Radio World

The annual HEAR Now audio festival is happening now and runs through the weekend. Its organizers are conducting the festival as an online event this year, and they have snagged Ed Asner as a headliner.

“In an effort to overwhelm the creative stifling associated with coast-to-coast stay-at-home orders, ‘HEAR Now Online’ will include audio arts luminaries teaching face-to-face audio storytelling, audiobook narration and audio production workshops while spotlighting and awarding accolades on some of the best audio storytelling performers in the audio arts industry,” they stated in an announcement.

Asner will be the guest on Saturday at 1 p.m. (Central time) for a live video session called “Ask Ed,” in which he’ll answer questions submitted by attendees earlier. In addition to his well-known television work, Asner has done voice work on “a plethora of audio plays, animated series and feature animated films.”

The organizers at the National Audio Theatre Festivals call the annual event “the audio equivalent of a film festival for contemporary audio storytelling in all its forms: live and scripted solo performances; multi-voiced, classic radio drama; experimental narrative; and much more.” It is normally held in theaters and other listening venues in Kansas City.

Also on the agenda: Celebrating Mark Twain features the life and words of the great author brought to life by voiceover artists). Podcast Palooza features the premiere of “Debs in Canton” starring Phil Proctor as Eugene V. Debs. And “Annihilators Of Distance” is a re-streaming of the audio play about Nicolai Tesla and Mark Twain that originally aired during last fall’s AES show.

Many of the online events are free; some with limited access involve a nominal fee. Info is at hearnowfestival.org.

The post Ed Asner Is Featured in Online HEAR Now Festival appeared first on Radio World.

Paul Rotella is doubling down: He wants the FCC not only to suspend any increases in broadcast fees but to permanently restructure and reduce them.

He is president and CEO of the New Jersey Broadcasters Association, one of the organizations filing comments about this issue with the Federal Communications Commission.

[Read: FCC Proposes Regulatory Fees for 2020 Amid Uncertain Media Marketplace]

He and other broadcasters have been vocal that a hike in fees for broadcasters is not warranted, especially in the days of coronavirus; and as we reported earlier, Rotella had written to Chairman Ajit Pai recently asking the commission to hold off raising fees for radio and TV. But now, he writes: “Upon further reflection, restructuring and reduction in regulatory fees for broadcasters is warranted.”

For one thing, he said, “It is well known that the FCC’s attention and workload is now consumed with 5G wireless including C-Band, CBRS, Ligado and the various other spectrum-parceling efforts, and it is those 5G activities that should bear the brunt of FCC regulatory fees.”

He also argues that many concerns about fees that were raised last year by broadcasters have not even been addressed by the commission. “Broadcasters deserve some explanation of those points before any consideration is given to the exponential increase in regulatory fees.”

[Read: FCC Rule Suspensions Could Help Broadcasters Now]

Further, the FCC should consider an across-the-board reduction, “given the changing and increasing technological burden placed on the FCC by emerging technologies and the eloquent simplicity of regulating our industry, along with broadcasters’ longstanding special place in the fabric of American society. Couple this with the fact that the industry has not enjoyed any meaningful increase in revenue in a decade, and yet, fees keep increasing at an alarming rate.”

Among several more reasons, he noted that state broadcast associations earlier had asked for changes because, they argued, the FCC had based the fee structure on defective data, and said that the process used to allocate fees among industries unfairly shifted FCC “overhead” costs to radio and TV stations.

And Rotella said this is an issue for television as well as radio stations, which has tended to get the attention. “Although radio was hard hit with 50% increase in fees last year, the arguments are still the same,” says Rotella, “Especially during this time of catastrophic economic upheaval, coupled with the precarious economic forecasts ahead, is simply imprudent and will likely further hobble local broadcasters’ efforts to survive in the aftermath of COVID-19.”

The commission is taking comments about fees in MD Docket No. 20-105 until June 12, and replies by June 29.

The post NJBA Pushes Harder on Fee Cuts appeared first on Radio World.

Xperi Corp. and TiVo Corp. recently completed their merger. To learn more about how this might affect readers of Radio World, we asked Xperi SVP of Broadcast Radio Joe D’Angelo.

[Read: Xperi and TiVo Complete Merger]

Radio World: What relevance does the merger have for people who follow the technology of radio and audio consumption?

Joe D’Angelo: Xperi and TiVo have a long-shared history supporting the media and creative industries (i.e. films and music). With little overlap in our legacy platforms, we are able to complement each other to boost our portfolio of offerings. 

Most meaningfully to broadcasters, the combined company will facilitate the delivery of the highest-quality images and much richer, deeper metadata (i.e. genre, release date, songwriter).

This is, of course, great for listeners and has the potential to simplify the radio industry’s reporting obligations. TiVo’s metadata will also help broadcasters better organize their internal content catalogue, make more informed programming decisions, and improve reporting accuracy.

