Radio World

Radio continues to do what broadcasters do best, and associations are doing their best to help them keep it up. How are you and your station coping with COVID-19? Tell radioworld@futurenet.com.

— The Vermont Association of Broadcasters has received confirmation from the office of Vermont Gov. Scott media personnel are counted as essential during the current state of emergency and will be allowed to travel freely. However, VAB cautions that it’s currently unclear whether you will need to show credentials or other information certifying your need to be on the road, so it makes sense to have DHS/CISA Access and/or Fuel letters on hand. If you’re a Vermonter and need one, email your request to the association.

— “We’re all living this nightmare, we’re running our radio stations on gut, duct tape, and alligator clips.” Fred Jacobs may not sound optimistic, but he’s not one to give up.His media consultancy wants to know how your listeners are handling the novel coronavirus, and Jacobs Media has set up a survey to learn about the current listening climate and how consumers think radio is handling this gargantuan task.

— The Radio Advertising Bureau is acknowledging what strange times we’re in with a new website section on working “When It’s Not Business as Usual,” featuring tools and resources to help members. RAB says it’s also cueing up three new webinars dedicated to keeping the wheels on during the COVID-19 pandemic: “Business Unusual Requires Exceptional Communication — How To Talk To Your Advertisers Now;” “How To Craft Your Messaging In Times of Uncertainty;” and “Work From Home (WFH) Strategies To Maximize Productivity In Your New Office.”

— On a lighter note, if your work from home situation is making you go barking mad, apparently you’re not the only one, as evidenced by this Facebook post:

— Law firm Pillsbury has set up a page dedicated to COVID-19’s impact on contract performance issues. They’re offering guidance that’s not radio-specific, but is worth reviewing.

— The Radio Mercury Awards have been rescheduled and the timeline to enter has been extended. The awards will now be presented Oct. 6, and entries can be submitted until Aug. 3.

The post Radio Is Definitely Essential, WFH Resources & COVID-19 Updates appeared first on Radio World.

Radiodays Europe has announced that it will postpone the 2020 edition of Podcast Day due to the Coronavirus crisis.

Originally slated for June 16, the gathering will now take place Oct. 26. The location for the conference will remain The Mermaid in central London.

In a statement, organizers of the conference, which focuses on strategies and trends in podcasting, thanked their speakers and participants for their continued support.

The event moved from Copenhagen to London in 2019, where it attracted some 400 attendees.

The 2020 edition marks the fourth edition of Podcast Day by Radiodays Europe.

The post Radiodays Europe Postpones Podcast Day appeared first on Radio World.

GENEVA — Every year in February, the European Broadcasting Union headquarter hosts the Digital Radio Summit, where public service and commercial broadcasters from around the globe share their experience and vision about radio’s future developments.

Antonio Arcidiacono, EBU’s director of technology and innovation, gives his keynote speech. All photos courtesy of the EBU.

The 2020 edition focused on radio’s potential to target the nonlinear market, primarily on mobile devices, voice assistants and car multimedia systems.

YOU CHOOSE

In his keynote speech, Antonio Arcidiacono, EBU’s director of technology and innovation, invited delegates to invest their efforts in developing a future radio ecosystem based on three pillars.

Cathinka Rondan, head of radio at NRK, tells the audience about NRK’s strategic project to strengthen the broadcaster’s podcast popularity.

They are the multicast version of “hybridization” with content resident across the IP network and in users’ devices, the portability of the radio experience across multiple receivers, and individual settings for personalization.

“We have to move from the one-to-many broadcast model, ‘We know what you like, period’ to ‘We offer you many things you like, and you choose,’” explained Arcidiacono.

In his vision, the users’ smartphone will be a unifying device that enables the listening experience across the various different platforms and listening contexts, gathering information on user’s habits and preferences.

Through this accumulated knowledge, each receiver (including any in-car multimedia system, even in rented or shared cars) can offer each user his or her customized setup and personalized audio. It offers a way for each person to benefit from a unique and tailored experience, regardless of listening time and location.

GENUINE PASSION

Cheyenne Mackay, podcaster for SRF, emphasized the importance of passion in the creation of a success and fun podcasts.

Podcast production, distribution and “searchability” on any device made up the core of the morning sessions with speakers sharing their production experience and ideas for the future stages.

The podcast market features a positive trend quite everywhere, and broadcasters consider podcast as a way to engage youth audience. In Norway, about 50% of the population aged 20 to 29 years listens to podcast.

“About 18 months ago we asked podcast users who their favorite podcast profiles were,” said Cathinka Rondan, head of radio at the Norwegian public service broadcaster NRK “and it ended up they were not from NRK. So we launched a strategic project, moving resources from linear radio to original podcast creation.”

Ruth Degraeve, head of distribution and product management for the VRT newsroom, explained why today metadata is more vital important than the content itself.

The “Top 10” podcast list in Norway is presently headed by the NRK profile Friminutt, with twice as many listeners as the second in the row.

NRK distributes on Spotify and Apple, but is reconsidering how it distributes on third-party platforms, having noticed that those distribution platforms edit artwork, sometimes even removing the NRK logo.

Cheyenne Mackay, podcaster for the Swiss public broadcaster SRF, said a podcast is not just an audio content available online for non-linear listening. “An effective podcast has to bring some genuine passion with it,” she emphasized.

Her podcast Pipifax did not develop from a project or a production meeting, but she explains that it’s the result of a timely “eureka moment,” when she and her husband were taking care of their newborn child.

