Radio World

Despite the fact that traditional AM/FM broadcasting is at the century mark, it still leads all newcomers in the in-car media ecosphere.

That’s according to The Infinite Dial 2021’s latest data. The annual Infinite Dial is prepared by Edison Research and Triton Digital.

The numbers suggest that AM/FM radio holds a commanding lead at 75%. Owned digital music holds a distant second place with 48%, followed by the CD player, online audio, podcasts and Sirius XM. It bears noting that AM/FM broadcasting’s automotive lead is slowly slipping away, having been at 81% in 2019 and 2020.

[Read: Despite Disruptions in 2020, Media Consumption Trends Upwards]

Another entertainment technology that is rapidly disappearing in the rear view mirror is the car CD player, as more vehicles from the 1990s and early 2000s have a date with the scrapyard. To put this in perspective, the CD player came in second with 63%, behind AM/FM’s 84% in the 2013 Infinite Dial report. The most recent figures place the CD player third with 35% of audio sources ever used in the car.

Also trending down, according to The Infinite Dial 2021, is the percent of respondents driving/riding in a car/vehicle in the past month. Their 2020 data suggests 87% were cruising monthly, and that number fell this year to 83%. That’s not hard to understand when one considers the pandemic lockdown, employment statistics, and that rush hour traffic in many cities has become a thing of the past.

New automotive technologies continued to make gains in 2020, according to Triton and Edison Research data. The percent owning in-dash information and entertainment systems crept up from 18–20% over the past year. Data for online audio listening in-car through a cellphone suggests an increase from 45–50% over the past year.

A new category introduced to the 2021 Infinite Dial is the percent having an integrated mobile operating system in their primary vehicle. The numbers say Apple Car Play has 10%, while Android Auto has 8%.

The post Data Says AM/FM Radio Still Leads in Automotive Environment appeared first on Radio World.

Paul Rogers has been promoted by iHeartMedia to area president for North Florida, which includes the Jacksonville market.

He succeeds Nicky Sparrow, who was recently named the senior vice president of multicultural sales for iHeartMedia Markets Group.

The Jacksonville cluster includes eight stations with music formats in English and Spanish: WSOL(FM), WQIK(FM), WJBT(FM), WWJK(FM), WKSL(FM), WFXJ(AM), Rumba 106.9FM and 107.3FM Planet Radio.

Rogers has been market president for Tallahassee and Panama City since 2017. iHeart’s realigned North Florida area now also includes those two cities.

Rogers will report to Division President Linda Byrd.

Send People News announcements to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post iHeart Tabs Paul Rogers to Lead North Florida appeared first on Radio World.

The author is chairman of the European Digital Radio Alliance (EDRA). This is one in a recurring series of commentaries from and about WorldDAB.

The European Digital Radio Alliance is a joint initiative bringing together 25 members from 13 European countries.

Its members represent public and commercial broadcasters from across the continent, several hundred large and small radio stations along with a few hundred million listeners.

One of EDRA’s key priorities has been to promote digital radio, and ensure it is included in the new European Electronic Communications Code. Digital terrestrial radio is now compulsory for new passenger cars sold across Europe, and member states have the possibility to extend this obligation to domestic receivers.

[Read: Commentary: DAB+ Takes Center Stage]

In November, EDRA decided to adopt a manifesto in the face of digital developments, and raise awareness regarding radio stations’ growing dependence on certain digital giants, and the dangers that entails.

By putting their content on the platforms of these tech giants, radio stations become increasingly dependent on tech giants and enable them to act as gatekeepers. Therefore they are becoming the new digital competitors of our radio stations, weakening them as they attract more listeners, make limited national production investments, and reduce the pool of choice of consumer and radio stations’ exposure on digital platforms.

We firmly believe that the intervention of commercial third-party platforms, mediating the relationship between the broadcasters and the listeners, is detrimental to the level playing field which has existed in European countries until now.

At EDRA, we aim to promote together a radio distribution strategy based on a secure, direct route to reach audiences, independent of the technologies employed. In this context, we would underline the importance of broadcast distribution in maintaining continuity of service for public safety in emergency conditions.

We have outlined two strategies to face these challenges — the first one is to facilitate collaboration within our industry. While we continue to compete on content, we need to bring the industry together to maintain a strong basis for radio around Europe and stay attractive to our listeners.

We also need to secure direct access to our listeners by favoring common platforms that allow for the growth of radio — DAB+ digital radio being the obvious one — but also by develop attractive digital platforms that will allow us to step away from third parties who are less likely to invest in our economies.

The success of DAB+ is based on cooperation between radio stations, and we are seeing strong growth in DAB+ listening across several European markets as the migration of radio audiences to digital continues.

Digital distribution, both terrestrial broadcasting and internet, is inevitably the future of radio; it will continue to deliver listener benefits around supplementary data and flexible on-demand provision.

The post DAB+ — Radio’s Biggest Ally in Facing Off Digital Giants appeared first on Radio World.

Failing to file a license renewal application on time can be a costly endeavor as four broadcasters found out after receiving apparent liability notices from the Federal Communications Commission.

A school district in Michigan and three houses of worship — in Ohio, Arkansas and Illinois — were issued forfeiture notices that ranged from $1,500 to $3,500.

The costliest forfeiture was handed out to Lighthouse Ministries of Northwest Ohio for $3,500. As licensee of WKJH(LP) in Bryan, Ohio, the FCC said that Lighthouse failed to file a timely license renewal application for the station. The commission said Lighthouse also willfully and repeatedly violated the Communications Act by continuing to operate the station even after its authorization expired.

