NBCUniversal and Sky, Comcast’s twin visual media and entertainment arms, have launched a global consultancy and research arm.
And, in a sign of the times, it is centered around culture.
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It was a busy Tuesday on Capitol Hill for Members of the lower body of Congress, as the House of Representatives passed five communications and technology bills.
Among the legislation approved: the MEDIA Diversity Act of 2021 (H.R. 1754). House Members also passed a non-binding resolution reaffirming Congress’s commitment to media diversity that sees them pledge to work with the private sector on solutions eliminating barriers to media diversity.
It’s now up to the Senate, and its Republican members, to get a Senate version of H.R. 1754 passed and readied for President Biden to sign.
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In September, Clay Freinwald will step down from his role as chair of the State Emergency Communications Committee in Washington state.
He has held that volunteer position longer than the Emergency Alert System has existed. Indeed, in 1996, when Freinwald was asked — by Entercom engineer John Price and the late Jimmy Hocutt of the state’s Emergency Management Division — to chair the SECC, the task at hand was to help write the state EAS plan, because the FCC was phasing out the Emergency Broadcasting System.
Several of the people who joined the committee at that time are still on it 25 years later, including current Vice Chair Ted Buehner.
[Read: Washington State EAS Is Evolving]
Freinwald continues to work part-time at Northwest Public Broadcasting as a telecommunications engineer, where he recently was involved with a transmitter installation at KQWS(FM) in Omak, Wash. He also provides site services for four American Tower sites around Seattle; he does contract work for KIRO(FM) and KING(FM); and he helps out at Bustos Media station KMIA(AM) in his hometown of Auburn, Wash.
He wants to spend more time on those activities as well as life at home; but said he’ll be available to work in other SECC roles if needed. “I would like to continue to deal with monitoring assignments, as this is part of our new plan,” he told Radio World.
Freinwald, who for a decade also chaired the EAS committee of the national Society of Broadcast Engineers, received Radio World’s “Excellence in Engineering” Award in 2007, and he was honored by the National Association of Broadcasters in 2018 with its Service to Broadcast Engineering Achievement Award. He’s also the rare engineer to receive a “Broadcaster of the Year” award from a state association; the Washington State Association of Broadcasters bestowed that honor in 1997.
New Plans in Place
In September the Washington SECC will roll out WA-PAWS, for Washington Public Alert and Warning Systems, incorporating updates as well as items required by the FCC for the EAS plan.
That’s timely, given that Congress and the commission are pressing states and their SECCs for a more organized and structured approach to alert management. But it seems Washington is one state that doesn’t need prompting.
Among the nation’s SECCs, the one in Washington has been among the most visible. When the commission asks for public input on an alerting issue, the Washington SECC usually is among those who reply. When the FCC began work on its Alert Reporting System, the state committee helped out with the beta testing.
Freinwald told me the group has historically tried to go beyond EAS by embracing all forms of public alert and warning. “Yes, Washington State’s program is different. We do what we feel should be done for the citizens here and are not limited by the FCC’s rules.”
He recalls being asked by the commission to send a copy of their state EAS plan, so he took a picture of its two large binders and asked if the commission really wanted copies of all of that information. (“We knew that one day we would want to change the title on the front of that binder.”)
[Read: Freinwald: Blue Alerts Offer No Tangible Improvements]
What might other states learn from the Washington experience?
“In many ways, our states are like ships passing in the night,” he said. “We all can, and should, be learning from each other. Washington has, perhaps, done a better job than some. Our goal to constantly improve is at the core of that.
“One of the biggest problems has been a lack of federal leadership and guidance,” he continued. “Some of this is based on the fear and/or respect for states’ rights, perhaps. The FCC recognizes this in that when states and territories submit their ‘plans,’ they get over 50 different approaches. The ARS will certainly help with this problem by providing some structure that has been lacking.”
But he noted that some states don’t even have a functioning SECC. “The fact that there is not a requirement to have one has not helped,” he said. “Clearly Congress was not happy with the situation in Hawaii, and this has started the ball rolling.”
He feels that the commission now is taking steps in the right direction that that it could do more. And he emphasizes that in Washington, EAS is a team effort.
“We work with a number of private and government entities. Communications is vital. We have email remailers for everyone in the state as well as one for the SECC members, and we do a lot of outreach and training.
“We have been blessed, and I am very proud of what we have been able to accomplish,” he said. “This is not to say that we are perfect; we are far from it, and have a lot of work to do going forward. There is always room for improvement.”
