Radio World

From our “Who’s Buying What” page: OmniPlayer said that Flemish broadcaster VRT will use OmniPlayer 3 Radio Automation software in Flanders to support several radio stations.

“Flemish public broadcast corporation VRT will start using the Dutch OmniPlayer system for their stations Radio 1, Radio 2, Klara, MNM, Studio Brussel, streaming, DAB+ channels, VRT Nieuwsdienst and Sporza,” the manufacturer stated.

[See More Equipment Sales News at Our Who’s Buying What Page]

“This investment is partially inspired by the technological changes that are coming soon, in perspective of the new office building.”

It said the system will connect with the iNews editorial system via MOS and integrate with MusicMaster and with Radiomanager by Pluxbox.

Wim Ermens is project manager technology at VRT.

Submit announcements for Who’s Buying What to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post VRT to Use OmniPlayer in Flanders appeared first on Radio World.

Perhaps the greatest negative impact that COVID has had on radio, according to Jacob Media’s TechSurvey 2021, has been on AM/FM listening in the automotive mediascape. The short answer as to why might be more time spent at home, and less in cars. It’s more complicated than that, though. Information provided in the recent survey focuses on that. Some of the information seems to contradict. Fasten your seat belt, this could be a rough ride.

Of the leading 71% who said they spent less time listening to radio, spending less time in the car was the main reason they gave. This documents a well-established trend, AM/FM has been losing ground in the home to smart speakers and streaming media for some time. The last bastion is the car, and now that is under siege.

Advances in automotive entertainment system technology is also having an impact, according to TS 2021. Newer vehicles make it easy to connect smartphones into the system, and younger drivers especially, seem to be doing so. The spread ranges from the Greatest Generation’s 67% to Gen Z and Millennials’ 85%.

Get ready for a sudden lane change. TS 2021 says that the most important feature for those buying or leasing new cars is FM radio, with 74%, followed closely by Bluetooth, with 73%. AM radio ranks 6th with 34% overall, with a callout noting it is 59% for news/talk listeners, and 44% for sports radio fans. An interesting note is that the CD player now follows AM radio in the 7th position with a distant 29%.

All of that being said, when asked what percentage of time in the car they spent with each entertainment source, AM/FM is the clear winner with 58%. SiriusXM is a distant second with 18% of respondents. The data suggests that while people are spending less time in the car than they used to, they still prefer radio when they are behind the wheel.

When the survey factors in those who own “connected cars,” AM/FM still leads, but the number has slipped to less than half, with 49%. SiriusXM is still number two, with 24%.

It’s hard to get an exact fix on radio usage in the car, there are so many factors and different ways of looking at the data that is presented. Perhaps the 10,000-foot view is that all analog media is slowly losing ground to digital. One constant that this data seems to demonstrate is that localism still matters, and while AM/FM may be slipping in some categories, there seems to be a commensurate gain in listening to the hometown stream.

The post Radio Hits a Bumpy Road in the Car Mediascape appeared first on Radio World.

SBE Chapter 15 in New York City is honoring the late Chris Tobin.

Tobin, who died in December, was named the chapter’s 2021 Engineer of the Year.

“Chris had been an active member of Chapter 15 dating back to the early 1980s and, over the years, he held a variety of chapter officer roles, including that of chapter president,” the chapter wrote on its website.

“In addition to his dedication to the chapter, Chris took an avid interest in new technology education and for many years, co-hosted the ‘This Week in Radio Technology’ video podcast. During his career, Chris worked at a range of prestigious broadcast companies, including ABC Radio Network, WINS(AM), Westwood One and eventually stepped into the position of chief technology officer at WBGO(FM).”

In his honor the chapter made a $1,000 donation to the SBE Scholarship Fund. The award will be presented to his wife Lisa.

The post SBE Chapter 15 Honors Chris Tobin appeared first on Radio World.

The Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council has announced that Robert Branson is the new president and CEO of the group as of June 1, as Maurita Coley officially retires.

Branson is a former Federal Communications Commission staff advisor along with a media and telecom industry lawyer who spent time at Verizon, Association of Local Television Stations, National Association of Broadcasters and Post/Newsweek Stations. He is also former president of the Federal Communications Bar Association.

MMTC Board Chair and Treasurer Ronald Johnson said, “Given President Branson’s many years of service in government and in the private sector public and private entities, he is the perfect person to lead MMTC. We extend our deepest appreciation and many thanks to Maurita Coley who has, since 2012, served us admirably, with unparalleled integrity and transparency.”

The post Branson Takes Over at MMTC as Coley Retires appeared first on Radio World.

“Reinvention” will be on the agenda for the closing session of the fall Radio Show.

Rishad Tobaccowala will keynote the session on Thursday, Oct. 14.

[Related: “The Fall Radio Show Will Be at the Westgate”]

“The session will focus on the continued transformation happening across the media ecosystem, changing consumer behavior, and what it means for radio,” according to organizers at the National Association of Broadcasters and the Radio Advertising Bureau.

His talk is titled “The Great Reinvention: What Does That Look Like in 2022 and Beyond?”

Tobaccowala is a senior advisor to Publicis Groupe, where he was chief growth officer, overseeing business development for clients. He wrote the book “Restoring the Soul of Business: Staying Human in the Age of Data.” Show organizers said he is considered a pioneer in digital marketing.