ATOMIZATION

Ruth Degraeve, head of distribution and product management for the newsroom of Flemish public service broadcaster VRT, and Ben Rosenberg, senior distribution manager at the BBC, dug into the topic of the growing need for implementing effective models of content atomization, meaning the ability to render a given content into a multitude of homogeneous fragments, able to be properly indexed and searched.

Lawrence Harrison, automotive partnerships director at Radioplayer, stressed the need to preserve radio’s identity in vehicles.

This, they pointed out, is the starting point to ensure radio’s presence on channels where audience looks for specific content bursts on themes of their interest and from multiple sources.

“The internet was first built around text, and only thereafter did images, sound and video come onboard,” Degraeve said.

Text is still the best way for search engines to find any object or media excerpt on the internet. That’s why today metadata is more important than the content itself. Without appropriate indexing and keywords, that content may not be found. In the internet era, if something can’t be found it basically doesn’t exist.

RADIO’S IDENTITY

Radio’s presence in connected cars was also a hot topic at DRS 2020. Audio consumption in cars has dramatically evolved from radio to media and — thanks to large, touch-screen high-resolution displays — eventually to on-board multimedia.

Lawrence Harrison, automotive partnerships director at Radioplayer, spoke about the increasingly larger touch-screen displays with the multitude of dedicated apps available in modern cars. He questioned whether modern cars will ultimately “become an app-store or if the car companies retain control.”

The EBU headquarters in Geneva.

Dashboard screens are getting bigger and entertainment more visual. Harrison pointed to the recent Consumer Electronics show that took place in Las Vegas in January. He said there were a lot of electric car brands offering visual entertainment at the heart of their experience.

Some worry that with these new dashboard designs radio may lose its identity, being placed behind navigation pages and with no apparent radio button to entice the driver.

“We have to preserve radio’s identity in cars, where, depending on the country, 25% to more than 50% of the listening takes place. To do this, it’s paramount that radio can ensure a great user experience and a great user interface design,” Harrison concluded.

The post DRS 2020: Radio Is More Than Linear appeared first on Radio World.

In these days of USB mics and microphones phantom powered by broadcast mixers, needing a separate phantom power supply may seem like a trip in the Wayback Machine.

But should an engineer find themselves in in need, Countryman’s Phantom Power Supply module provides low- noise, balanced phantom power.

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

Powered by 9 V batteries or wall wart, it offers 12 V, 24 V and 48 V power. anytime. The Phantom Power Supply comes in a rugged diecast aluminum box, ideal for rattling around in a kit for when needed.

Countryman Associates President Chris Countryman said, “Condenser microphones need rock solid power for maximum performance, particularly for low noise and high overload. Many mixers and audio inputs provide no phantom power, questionable power, or only provide it in switchable banks. We developed our Phantom Power Supply to deliver the cleanest power and the most options in the smallest possible size.”

Info: https://countryman.com

The post Countryman Provides Phantom Power appeared first on Radio World.

Telsat says its new Broadcast Smart Platform (BSP) offers all the hardware of a complete broadcasting site in a single portable or in-fill unit.

Invented and manufactured by Telsat and its partners TRX Innovate and Plisch, the compact unit provides DTV and FM transmitters with an onboard satellite receiver to provide program material. Housed in a weatherproof shell, BSP is suitable for use outdoors and can be easily mast-mounted thanks to its small size.

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

According to the company, BSP features include low-power consumption and low electromagnetic field emissions, as well as quick and easy installation by just one technician. The technology is designed to allow operators to set up a self-sufficient transmission site by using mono-directional satellite distribution. It’s also possible to power the system by means of alternative energy-sources, such as solar panels and/or batteries.

In addition, adds Telsat, the cell-based network-model uses of “smart” topology approach for the efficient coverage of critical territories. The solution transmits the signal over the critical area using low-power transmitters, and thus is able to avoid coverage of unwanted areas. This, the firm says, results in power savings and cost reduction.

Info: www.telsat.it

The post Telsat BSP Efficiently Covers Critical Areas appeared first on Radio World.

The Federal Communications Commission has stepped in and stripped away operation authority from the owner of four AM radio stations in St. Louis, thereby deleting the stations from existence after a years-long series of enquiries into alleged violations of commission rules.

In a ruling reported by the FCC on March 20, the commission said Administrative Law Judge Jane Hinckley Halprin permanently dismissed the applications to renew and the consent to assign licenses of four AM radio stations in the St. Louis area — KFTK(AM), WQQW(AM), KZQZ(AM) and KQQZ(AM). The application to renew and assign had been requested by Entertainment Media Trust (EMT).

But according to the commission, EMT was allegedly actually controlled by Robert S. “Bob” Romanik, a shock jock convicted of obstruction of justice and bank fraud. According to FCC rules, persons convicted of felonies involving dishonesty are generally disqualified from holding attributable interests in broadcast licenses.

[Read: St. Louis Broadcaster Allegedly Controlled by a Felon]

According to the Media Bureau, Romanik was not actually listed as a party in any of EMT’s applications, although he was said to have established EMT and provided the funds to buy the stations.

Now, according to the FCC, all authority to operate the four stations has been stripped and the call signs will be deleted. But the commission is also looking ahead and said it will take steps to protect the four stations.