The merger will have benefits across Xperi’s HD Radio, DTS Connected Radio and digital platforms including apps and websites.

[Read: Xperi Announces $3B Merger With TiVo]

RW: What specific technical change or improvement will we see in either HD Radio or in the hybrid radio DTS Connected Radio platform as a result of this business development?

D’Angelo: The TiVo metadata will continue to complement the implementation of the HD Radio Artist Experience feature for broadcasters who have adopted our technology and will provide Xperi with the ability to ensure consistent delivery of deep track information on the DTS Connected Radio platform.

RW: How exactly does a “metadata platform” help improve future radio product?

D’Angelo: Metadata is the key enabler for new digital platforms in terms of discovery, content identification, recommendations and personalization. Voice interfaces are also dependent on rich content metadata — think Alexi, Siri and similar. The metadata platform makes it possible to cut through the content chaos, brings content together, and makes it easy for listeners to find information specifically relevant to them.

RW: The company said that the solutions this merger is poised to bring “take radio and the digital dashboard to a completely new level of discovery and engagement.” Please explain.

D’Angelo: About discovery: Digital radio, both HD Radio in North America and DAB+ in Europe and Australia, has enabled a significant increase in the number of radio stations available to listeners in any given market. No longer is it viable to simply tune up and down a linear radio dial, frequency by frequency, to get a full understanding of all the programming on-air. In New York City, thanks to HD Radio, there are close to 100 FM analog and HD Radio stations; and in London, thanks to DAB+, there are now over 120 audio services.

With all this amazing new content, it is critical to provide new approaches to content discovery, navigation and selection. Metadata is the foundation to make this a reality.

Xperi is now able to present structured, searchable and categorized station information, including live now-playing data for display in the dashboard and driving voice interfaces. The end result is the most advanced and accurate digital program guide for radio to the dashboard.

As for engagement: Once the in-car user has identified and selected (queued) a radio station, Xperi’s platform elevates the audio experience with deep, engaging and informative text and images. This seamless and enhanced presentation becomes possible with the direct support of broadcast programmers, creative teams, and our rich metadata catalogue.

These enhancements, while common on other digital IP based services, are new and revolutionary for broadcast radio. We are now able to level the playing field with pure IP services and give listeners everything they could ask for from a digital audio platform, but from a free, over-the-air, live, and locally curated source. 

By using our platform, listeners will not only be able to get additional information about songs, events, topics, artists, and show hosts, but also interact with the programming by sharing feedback with the stations about song selections and discussion topics.

RW: What else should we know?

D’Angelo: This is just the tip of the iceberg in our combination of technology and services — we will be innovating on a number of fronts to ensure broadcast radio prominence in the dash.

[Read: Xperi Highlights Its In-Cabin Monitoring Efforts]

For example, we have recently won some in-cabin monitoring design-ins with key OEMs, and are looking to develop a feature where we combine that technology with our infotainment solution to provide a personalized user experience.

The post Q&A: Why the Xperi/TiVo Deal Matters for Radio appeared first on Radio World.

Great stories keep popping up about how radio stations have been involved in their communities during the COVID mess. Here’s one from Chippewa Falls, Wis.

WOGO, licensed to Stewards of Sound Inc. and heard on FM and AM, says it was approached by the local high school and asked if it would be possible to broadcast a graduation ceremony as it does football games.

“With so many schools going virtual-only for commencement, which disappointed many, they wanted to find a way to give their seniors something special,” said Sales Manager/Promotions Director Caleb Svendsen in an email about the event.

[Read: This Is the Time to Make Connections]

Sounds like it was a hit. The Chi-Hi “Drive-In Graduation!” featured more than 300 seniors and their families. They started in their decorated vehicles at a fairground; and with the familiar graduation song “Pomp & Circumstance” being played over the air, they processed through town escorted by police. “The community came out to yards and sidewalks to cheer on the Class of 2020 as they listened to the commencement broadcast on WOGO.”

The ceremony was carried on its FM and AM signals and online streaming. The station provided audio to the school’s video stream so relatives and pals could watch and listen. It even arranged for live drone footage that could be watched in real time.

WOGO had prerecorded speeches from the principal and valedictorian. “These speeches were aired as the cars prepared to embark on their procession, and during the journey to the high school to receive diplomas.”

The broadcast also featured senior sports highlights, honored faculty retirees, played the alma mater and school song, and featured student voicemails with “Senior Year Memories.” Music featured the school’s musicians including choirs, orchestras and marching band.

