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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.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) modernizes its rules regarding certain written notices that cable operators and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) providers are required to provide to broadcast television stations. Rather than continuing to require that cable and DBS providers deliver these notices on paper, the Commission is revising its rules to require that the notices be delivered to broadcast television stations electronically via email.

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The Commission clarifies that temporary agreements for shared news gathering efforts related to news coverage of the novel coronavirus pandemic do not need to be placed in the stations' online public inspection file

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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.

[Free: Sign up now for the Radio World NewsBytes e-newsletter.]

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.