In anticipation of a future decision potentially allowing for the acceptance of mutually exclusive applications for those four frequencies, the Media Bureau said it will require “continued protection of the four formerly-licensed facilities” and announced a related filing freeze on accepting any AM minor change applications that would conflict with any of the four stations’ expired licenses.

That freeze will remain in effect until the close of the window or an announcement otherwise modifying or lifting the freeze. “The bureau will dismiss any AM minor change application filed during this freeze that does not protect the most recently licensed facilities of the four stations,” the Media Bureau said in a statement.

One industry group calling on the FCC to take action was the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC), which asked the commission to preserve those four radio stations outright by giving MMTC’s broadcast subsidiary operating responsibility for the stations. The MMTC, however, pulled back that offer a week after learning the FCC Enforcement Bureau had some legal and policy concerns surrounding the proposal.

Instead, MMTC proposed that the commission invite other qualified entities to apply for interim licensure and that a permanent licensee should be selected by public auction.

MMTC also proposed that the commission contemplate creation of a policy on interim operations like this one that could apply not just to revoked licenses, but also to the number of stations whose owners voluntarily turn in their stations’ licenses.

 

The post FCC Hands Down Decision on Four St. Louis AM Stations appeared first on Radio World.

Getty/BrAt_PiKaChU

iHeartMedia says all of its more than 850 radio stations, regardless of format, will broadcast “The Star Spangled Banner” at noon Eastern Time today to promote solidarity during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Italian broadcasters came together for their own musical solidarity event Friday. Other nations across the European Union informally opted for a pop culture touchstone — “You’ll Never Walk Alone” — for their own COVID-19 unity broadcasts, rather than the European anthem.

According to an email from iHeartMedia Communications Director Danielle Vitucci, the musical gesture is intended to express solidarity and “to celebrate our collective strength as a nation and recognize the heroic efforts of so many workers on the frontline – including our doctors, nurses, health care professionals, caregivers and other critical responders who are working night and day to get us through this. ”

If you’d like to learn more about the historical relationship between the USA’s national anthem and radio, check out this article we published around the 200th anniversary of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

As RW reported last week, many U.S. stations have also donated airtime for PSAs to educate the public about COVID-19.

The post iHeart Announces Star-Spangled Solidarity Broadcast appeared first on Radio World.

Ed Bukont

One in a series about how radio enterprises are responding to the coronavirus-driven emergency, with an emphasis on technology teams and operations.

Edwin Bukont is owner of consulting firm E2 Technical Services.

Radio World: As an experienced engineer and contractor, what are you hearing from organizations about how they are reacting in their technical operations and processes?

Ed Bukont: Because of voice tracking, many stations were already shifting production both in chronology and geographically. The challenge now is to do so remotely, and for an extended period of time.

I have been encouraging my clients for years to build with this thought in mind, “What if you can’t use your studio building for an extended period of time?” Certain products, such as the Comrex Opal, are proving to be the perfect answer to at least getting a voice into the remote production realm.

RW: What kinds of solutions are engineers and stations finding, for programming or remote audio chain problems?

Bukont: The military likes to say, “Damage control first, improvement second.” This is a hard one for some to swallow, but getting it done means improvise, adapt, overcome.

You don’t need a Neumann and you don’t need to say “We can’t broadcast because we don’t have phantom power for the mic.” Let’s not play music while the Titanic is sinking. Solutions are out there, the challenge is, can your station use the solution? Z/IP One, Opal, Access, MaxxKonnect, Marti. Every station is different, even if they share some facilities.

Now that we have the attention of Homeland Security, I expect we may see some help from other telecom services in adapting network endpoints to accommodate broadcast-related traffic such as VPN.

Post 9/11, Katrina, Dodd-Frank and other recent impacts, many stations have already put into place the mechanisms to handle this situation.

Many stations have already put into place the mechanisms to handle this situation.

RW: How has the situation affected your own business and daily life? 

Bukont: I don’t know yet. I did have a small swell of client communications, to be sure that folks could do what they needed. Not too many hiccups. Seen various conferences and training cancelled, but so far, no impact on life except for everything is closed or empty shelves.

But again, adapt, improvise, overcome. The grocer had no onions. I went looking … and found that in the pre-made meals, they had pre-sliced onions.

RW: Any lessons learned in the past week or two, or best practices freshly appreciated?

Bukont: Being prepared is what you do before a crisis, not during the crisis.

What I have found is that folks in stations either are not aware of what capabilities they have, or worse yet, they want everyone to have equal access to all remote functions. That’s not needed nor helpful either.

This isn’t too different than the Y2K proactive measures. Review what you have, understand what you have and regulate the access to those assets. That will tell you where you may need or want to fill in gaps.

I think sales is generally in a more precarious position now than technology. This is radio’s moment to shine as the local resource. I think there is the greater challenge: How do you get the local mayor on, remotely, rather than how do you keep receiving a national news feed?

RW: What else should we know? 

Bukont: My rule is such situations is, “Needs we accommodate. Wants we discuss.”

I have already heard some horror stories about managers demanding access to a VPN, with no idea what that is, or how to use it, but they think its direct access to their office PC. That’s not what a VPN is.

There was a situation today with regard to some tower service tomorrow, for which a radio station would have to reduce power. I suggested to the other party that the FCC is aware their timelines are about to be busted and they should consult their consulting engineer or comms lawyer before confirming any tower work. Problem solved.

Communication, patience, trust your engineer, are what will get you through this.

Radio World wants to hear about how the coronavirus situation is affecting your radio business operations. Email radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post COVID-19 Advice: Communication, Patience, Trust Your Engineer appeared first on Radio World.

