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John Storyk

Last year, 61% of the podcast fans who responded to a survey by Discover Pods reported they spent more time listening to podcasts than watching TV. According to the company’s Podcast Trends Report 2019 that number has climbed to 66%. Also this year, 82.4% reported they listen to podcasts for more than seven hours each week.

Have you and your station or company considered podcasting as a way to reach a larger audience? How do you get a podcasting program off the ground? The Video Show, a two-day event in Washington, Dec. 4–5, 2019, will feature an entire track on the basics of podcasting.

The session “Podcast Studio Design: Necessities, Variations and Options,” presented by John Storyk, a founding partner of Walters-Storyk Design Group, is a great place to get started. He’ll discuss how the company’s expertise developed studios from the ground up for both Stitcher and Spotify’s Gimlet Media, answering the unique needs of professional podcasting.

The Video Show caught up with Storyk for just a minute ahead of the show.

The Video Show: Your presentation at The Video Show is a case study on how you designed multiple studios/production workspaces for two of the biggest names in podcasting — Stitcher and Spotify’s Gimlet Media. Is creating a facility for podcasting much different than, say, creating one for recording music?

John Storyk: Super question… in many respects, the process is identical to recording studio (content creation spaces) design. All the aspects of the process have to be addressed — programming, pre-design, schematic design development, value engineering (budget!) construction documentation, construction administration, final commissioning, etc.

Many of the acoustic issues in studio design are also the same, but some differences do exist.

1. Podcasting environments are mostly associated with the spoken word. In fact, in one respect this makes things a bit easier — limited frequency range for design considerations. However, a new issue exists when creating multiple room facilities (such as Gimlet and Stitcher). The multiple podcasting rooms need to sound virtually identical. This is not always the case in small-room design for studios (i.e. multiple vocal booths). We will discuss this in more detail at the symposium in Washington.
2. Typically, podcasting rooms are small and for some reason podcasting companies frequently do not allow quite enough space for all the rooms including well-isolated construction (thicker than average walls); door swings, ADA requirements; sound locks, etc.
3. Podcasting rooms need to be very quiet — NC 15 is our starting point — not too different than many studios, but there is little room for negotiation here.

These are just some of the issues. Always a challenge!

The Video Show: The podcasting world is rapidly changing and maturing, as evidenced, for instance, by the fact that Spotify purchased Gimlet in the middle of your project. Did your clients find their expected needs for the studios changed during the design process?

Storyk: Not sure at all how to answer this — both Gimlet and Stitcher are in new facilities that have not been operating that long. I cannot imagine any studio that, when it opens it doors, does not see something they would like to have done a different way. We have tried to future-proof both facilities. Time will tell.

The Video Show will feature more than 100 sessions on nine presentation stages, as well as a dedicated screening room, demo areas, streaming studio and dynamic exhibit floor. Want to hear more about this topic? Visit the website to learn more and register.

The post The Video Show: One Minute With John Storyk appeared first on Radio World.

The Federal Communications Commission has set deadlines for filing comments and reply comments to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking about whether it should eliminate or revise its requirements for access to broadcast antenna sites as part of its media modernization efforts. 

The NPRM was adopted Oct. 25 and published in the Federal Register Nov. 6. Therefore, comments are due by Dec. 6 and reply comments must be filed on or before Dec. 23.

[70-Year-Old Antenna Site Rules Up for Debate by FCC]

The current rules (found in sections 73.239 and 73.635) prohibit the FCC from granting or renewing a TV or FM station license if the applicant/licensee controls an antenna site that is suitable for broadcasting in the area and does not make the site available for use by other similar licensees.

The post Commission Announces Antenna Site Comment Deadlines appeared first on Radio World.

The author is general counsel of the Society of Broadcast Engineers.

There is a lot of inaccurate or misleading information being circulated, mostly within the land mobile radio community (but elsewhere as well), about your obligation to paint and light “short towers” (i.e. those between 50 and 200 feet in height) that are not located in close proximity to an airport or heliport, but which are located in rural or agricultural areas.

Here is what broadcast engineers need to know: You may have to register your short broadcast tower in an FAA database depending on its location, but you do not have to paint or light it unless it is near an airport.

CROPDUSTERS

It all started back around 2013. States became concerned that low-flying agricultural aircraft were hitting meteorological evaluation towers (METs). There is no history of aircraft hitting short towers generally; the only problem was with respect to METs.

These are temporary structures, often erected in rural areas on short notice, with very low visibility, and they are very hard for pilots to see. They are not on any maps; and for cropdusters and other low-flying aircraft, they posed a real threat if not near other structures.

States that have rural, agricultural areas became concerned that short towers that are not near airports did not have to be lighted or painted according to FAA regulations. Colorado, Washington state, Idaho and a few other western states enacted statutes that regulated all short towers.

