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Many years ago as a DJ at a rock station, I became friends with a bartender who was a regular listener of my show. He seemed like a solid guy, and I admired that while he poured drinks for a living, he did not drink. 

One morning perusing the newspaper, I saw a headline about a KKK rally that had occurred that weekend, with a photo of a bunch of guys in white robes carrying crosses through the center of town. The leader had taken off his hood.

Much to my shock, I recognized my “pal,” the bartender. An ugly snarl on his face, he was screaming something at the crowd. 

I felt sick as the realization hit me for the first time that it’s impossible to know what hatred lies in a person’s heart.  

WORK TO DO

For a long time, I thought racism in America was decreasing; but social media, videos on YouTube and continuous targeted racist violence clearly indicate that our country has a long way to go. 

Historically, the radio industry has contributed both to perpetuating racism and educating listeners to fight against it. While the scales have certainty tipped toward education, tolerance and awareness, we have much work to do. Perhaps the few examples that follow can kickstart a New Year’s plan at your station.

• The website of WOUB in Athens, Ohio, provides searchable tags for racism and hate crimes.

  Let’s begin by recognizing public radio for the range and timeliness of stories that NPR and affiliates are running on the air and featuring prominently on station websites. Search the term “racism” plus a set of public radio call letters, and you will often encounter a page focused purely on stories pertinent to the issue. 

• CBS local websites also cover the topic, as do many other commercial broadcasters. 
• It’s best when the stories are aggregated under one tag for archive viewing and for search purposes. I’m hopeful that most of these stories make it on the air as well as the websites. When time doesn’t permit, it does make sense to do shorter on-air stories with a reference to details on the website.  
• Promotionally, there’s much all radio formats can do to help organizations that fight racism and other forms of hatred. As you’re looking at your 2020 event calendar, could you schedule a month during which you work with a local non-profit to raise awareness, volunteerism and money? Make sure to utilize on-air PSAs running with good frequency. This is also a rare opportunity for you to involve local religious institutions in all aspects of your plan. Churches, synagogues and mosques have people whom they can activate through social media, mailing lists and pulpits.
• For talk/news formats, there’s no question that it takes an ever-vigilant program director to work with hosts on understanding what constitutes racism and how to deal with live callers who are on a mission to spread hatred. Racism and hate speech, from the right or the left, is wrong and has no place on American radio. Industry veterans know that it’s a small but vocal part of the audience, often trolls, who call in a lot. If you have hosts who can handle the rants, that’s terrific, and the calls can be transformed into a learning moment; but when it becomes repetitive and tedious to deal with the same callers, a number block may be in order.   

“Yo, Is This Racist?” is a podcast co-hosted by Andrew Ti, creator of the popular blog of the same name.

• There are already many podcasts focused on racism and cultural intolerance. Does your parent company have one you can help promote, or is the topic of enough interest in your market to support your own effort? Either way, be sure to promote on-air and through all of your platforms.
• When is the last time you had a staff discussion concerning racism and cultural intolerance? If the answer is a long time ago, or never, this is the time of year to get it done. Many experts are available to help you tackle this tough topic on two levels: how you approach issues on-air and at remotes and, perhaps even more sensitive, in your station’s own environment. 

Whatever one’s background, each of us benefits from enriching our self-awareness as regards social diversity and learning more about how others can do so as well. As we enter a new decade, let’s take the opportunity to help keep life peaceful for everyone.

The post Reflections on Racism and Radio  appeared first on Radio World.

Radio station and podcast provider Radioline, a Baracoda company, is showing its Hybrid Radio application for cars at CES 2020 in Las Vegas.

The Paris-based firm is exhibiting at the show alongside NXP to present the new automotive infotainment application.

It is demonstrating the capabilities of the NXP infotainment chip set in combination with the Hybrid Radio solution.

Radioline, which develops car applications that are compatible with Linux HTML5 and Android for cars, says the solution “meets the growing technological needs of car manufacturers.”

According to the company, the Hybrid Radio app offers “an easy and customizable interface for an optimal” driving experience.