The author is membership program director of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters. NFCB commentaries are featured regularly at www.radioworld.com.

A wave of city and state shutdowns in response to the spread of COVID-19 have brought education, leisure and industry to a virtual stop nationwide. And, as part of local life, college and community radio stations are facing tough questions that could resonate for months to come.

Spring is a fertile time for community media. For stations, this is traditionally when on-air fundraising takes place. However, with anxieties high and attention elsewhere, many outlets are pressed to make choices about the pledge drives they depend on. There are no easy options.

The National Federation of Community Broadcasters hosted an online nationwide COVID-19 response meeting with community radio stations. Many are opting to delay on-air fundraising. Others have chosen to move forward with fundraising broadcasts. All have bottom lines they must consider before making the call.

[Read: Community Broadcaster: COVID-19 Concerns]

There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to pledge drives in the midst of a crisis. Many of these decisions come down to local conditions. A station’s internal urgency does not make the choices comfortable ones.

For those going forward with on-air fundraising, the reasons are quite clear. During a major news story, attention is on media like a radio station for analysis, updates and breaking coverage. In short, people know right then why their stations matter so much. And when a station offers music, they’re providing shelter from stress and uncertainty more than ever. It stands to reason why a station would choose to speak up now and remind audiences how much these stations make a difference.

Economically, while there are shaky stocks, employment jitters and worries about a recession now, in a month to two months’ time, whatever storm clouds we forecast today will likely be fully upon us. The gamble of asking today rather than tomorrow does not seem unreasonable.

For a station opting to postpone on-air fundraising, such a call makes just as much sense. Listeners are very upset by the news cycle. Some may be looking at a layoff or furlough. Kids are at home, adding expense to a household. As a result, asking for money can feel unseemly for some stations. Compelling people to donate when they may not have the money can also feel uncomfortable.

There are alternatives of course. Some community radio stations are modifying their approach, focusing their energies on direct mail, online and email to solicit dollars, while minimally interrupting the regular schedule to make appeals.

Every community radio station, though, is grappling with the effect the coronavirus will have on their local economies. In some cities, some of community radio’s most loyal underwriters, such as bars, restaurants, promoters and event spaces, are all adversely impacted by COVID-19-related closures. Even if your town is one of the rare ones not closing down businesses and public gatherings, most of our area businesses are dependent on commerce, air travel and enterprises that serve the public. With warnings about unemployment and no end in sight, many community radio managers are rightfully worried about future fundraising.

NFCB and Greater Public have offered fundraising guidance to stations in the wake of the coronavirus. Ultimately, success may lie in community radio’s ongoing relevance to its audience.

The post Community Broadcaster: To Pledge or Not to Pledge appeared first on Radio World.

JT Communications gets serious in the broadcast processor market with the launch of the SEPsoniX FM broadcast processor.

The 19-inch rackmount hardware box features dual-band stereo compression, compressor-derived AGC, compression “freeze,” “ultrafast” per-emphasis high-frequency limiter, pilot level and phase controls, stereo generator with adjustable transient suppression (composite clipper), master composite output drive level, 6 pole 15 kHz low-pass and 19 kHz audio notch filtering and 50/60 Hz operation.

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

The company says that there should be no processing delay.

There’s also an SCA/RDS input and a stream/processor output. There’s also optional PLL programmable FM signal generator for local monitoring of processed audio.

The SEPsoniX has a microprocessor-free design with all adjustments made via front-panel controls.

Price: $1,049.95; with FM tuner — $1,249.95.

Info: http://sepsonix.jtcomms.com

 

The post JT Communications Releases SEPsoniX Broadcast Processor appeared first on Radio World.

The AKG Podcaster Essentials is aimed at content creators, podcasters and anyone needing an all-in-one lightweight audio production package.

The Podcaster Essentials bundle includes the new AKG Lyra USB microphone, AKG K371 headphones, cables, Ableton Live 10 Lite recording software, and even a Berklee Online recording class.

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

The AKG Lyra is a USB microphone with 24-bit/192 kHz audio quality. It offers AKG’s Adaptive Capsule Array and four recording presets.

The lightweight AKG K371 headphones have large 50 mm titanium-coated drivers, a closed-back design and swivel cups. The headband is adjustable.

Ableton Live 10 Lite has features for editing together takes, sweetening vocal recordings, adding sound effects and even creating custom theme and background music.

Price: $350

Info: www.akg.com

 

The post AKG Caters to Podcasters appeared first on Radio World.

Radio World continues its aggregation of COVID-19-related updates and news for the radio industry. This is what’s happening Friday, March 19.

— The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has upped the number of radio PSAs it’s airing specific to COVID-19 in target markets, including Seattle, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles and Houston. The chart at right shows the change from February compared to thus far in March.

— The National Association of Broadcasters has tallied up the value of the airtime donated to coronavirus PSAs since March 12, and they say the nearly 36,000 PSAs are equivalent to $10 million of radio and TV ad spots.

NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith said, “I am so proud of the unprecedented level of support for this PSA campaign from local TV and radio stations. As our nation faces these challenging times, broadcasters will be there to report the facts, keep the public informed and help in the education effort to keep people safe.”

— The National Radio Talent System has cancelled all eight of the Radio Talent Institutes scheduled for summer 2020. However, NRTS President Dan Vallie said they have begun plans for the 2021 events. Vallie made the announcement “with regret, but also great concern for the health of all involved.”

