Industry News

What are the top advertisers using spot radio to connect with AM and FM radio listeners?

For the week ending October 24, some intriguing brands are on the latest Media Monitors Spot Ten Report. One new entrant is a Procter & Gamble Co. brand not necessarily known for its audio creative.

That would be Swiffer, the all-in-one mop and floor cleanser that P&G has made a common kitchen and household tool. In a new campaign, Swiffer spots enjoyed 33,311 spot plays at the radio stations tracked by Media Monitors.

Among paid advertisers using spot radio, Indeed is the big No. 1.

For auto insurers, Jake from State Farm is there — and no other auto insurance brands can be found this week.

Rounding out the Spot Ten is top QSR McDonald’s.

 

As different organizations work to implement the latest federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate, the tower organization NATE is requesting that its members have the right to publicly comment on the issue.

On Oct. 20 NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association sent a letter to Pres. Joe Biden requesting the organization be able to make comments on the vaccine rule implementation being proposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

[Read: NATE Sets Membership Record]

The move comes after Pres. Biden signed an executive order in September requiring employers with more than 100 employees to either mandate their employees be vaccinated or conduct weekly testing of unvaccinated employees. The president also ordered that all federal contractors working on federal property be vaccinated (with no testing option).

But NATE expressed concern that the temporary emergency standard that OSHA is expected to follow as a result of the federal mandate does not allow for public comment. The organization said that 85% of NATE members believe that some staff would resign if they are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and a full 30% indicated they would lose more than half of their workers.

Photo: Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAM

“Like many other industries involved in the skilled trades, NATE members have struggled to recruit skilled workers,” the organization said in its letter to the White House. “The possibility of losing a significant number of tower technicians is a serious concern for NATE members, and the potential of losing workers could come at a time when America is investing billions of dollars in broadband projects.”

“Simply put,” the letter said, “NATE members fear that if we do not implement federal vaccination goals in a responsible manner, then they could lose a significant number of workers who are vital to building and deploying broadband services to rural, unserved, and underserved communities.”

[Read: COVID Doesn’t Care About Trade Shows]

Instead, a public comment period would allow for OSHA staff to hear directly from NATE members so they could get a clearer understanding of how a vaccine mandate could impact workers.

“We urge President Biden and OSHA to open a public comment period so the administration can hear directly from NATE’s small business members and gain a better understanding of how vaccine mandates would impact their workforce and the country’s ambitious 5G and broadband deployment goals,” it said.

 

The post NATE Calls for Public Comment Period on Proposed Federal Vaccine Mandate appeared first on Radio World.

The National Association of Broadcasters is making a big push to end Big Tech’s free ride when it comes to paying FCC spectrum regulatory fees, it said.

In response to a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking asking if the FCC should adopt new regulatory fee categories to collect fees from unlicensed spectrum users, NAB seeks changes to the FCC regulatory fee structure so that fees more fairly and lawfully reflect the work performed by the commission and the benefits received by various industries, the association said.

[Read: Broadcasters Get a Win on Regulatory Fees]

“The commission’s current approach is unlawful and unconstitutional because, among other things, it forces broadcasters and others to subsidize commission activities with substantially benefit other regulatory fee payors and other entities that currently contribute nothing to the commission’s funding,” NAB wrote in its most recent comment.

In fact, NAB previously has claimed the FCC is using a “pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey approach to assessing fees.” The FCC expects to collect $374 million this year from all the industries it regulates, including broadcasters, cable and phone companies, internet providers and satellite operators.

The FCC’s fee schedule collects the total amount appropriated in a given year and is guided by statutory requirements that the “fees reflect the full-time equivalent number of employees within the bureaus and offices of the commission, adjusted to take into account factors that are reasonably related to the benefits provided to the payor of the fee by the commission’s activities.”

Getty Images – Rubberball, Mike Kemp

NAB claims the FCC routinely violates that statutory requirement. “NAB focuses on current FCC methodology based solely on the number of direct full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) in the four core bureaus of the commission, which results in a fee schedule that reflects on the work performed, and the benefits provided, by a mere quarter of the commission’s operations,” NAB commented.