“Radioline has combined its technologies with NXP to ensure an interactive and secure driving experience that meets the driver’s needs and pleasure,” said Xavier Filliol, COO of Radioline.

Characteristics of the system include automatic switching between six connections, IP, DAB +, FM, HD, DRM and CDR; the possibility for drivers to save and find their favorite stations, podcasts or songs; access to local, national and international programs through catalogs available on the app; access to content information such as a title, description, cover and album name. In addition, says the firm, the app features a “clean and intuitive” in-house designed interface.

“Radioline has quickly developed an application well suited to demonstrate the capabilities of our infotainment chip set,” said Nacho Seirul-lo, NXP’s director of program management.

“Radioline has enabled the integration of Broadcast and Internet radio in our radio demonstrator thereby improving the user experience.”

 The company is exhibiting at the NXP booth CP-18 in the Central Plaza.

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OTTAWA — People from various areas of the industry are optimistic about radio’s fortunes in 2020, especially when it comes to “riding the digital wave.” But some of them see challenges in radio’s ability to attract and hold younger listeners, who must be won over to keep this audio medium viable for decades to come.

Angel Radio’s 60+ audience is increasingly listening to the station via smart speaker. Credit: Angel Radio

CONTINUED GROWTH FOR DAB+

Let’s start with the most positive radio trend in 2020: DAB/DAB+ will continue to grow in reach, usage and popularity.

“We expect to see continued growth of digital listening as audiences shift away from analog platforms,” said Aris Erdogdu, WorldDAB’s communications manager. “DAB/DAB+ will remain the dominant digital platform — especially in the car.”

A case in point: “In the United Kingdom, digital listening has increased to a new record of 56.8%, up from 52.4% in Q3 2018,” said Erdogdu. “What’s more, listening via DAB now accounts for 39.7% of all listening, and 70% of digital listening.”

“DAB digital radio is also prevailing in the automotive sector,” he added. “In the U.K., 93% of new cars now come equipped with DAB as standard, and DAB listening in the car has increased by 13.1 million hours — or 15.5% — compared to the same time last year.”

2020 will be a watershed year for in-car DAB, thanks to the European Union’s decision to require all new car radios in the EU to receive digital terrestrial radio by Dec. 20, 2020.

“Germany has recently transposed this directive into national legislation, while Italy and France — which is preparing the launch of its national DAB+ network in 2020 — already have laws in place which conform to the EU rule,” said Erdogdu.

DAB/DAB+ is attracting attention in other parts of the world including the Middle East, North and South Africa as well as Southeast Asia. “Tunisia is the latest country to have rolled out DAB+, and neighboring Algeria has also hit the ground running with the launch of a DAB+ trial in and around the capital Algiers,” Erdogdu said.

Tony Smith, founder/station manager of Angel Radio. Credit: Angel Radio

DAB+ is also gaining ground in Australia. “Permanent commercial DAB+ services were launched in the cities of Canberra, Darwin and Hobart in 2019, so there are now eight major population centers in Australia with DAB+, and more regional areas will follow next year,” said Joan Warner, chief executive officer of Commercial Radio Australia (CRA).

“DAB+ will grow as commercial networks are offering more DAB+-only stations and enhancing and rebranding their services,” she noted. “For instance, Southern Cross

Austereo is now offering five DAB+-only stations under their Triple M brand — Triple M Greatest Hits, Triple M Classic Rock, Triple M Aussie, Triple M Country and Triple M Hard N Heavy. Listeners have more music choice to fit their mood, while advertisers can access incremental audience reach beyond the main Triple M station.”

Aris Erdogdu is WorldDAB Communications Manager. Credit: WorldDAB

DAB/DAB+ offers business opportunities for smaller broadcasters such as the U.K.’s Angel Radio. It is a community radio station serving listeners 60 years and older via FM, regional DAB and web streaming.

“Since 2015, Angel Radio has run one of the trial small-scale DAB multiplexes,” said Tony Smith, founder and station manager of Angel Radio.