In the wake of agricultural aircraft collisions with METs, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended in 2013 that states enact laws (cropduster statutes) requiring marking and registration of METs. FAA Advisory Circular 70/7460-1L concerning Obstruction Marking and Lighting, released Oct. 8, 2016, urged, on a voluntary basis, the marking of METs (only) less than 200 feet or 61 meters in height.

The basic premise for the cropduster statutes was that short towers are not regulated by the FAA. That was inaccurate. Towers less than 200 feet in height are regulated by the FAA (and notification to the FAA is called for by the FCC) if a tower shorter than 200 feet is to be located in an area that the FAA has determined constitutes a danger to air navigation: that is, where the towers are located within the glide slope of an airport or heliport (see FCC rules, Section 17.7). The glide slope is 100-to-1 for a horizontal distance of 6.10 kilometers from the nearest point of a runway of an airport or heliport, and less for towers closer to the airport or heliport.

Unless such short radio towers were located within the glide slope of airports or heliports, they were not required to be painted or lit because they were not deemed to be an air hazard.

THE FINAL SAY

The FAA has preemptive federal jurisdiction to protect air traffic as necessary in a reasonable exercise of its discretion. The comprehensive regulation of tower height, marking and lighting by the FAA (in conjunction with the FCC) leaves no room for the states to supplement it. The Supreme Court has concluded that Congress intended to preempt states with respect to aviation safety.

Perhaps because these state cropduster laws were subject to challenge, it enacted H.R. 636, the FAA Extension, Safety and Security Act of 2016 (Reauthorization Act) in July 2016. Section 2110 of that act instructed the FAA to enact rules by July of 2017, requiring painting and lighting of short radio towers that were located in rural areas.

The 2016 act defined towers that are covered as self-standing or guy wire-supported structures: (1) 10 feet or less in diameter at the above-ground base (excluding concrete footing); (2) more than 50 and less than 200 feet tall; and (3) with accessory facilities mounted with antennas, sensors, cameras, meteorological instruments or other equipment.

Covered towers were those located (1) outside the boundaries of an incorporated city or town; (2) on undeveloped land; or (3) on land used for agricultural purposes. Undeveloped land was defined as a geographic area where the FAA determines low-flying aircraft are operated on a routine basis, such as low-flying forested areas with predominant tree cover less than 200 feet and pasture and range land.

Exceptions to the covered tower definition include: (1) structures adjacent to a house, barn, electric utility station or other building; (2) structures within the developed area of a farm immediately surrounding a house or other dwelling such as a yard; (3) structures that support electric utility transmission or distribution lines; (4) structures that are wind-powered electrical generators with a rotor blade radius exceeding six feet; or (5) street lights erected or maintained by government entities.

This was a huge problem of course. Short broadcast towers, if they had to be painted and lit, would have to be removed from most locations due to local land use regulations, and the cost of painting and lighting short towers was prohibitive for most users of them.

With help especially from Sen. James Inhof of Oklahoma (himself a pilot), the NAB, the SBE, the Association of American Railroads and others, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 was enacted. It amended and clarified the 2016 act by revising the requirements for covered towers, as long as the FAA administrator determines they pose no hazard to air navigation.

The legislation requires covered tower operators or owners to either submit the tower’s location and height information into a database to be established by the FAA, or mark the tower consistent with the FAA’s 2015 advisory circular (AC 70/7460–IL). Only METs have to be painted and lit.

The FAA has not yet developed its database, which will contain only the location and height of each covered tower. Covered tower operators or owners who elect to submit tower information to the FAA database must do so within one year of the availability of the FAA database. The 2018 act also excludes towers located within the right-of-way of a rail carrier and used for railroad purposes.

This article originally appeared in the SBE Signal newsletter. Visit sbe.org.

The post Clearing the Air on Short Towers appeared first on Radio World.

The author is with WorldCast Systems.

BIELEFELD, GERMANY — ams-Radio and MediaSolutions is a radio solution provider for seven local radio stations around Bielefeld, Germany, as well as a technical support provider to 12 area radio stations. ams-Radio and MediaSolutions is one of the WorldCast Manager’s early adopters and a user since 2017.

Mario Schoemitz, IT business manager, responsible for the broadcast technology area, shared his company’s experience using the WorldCast Manager platform.

As a solutions provider for radio broadcasters, ams-Radio and MediaSolutions is entrusted to oversee, across multiple sites, FM broadcast equipment from different vendors for applications such as IP transport, media processing and FM transmission.

In 2017, the company was looking for a new, reliable, and easy-to-use monitoring solution which would provide them real-time status, alarms, and other advanced modules to optimize their workflow, maximize equipment uptime, and provide overall support in delivering the best service to their customers, at the level expected of a reputable solutions provider.

