Industry News

In 2017, she became the News Director for Gray Television’s NBC affiliate serving the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. Now, a promotion has been given to Stephanie Hedrick.

She’s now the GM of a Gray-owned NBC affiliate not too far to the north.

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As 2021 came to a close, KRRiT, the Polish broadcasting regulator, announced plans to tender licenses for a nationwide DAB+ multiplex. The multiplex would support a dozen channels.

According to the KRRiT’s announcement, three of the channels will be reserved for public service broadcaster Polskie Radio’s national channels; three will be for nationwide extension of existing program services; and the remaining six will be for new or extended “broadcasting licenses of a universal or specialized nature.” The announcement was made in Polish on Dec. 29.

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According to wirtualnemedia.pl, the licenses for three existing services are expected to go to private broadcasters RMF FM and Radio Zet, as well as to the religious station Radio Maryja. All three stations currently are heard nationwide on FM. The six other slots could go to other regional or local broadcasters, or to new players in the industry.

Polskie Radio currently operates DAB+ multiplexes reaching about 67 percent of the nation’s population, although it aims to expand this to 80 percent of the population in early 2022. The three slots on the new national multiplex could expand the reach of existing Polskie Radio programs or could be used for new services, according to wirtualnemedia.pl.

The post Poland Opens Tender for National DAB+ Programs appeared first on Radio World.

It’s the No. 5 MVPD by size in the U.S. It also sells advertising and production services under the OnMedia brand.

Now, this cable television service provider has a freshly inked carriage agreement in place with the owner of the NBC affiliate serving an area of Kentucky recently battered by fierce twisters.

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From 1989 through 2012, he was widely known for his sales roles and leadership of the AM and FM radio stations once owned by ABC Radio serving the New York Tri-State Area. He’d later join WOR-AM in New York as Station Manager before taking a post with Times-Shamrock Communications in the Poconos.

Now, there’s a Shamrock back in Steve Borneman‘s professional life.

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Thirteen days ago, RBR+TVBR was first to share the news that Gray Television had agreed to purchase a low-power TV construction permit and five fully built LPTVs from the licensee led by Jeff Winemiller.

It is now known that this transaction was just a taste of bigger trading to come between the Gray and Winemiller’s Lowcountry 34 Media.

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“This update offers a free, updated version of Infinity’s Dashboard software, enhanced compatibility options, and includes firmware for Infinity panels, desktop stations and beltpacks,” the company announced.

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VP of Business Development and Infinity Product Director Martin Dyster was quoted: “Infinity has always been plug-and-play due to the design principles inherited from its Livewire+ AES67 heritage, but these v2.0 integration enhancements open up new possibilities for users and make it easier to control Infinity using the broadcaster’s preferred method.”

The update makes Infinity Dashboard Software free for all Infinity users, eliminating a licensing scheme and giving users access to Dashboard’s full feature set.

It also makes Infinity hardware systems compatible wi5th the new Telos Infinity VIP Virtual Intercom Platform. “By adding seamless integration of Infinity VIP with the hardware-based Infinity IP Intercom system, users have a wide range of deployment options for diverse applications; whether on-prem, site-to-site, in the cloud or as a hybrid of these.”

Telos said Axia users also will find the update useful because it contains enhanced integration with the new Axia Quasar AoIP Mixing Consoles. And integration with Elgato Stream Deck is included, making it easier to control the intercom system with that third-party device.

The free download is available via the Infinity portal.

Send your new equipment news to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post Telos Releases V2.0 Software for Infinity appeared first on Radio World.

A Kansas broadcaster has agreed to a consent decree with the Federal Communications Commission that will allow the licensee to renew several of its stations’ licenses and to reassign one FM station to a different entity.

But the consent decree also includes a $7,000 civil penalty that the broadcaster must file before Jan. 1, 2022.