The post Radio Show to Look at “Reinvention” appeared first on Radio World.

When Jacobs Media rolled out Tech Survey 2021, part of what it revealed was which aspects of media usage had been affected by COVID-19, and how. Their research suggests that hometown station listening is up, and that streaming video, internet use, social media and music streaming is also on the rise. All of these trends were well underway before COVID, but the social and economic upheaval of the past 13 months seems to have amped up the rate of change.

Almost half of the respondents reported watching streaming video daily, and weekly usage is now more than three in four. Since TS 2017, according to the survey, the weekly numbers have increased ten percentage points from 66–76%. Most of the users were in the Gen Z and Millennial groups, who are tied with 93%.

[Read: Amidst Social and Economic Upheaval, Radio Continues to Flourish]

Half of those surveyed said they listened to streaming audio daily. Weekly usage is also on an uptick, and, no surprise, the numbers skew up towards the younger demographic. As with streaming video, streaming audio has also seen a ten percentage point uptick since TS 2017, increasing from 58–68%.

The research turned up another bright spot for broadcasters. It says those who listened to streaming audio regularly, tuned inmost to the hometown stream, with 68%, far ahead of Pandora, with 27%; other radio station streams, with 26% and YouTube, holding 25%.

Several years ago, many broadcasters and groups invested heavily in more robust streaming technology. At the time, it was a bit of a gamble, as on-air listeners still outnumbered online listeners. Now, that gamble seems to have paid off.

In the surprise category are the numbers on paid audio and video streaming services. Seventy percent of video users are paying for two or more services, while just 27% pay for two or more audio services. These numbers are startling because some industry analysts predicted a sharp decline in subscription services due to a floundering economy and job loss.

All of that being said, over 60% of those polled say subscription costs for audio and video services are a concern.

The post Survey Surprises With Superb Statistics for Subscription Services appeared first on Radio World.

The announcement was made by Wayne Pecena, president of the Society of Broadcast Engineers.

To give you an idea of how deep Imlay’s roots are with the SBE: His first case was to try to appeal the FCC decision to eliminate the First Class Radiotelephone License. He said his SBE role has “allowed me to do what I do best: defending spectrum allocations of clients and participating in technical regulatory proceedings.”

[Read Chris Imlay’s Contributions to Radio World]

“Chris has worked with the SBE since 1980, and has been the SBE’s general counsel since 1991,” the society stated. Pecena called him “a valuable resource for and asset to the SBE over the past 41 years. He has also been a staunch advocate for the SBE’s goals and objectives. He is a tough act to follow.”

The society said it will split Imlay’s duties; it plans a process to find a replacement communications counsel, and also will hire an attorney for business matters based near its headquarters in Indianapolis.

Meanwhile Imlay will continue to work part-time for other long-term clients.

In the announcement, he was quoted describing himself as “a down-in-the-trenches communications lawyer” who loved working with broadcast engineers. And for 37 years until 2018, Imlay also was general counsel for ARRL, the national association for amateur radio; he is former president of the Foundation for Amateur Radio and recently was inducted into the CQ magazine Hall of Fame.

Several commentaries by Chris Imlay have appeared in Radio World in recent years, on topics such as engineer ethics and the idea of broadcasters as “first responders.” Read those here.

SBE said Imlay has worked for 22 SBE presidents and was elected a Fellow of the SBE in 1997.

According to SBE’s summary of his career, Imlay began working in law in 1975 and in communications in 1979 when he joined Booth and Freret.

When SBE sought to administratively appeal the decision to eliminate the First Phone, SBE President Bob Jones retained Bob Booth for the work, and Booth assigned the task to Imlay. The society regained him as communications counsel in 1984 and named him general counsel in 1991.

He was a partner with Booth, Freret and Imlay from 1981 to 1995; president of Booth, Freret, Imlay & Tepper, P.C., from 1995 to 2014; and managing member, Booth, Freret & Imlay, LLC, 2014 to present.

Other clients in federal communications law have included big names like JVCKenwood USA, the National Football League, NASCAR and Goodyear, as well as many TV and radio stations, common carrier and private wireless licensees, as well as video production companies, auto racing sponsors and speedways; and equipment manufacturers.

The post Imlay Will Retire as SBE General Counsel appeared first on Radio World.

The Vermont Association of Broadcasters announced it will hold its annual convention in August.

VAB had to cancel last year because of the pandemic.

The 65th Annual VAB Convention and Production of the Year Award Ceremony will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 18, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to the association’s newsletter.

“Our new venue, Lareau Farm Inn, is home to the original American Flatbread in Waitsfield, Vt., and features two outdoor covered pavilions where we’ll spend the day learning, laughing and socializing again,” VAB wrote.

Details and schedule are to follow at the VAB website.

Send your event news and updates to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post VAB Will Hold Annual Convention in August appeared first on Radio World.

Advocates of low-power FM in the United States are hoping that the Federal Communications Commission will adopt a proposal to raise the maximum power level for many stations from 100 to 250 watts.

It’s not a new idea, but supporters are excited because the commission recently opened a 30-day window for public comments on a fresh petition from REC Networks. This has led some to speculate that under a Democratic presidential administration, the FCC may be more willing to entertain the idea.

The proposal to amend Parts 73 and 74 of the rules was submitted by Michelle Bradley, founder of REC Networks. Bradley says the dial can accommodate the change, noting that nearly two-thirds of LPFM stations are outside of the top 100 Nielsen Audio markets and that only 15% are in “deep-urban areas.”

