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From our “Who’s Buying What” page: OmniPlayer said that Flemish broadcaster VRT will use OmniPlayer 3 Radio Automation software in Flanders to support several radio stations.

“Flemish public broadcast corporation VRT will start using the Dutch OmniPlayer system for their stations Radio 1, Radio 2, Klara, MNM, Studio Brussel, streaming, DAB+ channels, VRT Nieuwsdienst and Sporza,” the manufacturer stated.

[See More Equipment Sales News at Our Who’s Buying What Page]

“This investment is partially inspired by the technological changes that are coming soon, in perspective of the new office building.”

It said the system will connect with the iNews editorial system via MOS and integrate with MusicMaster and with Radiomanager by Pluxbox.

Wim Ermens is project manager technology at VRT.

Submit announcements for Who’s Buying What to radioworld@futurenet.com.

 

The post VRT to Use OmniPlayer in Flanders appeared first on Radio World.

Perhaps the greatest negative impact that COVID has had on radio, according to Jacob Media’s TechSurvey 2021, has been on AM/FM listening in the automotive mediascape. The short answer as to why might be more time spent at home, and less in cars. It’s more complicated than that, though. Information provided in the recent survey focuses on that. Some of the information seems to contradict. Fasten your seat belt, this could be a rough ride.

Of the leading 71% who said they spent less time listening to radio, spending less time in the car was the main reason they gave. This documents a well-established trend, AM/FM has been losing ground in the home to smart speakers and streaming media for some time. The last bastion is the car, and now that is under siege.

Advances in automotive entertainment system technology is also having an impact, according to TS 2021. Newer vehicles make it easy to connect smartphones into the system, and younger drivers especially, seem to be doing so. The spread ranges from the Greatest Generation’s 67% to Gen Z and Millennials’ 85%.

Get ready for a sudden lane change. TS 2021 says that the most important feature for those buying or leasing new cars is FM radio, with 74%, followed closely by Bluetooth, with 73%. AM radio ranks 6th with 34% overall, with a callout noting it is 59% for news/talk listeners, and 44% for sports radio fans. An interesting note is that the CD player now follows AM radio in the 7th position with a distant 29%.

All of that being said, when asked what percentage of time in the car they spent with each entertainment source, AM/FM is the clear winner with 58%. SiriusXM is a distant second with 18% of respondents. The data suggests that while people are spending less time in the car than they used to, they still prefer radio when they are behind the wheel.

When the survey factors in those who own “connected cars,” AM/FM still leads, but the number has slipped to less than half, with 49%. SiriusXM is still number two, with 24%.

It’s hard to get an exact fix on radio usage in the car, there are so many factors and different ways of looking at the data that is presented. Perhaps the 10,000-foot view is that all analog media is slowly losing ground to digital. One constant that this data seems to demonstrate is that localism still matters, and while AM/FM may be slipping in some categories, there seems to be a commensurate gain in listening to the hometown stream.

 

The post Radio Hits a Bumpy Road in the Car Mediascape appeared first on Radio World.

The Digital Division of Nexstar Media Group has promoted its Connecticut-based VP of Strategy and Business Intelligence to the role of Chief Strategy Officer and EVP/Strategy & Data for the digital segment of the broadcast TV station owner.

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A key voice for Sooner Nation sports fans is heading to a new owner.

It is the result of the death of this AM’s licensee, and the transaction includes an FM translator.

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Advertising intelligence company Standard Media Index (SMI) has brought to the marketplace a “Pricing Intelligence Suite,” which includes Digital CPM for streaming video as well as Traditional and Advanced Audience eCPM (effective CPM) for Linear TV.

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Comscore has secured its first national programmer to agree to formal participation in its National Addressable TV programmer trials.

But, it’s a delayed announcement, as this owner and operator of cable TV channels, which is merging with Discovery Inc., began the effort more than six months ago.