In a Memorandum Opinion and Order issued by the Audio Division of the Media Bureau, the bureau reminded Rocking M Media that FCC rules require broadcast stations to adhere to minimum operating requirements. And in cases where limited or discontinued operation has taken place, the licensee must request special temporary authorization to be permitted to be quiet longer than 30 days.

In addition, any station that is silent for 12 consecutive months will automatically forfeit its license, unless the commission is involved with extending or reinstating the station’s license.

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Rocking M Media filed six renewal applications, as required, before the stations’ licenses were set to expire on June 1, 2021. At the time, Rocking M revealed that each station had been off the air for substantial periods without an STA, although none of the stations had been silent for 12 consecutive months, the broadcaster said.

In 2020, Audio Division Chief Albert Shuldiner sent an inquiry letter after learning that some of the Rocking M stations might be silent without authority. Soon after, Rocking M filed a request for and was granted STAs for a six-month period.

The licensee also acknowledged periods of silence without authority, which it attributed to eviction from the stations’ shared studio location, a failed multistation sale, financial difficulties, and inadvertence by its manager and a contract engineer.

As part of its research, the bureau compiled a chart listing the dates and percent of time the stations were off the air — including the amount of time the station was off the air without an STA. According to the Media Bureau, time spent off the air during the discussed time period ranged from a low of 8 percent to a high of 38 percent. When it came to operating without an STA, one station was off the air 25 percent during that time period, adding up to a total of 329 days.

As part of the order, the bureau and the licensee adopted a consent decree that resolves issues related to the station’s failure to receive an STA. The bureau also agreed to a reassignment application that would grant the KKGQ(FM) renewal application to Pinnacle Media LLC.

The bureau also found that for those stations with a significant record of silence during its past license term — which included KKLE(AM), KIBB(FM), KLEY(AM), KVWF(FM), KWME (FM) and translator K262CQ — the FCC would only agree to renew the license for a one-year term due to a “record of failing to serve the public during [the stations’] substantial periods of silence,” the bureau said.

The bureau, however, concluded that the licensee still possesses the basic qualifications to be a commission licensee. As a result, Rocking M agreed to pay a civil penalty of $7,000 to finalize the consent decree.

The post Kansas Broadcaster Enters Consent Decree appeared first on Radio World.

An AM station in Arizona is experiencing first-hand what happens when a licensee fails to file a license renewal application on time.

Sonora Broadcasting was required to file a license renewal application for KAPR(AM) in Douglas, Ariz., on June 1, 2021, which was a full four months before the license was to expire. According to the FCC Media Bureau, the application was not filed until five days before the license was set to expire on Oct 1, 2021. According to the bureau, Sonora did not give a reason for the late filing.

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The commission’s Forfeiture Policy Statement establishes a base forfeiture of $3,000 for failing to file a required form, although the bureau may adjust that amount depending on the facts of the case.

While Sonora failed to file its application on time, the bureau said the broadcaster has not committed any other serious violations of FCC rules and did (albeit without explanation, according to the bureau) file the application before the Oct. 1 deadline.

As a result, the bureau notified Sonora it is now liable for a $3,000 forfeiture and must pay the full amount within 30 days. Within that same time period, the broadcaster also has the right to request in writing a reduction or cancellation of the proposed forfeiture.

The post Late Renewal Could Cost Arizona Station $3,000 appeared first on Radio World.

A station licensee faces a $17,500 monetary forfeiture after discontinuing operation of its station and translator without permission and for failing to upload items to its online public inspection file on time.

In January 2020, Southfield, Mich.-based Birach Broadcasting Corp. filed a license renewal application for KTUV(AM) in Little Rock, Ark., and its FM translator, K260DT. At the time, Birach certified that there had been no violations during the license term and that the stations had not been silent for any period longer than 30 days. The licensee also said the stations were currently on the air.

On March 6, 2020, due to what it called “catastrophic failure of its transmitter,” KTUV and K260DT went silent. FCC rules require radio stations to notify the commission within 10 days of temporarily discontinuing operations and must obtain commission authorization to stay silent longer than 30 days.

