Radio World

WorldDAB is highlighting the number of new cars in Europe that now ship with DAB+ as a standard feature.

“In the second half of 2020, over 80% of new cars in key European markets came with DAB+ radio as standard, a dramatic increase on the same period in 2019,” the organization stated in releasing a market report.

“This step-change reflects the impact of the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC), which, from December 2020, requires all new car radios in the EU to be capable of receiving digital terrestrial radio.”

President Patrick Hannon was quoted saying that the numbers “demonstrate that DAB+ is firmly established as the core future platform for radio in Europe,” and he said progress in Germany, France, Italy and Benelux “has been particularly impressive.”

The report stated that as of the end of 2020, about 100 million consumer and automotive DAB/DAB+ receivers had been sold in Europe and Asia Pacific, “up from 92 million six months year earlier.”

The organization also released a detailed infographic with the rollout status in various markets in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

The post WorldDAB Celebrates Automotive Penetration appeared first on Radio World.

Automation provider WideOrbit has snagged a big win, reaching agreement with Salem Media Group to covert its radio properties to WO Automation for Radio.

Salem has 99 radio stations. WideOrbit said 56 of those in the top 25 U.S. markets.

Scott Foster is senior VP of engineering at Salem Media Group.

The announcement was made by WideOrbit VP of Radio Automation William “Dub” Irvin and Salem SVP of Engineering Scott Foster.

“Implementations are set to begin in July 2021 and will complete in 2023. Once implementations begin, 13 of the top 20 radio operators in North America will be powered by WO Automation for Radio,” the company said in its announcement.

Version 5 of the automation software was released this year; the manufacturer emphasizes its improved remote voice tracking capabilities and native apps to run live shows remotely.

Salem is an existing user of WO Traffic; the software company said integration with the automation platform will enable live log editing, playlist delivery, real-time reconciliation and automatic start and stop date synchronization between the two.

The automation system will also integrate with Salem’s MusicMaster music scheduling system.

Send news for Who’s Buying What to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post Salem to Standardize on WideOrbit Automation appeared first on Radio World.

This is one in a series of articles from the ebook “The Real World of AoIP.”

This story is excerpted from the ebook “The Real World of AoIP.” Click the cover to read it for free.

Radio World recently asked several manufacturers to identify the most important technical development or trend in the use of audio over IP.

“The biggest trend in 2021,” said Greg Shay, CTO of Telos Alliance, “is the empowering of live broadcast facilities to use the full range of IT industry resources, including public and private server resources, global fiber optic networks, failover redundancy, all at global competitive costs, and the personnel to support it all.”

He said the experience of the pandemic supercharged the demand for broadcasting from anywhere, from home, and forced less reliance on purpose-built facilities.

“Both sides, the broadcaster and the IT service provider, have learned more of what it takes to operate the Professional broadcast facility over IP,” Shay said.

“Social networks blazed a trail for personal broadcasting, using no more end equipment than a phone. The hitch is that it ‘works when it works, as well as it works.’ I maintain this is not due to the underlying technology but comes from assumptions made in how it is deployed.”

So far, he noted, professional broadcasters produce content with highly hardware-centric facilities.

“Where is the coming together in the middle? Is all that hardware plant, duplicating the global IT infrastructure, really required to reliably create, produce and deliver professional commercial content?

The answer to produce the reliable, always-on broadcast channel, Shay said, is to leverage the same global IT infrastructure that underpins the social networks, but with the resource allocation and planning for consistency needed by commercial users.

“It is not good enough ‘if it works when it works’, it has to always work,” he said.

“Audio over IP was the entryway for getting professional audio broadcasting onto the IT infrastructure. The IT infrastructure providers are now becoming aware of the needs and requirements of the commercial professional broadcasters, and are stepping up the level of their services, both operationally and contractually, to meet those needs.”

The post Greg Shay on AoIP Empowering Broadcast appeared first on Radio World.

Vittoria is a dual-Dante digital audio network controller and engine.

According to Glensound, Vittoria was initially designed for a specific project — serving as a backbone for a large legislative debating chamber. It proved successful and was put into commercial product development.

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

Each of its two independent Dante networks has 32-channels of audio inputs and outputs for up to 96 kHz or 16 channels at 176.4 kHz or 192 kHz. In addition there are fully redundant power supplies and word clock in and out. Glensound says that the sample rate converters between the networks are “high-quality” and they support sampling rates between 44.1 kHz and 192 kHz. The networks can operate at different sampling rates.

Due to its original mission, to operate as part of the technical installation within a legislative chamber, the Vittoria network audio bridge has a strong firewall between the two networks. In essence one network cannot see the other network.

Glensound Managing Director Marc Wilson said, “There is increasing demand for products that provide isolated Dante networks or can work in Dante and AES67 simultaneously and independently of each other … This is something we have been asked for in recent years and we are very pleased to introduce Vittoria for this very specific but increasingly important application … and fulfills a growing need with the broadcast and sound markets.”

Send your new equipment news to radioworld@futurenet.com.

Info: www.glensound.com

 

The post Glensound Introduces Vittoria appeared first on Radio World.

Several changes to U.S. radio technical rules are on the agenda for the July 13 meeting of the Federal Communications Commission.

“We’re cleaning up our broadcast radio rules,” wrote Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. She said a notice of proposed rulemaking will be voted on that is intended to fix rules that are “redundant, outdated or in conflict with other rules.”

If this NPRM is approved, the commission would then take public comments on these proposed changes, for final action later.

What follows is a summary of the changes. The full proposal is posted on the Radio World website.

Maximum Rated Transmitter Power for AM Stations

This proposal would change section 73.1665(b) to remove the maximum rated transmitter power limit for AM stations.

“We tentatively conclude that an equipment limitation on potential transmitter power is outdated and unnecessary given our current reliance on actual operating antenna input power as the most accurate and effective means of ensuring that AM stations adhere to their authorized (nominal) power limits.”

The change would remove the maximum rated transmitter power for AM stations as set out in an appendix and delete a corresponding table.

NCE Community of License Coverage

This would change two rule sections that were adopted in 1997 to “harmonize” with the NCE FM community coverage standard in another section, which was adopted later.

“This change will create consistency across different rules regarding the requirement for community coverage for NCE FM stations,” the commission said.

The requirement in the newer section that stations reach 50% of their community of license or 50% of the population in their community would replace the more general requirement in the older sections stating that the station must cover “a portion of the community.”

“We propose to amend these two rules to state that an NCE FM station operating on a reserved channel must provide a predicted 60 dBμ signal to at least 50% of its community of license or reach 50% of the population within the community.”

FM Transmitter Interference to Nearby Antennas

The third change would eliminate section 73.316(d), “which we tentatively conclude is an unnecessary burden on applicants.”

The commission said this rule is used rarely and it tentatively concluded that the rule “does not prevent interference to any significant degree, if at all.”

The section says that applications proposing the use of FM transmitting antennas within 60 meters of other FM or TV broadcast antennas must include a showing as to the expected effect, if any.

The FCC says it is not aware of any industry complaints of this kind of interference over the 70 years that the rule has been on the books.

NCE FM Class D Second-Adjacent Channel Interference Ratio

Next, the FCC wants to change a section that sets out signal strength contour overlap requirements for NCE FM Class D stations, “to harmonize the requirements with the more permissive standard applied to all other NCE-FM stations.” It said it wants to be consistent across different NCE FM station classes regarding contour overlap limits.