— The Caribbean Broadcasting Union has cancelled the conference sessions and events related to its annual general assembly, which was scheduled for August. CBU President Gary Allen told members in an email, “We determined that even if public health conditions improved [by August] reliable travel and confidence in travel will not be quickly lifted and the unlikelihood of members, presenters, observers and exhibitors participating would not change.”

— Beasley Media Group has rolled out a new hashtag and PSA campaign. The #WeAreGrateful initiative is intended to thank “first responders, healthcare industry workers, retail employees, utility workers, transport drivers and others who are making a difference.”

 

The post COVID-19 Update: PSAs Gain Air Time, Organizations Cancel Summer Events appeared first on Radio World.

The term “artificial intelligence” is being heard more and more in the radio and audio media industries.

What does that phrase mean, exactly, in our technology marketplace?

In the new Radio World ebook, ENCO Systems, MultiCAM Systems, Veritone, and Worldcast Systems explain what AI means for them and how these technology innovators are applying AI to their products and services.

Learn about dramatic improvements thanks to Automatic Speech Recognition … how algorithms choose the best camera presets for visual radio … how AI-powered services and applications enable stations and networks to accelerate workflows and deliver value … and how AI in transmitter design can help broadcasters reduce energy costs.

Read it here.

The post AI Comes to Radio appeared first on Radio World.

“In light of the current circumstances, it is impossible to hold a rescheduled 2020 NAB Show this year,” NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith wrote in a Friday statement shared with industry stakeholders.

The association said it would be calling off the April event on March 11 and indicated at the time that they were exploring options, including postponing the trade show for later a date.

After a week of weighing their options, NAB has decided to create a “digital experience” that will bring elements of NAB Show online, including showcasing product announcements and providing educational opportunities. Additionally, the association says it will expand NAB Show New York, scheduled for Oct. 16–17, with more “programs, partners, and experiences.”

Smith also announced the dates for the 2021 NAB Show: April 11–14.

Read NAB President/CEO Gordon Smith’s letter here:

Dear NAB Show Community,

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a truly unprecedented situation around the world. Our thoughts are with those who have been directly affected by the virus, and all of those who are struggling with the ramifications of this global health crisis.

At the National Association of Broadcasters, we believe it is our responsibility to help stop the spread of COVID-19, and put the health and safety of our show community first. In the week since announcing that we will not move forward with the NAB Show in April, the landscape has continued to shift dramatically with major sports leagues, school districts, and other businesses around the country suspending operations. The governor of Nevada has also made the decision to close all nonessential business operations in the state. National authorities are imploring Americans to telework wherever possible.

While we recognize that much of our show community is focused on other issues at the moment, we have heard from many of you over the last week who are eager for an update on our plans. For that reason, we wanted to convey now that, in light of the current circumstances, it is impossible to hold a rescheduled 2020 NAB Show this year. We will instead proceed with a two-pronged approach to deliver as much value as possible under these circumstances to our exhibitors, partners, and the broadcast industry as a whole.

First, we are exploring a number of ways to bring the industry together online, both in the short and long term. We know from many years of serving the community with face-to-face events, that connectivity is vital to the health and success of the industry. That’s why we are excited to announce NAB Show Express, targeted to launch in April 2020. This digital experience will provide a conduit for our exhibitors to share product information, announcements and demos, as well as deliver educational content from the original selection of programming slated for the live show in Las Vegas, and create opportunities for the community to interact virtually—all of which adds up to something that brings the NAB Show community together in a new way.

Second, we will be enhancing NAB Show New York with new programs, partners, and experiences. We have already had numerous conversations with show partners about expanding their participation, and have heard from numerous exhibitors interested in enhancing their presence at this fall’s show. NAB Show New York represents the best opportunity for companies to announce and showcase their latest innovations and comes at a perfect time for the industry to gather face-to-face to restart, refocus, and reengage as we move forward together.

We will have more to say about these efforts in the coming weeks. This is a unique and challenging situation, but we are committed to working hard to deliver as much value as possible.

We’re also committed to being an active part of the solution to the current crisis in the months ahead. Last week we launched a new public service announcement campaign on radio and television that will provide crucial information to keep communities safe. The PSAs are part of a comprehensive Coronavirus Response Toolkit that we have made available online to help broadcasters accurately cover the pandemic and prepare for the threat it poses to their staff, communities, and businesses. We’ll be doing more in the weeks to come to harness the power of our industry as a force for good in these difficult times.

As we move forward, we will keep an open line of communication with our show community, and look forward to engaging with you throughout the year. We’ve already begun planning for our 2021 NAB Show in Las Vegas, which will take place April 11-14th, and we hope you’ll join us then, as well as this fall.

We look forward to connecting with you, and hope that you and your loved ones remain safe in the months to come.

Best,

Gordon H. Smith
President and CEO

The post NAB’s Smith Says Rescheduling NAB Show in 2020 Is “Impossible” appeared first on Radio World.

Here’s a shot of Kim Komando in the WestStar facility soon after it opened in 2016.

The Phoenix-based staff of “The Kim Komando Show” abruptly shifted last week to a primarily remote work setup due to well-founded concerns about COVID-19.  

Radio World is reporting in this series of articles about how various radio enterprises are managing in the coronavirus-driven context, with a particular emphasis on technology and operations.