“As the graduates rolled through the bus loop in front of the school and received diplomas from their gloved-and-face-shielded principal, the WOGO graduation play-by-play crew provided live commentary for each and every senior: awards and commendations, future plans, their advice to next year’s class, teacher comments, etc.,” Svendsen wrote. “A percentage of all sponsorship revenue was set aside and, through short essays where seniors both applied and nominated a classmate, $1,600 in scholarships were awarded.”

Favorable June weather helped … and Svendsen adds that the ceremony was shorter than most and not in a hot gym. He called the effort “a collaborative labor of love with school, station and community.”

Tell Radio World about your station’s special event or project. Email radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post How WOGO Helped a Wisconsin School Graduate Seniors appeared first on Radio World.

Xperi announced recently that its in-cabin monitoring technology was selected by four auto brands for use in new vehicles, bringing to 20 the total number of its new vehicle “design-ins.”

The company, which broadcasters know best as the parent of HD Radio and DTS Connected Radio, is seeking to partner with more car and truck companies to advance monitoring technologies that it says are redefining the “in-cabin experience.” As cars become more autonomous, it says, the importance of these technologies will continue to grow.

“Our detection technology enables OEMs to offer a safer, more personalized and convenient experience for drivers and occupants, today and into the future. Our systems have the capability to be effective even if drivers or occupants are wearing face masks as so many are today,” said Jeff Jury, the general manager of automotive, in a company announcement in May.

The company said its driver monitoring solution is shipping in five light commercial vehicles from three OEM brands, and that 15 new vehicle design-ins for occupants and drivers will go into production starting next year.

Xperi says its monitoring technologies provide driver and occupant “state analytics” using edge computing and neural networks. “In addition to detecting all human occupants of a vehicle, our solution detects pets and relevant objects, such as child seats. For each human occupant, the technology provides advanced analytics such as passenger authentication, age group, emotional state, and body pose.”

Watch an Xperi video about its in-cabin monitoring systems:

The company says its algorithms can monitor drivers wearing glasses, helmets, hats, scarves and face masks. “Occlusion handling has become a particularly valuable feature today as so many people around the world are wearing face masks as a preventative measure against COVID-19,” it stated.

The website TechTheLead subsequently picked up on this announcement and riffed on the kinds of consumer interactions that it might make possible in an article headlined “If You Can Dream It, Your Car Will Do It.”

“Xperi’s driver monitoring solution is able to detect a distracted or drowsy driver and keep him safe behind the wheel using visual cues (face detection and tracking, head position, eye gaze, eyelid opening, etc),” wrote author Mara Anton. “Xperi’s in-cabin solutions can be tailored by car manufacturers to fit their design needs and creative use-cases. A car that turns into a moving cinema? One that acts like a portable office? Or a vehicle that’s a therapist on the go? It’s all up to the manufacturer’s path to fully-autonomous vehicles and your imagination, of course!” Read that here.

The post Xperi Highlights Its In-Cabin Monitoring Efforts appeared first on Radio World.

Among the top 10 podcast publishers, iHeartRadio and NPR account for nearly half of the streams and downloads.

That’s a data point noted by the financial publication Learnbonds, which dug into some interesting numbers about podcasting in an article for investors. It found that as podcasts continue to become more mainstream, major publishers have emerged as top players that account for almost a billion streams and downloads within a month.

“Data gathered by Learnbonds.com indicates that only 10 podcast publishers accounted for 893.78 million streams and downloads in May 2020,” it wrote, citing Podtrac data.

[Read: Westwood One’s Wordock on Maintaining — and Monitoring — Podcast Audiences]

“iHeartRadio podcasts attracted the highest downloads and streams at 216.15 million followed by NPR with 208.92 million. Among the top 10 podcast publishers, iHeartRadio and NPR accounted for 47.6% of the streams and downloads.”

Number three was the New York Times, number four PRX and number five Barstool Sports.

“It is no surprise that iHeartRadio hosted podcasts had the highest streams and downloads in May,” the company told its readers. “The platform has a large library of podcasts covering diverse topics. In 2019 iHeartRadio embarked on a mission to grow its numbers of podcast listeners. iHeartRadio launched a podcast recommendation engine to its listeners based on their audio preferences. This new feature on the app has played a major role in increasing the number of podcast streams and downloads. Additionally, iHeartRadio acquisition of Stuff Media made it the top commercial podcast publisher.”

“The growing downloads and streams for the highlighted publishers are driven by various factors like marketing. However, most people might have turned to podcasts as a means of passing time while in lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak,” Learnbonds wrote.

Among other findings, the company listed countries where podcasting is most popular, based on data from several sources, and found South Korea leading with 53% of citizens having listened to podcasts, followed by Spain, Ireland and Sweden. The United States is fifth with 35%.

The post Big Podcasters Generate Big Numbers appeared first on Radio World.