The broadcast industry group urges the commission take several steps to bring its fee structure into compliance with its statutory mandates, including reassessing its proportional allocations of indirect commission costs to determine whether such allocations align with the actual amount of work performed by noncore bureaus and offices on behalf of regulatory fee payors.

“Secondly, the FCC should perform the analysis necessary to add a fee category for broadband service providers or exempt broadcasters from paying for any broadband costs,” the NAB wrote in comments.

And NAB insists the FCC can no longer turn a blind eye to the fact that Big Tech — companies such as Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Amazon — take up significant commission resources under the banner of unlicensed spectrum, yet pay no associate regulatory fees as a result.

[Read: CTA Loathes Idea of FCC Collecting Fees From Unlicensed Spectrum Users]

“For example, over the last few years Big Tech helped lead a massive and expensive push to use 6 GHz spectrum for their benefit (and to the detriment of many licensed operators, including broadcasters). Big Tech companies drained significant commission resources, and yet remarkably, broadcasters and others footed the bill,” NAB commented.

NAB says it believes the FCC already has the authority to require unlicensed spectrum users to pay for commission activities that benefit their businesses.

And NAB says it is not singling out “small appliance and other home good equipment manufacturers” whose devices make use of unlicensed spectrum, which is a concern shared by the Consumer Technology Association. In fact, the broadcast industry group believes there are ways to avoid capturing small entities in the fee category. “However, it makes little sense to delay imposing regulatory fees on Big Tech companies that actively participate in commission proceedings, benefit economically from the commission’s activities (often at the expense of other regulates), and actively compete with broadcasters and other regulatory fee payors for advertising revenue,” NAB wrote the FCC.

Reply comments on the NPRM (MD Docket No. 21-190) are due Nov. 5.

 

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If one of your radio or television stations is a member of the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB), here’s a chance for your sales team to benefit from getting a piece of the action in a multimillion-dollar ad campaign signed off by one of the biggest champions of multicultural marketing today: Marc Pritchard.

How has revenue recovered from the onset of a pandemic that saw generally steep declines and where some categories continue to experience slower than hoped for rebounds? What’s in store for 2022 matters more than ever, especially after Snap Inc.’s dismal Q3 2021 results suggests supply chain problems could lead to lower advertiser activity at radio and TV in Q4. A Forecast 2022 panel of experts is poised to propel a provocative discussion about who is going to “show us the money” in the year to come … or not.

FOR FULL DETAILS AND TO REGISTER FOR FORECAST 2022, NOVEMBER 16 IN NEW YORK, CLICK HERE!

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Beyerdynamic’s Pro X Series (l-r): DT 700 Pro X and DT 900 Pro X headphones, and M 70 Pro X and M 90 Pro X microphones.

Beyerdynamic is eyeing emerging content creators with the introduction of its new Pro X line, comprised of both its DT 700 Pro X and DT 900 Pro X headphones, and its M 70 Pro X dynamic and M 90 Pro X true condenser microphones. Designed with live streaming and recording in mind, the series can be used flexibly in all situations.

The closed-back DT 700 Pro X can be used for production in a studio as well as on-the-go on a laptop, tablet or smartphone. Taking things a step further is the open-back DT 900 Pro X — a pair of circumaural studio headphones intended for use in professional monitoring, mixing and mastering.

Each model makes use of the new Stellar.45 driver, based around a strong neodymium magnet and a lightweight voice coil made of copper-plated high-tech wire. Used in conjunction with a newly developed three-layer speaker cone with integrated attenuating layer, the Pro X headphones have an efficient driver system with a 48-ohm impedance.

[Check Out More Products at Radio World’s Products Section]

Both models come with two mini-XLR cables, which can be changed and replaced with other connection options. Contact points with the wearer are intended to be soft, with smooth gray velour ear pads and soft memory foam in the headband to allow several hours of wearing. The headband itself sports spring steel bracket construction.