In the summary, Bradley gave a brief history of the 250-watt debate and proposals since 2012 and why she is updating the proposal now, including changes to address concerns that had been raised about the earlier versions.

[Read the proposal.]

Among stations in support is WXOX(LP), “Art FM,” in Louisville, Ky. The station emailed its community calling this “a very exciting and unexpected opportunity that would help our low-power stations exponentially.” It asked supporters to file comments by the June 20 deadline.

“Discuss technical issues with the current 100 watts permitted by the FCC,” it suggested. “This includes inability to get FM signal beyond a few miles from the transmitter site and difficulty receiving FM signal inside certain buildings within this limited range. Discuss local populations that may be excluded by the low wattage.”

Specifically, the new proposal would would create an LP250 class of service with an effective service contour of about 4-1/2 miles, in addition to the current LP100 service.

The maximum height above average terrain would be 451 meters or 1,479 feet.

There would be a second distance separation table for the new class that includes distances up to 9 km longer than the LP100 service.

Bradley said the proposal “fully respects the 20-kilometer buffer zone” and includes a suggested policy for upgrades on stations that are already second-adjacent short-spaced. She said the proposal does not add any new processes that would involve a contour study. It would allow class upgrades and downgrades as a minor change as long as other minor change criteria are met.

It also suggests a “launch window” method to manage an expected rush of stations wanting to upgrade. And it proposes a simplified RF radiation standard similar to the one used in LP100.

“In other words, this is simply like the LP100 service that has been around for the past 20 years, but just an add-on with the LP250 ‘numbers,’” Bradley wrote. “Or, in other words, simple.”

[A separate appendix to the proposal lists upgrade implications for all existing LPFMs, read that here.]

Bradley said the new proposal addresses past concerns about 250 watts. For example she submitted the accompanying image showing three hypothetical LPFM facilities.

Their class-standard interfering contours are in red, the full-service station’s protected contour is in green and the buffer zone is in orange 20 kilometers outside of the green protected contour curve.

The LPFM curve at the top depicts an LP100 station under current rules. The middle curve (OLD250) depicts a method proposed earlier in which the buffer zone is penetrated to keep minimum distance separation. The bottom curve (NEW250) depicts what is being proposed.

By increasing the distances for the LP250 class on co- and first-adjacent channels, Bradley says the proposal satisfies the commission’s past concerns.

Comments can be submitted at the FCC comment system. Refer to Proceeding RM-11909.

The post LPFMs Are Hopeful About “Simple LP250” appeared first on Radio World.

Quu Inc. and vCreative announced an integration.

“vCreative customers can now publish messages on car dashboards for their clients that use Quu’s advertising services,” they said in an announcement.

vCreative provides media production workflow solutions. Quu adds dynamic visuals to radio broadcasts.

Quu’s system lets stations publish programming and sales messages called Visual Quus that it says helps with upsells and makes ads more effective. With this integration, radio stations now can produce and send those Visual Quus via the vCreative vPPO production workflow system.

The announcement was made by  Susie Hedrick, CEO of vCreative, and Steve Newberry, CEO of Quu.

The post vCreative Can Now Publish to Quu appeared first on Radio World.

Wedel Software has hired Rick Rowland as an onboarding manager for its new Adthos Platform.

“Rick has been working in the industry for more than 30 years and has, by his own admission, held just about every radio station role within that time,” the company said in its announcement.

[Visit Radio World’s People News Page]

“Not only that, but he’s also designed his own suite of radio software focused on media readiness, commercial reconciliation and daily file readiness.”

Rowland’s products include Power-Link Software Systems and Proof of Play.

The hire was announced by CEO Raoul Wedel. The company introduced the Adthos ad sales platform this month.

Send news of engineering and executive personnel changes to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post Wedel Hires Rowland in Adthos Role appeared first on Radio World.

AEQ has a new codec for remote broadcasting; we asked Roberto Tejero, right, AEQ product manager and expert trainer, about it as part of our recent ebook about remote radio.

RW: What prompted it, and how does it reflect trends in radio workflows?

Roberto Tejero: Radio has historically been the most flexible, immediate and dynamic media. Stations have been trying for a long time to prevent regular contributors or collaborators having to travel to the station. Thousands of ALIO audio codecs have been installed on the home desks of regular participants of talk shows, commentators, correspondents and experts.

The pandemic has accelerated the trend. After the first confinement, all radio organizations have begun to facilitate technical resources so that their hosts and regular guests and contributors can work remotely.

The budget for this has put a lot of strain on many stations, and they have started looking for non-professional solutions. Dropouts, artifacts and faulty sound are common. 

Our mission is to adapt to the needs of changing environments. After almost exhausting our stock of the Phoenix ALIO portable audio codec, and seeing the need to produce a device that is easier to operate, adapted to non-technical personnel, we developed TALENT, which is a new portable audio codec, with fantastic design and small dimensions. 

It is simple to connect and allows transmission of a high-quality stereo audio channel. With a simple, domestic internet connection or wireless 3G / 4G / 5G data and a headset, you can make radio at home or from anywhere easily and safely.

RW: Generally speaking, what level of home connectivity is needed to create reliable work-from-home operations?

