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Winners have been announced in the Best in Market Awards program for fall of 2021.

The recipients named by Radio World are:

Angry Audio Headphone Disconnector

Inovonics 551 HD Radio Modulation Monitor

Telos Alliance Axia Quasar SR AoIP Mixing Console

Tieline Gateway 4 IP Audio Codec

Wheatstone Blade 4 WheatNet-IP I/O unit 

The program was open to manufacturers of professional radio, TV and AV products and solutions, regardless of exhibitor status at major events.

Readers might be forgiven for feeling there is a rush of award programs right now. But this program normally would have run in the spring; it was conducted in place of the “Best of Show” Awards that would have been held during the spring NAB Show, which was postponed to the fall and then cancelled for this year. A separate awards program currently is open for nominations for IBC convention season.

The Best in Market awards are judged and presented by Future brands Radio World, TV Technology, TVBEurope, Next, Mix, Broadcasting & Cable and Sound & Video Contractor.

A Program Guide with details about all the nominees including a list of winners will be published soon and distributed to readers of these publications.

The awards are intended to honor and help companies promote outstanding products launched or launching in 2021.

The post Winners Announced for Best in Market for Fall 2021 appeared first on Radio World.

The third quarter is shaping up to be a highly important one for every business that depends on advertising to drive the bottom line and make the P&L sheet look great.

What’s to come is on everyone’s minds, and there seems to be some questions. Are supply chain woes at automotive and in the CPG sector a legitimate concern for broadcast media?

Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS) COO Albert Rodriguez shares his insight on how his Hispanic-focused multimedia company is seeing little slowdown from advertisers, as the executive also chimes in on how Audacy Inc.’s change of WNSH-FM in New York from Country to a multicultural-appealing classic hip-hop and rhythmic pop format only solidifies how SBS’s stations in New York are a vital part of the total market buy.

Rodriguez even offers an explanation as to why Bad Bunny is a global phenomenon, first championed by SBS in Puerto Rico, in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

 Albert Rodriguez will be there. So will the heads of Townsquare Media, Katz Media Group, the TVB, the NAB, and American Urban Radio Networks — and that’s just before 11am!

Be where all of the leaders will be on November 16.

Secure your seat at Forecast 2022 by clicking here and registering now.

Listen to “The InFOCUS Podcast: Albert Rodriguez” on Spreaker.

On October 26, Zacks Equity Research predicted that the nation’s No. 1 licensee of television stations, Nexstar Media Group, would post quarterly earnings of $4.05 per share in Q3 2021, with revenues reaching $1.14 billion, up 2% from one year ago.

With the company’s stock less than $6 from an all-time high reached in late September, did Nexstar meet those forecasts? Yes.

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Audio creative research and analytics firm Veritonic has added “brand lift” to its platform’s campaign reporting capabilities. What does this mean for Veritonic clients?

“The addition of brand lift further solidifies the platform’s position as the only provider of end-to-end research, data and insights for the audio industry, providing its users with a comprehensive view of their audio advertising effectiveness and the key drivers behind it,” New York-based Veritonic claims.

Calling it “purpose-built for audio,” Veritonic uses an intuitive UI that includes filtering and segmentation parameters. Veritonic says its brand lift studies can be run for target audiences of all sizes, measuring both controlled and organic exposure across broadcast radio, streaming audio, and podcasts.

“The resulting data provides brands with the insight they need to understand how each audio asset is achieving their goals as it relates to awareness, favorability, intent, and recall,” the company founded by CEO Scott Simonelli says. “Brands can then use this data to make informed decisions around every element of their audio campaigns, including creative performance and ROI.”

Simonelli adds that the addition of brand lift “underscores our platform’s position as the exclusive destination for actionable audio insights from start to finish, providing our clients with the data they need to understand their campaign performance and more confidently invest in audio moving forward.”

The move sees Katz Digital Audio appoint Veritonic as a preferred Brand Lift partner.

Scott Porretti, President of Katz Digital Audio, commented, “The most recent study findings–which include a 170% lift in favorability–meaningfully furthered the advertisers’ confidence in audio as a highly effective channel for reaching their desired audience with the right message, in the right location, at the right time.”

A company known as a global provider of content protection technology products has named a SVP of Sales and Strategy for the Americas.

This individual will oversee business development for Friend MTS’ full suite of managed anti-piracy services for new and current partnerships with operators, rights holders and broadcasters.