Joan Warner is chief executive officer of Commercial Radio Australia. Credit: Commercial Radio Australia

“We currently bring 28 radio services to DAB+ listeners in the Portsmouth, Gosport and Havant areas. These stations are mainly small internet-only or FM community stations that could not afford the cost of carriage on regional DAB. Our multiplex carriage rate card is flexible enough to enable larger, more financially stable stations, to subsidize the cost of carriage for much smaller niche stations.”

SMART SPEAKERS ARE GOOD FOR RADIO

In April 2019, the technology research firm Canalsys predicted that the number of web-connected smart speakers in use worldwide would increase 82.4% from 114 million units in 2018 to 207.9 million units in 2019. Given the proven popularity of smart speakers such as the Amazon Alexa/Echo, Google Home, Apple HomePod, and the Sonos One, this trend seems likely to continue in 2020.

Peter Moore is owner of Radio Caroline. Credit: Radio Caroline

Radio is tagging along for the smart speaker ride: “The use of smart speakers to listen to the radio more than doubled in the past year,” said James Cridland, radio futurologist and editor of the Podnews newsletter. “Live radio is the most popular audio consumed on smart speakers, by total time spent listening, and it seems that these devices will continue to replace broadcast receivers in more households.”

It isn’t just Millennials who listen to radio via smart speakers. “Alexa is definitely being used more by our older audience these days,” said Angel Radio’s Tony Smith. “Around 15% of our U.K. online audience is using Alexa and Echo Dot.”

“The future seems to be the net aided by smart speakers, laptops, smart phones and apps,” said Peter Moore, owner of Radio Caroline, the one-time ship-based pirate broadcaster that is now a legal terrestrial radio station on AM/MW, DAB and the web. “Our online audience has now increased 45-fold whereas our satellite audience was at best static and that while we extensively use local DAB, this is just a novelty that we hope may develop in the future.”

Some of the DAB/DAB+ radios now available to consumers. Credit: WorldDAB

PODCASTING GAINING GROUND

Podcasting is a trend that radio people are talking about, with many broadcasters jumping into the medium to stake out new territory and attract new listeners.

A case in point: In 2020, “there will be a strong focus on podcasting as we’ve recently launched the Australian Podcast Ranker, which will be a regular monthly report of the top 100 most downloaded and listened to podcasts in Australia,” said Commercial Radio Australia’s Joan Warner.

“The aim is to drive consumer awareness of the great variety of content out there and increase advertiser understanding of the opportunities in the podcast space. The latest Australian Share of Audio study by GfK showed that consumers are now spending more time listening to podcasts than owned music.”

Radio Caroline’s former ship-based transmitter on the MV Ross Revenge. Credit: Colm O’Laoi 

WINNING YOUNGER LISTENERS REMAINS A CHALLENGE

One negative trend that appears likely to continue in 2020 is broadcast radio’s weakening appeal to younger listeners.

“While radio continues to reach 9 out of 10 adults in most countries across the world, it appears to be losing its gloss with young audiences who are listening for considerably less time,” said Cridland. “Radio is increasingly relying on an aging population to continue delivering their audience figures. Younger audiences, who increasingly look for on-demand content, needs to be a focus for the industry.”

To turn this situation around, “Radio needs programming to attract younger audiences, and we need radio to understand that ‘live and local’ is much less compelling for younger audiences than ‘real and relevant — real people on their air, with relevant content for them,” he said.

“This is a real challenge to radio’s long-term future, and I’m increasingly concerned that radio broadcasters are complacently using their current audience figures as an excuse not to change.”

The post 2020 Looks Good for Digital Radio, Smart Speakers appeared first on Radio World.

The Federal Communication Commission proposes to amend its rules to allow AM broadcasters to use all-digital transmissions. All- digital AM broadcasting has the potential to provide a more reliable and robust radio signal than analog, as well as auxiliary digital services.

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Granted Gray Media Group's Request for Dismissal of Mandatory Carriage Complaint

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David K. Edmiston Jr., known as Davey Edmiston, passed away suddenly in December at the age of 49.