The FCC announced today that it will not apply long-standing TV station ownership restrictions to the lease of spectrum to provide “Broadcast Internet” services via the new ATSC 3.0 advanced television standard.

This decision comes in the form of a Declaratory Ruling approved unanimously during the FCC’s June Open Commission meeting. It allows a broadcast TV licensee to lease spectrum to another broadcaster (including one in the same geographic market) or to a third party for ancillary and supplementary service without triggering the FCC’s broadcast attribution or ownership rules.

The commission said it was an important step in the growth of next-generation data services that will come about from the transition to ATSC 3.0 and serve as a complement to the nation’s future 5G network. As a “one-to-many” IP service, this could allow more efficient software downloads for autonomous vehicles, smart agriculture or telemedicine and are broadly referred to what Carr termed as “Broadcast Internet.”

In addition to the Declaratory Ruling, the FCC issued an accompanying Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, seeking comments on whether and how to modify its existing ancillary and supplementary service rules in order to further promote the deployment of Broadcast Internet services. The commission also seeks public input on potential uses of the new technological capability associated with ATSC 3.0 and any existing regulatory barriers to deployment, as well as if any changes are needed to the ancillary and supplementary service fee rules and the rules defining derogation of service and analogous services.

“Today’s action takes important steps to further unlock the potential of broadcast spectrum, empower innovation and create significant value for broadcasters and the American public alike by removing the uncertainty cast by legacy regulations,” the FCC said.

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said Broadcast Internet could be a new competitive broadcast pipe, giving broadcasters an even greater role in the competitive market.

Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said that traditional TV was on the move, and while it is important to clarify that broadcast ownership rules don’t apply, it was also important to remember that ATSC 3.0 lacks a return path for data, which is a problem for telehealth and remote work.

NAB’s Senior Vice President of Communications Ann Marie Cumming issued a statement on the FCC’s actions: “NAB appreciates the commission’s efforts to provide greater regulatory certainty with respect to potential future uses of the NextGen TV transmission standard. Broadcasters are excited about innovative applications this standard makes possible, in addition to the standard’s ability to unlock the next generation of television service for our viewers.”

The post FCC Says TV Ownership Rules Don’t Apply to Broadcast Internet via 3.0 appeared first on Radio World.

A recent Radio World article about an AM monitor receiver included the author’s comment, “No, analog AM stereo is not making a comeback.”

Please know 100 stations in the United States still broadcast in C-QUAM AM stereo, and there are more returning. A Class B AM station in the New Orleans market will be starting C-QUAM as I write. There is one in Texas and more thinking about it. Australia has announced four stations there will be begin C-QUAM stereo transmissions in the next month or two.

It’s a shame that auto receiver manufacturers do not include C-QUAM in their products. But thousands of AM stereo car radios are still in use in Australia. In the U.S., that number will likely be higher since cars are now peaking in their lifespan, averaging as much as 17 years; with over 250 million on the road, that can mean a fairly large number out there still with a C-QUAM-capable radio, not to mention that certain HD car radios can decode C-QUAM, though not in wide bandwidth fidelity.

The HD Radios only need some code written to decode it and open up the bandwidth for full analog fidelity while also doing DSP-based noise blanketing to reduce static noise and do signal-based adaptive bandwidth so the adjacent channel is not a problem on weak signals.

Wanna hear AM stereo? Go to WION’s web site and listen to their stream off their Carver TX11B receiver.

If the FCC really wants to do AM revitalization, they should and could issue a mandate that AM stereo be included in any FM stereo radio and include AMAX performance plus DSP NB where applicable.

As a former AM stereo owner (KLLS facility 31108), I found people want to listen to AM with a good format, especially if they have a decent receiver. I had people with 1990s cars with C-QUAM radios enjoying the rich full sound of my AM stereo station. It can be made to work with today’s technology, if my years of being associated with Land Mobile Radio and experts on noise abatement like George Munsch, W5VPQ (formerly with GE, who wrote the book on the subject for the U.S. Navy!) has taught me.

A decent noise blanker can take a noise situation down 20–40 dB. I experienced such with Midland LMR FM radios on VHF low-band FM; they even outperformed Motorolas! Now if that can be done on a 20 kHz wide FM signal, I’m sure at medium-wave the technology can work with a 20 kHz AM signal.

The opinions expressed here are not intended to represent those of my employer; this is my personal opinion as an engineer for 40+ years, a former AM C-QUAM station owner and group admin of the Facebook group AM Stereo C-QUAM.

Comment on this or any story. Email radioworld@futurenet.com with “Letter to the Editor” in the subject field.

The post Letter to the Editor: AM Stereo Is Still an Option appeared first on Radio World.

A new logo program is intended to help consumers in Europe make sense of the proliferating number of radio technologies.