Mike Baron is also responsible for sales and marketing strategies as well as strategic growth plans, policy and procedures.

He will have a regional focus on the United States and South America, and is based in Los Angeles. Baron reports to John Ward, Executive Vice President for the Americas at Friend MTS.

With 25 years of experience, Baron most recently served as Senior Vice President of Partnerships for Super League Gaming / Virtualis Studios where he launched Super League Gaming’s cloud-based, virtual studio technology. Before that, Baron held the position of Vice President of Global Business Development and Special projects for Deluxe Entertainment Services, as well as Head of FOX Sports Enterprises, where he was responsible for managing and monetizing FOX Sports’ IP-related new business initiatives.

Forget about 2020 comps: Townsquare Media is offering Q3 2021 comps to two years prior, and the results are strong.

The local digital and radio broadcasting company is reporting third quarter net revenue that falls short of Q3 2019 by just 1%.

At the same time, Townsquare’s Q3 2021 adjusted EBITDA beat Q3 ’19 by a good 4%.

Want to chat about Townsquare Media’s unique position in the broadcast media space with CEO Bill Wilson? You may just get the chance to do so in person, but only if you’re at Forecast 2022.

Join RBR+TVBR and Radio Ink at the Harvard Club in Midtown Manhattan on November 16 for this special VIP event by clicking here.

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GatesAir has introduced an embedded software update that adds professional ten-band audio processing software from ATC Labs, a specialist in audio compression and processing technologies, within two recently announced GatesAir Intraplex single and multi-channel transport products.

GatesAir will add ATC Labs’ Perceptual SoundMax Audio Technology to its Intraplex IP Link 100c hardware codec and its scalable Intraplex Ascent cloud transport platform.

According to GatesAir, the enhancements are designed to “eliminate the costs and rack space of an external audio processor, while achieving exceptionally bright and open sound.”

Both integrated solutions are now shipping.

GatesAir introduced Intraplex Ascent in late 2019, and followed with the IP Link 100c late last year. The Intraplex IP Link 100c codec provides broadcasters with integrated single-channel solution for remote contribution, Icecast streaming and standard STL IP connections. Intraplex Ascent’s scalable platform accelerates migration to a software-based, cloud transport solution.

Both solutions include standard Intraplex features such as Dynamic Stream Splicing software for stream repair and redundancy, SRT protocol support, and Intraplex SynchroCast simulcasting across multiple transmitters.

ORLANDO — PPDS, the exclusive global provider of Philips digital signage, LED, and pro TV
products, software, and innovations, revealed at the recent InfoComm 21 conference that the Philips X-Line UHD videowall series in now available to customers across the U.S. and Canada.

The 49” and 55” Philips X-Line videowall range has been designed for continuous use in an indoor environment, automatically adjusting to changing lighting conditions, whether in natural indoor lighting or the full strength of natural sunlight.

With Direct LED Backlight technology and running on the latest software, Philips X-Line’s high-resolution setup and Pure Colour Pro technology for superior depths of black and high-brightness color levels, “ensures even the most detailed or complex content can be viewed with the crispest clarity, while its innovative Smart Insert technology and dedicated handles make installation and maintenance effortless,” PPDS says.

It continues, “With PPDS’ FailOver technology, displays will always remain active, switching automatically between primary and secondary inputs, ensuring that content keeps playing even if the primary source goes down.”

Bruce Wyrwitzke, Director of Digital Signage at PPDS, said, “There are a vast number of different videowall options available in North America today, so it was important for PPDS to offer a solution that didn’t simply follow what’s already there. Our teams have dug deep into researching and understanding the historic pains and frustrations experienced in specific environments, where portraying the right image and displaying content clearly is vital. The Philips X-Line range addresses those issues and provides the tools to help companies present themselves in the very best light and ensure they always stand out, whether that’s in a retail store, a corporate office, studio or somewhere else.”

X-Line videowalls offer a seamless visual performance, with a 3.5mm bezel providing a near seamless connectivity between panels, and the FHD (1920x1080p) resolution, offering native UHD on a 2×2 videowall, to command attention, with dazzling clarity and 500cd/m2 brightness.

A pair of readers react to Michael Saffran’s commentary “Radio, Stick to Your Knitting,” Radio World, Aug. 29.

Regarding Michael Saffran’s commentary “Radio, Stick to Your Knitting” in the Aug. 29 Opinion section:

Well said! Fads come and go, often overnight. If you thought format changes were a nightmare, being tied to a faded fad is worse.