The announcement was made by SWR, the Pennsylvania-based antenna and transmissions systems manufacturer where he’d worked since his early 20s. Davey was son of the company’s president and CEO, David Edmiston Sr.

Several other Edmiston family members also work at the company, which was founded in 1964, under the aegis of Thomas Edmiston Sr., Davey’s grandfather.

“It is with heavy hearts and deep regret that we announce the passing of David K Edmiston Jr., Davey to those who knew him best,” SWR said in a statement. “He leaves behind his loving wife Amy, and a long list of friends and loved ones both personal and professional.” The company said he’d suffered an aneurysm.

According to a company bio, David Jr. began his career in broadcasting as a tower technician with Edmiston Tower and worked his way up to field-testing and antenna design with Systems With Reliability (SWR), eventually becoming manager of operations. He was a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the Association of Federal Communications Consulting Engineers and the National Association of Broadcasters.

“For more than 25 years, his irreplaceable dedication and expertise have contributed to our ongoing success, and we will never fill the void of his passing,” the company stated. “Though his absence has cast a long shadow, and though we may grieve, we must also remember his wit, his exuberant personality, and his boundless lust for life. During this difficult time, we ask that you keep his family and all of us who cared so deeply for him in your thoughts and prayers.”

Edmiston served in the Navy, and then spent his entire career at SWR. According to Marketing and Multimedia Director Morgan James, Davey learned much of his technical knowledge from longtime company consultant Dr. Ali Mahnad.

According to an obituary in the Tribune-Democrat, Davey Edmiston also enjoyed golf, camping, fishing and football, and he loved to “dance, dance, dance.”

A memorial service was held in December.

 

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It’s a case that ropes in issues of timeliness, candor and questions of who exactly is fit to hold a broadcast license. In the end, the issue of honesty — and the fact that it is a foundational requirement for holding an FCC license — resulted in the revoking of three California station construction permits and licenses.

The Federal Communications Commission ordered that the permits and licenses of three FM stations would be revoked after William L. Zawila and two other groups were accused of disingenuous stonewalling and various misrepresentations in their dealings with the FCC. The others in the case include the estate of Linda Ware and the estate of H.L. Charles, although the FCC said Zawila represents all stations — which include KNGS(FM), KZPE(FM) and KZPO(FM).

The case came to a head largely due to Zawila’s conduct, the commission said.

[Read: Out-of-Date Online Files Being Investigated by FCC]

Way back in 2003, the commission requested this case be reviewed by Judge Richard L. Sippel, a chief administrative law judge with the FCC, after allegations were made regarding illegal transfer of facility control, the violation of several commission operating rules and an allegation that Zawila had made several disingenuous misrepresentations to the FCC.

After some internal issues were resolved, including a distress sale of some facilities, the hearing proceeding was reactivated by Judge Sippel — but not until more than 10 years later.

When the case moved ahead in 2014, it was alleged that Zawila and others had failed to provide substantive responses to several document requests and questions posed by the FCC Enforcement Bureau. Although the judge required Zawila to file a status report during the review, none was submitted. There were also concerns about Zawila submitting incomplete responses to questions and several back and forth discussions on attending a status conference. Because Zawila failed to adequately provide complete substantive responses to the Enforcement Bureau’s interrogatories and to attend a status conference in person, the judge held Zawila in default.

Zawila filed an appeal saying that among other things, the FCC misapplied its own good character policy and was imposing a huge burden by requesting information from so many years ago. Nonetheless, the judge concluded that Zawila had violated numerous provisions of the Communications Act and the FCC Rules, and as a result, did not possess the basic qualifications to remain a permittee and licensee.

In December 2019, the FCC affirmed the judge’s findings and revoked the related permits and licenses.

In the end, the issue of truthfulness was a huge pivoting factor in the case.

“Long ago the Federal Communications Commission established that the ‘trait of truthfulness’ is a necessary element of the character required to operate a broadcast station in the public interest,” said FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel in a statement following the order. “[In this case], we uphold an earlier finding that a licensee’s misrepresentation, lack of candor and false statements were used to mislead the FCC and defraud the public interest.