The post Freinwald to Resign Washington SECC’s Chair appeared first on Radio World.
The author is senior solutions architect at Nova Entertainment.
When the 2000-vintage Klotz audio systems at Nova Entertainment Australia came up for replacement, the Technology & Content teams joined forces to design and deliver new spaces that more effectively captured, distributed and monetized content for multiple platforms.
Nova Entertainment operates stations in all major Australian capital cities. Because the Sydney site was the oldest and busiest, it was chosen first. The former system’s configurations were rigid by today’s standards and custom-designed only for live broadcast radio content. Due to capabilities, some studios went days without use, while others worked round the clock.
[Read more Radio World articles about audio consoles and mixers]
In recent years, content like podcasts have emerged as a major contributor to ongoing success as well as the now-inseparable video integration. Inspiration was therefore taken from numerous international TV studios as well as radio. Jago Design in the U.K. was engaged to help develop the initial concepts.
The technical design went out to tender a few years ago and a robust evaluation process followed.
In the end, the technology chosen was Lawo Ruby consoles and Power Core IP audio I/O and DSP nodes, Arista switches, Lawo VisTool and VSM, Riedel’s MediorNet video router, the Riedel Artist comms system, Philips Commercial Displays, Scala digital signage players, IHSE KVM extenders and routers, DMX lighting fixtures, and Panasonic PTZ cameras.
The Lawo ecosystem was chosen for its suite of relevant products under the one roof. As well as that, the Power Core, the building block of the system, was at an exciting point in its development and unrivalled for density and customization.
To maximize studio utilization and flexibility, each new space is designed as a blank canvas. Functionality is defined by settings saved in user snapshots, accessible by swiping an RFID building access card. Different scenarios are recalled in seconds. Control for audio, video, signage, lighting, KVM and more is through a single Lawo VisTool touch interface. When not in use, all settings are cleared and studios are turned off. When automated or network content is playing out, studios are bypassed.
System control is shared between Lawo’s VisTool, VSM and Line Scheduler systems. Studio touchscreen interfaces and user snapshot database management are handled by VisTool. VSM glues the discrete components of the system together, and Line Scheduler performs clever tricks to stitch studios together, as well as managing resources like codecs and interstate audio and video tielines.
The power of the integration between VisTool and VSM is put to good use, cross points controlled by VSM are visible to VisTool and able to be stored in user snapshots. This allows user snapshots to store settings for systems well outside its normal scope.
Now that Sydney is complete, the focus has shifted to other sites in the NOVA Entertainment network. Once rolled out further, the technology will connect sites together like never before with audio, video, intercom and control. An approach of “Any station, Any show, Anywhere” will allow any studio to go on-air to any brand nationally.
Radio World User Reports are testimonial articles intended to help readers understand why a colleague chose a particular product to solve a technical situation.
Info: Jochen Richter in the U.S. at 1-888-810-4468 or for international queries +49-7222-1002-0 or visit www.lawo.com.
The post User Report: Nova Entertainment Rebuilds Anew in Sydney appeared first on Radio World.
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIF. — He’s known to some as America’s “truth detector,” and in April celebrated five years as the host of a syndicated Talk radio show distributed by Salem Media Group‘s SRN.
For Angelinos, Larry Elder‘s a well-known conservative voice, having spent two decades at KABC-AM 790.
Last week, Elder revealed that he seeks to become a Republican candidate for California governor. He is not on the preliminary list of 41 candidates, however. Sacramento has a reason. Elder isn’t buying it, and has sued California’s office of the secretary of state.
In Elder’s view, he is the victim of “shenanigans” orchestrated by California Democrats intent on keeping Gavin Newsom as Governor, with a victory against some declared candidates as Caitlyn Jenner in a recall election scheduled for September 14.
In a statement released late Monday, Pacific Time, “the Sage from South Central” said he’d submitted over 300 pages of tax returns required to become a candidate. As the secretary of state sees it, Elder filed incomplete information on those returns connected to redaction issues.
That’s bogus, Elder claims. As such, he wants the courts to force Secretary of State Shirley Weber to list him as a candidate on the final certified list.
“We’ve complied with everything the secretary of state has required of us,” Elder said. “The politicians in Sacramento know I’m the only candidate who can beat Gavin Newsom. They are afraid, and they are using whatever shenanigans they can to try to trip me up. It won’t work. Frankly, this action by the secretary of state is not simply unfair and absurd but a dangerous and unconstitutional precedent.”