[Read: These Stations Need to Turn in License Renewals ASAP]

FCC rules require that applications for a broadcast station license renewal must be filed by the first day of the fourth month prior to the expiration date of the license. In the case of Lighthouse, the renewal application should have been filed by June 1, 2020, which would have been four months prior to the license expiration date of Oct. 1 2020. But the commission said Lighthouse did not file any renewal. In early September, FCC staff let WKJH know that its license was to expire by midnight on Oct. 1. But no application was filed.

Then on Oct. 27, the licensee filed both an application and a petition for reconsideration requesting reinstatement of its license. In the petition, program director James Hollin explained that he mistakenly believed that the license renewal application wasn’t due until 2021. Hollin also said that family issues occurred at the time that the renewal application was due. Yet at no time did the licensee request special temporary authority (STA) to operate the station after its license officially expired.

But a line had been crossed. The FCC rules on failure to file are straightforward. The rules establish a base forfeiture of $3,000 for failing to file to required form. They also specify a separate base forfeiture of $10,000 for construction and/or operation without authorization.

Of course, the FCC has the leeway to adjust that amount upward or downward based on the nature and gravity of the violation.

While the FCC said it is sympathetic to Hollin’s family issues, it said it found that issuing a notice of apparent liability is still appropriate. “The licensee itself was ultimately responsible for ensuring it complied with the rules by filing a timely renewal application,” the commission said in its notice. “It did not do so.”

The commission initially found that a $7,000 forfeiture was appropriate. This decision was made because not only did the station allegedly fail to file its renewal application on time, it  continued operating the station after the license expired and never filed an STA to request the right to operate the station after its license expired.

Since the station is an LPFM station — and is providing a secondary service — the commission decided to reduce the forfeiture from the base amount to $1,500 for the failure to file a timely license renewal application and to $2,000 for unauthorized operations, for a total of $3,500.

The situation was a similar one for WCHW(FM), a station licensed to Bay City School District, Bay City, Mich. It also failed to file a license renewal application on time. The FCC laid a base forfeiture of $3,000 at Bay City’s door but did not find the action to be a serious violation.

Two additional houses of worship — Amazing Grace Church in Paron, Ark., and Family Worship Center Church in Effingham, Ill. — were also each issued notices of apparent liability for $1,500 each. In the case of Family Worship Center, the FCC said the licensee allegedly failed to file a license renewal for FM translator station W204BG. The application, which was due on Aug. 3, 2020, wasn’t filed until mid-November 2020.

In its application, Family Worship Center Church said that it inadvertently failed to file a renewal application for the translator when it went about filing applications for its other translators and full-service stations in Illinois. In this case the FCC lowered the forfeiture from the base amount of $3,000 to $1,500 because the FCC said the station — as a translator — is providing a secondary service.

In Amazing Grace’s situation, the renewal application for KILB(LP) was filed about a month late. The application was due on Feb. 3, 2020, but was not filed until March 11, 2020. Amazing Grace provided no explanation for the untimely filing of the application. Just as in the case of Family Worship, the base forfeiture was reduced from $3,000 to $1,500 because, as an LPFM station, the station is providing a secondary service, the FCC said.

In all four cases, the commission has given each applicant 30 days to pay the full amount or file a written statement seeking reduction or cancellation of the proposed forfeiture.

The post Four Stations Receive Forfeitures for Same Alleged Violation: Late Filings appeared first on Radio World.

New consumer research commissioned by technology provider Frontier Smart Technologies shows how the coronavirus shifted broadcast radio listening across the United Kingdom and how those developments could influence that country’s move toward DAB [Digital Audio Broadcasting], DAB+ and IP streaming and multimedia technologies.

The newly released survey examined the audio listening habits of the British public — from March 24 to May 11, 2020 — during the first U.K. COVID-19 lockdown. A total of 1,096 people participated in the survey. The majority of the survey panel was between the ages of 36 to 65 years old, according to Frontier Smart Technologies.

[Read: DAB Advocates Celebrated Growth in 2020]

The survey shows that just over a quarter of respondents (27%) listened to more radio in lockdown than before, while a quarter (25%) and a fifth (20%) respectively reported listening to podcasts and physical mediums less frequently. In addition, 81% of respondents listened to radio, compared to music streaming (52%), physical formats (33%) and podcasts (24%) during the survey period.

The U.K. survey findings also reinforce the importance of the radio receiver as a dedicated device, with a significant number of people (40%) reporting that a standalone radio was their main source of audio entertainment, compared to their mobile phone (19%), smart speaker (18%), laptop/PC (8%), tablet (5%), CD/record player (4%) or other (6%).

A review provided by Frontier Smart Technologies concludes: “The continuing popularity of radio listening and devices dedicated to this purpose, as well as these shifts in listening habits, are likely to extend beyond COVID-19 in some form, as workers — who wish to continue splitting business hours between the home and the office, to enjoy more flexible arrangements — push for the new-normal to inform the post-COVID workplace.”

The tech company, an OEM that provides radio chips and modules to numerous electronics brands worldwide, hopes the data will bring more focus on DAB+ and how “digitization” is influencing the radio listening experience.

Consumer trends, the company said, show a shift to digital yet a surprisingly high number of consumer radio devices sold in Europe (64%) are analog-only, according to Frontier, which is slowing the adoption of DAB+. The company says DAB+ provides a gateway to a SmartRadio future across Europe. SmartRadio is a hybrid product combines terrestrial broadcasts with internet protocol services and content. It is promoted by the SmartRadio coalition, of which Frontier is a member and equipment manufacturer.