“We tentatively conclude that the current Class D contour overlap requirement is not necessary given the proven efficacy of the less restrictive requirements for other stations and anticipate that this change will allow Class D stations greater site selection flexibility as well as the opportunity to potentially increase their coverage areas.”

Back in 2000 the commission said this change was warranted but it deferred action because of the pending creation of a low-power FM service.

“The LPFM service has now been established and is currently a relatively mature service, so we tentatively conclude that the time is ripe to extend the otherwise universal 100 dBu contour overlap standard for second-adjacent channels to NCE FM Class D stations.

Protection for Grandfathered Common Carriers in Alaska in the 76-100 MHz Band

Here, the commission would delete a requirement that radio stations in the 76–100 MHz band protect common carrier services in Alaska. It said there are no such services remaining.

Earlier, existing common carrier operations had been grandfathered in with the understanding that they would gradually move to other parts of the spectrum.

AM Fill-in Area Definition

The FCC wants to tweak the definition of “AM fill-in area” in one part of the rules to conform to the requirement in another part that the “coverage contour of an FM translator rebroadcasting an AM radio broadcast station as its primary station must be contained within the greater of either the 2 mV/m daytime contour of the AM station or a 25-mile (40 km) radius centered at the AM transmitter site.” The goal is consistency across the rules for fill-in translator transmitter siting.

International Agreements

Last, the commission plans to amend the allocation and power limitations for broadcast stations within 320 kilometers of the Mexican and Canadian borders to comply with current treaty provisions.

-The 1991 U.S.-Canada FM Broadcasting Agreement contains minimum distance separations but offers contour overlap parameters for short-spaced stations to demonstrate compliance, so the FCC wants to remove a reference to the agreement and include contour overlap-based protection for short-spaced stations. It would also replace an existing table with updated minimum distance separations agreed upon in 1997.

-Similarly, the commission wants to remove a reference to the 1992 U.S.-Mexico Broadcasting Agreement and include contour overlap-based protection for short-spaced stations.

-It proposes to update sections governing FM translators located near the Canadian and Mexican borders, to conform with the relevant treaties.

-Last, it would revise language about translator power limitations near the borders. The changes are intended to codify the international agreements, so if the NPRM passes, the commission will ask commenters “to focus on whether the proposed changes properly implement the relevant treaty provisions rather than suggest changes to any of the agreed-upon limits.”

The post Radio Technical Rules to Be Cleaned Up appeared first on Radio World.

Proponents of a power increase for LPFM stations in the United States can point to hundreds of comments in favor of raising the maximum power level for many stations to 250 watts. But the National Association of Broadcasters continues to express strong opposition.

The Federal Communications Commission is considering a proposal from REC Networks that would amend Parts 73 and 74 of the rules to create an LP-250 class of service with an effective service contour of about 4-1/2 miles. This would be in addition to the current LP-100 service. The proposal also would set a maximum HAAT for new or modified LP-100 facilities of about 1,480 feet.

The commission modified its low-power FM rules in 2020 to allow for engineering improvements that improved reception of some LPFMs and opened up options for station relocation. At that time it rejected a bid to allow 250 watts, and a recent FCC decision affirmed the actions in that order.

REC Networks in the meantime submitted a fresh proposal that it believes resolves the FCC’s earlier concerns. Comments on that were due yesterday, and the vast majority favor an increase, citing the benefit to local communities.

However, NAB urged the commission to reject the petition, saying it is similar to petitions that have already been rejected on technical and policy grounds. It says the proposal would risk significant overcrowding of the already congested FM band, cause increased interference with other services and take LPFM beyond its original intention as a hyperlocal service.

Passionate support

The support for REC’s “Simple LP250” among grassroots advocates revealed the passion of some LPFM listeners and station operators.

“In Chicago, WLPN(LP) has been on the vanguard, with 24 hours of programming in multiple languages, with a focus on serving the historically underserved members of the community,” wrote radio listener Keefer Dunn. “Allowing a station like WLPN to increase its signal strength would allow it to reach more Chicagoans on the South and West sides, two areas of historic underinvestment.”

The proposal is supported by WQFB(LP) in Flagler Beach, Fla. “With an increase in power WQFB has an opportunity to obtain additional underwriters and listeners … to assist with the funding needed for equipment upgrade and additional programming and staff,” the station wrote.

Wayne Johnson, station manager for WGPG(LP) in Battle Creek, Mich., told the FCC the station would be thankful for any power increase to enable it to increase coverage area.

“Our signal strength is very weak, causing a lot of static in the main business district on the south side of town. This discourages our listeners from continually listening to our broadcast as they travel through town. We are a religious station and we believe that we are providing unique programming to the Battle Creek residents. It would really help our effectiveness if the maximum wattage output was raised from 100 to 250 watts,” Johnson wrote.

KFXY(LP), licensed to Mesa, Ariz., commented: “KFXY supports this small increase in power as it would help our station and many others with getting our signal into buildings in our 60 dB and fighting off interference from distant stations.”

Even the mayor of Monona, Wis., wrote on behalf of WVMO(LP), which is licensed to her city: “WVMO went on the air in August of 2015. Since that time the radio station has become a tremendous asset to Monona and the east side of Madison, Wis. Our little station has provided hyperlocal programming,” wrote Mary O’Connor.

O’Connor hosts a weekly interview segment on the station called “Monona Lowdown” in which she answers citizen’s questions and updates the community on the latest happenings.

Opposition

NAB based part of its opposition to LP-250 on the potential of overcrowding a congested FM band.

“Moreover, (a power boost) is simply unnecessary. The FCC has already bent over backwards to improve LPFM service coverage by permitting the use of translators, boosters and other measures,” it wrote.

“Essentially, LPFM advocates are asking that LPFM stations be permitted to enjoy the same (or even greater) coverage as full-service Part 73 FM stations, but without the same public interest and regulatory obligations. Such an obvious end-run around the commission’s rules would set a dangerous precedent.”

NAB continued: “The petition still fails to justify a total overhaul of LPFM service. FM broadcasters report that too many LPFM stations already transmit at higher than authorized power or from an unauthorized location, cause frequent interference and hinder translator service, among other problems, under the current 100-watt regime. Allowing LPFMs to substantially increase their power would unnecessarily exacerbate these harms.”

If REC’s proposal is ultimately approved, NAB asks that the FCC create a system for ensuring technical compliance by LPFM stations.

NAB said it understands “that authorizing LP-250 service would allow some LPFM stations to slightly expand the reach of the few LPFM stations that actually provide meaningful local content,” but on balance, “it is far more important to preserve reliable access to the news and information provided by incumbent radio broadcasters.”

The FCC, which has indicated another filing window for new entrant LPFM construction permits is on the horizon, says there is no reply comment period for this petition.

The post LP-250 FM Petition Draws Lots of Interest appeared first on Radio World.

Does it really matter if your broadcast facility is just a little off — say 256 feet — from its permitted coordinates? What about if those coordinates are more than two miles off?

Those were the issues up for debate between the Federal Communications Commission and a low-power broadcaster in Nevada who is now is left with an expired license and deleted call letters after failing to convince the FCC that an unauthorized broadcasting claim was just a simple mistake.

Back in early August 2019, Chinese Voice of Golden City filed an application to modify its license for KQLS(LP) in Las Vegas to correct the coordinates of its antenna site.