Tejero: This problem doesn’t have a single solution. It depends on the quality of service of the telecommunications infrastructure at each location. 

In many countries it is essential to be able to request a connection with guaranteed QoS from the service provider, either wired or wireless.

The good news is that a high-capacity connection is normally not required to be able to operate audio codecs from a remote location or home. A stable connection is enough to provide sufficient bandwidth for the encoding algorithm used. 

An ideal environment is the use of fiber optics, but it is also possible to use ADSL connections if they have reasonable latency and bandwidth. In numbers, for radio broadcast quality, OPUS encoding, a stable bandwidth of 400 kbps and a latency of less than 100 ms is sufficient.

RW: What other considerations are stations dealing with now? 

Tejero: There are many challenges when it comes to outside radio broadcasting. Almost more important than latency and audio quality are the costs involved. This affects both large corporations and small radio stations to different degrees. 

The fact that hosts are producing their shows from home at least implies a minimum investment in audio codecs. This expense can be multiplied by hundreds of audio codecs for each possible collaborator who goes on the air. 

In addition to responding to the requirements of simple handling, TALENT has a suitable price for any broadcaster. It eliminates the need to purchase more expensive audio codecs or the purchase of mobile devices dedicated exclusively to broadcast software applications.

RW: Are air talent connecting wirelessly or via wired connection from home?

Tejero: That depends on the country. For example, in Spain, wired connections are the most reliable. This is the case in the urban areas of most developed countries. 

In rural areas and countries with lower levels of development, quality wired connections are not always available and it may be a better solution to use a 3G / 4G router modem. 

To respond to this situation, TALENT has an Ethernet interface through which it allows both wired and wireless connections. This interface can be connected to a local network with connectivity to a fiber optic service provider network, domestic ADSL or other wired connection. But you can also connect to a wireless router that provides connectivity through WiFi or through 3G / 4G / 5G wireless phone networks.

RW: Anything else we should know? 

Tejero: We want to highlight the benefits that we have incorporated into a basic device as TALENT.

It does not need to be configured or operated by the user. You can simply speak without needing to touch any buttons, except Help if required. It also has a local app for smartphone, TALENT Pilot, allowing the user to control and configure the audio codec.

It supports all types of headphones, low or high impedance, and microphones, dynamic and condenser, as it features phantom power. It also has a Bluetooth connection so you can connect it to your mobile phone, do phone interviews and send them mixed to the studio.

It can be powered in many ways, depending on where and how you are: from the USB outlet of a PC, from a 5 to 15 volt outlet, such as a vehicle battery or a power bank, or from the mains power supply that comes with the unit.

Operation is very intuitive. It is intended for personnel without prior technical knowledge. Typically the station’s technician will hand it over to the user, ready to connect to the domestic router and the power source and start working.

For local control, the Talent audio codec has indicators and basic controls to make the necessary adjustments during the broadcast. It also has the app for smartphone so that somewhat expert users can connect it in places other than their home.

TALENT, connected by Bluetooth to a smartphone, allows you make telephone interviews or, alternatively, through applications such as Skype, WhatsApp or Zoom, among others. These latter provide high quality to the interviewee’s voice and mix them to program signal sent to the station through the IP connection.

Further, TALENT can be controlled remotely. This operation can be in parallel or even overriding the local controls of the equipment. Therefore, one of the most important buttons is the “HELP” button. This is used to call for attention or request remote assistance from the station’s technician.

The post AEQ Rolls Out a New Codec appeared first on Radio World.

The National Association of Broadcasters’ technology innovation initiative, Pilot, will be accepting submissions for this year’s Pilot Innovation Challenge through 5 p.m. ET on July 9.

The program will provide mentorship and promotion to winning proposals, along with an opportunity to demonstrate their products at the NAB Show in Las Vegas, Oct. 9–13, 2021.

“The Innovation Challenge offers a platform for developing technologies that will help broadcasters better serve their audience, while providing emerging companies a showcase for their cutting-edge products,” said Pilot Executive Director John Clark in a press statement.

[Read: The Fall Radio Show Will Be at the Westgate]

This year’s challenge seeks startups and growing companies that provide solutions to some of the challenges and opportunities facing broadcasters over the next two to three years. The challenge is looking for products or prototypes that are focused on the following areas:

• Edge technologies that drive new revenue opportunities for broadcasters, such as through geo-targeted content, location-based advertising, accurate audience measurement and augmented experiences;
• Technologies that enhance broadcast journalism to help viewers and listeners get more from their most trusted source of local news, including tools to better aggregate and verify crowd-sourced news reports, enhancements to news-gathering technologies such as drones, or avatar news anchors to deliver personalized updates on a myriad of topics; and
• In-vehicle technologies that deliver more value out of broadcasting, including technologies that enhance the in-car experience for radio listeners, as well as technologies that harness the mobile reception capabilities of the NextGen TV standard to deliver even more rich data services or back-seat entertainment.

Individuals, teams, companies, academic institutions and nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply subject to the official rules of participation. Up to 10 finalists will be selected by a panel of industry experts by early August, with up to three winning proposals being notified by Sept. 1.

Three winners will be selected to receive relevant mentorship, feedback, numerous opportunities to engage with broadcasters and a trip to the annual NAB Show. They will be provided exhibit space in the “Startup Loft” to demonstrate their prototype to potential customers, investors and partners.