Frontier Smart Technologies said: “DAB+ adds to the benefits of DAB by providing advanced data services and improving on the simple text-based electronic program guides of DAB with the addition of built-in color displays. They may include details about the station, track or album being listened to — including cover art and other images — as well as information on traffic reports, and images from the news, sports and even advertisers.”

The technology provider continues: “SmartRadio adds on-demand audio, including podcast support, a key feature for mass consumer appeal, with listener figures increasing rapidly over recent years. Listeners can enjoy thousands of internet radio stations from across the globe, in addition to local and national broadcast services.”

The post UK Survey Shows Shift in Radio Listening During Pandemic appeared first on Radio World.

The Telos Alliance is taking its well-known VX VoIP hardware and software talk show phone system and creating a “virtualized” version to adapt changing broadcast workflows and operations of late.

Broadcasters can deploy VXs on their servers in the rack room, on shared servers in the centralized data center, or into cloud. These deployment options deliver the benefits of virtualization, such as easier facility-wide upgrades, cost-efficiency, remote operation and teamwork along with automated deployment without site visits.

Broadcasters can scale VXs in size from a single studio to a facility-wide talk show system to a multilocation system.

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

VXs uses fifth-generation audio processing for improved call quality. Other features includes Smart AGC coupled with Telos’ three-band adaptive Digital Dynamic EQ, a three-band adaptive spectral processor, noise gating, and Acoustic Echo Cancellation. HD voice calls benefit from VXs’ native support of the G.722 codec, instantly improving caller speech quality.

Installing a VXs VoIP system in facilities already powered by Livewire+ AES67 networks is straight forward. The new VXs system will plug right in, using automatic mix-minus from an Axia console and existing phone module for control.

Support for AES67 gives broadcasters the capability of integrating VX into any AES67 or compatible SMPTE 2110-30 environments. Support for SAP advertisement means VXs integrates alongside AES67-enabled Dante devices, as well. With plug-and-play connectivity, users can network multiple channels of audio with any manufacturer’s AES67-compliant hardware.

Info: www.telosalliance.com

The post Telos Alliance Virtualizes VX VoIP System appeared first on Radio World.

GeoBroadcast Solutions is defending its proposed geo-targeting system for the FM band and says its additional planned tests will only add to a technical record that supports the idea.

As we’ve reported, the company wants the Federal Communications Commission to modify FM booster rules to allow stations to transmit very localized content for three minutes per hour independent of signals of the booster’s primary station.

Filing reply comments in the FCC’s proceeding, GBS lamented “exaggerated speculations” made by the National Association of Broadcasters and some large radio groups about the potential for increased interference and damage to FM’s business model from its ZoneCasting system.

GBS made four main arguments in its filing: that the technical data doesn’t support the claims of opponents about interference and performance in transition areas; that ZoneCasting won’t affect the EAS system; that its system will not cause a “race to the bottom” or “redlining”; and that its demonstrations in San Jose and San Francisco will further support its claims.

“Our efforts to improve radio technology and provide an economic lifeline to broadcasters competing on a daily basis against less regulated mediums, met surprising opposition from those we had hoped would embrace the opportunity to work with us and build new economic models that would help the industry remain competitive,” said Robert Udowitz, a spokesperson for GeoBroadcast Solutions.

The company said it continues to work with groups, stations, advertisers and industry organizations in the rule process; and it indicated that it would welcome having engineering representatives from large radio groups visit to view the testing process.

It told the FCC that it had expected its proposal to be “just a small adjustment of a technical rule.” However, “What we have seen over the last 10 months is that, while the rule change may be minor, the implications of radio stations having just the option to geo-target content is somehow troubling to parts of the radio industry that apparently do not want other radio stations to have even the option to innovate and compete in new ways,” GBS wrote in its reply to the FCC.

Beasley Media Group, Cumulus Media, Entercom Communications and iHeartMedia are among the radio groups that have questioned the technical soundness of geo-targeting, saying a rule change would be “premature” without further vetting.

[Related: “Minority Groups Call for a Geo-Targeting Pilot”]

GBS said it believes the role of the FCC is “not to manage an industry’s current business plan not shield it to certain broadcasters that do not want to innovate from competitors willing to deploy new technologies” based on their anticipation of changes in market and consumer demand.

“Instead, the job of the FCC is to listen to the many strong voices on all sides of this issue and assess whether the rule change is in the public’s interest and whether the rule change enhances localism and deepens the ability of broadcasters to meet the needs of their community.”

In addition: “The FCC should focus on the regulatory questions that are properly before it and not be sidetracked by issues that either fall outside the FCC’s purview or are based on nothing but unsubstantiated speculation.”

GBS issued assurances of a seamless transition between the main and FM booster zones, and that “plain, inarguable facts establish that in 99.9 percent of the geographic footprint of a radio station, the same content will be heard 95 percent of the time.”

The primary technical issue raised in the comments to the NPRM is the nature and duration of transition areas, the borders between zones. A “transition zone” will comprise a tiny percentage (typically less than one tenth of one percent) of a broadcaster’s service area, GBS wrote.

GBS also believes FM broadcasters will engineer their systems to avoid self-interference. “The FCC’s current rules require radio broadcasters to manage their spectrum, including their use of FM boosters, so as not to disrupt the listening experience and those rules will remain in place if the NPRM is adopted.”

EAS compliance will not be affected by geo-broadcasting, GBS wrote, “We state unequivocally that ZoneCasting will have no impact on EAS alerts. In the event an EAS alert is aired while a station is geo-targeting content to one zone, all zoned operation will immediately drop into simulcast synchronized SFN mode.”

