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With very tough year-over-year comps due to strong political advertising revenue in the fourth quarter of 2020, broadcast television industry performance in Q4 2021 can’t be judged by solely the topline numbers being reported.

That’s why the 8.1% rise in core advertising revenue in the final three months of 2021 at The E.W. Scripps Co. is particularly noteworthy, and encouraging.

Nevertheless, Scripps’ EPS for the quarter fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate.

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Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) has set March 3 for a vote in her committee on the nomination of Gigi Sohn for the open Democratic seat on the FCC.

Commerce has chief oversight of communications issues.

Sohn has had two nomination hearings but as yet no vote in the committee on whether to favorably report her to the full Senate for a confirmation vote.

Signaling that there would not be enough Democratic votes to secure a favorable report of her nomination to the full Senate, the scheduled February 2 vote on her nomination was pulled from that executive session.

The post Gigi Sohn FCC Nomination Vote Scheduled appeared first on Radio World.

CARIAD, the software arm of the Volkswagen Group, has joined RadioDNS.

“Audi were innovators in the automotive sector for hybrid radio, using the RadioDNS standards to enable new experiences of radio for drivers in connected vehicles,” RadioDNS wrote in its announcement. Audi is a member of the Volkswagen Group.

“Functionality like the unique ‘range extender,’ which switches seamlessly between broadcast radio and IP streaming, uses our standards to get the required stream information directly from radio stations. CARIAD will now continue to work with RadioDNS to implement and develop standards for their hybrid radio offering, which will be available in Volkswagen Group’s connected vehicles.”

The announcement was made by RadioDNS Project Director Nick Piggott and CARIAD Development Engineer Christian Winter.

Winter said, “Many vehicles in the premium segment of the group are already using RadioDNS technology and we are looking forward to bringing hybrid radio solutions to the volume segment.”

Other organizations joining RadioDNS recently include Hubbard, Gracenote, G&L and NXP.

The post CARIAD Joins RadioDNS appeared first on Radio World.

Radio World Buyer’s Guide articles are intended to help readers understand why their colleagues chose particular products to solve various technical situations. This month’s articles focus on products for radio remotes and sports.

Radio Sintonía with its AEQ Talent audio codec readying for a broadcast from the village of Betancuria on Fuerteventura.

Radio Sintonía is the reference station on the FM band for the island of Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands, which recently was the subject of intensive news coverage due to a volcanic eruption on the neighboring island of La Palma.

“We transmit on six different frequencies to provide the best geographical coverage possible to reach our listeners,” said Technical Director Iván Travieso Gómez.

“Our budget is limited, but we are devoted to serve the community and we focus on making what we call ‘street radio,’ with coverage of local sports, events and tourism on the island.”

The station obtained the AEQ Talent audio codec in 2020, but unlike many stations, it wasn’t concerned primarily with “radio from home.”

“Even if we also have been producing programs from home during pandemic lockdowns, we focus on taking the radio out into the street to interact with our community. Also, out in the open, COVID is less contagious than indoors. Further, the fantastic climate of the Canary Islands allows both sports or other events to take place outdoors.”

While the codec is suitable for personal use, the station seldom uses it for a one-man show.

“Talent has an ancillary line and Bluetooth connections. Therefore, we can use it as an ‘OB unit.’ Sometimes we connect it to a 16-channel live sound console, a headphone amplifier, some wireless microphones and a 3G/4G router and we take the radio out to any plaza or town square.”

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Through the Bluetooth link to a smartphone, the team can receive calls and make them part of the program, usually using WhatsApp, which Travieso Gómez said provides very good sound quality.

He likes the simplicity of the Talent control surface and the fact that its Talent Pilot app allows them to manage the unit from a phone.

On the studio PC, the free ControlPhoenix application is installed, which allows him to manage the Talent codec in the field as well as the Phoenix rack-mounted codec at the studio. “We can monitor the status of both in real time and, if required, intervene to modify some configuration parameters or resolve other issues.”

The application shows the connection status and VU meters of both audio inputs and outputs. It also allows them to route signals to the headphones and control the gain.

Radio Sintonía uses the Opus algorithm included in AEQ’s codecs and the free registration on its SIP server. “It saves us from having to complicate our lives setting up one of our own, an effort and cost that is beyond our budget and capacity.”

Travieso Gómez said the Talent has helped the station stay close to its listeners and even improve its audience figures.

Info: www.aeq.es, email AEQ sales or call +34 91 686 1300

The post Radio Sintonía Connects With Talent appeared first on Radio World.