UNIFIED, END-TO-END MONITORING

The WorldCast Manager is an enterprise, end-to-end and multivendor monitoring and control software for broadcast and media. It enables users to oversee their entire ecosystem across a single unified view, to centralize data, and to streamline the management of IP-enabled gear and technology. The scalable WorldCast Manager plugs in to any third-party or in-house technology with open protocols and APIs, and functions on an open-driver policy.

Its combination of modules enables users to:

● Maximize their equipment uptime thanks to real-time alarms, notifications, time-based reporting and root cause analysis;
● Save time for operations with time management features, event resolution tracking, and advanced control for remote actions over connected equipment with industry standard protocols;
● Make intelligent decisions by aggregating data from multiple units and locations, then transforming that data into comprehensible, visual insights and reports.

ams-Radio and MediaSolutions primarily uses the WorldCast Manager for monitoring, reporting, and analyzing events for their customers. It directly informs their technicians in the case of major events, enabling fast intervention.

The WorldCast Manager has, according to Schoemitz, significantly improved his team’s workflow. Thanks to the platform’s user friendliness and range of functions, it makes it easy for everyone at the company to oversee all events at each transmitter site, across one, single view.

“We’ve recently upgraded to the newest version and we are very excited about the new modules. The best aspect for us is the analytics. We can compare all events in the timeline and see the relationships between events.”

The new reporting module is designed to save time and quickly generate updates for customers.

“I recommend the WorldCast Manager as a very powerful tool for all broadcasters; it is very easy to use and gives users all the information that they need for monitoring multiple sites,” he said.

For information, contact Tony Peterle at WorldCast Systems in Florida at 1-305-249-3110 or visit www.worldcastsystems.com.

The post WorldCast Manager Sees the Big Picture appeared first on Radio World.

VILVOORDE, Belgium — In May, commercial radio stations Qmusic and Joe started broadcasting from their new studios, on the ground floor of the DPG Media (former Medialaan) building.

Joe Presenter Alexandra Potvin broadcasts from the new “green” Joe studio, which boasts lots of daylight and state-of the art equipment.

The new setup comprises 10 broadcast studios and production rooms (with Europe’s first DHD Audio RX2 mixing desks), editorial offices and meeting places.

The “Sound Park” caters for two FM frequencies, nine DAB+ channels, 20 streaming channels plus additional production assignments.

Omnia 9 MKII multiband processors are located in DPG Media’s datacenter.

Last year DPG Media gave the green light for new radio studios, serving both Qmusic and Joe. “The studios on the building’s top floor were installed more than a decade ago,” said Bas Boone, project leader Sound Park for DPG Media.

“Moving the radio studios to the ground floor required quite some research and design, the key options being visibility and lots of daylight. During the building, Joe and Qmusic continued broadcasting from their ‘old’ on-air studios.”

BOOSTING VISIBILITY

The goal was to make both brands’ on-air studios visible by placing them in the main entrance hall (Qmusic) and the central corridor (Joe). “A first challenge was the entrance hall without any cabling or production facilities,” continued Boone. “We assigned acoustics company iDeal Acoustics to take on the building and acoustic research and calculations of the project.”

iDeal Acoustics started working in the DPG building last September. “We had to throw away old principles of hidden broadcast studios, replacing them by open on-air rooms, literally without studio doors, yet 100% acoustically perfect,” said Matthias Aerts, CEO of iDeal Acoustics. “The acoustic measures and elements had to fit the visual design made by architects Arf&Yes.”

Thanks to the flex desks, the Qmusic and Joe facilities offer lots of space for meetings and a large auditorium.

Initially, Aerts wanted to place both main on-air rooms as box-in-a-box, but with each on-air studio weighing some 17 tons, iDeal Acoustics had to review the plans. “The weight of the studios required us to reinforce the building’s floors,” he continued. “To place the double-glazed walls, weighing one ton each, we drove in a construction crane.”

Six radio studios, three production studios, the box-in-box artist lounge and control room, and a green key studio were all individually calculated in terms of acoustics and insulation. Each room was equipped with tailor-made bass traps, absorbers and custom-built wooden diffusors.

“No room is identical,” explained Aerts. “For Joe’s on-air studio, with a partially floating floor, the initial plan was to decorate it with green and plants. As this resulted in poor acoustics, we asked a company in Norway to grow a specific kind of moss, with optimal acoustic transparency, completely in line with Joe’s imaging. With Qmusic, we used customized felt, manufactured in the station’s branding.”

“We have a new broadcast site thanks to incredible team effort,” said Bas Boone, project leader Sound Park for DPG Media.

BASIC PRINCIPLE

iDeal Audio manufactured the studio furniture for the production rooms and the control room. It also handled the majority of the infrastructure work, carpentry and integration with a team of nine staffers working in the DPG Media building, in addition to the workers in the company’s factories.

The new radio floor was equipped with over 36 kilometers of data cables (mains, data and fiber were part of the building infrastructure). Amptec installed all of local cabling in the studios and the Netconnect-connection to the DPG Media datacenter. The company also managed the integration of the radio studios and complete system solution for the new radio environment.