The company promises to launch two demonstrations at FM stations in California. The FCC has approved an application for experimental authorization for a field test at KSJO(FM) and its booster KSJO(FM1) in San Jose, Calif. In addition, the company has proposed a demonstration test with a full-power FM station in San Francisco.

Roberson and Associates LLC, a technology and management consulting firm based in Schaumburg, Ill., will oversee the demonstrations. That firm “has met with senior engineering contacts at each of Beasley, Entercom, iHeart and Cumulus to discuss the parameters of the San Francisco demonstration and directly solicit their feedback regarding what variables the demonstration should test. Xperi, the developer of HD radio technology, will also advise,” GBS said in its filing.

GBS performed field tests in 2010 in Randolph, Utah, and 2011 in Avon Park, Fla. The most current ZoneCasting Design was tested in 2016 in Union Grove, Wis.

The post GBS Defends Its Geo-Targeting Proposal appeared first on Radio World.

The author is executive director of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters. NFCB commentaries are featured regularly at www.radioworld.com.

New reports on listening habits brought on by the pandemic are must-reads for stations. Even as states and the federal government are reviewing existing policies related to COVID-19, new audience habits may be here to stay. And, with that, our past ways of talking about radio may need to adjust.

On March 11, The Infinite Dial’s latest findings were released. The longtime initiative of Edison Research has been the gold standard when it comes to seeing where listening habits are as well as indicators for the future. Some of the dire discoveries presented opportunities, too.

[Read: Community Broadcaster: Is OnlyFans Music’s Next Royalty Model?]

In-car listening has dropped from about the same time last year. Seventy-five percent of the more than 1,000 respondents participated in this survey said they tuned in via their vehicles in the last month. That’s a significant decline from the 81% who listening in their cars in 2020. Bear in mind, however, that the number of people in autos dipped by five% from last year.

Considering the spike in streaming service subscriptions, rivals like satellite radio and other entertainment, radio’s draw among Americans remains solid. These numbers could grow as vaccinations become more available by summer.

Sixty-two percent of Americans listen via the web at least weekly. Online listenership, researchers say, is at an all-time high. Such a statistic may prompt your station to think about how it markets itself on the air. If your promos are more focused on “tuning in,” could you be missing out by not talking up online options? Smart speaker adoption continues to grow. Are your spots telling your loyal fans how they can find you there?

Also, AudiGraphics discussed audience metrics with Current. Most interesting is the return of in-home listening to radio. This isn’t your grandparents’ old-time living room radio, though. Smart speakers and connected devices have made streaming your favorite radio station easier than it’s ever been. Where people used to listen on their commute, AudiGraphics points out they’ve simply shifted to catch the news and other programming they enjoy through alternate means. A question to thus ask is how your station is recognizing those listeners.

The storm cloud in this research is primarily for news and talk-based radio, especially noncommercial ones. It’s not entirely surprising, though. With election day long gone and media attention away from the Jan. 6 violence, more listeners are skipping the news in favor of other programming. AudiGraphics highlights the drop in listenership for NPR stations especially. Given NPR’s prominence, one would have to think these trends will impact any station rooted in news/talk. If you are a station that leans on news and public affairs programming, you might consider reviewing the figures closely.

While stations do their best to deliver a consistent quality of service, the technology around us changes every generation, and faster. Our ability to evolve with our audience can only prove beneficial.

The post Community Broadcaster: Off Road appeared first on Radio World.

The Federal Communications Commission weighed in on a series of complaints, petitions and supplements that were filed by stations complaining that an LPFM is interfering with their stations.

In the end, the FCC dismissed some of the complaints and petitions but mandated that stations work together to determine exactly what is causing the interference.

In October 2020, New River Community Church, Manchester, Conn., filed a petition for reconsideration on a Media Bureau decision that found that its WYPH(LP), was continuing to interfere with second-adjacent channel WDRC(FM) in Hartford, Conn., owned by Red Wolf Broadcasting Corp.

[Read: Fla. LPFM Gets Interference Notice]

In that decision the Media Bureau concluded that not only did WYPH fail to eliminate the interference it was allegedly causing, it also failed to prove beyond a doubt that its station was not the culprit in this interference situation.

Other parties began to weigh in too. Red Wolf Broadcasting filed a supplemental letter alleging that WYPH’s operations were causing interference to the over-the-air reception of its station, while Saga Communications of New England, which is licensee of WAQY(FM) in Springfield, Mass., also filed an interference complaint.

What’s key to understand is that FCC rules spell out a series of second-adjacent channel minimum distance separation requirements for LPFM stations — but only if the LPFM station demonstrates that its proposed operations will not result in interference to any authorized radio service.

As it stands, WYPH is currently licensed to operate under an approved second-adjacent channel waiver since it is short-spaced to second-adjacent channel stations WDRC and WAQY. But if the commission receives a complaint that an LPFM station is causing interference — even if they are operating with an approved second-adjacent channel wavier — the station must suspend operations until the interference is eliminated or the LPFM can prove that it is not the source of the interference.

And to be clear: any claim of interference must be from a disinterested listener who can prove their name and address and can pinpoint a location at which the interference occurs.

Over the course of 2016 and 2017, New River Community Church received a green light for both the second-channel adjacent waiver and a construction permit for WYPH.

Moving ahead to January 2020, Red Wolf filed a complaint alleging that WYPH’s operations were causing interference to the over-the-air reception of WDRC. That led the FCC to order WYPH to cease operations until it resolved the interference issues.

