing algorithms enable higher levels of perceived quality for a given loudness level, and these advantages remain if broadcasters choose to back off average modulation levels to improve quality.

RW: We read the processing can mitigate FM stereo multipath distortion and reduce clipping distortion in source content. How can buyers evaluate these claims, and could the industry develop third-party psychoacoustic testing to learn how listeners rate these features?

Orban: Orban backs up its claims in this area with white papers and conference presentations that show objective measurements supporting our claims. Several of our product manuals include the white paper “Measuring the Improvements in Optimod-FM xxxx’s FM Peak Limiting Technology,” and I have been doing presentations at local SBE chapter meetings that include measurements showing how our “Multipath Mitigator” phase corrector reduces the peak and average L–R stereo subchannel modulation. This reduces multipath distortion because it is well-established that the stereo subchannel is much more vulnerable to multipath distortion than the stereo main channel.

While it is of course possible to do third-party scientific testing that further backs up these claims, we believe that each station’s situation is unique, particularly regarding its multipath environment, and that the most significant testing is on-air testing at a given station’s own facility. Our processors offer the user the ability to turn the improved algorithms on and off, so it is easy to do comparison testing.

The post Moving Audio in the Cloud Brings Challenges appeared first on Radio World.