Radio World

Educational Media Foundation is using a new and unusual FM translator installation so that more people around Los Angeles can hear its Air1 Radio Network Christian worship format.

GeoBroadcast Solutions said EMF is using a MaxxCasting system to expand the signal quality and audience reach of two FM stations through the installation of a translator in downtown Los Angeles. The technology company said EMF has increased its potential listenership by as much as 4 million.

“KYRA(FM), broadcasting to the north of the city in Ventura and L.A. Counties, and KYLA(FM), broadcasting from Orange County in the south, had been simulcasting the Air1 signal on the 92.7 frequency but weren’t reaching the densely populated downtown and neighborhoods of the city,” GBS explained in its press release.

“Through the innovative installation of a co-channel translator on the AON Center building, GBS engineers were able to bridge the gap between the two coverage areas and built a continuous signal that now stretches across 110 miles.”

MaxxCasting is a booster-based system that uses a cluster of directionalized, synchronized node sites to reduce interference between a station’s main and booster transmissions. But this configuration did not involve a node/booster at all; it relied on moving the translator to the Aon Building and synchronizing the two main stations.

GBS quoted EMF Senior Broadcast Engineer Shane Toven saying, “Since we’ve owned the stations, our challenge has been connecting the two signals and providing continuous coverage between our co-channel signals, which conventional boosters and repeaters were not able to provide.”

Equipment for Maxxcasting is provided by Doug Tharp at SCMS, the U.S. distributor for GatesAir transmitters. Paul Littleton is director of spectrum design at GeoBroadcast Solutions.

The post EMF Deploys Translator in L.A. appeared first on Radio World.

Many engineers are familiar with programmable keypads, sometimes referred to as X-keys, used for shortcuts to computer software. A gaming company called Elgato has taken the idea a step further with something called Stream Deck.

This is a hardware box with buttons that simply connects to a computer (Mac or Windows) via a USB port. There are no additional power requirements or anything else but the USB cable.

This content creation controller is aimed at the new world of video streamers: “Streamline your setup! Elgato Game Capture, OBS, Twitch, Twitter, TipeeeStream, XSplit, YouTube and more — Stream Deck integrates your tools and automatically detects your scenes, media and audio sources, enabling you to control them with a quick tap of a key.”

But there’s plenty here that a radio person can put to good use.

Engaging keys

With three sizes, you can have a 32-button, 15-button or small six-button version of the Stream Deck.

Utilizing its software (a free download from its site), you can easily create shortcuts and macros to allow this device to control the computer, connected hardware or software.

The author’s Stream Deck with custom buttons

Making this more visually appealing and user-intuitive is that the keys are backed by full color LCD graphic displays. You can place JPGs or animated GIFs on the key faces to represent functions or software.

I’ve found nothing that requires special formatting or specific resolutions for the images or animated GIFs, they just load and work. There are even plug-ins that allow the animation to represent everything from audio levels, clocks, current weather info (as a weather graphic).

[Check Out More Product Evaluations in Our Products Section]

The buttons can be used to bring up a website, a web stream or nearly anything the computer can do on its own. You can even turn the Stream Deck into an instant audio clip player, as its software allows you to load audio files that are quickly and instantly recalled via the button (and output on the computer’s sound card).

Stream Deck integrates with Elgato’s product ecosystem (for functions like controlling Wave Link audio software, turning on/off Key Lights or capturing console gameplay via the Game Capture line of HDMI capture cards).

With a publicly available SDK, anyone can build plugins for Stream Deck; there are many available that integrate with products from NVIDIA, Spotify, Philips and Corsair’s iCUE ecosystem.

Voicemod has a plugin in the Stream Deck store that enables Stream Deck users to control the Voicemod software; this allows an audio input to the computer (like a USB mic) to be changed using the “Voice Changer.”

And while 32 buttons gives a lot of options, you can have one button to act like a shift or control key to take you to a new layer/page of presets, thus increasing choices.

Since the Stream Deck has no GPIO interface, for the device to control hardware, either that hardware must have software on the PC, or another device (like a USB to GPIO adapter) would be needed.

Enticing

Elgato is a company that focuses on gaming, but its technology has some enticing possibilities when tied into radio broadcasting, webcasting or video for radio when interfacing into the workflow of a radio station.