New River responded to say that the listener objections were not bona fide complaints because Red Wolf solicited and scripted those complaints with listeners. The licensee also suggested that on/off testing be conducted by a third-party engineer and that those test results be submitted to the Media Bureau to confirm whether WYPH is the source of interference to WDRC.

The back and forth began in earnest. New River said Red Wolf would not agree to participate in testing. New River also said that Red Wolf had tried to oust WYPH from its tower site to attempting to lease the entire tower for FM purposes.

Red Wolf replied to say that WYPH was operating with the wrong antenna, which violates FCC’s rules. Specifically, after its permit was granted, WYPH installed a two-bay half-wavelength antenna, a Shively 6812B-2. Red Wolf said that WYPH’s operations with this antenna is causing interference to both Red Wolf’s station WDRC and to Saga’s station WAQY.

New River responded by saying it was “three years too late” for Red Wolf to object and that New River’s engineering report only showed predicted interference, not actual interference.

Then Saga Communications joined in, filing an interference complaint alleging that if WYPH is allowed to resume operations, it will continue to cause interference to Saga’s WAQY. Saga asked the FCC to keep WYPH from resuming operations until the Shively antenna is replaced with a Nicom antenna.

The FCC weighed in with decisive decisions. It reaffirmed the Media Bureau decision that said that New River failed to show that its station was not the source of interference. Until New River eliminates the interference or shows that it is not causing it, the station cannot resume broadcasting, the FCC said. The commission also dismissed New River’s assertion that interference complaints were not bona fide. The bureau also reprimanded New River by failing to conduct certain on/off tests in conjunction with Red Wolf.

But New River still has the opportunity to prove that its station is not the source of interference by beginning to conduct those on/off tests. The bureau ruled that the two broadcasters — New River and Red Wolf — must jointly cooperate in a test to formally determine the source of the interference. The two have 90 days to submit those results to the bureau. The bureau also denied Red Wolf’s request to rescind WYPH’s license because the filing was not done with in a proper time frame. The commission also reviewed Saga’s complaint and found that Saga failed to submit any valid listener complaints to prove interference.

The post FCC Resolving New England Interference Case appeared first on Radio World.

Publication of the latest The Infinite Dial report by Triton Digital and Edison Research is nudging the series to the quarter-century mark, with the first release taking place in 1998. The current edition tracks media consumption in a year that was full of surprises. A recent online presentation hosted by Tom Webster, senior vice president at Edison Research and John Rosso, president of market development at Triton Digital, summarized this year’s key findings.

The broad view of 2020, according to Webster and Rosso, is that all media took a hit during the disruptive period starting in March, with layoffs, lockdowns and many beginning to work from home. The good news is that by January 2021, when The Infinite Dial’s telephone survey of 1,507 people was taken, things had pretty well returned to normal, with the expected growth being seen in most areas.

Smartphone ownership experienced rapid growth from the time of its introduction in 2009 through 2017, when it began to plateau as the market approached saturation. Nevertheless, the numbers went from 85 million owners in 2019 to an estimated 88 million in 2021. Webster and Rosso speculate that this increase may have been driven largely by Apple’s introduction of the second generation iPhone SE in April.

Not all devices are enjoying an uptick in popularity, according to Triton and Edison’s data. Tablet ownership peaked at 56% of the U.S. population in 2019, and has since declined to an estimated 51% for the current year. At the same time, the data suggests that internet-connected watch ownership seems to have hit a plateau. In 2018 and 2019, 17% of the U.S. population owned one, and the estimated number only rose to 18% for 2021.

In the no-big-surprise department, smart speakers seem to have had another good year. The Infinite Dial’s numbers suggest that ownership jumped from 27% in 2020 to an estimated 33% for this year. Webster and Rosso add that the researchers dug a bit deeper to try and understand why there was this much growth. When this same question of ownership was asked of those who are employed full- or part-time and work from home, the number jumped from 33–49%. Correlation, as they say, is not causation, but it makes one wonder if the economic upheaval of 2020 might not have had a positive effect on smart speaker sales.

Further signs of smart speaker growth, according to The Infinite Dial 2021,  may be found in data on number of smart speakers in a household. In 2018, the first year that numbers were collected, 67% of respondents owned one smart speaker, 22% owned two, and just 11% owned three or more. Ownership for the current year is 47% owning one, 19% with two, and 34% with three or more. Webster and Rosso posit that this data suggests many first-time buyers are starting out with two or more smart speakers.

The post Despite Disruptions in 2020, Media Consumption Trends Upwards appeared first on Radio World.

Two leading minority organizations are calling for the creation of a test pilot program before the FCC makes any decision about geo-targeting via FM boosters.

The Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council and the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters made the recommendation to the Federal Communications Commission, which has been taking industry input about the geo-targeting concept proposed by technology company Geo-Broadcast Solutions.

Advocates of the GBS idea have cited potential benefits to minority broadcasters and businesses among its selling points; and MMTC and NABOB have been among those expressing support for the concept.

But the National Association of Broadcasters and several large radio groups expressed strong opposition in the recent comment period, saying that geo-targeting could have serious technical and financial implications for the FM business model.

Now Maurita Coley and David Honig, who are respectively president/CEO and president emeritus/senior advisor of MMTC, and James Winston, president/CEO of NABOB, have told the FCC, “The NPRM contains 103 questions. Fortunately, many of the 103 questions may be answerable with engineering and economic data that could be produced by a pilot test of the technology.”

They encouraged “the leading parties” to collaborate to design and execute a pilot with at least three markets: urban, suburban and rural.