[Read: LPFM Station Faces $25,000 FCC Penalty]

An “inadvertent error” led Chinese Voice to actually operate its facility 256 feet away from the spot specified in the license, the broadcaster said. Chinese Voice was confused why the FCC granted its initial application in mid-August 2019 and then four days later rescinded the license grant, saying that it was never told why —  the station continued operating in full compliance with the commission rules, albeit at a location 256 feet away from its licensed spot.

Chinese Voice said that since its Chinese-language programming serves the public interest, the FCC would do well to grant the station a Special Temporary Authority to keep broadcasting at the same site.

The Media Bureau responded to say that while the licensee correctly determined that its coordinates were off by 256 feet, any change in station geographic coordinates can only be made after a construction grant permit has been approved. That means that Chinese Voice has been operating at an unauthorized site for more than a year.

The actions from those kinds of unauthorized actions are significant: expiration of the license and deletion of call letters for stations operating at an unauthorized facility for 12 months or longer. As a result, the bureau dismissed both the earlier modification application request and the request for an STA and outright deleted the station’s call sign.

Chinese Voice filed a petition for reconsideration but that too was denied. The facts of this case do not support reinstatement of the license, the bureau said, for two reasons. One, Chinese Voice used a license modification application to request the coordinate change (which is the wrong way to go about it). Two, the FCC can only reinstate an expired license when failure to broadcast at the proper site “was for a compelling reason beyond the licensee’s control.” That was not the case here, the bureau said.

Chinese Voice tried again, filing an application for review and asking the bureau to review its earlier decision. It was at this point that the results of the Enforcement Bureau’s 2019 investigations were revealed.

The Enforcement Bureau found that even though the station admitted that it had been using a mobile facility to operate 256 feet away from the official permit site, it also subsequently relocated the station —without commission approval — to a different rooftop location that is nearly 2.3 miles from the permitted site. Following Enforcement Bureau inspections, Chinese Voice then stopped operating from that site and resumed operations at its mobile facilities.

Failing to mention that the station had been operating for 15 months a spot more than 2 miles away was a significant finding. In its final opinion and order on the matter, the Media Bureau found that Chinese Voice may have “withheld material information … and made incorrect statements to the commission … when it repeatedly claimed that the station’s actual transmitter site was never changed.” As a result, the bureau speculated that the licensee had perhaps “engaged in misrepresentation and/or lack of candor.”

The result: The call letters for KQLS have been deleted and the license has expired. Looking ahead, the bureau said it will require Chinese Voice to attach a copy of its final reconsideration order to any broadcast application filed within the next five years.

The nonprofit Common Frequency called the decision a “major let-down,” saying the FCC’s final opinion and order reveals a weakness in LPFM rules. How accurate does an LPFM permittee need to be when building their facility, asked Todd Urick, program and technical director of Common Frequency. “The commission’s Section 73.1690(c)(11) of the rules gives leeway to many facilities that currently are not exactly on the cross-hairs of their licensed coordinates. Is that same comfort not extended to LPFM?”

“This oversight in the rules needs further clarification or amendment within the LPFM rules,” he said.

 

The post LPFM Sees Call Sign Deleted After Unauthorized Broadcasting Claim appeared first on Radio World.

Photo: Tim Feagan

iHeartMedia station WOOD(FM) in central western Michigan is off the air due to a fire at its transmitter facility.

According to the Michigan Association of Broadcasters the station in Grand Rapids/Muskegon suffered a lightning strike during a severe thunderstorm and the signal “may be down for a week.”

MAB posted this image, which was taken by iHeart’s Market President Tim Feagan.

The WOOD website says its signal at 106.9 is down and “is currently being worked on.” It pointed listeners to WOOD Radio at 1300 on the AM band, its website or the iHeartRadio app.

 

The post Fire Is Not Good for WOOD appeared first on Radio World.

Kim Komando is offering a new one-minute vignette program at no cost to radio stations.

 It’s an afternoon tech news update with a 60-second commercial.

“Examples of the digital insider tips that Komando will deliver to her radio audience include how to stop robocalls by changing one smartphone setting, ransomware prevention secrets and the best parental control smartphone apps,” her company stated in a press release.

 “It is offered to music, talk and sports radio stations as well as podcast and streaming platforms free of charge.”

Komando’s weekend radio show has 420 affiliates and is heard on the American Forces Radio Network. She does a daily morning tech news update that is heard on 389 stations.

“The new daily afternoon tech tip stems from an increase in listener demand.”

Komando began her career in tech as a salesperson pitching Unisys mainframes to corporate clients. She started writing and broadcasting about digital in the early 1990s and launched her radio career with a late-night call-in show about computers on an AM station in Phoenix.

 

The post Komando Launches Afternoon Tech Update appeared first on Radio World.

Cumulus Media named James Robinson as its vice president and market manager for Birmingham, Ala., where the company has five stations. Robinson steps into the role previously held by Bill Gentry, who is no longer with the company.

Robinson is former VP and director of sales, radio, television and digital for Univision Communications in San Antonio.

He has also held sales leadership roles for Radio One in Houston and for iHeartMedia in Washington, St. Louis and Memphis.

[Read: Boden Will Run Cumulus D.C. Cluster]

Robinson said the Cumulus stations in Birmingham “are iconic brands that have a history of deep commitment to the community and partner success.”

The cluster comprises urban AC station Hot 107.7/WUHT(FM) and several sports outlets. They are JOX 94.5 WJOX(FM), JOX 2 100.5 ESPN WJQX(FM), JOX 3 690 WJOX(AM) and Talk 99.5 WAPI(AM)/WZRR(FM).

The announcement was made by Mark Sullivan, senior vice president, operations at Cumulus.

 

The post Cumulus Tabs Robinson in Birmingham appeared first on Radio World.

The DRM Consortium says one of the benefits of its digital radio technology is the potential savings on power bills. Now it is promoting a calculator tool that it says can determine how much energy would be saved by a user that switches from analog to Digital Radio Mondiale.

The calculator was created by Simon Keens, sales and business development manager of Ampegon Power Electronics AG, which is a member of the consortium.

“The DRM Energy Efficiency Calculator (https://energyefficiency.drm.org) has been created using typical performance data from transmitter manufacturers,” the organization stated.

“It then calculates total expected energy usage for up to 10 transmitters by considering operational mode, time on-air and broadcasting technique assessing the energy consumption and electricity costs, based upon local market information.”

It said in the announcement that by comparing data sets for analog and DRM digital operations, it can estimate the potential “and often huge” savings broadcasters might expect from switching over to DRM.

DRM says the tool can be programmed into an Excel spreadsheet and distributed in PDF reports summarizing the findings.

The consortium will demonstrate it in an upcoming webinar on June 30.

 

The post DRM Calculator Highlights Power Savings appeared first on Radio World.

The FCC’s Media Bureau is reminding U.S. broadcasters that this is an odd-numbered year, so they’ll have to file their biennial ownership reports this fall.

It issued a public notice reminding them that the window for filing Form 323 or 323-E will open in October.

This applies to licensees of commercial and noncommercial AM and FM radio stations, full-power television, Class A TV and low-power TV stations.

“Reporting such information has long been a fundamental obligation of broadcast licensees,” the Media Bureau said in a public notice.

“The accurate, and timely, filing of ownership information is critical to ensuring that the public knows who owns, operates, and controls broadcast stations. Additionally, accurate and timely ownership information is crucial to an understanding of the broadcast industry as a whole, including an understanding of the diversity and multiplicity of owners.”

Radio and TV stations are in the midst of the license renewal process. The license renewal application, Form 2100, Schedule 303-S, requires broadcast licensees to certify compliance with the biennial ownership reporting requirement.