The SmartRadio logo will appear on devices that provide access to radio stations through analog FM, digital DAB+ and over the internet via Wi-Fi. The products must support all three modes to use the logo, which is meant to help consumers easily identify such devices.

The announcement came from technology provider Frontier Smart Technologies and by consultancy Science Group. Listing the benefits, they quoted Mark Huijsmans, director of product marketing at Roberts Radio, saying, “The SmartRadio logo will help consumers understand the true benefits of the product and is less confusing than the current diverse terminology: digital radio, hybrid radio, internet radio, connected radio and many more.”

They said the plan supported by consumer electronic brands selling to European markets including Blaupunkt, Dual, Grundig, Hama, JVC Kenwood, Lemega, Lenco, Majority, Medion, Philips, Pure, Roberts Radio, Ruark Audio, Sonoro, TechniSat, Teufel, TT Micro, department store John Lewis & Partners, as well as Frontier Smart Technologies.

[Read: Hybrid Radio Breaks Out]

“The consumer audio market has a range of product categories which can overlap, creating confusion for consumers as to the difference between products marketed as radios, smart speakers, internet radios or media streaming devices,” they announced.

“Recent consumer research commissioned by Digital Radio UK concluded that 87% of consumers planning to purchase a radio would be likely to buy a radio that combined FM, DAB and delivered services via the internet. The most popular term that would encourage a purchase when compared to other options was SmartRadio.”

They drew the analogy to success in the television market with “smart” TVs. They noted that with “smart” receiver products, radio stations are always available regardless of whether the station is coming from the internet, DAB or FM; that thousands of stations around the world can be accessed; and that radio service is enhanced by content such as podcasts and on-demand music streaming. Also, the products can receive over-the-air software updates.

Frontier said products using its SmartRadio platforms are expected to be available later this year.

The post SmartRadio Logo Aims to Help Europeans Make Sense of New Platforms appeared first on Radio World.

Read how WNYC and New York Public Media confronted the pandemic in our interview with Steve Shultis. Learn more best practices for your AM directional array from Mark Persons. Consider seven traits of a good radio engineer from Larry Wilkins. And see what the new hybrid radio screens look like in Audi models coming this fall.

Prefer to do your reading offline? No problem! Simply click on the digital edition, go to the left corner and choose the download button to get a PDF version.

The post Inside the June 10 Issue of Radio World appeared first on Radio World.

The 2020 NAB Show New York, which was slated for Oct. 21–22, is following suit with the NAB’s spring conference and going virtual.

The announcement came in the form of a letter from NAB’s Executive Vice President of Conventions and Business Operations Chris Brown. He said that the decision is based on surveying of the show community and consultation with state and local officials in New York, as well as the Javits Convention Center, where the event was scheduled to take place.

The event will take place this fall, though no specific date was provided at this time.

Among the things expected to be included in the program will be Post|Production World Online, produced in partnership with Future Media Conferences, TVNewsCheck’s TV2025 and other conference programs. Exhibitors are also expected to be able to share product information, demonstrations and make announcements. Educational content and virtual network opportunities will also be provided, per the announcement.

“Our goal for the digital experience is to provide a valuable forum for the industry to restart, refocus and reengage,” said Brown.

Additional details are expected in the coming weeks.

The NAB Show Express drew a reported 40,000 participants.

Brown concludes his letter by saying that both the 2021 NAB Show in Las Vegas and 2021 NAB Show New York are expecting to take place in person.

In addition to the spring edition of the NAB Show, IBC and Cable-Tec Expo are among the industry conferences that are going virtual this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The post NAB Show New York Switched to Virtual Conference appeared first on Radio World.

Should brands stop advertising during a pandemic? Can they afford not to?

One thing I’ve been wondering is how consumers have been feeling about advertising nowadays, with so many folks out of work, anxious about the future and suspicious or judgmental about a retailer’s motives.

I headed to one of my go-to sources for marketing trends, eMarketer. For the uninitiated, eMarketer is a subscription-based service that aggregates research studies and presents its own take concerning trends.

In this case, eMarketer concluded that consumers didn’t feel that brands should stop advertising during the pandemic. It stated that while “consumers don’t expect brands to abandon advertising, brands should rethink their strategies. Campaigns that were planned pre-pandemic may no longer be appropriate as consumers clamor for information about how the crisis is being handled and how they can stay safe. That includes information about how brands are responding to COVID-19.”

It doesn’t take a research project to know that more people than ever were spending time watching television this spring; just look at Netflix’s growth numbers. But what about listening to radio?

Radio is at its best when there’s trouble, supplying vital information and entertainment.
— Radio Advertising Bureau

According to Nielsen, which researched the question in late March, eight in 10 people said they were spending the same or more time listening to radio as a result of circumstances surrounding the pandemic. “Sixty percent of American adults 18 and older hold radio in high regard and trust it to deliver timely information about the current COVID-19 outbreak.”