To learn more, visit NAB’s Pilot website.

The post Pilot’s 2021 Innovation Challenge Is Open for Applications appeared first on Radio World.

The NAB Show and the fall Radio Show in October will both have a different look and feel this year.

This was expected, given the unusual circumstances of the pandemic; but now details about how the shows will work — particularly the aspects of interest to radio people — are becoming clearer. We also know more about the health and hygiene steps that will be taken at the conventions.

As we’ve reported, the “big” NAB Show was postponed to the fall, and the two-day Radio Show, co-produced by the NAB and the RAB, was reset for the same week, also in Las Vegas. (The 2020 Radio Show was supposed to be in Nashville but was cancelled; this year’s fall show originally was supposed to be in New Orleans.)

Thus the NAB Show will be held Oct. 9 to 13, while the Radio Show will be Oct. 13 and 14, with a day of overlap on the Wednesday.

Now the NAB and RAB have told the show community that Radio Show conferences and exhibits will be held at the Westgate Las Vegas, next door to the Las Vegas Convention Center, and the official show hotel for the Radio Show will be the Sahara Las Vegas.

Note how Radio Show booths will work. Exhibitors have the option to purchase a tabletop exhibit for the two days of the Radio Show; these will be in the general session ballroom of the Westgate, and exhibitors have been told to expect a space selection process in coming weeks.

That means attendees who want to visit radio industry suppliers should look for them on the main NAB Show floor of the LVCC on Sunday through Wednesday, while some radio suppliers also (or conceivably only) will have tabletops at the Radio Show in the Westgate on Wednesday and Thursday.

The published conference agenda for the Radio Show includes time slots dedicated to exhibits on both days. Registrants to co-located events including the Radio Show get access to the NAB Show floor and to any all-access NAB Show Main Stage sessions and special events.

As for health considerations for the NAB Show, organizers note that Las Vegas returned to pre-pandemic guidelines on June 1.

“We are working with a top medical firm to guarantee we are following all health and safety protocols as outlined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control,” the NAB Show website states. “As information around the virus continues to develop, we will adjust our approach as needed.”

Masks are not required for attendees who are fully vaccinated. “Visitors may be required to undergo health screenings such as temperature checks or other screening processes upon entry.”

Registration will be “touchless,” and organizers encourage people to register at a hotel satellite location before going to the LVCC.

The organizers ask that people refrain from greeting one another using any physical contact. Meeting rooms and floor theaters will be set up with three feet of social distancing.

NAB wrote that the LVCC “has invested in HVAC upgrades to allow for greater ventilation as well as using air filters with a quality rating of MERV 14 (hospital grade filtration system). The frequency of the filter changes and the outdoor air exchange rate have both been increased.”

The LVCC management is also planning deep advance cleaning, enhanced sanitation at high-touch areas, UV lights and sanitizing AV equipment, among other precautions; and hand sanitation facilities will be available.

You can read more about the show safety precautions here.

Of course, a question everyone will be asking is just how many people will show up.

No one we’ve talked to expects the 91,000+ that NAB reported as attending the spring show in 2019. (The fall Radio Show usually draws a little over 2,000.) It remains to be seen how many folks will decide to travel to an in-person convention in the fall of 2021, especially given that the spring show usually draws a quarter of its people from abroad.

Regardless, being able to hold a sizeable in-person event at all will be a notable milestone as our industry works its way back.

A final note of interest is that most broadcast visitors who do attend will get their first look at the LVCC’s massive West Hall expansion, though this year’s NAB Show won’t use that space. The Las Vegas Review Journal has a video and pix.

The post The Fall Radio Show Will Be at the Westgate appeared first on Radio World.

The National Association of Broadcasters is expressing concern about what it is calling a significant increase in regulatory fees by the Federal Communications Commission on broadcasters.

For the third consecutive year in a row, the commission plans to increase fees to “unfair, unsustainable levels,” particularly in light of the economic impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the broadcasting industry, the NAB said in its filing.

The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposed a 5 to 15% increase in regulatory fees for radio broadcasters face a (with TV broadcasters fee factor jumping nearly 9%) even though the commission’s general salary and expenses budget increased by only 0.5%, the NAB said. The FCC proposes to collect $374 million for the 2021 fiscal year, with Congress appropriating expenses into two separate categories: $341 million to cover FCC salaries and expenses and an additional $33 million specifically to cover costs associated with the implementation of the Broadband DATA Act.

Ann Marie Cumming, NAB senior vice president of communications, said in a statement that the NAB objects to its members being used to pay for the funding the Broadband DATA Act. The legislation is designed to improve accuracy of the FCC’s broadband availability maps to help close the digital divide that exists between urban and rural areas.

Not only does the FCC fail to explain the reasons for this year’s fee increase, but it’s clear that the commission is forcing broadcasters to subsidize the regulation of other entities that are either contributing less than their fair share of fees or being given a free ride altogether, she said.

In its filing, the NAB said that the commission has an “obligation to ensure that its regulatory framework enables TV and radio stations to serve the public interest in free, over-the-air broadcast service, which means that the broadcast industry must remain economically viable in an increasingly competitive marketplace.”

The NAB urged the commission to adjust its proposal so that only the beneficiaries of the commission’s Broadband DATA Act initiatives pay for the associated costs. The NAB also pressed the commission to expand the base of fee payers to include big tech and other unlicensed spectrum users that use a substantial amount of the commission’s resources and benefit from its activities.