“We remind licensees that, as part of its review of license renewal applications, Bureau staff will be reviewing whether licensees have filed their 2019 and 2021 biennial ownership information and whether they have certified truthfully concerning compliance with the filing requirement.”

Stations also must maintain a current ownership report in their Online Public Inspection Files.

The bureau encouraged licensees to prepare in advance for the window that opens Oct. 1 “and to review carefully their compliance with the filing requirement as they prepare and file their license renewal applications.”

 

The post FCC Ownership Report Season Is Ahead appeared first on Radio World.

An image from the Xperi Mexico website.

Xperi said that as of this month, HD Radio has been in use in Mexico for 10 years. The technology company took the occasion to report that 41% of the country’s broadcast audience now can hear a digital signal, covering a potential listening population of 50 million.

It said there are about 200 digital channels available and that 25 car brands have integrated HD Radio technology in 128 car models.

[Read: Xperi Has Big Ambitions for DTS AutoStage]

Xperi quoted José Luis Rodríguez Aguirre, the president of the board of the commercial broadcast association CIRT, saying, “We will continue supporting the implementation of HD Radio technology to further expand digital radio coverage in Mexico.”

The anniversary was noted by Xperi Mexico’s Fabián Zamarrón, who was quoted, “Radio continues to be the anchor for consumers’ media diet, with nine out of 10 vehicle owners surveyed saying it is important to have radio in their dashboard.”

Globally, Xperi said HD Radio technology is available in 75 million automobiles and is integrated by over 40 auto manufacturers. Its estimate is that including HD subchannels, there are about 4,700 channels of programming in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

 

The post Xperi Notes 10 Years of HD Radio in Mexico appeared first on Radio World.

Audacy is making a bigger bet on sports gambling.

Continuing its rampup, it has announced format changes for seven broadcast stations that now become part of the BetQL Network.

All are on the AM dial, and there is one associated FM signal.

The company says its gambling-oriented programming can now be heard in 12 U.S. markets.

Here are the stations flipping to “The Bet”:

• Baltimore – The Bet 1300AM (WJZ-AM)
• Detroit – The Bet 1270AM (WXYT-AM)
• Houston – The Bet 650AM (KIKK-AM)
• Kansas City – The Bet 1660AM (KWOD-AM)
• Las Vegas – The Bet 1140AM (KXST-AM)
• New Orleans – The Bet 1350AM and 92.9FM (WWWL-AM) (launching June 28)
• Washington D.C. – The Bet 1580AM (WJFK-AM)

Audacy previously launched “The Bet” on an AM station in Denver and on two HD Radio multicast channels, one in Chicago, the other in L.A.

It says “BetQL Network” programming also can be heard on 560 The Joe WQAM (WQAM-AM) in Miami, The New Sportsradio 910 AM / 105.1 FM The Fan (WRNL-AM/FM) in Richmond and 980 The Team (WTEM-AM) in Washington D.C.

“Future stations will be announced in the coming months as markets legalize sports betting,” it stated. Also the company plans to distribute the network “via affiliate opportunities with additional network providers,” details yet to be announced.

The announcement was made by Jeff Sottolano, executive vice president of programming. Audacy also introduced an updated daily programming lineup for the network.

Sports is huge for Audacy, which describes itself as “the unrivaled leader in sports radio, reaching three times more people than the leading competitor.” It bases that on owning 39 all-sports stations and a portfolio that it says reaches 30 million sports fans monthly and is home to 41 professional teams and 50 Division I college programs. Its investment in radio programming centered around sports betting will be closely watched.

The post Audacy Expands BetQL Sports Betting Network appeared first on Radio World.

Bob Moore, more recently, and Bob Moore on the cover of Broadcast Engineering in August, 1978.

Bob Moore, a retired radio engineer also known in the industry for refurbishing PR&E consoles later in his life, has died at age 72 at his home in Fremont, Mich.

According to his obituary he died following a lingering illness after a 2017 motorcycle accident.

He was former chief engineer at WJNL in Michigan, WBAP and KSCS in Fort Worth/Dallas, KTNQ in Los Angeles and WCBS in New York. His friend and colleague Tom Atkins, vice president/director of engineering of Saga Communications, recalls first meeting Moore in 1978 at WKBW in Buffalo, where Moore was an assistant to Peter Burk for several years.

From 1985 to 1991, according to his LinkedIn page, Moore was “customer service guru” for Pacific Recorders. Later, after retiring in 2000, he returned to Michigan and started Mooretronix, which specialized in the sale and service of Pacific Recorders & Engineering consoles, modules and accessories for the broadcast community.

In 2017 Moore was involved in a motorcycle crash in Anchorage, Alaska. According to a Radio World news article, Moore and friends were returning from a motorcycle vacation to the Yukon Territory in Canada when the accident occurred.

 

The post Bob Moore Dies, Was Engineer and Business Owner appeared first on Radio World.

Gary Kline

As part of our ebook “Trends in Audio Processing for Radio,” we asked veteran engineer and consultant Gary Kline to create a list of key topics to consider.

I think the processor may be one of the most discussed pieces of equipment that a station owns. Everyone you meet in any country will be glad to give you their opinion on which is the best for a particular market, format or budget. If you put 10 PDs or engineers in a room, it would be rare that they agree on the “best processor out there.”

That said, there are points most processing gurus will agree on. Here are some based on my travels and experience.

1 – Know the market, know your competitors. Get to know everything you can about your competitors and their technical setup.

This goes beyond listening to every station on the dial carefully (you should), but also objectively. Don’t be reluctant to admit that another station sounds — in your opinion — better than yours.  Do your research, which may require intelligence gathering. Get to know everyone’s transmission path including console, STL, transmitter, age of equipment, and, of course, the processing they use. Don’t forget to listen to HD or DAB channels too.

You should know your equipment; once you know what the competition is using, you can balance your objectiveness.

For example, say you think the CHR competitor sounds better than you. Is that because they have a cleaner transmission path? Stronger/newer processing? Better source material? Greater RF over the coverage area? If any of those is true, your processing concerns may expand to fixing other things too.

Whether you have a direct competitor in the market or not, still get to know each station’s particular sound. This will help you rate the market overall and help you in designing your custom audio signature sound. Some markets are softer. Some are loud and very competitive with high MPX density levels. Some just sound poor across the dial.

2 – Know your goals. Too often there is a desire to purchase a new processor without a clear reason. Understanding your reasons and budget constraints will go a long way in making an informed choice.

Is your processor older and not as competitive or clean-sounding? Do you need to feed a new DAB or HD channel, and your processor does not support that? Did your current unit die of old age or a lightning strike? Is it time to standardize processing or stereo generators across the network? Are ratings slipping That’s a common reason given, but a processor is not always a ratings cure.

What’s the budget? How much processing can you afford? Or better yet, do you need to buy the top-level box when something less costly might do?

I frequently get into a discussion about goals and budget with an operator only to find out that what they already have meets their goals; in other cases, I may determine that while an operator thought they could make do with what they already own, it becomes clear they cannot. Each situation is unique.

3 – Know the landscape of current products. If you are going to make a purchasing decision you should know what your choices are.

Sure, most of us in the radio business know the top brands and may even know the current model(s). But do you know about processors designed, manufactured and sold around the world? Processing philosophies and design various around the world; perhaps there is a “sound” you can import that your listeners will gravitate to.