Editorial staff, located in an open space next to the main on-air studio, has direct contact with the presenter.

The Sound Park serves both Qmusic and Joe in a similar architecture. With daylight being a crucial element, the complete 1,200-square-meter floor faces the street. The implementation of “flex desks” meant less office furniture was necessary. This resulted in more space for meeting places, an auditorium and conference rooms, offering room for 100 workers.

The broadcast and production studios are stretched alongside the main corridor, from the entrance hall to the back of the building.

“The basic principle was that our studios had to be used for both radio brands, offering identical basic functionalities and a standard presenter setup, the only difference is the size of each room. The on-air and production studios each have a DHD RX2 console, a Dalet Galaxy cart player, four fixed Neumann TLM 102 microphones and three Sennheiser HME 27 headset microphones, with Genelec 8351AP monitors,” said Boone.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Qmusic producer Elke Gyselen enjoys the daylight during her Workalicious morning show.

Every studio is equipped with a TC Helicon reverb unit, two Empirical Labs EL8 Distressors for processing and compression (in combination with the DHD RX2’s automix function), a DHD XC2 core, a Telos VX telephone hybrid, four silent PCs and an Adderlink XDIP KVM extender, linking the equipment in the  data center with the studio using KVM over IP.

Joe’s and Qmusic’s studios are among the first in the world to use the new RX2 consoles.

“In total, we supplied and installed seven RX2 mixing desks and nine XC2 cores. Six consoles plus cores are used in the radio studios, one RX2 and XC2 is used for staging and testing, one core serves 13 compact DHD 52TX multitouch-based consoles. One dedicated XC2 core is for HTML5-based programs using virtual consoles,” said Bart Lamberigts, Amptec broadcast business unit manager.

In addition, the broadcaster makes use of a Prodys Quantum 3RU frame with eight AoIP codecs for on-site broadcasts, OB vans or live reports, to connect with the DHD system via AES67.

“The whole radio infrastructure is a huge AES67 implementation — like the interconnection between Dalet Galaxy and DHD — we thoroughly tested the Dalet playout server using a Digigram AoIP board, which directly communicates with the DHD using the AES67 protocol,” added Lamberigts. “This assignment confirms our company’s leading role as supplier and system integrator.”

Both Qmusic and Joe’s main on-air studios use LIGA, an in-house developed central integration system. “It was engineered by our Dutch Qmusic colleagues and a big leap ahead towards maximum integration. The system connects with virtually all the digital tools like the Dalet Galaxy playout software, the DHD console, lighting, web APIs, the IT backbone and the videowalls,” added Boone.

All studios are equipped with Panasonic AW HE40 cameras for visual radio — the video signal uses IP connectivity using NewTek NDI technology. The system is steered by Microsoft Kinect sensors in combination with DHD’s level detector feature.

SIGNAL FLOW

The on-air audio signal is channeled over 11 Omnia.9 processors for the two FM frequencies and nine DAB+ feeds. “The Omnia.9 with the MKII upgrade is one of the most powerful multiband processors on the market,” explained Edo Dijkstra of studio integrator TVV Sound. “The MKII upgrade makes it AES67-compliant, alongside Livewire. This is one of the country’s most extensive Omnia.9 installations.”

TVV Sound also supplied five Telos Alliance Z/IP Stream R/2 streaming platforms, each with a capability of eight simultaneous streams, with incorporated Omnia.9 software. “Two Axia Pathfinder Core Pro engines act as virtual core for the studios and control the digital channels via either Livewire or AES67 — quite a unique concept allowing to integrate parameters and commands in case of signal loss, technical problems or off-air warnings,” added Dijkstra.

The Omnia processors, the playout storage devices and Dalet playout machines (one for each radio channel), as well as the encoders and the FM signal distribution (via Broadcast Partners’ transmitter park) and DAB+ (via Norkring) are stored in nine huge racks located in DPG Media’s data center.

“We have taken quite a few risks in the building process but everything turned out well, thanks to the thorough preliminary research, and the great team effort. External companies, some 30 DPG Media technicians and in-house engineers Kurt Vervondel for the audio engineering, Stefan Hessens and Tim Tuboville who supervised the playout and backbone,” underlined Boone.

“These new studios mean more than just shifting places. The technology we installed makes us more than future-proof, and ready for the digital future,” said An Caers, radio director for DPG Media. “In three years from now, 50% of the Flemish audience will listen to digital radio. It’s our ambition to be Flanders’ most inspiring and innovating audio company. The talent of our radio team in combination with groundbreaking technology is helping us to achieve that goal.”

 

Top Notch Recording Facility

There are a total of 11 DHD 52TX multitouch consoles in the radio and production studios.