Stream Deck icon library

On testing Stream Deck, I was successful in controlling BSI’s Simian automation software, opening Adobe Audition and quickly recalling effects and settings. I was also able to load audio (from music to SFX) and activate equipment off and mic mute buttons. In addition it can display currently playing audio represented by a horizontal bar graph meter. You can have a combined analog/digital clock displayed as a button (accurate with the computer), and even a button that updates the temperature and current weather graphic (displayed on the button).

It’s easy to use and lots of fun. I suspect other users, including the creative geniuses working for morning shows, might make this do even more cool things.

Elgato is based in Germany and California. Founded in 1999, it was acquired in 2018 by Corsair Gaming Inc.

Stream Deck XL (32 buttons) lists for $249.99. Stream Deck (15 buttons) is $149.99 and Stream Deck Mini (six buttons) is $79.99.

Also available is Stream Deck Mobile software for smartphones (Apple and Android), with a 30-day free trial, then $2.99 a month or $24.99 a year for a subscription. For info see www.elgato.com/en.

Program producers and studio engineers are both invited to send news about equipment used or recent installations at a radio studio to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post Having Fun with the Elgato Stream Deck appeared first on Radio World.

A slide from FEMA’s IPAWS Users Conference session discussing the 2021 National Test

FEMA’s new series of online IPAWS presentations might be of interest to broadcasters wanting a better understanding of EAS and alerting message origination.

The IPAWS Users Conference, which includes FEMA’s recap of the 2021 National EAS test last August, discusses the ever-increasing number of alert origination software tools available to alerting authorities. The presentations are intended to answer the questions of EAS stakeholders, according to FEMA, and provide alerting authorities with the tools and skills needed to create effective alerts and become confident IPAWS users.

The webinar features Al Kenyon, chief of FEMA’s IPAWS Customer Support Branch, in several segments. He targets upstream message importers, such as local emergency managers and law enforcement, and discusses the steps it takes to become an IPAWS alerting authority and the web-based training available for alert originators. The courses also cover several additional event codes that have become available.

[Related: National EAS Test Showed Improvement, FCC Says]

Kenyon, a former radio engineering executive with broadcast companies like Clear Channel, Jacor and Taft, discusses how local authorities can apply for FEMA Memorandum of Agreements (MOAs) and the importance of renewing expired MOAs. Proficiency demos, officially called the “IPAWS Mandatory Monthly Proficiency Demonstration Program,” also are critical to the user’s ability to complete a task, according to Kenyon. “Practice, train, exercise, succeed,” Kenyon stresses in one of the webinar modules.

FMEA’s Jody Smith highlighted the new Technical Support Services Facility, including its training space.

Meanwhile, Jody Smith, manager of the IPAWS technical support services facility, covers best practices for alerting authorities sending IPAWS alerts.

Smith in another segment gives a video tour of FEMA’s new Technical Support Services Facility, which offers training opportunities for alerting authorities. The new facility in Oxen Hill, Md., which is closer in proximity to FEMA headquarters, is still under construction, Smith said on the video, but is fully functional.

Dr. Amanda Savitt, a postdoctoral researcher with Argonne National Laboratory’s National Preparedness Analytics Center, is a guest on the IPAWS webinar and in one segment discusses the two-day Technical Assistance Workshops for alert originators she delivers through FEMA. The training focuses on improving a jurisdictions’ ability to communicate effectively to the public before and following a disaster, including tips for pre-scripted announcements and enhancing social media skills.

The IPAWS Users Conference online video presentations with accompanying slides are publicly available vai https://www.fema.gov/ipaws-users-conference-presentations-and-videos.

The post FEMA Hosts First IPAWS Users Conference appeared first on Radio World.

SBE Chapter 15 and the AES New York Section are teaming up on Wednesday, Jan. 12, at 3 p.m. Eastern for an exclusive panel discussion about the AES’s new loudness recommendations for streaming and on-demand audio. The session will stream via Facebook Live on the SBE Chapter 15 Facebook page.

The panel will feature Bob Orban from Orban Labs, Bob Katz from Digital Domain Inc., and John Kean of Cavell & Mertz. David Bialik will moderate.

Audio Engineering Society Technical Document AESTD1008.1.21-9: Recommendations for Loudness of Internet Audio Streaming and On-Demand Distribution was released in September 2021 and was developed by the Study Group on Streaming Audio Loudness of the Technical Committee for Broadcast & Online Delivery. Katz and Bialik co-chaired the study group and Kean and Orban both worked on the document.