“We recommend that the pilot be designed to address all of the questions raised in the comment round of this proceeding, including the impact of the technology on local advertising markets. We encourage the commission to help unite all parties in the quest for a universally beneficial result.”

[Related: “ZoneCasting Will Level the Playing Field for Radio”]

The post Minority Groups Call for a Geo-Targeting Pilot appeared first on Radio World.

The Federal Communications Commission has a couple of reminders for U.S. radio and TV stations.

First, its Enforcement Bureau has issued an advisory to broadcasters about their obligations for sponsorship identification.

“Broadcasters who air paid-for programming without disclosing the program’s sponsor can mislead the public and promote unfair competition,” the bureau reminded them in a public announcement.

“Such non-disclosures foster the perception by the public that a paid announcement is the station’s editorial content, while concealing that the station is being paid by a third party to promote a particular message. That impression can also give undisclosed sponsors an unfair advantage over competitors whose paid programming is properly disclosed as paid-for material.”

The document summarizes broadcasters’ disclosure obligations and provides more information; read it here.

Second, with the broadcast license renewal cycle moving ahead, the Media Bureau is reminding commercial broadcast licensees that every “sharing” agreement about the operation of the station must be retained in their online public files.

That includes lease of airtime, joint sale of advertising or sharing of operational services.

“Commercial broadcast licensees have a longstanding obligation to place in their OPIF, within 30 days of their execution, public copies of every agreement or contract involving the lease of airtime on a licensee’s station (or of another station by the licensee) and every agreement for the joint sale of advertising time involving the station,” the bureau wrote.

It emphasized that these requirements are based on the substance of an agreement rather than its title, even if it is not specifically labeled as a “Time Brokerage Agreement,” “Local Marketing Agreement,” “Joint Sales Agreement” or “Shared Services Agreement.”

Broadcasters have seen recently that the FCC is well aware of what is in their online public files, given the announcements in recent months of numerous consent decrees involving public and political files not being kept current.

The post FCC Issues Enforcement Reminders appeared first on Radio World.

Radio Television Malaysia has installed six Calrec Type R radio broadcast consoles in its PerlisFM regional studio facility as part of a substantial upgrade project, including AoIP networking.

A release adds, “The facility is now the reference for all future upgrades to RTM’s other regional stations.”

The release says that the Type R in some studios integrates with RCS Zetta automation and Visual Radio’s MultiCAM visual radio system.

[See Our Who’s Buying What Page]

RTM points to motorized faders, customization options, touchscreen operation and native IP networking as highlights.

The project was completed and overseen by Calrec’s Malaysia distributor, JAA Systems, with VME Broadcast acting as the main contractor and Medialab Alliance as the system integrator.

JAA Systems’ David Chan said, “We are very honored to be part of this transformation of RTM’s radio infrastructure, which places it at the cutting edge of modern radio. Calrec’s Type R for Radio is perfect for this installation. … We believe that this IP installation points to the future of radio across Malaysia and beyond.”

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

The post RTM Selects Calrec Consoles appeared first on Radio World.

Targetspot announced an agreement with Bauer Media Audio that it says will allow it to market inventory in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway.

Targetspot is part of ad technology company AudioValley, and offers audio streaming, ad serving and programmatic advertising. The company has ambitions to expand further in northern Europe.

In the announcement, Eric van der Haegen, its strategic partner development director, was quoted saying, “The digital audio culture is already well established in all Nordic countries. This arrival in the countries of Northern Europe is naturally part of our strategy of promoting local partnerships.”

Bauer Media Audio is “Europe’s leading digital commercial broadcaster and audio operator.” Targetspot says the agreement allows advertisers to access its inventory including brands like Sonos, AudioBoom, and Radio France and Shoutcast radios, “more than 2 million allocations each month in the Scandinavian countries and Finland.”

AudioValley CEO Alexandre Saboundjian cited data saying 91% of the Nordic population streams music. “Nordics listen to digital music on average 3.2 hours a day. The source of musical discoveries is revealed as 36% for radio and playlists of streaming services account for 13%.”

The post Targetspot Works With Bauer Media in Nordics appeared first on Radio World.

Here’s a list you don’t want to be on:

“On Dec. 1, 2020, radio stations located in Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota were required to file applications for license renewal for terms expiring on April 1, 2021,” the Federal Communications Commission announced this week.

“The following stations failed to file license renewal applications and their licenses will expire as of April 1, 2021, provided no renewal application is received by midnight on the date of expiration.”

The list includes eight low-power FMs and some translators, as well as full-power stations.

Call sign, Community of License, Facility ID, Licensee

KCMJ-LP, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, 194782, COLORADO MEDIA JUSTICE FOUNDATION

KMZG-LP, DURANGO, CO, 132236, CALVARY CHAPEL OF DURANGO, INC.

K272AI, GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO, 40807, COLORADO RADIO MARKETING, LLC

K292AK, LAKE CITY, CO, 27258, HINSDALE COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

KMKZ, RED FEATHER LAKES, CO, 176133, 3G LEARNING SOLUTIONS

K236BA, RIFLE, CO, 139109, PROFESSIONAL ANTENNA, TOWER AND TRANSLATOR SERVICE (PATTS)

K280AT, ELY, MN, 63345, RANGE PAGING, INC

KQEP-LP, ST. PAUL, MN, 196883, NEW CULTURE

KPNP, WATERTOWN, MN, 49642, SELF RETIRE, INC.

