Industry News

There’s a new leader on the Spot Ten TV report from Media Monitors.

And, just in time for the holiday shopping season, it is the biggest retailer in the U.S. that is strutting its stuff.

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The Home Depot is undisputedly one of the top advertisers using audio media today. Yet, for the week ending October 31, the home improvement retailer was absent from the Media Monitors Spot Ten Radio report.

Instead, its primary competitor on a national level was strutting its stuff at AM and FM radio — showing its brand prowess in a big way.

Lowe’s was the No. 4 advertiser by play count last week, with some 50,175 spot plays as detected by iHeartMedia-owned Media Monitors.

The overall leader: job seeker and hiring site Indeed, which is actively using radio to help attract those looking for employment.

The auto insurance specialist using Spot Radio the most last week? It is State Farm 

Meanwhile, new activity from Vicks and Capital One puts each brand into the Spot Ten.

I can’t resist following up on K.M. Richards’ amusing tale of ingeniously “bending the rules” by incorporating his station’s legal ID into a top o’ the hour temperature check (Readers Forum, Aug. 4).

As a Washington lawyer representing AM and FM stations around the country, I was often presented with clever promotional and marketing ideas, to assure they would not run afoul of any FCC rule or policy.

Back in the Reagan era and the days of the old Emergency Broadcast System, when the weekly EBS test was locally originated and announced, a radio client of mine had a voice impressionist record the script of the announcement in the president’s voice. The usual formal and somber intonation, “This is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System,” was heard instead in Reagan’s informal, tale-telling, aw-shucks style. As the station’s attorney, I was asked whether this was permissible under the FCC rules.

The tickler was that the announcement ended with the “president” saying, “This concludes this test of the Emergency Broadcast System. (Pause.) Now, if you’ll all pass your papers to the left, we’ll see how you did.”

It was a simpler time. I gave the message a thumbs-up.

John King
Jacksonville, Fla.

Radio World invites industry-oriented commentaries and responses. Send to Radio World.

The post Letter: Bending some more rules appeared first on Radio World.

This is regarding the letter “AM Digital — What Is the End Game?,” which was a response to an earlier commentary by Michelle Bradley.

The author wrote: “Michi made the point that, ‘The automotive and radio receiver industry needs to make HD Radio, standard equipment, not a ‘luxury option’ like with some manufacturers.’ So, when is the FCC going to step in and mandate HD Radio in all cars? It’s the only way this will happen.”

Well, I have to call BS. Why do you think every vehicle comes with SiriusXM? Because they did what they had to do to get them there. I’m sure there were financial inducements.

Money talks. But as far as I can tell, there was never a broadcaster initiative to get the radios in the cars. I don’t know what discussions iBiquity had with the auto manufacturers, but it was spectacularly ineffective. Relying on big ol’ Uncle Sam to mandate HD Radios in all cars seems like such a copout.

John Terhar 
Largo, Fla.

Radio World invites industry-oriented commentaries and responses. Send to Radio World.

The post Letter: No place for mandates appeared first on Radio World.

As children, we are told to not judge a book by its cover. So as adults, when something arrives in the mail packaged in a cool little box with a trendy logo, we are conditioned to pass it off as nothing more than a slick marketing technique.

There are a few occasions, however, when a cool little box with a trendy logo contains an awfully nifty item.

The item in this case is the Tula Mic, from Tula Microphones, a combination microphone and handheld digital recorder.

It fortunately arrived when mobile/remote voice recording hit an all-time peak recently. Radio professionals and podcasters alike find themselves in places nobody ever assumed would become recording studios.

[Read: Movin’ on Up With the Movo UM700]

The Tula Mic boasts a throwback design that is, simply, fun to look at and use.

“Tula” is Sanskrit for “balance,” which speaks to the technological advances that are shrouded in its nostalgic design. Specifically, Tula uses Burr-Brown op-amp circuitry and noise reduction technology from Swedish software designer Klevgrand.

Klevgrand’s “Brusfri” noise reduction plug-in is built into Tula for learning and eliminating environmental noise characteristics.

From a basic design interest, Tula’s lithium ion battery charges via USB. The internal battery charge lasts about 12 hours.

A classy, foldable desk stand allows Tula to sit comfortably on a desk. The desk stand removes easily, and a mic stand adapter can be snapped on for more detailed and critical mic placement.

Tula is equipped with cardioid and omnidirectional capsules. The two polar patterns accommodate a single voice session or use with several voices in a group or interview setting.

Via its USB-C cable, Tula can be used as a USB mic for real-time miking and will work properly with any DAW running on Mac or Windows.

Familiar transport, control and volume buttons are situated on the sides of the mic along with a 3.5 mm TRRS jack that doubles as a headphone output or input for another source, such as a lapel mic.

Inside
Functionally, Tula is hardly a complicated tool, but it packs a punch under the hood.

Pressing record does what you’d expect. Plug in headphones and adjust the volume to monitor real-time recording or file playback.

Two LEDs on the front indicate input gain levels and record mode. Use the USB connection to move Tula’s files to a computer or use Tula as an audio I/O device. Pretty simple!

The ultimate Tula “cool” factor is found in its noise reduction function.

When in NC (noise cancellation) mode, Tula records two simultaneous versions of the audio file. One version is raw, with no noise reduction. The other version is recorded with the Klevgrand Brusfri noise reduction plug-in applied.