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A privately owned television group owned by the Manship family that dates to 1955 has taken the forward-thinking approach of signing a content distribution agreement with the Las Vegas Strip-based sports media company dedicated to those who wager on sports and make sports betting a multibillion-dollar industry.

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For those keeping score of the radio station transactions of note that have been filed with the FCC for approval since the start of 2021, two things appear to be abundantly clear.

First, station valuations are in the toilet. Second, cash-rich religious broadcasters are now able to gain properties they couldn’t get a decade ago.

The latest deal to involve a Christ-focused radio station operation has been consummated. The seller is one of the largest TV broadcasting companies in the U.S.

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The Hispanic-focused multimedia company with revenue coming from pan-Latin digital and U.S.-based television and radio stations has confirmed its presence at an investor conference set for June 16 and 17.

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SBE Chapter 15 in New York City is honoring the late Chris Tobin.

Tobin, who died in December, was named the chapter’s 2021 Engineer of the Year.

“Chris had been an active member of Chapter 15 dating back to the early 1980s and, over the years, he held a variety of chapter officer roles, including that of chapter president,” the chapter wrote on its website.

“In addition to his dedication to the chapter, Chris took an avid interest in new technology education and for many years, co-hosted the ‘This Week in Radio Technology’ video podcast. During his career, Chris worked at a range of prestigious broadcast companies, including ABC Radio Network, WINS(AM), Westwood One and eventually stepped into the position of chief technology officer at WBGO(FM).”

In his honor the chapter made a $1,000 donation to the SBE Scholarship Fund. The award will be presented to his wife Lisa.

 

The post SBE Chapter 15 Honors Chris Tobin appeared first on Radio World.

On February 12, 2021, the Media Bureau, Video Division (Bureau) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in response to a petition for rulemaking filed by Gray Television Licensee, LLC (Gray), the licensee of KAIT, channel 8 (ABC), Jonesboro, Arkansas, requesting the substitution of channel 27 for channel 8 at Jonesboro in the DTV Table of Allotments. For the reasons set forth in the Report and Order referenced below, the Bureau amends FCC regulations to substitute channel 27 for channel 8 at Jonesboro.

Robert Branson

The Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council has announced that Robert Branson is the new president and CEO of the group as of June 1, as Maurita Coley officially retires.

Branson is a former Federal Communications Commission staff advisor along with a media and telecom industry lawyer who spent time at Verizon, Association of Local Television Stations, National Association of Broadcasters and Post/Newsweek Stations. He is also former president of the Federal Communications Bar Association.

MMTC Board Chair and Treasurer Ronald Johnson said, “Given President Branson’s many years of service in government and in the private sector public and private entities, he is the perfect person to lead MMTC. We extend our deepest appreciation and many thanks to Maurita Coley who has, since 2012, served us admirably, with unparalleled integrity and transparency.”

 

The post Branson Takes Over at MMTC as Coley Retires appeared first on Radio World.

“Reinvention” will be on the agenda for the closing session of the fall Radio Show.

Rishad Tobaccowala will keynote the session on Thursday, Oct. 14.

[Related: “The Fall Radio Show Will Be at the Westgate”]

“The session will focus on the continued transformation happening across the media ecosystem, changing consumer behavior, and what it means for radio,” according to organizers at the National Association of Broadcasters and the Radio Advertising Bureau.

His talk is titled “The Great Reinvention: What Does That Look Like in 2022 and Beyond?”

Tobaccowala is a senior advisor to Publicis Groupe, where he was chief growth officer, overseeing business development for clients. He wrote the book “Restoring the Soul of Business: Staying Human in the Age of Data.” Show organizers said he is considered a pioneer in digital marketing.

 

The post Radio Show to Look at “Reinvention” appeared first on Radio World.

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Issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture in the amount of $1,500 to Robert Lee Hunnicutt, III, for failure to timely file a license renewal application for Station WAAU-LD, Augusta, GA

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FCC Diversity Advisory Committee to Convene Final Meeting of Current Charter -- Agenda Announced

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