WestStar management sent an email to employees notifying them that offices were closed to all except “necessary technical staff” and a sign was now posted on the exterior door, announcing closure for anyone who might have missed the emailed memo.

While this decision was made quickly, WestStar Executive Chairman Barry Young told Radio World he had begun preparing his staff for this scenario more than a week prior.  

Under normal circumstances, there are about 50 employees who work at the 27,000 sq.ft. facility. Prior to this, WestStar had three remote workers.

WestStar’s flagship program is the “The Kim Komando Show,” a three-hour talk radio show, which is also produced as a one-hour segment for Bloomberg Television. Under the current circumstances, Young explains they will continue to produce and distribute the radio content to their 450 or so affiliates, although they will now work from the much smaller studios that only require three-people to keep the show on air. 

The audio content is created from employees’ homes and then routed via Comrex Access units to producers who also edit from home as much as possible and then share it online or upload it to the  Westwood One satellite distribution system. 

However, some productions do require staff to go to the WestStar building. When they do, the aim is to “get in and out as quickly as possible,” while also following “extraordinary procedures” to keep staff healthy. Employees are required to wear Latex gloves and clean equipment with 71% alcohol mix before and after using it. 

[Want to learn more about the studios and infrastructure? Read our 2016 facility profile.]

“The Kim Komando Show” has an extensive online presence, supporting related podcasts and e-newsletters as well as web content. Young reports that all writers, sales and traffic are working remotely. 

Additionally, the infrastructure that supports WestStar’s digital products is “handled by servers and fiber lines” at the Phoenix facility. Thus far, the IT team has been able to manage and maintain it remotely. 

However, WestStar has decided to repurpose and repackage its television content for the time being; the TV version of the show is normally produced on a set with 10 cameras that requires a 20-person staff. WestStar will temporarily lay off some of its part-time television production personnel, and Young said he expects these will be the only jobs affected. 

Radio World wants to hear about how the coronavirus situation is affecting your radio business operations. Email radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post “Kim Komando” Employees Are Home But the Show Must Go On appeared first on Radio World.

Artisto from On-Hertz is a software audio engine that provides a complete solution for automating any workflow involving sound.

From simple monitoring and detection of levels to advanced workflows for cross-platform media diffusion or automated video production, Artisto promises to cover every processing and synchronization need.

Because Artisto is modular, it can be tailored to the specific requirements of any audio application. Artisto can be flexibly configured with an extensive library of processing blocks such as routing, equalizer, dynamics, web streaming, recorder, player and loudness leveling. These can be virtually wired together to build a processing pipeline for the desired workflow.

According to the company, the solution eliminates the frustrations inherent in complex hardware infrastructures, solves interoperability issues and dispenses with the need for outdated, insecure control protocols. Artisto is fully configurable and controllable via a simple, open web API.

Artisto’s front-end rests on the most common web technologies, and On-Hertz provides a library with commonly-used components, guaranteeing that any web developer can easily build custom interfaces that fit end-users’ needs.

By design and philosophy, Artisto is scalable and open, the company explains. It doesn’t lock the customer into one solution. It allows them to choose what part of Artisto they prefer to use or to connect to third-party services.

Info: www.on-hertz.com

 

The post On-Hertz Artisto Ensures Flexibility appeared first on Radio World.

Sennheiser says its new HD 25 Light headphones are a more budget-friendly edition of its field-friendly headphones.

The HD 25 Light are closed back supra-aural with 1.5-meter long cables going to each ear. The connector is 1/8-inch/3.5 mm.

Sennheiser specs them at 16 Hz–22 kHz with a max SPL of 120 dB. Impedance is 70 ohms. Price: $99.95

Info: https://en-us.sennheiser.com

The post Sennheiser Redesigns HD 25 Headphones appeared first on Radio World.

The author is founder, College Radio Foundation and College Radio Day.

The impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has been significant. The difficult situation that many educational institutions find themselves in, of closing campus access to the community that uses it, affects college radio uniquely, and requires us to ask some questions of how we can continue to operate, and what we should do. For example, what does the current environment demand of college radio, what do we need to do? What are our FCC obligations during this time? How can we all share the burden we face together? How can college radio continue to function and even provide an important reminder to a worried public that radio is a lifeline and source of important information in a time of crisis? On a smaller level, what can college radio demonstrate to a university administration that it is not simply a fun activity, like other student groups on campus, but has a much larger reach beyond the university?

In a press conference on March 17, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai said that “broadcasters are ideally situated to the task” of informing the public about important news updates and developments during this period. When the College Radio Foundation took a group of college radio students to the FCC building in Washington in September 2018, we met with Ajit Pai in person, who said, on record, that college radio “has long been a staple of the campus experience, providing a platform for students to have their voices heard and the opportunity to shape their identities. … College radio has united listeners across the country and throughout the world.” So, college radio has an important role to play, just as other broadcasters are also seeing what they can do at this time.

For our students, the impact from these campus closures has been decisive. From what we have seen so far, there has been a profound loss of social interaction among our students and, because they are no longer able to access the radio station and broadcast as usual, there has been a loss of a creative outlet and means of communication.

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The radio station offices are also a place where many students feel a second home-from-home, and the loss of that social space to connect with other students involved with the radio station is upsetting for them. Yet, it’s not just the students who are feeling this. Many people are feeling the anxiety and loneliness of a suddenly enforced period of self-isolation. There is a risk during this time that we can lose some balance in what occupies our thoughts and become too focused on every bit of new information about the coronavirus.