KDWG, DILLON, MT, 93389, THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA – WESTERN

KNMC, HAVRE, MT, 49580, NORTHERN MONTANA COLLEGE

KRUL-LP, HELENA, MT, 193567, HELENA ADVENTIST EDUCATIONAL MEDIA, INC

KWHP-LP, PLAINS, MT, 134935, PLAINS-PARADISE EMERGENCY SERVICES

KPLR-LP, POPLAR, MT, 134953, POPLAR SCHOOL SYSTEM

KTBP-LP, POPLAR, MT, 193519, FORT PECK ASSINIBOINE & SIOUX TRIBES

KLND, LITTLE EAGLE, SD, 59762, SEVENTH GENERATION MEDIA SVCS, INC.

KSTJ-LP, SIOUX FALLS, SD, 196898, JUAN DIEGO RADIO OF SIOUX FALLS, INC.

The post These Stations Need to Turn in License Renewals ASAP appeared first on Radio World.

U.S. radio stations doing great work in community service are being honored by the National Association of Broadcasters.

NAB just released the list of finalists for the 34th annual NAB Crystal Radio Awards. See list at bottom.

The recipients will be announced during an online awards program in April.

NAB will also present Howard University’s WHUR-FM in Washington with the Crystal Heritage Award. This recognizes stations that have won five Crystal Radio Awards for exceptional year-round community service efforts. Nine others have received the Heritage award.

WHUR’s selection means there are now two Heritage recipients in the nation’s capital; WTOP(FM) was chosen in 2018. The 2020 Heritage recipient was KCVM(FM) in Iowa (read our profile).

This year’s Crystal finalists are:

KBFB(FM) Dallas, Texas
KCLY(FM) Clay Center, Kansas
KDKA(AM) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
KIKV(FM) Alexandria, Minnesota
KIRO(FM) Seattle, Washington
KKBQ(FM) Houston, Texas
KKFN(FM) Denver, Colorado
KKZY(FM) Bemidji, Minnesota
KMVP(FM) Phoenix, Arizona
KNDE(FM) College Station, Texas
KOSI(FM) Denver, Colorado
KPNT(FM) St. Louis, Missouri
KRSP(FM) Salt Lake City, Utah
KSBJ(FM) Humble, Texas
KSL(FM) Salt Lake City, Utah
KSTP(FM) Saint Paul, Minnesota
KTAR(FM) Phoenix, Arizona
KTMY(FM) Saint Paul, Minnesota
KUPD(FM) Phoenix, Arizona
KYGO(FM) Denver, Colorado
KYW(AM) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
WARH(FM) St. Louis, Missouri
WBAB(FM) West Babylon, New York
WBAP(AM) Dallas, Texas
WBLI(FM) Patchogue, New York
WBYT(FM) Mishawaka, Indiana
WCCO(AM) Minneapolis, Minnesota
WDRV(FM) Chicago, Illinois
WDSY(FM) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
WDUV(FM) St. Petersburg, Florida
WFXE(FM) Columbus, Georgia
WGCI(FM) Chicago, Illinois
WHPT(FM) St Petersburg, Florida
WJJY(FM) Brainerd, Minnesota
WKTI(FM) Milwaukee, Wisconsin
WMCI(FM) Mattoon, Illinois
WMMR(FM) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
WNRP(AM) Pensacola, Florida
WOKV(FM) Jacksonville, Florida
WPLR(FM) New Haven, Connecticut
WSB(AM) Atlanta, Georgia
WSB(FM) Atlanta, Georgia
WSHE(FM) Chicago, Illinois
WTAW(AM) College Station, Texas
WTMX(FM) Chicago, Illinois
WTOP(FM) Washington, D.C.
WWPR(FM) New York City, New York
WWRM(FM) Tampa Bay, Florida
WXGL(FM) Tampa Bay, Florida
WXOS(FM) St. Louis, Missouri
WYCT(FM) Pensacola, Florida
WYKY(FM) Somerset, Kentucky

The post NAB Announces Crystal Radio Finalists appeared first on Radio World.

Automation and workflow systems provider ENCO has moved its headquarters from Southfield, Mich., to the community of Novi about 17 miles away.

“The newly constructed, 12,000-square-foot facility will offer a more collaborative work environment and a centralized location for staff and customers in the Detroit suburbs,” it stated in an announcement.

“ENCO’s entire operation across sales, administration, engineering, finance, management, manufacturing and marketing will be based in Novi, effective immediately.”

It said the interior uses an open floor plan and will bring previously separated functions closer together. “The spacious environments throughout all areas ensure that social distancing policies can continue to be met until the pandemic subsides.”

President Ken Frommert called it “truly a state-of-the-art facility” that includes an open production lab,  high-tech meeting and conference spaces, and various seating and lounge settings.

He said Novi is “an exciting city on the rise” and that the location is more accessible to Detroit Metropolitan Airport.

The new address is 41551 West 11 Mile Road in Novi, MI 48375.

The post ENCO Has New Headquarters appeared first on Radio World.

The Media Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission has dismissed an objection filed against a Durham, N.C., FM translator. That objection claimed that the translator licensee should not be allowed to claim noncommercial educational exemption because the AM station being rebroadcast is owned by commercial organizations.

In its objection, Triangle Access Broadcasting alleged that the FM translator operator, Delmarva Educational Association who is licensee of W224DK, was not entitled to claim an NCE exemption for application and regulatory fees because the AM station they are rebroadcasting — WPTF in Raleigh, N.C., which is licensed to First State Communications — is a commercial station.