During the live stream, Orban will discuss TD1008’s Table 2, which provides recommended distribution integrated loudness levels depending upon station format.

There is no need to preregister; just join the Facebook Live stream via the SBE Chapter 15 Facebook page.

The post SBE, AES N.Y. Chapters Host Panel on Loudness appeared first on Radio World.

Fred Jacobs

Automakers have long included traditional AM/FM radios in new vehicles at no charge, with broadcasters gladly nodding their approval.

But Fred Jacobs says the relationship between those parties is changing as automakers look to monetize the dashboard further.

Jacobs, founder of consulting firm Jacobs Media, wrote in a series of recent blog posts about how radio has fit into the dash historically and who will dictate its path to the future. He even contemplates a world where in-dash entertainment systems in new vehicles are no longer considered a standard feature.

Rethinking radio

Car manufacturers are making vital decisions right now about how entertainment will be consumed in the connected car in the ever-expanding Apple and Google in-car ecosystems. New in-vehicle dashboards with internet-based auto infotainment systems could potentially contain a new revenue stream for automakers, Jacobs says.

Many radio industry leaders believe it’s crucial that broadcasters engage with metadata service providers and automakers to keep over-the-air radio in the front of this dashboard discussion.

Analog and HD Radio, hybrid radio, dash visuals and in-vehicle voice interaction are part of the in-car focus of radio broadcasters in the United States. But the acceptance of the Android Automotive vehicle operating system by multiple automotive manufacturers, including Ford, GM, VW, Group PSA and Volvo, is a critical development when considering how automakers view the connected car.

ABI Research recently said it expects 36 million vehicles will be shipped with Android Automotive in 2030.

Jacobs says this is the perfect time for the radio industry to dig deep for the answers to many questions about its future.

“So, the idea that some automakers are rethinking their 90-year policy of radios solidly positioned in the center of their dashboards — now known as head units — should send shockwaves throughout the radio business from Napa to New York,” Jacobs wrote in the fall.

He argues that it would be a mistake to assume that traditional AM/FM radio will always be in the dash and offered as a free feature to car buyers. He said broadcasters who are oblivious to recent developments are putting future success at great risk.

“For nine decades, automakers have graciously included radios (first AM, then FM, now HD) as standard equipment on most of their vehicles — while not charging radio broadcasters a dime. Like any smart business, they are now looking for ways to monetize their dashboards, from payments from content creators (e.g. SiriusXM) to the data they have.”

Jacobs wrote: “Because it has always been considered standard equipment — like the glove box, rear-view mirror and turn indicators — inertia has kept automakers dutifully installing those car radios in dashboards.

“Take a moment and consider it from Ford, Toyota, Subaru or Volvo’s point of view. The only party generating revenue from those car radios in the dash are radio broadcasters. Radio stations and networks have been successfully monetizing them for nearly a century.”

And don’t think installing car radios and infotainment systems like Apple CarPlay or Android Auto doesn’t cost the automakers money, Jacobs said.

“Despite what you’ve heard, installing radios in cars doesn’t just cost automakers a buck or two. There are engineering, equipment, installation, quality control and other associated costs. And given the scale of being an auto manufacturer, you take your savings wherever you can find them.”

Watching Tesla

Jacobs likens it to “automakers doing radio broadcasters a big favor” over the years.

Getty Images

But recent dashboard evolution — including moves by Elon Musk’s Tesla, which Jacobs says is at the center of the movement to remove radio from the automakers electric vehicles — makes hybrid entertainment solutions a primary focus in which radio can be harder to locate.

Smart infotainment systems, which consider listener preferences in their displays, could ultimately push radio further down the list of entertainment options, he said.

Tesla for instance has a $1,500 upgrade package for older-model Teslas, Jacobs wrote, which does away with broadcast radio and satellite reception. And to get radio reception capability reinstalled on a Tesla will cost the owner another $500, Jacobs added incredulously. Nonetheless, he thinks the rest of the auto industry is watching Teslas’s moves closely.

“The other auto companies are begrudgingly taking notice. And they are slowly but surely incorporating Musk’s operating philosophies in their own companies.”