“Many broadcasters simply cannot afford unnecessary expenses in a year when revenues continued to decline due to the economic impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and a slow-moving recovery,” the NAB said in its filing. “The commission must confront and correct the elements of its regulatory fee proposal that impair broadcasters’ ability to remain economically viable in a competitive marketplace, and undermine their ability to provide quality, free service to the public.”

The broadcast industry must remain economically viable in an increasingly competitive marketplace, the NAB said, a situation made all the more tricky because broadcasters cannot simply pass on regulatory costs to consumers.

The FCC is seeking comment on its proposed changes, which are available through Docket Number 21-190 at the FCC’s ECFS comment database. Reply comments are being accepted through June 18.

The post NAB Questions Fee Hike Proposed by FCC for FY2021 appeared first on Radio World.

From our “Who’s Buying What” page: Connect said Monaco Media Diffusion is using its KYBIO monitoring and control platform.

MMD is a radio and TV operator for the Principality of Monaco. Connect is part of the WorldCast Group.

The company said MMD is using KYBIO to oversee operation of its FM and DAB infrastructure including 136 devices such as transmitters, satellite receivers and audio processing.

KYBIO can be purchased as a cloud-based SaaS or on-premise license; MMD chose the latter, with a five-year support contract. The company says its users include RAI, Bell Media, Sutro Tower and Disney Television.

MMD’s managing director is Thierry Poyet. Technical contact is Guillame Asso.

The post In Monaco, MMD Puts KYBIO to Use appeared first on Radio World.

Ralph Justus, who for many years was at the center of technology developments in U.S. broadcasting and consumer electronics, has died.

He was known in our industry through roles at the Federal Communications Commission, National Association of Broadcasters, Consumer Electronics Association and Electronics Industries Alliance. Among other accomplishments he was credited with playing an “instrumental” role in the development of digital TV standards starting in the late 1990s.

According to his obituary, he died at age 72. Justus finished his career as a patent examiner for the U.S. Patent Office.

According to a 2004 profile published by the Advanced Television Systems Committee, Justus started in broadcast technology in the late 1970s as supervisory electronics engineer of the FCC Television Branch and a staff engineer in the AM and FM radio branches.

In 1983 he moved to the NAB to become director of engineering, regulatory and international affairs, working on issues involving radio and television technologies, auxiliary and satellite systems, spectrum management, proceedings at federal agencies including the FCC, EPA, FAA, Department of State and participation in the International Telecommunications Union, according to the ATSC article.

He then moved over to become director of engineering for the CEA (now called the Consumer Technology Association), where he worked on radio and TV system design and performance, TV antennas, audio technologies, regulatory activities and consumer electronics/cable TV compatibility.

For several years starting in 1999 he chaired the ATSC Technology Group on Distribution, or T3. In that role he was “instrumental in guiding many new DTV standards,” according to the 2004 article.

In 2003 Justus also was elected president of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ Consumer Electronics Society, according to a Radio World story at the time. He also was a former president of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society.

At the CEA he was promoted after eight years to the post of vice president of technology and standards, a position he held until he left in 2005, according to his LinkedIn page. He later worked for the Building Performance Institute and as a consultant before joining the USPTO in 2012, working on radio, television and satellite communications, telecom technologies and intellectual property patent applications.

Justus also was active in technical organizations such as SMPTE and the AES. He was a graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering.

The post Ralph Justus Dies; Former Tech Executive at NAB, CEA appeared first on Radio World.

This past week, Adthos introduced what it calls “the only free ad-serving technology built specifically for radio.” Athos Ad-Server is an ad sales application that replaces playout of ads by an existing automation system, allowing digital audio and radio “to be sold seamlessly within a single integrated campaign.”

We sought to learn more about it and emailed with Raoul Wedel, CEO of parent company Wedel Software.

[Read: Adthos Ad-Server Is Free Ad-Serving App for Radio]

RW: What prompted Wedel to launch this Adthos initiative?
Raoul Wedel: Our traffic and billing system can do live reconciliation. But when implementing it, we found out that it would require integration and development with each and every automation system provider. Instead of building dozens of integrations, we felt this was a better solution. And made it available for free.

RW: Why would a broadcaster wish to replace the ads in an existing automation system?
Wedel: For traditional ad playout, the Adthos Ad-Server comes already with maybe two dozen features that most small automation systems don’t have. Like live reconciliation, sending new logs live without intervention or integration with cloud storage systems for material management.

The future of audio advertising is dynamic, in scheduling or creative replacement. If terrestrial radio wants to keep up with digital they will need to move forward on those subjects. The Adthos Ad-Server is a simple, non-intrusive app that can be easily installed and managed. It allows for frame-accurate ad replacement. So an advertiser can play a McDonald’s spot on the radio but may replace the ad with a local franchise’s address.

RW: What are the main features and benefits of Ad-Server?
Wedel: It reconciles your schedules live. Logs can be sent without any intervention; material can be stored cloud-based.

Also it includes a streaming encoder compatible with Triton, AdsWizz, Icecast and Shoutcast. It enables dynamic scheduling and dynamic creative replacements.

And it gives advertisers and agencies a portal to view their schedules and listen to an aircheck of what has been played.