[Read: AM Station’s Spotty Operational Schedule Puts License at Risk]

Thus, Triangle argued, the translator is itself a commercial one. Triangle also argued that Delmarva shouldn’t be qualified to receive a nonprofit regulatory fee exemption. While Triangle recognized that Delmarva is a nonprofit entity, it argued that Delmarva disqualified itself from the nonprofit exemption because First State supplies commercial programming to the translator. According to Triangle, this gives First State an attributable ownership interest in Delmarva.

Triangle also alleged that Delmarva has failed to pay required application fees for the translator dating back to 2003. Triangle thus urged the commission to dismiss Delmarva’s application for failing to pay required fees and to cancel the translator outright unless the delinquency is resolved.

In response, Delmarva countered that its failure to pay a filing fee was inadvertent and it has since remitted payment. Delmarva also countered that the commission’s rules clarify that it is exempt from paying regulatory fees because it is a qualified nonprofit, tax-exempt entity under Section 501 of the Internal Revenue code.

Triangle acknowledged that even though Delmarva remitted payment, it questions Delmarva’s initial failure to pay during the licensing process. Triangle also maintained that Delmarva is not qualified for the nonprofit regulatory fee exemption because its operation of a commercial translator deviates from the “scope of its charitable purpose.” Added to this is the fact that Eastern Airwaves, a commercial entity that Triangle said co-owns First State, has exercised control over the translator. Thus it has an attributable ownership interest in the translator.

“[That makes it] improper for Delmarva to avoid regulatory fees based solely on Delmarva’s nonprofit status,” Triangle said.

But the Media Bureau disagreed. It said that informal objections to license renewal applications must not only provide well-supported allegations of fact but must also contain adequate and specific factual allegations. Triangle has not met this threshold, the FCC said.

For one, Delmarva acknowledged that it submitted the application without the requisite filing fees and went on to pay those fees. Secondly, the commission has already confirmed that Delmarva is a nonprofit organization. Finally, Triangle does not explain how First State or Eastern would have an attributable interest in the translator.

As a result, the bureau dismissed and denied the objection.

But the Media Bureau did find that Delmarva was remiss in its failure to pay the required application filing fees. It assessed the licensee a penalty charge equal to 25% of the filing fee for license of W224DK for a total of $17.50.

The post FCC Nixes Idea to Rebrand NCE Translator as Commercial appeared first on Radio World.

Jörg Fries was named the new vice president of Broadcast, Amplifier & Media Solutions for manufacturer Rohde & Schwarz. He replaces Cornelius Heinemann, who has taken another role at the company outside of the Broadcast & Media Division.

He has been with the company for 25 years, most recently in the Wireless Multimedia segment.

[Read: R&S Celebrates Istanbul Tower Project]

“His appointment to head Rohde & Schwarz’s Broadcast and Media Division supports the strategic shift in its approach towards its core markets and reinforces the company’s intention of becoming more disruptive in production, delivery and distribution workflow management and software-centric products and systems,” the company stated.

In the press release, Fries said that among the most important trends in the market right now is “the rise of remote production based on a flexible, software-centric approach.” He said the company is focused on “increasing production efficiency in remote architectures, standardizing new workflows and establishing new technologies to enable a seamless transition to remote production.”

Send business announcements for our People News coverage to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post Fries to Head R&S Media Division appeared first on Radio World.

In India, where regulators have been working toward recommending a standard to digitize the FM band, Digital Radio Mondiale is presenting its case.

DRM has been conducting trials and demos since late February, when a digital radio transmission with three audio services and Journaline text information went live in Delhi alongside existing analog FM transmissions.

“The transmission is part of an extensive trial and demonstration of DRM conducted by Prasar Bharati and its radio arm, All India Radio (AIR), with the help of the DRM Consortium and its local and international members,” DRM stated in a press release. “The test was officially launched on Feb. 24 and 25 at the headquarters of All India Radio in New Delhi.”

The test was requested by regulator TRAI and the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.

DRM officials said a presentation to AIR’s committee showed DRM in the FM band on various car radios including line-fit, aftermarket, standalone receivers, mobile phones and tablets. A head unit from Mobis, upgraded for FM via firmware, was installed in a Hyundai Verna. DRM said, “The reception was found to be excellent for over 15 km radius with just 100 W of DRM power in digital,” including  5.1 surround sound test broadcasts on DRM.

The DRM for India Automotive Group wrote, “A whole automotive eco-system has evolved in India around DRM. It includes chipset manufacturers like NXP, Tier-1 receiver manufacturers and car brands like Hyundai, Maruti-Suzuki, Toyota and others. These companies have invested large amounts of money in digitizing car radios based on the DRM technology.”

It said 2.5 million cars on Indian roads have DRM receivers. “The India trial has been an excellent opportunity to demonstrate how the existing DRM transmissions in the former AM bands can be upgraded to support DRM in both AM and FM bands by a simple receiver firmware update (no change in hardware needed).”

Chairman Ruxandra Obreja said she hoped the results will “convince the Indian authorities that DRM is the right standard to upgrade All India Radio’s already established country-wide DRM services in the AM bands to the FM band.”

Consortium Vice President Alexander Zink listed the involvement of Technomedia for logistics and signal measurement; Gospell and StarWaves for providing consumer receivers; and Fraunhofer IIS, Nautel and RFmondial for content, transmission and professional monitoring receivers. NXP, Hyundai Mobis and Harman also supported the demo with FM-band upgrades to existing automotive DRM receivers.

The trial is to continue in Jaipur, where DRM hopes to demonstrate a transmission of up to six signals, which would provide up to 18 audio programs and six Journaline services from one FM band transmitter.

Xperi’s HD Radio FM system has also been tested in New Delhi.

The post DRM Makes Its Pitch for India’s FM Band appeared first on Radio World.