Or, according to the Radio Advertising Bureau, “Radio is at its best when there’s trouble, supplying vital information and entertainment.”

Mindset of Support
Practically speaking, where does this leave local radio, for this crisis or the next one? The glass is most definitely half-full.

Listenership is healthy. Radio advertising still produces results and radio can make all the difference in delivering important local information and entertainment.

While there is no question that advertising will be soft until normalization, there are things to be done now that will benefit both your station and your business community.

Begin with the mindset of supporting your loyal clients and consider approaching the challenge differently than ever before.

During the Great Depression, my grandmother, who operated a clothing store in a small industrial Pennsylvania town, gave her customers credit when times were hard. Now, as opportunities to open retail expand, many businesses will be struggling to regain footing or even to survive. Your willingness to offer advertising credit for a few months could make a significant difference in generating revenue for local retail.

Perhaps you could take one or two days of the week on which you air advertising “on credit” — say, a Sunday/Monday. First, as can be typical, some of the spots would be bonus ads for your best clients. Then, you would air a limited number of units-on-credit — in effect maximizing inventory on your bonus/credit days — for clients who will defer payment for 60 days. You can rotate these clients weekly for equitable distribution.

Could you consider scheduling a limited number of “on credit” remote broadcasts? Perhaps the retailer could compensate the talent with goods/trade, or the “remote” could simply be a phoner with one of your DJs interviewing that business owner about what’s going on with their store or chain. Or you might creatively put several businesses together in a 30-second commercial that focuses on a campaign strategy, such as “Minneapolis Strong: We’re In This Together.”

Another approach might be to shift your attention more toward clients in the service and other industries, who are not reliant on foot traffic. Could you get set up to text coupons or special offers that are promoted on-air? Is there anything you can do to feature businesses that are reopening by using your social platforms or websites?

Naturally, the content of the advertising must reflect the current situation, so you must ensure that copy suitably addresses such topics as social distancing, safety, delivery, special hours of operation and other directives that are unique to the client.

Who Had Their Back?
Working from my dining room table, it’s easy for me to suggest a shift in sales strategy and to be generous with your advertising units. I’m aware that owners and groups will be concerned about setting precedents. However, this time will pass and when that happens, strong relationships will surely drive success.

These are unprecedented times. Perhaps your team developed better ideas than my suggestions. I highly encourage serious discussion about how your station can help stimulate the local economy without destroying your own business, now or in the next business crisis. Letting staff go and totally automating is certainly the most direct approach in cutting expenses, but it does nothing to set stations up for the future. It breaks my heart that some will have no choice.

I will say that my grandmother’s customers never forgot her generosity. Even when larger, name-brand stores with lower prices opened to compete against her, she never lost her loyal customer base. She made a solid community connection, the goal of radio stations everywhere. Especially nowadays.

Comment on this or any story. Email radioworld@futurenet.com with “Letter to the Editor” in the subject line.

The post This Is the Time to Make Connections appeared first on Radio World.

Westwood One uses the term “remarkable” in describing results of a second study by Nielsen about U.S. consumer sentiment on COVID-19 and their purchasing intentions.

The radio network discussed this survey on its blog, where it frequently points to data about the reach and impact of radio and of radio advertising.

[Read: Radio Listening Audiences Rebound Despite Pandemic Impact]

In its latest, Pierre Bouvard, the chief insights officer for Cumulus Media and Westwood One, compared answers given in a Nielsen survey in late May with one conducted at the end of April. “While only a month separates the two studies, the shift in American attitudes on reopening of the economy and a return to normalcy is remarkable.”

It said so-called “ready to go” optimists perceive less risk, feel safer and indicate their cities are emerging from the COVID-19 crisis. These optimists and heavy AM/FM radio listeners “are opening up the economy, with strong lifts in spending on both essentials and nonessentials.”

Home improvement, home services, professional services and auto dealers will be the beneficiaries of strong spending from AM/FM radio listeners, “far greater than from TV viewers,” it said.

Also, it found, driving has increased overall, which in turn has caused AM/FM radio listening to “recover and grow.”

Read the post.

The post Bouvard: More People Are “Ready to Go” appeared first on Radio World.

The MMTC hopes you can help a fellow broadcaster whose business was damaged during the recent protests in St. Paul, Minn. It asks for possible equipment donations or other support.

Kongsue Xiong is an immigrant from Laos, an American citizen and a minority broadcast owner, according to the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council. He began working with MMTC, it said, when KFXN(AM) was donated to the organization by iHeartRadio. The station serves the large Hmong-American community in St. Paul with news, talk and entertainment.