The M 70 Pro X is intended for broadcasting, podcasting and streaming, while the M 90 Pro X is better suited for recording vocals and instruments. In addition to providing low-noise signal at all volumes, the mics each have an elastic system suspension as well as a stable microphone spider to reduce unwanted sounds like footsteps, hand grips or keyboard noise. A pop filter ensures that breathing noises and harsh plosive sounds are softened.

The M 70 Pro X has been optimized specifically for speech, and to almost completely block out surrounding noise in acoustically challenging environments, the company says. Meanwhile, the M 90 Pro X is an XLR microphone for recording; offering a balanced signal-to-noise ratio, it is intended for vocals, instruments and voice-overs. The new product series features a minimalist black design consisting of premium and interchangeable parts such as capsule, circuit board or connector.

The DT 700 Pro X and DT 900 Pro X are now available at a recommended retail price of $299, and the two microphones M 70 Pro X and M 90 Pro X are available from a recommended retail price of $299 and $349.

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

Info: north-america.beyerdynamic.com

 

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For those with moderate to severe eczema, there’s a pharmaceutical product that’s gotten a lot of exposure thanks to a spot television campaign.

Total up those spots, and this brand tops them all in the latest Spot Ten TV report from Media Monitors.

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The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers announced today that Barbara Lange will step down as the society’s executive director at the close of 2021, which marks the end of her current contract. Lange has served in this role for 12 years.

SMPTE says Lange guided the organization “through a dynamic period of growth, extending the society’s leadership as a global standards organization, and working closely with staff, volunteers, members, and the SMPTE Board of Governors to make SMPTE a more inclusive organization that brings value to individuals and organizations across the media and entertainment industry.”

“Of all that SMPTE has achieved during my tenure, I’m most proud of how we’ve transformed the society into a modern organization that remains very relevant 105 years after its founding,” said Lange. “I’ve had the honor of working with so many impressive people to help SMPTE thrive and continue to play a vital role in supporting the media industry. Thanks to the dedication and hard work of the home office staff and SMPTE volunteers, the society today stands ready for any future challenge.”

Achievements

A short list of SMPTE achievements during Lange’s tenure includes the creation and institution of a new, more comprehensive three-year strategic business plan process; reimagination of the SMPTE brand and the Society’s web presence; the launch of the SMPTE Digital Library; completion of a successful capital fundraising campaign and celebration of the society’s centenary; publication of more than 200 engineering documents including groundbreaking standards such as SMPTE ST 2110, SMPTE ST 2067 (IMF), and SMPTE ST 2084 (HDR); production of the first virtual presentation of the society’s annual technical conference; successful navigation of the pandemic through the acquisition of government support and loan forgiveness; and the launch of the innovative Rapid Industry Solutions (RIS) program.

Through technical conferences and an expanding offering of educational programs and courses, SMPTE has educated tens of thousands of professionals, helping to further their knowledge and careers. Both individual and corporate membership increased in the past decade, and the number of SMPTE Sections worldwide increased to include India, Pittsburgh, Poland, and the United Kingdom, while nearly a dozen new student chapters were launched during Lange’s tenure.

“Under Barbara’s leadership, SMPTE has become a truly international society committed to facilitating industry interoperability through industry standards, making relevant education accessible to all industry members, and fostering a vibrant and inclusive membership community,” said SMPTE President Hans Hoffmann. “Every organization faces difficult times, and the pandemic crisis over the past 18 months presented new and unexpected challenges for all of us. Despite these challenges, and thanks to transformational work directed by Barbara over the years, the society has truly established itself as a home for media professionals, technologists, and engineers around the world. We thank Barbara for her tremendous work in leading SMPTE into its second century, and we wish her well in her future endeavors.”

Succession

Lange will be engaged in the transition of leadership to her successor. In searching for a new executive director through an objective process, the SMPTE Board of Governors will focus on candidates with the capacity to build on the significant progress made by Lange and SMPTE’s home office team. Further information on the search process will be forthcoming on the SMPTE website at smpte.org.