The new broadcast site also features a state-of-the-art concert lounge and control room, combining the advanced technology with new equipment.

“There’s no radio station in the country offering this quality; it was a huge investment but this console will last for a lifetime,” said Iann Castelein, DPG Media radio project manager/sound engineer.

“We opted for this analog mixing console because of its supreme sound quality,” he added. “The audio output is AOIP-linked to our radio studio. We’ve already carried out many recordings and we are seeing artists coming specifically to record on the system here and then release the tracks commercially.”

Mathijs Indesteege, sales director & product support for SSL distributor Joystick Audio, who also handled the studio cabling and supplied the patch bays believes the SSL AWS948 console with Delta Control, featuring hands-on workflow and advanced DAW integration with automation, is ideal for DPG’s strict requirements.

 

The post Qmusic and Joe Inaugurate New Studios appeared first on Radio World.

It’s been three decades since Radio World International was launched. An offspring of Radio World, we started as a monthly print publication and have grown steadily over the years, documenting evolution and innovation in the radio industry worldwide.

Today, through our print issue and digital editions we reach more than 13,000 readers worldwide each month. Via the Radio World website, which brings together the best of all our industry-leading digital platforms, we reach another 23,000 monthly users.

To celebrate our birthday, we’re publishing a selection of photos we received from you. Thanks for sharing and growing with us over the years!

A portrait of Lawrence Cohen from Utica, N.Y., who has had the ham radio call sign ‘WA2TVN’ since 1977. Richard Barnett of Syracuse produced the drawing in 1993. Inovonics’ current president and CEO Ben Barber is pictured at KIAM radio in Nenana, Alaska, in 1987. Inovonics’ founder and radio fan Jim Wood in 1958. Jean-Francois Sallé, founder of Style FM, broadcasts from the studio in Berck, France, in 1994. The station, which aired from 1991 to 1998 and reached some 200,000 listeners, was already making use of solutions, including a Logigram 400 CD jukebox and a homemade scheduler. AEQ founders participate in a trade show in Valencia, Spain, in 1985 to promote the company’s first analog audio console, AEQ MK3. Pictured from left are Miguel Sancho (now CTO) and Rogelio de la Fuente, the firm’s now retired CEO. AEQ technician Rafael Mayoral tests AEQ equipment (audio amplifiers and distributors) in Leganes, Spain. Telos Alliance founders Steve Church (left) and Frank Foti are pictured collaborating in the early years. Greg Shay, Telos Alliance CTO, and Ioan Rus, Telos Alliance software platforms manager, at NAB 2001. Pat Mudgett broadcasts from the KRKO, Everett, Wash., studios in support of the Allied war effort during WWII. (photo courtesy Mudgett family and KRKO) 2wcom’s Werner Drews on the IBC show floor in 2005 with the first company booth. The Audemat team at IBC in 2002. Pictured from left are Helen Miller, Christophe Poulain, Daniel Werbrouck, Bruno Rost and Nicolas Moulard.

 

Bob Orban in Orban’s factory in San Leandro, Calif., during the first Optimod 8200 production run.

 

Rob Chickering, a radio engineer, tinkers with a Comrex THX system in the late 1980s.

 

 

 

 

Wheatstone’s early years at its ‘Grey Barn’ facility in Bethany, Conn. Radio Globo Brazil field reporter Alfredo Raymundo Filho, left, interviews Hungarian-Spanish footballer Ferenc Puskás c. 1960. Photo courtesy of Thiago Carneiro. The disco years c. 1974, founder Gary Snow center front in red shirt.

 

 

 

Tieline’s Patriot POTS audio codec from the 1990s.

The post Radio World International Celebrates 30 Years! appeared first on Radio World.

From left to right: Jim Rome, Sean “Hollywood” Hamilton, Ryan Seacrest, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Joe Madison, Kevin Ryder, Gene “Bean” Baxter, Harry Harrison and John Tesh.
Photo: Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Radio Hall of Fame

If anyone doubts the diversity and depth of radio’s talent, look no further than the Radio Hall of Fame’s 2019 inductees.

The Radio Hall of Fame honors radio talent and commemorates their accomplishments in Chicago’s Museum of Broadcast Communications.

The 31st RHOF class features Jim Rome, Joe Madison, Sean “Hollywood” Hamilton, Harry Harrison, Kevin Ryder, Gene “Bean” Baxter, Ryan Seacrest, Dr. Ruth Westheimer and John Tesh, all of whom were celebrated Nov. 8 at Gotham Hall in New York.

The timing of the designation was particularly significant for KROQ(FM) duo Kevin and Bean; the induction was held one day after Bean signed off the air for the final time.

This year’s event was led by emcee Mike Francesa, a 2018 RHOF honoree. Special guest announcers included Jim Bohannon and Jimmy Fallon, among others.

 

The post Radio Hall of Fame Highlights Radio’s Deep Bench of Talent appeared first on Radio World.