Brusfri reduces constant noises like HVAC system noise and functions quite well. I found the room noise had completely disappeared and the voice content was kept pristine with no additional artifacts or degradation. The Brusfri noise reduction even eliminated the drone of an airplane that was audible in the studio.

The NC feature works in real time when Tula is used as an I/O device as well.

Tula’s Art-Deco-ish form factor is fashionable and unique, and it travels well. Given that it serves as a portable recorder and a USB microphone, Tula should feel at home with anyone who is on the go and needs to grab audio on the fly or is in the studio and needs to record a quick VO. It records standard 16-bit/48 kHz WAV files.

There was some noticeable handling noise sensitivities, and I detected some “not-quite-large-diaphragm” coloration on vocal reproduction. But Tula offers a clean and bright overall vocal response.

A windscreen or “dead cat” might be needed, as Tula is sensitive to plosives and wind. Tula explains that windscreens that fit a Blue Yeti will also fit the square Tula.

The steel construction is robust and prepared for the bustle and abuse of field reporting or comfortable studio work. Eight GB of internal memory and the lithium ion battery guarantee 12 hours of continuous recording.

Tula is a stylish little device that until you use it for yourself, you didn’t know you wanted.

The author is the owner of production firm Audio Concepts and a Radio World contributor.

Product Capsule

Tula Mic

Thumbs Up: Cool design; built-in digital recorder; built-in noise reduction processing; interfaces with computer DAWs; solid construction

Thumbs Down: Susceptible to handling noise; not compatible with standard microphone windscreens

Price: $229

Info: Tula Microphones at www.tulamics.com.

The post Tula Mic: Old School and New School appeared first on Radio World.

Mark Persons is a frequent contributor to Radio World.

Paul, excellent editorial about 9/11 (radioworld.com, “Memories of 9/11 Haunt Me Still”). Thanks for telling your story of that fateful day when 2,996 innocent people died.

We all remember where we were that morning. I heard a news bulletin come over one of our local radio stations. Then to a television to see the horrific event unfold.

It shook me to the core thinking of how our country could be attacked. It is a sad commentary that others would try to gain by destroying so many lives.

This kind of treachery cannot stand. My thanks to our nation’s all-volunteer military for taking up the challenge of avenging 9/11. Many service members died in the process. Ceremonies are held each year in my hometown honoring all Americans involved. It is a sobering reminder that the War on Terror is not over.

Mark Persons 
Brainerd, Minn.
www.brainerdvfw.org

Radio World invites industry-oriented commentaries and responses. Send to Radio World.

The post Letter: Sept. 11, 20 years ago appeared first on Radio World.

An all-important referendum on whether or not the nation’s largest multimedia company superserving African American consumers can move forward with its second casino gaming resort is being put to voters on Tuesday.

Does polling suggest that the plan may not win voter approval?

It appears some shareholders may be concern that Richmond voters will say no to Urban One‘s plan.

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The Library of American Broadcasting Foundation (LABF) will recognize nine distinguished industry leaders and celebrities for lifetime achievement on November 9 during the LABF’s GIANTS OF BROADCASTING & ELECTRONIC ARTS virtual awards ceremony.

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For 23 1/2 years, she was one of the most recognizable anchors at the ABC affiliate serving Atlanta — the flagship television station of Cox Media Group.

In April, two masses on her brain and subsequent surgery to remove them revealed she had the most common type of brain cancer.

On Thursday night, Jovita Moore lost her battle against the aggressive, incurable disease. She was 54 years of age.

Moore has been an omnipresent figure at “Channel 2 Action News” since April 1998, when she exited WMC-5 in Memphis. There, Moore spent 4 1/2 years as an anchor and reporter. From October 1990 until October 1993, she had been an anchor/reporter for KFSM-5 in Fayetteville, Ark. Moore started her career in news with an internship at The New York Times.

At WSB, Moore moved to the main anchor desk in 2012.

WSB announced Moore’s passing on Friday, explaining that she had been diagnosed with glioblastoma, which is non-hereditary and is not tied to an individual’s diet or lifestyle, unlike smoking.

Among those expressing their sadness over Moore’s death is Ed Gordon, the Emmy Award–winning broadcaster who presidential interviewer who is the author of the book “Conversation in Black.” Gordon participated in the RBR+TVBR Black Media Symposium in 2020.

“I was coming to Atlanta, Jovita and I had agreed to catch-up and go to dinner a few weeks before she fell ill,” he said in a Twitter post in which he expressed his “profound sadness.” Gordon added, “We corresponded the night before her operation. None of us knew just how serious it was. Such a vibrant soul, I will miss her.”

If you would like to honor Jovita Moore’s memory, you can do so with a donation to Our House Atlanta or The National Brain Tumor Society, two organizations that are very important to her.

Moore is survived by her mother, her two wonderful children and stepdaughter, who she called the most important accomplishments of her life.

Why are advertising agencies not concerned about supply chain disruptions, while some major brands — “the typical agency clients” — have already begun to cut back on ad spend due to these challenges?

It’s a question MoffettNathanson Senior Analyst Michael Nathanson ponders, because he’s not sure who to trust. “We believe the difference in these views is that the agencies are not just exposed to media spend, but have a variety of businesses serving broader marketing needs for their clients,” he notes.

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