RW: Ad-Server is free, so how does Wedel Software benefit, i.e. how do you make your money from the service?
Wedel: We feel that the current state of technology of radio stations is preventing terrestrial radio advertising from moving into the digital space. This is our vision of a solution for the problem. And we’re putting our money where our mouth is. By laying this foundation it opens the door for other technologies and advances to truly gain broad acceptance in the market. It is a platform that we can build on.

RW: You said there are future integrations planned, what kind of additional features should we expect?
Wedel: There are three main releases of the platform, we call chapters. The second and third chapters are due after the summer and since the ad server enables dynamic scheduling and dynamic ad replacement, you’d have to think along those lines.

RW: What else should we know?
Wedel: That we have made it as easy as possible to convert to our platform. In a testing phase, the ad server can run in parallel with your current automation system. Even though it is free, we have staff dedicated to onboarding our first customers. Our platform comes with a preloaded list of U.S. FCC licensed stations and station owners, so it’s easy to start.

The post Raoul Wedel Talks About the Adthos Ad-Server appeared first on Radio World.

Frank Foti is executive chairman of The Telos Alliance and founder of Omnia Audio. We spoke with him for the recent Radio World ebook about audio processing?

Radio World: Frank, what would you say is the most important recent or pending development in the design or use of processors?
Frank Foti: The recipe for audio processing is never finished.

Aside from ongoing development to subjectively improve sonic performance, the function of processing has crossed over into the virtual realm. This concept was first fostered by Steve Church, and myself back about 1994, as our early efforts began on Livewire, our audio over IP platform then under development.

Today, we have the tools to provide processing in the software-as-a-service (SaaS) format, as well as a container. Yet we also know that there are those in the marketplace whose comfort level remains having their processing running in a dedicated appliance. Our work will always support that platform as well.

RW: What should we know about differences in processing needs for analog over the air, digital OTA, podcasts and streaming?
Foti: Telos Systems was first to introduce data-reduced audio more than 25 years ago. Steve Church and I were also the first to recognize the need of dedicated processing for conventional broadcasting, and audio streams.

In reality, digital OTA, podcasts and streaming are all basically one form or another of the data-reduced technology. Thus, all conventional analog OTA transmissions for FM or AM need to employ a processor for that function, and digital OTA, podcasts, streaming, need to use processing designed for data reduced audio.

The main difference between conventional and data-reduced audio transmissions is the final limiter function. Suffice it to say, a processor designed for one system will not “play” well with the other type of system.

[Read: WorldCast Products Reflect New Service Models]

RW: How will cloud, virtualization and SaaS affect our processing marketplace?
Foti: It already has! The pandemic of 2020 escalated efforts that were already in place regarding this topic. If anything, now we’ll observe refinements to what’s already in place.

The concepts of the cloud and virtualization present flexibility to the broadcaster that was never possible before. Processing can be installed, adjusted, modified as a system, moved, updated and a host of other utilities from basically anywhere in the world. We even have the ability to transport monitor audio back to remote locations that might be outside of the listening coverage.

RW: Six years ago we had an ebook where we wondered how processors could advance much more, given how powerful their hardware and algorithms were. What about today?
Foti: This question gets asked fairly often. The Achilles Heel of broadcast audio processing has always been the final limiting system. As much as we’d all love a free lunch, it does not apply here, and there is a breaking point.

I’m constantly evaluating our own efforts, as well as those from others. Using choice content, which is challenging for any algorithm, it is easy to discern a good limiter design from another. Sadly, there are some current designs that leave a lot to be desired in this area.

Recent ongoing development from my own workstation has produced a new final limiting system that further reduces and in some cases eliminates sonic annoyances. Those being harmonic and intermodulation distortion components that are audible.

RW: Has radio reached a point of “hypercompression,” with little further change in how loud we can make over-the-air audio? How do we break out of that plateau?
Foti: Loudness is really only a problem if it’s accomplished in an annoying fashion. That’s not being said to promote loudness. It is possible to create a “standout” loud on-air signal that is not annoying.

It comes down to the processor involved, as well as who sets it up. The term “hypercompression” can be defined differently based on interpretation.

I know there are some who absolutely love the sound of “deep compression” and the effect the added intermod it creates, whereas there are others who use less dynamic compression and rely on the final limiting system for their end result. Both are capable of generating large levels of RMS modulation, yet result in dramatically different effected signatures.

Is one better than the other? It’s all very subjective, as well as what is truly to be defined as hypercompression.

RW: As John Kean told us in another article, AES loudness metrics are moving to a lower target level for content, streams, podcasts and on-demand file transfer, like existing metrics for online and over-the-top video. If radio stays with its current environment — modulation limiting, reception noise, loudness wars — could radio see loss of audience due to listener fatigue?
Foti: Any broadcast facility that has lost audience due to listener fatigue needs to realize this occurred due to their approach to audio processing.

Loudness is not the issue. It’s how one achieves a loud signature that determines the listenability of a signal. There is a difference between the perception of a good clean loud signal, and another which sounds like your head is squashed within the jaws of a vice. Both are loud, but both are not bad.

It really comes down to choices made by the broadcaster. Analogy: A car that goes fast is not necessarily a reckless auto. It comes down on the driver of the car. Same applies here.

RW: We read that processing can mitigate multipath distortion and reduce clipping distortion in content. How can users evaluate such claims?
Foti: Great question! I’ve done significant work in this area, and have recently created a method to test, and observe the effects of induced multipath, based on audio processing. Surely, it could be further developed, as a tool for broadcasters.