Do you know how each brand sounds or the benefit of one versus another? Do you know “street price” for every model? Do you know which features require an additional fee for extra outputs like one for HD or an internet stream? Do you know if there are forthcoming firmware updates which may add improvements which could influence your decision? Do you have contacts at the manufacturer or their reps who can explain these things or set up a demo?

4 – Consider hiring a seasoned audio expert if you are not comfortable designing your audio signature.

I visit broadcast facilities that have PDs or engineers who are adept at processing and know how to install and tune a box. I also run into places where outside expertise can add considerable value.

There are many important and critical steps in setting up a new processor. There are the technical transmission settings such as input, output, pilot injection, sample rates, input switching, network IP parameters, and other interfaces. Then there are the hundreds (yes, hundreds) of individual processing settings to tailor the audio to your preferences.

Even in situations where a station has in-house processing expertise, it can help to get an objective opinion from individual who has a toolkit of presets and starting points to speed the adjustment process. It is also good insurance to have a consultant to ensure the transmission parameters are set correctly and legally.

Many newer processors have non-expert modes that make the tailoring of the sound easier with fewer settings. However, in some instances, such as very competitive situations, “expert” mode may be the best way to achieve that perfect signature sound.

A consultant can help with the selection process as well as performing a full technical review of the plant.

5 – Understand the feature sets of modern processing. Local stations may need one set of features while network, enterprise or state-owned broadcasters may require a different set. Here’s a series of questions you might consider, and topics to research.

Do you know what MPX over IP is? (Hint, it is one the latest techniques for sending your composite MPX over IP to your transmitter.) Do you know who offers that and in what configuration(s)?

Do you know what composite EQ is? What is pilot protection? What is SSB and DSB and why might that matter to you?

How many digital and analog inputs and outputs do you need? Which boxes offer how many of each?

Do you want a box that can generate dynamic RDS? How many bands of AGC and limiting would work best for your format and desired sound?

Do you want dual power supplies or some form of additional redundancy? Are you interested in processors that can run in a virtual environment and is that something you should be interested in?

Do you need GPS sync for your stereo generator, say for an SFN? Did you know that many processors sold today have hard-drive storage to hold music and imaging so that if your studio playout system (or studio altogether) goes offline, you’ll still be on the air?

Do you need SNMP monitoring? Do you know what de-clipping is? Phase correction? Do you want to feed your analog transmitter, digital transmitter and internet stream simultaneously? Do you need ratings encoding or a ratings encoder patch-point?

I could fill pages with features you might consider. Do your research and get to know what features matter and why they matter, then overlay that with your market research.

6 – Know your air chain. Understand you air chain from microphone to speaker. Literally.

I visit many stations whose managers complain about their sound and ask for processing adjustments or a processor to “fix” it. I almost always find weak links in their audio path that contribute to the quality issue.

Sure, they may need a new processor. Sure, they may need careful adjusting and tweaking. However, other things need to be addressed too. At the top of the list and most often is source material.

I still find plenty of MP3s on the playout system hard drive. I’ve been to stations with hundreds of MP3s (with bit rates between 96 and 192) and they wonder why their sound is not as clean or lush as the other stations in the market. I very rarely find a hard drive that doesn’t have at least a few MP3s.

Beware — several playout systems rename MP3 to WAV and increase the file size; that will fake you out. You need special tools to scan the library and find these fake files. More on source material below.

I also see STL paths that have issues. Does your feed to the transmitter use an uncompressed audio path or is it something lossy? Is your sample rate 44.1 kHz or 32 kHz? How many A/D and D/A conversions are in the path?

Also I still find digital consoles that use their analog output to feed a digital STL. I see playout systems using their analog outputs to feed a digital console. Even with AoIP systems — which you’d think by definition would be all-digital — it is possible to find analog ins/outs used for playout systems, emergency alerting interrupt boxes and feeds to the transmitter.

Each analog to digital conversion (or the other way around) is another point of degradation. These weak points between console and transmitter add up; while one thing alone might not be noticeable, several together can be.

The road to excellent sound is not just about the box, it’s about the entire system.

7 – Be a perfectionist on source material every step of the way. You know this saying but it certainly applies to processing: Garbage In = Garbage Out.

In over 90% of stations I visit, I find at least several source material violations: MP3s, low sample rates, recordings from imperfect masters, etc. This is what I tell every PD, MD, and APD I meet.

We all know MP3s are a no-no. Resist the urge to download material from YouTube or iTunes or some other source.

I often hear that a particular MP3 files is the result of not knowing where to find the older material. There are sources for CD quality (or better) versions of almost anything — many are online for download. There are companies that can provide a fully loaded hard drive with your specific music and in true PCM WAV uncompressed format. Do your research, put the effort in, and ensure you have the best material.

Sometimes the issue isn’t the file format but the actual source. There are plenty of forums online that discuss the best masters, greatest hit collections and top picks by audiophiles for various artists. Google is your friend.

Did you know that among several discs by ABBA, some are considered far better quality than others? Read this interesting discussion.

Use your ears. If you hear a song on your station that doesn’t sound quite right, go back and research the cut. If you can’t determine where it came from, get a copy of known quality.

If you run HD or DAB, you already know those digital signals use a codec. If you play an MP3 file — which already is a lossy format — over an HD/DAB channel, you end up with cascading codecs. In other words, the sound quality may even be worse when listened on the digital carrier.

8 – Don’t rush things. It takes time to perfect an audio signature. It can take days or weeks to get that perfect audio signature. Take your time.

Some of the best sounding stations around the world have taken their time to “dial in” their settings. It is rare to design a sophisticated, nuanced and consistent sound in one day.

Yes, processors come with presets that get you in the ballpark. And, yes, as a result you can have a decent sounding station quickly, assuming you don’t have other severe audio chain problems, very poor source material, etc. But, for that perfect market-leading sound, it takes time to “process beyond the preset.”

For example after a processor is adjusted, all parties should take a break, sleep and then listen again. Your ears get fatigued after hours of listening and adjusting. They can confuse you. Sleep on it and see how things sound when your ears are fresh. In some cases, as you get closer, it’s helpful to wait a week or two and listen afresh. The longer period also allows you to listen to various content samples to ensure that the sound is consistent across sources.

If you are an oldies or 80s station or play music across several decades, finding a balanced sound that works for every cut can be challenging. The way music was mastered and produced in the 1970s is different from how it was done in the 80s and way different then say, Dua Lipa in 2020.

And, yes, there are stations that play Madonna, Van Halen and Dua Lipa in the same hour. I worked on one recently and it required careful attention to detail to sound consistent throughout the day.

Fortunately, many of the modern processors have great toolsets to help with this issue.

9 – Understand the politics. The process of processing can be complicated by the need for more than one person to agree on the results.

You may be working alongside a PD, OM, GM, programming consultant or owner who “thinks” they know audio. And perhaps they do— but will they all agree on what good sound is? Chances are, no.

Audio processing is very subjective. What one person thinks is the perfect low-end or vocal mix might sound horrible to another.

If you are the person with fingers on the knobs, your bedside manner and maturity will become crucial in these situations.

Don’t be offended if someone says they don’t like the sound. Don’t be frustrated if it takes several iterations to get consensus. And you may never get 100% agreement.

To avoid problems I’ll ask, at the beginning, to know who makes the final call. It may be the PD of the brand or the PD plus the general manager. Sometimes, it’s the owner too. Try to limit decision-making team to very few people.

I’ve been asked as a processing consultant to be the one to make the final call. I inquire about the goals; for example, maybe everyone thinks the high-end needs to be cranked yet they’ve also said that TSL matters. In a situation like that, I may advise that too much high-end could risk tuneout and lower TSL.