“For us it is important that the new leader understand nonprofit organizations and the digital transformation of our industry, and that they can work with the SMPTE home office to build on their many achievements,” added Hoffmann. “We look forward to a leader who will embrace the society’s commitment to being a diverse and inclusive society, and who can further transform SMPTE to generate value for our global membership and foster ongoing growth. As the media industry is in an unprecedented and constant evolution, this work will be both challenging and rewarding.”

Lange’s final column in the SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal as executive director will be published in the November/December issue. In it she details many of the milestones and achievements that have made SMPTE the stable, forward-looking organization it is today.

“Living through this pandemic, it really makes you think about your life. As I neared the end of my SMPTE contract, I realized I am now ready to discover the next steps of my career,” added Lange. “I am passionate and interested in several new directions. From working to increase the diversity in technology, particularly girls taking up STEM fields, to studying the growing concerns around sustainability in media tech, there are plenty of areas to focus my attention and offer my skills. While I will miss working daily with my SMPTE family, and particularly the home office team in White Plains, I look forward to new opportunities ahead.”

 

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Marshall Electronics has launched an entry-level PTZ camera, the CV605 5X HD60 IP PTZ camera. This new offering rounds out the Marshall family of PTZ cameras, providing a high performing option at every price point, the company said.

The CV605 camera features a 5X optical zoom range with a simultaneous 3GSDI and IP interface and uses a professional-grade 2-megapixel sensor to capture crisp HD video at up to 1920 x 1080p resolution at 60 fps, the company said.

[Check Out More Products at Radio World’s Products Section]

The wide-angle optical zoom lens offers 85-degree angle-of-view through 20 degrees (15 mm) with smooth transitions and an additional 10X digital zoom range.

“Marshall’s straight-forward design and ease-of-use make the CV605 an exceptional value where budgets are limited,” says Tod Musgrave, director of cameras for Marshall Electronics. “One of the key features on this model is the wide angle of view, which is unique for a PTZ camera and perfect for small- to medium-sized production spaces.”

The CV605 has a low-latency 3GSDI output as well as IP ethernet with multiple protocols supported. Easy one-cable to camera setup provides up to HD video, audio, control and power (PoE) over one cable with IP (H.265/H.264) and 3GSDI simultaneous outputs with audio embedding, the company noted.

The camera is designed for a wide variety of projects including live broadcast productions, courtroom capture, corporate video, government assembly, sportscast, newscast, reality television, concerts, house of worship and many more.

The CV605 PTZ camera also offers exceptional low-light sensitivity, ensuring a clear picture in variable and challenging lighting conditions, the company said.

Marshall recently partnered with NETGEAR, the provider of networking products in the professional audio/video market, to ensure easy setup and management of all Marshall IP camera models. Collaboration for compatibility and integration is something Marshall has been focused on for almost a decade, and this approach will continue into the future.

The camera is available in black or white with simultaneous outputs through 12GSDI, 6GSDI, 3GSDI, HDMI, USB, IP, SRT, NDI and HDBT optional outputs.

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

Info: www.marshall-usa.com

 

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Ben Parker of WBZ interviews Hull Fire Chief Christopher Russo about the PEP project.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency formally announced the modernization of PEP facilities at WBZ Boston with a brief ceremony this past week.

Primary Entry Point stations are the first link in a distribution chain that provides emergency information to all of the roughly 20,000 broadcast stations in the United States. There are a total of 77 PEP stations that form the core of the Emergency Alert System.

EAS requires broadcast stations to install equipment that monitors these PEP stations and allows them to relay critical information in the event of a national emergency.

The event took place at the WBZ transmitter site in Hull, Mass., where FEMA has completed the delivery of an upgraded “all hazards” shelter containing backup transmission equipment designed to continue operations under all conditions.

The shelter includes a generator with a 60,000-gallon fuel tank and a separate studio that can be occupied for up to 60 days. It has been hardened to remain usable in the presence of chemical, biological and nuclear hazards.

Exterior shot of hardened PEP facility at WBZ

It features a 10 kW AM transmitter and a rack full of transmission equipment including IP codecs, a broadcast mixer and even an interview position with separate microphone. The shelters are made of welded steel and protect the electronic equipment from damage that could be caused by electromagnetic pulse events.