As of this writing, there is nothing on the market, but there are technical papers that address it. Suffice it to say, I’d be very weary of those who make ad hoc statements about multipath, exaggerated by processing, that were done without any technical evidence or test criteria or employed good engineering practice.

RW: Nautel and Telos recently did a joint demo aimed at eliminating alignment issues by locking the FM and HD1 outputs from the processor through the HD air chain to the transmitter. What’s your take?
Foti: Having been in some of the discussions about this method, this is a solid design that negates outside/ancillary devices to monitor and adjust the time alignment. This is the first systemic approach, which further solidifies the digital transmission infrastructure. It’s very straightforward in design, and reduces the level of complexity within the digital transmission system.

We need to remember that as HD Radio evolved and refined itself, the overall system and infrastructure has had to change. Now that the tech has become mature, it’s possible to create a method that efficiently and reliably creates the broadcast signals for conventional and digital transmission.

The post The Recipe for Processing Is Never Finished appeared first on Radio World.

June is Microphone Month here at Radio World. This is one in a series of interviews with people who work in and around radio about the kinds of mics they love and why.

Voice veteran Don Elliot applied his music training to radio and jingles, working as a voice talent, PD, DJ, production guy and agent. Stops included WEAM(AM) in D.C., KCMO(AM/FM/TV) and KUDL(AM) in Kansas City, KISN(AM) in Portland and KOIL(AM) in Omaha.

In Los Angeles he worked at 1500 kHz in its various formats, then was hired to switch KIIS to top 40. At KFI(AM)/KOST(FM) he was the house voice for several years, and later broadcast taught at Fullerton and Saddleback Colleges.

Radio World: What’s your favorite microphone for radio on-air work? 

Don Elliot: I am very appreciative of this question to ignite some independent thinking as opposed to the acceptance of the ubiquitous, oversized repurposed kick drum mic, the RE20 amongst “me too” stations that rely on crowd advice. But if it works for you, that’s great. Just know that getting out of the box won’t kill you.

Every voice and every microphone is different. That’s why there is no “one-size-fits-all.” You have to try them and listen.

For me, it’s the Sennheiser MKH 416 with a Hook Studios pop screen when I must work closer than a foot. It just finds that sweet spot in my voice without any EQ, and that’s the ideal situation. Much better to spend $1,000 on a mic that works than to spend $300 on one and then $4,000 in outboard gear to make it sound like the $1,000 mic in the first place! Simple.

RW: What’s your choice for remote or specialty work?

Elliot: It puzzles me to see ENG video work being done with omnidirectional microphones, which are known for a 360-degree pick up.

I can understand the benefit for an interviewer who does not know how to move the mic back and forth between themselves and the interviewee, but it’s at the cost of inviting unwanted ambience into the audio.

Far better to use a good cardioid and learn the technique of keeping the interviewee within the polar pattern during the interview. There is much to benefit from using its known null pattern capability when you use your mic as a tool in this way. I call it “fixing it at the source” instead of having headaches back in the studio trying to rescue bad field audio.

Above all, pay attention to the quality of your interface. I use a Centrance MicPort2 with its amazing boutique-quality preamps, 48v phantom, headphone amp and built-in limiter, to get the most out of any mic on location.

RW: If you were training someone what’s a tip you might share or common misconception to dispel?

Elliot: I would bring them to the realization that radio environments are not ideal and that must be taken into consideration in finding a mic not only ideal for the voice but also for “the room.” That’s the tip.

As for the misconceptions, one must realize that “proximity effect” does not change the pitch of your voice but instead causes an artificial low-end mushiness that can lead to loss of intelligibility in a mix or overcompensation for something that is not natural. You must consider listener fatigue in the results that you are getting.

Also, learn proper placement and which polar pattern to use! When I’m singing, I like either my U 87 in a good studio environment, or my Vanguard V13 — I heard Bill Rogers doing Disney promo work on one,which prompted me to buy — which has the advantage of remote-controlling the pattern so you can hear the changes immediately. And it’s continuously variable. I like the openness of this mic in omni, knowing that all mics sound best in omni, but we are hampered by environments into which we are forced. The V13 is a problem-solver.

RW: Other thoughts?

Elliot: When I first started at KFI/KOST, I was given the studio tour, with identical microphones in every position in the production rooms because “that way we have a consistent sound.” It was an uphill battle to convince them that to get a consistent sound you needed a variety of microphones, because no two voices are the same! I would use a ribbon microphone on a female voice that tends to fill out a higher range without making it sound artificially basic. It also helps with sibilance.

Traditionally in an air studio, one step in the right direction has been a multi EQ unit, one module for each jock in order to achieve this desired goal of consistency. I have never been a fan of EQ boost. If anything before boosting, I would start to cut some frequencies if necessary. It’s always better to be able to fix it at the source.

And although it’s probably for another subject sometime, a good microphone preamp could be the most important and prized item in the chain, which reminds us all that the “chain” only as good as its weakest link!

The best takeaway is that just because you have the tool doesn’t mean you know how to use it! Learn from the pros, but don’t be afraid to deviate and experiment.

Read more of Radio World’s coverage of microphones.

The post My Favorite Mics: Don Elliot appeared first on Radio World.