10 – Listen to your product on several devices and in various types of vehicles. Listen in your car, your GM’s car, your PD’s car and your best friends’ cars. Listen on a clock radio (especially in mono), on different smart speakers, and through the type of headphones/earbuds typically worn by your listeners.

Your signature will sound different depending on where and what you are listening to. Ensure that the sound is acceptable across most devices and speakers. It’s OK to tweak based on what you hear. The goal is a nice balance so that the station sounds great on small speakers and big ones alike.

Be honest with yourself. You may have achieved what you think is the best low-end you’ve ever heard … in your car. Then, you listen in another car and wonder why it’s overwhelming. Don’t ignore it, go back and carefully find the right balance.

Remember the politics. The PD may be listening in their car and will legitimately hear things differently than you do. The audience will too. This is another reason finding that perfect sound takes time.

That being said, you can chase your tail forever if you make an adjustment every time you receive a comment or listen to a new device; know when to stop. Keeping the decision team small will help with this.

11 – Don’t forget your digital assets. These include your streams, Alexa, YouTube, FB, IG, etc. There are smart speakers, mobile apps and other ways in which your product is distributed.

Do you process your stream with as much thought and attention to detail as your terrestrial signal? About half of the stations I listen to online are not paying attention to their digital asset audio processing.

Consider using your main processor if that’s technically feasible. If not, use a separately purchased processor designed for digital streaming, an older model laying around the station left over from a previous upgrade (something is better than nothing), or one of the many great software-based processors you can find online.

Some manufacturers do offer software that can be used for streaming; many will run on the same PC your streaming encoder resides on. There are also hardware-based streaming appliances with built-in processing.

But don’t forget, processing for streaming requires a sound that’s great across various devices.

Digital processing design does not have all the same considerations as AM or FM transmission. For instance, analog FM is limited to 15 kHz frequency response while your stream might go out to 20 kHz. There is no 50us or 75us equalization curve.

Pay attention to your bit rates — don’t dip too low. There are several very good white papers on streaming across the web and located on the sites of audio processing manufacturers.

Streaming audio, done properly, will sound amazing — better than the analog terrestrial signal.

The author is owner of Kline Consulting Group LLC. He has held technical positions with several major broadcast organizations, most notably as senior VP of engineering at Cumulus Media. He has provided engineering support and consulting in the United States, Canada, China and several South American countries. He is a past recipient of the Radio World Excellence in Engineering Award.

The post 11 Processing Things to Think About appeared first on Radio World.

It’s sobering to think that these great reliable air chain components can now be considered “legacy” products.

Cris Alexander is tech editor of RW Engineering Extra.

As I began editing the latest issue of RWEE, I couldn’t help taking another trip down memory lane, this time over the last 40+ years of FM air chain architecture.

Such reminiscences seem to come more often these days, and the words “Back in the day …” frequently elicit an eye roll from my daughter, who is CE of Crawford’s Denver cluster (though I think she secretly likes hearing about the “old stuff”).

So… let the eye rolls begin.

FM as stepchild

Back in the day… the FM stations at which I worked early on used simple air chain topography. The program bus of the on-air console fed, through a patch panel, a couple of pairs of CBS Laboratories audio processors: the Audimax and Volumax.

These were, if I recall correctly, discrete processors for left and right, although I think stereo versions were available at some point. If there was any kind of control linking between the mono pairs, I have long forgotten.

Those processors in turn, also through a patch panel, fed the Collins 310 exciter, which used a stereo generator card to create the multiplex signal.

Not a lot of radios could receive and decode the multiplex signal in those days. In fact, not a lot of radios could receive FM in those days!

FM was the stepchild, the “also-ran” to which not many paid a lot of attention. Which explains how I was able to land a job at a couple of FM stations before I even graduated high school.

I had an FM converter in my car for quite a while, which used an AM modulator to spit out a signal on the high end of the AM band where I could listen to the FM signal. It was mono, but I was way ahead of most folks just by being able to tune into those elevator music FM stations.

At some point, I bought and installed a car radio that had an integral FM tuner and a little red stereo light. I was amazed at the big stereo image when I first tuned into our FM station and that red light illuminated. That simple Audimax/Volumax air chain sounded pretty good!

Our little (but 100 kW!) FM station in the Texas Panhandle was a pretty low-budget operation, but when Orban came out with the Optimod 8000 in the 1970s, the owner sprang for one.

Installing it took some doing; the Collins exciter had to be reconfigured without the internal stereo generator, and I found out in a hurry that the multiplex cable between the composite output of the Optimod and the composite input of the exciter had to be pretty short if I wanted to have a good, wide stereo image.

Once I got the baseband and pilot levels adjusted to make the Belar FM and stereo monitors happy, I gave the station a listen in the car, and … wow!! That was my first exposure to multiband processing, and the on-air sound was amazing.

New methods

As time went on and I moved to the big city, I was exposed to other air chain topology.

I can’t recall working at any other stations that had collocated studios and transmitter site, so all used some kind of studio-to-transmitter link (STL). Many used equalized phone lines, but some used Marti discrete 950 MHz links.

Both those arrangements had their challenges. The phone lines would sometimes get noisy or hum, especially after a good rain, and the 950 MHz links were occasionally prone to noise and interference.

Audio processors were located at the transmitter site. By the late 1970s, all but one that I regularly dealt with used multiband processors. The sound was good, but not as good as that collocated Amarillo FM with its Optimod 8000.

And then I was hired as the chief (and only) engineer for a Dallas top 40 radio station. My transition into that job occurred at the same time as the station was transitioning to a new transmitter site and tower on the Cedar Hill antenna farm.

The studio was on a multistory building just east of downtown, and a 950 MHz Moseley composite STL was used to get the audio to the transmitter site. That was my first exposure to a composite STL, and I thought it very strange that the new Optimod 8100 processor was in the rack at the studio!

There was a loudness war underway in that very competitive market in those days, and we pretty much ran all knobs all the way to the right. But we needed more to stay ahead of — or even on a par with — our chief competition across town. The issue was overshoots in that composite STL; we had to keep the average modulation down to keep the peak modulation below 100%. The FCC had a field office in town, and they did pay attention to local broadcasters in those days.

Our parent company was New York-based, and it had connections, one of which was a brilliant engineer named Eric Small.

A mysterious “black box” of Mr. Small’s creation was placed in the air chain downstream of the STL receiver at the transmitter site, and that took care of the overshoots — we could run the modulation way up and stay out of trouble with the newfangled composite clipper in line. I knew it was working because I could see the pilot level dancing with modulation peaks.

Ethernet paths

That composite STL air chain architecture persisted for much of my career, until the digital age. We used various digital adapters on our composite links, including the Moseley DSP6000s, to good effect, and audio processors kept getting better.

In the early 1990s, a guy named Frank Foti came to Detroit with a weird-looking box that he called the Omnia. He installed it in the air chain of our FM station there, and … wow! Over the next 25 years, Frank’s processors kept getting better and we kept buying them.

Then came true all-digital STLs that offered transparent transmission paths between studio and transmitter. HD Radio appeared in the early 2000s, and the Tomorrow Radio Project made multicast channels on FM HD stations possible, requiring additional audio paths between studio and transmitter.

It was then that my company made the move to Part 101 bidirectional point-to-point microwave links, putting studios and transmitter sites on the same networks.