Philippines-based firm BeatBoy in collaboration with the association of Philippines broadcasters, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), and Manilla-based telecom company MegaCellular, unveiled the HDR-101 mobile phone with HD Radio tuner in December 2018.

KBP says it embarked upon the project so that Filipinos could easily listen to digital radio broadcasts. According to the organization, its goal was to make available a mobile device to allow the population to “simply and affordably” obtain digital radio broadcasts.

“We’re hopeful that receivers at this price point will make it more accessible for developing markets to have a digital radio solution,” it added.

The Philippines introduced digital radio broadcasts in Manila in 2009. Today there are eight stations delivering 13 digital audio programs via HD Radio technology. Broadcasters offering digital radio services in the country include Manila Broadcasting, Eagle Broadcasting, RMN, Far East Broadcasting Corp., Rajah Broadcasting and ABS-CBN. In addition, operators have recently launched digital services in other cities such as Davao and Cebu.

KPN adds that the HDR-101 has generated a lot of interest in digital radio solutions overall. “The phone made digital radio listening in the Philippines more attainable. Since its introduction, new product designs and projects have been developed to facilitate digital radio accessibility on mobile devices and in receivers for the home.”

 

The post KBP Facilates Access to HD Radio Broadcasts appeared first on Radio World.

The author is membership program director of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters. NFCB commentaries are featured regularly at www.radioworld.com.

One of community radio’s great challenges is keeping the income flowing. We are not alone. Frankly, income is a challenge faced by commercial media colleagues as well. How is community radio positioning itself to do well? New research might point out ways to do better.

For noncommercial broadcasters, a big source of income comes in the form of underwriting, those spots with specific rules that adhere to Federal Communications Commission policies governing noncommercial media. There are many disputes in some corners of community media about underwriting. To a few people, underwriting is little more than glorified advertising. However, the sophisticated ear hears the difference, and the smart station knows where it can go with its spots, because they’re integral to revenue.

[Read: Community Broadcaster: Are You Listening, FCC?]

Underwriting is beneficial for the local independent business looking to associate its name with something beloved like a station; for a station to demonstrate its support is broad and spread all around town; and for the listener to be informed about local happenings and places to visit. Many community radio stations rely on underwriting as income that isn’t derived from the dreaded pledge drive. For all the reasons above, a community station’s underwriting program must operate optimally to be effective.

Unfortunately, community stations nationwide seem to struggle with keeping the best underwriting teams in place. A new study may shed some light on finding and attracting the right underwriting accounts representatives to take your station’s underwriting up a notch.

The Center for Sales Strategy’s State of Media Sales 2019 report reveals some intriguing, and some not-surprising attitudes among stations and sales staff.

A few stations want to rely on 100% commission for an underwriting job. Not only are states looking askance at such arrangements these days, but competition for good sales people is fierce. In addition, according to the report, only 8% are willing to work for solely commission. The majority — 57% in the CSS poll — want a package that includes both base pay and commission.

However, stations should not assume shifting to a salary structure will be satisfactory. A whopping 92% of those surveyed indicated disinterest in a compensation package that did not include commission.

How much is your station investing in training and developing your underwriting staff? What kinds of printed materials about the station are you putting in their hands? Is it of the quality you want and expect to make an impression on a prospective underwriter? Your community station’s leaders should be asking all of these questions, because it turns out this sort of people investment is more meaningful than meets the eye. Around 25% of stations say their reps don’t have the collateral they need, and over 20% say the material they have for their staff isn’t current. More troubling, one-third of managers are not conducting regular sales training sessions with staff.

Is it any wonder then that managers suggest 20–30% of their salespeople are underperforming?

Stations expect more sales appointments from their representatives, even as those reps are finding it harder than ever to get appointments. It thus stands to reason that equipping a station’s representatives with the skills, materials and support they need to do their best benefits not just them, but a station and a community.

 

The post Community Broadcaster: Money Moves appeared first on Radio World.

To read more on this topic, check out the free Radio World ebook “Is Your Transmitter Ready for Lightning Season?”
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdPf0xmahJmFOOgjT82pn2bPXK-kkmJgZ0sbSJ7Qx-GuP4R2Q/viewform

Dear Editor,

I just got to read the Sept. 25 issue and would like to add a comment on the article “Seeking Enlightenment on Lightning Protection?” by Jeff Welton as it pertains to fiber optic lightning immunity.

I live and work in Iowa where, like most flat states, if you stick a 10 penny nail in the ground, it will probably take a direct lightning hit in the next storm.

Four years ago, my telephone provider switched from copper pair and DSL to homes and businesses to direct fiber. This was a great thing for my internet, when went from 5 meg down and 1 meg up to 100 meg both ways. And all was well until the next summer.