[Read: MMTC Incubates New Minority Radio Owners]

“Kongsue ran the station for many years under an LMA; in 2014 he became the licensee and operator of the station. Today he is facing a difficult time keeping his station on the air and dealing with damage to his building, which is an unexpected expense,” MMTC stated in an email. “In the past weeks, prior to the protests his equipment began to fail; he now has to invest in restoring his studio building from the protest damage.”

“MMTC is seeking to assist him to get over this hurdle by soliciting on his behalf radio gear to be donated to Asian American Broadcasting. Please let us know how you might help, reach out to Suzanne Gougherty or David Honig.”

The post MMTC Seeks Donated Gear for Broadcaster Hit by Protest appeared first on Radio World.

Super Hi-Fi is celebrating being named winner of the 2020 Midemlab competition for music tech startups in the Music Distribution and Discovery category.

The company has been in the news for its AI-based technology that it says “creates unique audio experiences by weaving together discrete audio elements and music into perfectly-produced, highly engaging listening experiences.”

[Read: iHeart’s Tech Strategy Puts Spotlight on “Super Hi-Fi”]

The technology is used by iHeartRadio, Sonos, TargetSpot and other media companies.

Zack Zalon is co-founder and CEO of Super Hi-Fi. He was quoted in the announcement saying “We believe that differentiation will be the primary driver of growth for the streaming music industry in the coming years, and this award is an excellent proof point that our vision is starting to break through.” Super Hi-Fi noted that past Midemlab winners include familiar names like Soundcloud, Kickstarter, The Echo Nest, NextBigSound and Asaii.

The upcoming June 24 issue of Radio World features an interview with Zack Zalon about Super Hi-Fi’s business and technology.

The post Super Hi-Fi Snags Midemlab Honor appeared first on Radio World.

Keyur Parikh has been promoted to become vice president of engineering at GatesAir, succeeding Tony Kobrinetz, who retires.

Parikh most recently was director and VP/GM of the company’s Intraplex Product Group; Ted Lantz now takes on that role.

The manufacturer said Parikh will have “increased responsibilities across engineering team management and system software development for all product lines.” He reports to CEO Bruce Swail.

[Read: GatesAir Boosts Global Sales Team]

“Parikh is the chief architect of GatesAir’s Intraplex IP networking products, and led a global development team that introduced several award-winning products,” the company stated. “His innovations include Intraplex NetXpress, which broke ground in 2005 as the industry’s first IP audio and data multiplexer; the IP Link family of codecs, GatesAir’s flagship product line for the Intraplex business today; and Intraplex Ascent, GatesAir’s first cloud-based transport platform, introduced last year.” It noted that he holds patents for media transport and synchronization over wide-area IP networks, and is a past recipient of Radio World’s Industry Innovator Award.

Swail was quoted saying Parikh did “an excellent job managing a fully integrated Intraplex business unit while maintaining the brand’s industry leadership position.” Swail noted Parikh’s background in software development and systems engineering, saying it is “consistent with GatesAir’s continued product evolution from hardware to software-oriented platforms.”

Radio World welcomes announcements of hires, promotions and retirements of radio technology and engineering professionals. Email radioworld@futurenet.com with “People News” in the subject line.

The post GatesAir Promotes Parikh to VP of Engineering appeared first on Radio World.

While NAB’s official move into its new headquarters in Washington, D.C., are on hold, the association’s old office is in the process of starting anew.

Photos, credited to King Golden, show that renovations have begun on NAB’s previous headquarters at 1771 N St. NW near Dupont Circle. According to a report from Washington Business Journal, Stream Realty Partners is overseeing the renovation that will include a new facade, rooftop deck and other common-area amenities.

[Read: NAB Buys New Building For $62.8 Million]

Kyle Luby, managing partner for Stream Realty’s D.C. region, told Washington Business Journal the location can be one of the “most unique trophy buildings” in D.C.

At the time of the original report, the expected completion date was February 2021, but it is unclear if/how the coronavirus pandemic may have impacted that deadline.

NAB had planned to move into their new offices, located at One M St. SE, near Nationals Park, this spring, but dates were impacted because of COVID-19. No move-in date has been announced.

The post Renovations Underway at Old NAB Headquarters appeared first on Radio World.

Radial Engineering has shipped its new BT-Pro V2 Bluetooth DI. The unit is intended for feeding smartphones, tablets and other Bluetooth devices to a PA system, studio interface or powered speaker.

Expected applications include production and project studios, houses of worship, installed sound (gyms, dance studios), live sound, presentations or any environment where providing audio and music playback via Bluetooth connection is desired.

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

According to Radial, the new V2 edition of the BT-Pro provides “significantly improved audio quality and range.” Since many users need to connect multiple devices in a single room, each BT Pro-V2 ships with a unique ID. The new BT-Pro V2 can now be powered by either 48V phantom or a USB-C connection.