Air chains, for us, became Ethernet paths involving AoIP, NICs and switches, a far cry from those analog Audimax/Volumax patch-panel stereo generator chains of old.

Now we have even more options, one of which is multiplex over IP. In the latest issue of RW Engineering Extra, Tony Peterle of Worldcast Systems introduces us to MPXoIP technology.

As I enter my 45th year in the business, I can’t wait to see what comes next. How about RF over IP? Put the transmitter at the studio and send 40 kW of RF down a twisted pair … okay, we probably can’t do that ever. But it would sure be cool if we could!

You can reach the author at rweetech@gmail.com. Cris Alexander, CPBE, AMD, DRB, is director of engineering at Crawford Broadcasting.

The post Air Chains Then and Now appeared first on Radio World.

Tony Coles is president of the Black Information Network, a radio news and information service from iHeartMedia. He is also division president for Metro Markets for iHeartMedia. And like so many in radio he’s made many stops on both coasts and both sides of the microphone.

He was interviewed by Suzanne Gougherty, director of MMTC Media and Telecom Brokers at the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council. MMTC commentaries appear regularly in Radio World, which welcomes other points of view on industry issues.

Suzanne Gougherty: Do you think that BIN is setting a tone on mainstream FM music stations to a targeted audience to deliver access to news and information?
Tony Coles: We are at an interesting moment in time. Audio is hotter than ever, and we are seeing spoken word content being consumed more than ever. In addition to our 24/7 all-news format, the Black Information Network offers a short-form news product that is heard on a number of FM stations. Additionally, BIN supplies news and information over 100 iHeartMedia music stations — the majority on FM. I don’t know if that is setting the tone, but we are excited to fill a void for news and information that people are seeking.

On a broader basis, BIN seeks to address the concern that, especially with the recent and unfortunate narrative around “fake news,” there is a growing lack of trust within the Black population in mainstream news. BIN focuses on issues that are especially important to Black America — Black culture, education (HBCUs), Black wealth, social justice, faith and religion, and especially in the wake of a pandemic that disproportionately impacted communities of color, Black health — and reports on these matters with Black voices, using Black reporters, producers and influencers, to tell the stories — positive and negative — that might otherwise fall outside the traditional news cycle.

[Read: Looking to Radio for a Bounce-Back]

Gougherty: There were so many challenges in 2020—– pandemic which encompassed everything we do—– yet you and your team were able to launch a new product. Tell us how you pulled that off?
Coles: The need for an all-news/information network like BIN to tell the stories and offer the perspectives that are most relevant to Black Americans is not new. This has been a passion of mine for some time, and with the full support of iHeart’s senior leadership we started to build the plan foundation and begin recruitment before the pandemic shut us and everyone else down. When that happened, it impacted our timeline, for sure, but I firmly believe we are better as a result of changing strategy. Working from home caused us to discover not only reporters in places we weren’t looking, but the diversity of a staff in markets of all sizes and time zones makes for more robust reporting. Having the support and full backing of the resources and assets of a company like iHeart, which has been so laser-focused on modernizing and innovating the audio space generally, is also invaluable.

Gougherty: What were some of the behind the scene discussions like to get a full team in place? What kind of broadcast professionals were you seeking to hire? Were some hired from within?
Coles: Hiring an entire staff in a virtual environment has its own set of unique challenges, but we have been fortunate to find an incredible team. Because of our national platform, it was important for us to have a staff that reflects the complexity and diversity of Black America. Our team ranges from former New York TV reporters to anchors in rural Alabama. It was incredibly gratifying — and exciting — as some of the most well-respected Black voices out there — Tanita Myers, Ed Gordon, Roland Martin, and so many others — agreed to join us as we built this team. But we not only have seasoned veterans we are very intentionally creating opportunities for the next generation of Black media, including some who are just starting their careers. And while we were able to tap into the strong resources of our parent company, we have put a lot of effort into hiring a significant number of new reporters and anchors. In fact, the vast majority of the Black Information Network team members are Black. Top to bottom; young and old. This is hugely important to what makes the Black Information Network so special, and hopefully, so impactful to our listeners and communities.

Gougherty: Have you ever worked in a broadcast newsroom?
Coles: I was fortunate enough to start my career working at a full-service AM station and helping to produce the late news for the local NBC affiliate. Over the years, I was a news anchor at a number of stations. Thankfully, our newsroom is much more sophisticated, and our anchors are much better than I was. Still, having that background has given me a deeper respect and appreciation for the work our team is doing, and a particular passion for the role of Black journalism in reporting the news and telling the stories that need to be told at the local, national and international levels. BIN’s unique business model is actually quite relevant here, as well. Unlike traditional radio stations and audio networks, BIN is not chasing advertisers to fill inventory spot ads. Instead, we several Founding Partners have invested upfront to support BIN’s mission. This allows us to be laser-focused on the stories, the news, and the information we are committed to covering from a Black perspective.

Gougherty: Coming up soon is the first anniversary of BIN, what was the biggest challenge that you faced in year one and how did you overcome it?
Coles: Launching a network like BIN during a pandemic that disproportionally impacted the Black community and in the middle one of the most pivotal times in the social justice movement was even harder than it sounds. Not being able to physically be in the same room with the team — ever — was personally and professionally challenging.

Thankfully, we have an amazing team of engineers, incredible technology, and lots of coffee. Lots of coffee. Additionally, while BIN is the first of its kind 24/7 news and information network, true to our local broadcasting heart, we are committed to serving local communities, especially where there is a large Black population either in total numbers or just as a percentage of that community. That means that while we are in major urban centers such as New York, Atlanta and Washington, we are also in smaller, more rural communities such as Jackson, Miss., Macon, Ga. and Greenville, S.C. And a lot of places in between.

So yes, one of the big challenges, during a pandemic or otherwise, was identifying, and if necessary, acquiring, and then standing up, radio stations to build out our local footprint. I’m very proud to say that since our launch in June 2020, we’ve more than doubled the number of local BIN stations delivering our content 24/7. These stations carry not only the network programming, but also local stories, including from on-the-ground BIN reporters.

Gougherty: There are many issues that impact the Black communities, tell us some of the leading stories your team has covered in year one? What do they feel is their biggest accomplishment?
Coles: Our first year was filled with so many big stories that it is hard to even begin to list them. Obviously, the Black Lives Matter protests from last summer and our ongoing coverage of the impact of COVID-19 on the Black community top the list. Beyond that, I think our team would say so many of the stories that we brought to light when other news outlets either didn’t tell them, wouldn’t tell them, or told them from a biased perspective. From terribly disturbing stories such as the ongoing water crisis in Flint, Mich., to uplifting stories such as the election of the first Black woman Vice President, to highlighting the work Black leaders in business are doing to create generational wealth in the community — we have been and continue to be a part of it all. This is the stuff I tell my kids about.

Gougherty: How did your BIN team cover the Chauvin trial and verdict? 
Coles: One of our first network affiliates was KQQL(HD2) BIN 93.3 in Minneapolis. They carried live coverage of the trial from gavel to gavel. As a result, they were able to supply the network with great content and perspective, which was the engine for both our network reporting and a nightly trial recap that aired across the network. When the verdict came in, we aired it live across the network and within minutes we offered special reports to over 150 radio stations across the country.

[Read: Keeping Sports Hot in the Age of Coronavirus]

Gougherty: What is your day-to-day workload entail?
Coles: In addition to running the network, I am also a division president for 21 iHeartMedia markets. Fortunately, I am blessed to have great leaders in the markets, and an incredible leadership team at BIN. Most days are spent working to grow the network, interacting with our clients, and working with the local market leadership teams in my division to help them get results for our clients, improve the listening experience for our audiences, and grow and develop our teams.