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The balance of power between radio listenership and live and time-shifted television viewing continues to tip in radio’s advantage, with greater reach and average audience among persons 18–34 and trending in the same direction for 18–49s. That’s based on Nielsen Media findings.

Radio sales executives have long battled TV for advertising dollars and now the shift in audience size should help give radio more of an edge when it comes to head-to-head evaluations.

Nielsen’s Q2 2021 Total Audience Report shows AM/FM radio’s weekly reach among persons 18–34 is 12% greater than television in terms of average audience, according to the marketing team at Cumulus Media.

Pierre Bouvard, chief insights officer at Cumulus Media and Westwood One, highlights the Nielsen findings in an online video and blog post posted this week. In it he outlines the latest in TV and AM/FM radio audiences using data from Nielsen’s Total Audience Report, Edison Research’s “Share of Ear,” and examples from Nielsen Media Impact.

“The most surprising finding is that TV is being beaten by radio in ratings 18–34. In an average week 82% of 18–34 Americans are being reached by radio. Only 57% are reached by linear TV in a week. So that means that nearly half of 18–34 year old are not reached by linear television,” Bouvard said in the video.

Bouvard continues: “In the 18–49 data you can really see the full collapse of linear television. In 2018 when you look at reach 82% of 18–49 were watching at least some linear TV in a week. That has now shrunk down to 66%.”

TV’s continued viewing slide is evident, according to Nielsen’s report on Q2 2021. For instance, persons 18–49 TV audiences are down 38% since 2018. “Today, one of out of three American persons 18–49 never watch linear TV in a typical week, Bouvard said.”

When Bouvard compares radio and television, the numbers are even more striking when you consider radio’s gains in the 18–49 demographic. Weekly reach for AM/FM radio in the demo is 85% but only 66% for TV, according to the video presentation. Radio is also closing the gap in daily time spent with TV in Q2 2021 with only 30 minutes separating the two mediums.

Bouvard said AM/FM radio is poised to overtake live and time-shifted TV in average audience 18–49 by 2025; assuming current patterns projections hold true. And that changeover has already occurred when considering the 18–49 Hispanic population, Bouvard said.

“AM/FM radio beats TV among Hispanics 18–49. Radio has a massive reach advantage over linear TV. It’s 90% to 67%,” Bouvard said.

Bouvard goes on to explain the collapse of linear television, saying linear TV erosion is fueled by cord cutting and streaming. “For those who stream, half say it has replaced traditional TV,” he said. “There are three types of TV households: cordless, cord tepid and cord content.”

Bouvard concludes his presentation with an added bonus for radio time sellers from the Nielsen Media report: “AM/FM radio continues to have a dominant 76% share of ad-supported audio. When introduced into a TV media plan, AM/FM radio generates an extraordinary increase in campaign reach.”

Randy J. Stine has spent the past 40 years working in audio production and broadcast radio news. He joined Radio World in 1997 and covers new technology and regulatory issues. He has a B.A. in journalism from Michigan State University.

The post Radio Ratings Overtake TV in Some Demos appeared first on Radio World.

With a winter weather advisory in effect for Manhattan, Wall Street is bracing for sleet and a little snow. For investors, that was nothing compared to the pre-market slide for stocks.

Then came an afternoon address from President Biden on how the U.S. will react to Russia’s incursion into Ukrainian territory early Thursday. Investors reacted positively.

In fact, the Dow Industrials posted a 92.07-point gain, to 33,223.83 and the Nasdaq was up 436.10 to 13,473.58. The gains on Wall Street came after the FTSE in London dipped by 3.9%.

Among TV broadcast companies gaining ground when all was said and done is Sinclair Broadcast Group, up 55 cents to $26.33. Also up: The E.W. Scripps Co., rising 55 cents to $22.06; Nexstar, which gained $1.57 to $171.09; and Paramount, up 65 cents to $29.05.

Radio companies moving ahead include Audacy Corp., which continued its rebound with a 25-cent jump to $2.74; and iHeartMedia, which gained $0.90 to end the day at $19.98.

Meanwhile, Apple, which in pre-market trading was in the $152 range, finished the day at $161.83.

Of the radio broadcasting companies reporting Q4 2021 earnings results, thus far all have shown year-over-year growth, even when factoring in political ad dollars in the final three months of 2020.

The opposite was seen in the last quarter of 2021 for Xperi, as the company moved to a net loss from net income one year earlier.