The facility upgrade is part of a program to upgrade all 77 of the PEP stations in the United States, as authorized by an Act of Congress in 2015. WBZ is the 13th station to receive the all-hazards upgrade.

Radio history

WBZ was built in 1921, and marked its 100th anniversary on Sept. 19. On that date 100 years earlier, WBZ broadcast from the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield with 100 watts of power.  It subsequently grew to a 50,000 watt directional array, operating as a clear-channel station with nighttime coverage extending thousands of miles. It is now owned and operated by iHeartMedia Boston, part of iHeartMedia.

WBZ Radio Personality Dan Rea, host of “Nightside with Dan Rea,” acted as master of ceremonies for the event, introducing a lineup of speakers from iHeartMedia, FEMA and both state and local politicians.

The lineup included Alan Chartrand, Boston market president, iHeartMedia; Manny Centeno, IPAWS program manager, FEMA; Jeff Littlejohn, executive VP engineering and systems integration, iHeartMedia; Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts; and Antwane Johnson, director of IPAWS at FEMA.

State Sen. Patrick O’Connor; Alan Chartrand, iHeartMedia; Dan Rea, WBZ NewsRadio 1030; U.S. Sen. Edward Markey; State Rep. Joan Meschino; Hull Board of Selectmen Chair Jennifer Constable

In his remarks, Johnson traced the history of the EAS system, noting that WBZ began broadcasting 30 years before the first U.S. government emergency communications system, CONELRAD, was introduced in 1951 by President Truman during the Cold War.

“All of that stuff was retired in 1963 with the establishment of the Emergency Broadcast System, almost coincidental with the Cuban Missile Crisis, by President John F. Kennedy,” he continued. “In 1995 the FCC issued rules establishing the Emergency Alert System that we know today,” said Johnson.

We’re going to stop them

Markey, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, spoke at length about childhood memories listening to WBZ, and his own Cold War experiences as a boy in the “duck and cover” drills held in schools.

But recalling how his father would listen to WBZ for emergency weather information, he quickly pivoted to the importance of radio as an emergency communications system and the need to defend its role.

“And we’re going to stop these automotive industry officials from thinking the only radio that’s going to be on in a car is Sirius that you have to pay for,” said Markey. “The whole key to our national network of information is that it’s free,” for all people in the United States, he said.

“That’s really what we’re celebrating today… this long, long partnership that has existed between WBZ and FEMA and every citizen that depends upon them, including me.”

The post FEMA Celebrates PEP Upgrade at Historic WBZ appeared first on Radio World.

Iona. Photo: Herman IJsseling

From the Who’s Buying What page: ENCO said its DAD automated playout system is being used to run the onboard radio station on the new Carnival Corp. vessel Iona.

The big ship sailed from Southampton, England, on its first voyage in August. The 1,130-foot-line vessel is driven with liquefied natural gas and has 17 guest decks. And it can carry a pretty good sized radio audience — it accommodates up to 5,200 guests and 1,800 crew. It is operated by Carnival’s P&O Cruises subsidiary.

[See Our Who’s Buying What Page]

The ENCO system is used for the Cruise Radio service on the ship. Useful Media Company out of the U.K. provides the radio equipment and automated programming. Music scheduling is through ENCO DAD’s Ensemble music scheduling system; other elements such as on-ship promotions use rotating cuts. New content is sent to onboard operators on disc once a month.

“Cruise Radio is the only ‘as-live’ radio service at sea, and is unique to each of the P&O Cruises ships,” ENCO wrote in a press release. “Played over video from the bow camera and streamed to every cabin on each ship, Cruise Radio combines music with radio elements including imaging, jingles and bespoke commercial packages advertising onboard services, shows and activities.”

The service also provides documentary music programming, historical retrospectives and ship information.

Useful Media also runs Cunard Radio aboard the Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, owned by Cunard Line.

Send news for Who’s Buying What to radioworld@futurenet.com.

 

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