Ideological advocacy can cost you as many listeners as it keeps, and is very unlikely to win you any more.

Gary Fisher
Rosewood Associates

* * *

Michael Saffran is correct. Businesses can shoot themselves in the foot when they go woke.

Why should I give my money to a company that is using it to promote political causes that I oppose? Or give my listening time to a radio station that uses it to lift its revenue? I have plenty of options.

Joseph Palenchar
Oakland, N.J.

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

The post Letter: Sticking to our knitting appeared first on Radio World.

Radio syndication company Key Networks has partnered with Summit Technology Group to bring “an advanced routine and emergency weather reporting system” to radio stations for no additional barter.

ATMOS Weather Reporting was developed by Summit Technology Group that uses artificial intelligence to generate a script and natural text-to-speech synthesis to deliver a customized, localized weather forecast in a broadcast quality voice.

“The result is seamless, accurate and as personable as a real meteorologist,” Key Networks asserts.

Key Networks also notes that with ATMOS Weather Reporting, all advertising inventory is contained in the weather forecasts that are delivered, so stations can sell the forecasts to local sponsors and others.

Summit Technology Group President Paul Stewart comments, “Automated weather reports aren’t new to the broadcast industry, but with ATMOS, we’re able to provide a weather
report that sounds indistinguishable from a human speaker, and uses all the abbreviations inherent in our speech patterns. Best of all, stations can take control to adjust their reports based on their format and customize their virtual talent to suit their
listenership.”

Dennis Green, Chief Revenue Officer at Key Networks, adds, “Key Networks’ mission is to bring innovative products and services to the market that you cannot find anywhere else. Mission accomplished with ATMOS Weather powered by Key Networks. Stations will get precise and accurate weather forecasts without having to give up additional inventory outside the content. That is a game changer. This service works on any station in any format and you’ll want to sign up soon, as there is additional cutting edge technology coming that will provide even more localization to your weather forecast. Prepare to be wowed and provide your local listeners and advertisers with weather forecasts around the clock and branded as you desire. I’m beyond excited to get stations on board!”

Last week, Jeffrey Wlodarczak, the Principal and Entertainment/Interactive Subscription Services Analyst at Pivotal Research Group, gave Spotify a glowing assessment in his latest investor note.

Now, another analyst is heaping praise on the streaming audio giant. And, that pushed the company’s stock past a major threshold in Monday’s trading.

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Getting engagement from your team members during an online meeting is a challenge. F

First, how to incentivize them to turn on their cameras is still a question without an easy answer. Second, how to keep them from multitasking while you run the meeting is a near impossible goal. Third, how to you make the meeting worth everyone’s time remains a key need.

Faced with the reality that remote teamwork will continue indefinitely, department heads and meeting managers are eager to find activities to bring teams closer together.

Rosemary Ravinal, the veteran public relations executive turned “Zoom” master, has some suggestions.

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Attention, noncommercial FM operators: A filing window for applications for noncommercial educational (NCE) FM new station construction permits opens on Tuesday, just after Midnight ET.

It’s a seven-day window, closing promptly in one week.

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The FCC Media Bureau has issued a reminder that its previously announced window to apply for new noncommercial educational FM new station construction permits will be open from tonight — Tuesday Nov. 2 at 12:01 a.m. EDT — until next Tuesday, Nov. 9, at 6 p.m. EST.

The window is only for proposals in the FM reserved band, channels 201 to 220, which is 87.9 to 91.9 MHz.

Applications must be filed electronically on FCC Form 2100, Schedule 340 in the Bureau’s Licensing and Management System. The commission will accept no more than 10 applications from one applicant.

“This means that a party to an application filed in the window may hold attributable interests in no more than a total of 10 applications filed in the window.”

[Read: Procedures Are Published for NCE FM Window]

The number of FM educational stations has almost doubled in two decades, from 2,140 in the year 2000 to around 4,200 at the most recent count.

A 2007 NCE window yielded approximately 3,600 applications, of which about 2,700 were mutually exclusive, meaning applications involved geographic or spectral overlap. The FCC in that round eventually granted approximately 1,330 CPs for new NCE service, according to commission data.

But in 2021, because of the number of signals across the FM band, observers have told Radio World that it is unlikely that applicants in this window will be able to identify full-power NCE opportunities except in relatively rural areas with smaller populations.

The post NCE FM Filing Window Opens appeared first on Radio World.