Gougherty: When you envisioned BIN, were you thinking deeply about social responsibility, diversity and inclusion as a delivery vehicle to diverse audience?  
Coles: BIN was conceived long before the events of last summer, so our perspective on social responsibility had a different context. That said, we always wanted the network to be the voice of the unheard. We wanted our actions to lift up Black voices and create jobs and opportunities in the Black community, and for our reporting to create and amplify change.

Gougherty: What do you feel are the misconceptions about radio versus the big streaming companies?  
Coles: We have said it for years and will continue to say it: Radio is about companionship. Listeners turn to radio to be their friend and companion. Streaming services are wonderful places for your music collection, but when you want to be entertained, informed, and engaged, only radio can offer that deep and lasting connection.

Gougherty: As a black radio executive please share your thoughts about the cultural divide in the country and how that’s expressed itself in radio?
Coles: My great grandfather was a slave. My grandfather witnessed his murder at the hands of someone who felt slavery shouldn’t have ended. The KKK burned the first home my parents ever owned. My story isn’t unique, but it is a reminder of just how much darkness and division is rooted in our not so distant history. The cultural divide in our country runs deep and it won’t be resolved soon, but I am encouraged by so many of the things we have seen and heard over the past 12 months. While I am incredibly proud of the work the Black Information Network has done, I am equally proud of the conversations talent across the industry have sparked. We cannot resolve anything that we are not willing to discuss. Radio has always been at the center of conversations, and I am so proud that in this moment, we are once again the voice of change.

 

The post Coles Takes a Bold Step appeared first on Radio World.

Frank Hertel’s project: three individually dimmable LED lights. (Frank is the master of recycling; the wooden mounting pedestals are the panels from a decommissioned ATI console!)

Thanks for your comments on the super-bright tri-panel LED light “bulb” described in the last column.

Workbench contributor Frank Hertel of Newman-Kees RF Measurements and Engineering described another approach to lighting your shop or workbench with LED bulbs — and this one is dimmable.

The dimmer selector means you won’t blind yourself with overly bright light unless you need to.

What started it

Frank needed to replace spot and floodlights on his tractor, and found the LED fixtures shown in the first two photos on the internet.

A wide-beam rectangular LED light, with a sharp cutoff on the edges. A small round LED floodlight.

Before installing them on the tractor, he tested them on the workbench. Frank was impressed with how much light both fixtures provided, exceeding the brightness of his more expensive 120V LED shop lamps.

However Frank felt there might be cases where the brightness was too much for the work at hand, so he decided to build a dimmer circuit.

In selecting a method of dimming the LED fixtures, Frank first considered the simplest method: varying the DC voltage. This will work, but because of the “avalanche” turn-on point — it’s not a smooth ramp-up or down — varying the DC voltage makes for a sloppy dimming control.

Enter the 555

Frank decided on the ever-so-handy 555 Timer IC, which was configured as an adjustable duty cycle square wave generator.

Seen in the accompanying schematic, the 555 square wave generator drives an MPF102 FET, which in turn drives a D718 power transistor that provides a “pulsed” 12V variable duty cycle driving the LED lamp fixture.

Frank’s LED dimming circuit is based on a 555 Timer chip.

The fixture is only pulsed long enough with the 12 volts to establish the desired brightness level. This method overrides the “avalanche” “on-off” effect that is noticed when a variable voltage is used to attempt control of the fixture’s brightness.

Stated another way, the LED fixture’s brightness can be viewed in relation to the length of time the 12V pulse is present. Therefore, the duty cycle of the 555 IC’s square wave is the determining factor for the LED fixture’s brightness. Pretty slick!

He used a widely available and inexpensive D718 power transistor that is rated for 8A at 120V. With a properly sized 15VDC supply and heatsink for the D718, you could power several LED fixtures with just one dimmer. Alternately, the circuit is small enough that you could mount several dimmers in one chassis, for individual control.

Frank realizes you can buy a pre-made dimmer but asked, “What fun is that?”

Besides, this dimmer circuit can handle a lot of current and is small enough that multiple dimmer circuits can be mounted inside one chassis.

After outfitting his tractor, Frank mounted three fixtures on wood pedestals so he could focus the light on what needed illuminating. Frank adds that if pointed at a white ceiling, the fixtures provide ample room illumination.

The completed project provides for three individually dimmed LED fixtures. You’ll note in the photo that Frank chose silicone jacketed wire to connect the fixtures to the dimmer. This wire is super-flexible, albeit expensive. The silicone helps avoid tangles. The 22 gauge wire had an almost immeasurable voltage drop over the 30 foot length that Frank chose.

Frank chose ultra-flexible silicone wire. Similar to “Zip” cord, it resists tangling.

Parts are listed at the end of this article. Keep in mind that when selecting the working voltage of the capacitors, good engineering practice dictates choosing a capacitor rated at twice the supply voltage. Since we’re talking about 15VDC in this circuit, choose capacitors rated at either 30 or 50 Working Volts DC (WVDC).

PS: If you’ve made it this far, you are definitely an engineer who likes to build and tinker. San Diego’s Marc Mann reminded me of a site that will occupy your interest for hours with the variety of parts for sale. It’s Marlin P. Jones and Associates at www.mpja.com. Their online catalog is fascinating, and the site features bargains and closeouts. You can sign up there for an email flier or access their online catalog.

John Bisset, CPBE, has spent more than 50 years in broadcasting and is in his 31st year writing Workbench. He handles western U.S. radio sales for the Telos Alliance. He is a past recipient of the SBE’s Educator of the Year Award. Shed a little light by sharing share your own Workbench submissions, which qualify for SBE recertification. Email johnpbisset@gmail.com.

 

Dimmer Project Parts List

1 each 20K Pot (linear) (B20K or 20KB)

1 each 1k 1/4W Resistor

1 each 6.8k 1/4W Resistor

2 each 0.01MFD Capacitors

1 each 1MFD Electrolytic Capacitor

1 each 1MFD non-polarized Capacitor

1 each 100MFD Electrolytic Capacitor

2 each 1N4006 Diodes (non critical)

1 each MPF102 F.E.T.

1 each D718 NPN Power Transistor

1 each Heatsink for above transistor

1 each 15VDC Power Supply, sized for LED fixture demands

1 each Enclosure of your choice

1 each Knob for pot

1 each perf board and hookup wire

 

The post Workbench: Build an LED Fixture Dimmer Circuit   appeared first on Radio World.

We continue our Microphone Month coverage by checking in with Anabella Poland, general manager of WMSC(FM).

The Montclair State University station in New Jersey keeps its microphone cage stocked with various models for specific purposes.

In the studio, it’s the reliable EV RE20. “They do a great job for broadcast radio even though they are not condenser microphones,” Poland said.

“For remote work most of my students primarily have Blue Snowball mics. They are fairly priced and do a decent job.”

They might pull out a Blue Bluebird for live performance recording applications such as over a drumset. For red carpet events the station uses Shure SM58 mics with its two Yellowtec iXM and one Zoom recorders.

At home Poland, shown, uses a Marantz Professional MPM-1000U. She said it “delivers high-quality audio recording directly into the computer as it is a USB microphone, and sometimes you just need that quick access for live shows and streaming.”

Read more of our Microphone Month coverage.

 

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