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PQ Media has released its ninth annual Global Consumer Spending on Media Forecast.

The latest edition, which covers trends for 2021-2025, takes a deep dive on digital and traditional media content and technology with respect to consumer spending.

What are the key takeaways from this study?

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With majority shareholder Apollo Global Management teaming with Soo Kim-led Standard General in acquiring a majority stake in TEGNA, the Cox Media Group stable will see the addition of several TEGNA stations in Texas via license transfers.

It is now known that CMG’s roster of stations is about to expand even further, and it is thanks to a deal that sees Frank Higney of Kalil & Co. serve as the broker.

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The In-Real-Life advertising economy. It’s a real thing, and it is expected to reach some $44.4 billion in 2022, newly released data from WARC show.

Here’s the rub: It’s still down from pre-COVID levels, although a full recovery is likely imminent.

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As 2021 came to a close, Gray Television executed an agreement to purchase five Construction Permits from the original CEO of DTV America. 

The transaction, which sees Bob Heymann of the Chicago office of Media Services Group served as the exclusive broker, representing DTV America, has just closed.

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Jeremy Sinon

Hubbard Radio’s Jeremy Sinon will be honored at the NAB Show in April with the association’s Digital Leadership Award.

Sinon is vice president of digital strategy for Hubbard Radio. The award goes to someone who has played “a significant role in transforming a traditional broadcast business to succeed on digital media platforms in a measurable way.”

“Sinon conceptualized, designed and led a team to build Hubbard’s robust proprietary streaming platform,” NAB wrote.

“Accessible through the web and various individual station mobile apps, this unified platform offers Hubbard listeners an exceptional user experience where they can connect with their favorite station and be rewarded for the time they spend listening and interacting. Hubbard stations then also have an opportunity to communicate directly with audiences via notifications, provide effective marketing for clients and build listener databases.”

He also oversees the company’s podcasting work, including the launch of a local podcasting app platform being piloted in Minneapolis and Washington, D.C.

The post Sinon to Be Honored for Digital Leadership appeared first on Radio World.

“2021 was a pivotal year for Cumulus, a year of significant progress and accomplishment.”

Since emerging from voluntary Chapter 11 restructuring in 2018, CEO Mary Berner has put a focus on two key objectives: A sustainable growth trajectory, and “right-sizing the balance sheet to maximize financial flexibility to grow shareholder value.”

Indeed, net leverage deduction, along with further spot and network ad revenue recovery from COVID-19 slowdowns, is Cumulus’ Q4 2021 story. In this special InFOCUS Podcast, we offer audio highlights from the company’s late afternoon earnings call on February 23, which also features CFO Frank López-Balboa and questions from key Wall Street analysts who cover Cumulus Media.

Listen to “The InFOCUS Podcast: Cumulus Media’s Q4 Earnings Call” on Spreaker.

iHeartMedia Chairman & CEO Bob Pittman (left) and Audacy President & CEO David J. Field

CEOs of two of the largest radio companies in the U.S. will talk about the transformation of the radio industry and what the future holds in an upcoming session at the 2022 NAB Show in Las Vegas this April.

CEOs David Field of Audacy and Bob Pittman of iHeartMedia will discuss how their businesses have evolved in response to the pandemic and what lies ahead for radio during “Transforming Radio in the Audio Renaissance,” Monday, April 25, at 2 pm.

Field and Pittman will share the stage with new NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt to talk about the evolution of the industry, how stations can embrace change and how to create a diversified asset portfolio that can change along with the media marketplace.

Field has served as chairman, president and CEO of Audacy since 2002. Audacy is a developer of original audio content and one of the nation’s largest podcast publishers. The company, formerly Entercom, evolved from 15 stations to a multiplatform audio and entertainment company with more than 230 stations in 47 markets.

Pittman serves as chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia, an audio company with more consumer reach in the U.S. than any other media outlet, the company said. Podcasting is also iHeartMedia’s forte, and the company counts itself as the nation’s largest podcasting publisher.

The session will be one of several focused on audio technology and the radio industry at the upcoming NAB Show, set to be held in Las Vegas April 23–27, 2022, after a two-year hiatus brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. LeGeyt told Radio World sister publication TV Technology that despite the current omicron wave, he is 100% confident the show will go on as scheduled.

“I think … that there is a lot of pent up demand — both on the exhibitor side and the attendee side — for an in-person show where business actually gets done,” he said.

The post Radio Leaders to Examine Industry Evolution at NAB Show appeared first on Radio World.