That means we run the risk of decreasing doing other activities that bring us happiness, fun and relaxation.

One recent article in Wired magazine titled “Don’t Go Down a Coronavirus Anxiety Spiral,” suggests that to maintain a healthy mental state, we should “limit how much information [we] consume about the coronavirus outbreak. Try to find a balance between being informed enough to make decisions about your life, but not so overloaded with information that it becomes stressful.” That sounds like reasonable advice.

We need to keep things in perspective, and we need to be calm if we can. My former mentor, Prof. Tim Crook, now president of the Chartered Institute of Journalists in the U.K., asserts that “the media have a responsibility to show leadership, calm, and perspective.” College radio can do that. That calm approach should be reflected in the way we operate our college radio stations right now.

So, I believe that during this time, college radio stations do not need to disappear. There are things that can be done, even when students are not on campus. There is even a possibility that college radio stations could play an important role in providing information to the campus community and the local communities in which they reside and serve. Even with the transmitters shut down, college radio stations, and those that operate them (faculty, staff, students and community volunteers) can still create community and content that can be shared with a wider audience.

College radio can also continue to serve as an important outlet for student expression and creativity, it’s just that we perhaps need to use different tools to do so. There is no reason why college radio needs to be silent during this time. We just need to adapt to these current circumstances and work together to ensure that the medium continues its important work of providing voices not heard anywhere else, and music and programming that no one else will play on the air. Yes, this is a challenging time, but now, more than ever, college radio is up to the task.

 

The post College Radio and Coronavirus appeared first on Radio World.

The author is general manager of WCLQ(FM).

WAUSAU, Wis. — Our station, WCLQ, is a noncommercial 90 kW ERP Christian station in Wausau, Wis. As a noncom that relies on a steady stream of donations to meet expenses, staying on the air with a reliable signal is crucial to us. Our old Continental tube transmitter was working fine but we were starting to bump up against the realities of keeping it operational in the long term. Our budget for tube replacement and related maintenance kept going up.

We also had an interesting situation with the transmitter — we’re on a hot tower with cell antennas and periodically have to reduce our power so maintenance people can climb the tower. This requires three to six hours of lower power operation, after which we would remotely call into the transmitter to increase the power again — and sometimes this didn’t work. 

Even worse, almost every time we went through this power reduction cycle, we had to send our contract engineering company out to retune the transmitter. The higher engineering costs involved in retuning, coupled with the higher tube costs and our power bill for keeping those tubes lit up all added up to the decision that it was time to purchase a new, more efficient solid state transmitter.

Our engineering firm, Optimized Media Group, is led by Alex Hartman. Alex now works for Nautel but was still an independent contractor at the time of our new transmitter purchase. Our conversation about a new transmitter began a discussion on tube costs. Alex told me that in the tube market, it’s “luck of the day” pricing — it can cost anywhere from $1,500 to $6,000 to replace a tube and the rebuilt tubes just aren’t lasting like they used to. Back when new tubes were readily available, you could get close to 50,000 hours of life out of a tube. Now the typical life span is between 18 and 24 months. 

The fact that our Continental was still working turned out to be one of the best reasons to replace it now. Alex noted that we could have an off-air situation at any time and potentially have to wait a long time for a critical part … and during that off-air time we would not be bringing in any money. Alex’s comment was “The time to do this is now, while the transmitter is working fine, and not when it’s a smoldering hot mess on the floor.” We also discussed the potential of HD Radio operation — we aren’t running HD channels yet but want to do that in the not-too-distant future. Purchasing an HD-ready solid-state transmitter and switching the Continental to a backup position made perfect sense to me.

At the Wisconsin Broadcasters’ Clinic in Madison, we did some serious shopping. Nautel’s NV20LT quickly jumped to the top of our list. The testimonials we heard from other users were all positive and from everything I have read and heard about Nautel, it was a confident move for us. We placed our order and the new Nautel unit went on the air in October 2019. It was a smooth switchover; our total off-air time was less than five hours.

Dealing with Nautel in purchasing the new unit was fantastic. We had quality communication all around, absolutely no false salesmanship or techno-speak that I wouldn’t be able to follow. They knew how to speak to me as a GM. And, they were completely up front with the transmitter costs including shipping — nothing was hidden from me; there were no surprises.

Well, there was one surprise. The incredible quality of the packaging was mind-boggling. That transmitter was so well protected when it arrived! I am really impressed with Nautel’s shipping department.

We were hoping that putting the new transmitter on the air would help our coverage area, and we have been very pleased in this regard. The signal is both consistent and competitive. There is another station on our same frequency about two hours south of us and they had squeezed us out of a pretty significant listening area when they went on air. Now we’re getting good reports from people in that area that they can hear us nicely.

We’re excited about the new Nautel. The periodic power reductions for the cellular phone guys are not a problem at all, we just make some keystrokes on a computer via Nautel’s Advanced User Interface, and the return to full power is a painless process. Because the NV20LT is easily field-upgradable to HD Radio operation, we are now starting to plot out our HD operation ideas. We are looking into providing programming that will appeal to our full demographic and not just the younger people who like our current contemporary Christian music format.

We’re getting some cost savings as well. In the few months that we’ve had the NV20LT on the air, our power bills have been consistently lower than in the same period last year. Even better, maintenance costs are going to plummet. Periodic maintenance can be scheduled rather than having an emergency visit to retune a transmitter that didn’t return correctly to its full power. And, with a solid-state transmitter, swapping out modules can be done without going off-air at all! 