A fairly active thunderstorm came through and there was a strike near the end of our driveway about 1/4 mile from our home. I knew it was close because there are two light fixtures out there, and the bulbs were both blown and melted into their sockets.

Well, after the strike, we had no phone and no internet; also the television, Apple TV box and two computers wouldn’t turn on. It wiped the phone company’s fiber-to-copper modem mounted on the outside of the house, wiped the router, both computers, the Apple box and the input board on the television where the HDMI cable from the Apple box was plugged in.

After the phone company fixed their problems and I got the TV fixed by Apple (and fixed the television myself and threw out the computers), we were back to normal.

I thought maybe it had hit the lights and come back through the AC line, or hit my ham tower,. I checked all the grounds and let it go, figuring the fiber is glass, it couldn’t possibly come through there.

A year later almost to the day, same exact thing. This time it didn’t damage the outside lights — just the modem, router,  Apple TV, television and another computer.

Now I was suspicious. I told the telephone repairman, “It seems like we never had trouble when we had copper pairs; but now since you guys went to fiber,  we are having lightning damage to anything connected to the fiber.”

Well, the guy was on the ball. He said, “You know, the fiber is in a copper shield to protect it from crushing; maybe it’s coming in on the copper shield.”

The shield was bonded to the modem, which had the usual four-foot ground rod driven. Next day, they sent a crew that terminated the copper shielded cable outside and ran just a piece of fiber, one strand into the house and moved their modem to the basement.

Now there is a length of 15 feet of pure glass between the incoming cable and the modem. Since that was done two years ago, we have had no trouble, though the storms are as potent as ever.

Watch out for buried fiber, it can be destructive. It’s not all glass.

Ron Schacht
Kensett, Iowa

The post IT’S NOT ALL GLASS appeared first on Radio World.

Skyview Networks is highlighting a new audio distribution data center in Phoenix, Ariz. The facility, which opened this spring, is a satellite uplink farm and private cloud server system that Skyview says is notable for its broadcast reliability.

The company, founded in 1995, started with a focus on satellite distribution for pro sports and has evolved into a large audio distribution and inventory management provider. The facility processes and distributes ABC Audio, CBS Audio, Local Radio Networks, Alpha Media and professional and collegiate sports organizations; Skyview says it now has capacity to quadruple for new client acquisition.

“With this new primary facility, Skyview Networks’ capability and capacity more than doubles for its national news and lifestyle networks, and play-by-play sports,” it said in an announcement.

HEAVY USER WORKLOAD

According to a factsheet, the Skyview Networks Audio Distribution Data Center has 10 Megawatts of generating capacity and 100 GBps of Tier 1 Network ethernet to multiple cross-connects in North America, Asia, Europe and South America. It uses 2N+1 redundancy on its power, networking, cooling, uplink, automation and inventory management systems; and it has 300 TB of storage capability (Skyview says this is equivalent to 1.3 times the size of the print collections in the Library of Congress).

It also has 3 TB of RAM, enough to store its entire library of commercials, “equivalent to four years of audio,” but is using only half.

“Since Skyview Networks’ applications and systems support both internal and external users, it averages a 6,000+ user workload daily between its ABC, CBS and sports programming.”

It said the plant qualifies as a “Tier IV” facility, meaning multiple redundant capacity components, dual powered equipment, multiple uplinks and fault-tolerant components including uplinks, computers, storage, chillers, HVAC systems and servers.

Vice President of IT Christopher Horvat said, “The storage environment supports many workloads, including traditional core infrastructure virtual machines — Domain Controllers, management apps, etc. — application servers that include database and web servers, and the main VMs that transcode audio in real time or automate the broadcast networks of ABC, CBS and sports programs. This in full consists of over 5,000 radio stations.”

Horvat said the company aims for “sub-second” business continuity.

“To achieve those results, we maintain warm standby systems end-to-end as a 2N environment, which is why Skyview Networks has two HPE 3PAR systems and 12 blades instead of one 3PAR and six blades. The goal is to have enough capacity that if Skyview Networks’ systems fail on one side, all systems can keep running without an issue. For corruption prevention, the team maintains daily backups of all VM/Hyper-V environment and 15-minute backups of the database environment to allow for an instant restore in case the base data is lost to corruption.”

Horvat also highlighted its monitoring and protection capabilities. “I believe this is the future in software-defined cloud systems and flexible, efficient scalability for client growth,” he stated in an announcement. “As our momentum continues to accelerate in the audio space, we are well-prepared for continued expansion.”

Flexential, a hybrid IT solutions provider, is Skyview’s vendor partner for the colocation services in which Skyview’s uplink facility resides. Horvat said Flexential had the infrastructure (e.g. the ability, look angle, conduit and electrical) at its Phoenix data center to allow Skyview Networks to create its own private cloud using the high availability resources that they manage on Skyview’s behalf, such as power, WAN/BGP Networking and cooling. The transmitter farm in the photos is connected to Skyview’s cage on the colocation floor for management and signal multiplexing/modulation and powered by the redundant power infrastructure at Flexential.