“In doing so, we affirm the decision to revoke the licenses and construction permits of a licensee that made a series of false statements to the agency,” she said. “I support this decision as well as the time-honored principles that inform our review.”

On the same day, the commission also dismissed a Petition for Reconsideration by two other parties to this proceeding: Avenal Educational Services and Central Valley Educational Services. The FCC said this request was not properly served nor were the new arguments in the petition raised properly.

 

The post Alleged Deception Costs FM Broadcasters Their License appeared first on Radio World.

Full Service Radio is “a community podcast network and internet radio station broadcasting live from a standalone radio studio located inside the lobby of the Line DC.”

Hotels played a big role in the early days of radio broadcasting, providing shelter and credibility to new radio stations. 

New Orleans’ WDSU launched as a respectable business inside the city’s DeSoto Hotel in 1928, after spending five years operating out of owner Joseph Uhalt’s backyard chicken coop as WCBE. Other hoteliers played home to radio stations such as Chicago’s Drake Hotel, which housed WGN (then WDAP) in 1923. 

But the trend was short-lived: As radio began to boom in the 1930s, stations checked out of hotels to move into their own dedicated facilities.

Today, in Washington, D.C., there are two facilities whose presence hearkens back to radio’s historic relationship with hotels; and the hospitality segment has drawn new interest recently from iHeartRadio as it seeks to bring its own channels and content to hotel-based consumers nationally.

RETURN OF THE LOBBY STATION Jack Inslee, center facing camera, talks with guests at Full Service Radio.

If you’re a guest at The Line hotel in Washington, you’re free to look through the windows at live broadcasts being streamed from Full Service Radio, a lobby-based internet radio station in a chic, elegant setting.

“We offer 34 weekly programs/podcasts created by local producers, which can be heard live or on demand at www.thelinehotel.com/full-service-radio,” said Jack Inslee, founder and executive producer of Full Service Radio.

Inslee previously helped launch Heritage Radio Network and is a record producer, audio engineer and DJ. 

“The shows cover a very wide variety of topics from music and food to self-help and pop culture. Our full-time employee and part-timers work to identify possible hosts, who provide the content to us for free in exchange for using our studio to create this content and distribute it worldwide.”

Full Service Radio’s live schedule at The Line hotel runs Sunday to Friday. Its program/podcast titles include “SongByrd Radio,” “Beer Me,” “Beats&Beautiful Music,” “The Wedding Dish” and “Edible Activist.” 

Full Service Radio as seen on an iPad. At upper right: “Book Your Stay.”

Although he says Full Service Radio does work with The Line hotel on content occasionally, the streaming station manages its own programming without external direction. 

“We’re free to do anything we want as we see fit,” said Inslee. “Meanwhile, if our hosts manage to attract sponsors, they get to keep the majority of the revenues, which provides them with an incentive to grow their programs and their audiences.”

BIG WHIG

Newly completed in the courtyard of the Willard InterContinental Hotel is Big Whig Media, a full-fledged multimedia production facility. It is a partnership of Nahigian Strategies, a communications and public relations firm, and property developer Carr Companies.

Artist’s rendering of the studios of Big Whig Media in the courtyard of the historic Willard Hotel.

Big Whig Media (“Whig” being a nod to the defunct political party) is home to an audio production studio for live radio and audio streams and podcasts, a multi-camera video studio and TV editing suite, and satellite uplinks/landline links to get the content out to the world.

“There’s a real demand for third-party production studios in downtown Washington,” said Cassie Scher, an account manager with Nahigian Strategies. “With industry experts and foreign dignitaries staying at the Willard, and so many government agencies and associations nearby, this location is the perfect spot for people to be able to do their interviews without having to go too far out of their way.”