So, to other general managers who are wondering about why to replace your tube transmitter even if it’s still working … I say look at your maintenance budget, tube replacement budget and power bill, and a switch will make perfect sense.

For information, contact Nautel in Nova Scotia at 1-877-662-8835 or visit www.nautel.com.

The post User Report: WCLQ Leaves Tubes Behind for Nautel NV20^LT appeared first on Radio World.

This is how coronavirus response is playing out on the technical operations side of one of America’s leading major-market public radio stations. Rob Bertrand is senior director of technology for WAMU 88.5 American University Radio.

Radio World: What are we looking at in that white board photo?
Rob Bertrand: This is one white board in our technical operations area where we, as a team, are starting to “brain dump” the things we have been tracking individually. The situation is evolving so rapidly that a simple method, albeit crude, seemed like the best idea to keep all of us in the loop. We are figuring out what needs to be done short, medium, and longer term to achieve full remote operation.

RW: How “virtual” can you get, and why are you able to do so?
Bertrand: We plan to achieve 100% virtual operation. It will take several weeks to implement. We are leveraging Axia’s virtual console technology and the flexibility of an all-AOIP plant, combined with remote screen sharing tech like VNC and simple Remote Desktop to remotely control the Wide Orbit players in the studios. We want to keep our studio hardware the same to minimize the learning and configuration curve. Hosts and operators will literally control the same studio they normally do, they will just do it virtually. AOIP codecs like Comrex Access/BricLink/NX and Tieline VIA, as well as our Telos VX phones and PhoneBox screening platform are providing the connective tissue.

RW: What specific technical obstacles have you encountered that you have had to solve or are in process of being solved?
Bertrand: Firewall rules and various network snags are foremost. We are part of American University. While we operate a largely independent network, there are points where we intersect and must coordinate our activity. They are very focused on transitioning to remote learning right now. So weaving our work into that flow has been a consideration, but we’ve been able to accomplish what we’ve needed to together. There are also dozens of “little things” that usually lurk harmlessly in our backlog that are coming more to the forefront right now, at times requiring overnight work. Handling overnight work and dayside staffing with a small team is a challenge. I’m thankful our team is so committed to the work we are doing. Managing across different levels of internet connectivity at the homes of the hosts and board operators involved is also a challenge, but so far we have had good success.

RW: What has the impact been on air talent and on other WAMU staff?
Bertrand: We are learning as we go. There is no master plan for this. People always want to know what’s going on and when it is going to happen. The answers can be pretty fluid right now so patience and trust are key. It’s also critical that we as technologists keep the uneasiness of air staff top of mind. It can be tempting to say “you just need to do X.” But we need to remain mindful that they are dealing with the stresses of being the public name and voice of WAMU, doing that in an unfamiliar manner, and doing so from the otherwise private enclave of their home. Doing all that while also juggling parenting and other family commitments, while trying to deliver meaningful content is a real challenge. Our goal in the technology department is to create the most user friendly solutions we can and to be as responsive to requests as possible. We can’t take anything for granted or force talent into a workflow that isn’t intuitive for them at a time like this, especially. So we are working hand-in-hand with our talent to prototype and then iteratively improve these remote operations in-house, before deploying to home. This isn’t just setting up a remote with talent in the field and the board op back at the station. They need to be able to do it all, amid a rapidly changing environment.

RW: What lessons can other engineers and technical managers learn from what you’ve been doing these past few days?
Bertrand: One of the most important things we are doing is finding time to connect with one another as a technical team on a daily or near-daily basis. We give folks the chance to talk about what’s worrying them personally or professionally, as well as trying to find silver linings or things to celebrate where we can. Lots of people are depending on us to support them. We need to find ways to support one another as we go through this together.

The other piece is understanding that this is a shared learning process. There is no one person with all the answers. A hard timeline is laughable. We are developing rough plans as we go and constantly updating them as we learn more. We are being open with the people we support and underscoring that they are partners in this. We have to approach this work with open minds and a willingness to change plans at a moment’s notice. The more we learn, the clearer things become. But there is no one brilliant mind steering this all. The key is in connecting people with one another in a meaningful way and ensuring we are learning together. The AOIP tech that is enabling all of this is transformational. But it’s not out of the box nor are the answers obvious in a complex news environment. Focusing on people first and plans second has had tremendous impact and will continue to drive as much if not more success than the underlying technology.

RW: Do you think these changes will be permanent in any way?
Bertrand:  Some. Yes. We will have better production workflows for our talk shows. Things that we’ve been “meaning to get to” for a long time but are now critical. Will these work from home setups persist? I can’t imagine. But I can imagine a future where we deploy them for snowstorms and the like. Certainly all the different ways we are putting reporters and guests on the air will continue to be useful. Comrex Opal and Tieline ReportIt have been a real lifeline for ad-hoc news gathering and guests. They will no doubt stick around as part of our new arsenal.

RW: What else should we know?

Bertrand: We are also building a disaster recovery setup near our tower facility on the campus of American University just in case we run into trouble at our main facility. Our normal fallback facility is dealing with their own challenges, so we’ve had to improvise another DR location.

We are preparing for remote work, offsite operation, and potentially hunkering down in our facility for an extended period of time. Lots of contingency planning! And understanding that we can’t be too married to any single plan.

The post COVID-19 and Public Radio: WAMU’s Game Plan appeared first on Radio World.