Elder is perhaps one of the more prominent Republicans that could challenge Newsom in September.
— RBR+TVBR West Coast Bureau, with editing by Adam R Jacobson
According to a newly made SEC filing, there’s a Michigan-based institutional investor that now holds 5.2% of the publicly traded shares associated with Gray Television.
What do we know about this holder, MBX Capital LLC?
It’s controlled by an Indian-American billionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. — For the first time ever, the FCC is entering into partnerships with 11 federal, state, and local agencies to assess the delivery of Wireless Emergency Alerts in areas across the country during a planned nationwide test on August 11.
The FCC also sent letters to nationwide wireless providers asking them to provide information on their performance following the upcoming test.
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It’s been an active few weeks for NEXTGEN TV rollouts, with more markets firing up lighthouses to help usher in the next era of broadcast TV.
In this edition of the InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, Pearl TV Managing Director Anne Schelle shares new details about the pace of the rollouts, and the increase of ATSC 3.0 signals in the Phoenix Model Market.
Schelle also has an update on the Motown 3.0 Open Test Track, NEXTGEN TV promotional efforts, and just how affordable an ATSC 3.0-enabled set is today.
Listen to “The InFOCUS Podcast: Anne Schelle, Pearl TV” on Spreaker.
The Federal Communications Commission wants to get a better sense of how effective the delivery of Wireless Emergency Alerts are.
So it has announced a new program of partnerships with 11 other government agencies. For the first time, it will survey these federal, state and local government partners about the delivery of WEA during the upcoming nationwide test on Aug. 11.
The FCC also has sent letters to wireless providers asking them to provide information on their performance after the test.
[Read: National EAS Test Will Focus on Broadcast Chain]
Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel made the announcement.
“While the FCC has long required Emergency Alert System participants to report how nationwide EAS tests fared on their television and radio systems, this is the first time we will gather meaningful data about the performance of a nationwide Wireless Emergency Alert test,” Rosenworcel said in the announcement.
FEMA, in coordination with the FCC, will conduct the nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts at 2:20 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, Aug. 11.
For the WEA portion, a test message will be directed only to consumer cellphones where the subscriber has opted in to receive test messages.
Participating in the survey will be FEMA, the National Weather Service, the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, Harris County (Texas) Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, City of Los Angeles Emergency Management Department, New York City Emergency Management, Mendocino County (Calif.) Office of Emergency Services, Ohio Emergency Management Agency, Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, City of Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management, and the Utah Department of Public Safety.
The post FCC Wants Better Feedback About WEA appeared first on Radio World.
An Indiana public radio news station will be doubling down its efforts to reach even more listeners thanks to a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
The $983,000 grant to Indianapolis-based WFYI will allow its radio and TV stations to continue leading the America Amplified 2.0 public media program that is designed to meaningfully address local news and information needs through solid journalism practices. The initiative builds on the success of the first America Amplified, a CPB-supported partnership with public media outlets across the country.
[Read: CPB Announces Federal Grant Amounts]
Launched in 2019 to help strengthen public media’s ability to better incorporate community and citizen perspectives into the nation’s election coverage, the partnership also helped shape public media coverage of the coronavirus. One such venture under the previous grant was the establishment of weekly call-in radio shows co-hosted by public radio stations in different parts of the U.S.
With this current round of funding, WFYI plans to establish a team that will develop community engagement journalism practices at 20 public media stations around the country, with a particular focus on those parts of the nation that are often underserved by media.
“At WFYI, we believe engagement is the key to expanding audiences and deepening impact through all our public media platforms,” said WFYI President and CEO Greg Petrowich. “We’re pleased to have this opportunity to work with our colleagues at other stations to strengthen the role public media plays in their communities and learn from our shared experiences.”
[Read: Metropolitan Indianapolis Public Media to Take Reins of Purdue Station]
As part of the 18-month grant, a four-person team hosted by WFYI will develop and implement community engagement journalism strategies alongside participating public media stations. According to WFYI, stations will be grouped in peer learning groups based on their shared interests. Subgrants will be distributed directly to those stations to fund their engagement initiatives.
“America Amplified demonstrated that community engagement is vital to public media journalism and a key to the trust that people place in their local public media stations,” said Kathy Merritt, CPB senior vice president, journalism, radio and community service grant services. “CPB is proud to support this initiative, which will extend engaged journalism across the system, enable stations to be more responsive to their audiences and foster public trust.”
The post $983,000 Grant to Help Public Media Stations appeared first on Radio World.
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