But an objection filed by an individual on May 20, 2020, revealed the stations were apparently still off the air. Birach balked at the objection, saying that although K260DT was silent, “requests for silent authority are on file.” And while Birach filed requests for a special temporary authority for its stations, those STAs were filed after the initial objection was filed.

The FCC Media Bureau reiterated in its Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture that Birach did not have the authority to remain silent between April 6 (a month after the transmitter failure) and May 22 when it filed the STA. KTUV resumed operations on July 29, 2020, and K260DT on Sept. 25, 2020.

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Among the missteps here: Birach should have notified the FCC of the discontinued operations by March 17, 2020, and it should have filed STAs for each station by April 5. As a result, the bureau found that Birach willfully and repeatedly violated FCC rules.

In a separate incident, the bureau also found KTUV failed to properly maintain its online public inspection file — specifically by failing to upload on time its issues/programs list for 2018, as well as lists for the first and fourth quarters of 2019. In addition, the bureau found several issues/programs lists were missing, including the third quarter of 2020 as well as the first, second and third quarters of 2021.

The bureau also noted that Birach failed to provide accurate and complete information to its pending application. FCC rules state that within 30 days, an applicant must update a pending application if information is no longer accurate. In this case, the application was filed on Jan. 29, 2020, and remains pending. As a result, Birach should have amended its application — and it did not do so.

The bureau moved to propose a monetary forfeiture for each of the licensee’s apparent violations of allowing two stations to remain silent for two-and-a-half months without authorization, failing to update its pending application and failing to upload on time its issues/program lists for KTUV.

As a result, the bureau proposed a total forfeiture of $17,500. At the same time, the bureau did not find the violations serious enough to warrant an evidentiary hearing that could potentially impact approval of Birach’s application renewals. Given the importance of keeping a radio station’s online public files updated, however, the bureau said the application grant is conditioned on Birach submitting a report regarding KTUV’s compliance with public file requirements.

Birach has 30 days to pay the full amount or file a written statement seeking reduction or cancellation.

The post Arkansas Licensee Faces $17,500 Forfeiture appeared first on Radio World.

When it comes to serving Spanish-speaking audiences in Atlanta, iHeartMedia has worked hard to attract them against such local competitors as Davis Broadcasting Inc. Over the years, this has seen signal swaps, and format changes — including the May 2020 decision to simulcast Latin Pop WBZY-FM 105.7 “Z105.7,” following that station’s April 2020 move from 105.3 MHz.

Now, iHeart is re-entering a direct format battle with Davis by taking WBZY’s simulcast partner and returning to regional Mexican after a little more than three years.

As of Saturday (1/1/2022), WRDG-FM 96.7 in Union City, Ga., is now “El Patrón 96.7.”

The format? Banda, Norteño and Rancheras, putting its mix of music from such artists as Grupo Firme, La Adictiva Banda San Jose de Mesillas, Calibre 50, Los Dos Carnales, Banda MS and Christian Nodal against DBI’s genre-leading WLKQ-FM “La Raza.”

Serving as Program Director for El Patrón is Z105.7 PD Orlando Rosa. He says, “With the rapidly growing Hispanic population in Atlanta, as well as emerging musical tastes, this move puts us in a position to super-serve all of our Hispanic listeners, advertisers and the community.”

The lineup features Adrian Martinez in overnights, Rico Hernandez from 6am-Noon, Gina Ulmos from Noon-6pm and Luis Treviño from 6pm to midnight.

For iHeart, memories of the original “El Patrón” could benefit the company in luring listeners to the reincarnated offering. On Nov. 26, 2006, WBZY-FM 105.3 took on the branding and regional Mexican format. Twelve years later, iHeart scrapped “El Patrón,” bringing the “Z” brand to the market.

With the shift of “Z” to a different frequency and continued shifts in the market dynamics, regional Mexican listeners now a new choice — one iHeart hopes opens up more marketing and advertising opportunities in 2022.