Appealing to audio professionals is definitely part of its goals. Its website states: “Bring your podcast or live radio show to the cutting edge! Big Whig Media offers the only ground-level, windowed studio focused primarily on creating premium audio content. We also offer the opportunity to transform your program from an audio-only experience into a dynamic, visual show, streamed with the ability for fans to see you record live. For those content creators or radio hosts visiting Washington D.C., we offer the opportunity and equipment you need to broadcast from the iconic Willard InterContinental Hotel.”

HOTEL LISTENING

Industry biggie HeartMedia may not be based in a hotel lobby, but it, too, sees the potential in the hospitality segment. Since 2017 it has been using a cloud-based distribution platform from hospitality tech company Intelity to deliver its streamed stations to hotel guests using tablet computers in their rooms.

The welcome screen of a guest’s Intelity media center shows iHeartRadio content at lower left.

“Integrating iHeartRadio into hotel rooms through partners like Intelity is a great way to give travelers a chance to stay connected to their communities while on the road, while also giving them the opportunity to quickly discover what’s happening in the places they are visiting,” said Jessica Jerrick, iHeartRadio’s EVP of business development and partnerships. 

“In addition to access to thousands of live radio stations across the country, travelers can access music and podcasts perfect for any mood or activity, all for free.”

This September, for instance, iHeart announced an agreement with Hilton Hotels. “Hilton guests can now enjoy thousands of iHeartRadio’s music playlists, podcasts and can even stream live radio stations,” the companies announced. “Guests can access this new feature directly from their TVs in Hilton’s ‘Connected Room’ guest entertainment platform.”

CAPTIVE AUDIENCE

Perhaps it’s too much to call any of this a rebirth of hotel-based radio or even a trend in hotel-based internet radio. But the special nature of hotels seems to have enduring media appeal. 

[Read about how one Aussie uses hotels for his popular shows, since he’s frequently on the road.]

Intelity CEO Robert Stevenson describes hotel listeners as a highly engaged, captive audience. Similar captive audiences could be captured by setting up internet radio stations in other specialized locations, he added.

“For example, if there is a streaming audio station set up in a mall, they have the opportunity to sell advertising placements to the stores within the mall and can guarantee that those advertisements will reach a relevant audience,” Stevenson said. “The secret is to have a targetable audience and a platform to deliver a broadcast on, ideally digital and mobile.”

It remains to be seen if hotels in other U.S. cities follow this trend; but Full Service Radio is now producing programs in The Line hotels in Austin, Texas, and Los Angeles.

The post Hotels Leave the Light on for Audio appeared first on Radio World.

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Broadcast Station Totals As Of December 31, 2019

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Eugene Novacek, who founded broadcast technology company ENCO and led it for decades, has died. He was 61.

According to a statement from the company, he died on New Year’s Day in New York, from pancreatic cancer.

Survivors include his wife Judith Novacek, daughter Kristin Heinbockel, son Andrew Novacek and granddaughter Evany Novacek. “His legacy lives through his family, the company he founded, and the industry he loved and changed,” the statement reads.

Novacek was a professional engineer (P.E.) who held engineering degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He had early jobs at Bechtel Power Corp., Barton Malow Co. and Alberici Constructors before founding ENCO Systems Inc., whose acronym includes his initials.

ENCO is now based in Southfield, Mich., but began in St. Louis is 1983 by providing computer-based process control for critical industrial applications. “We started providing industrial process control and automation to manufacturers like GM, Ford, Chrysler, Monsanto, Anheuser Busch, General Tire, Waste Management, etc. in 1983,” Novacek wrote in a 2008 blog post celebrating the company’s 25th anniversary.

But it was in broadcast that the firm grew, becoming a prominent supplier of automation for radio and TV stations. Its first digital audio delivery system was introduced in 1991; its product lines have since grown to encompass playout automation, captioning, scheduling and streaming. Its markets also include A/V, events, concerts, worship and retail environments, according to enco.com.

Among other accomplishments, Novacek wrote the chapter on automation and audio storage in the latest edition of the NAB Engineering Handbook. He also held a private pilot’s license.

ENCO is currently led by Ken Frommert, who in 2017 was promoted from general manager to president and has been the more public face of the company in recent years.

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