Like the original, the BT-Pro V2 includes an output level control with an output range from mic level to line level. It also features mono-sum, pair/reset switches, and a 3.5 mm headphone output. An updated chassis design makes the BT-Pro V2 more durable and extends the Bluetooth connection range.

The BT-Pro V2 has a unique identifier that shows up as a six-digit numerical code, allowing users to connect an iPhone to the PA without having to search through drawers looking for wires.

Info: www.radialeng.com

The post Radial Launches BT-Pro V2 Stereo Bluetooth DI appeared first on Radio World.

After a recent article I wrote concerning the increase use of low-power unlicensed transmitters by churches and other organizations, Low-Power Transmitter Guidance From Larry Wilkins.

It garnered some responses concerning additional information about the legal power of these units.

While power is an important item, the commission’s rules in Part 15 seem to center on signal strength. On FM frequencies, these devices are limited to 250µV/meter at 3 meters.

For the nontechnical this is an effective service range of approximately 200 feet (61 meters). This relates to Section 15.239, and the July 24, 1991 Public Notice (still in effect).

On the AM broadcast band (although AM is rarely used) these devices are limited to an effective service range of approximately 200 feet (61 meters). See 47 CFR Sections 15.207, 15.209, 15.219, and 15.221. These devices must accept any interference caused by any other operation, which may further limit the effective service range.

15.219 Operation in the [AM] band 510–1705 kHz:

• The total input power to the final radio frequency stage (exclusive of filament or heater power) shall not exceed 100 milliwatts.
• The total length of the transmission line, antenna and ground lead (if used) shall not exceed 3 meters.

This will render (according to the July 1991 notice) an approximate maximum AM coverage radius of 200 feet.

[Read: Begging to Differ on Part 15 Regulations]

As we stated in the original article these devices must be registered by the FCC and the proper use of the recommended antenna system to comply with the rules.

The post More on Part 15 Guidance appeared first on Radio World.

The Media Bureau approved the reinstatement of a low-power FM license in Arizona over the objection of a nearby broadcaster who cried foul about FCC rule violations.

ITV.com, which is licensee of KBSZ(AM) in Apache Junction, Ariz., contested the grant of an application filed by San Tan Educational Media, which holds a license for the LPFM station KFXY in Mesa, Ariz. ITV alleged multiple rule violations including unauthorized transfer of control and nonconforming construction violations.

After the station was licensed in 2015, the family members that comprised the original San Tan board left Arizona and moved to Texas, which meant a 100% board change had happened — in effect, San Tan allowed for a new board without asking the Federal Communications Commission for its assent to the transfer of control.

[Read: Arizona LP Licensee Agrees to $1,500 Consent Decree]

San Tan acknowledged the error and tried to correct he matter by filing a transfer application. The station went silent while those matters were pending due to a local dispute over San Tan’s use of a new site.

The Media Bureau saw the board change as a violation and in response, San Tan signed a consent decree in which they agreed to pay a civil forfeiture and set up a compliance plan to prevent future violations. The bureau also determined that San Tan’s violations did not disqualify them for holding a license. The station was subsequently silent for more than 12 consecutive months and was given an extension to stay silent even longer by the FCC. The commission thus reinstated the station’s license and extended the time for San Tan to resume broadcasting. San Tan then resumed operating on Jan. 15, 2020.

But ITV cried foul in a Petition For Reconsideration filed with the FCC. The company argued that the bureau misapplied its own rules by giving an extension to San Tan and it miscalculated the deadline for resumption of operations.

The Media Bureau said that its decision to reinstate the station’s license was correctly based on its desire to promote equity and fairness, one of three principals it relies on when figuring out whether to reinstate a station’s license after more than 12 consecutive months of silence.

The Media Bureau also dismissed ITV’s allegation that San Tan used an incorrect antenna mounted at an unauthorized height. It says that these newly alleged facts by ITV are insufficient to reconsider San Tan’s fitness to hold a license.

While the bureau agreed with ITV’s assertion that San Tan violated FCC rules by not filing a transfer application before its board change, it disagreed with the argument that the organization could have been running amuck with a new board filled with unqualified directors. The bureau rejected the idea that these circumstances caused the station’s license to expire. Yes, San Tan underwent  a board change but operations that happened before San Tan managed to file the right forms were not equivalent to “unlicensed pirate operations,” the bureau said.

The commission also shot down ITV’s request that the bureau recalculate San Tan’s return-to-air deadline. There’s nothing in the Communications Act or FCC Rules that specifies the amount of time that the commission may give a silent station upon reinstating a license.

As a result, the bureau denied ITV’s Petition For Reconsideration regarding the reinstatement of San Tan’s low-power broadcast license.

The post Arizona LPFM Can Continue Broadcasting appeared first on Radio World.