Skyview has been seeking a higher profile lately and drawing attention to several of its initiatives. For example, Skyview and Amplifi Media have a partnership offering custom audio solutions for agencies and clients that want to curate branded audio content. Separately it signed a partnership with Local Radio Networks under which Skyview becomes the network sales partner and satellite distribution provider for JackFM’s Adult Variety format.

Fox Sports announced a partnership with the company for USC football and men’s basketball broadcasts, looking to increase the Trojans’ broadcast footprint beyond the West Coast.  And Skyview Networks sponsors an annual “audio upfront” event for agencies and media buyers in New York.

RW seeks candidates for technical facility profiles. Email us at radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post Skyview Networks Debuts Primary Uplink appeared first on Radio World.

A group of EEO rule supporters are standing against a tide of comments from broadcast groups to reiterate that the FCC’s equal employment opportunity rules prevent discrimination, promote competition, advance minority ownership and should remain a matter of the highest priority.

The filing is led by the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council and is supported by 37 individual groups that make up the EEO supporters list including the Black College Communication Association, League of United Latin American Citizens and the National Asian American Coalition.

[Read: Additional EEO Rules Are Unjustified and Unnecessary, According to NAB]

The group lays out five key proposals that are aimed at helping the commission fulfill the goal of alleviating discrimination in the electronic mass media industry. Among those proposals are the suggestion that EEO data be gathered for research on industry trends and EEO program effectiveness; EEO data be requested from licensees found to have failed to engage in required recruitment efforts; stations submit certifications as proof that job postings occurred before hiring decisions were made; additional audits be undertaken in case of probable-cause violations; and the commission open an inquiry into the pattern of consistently low representation of minorities in radio news.

According to the group, existing EEO regulations are helping to ensure that all qualified persons, including minorities and women, can learn of and compete on an equal footing for job openings.

“Talent and creativity are what makes broadcasting and multichannel video competitive with other media industries,” the group said in its filing. “The diversity of the employee pool is an especially critical input in these industries, which require an ever-growing stream of creative people on the line staff and in management. In a business such as media, whose product is the distribution of the fruits of talent, it is unsound economic policy to exclude or drive out anyone on a basis other than merit.”

The rules also help advance minority ownership, the group said in its first filing in September. “Any weakening of EEO enforcement … would convert radio deregulation into a cynical ‘bait and switch’ — a broken treaty with the American people. We must never overlook the important role played by the EEO rules in facilitating minority ownership by providing an entry pathway and opportunity for hands-on training for tomorrow’s broadcast owners,” the group said.

In a second comment filed in November, the EEO supporters said that EEO regulation is not only necessary but also justified from a cost-benefit standpoint.

“The costs of enforcement and compliance to the FCC and regulatees, respectively, are minimal, and the benefits are enormous,” the group said. “That cost here consists of the additional effort, beyond those costs that attend standard personnel administration, required to ensure that all job openings are timely posted online and are emailed to a list of community groups. Thanks to online recruitment, that cost is virtually zero.”

Responding to comments from the National Association of Broadcasters, the EEO Supporters said the NAB is conspicuously absent from making any suggestions on what the commission can do to combat cronyism or other forms of discrimination.

“Looking back at the nation’s history, and particularly at the history of broadcasting pre-1968, it cannot be said that federal nonintervention, or federal looking-the-other-way, or federal cutbacks in civil rights enforcement, or civil rights ‘self-regulation,’ ever were effective strategies in combating race and gender discrimination,” the group said.

“Aggressive, proactive federal leadership was manifestly required and still is today,” the group said.

The group said that the question that all parties — including the NAB — should be answering is: What can the commission do, right now, to finally and successfully finish the job of opening the doors of the nation’s most influential industries to all individuals?

These comments and others are being made as part of the FCC’s request for reply comments on the commission’s Equal Employment Opportunity Compliance and Enforcement Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. Those comments are housed in the commissions’ ECFS database using Media Bureau Docket Number 19-177.

 

The post EEO Supporters Stand Firm on Benefits of FCC Employment Rules appeared first on Radio World.

Belgian commercial radio stations Qmusic and Joe began broadcasting from their new studios in May. The upgraded facilities, which represent an investment of €3 million, comprise new broadcast studios, production rooms, editorial offices and meeting places. Read about the upgrade and more in the November issue of Radio World International.

BEST OF SHOW 

Discover the award winners at this year’s IBC show

30TH ANNIVERSARY

To celebrate our 30th anniversary, we’re featuring a selection of historical pictures you have shared with us

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

RFmondial Launches Multiplexed DRM For FM Band

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Buyer’s Guide: Signal Monitoring, Remote Control, Test and EAS 

The post Inside the November issue of Radio World International appeared first on Radio World.

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