Loss of momentum

Radio broadcasters historically have struggled in their dealings with automakers, Jacobs told Radio World, because the broadcast industry is not monolithic.

“Like the audio industry’s 30-something OEMs, auto companies also are independent operators, each of whom has their own priorities and strategies,” he said. “It’s like herding cats.”

Jacobs acknowledged efforts by the National Association of Broadcasters in recent years to build ties with the OEM sector. But, he wrote: “As we know, the NAB has had a particularly challenging couple of years, between a new building, leadership changes, conference cancellations and other speed bumps.”

The most recent in-car developments coincide with what Jacobs perceives is a potential “loss of momentum” by the radio broadcast industry and their efforts to build relationships with the auto industry.

“Every company and organization has been rocked by the shifting media landscape, and of course, COVID. The disruption has been unprecedented, forcing most players to focus inward, rather than addressing existential challenges — like the car dashboard.

“Unfortunately, the automakers and their T1 partners have not been in neutral. They are in rapid development mode, trying to stay cutting-edge in dashboard technology. And they have challenges of their own, including the question of integrating expanded services from Apple and Google.”

Jacobs compared the recent situation to “a slow leak” directly tied to consumer acquisition of new (and later model) vehicles with more options and capabilities.

“The one-two punch of pairing a smartphone and being able to access satellite radio challenges broadcasters’ abilities to hold their own. Our research clearly shows driving a true connected car with a system like Ford SYNC or Chrysler UConnect has a direct impact on AM/FM radio’s ability to hold onto its consumption level in cars,” Jacobs said.

Google Automotive Services is locking down OEMs, Jacobs said, with a deep integration of its features, controlling everything from climate to the windshield wipers to, of course, the media system via voice.

And Android and Apple systems, which are being placed in cars with advanced voice command systems, seemingly make the radio tuner harder to find in new dashboard technology.

Jacobs told Radio World: “It is an imperative broadcast radio stays front and center on those auto display screens. Properly enabled radio station mobile apps appear on both CarPlay and Android Auto. And metadata support and dash display is more important than ever.”

Hybrid radio in connected cars will present radio broadcasters opportunities to “attract an audience outside of a station’s signal range,” Jacobs says.

Jacobs complimented Xperi Corp, licensee of HD Radio and developer of the hybrid radio DTS AutoStage platform, for its efforts making inroads in the world of automotive.

“They are connected with virtually every OEM in the world, connected to more than 10,000 radio stations.” He said the company has long had a presence in Detroit, which “is where auto business gets done.”

Xperi believes the DTS AutoStage system will help radio stations address many of the concerns Jacobs mentioned, including visibility in the dash, but that would rely on carmakers adopting it widely.

Jacobs included a call to action in his last blog in the series. He identified ways in which radio broadcasters could establish better presence in the auto community. The ideas range from a grassroots effort for radio stations to engage their local car dealers to utilizing big stars like Ryan Seacrest and Bobby Bones to promote the medium on a national level.

He also is vocal about the importance of managing the way your station appears to the listener.

“Radio stations have a tremendous amount of control over what appears on the screens of millions of cars and trucks. Problem is, they rarely do anything about it. If there was ever a radio content category that programmers, sellers and managers simply left in the ‘set it and forget it’ category, it’s in-dash messaging, better known as metadata.”

Regardless, Jacobs says radio broadcasters must work to solidify relationships with the auto industry: “It will require radio broadcasting’s leadership to set aside their differences and speak in one voice.”

“The car dashboard is a mini billboard”

Quu recently commissioned Jacobs Media to gather feedback about metadata messaging and displays from American drivers. Jacobs interviewed 19 drivers about their reactions to a variety of simulated “radio stations” displaying metadata messages. Key findings:

• Artist and title information is table stakes. “Consumers expect it from the audio platforms they listen to, whether it’s satellite radio, audio streaming services, or broadcast radio.”
• Album art could be a powerful feature for radio broadcasters. “Most respondents find it to be a welcome addition to the dashboard experience.”
• Ads that include relevant text and logos tend to have higher unaided recall. “Metadata should be brief, compact, and match the commercial’s audio message. Similar to billboard copy, text for ads should include the fewest words possible.”
• Continuous text ads displayed on top of other audio ads in a commercial break are confusing to most respondents. “Additionally, recall tends to be poorer for these ads, as well as for the commercials they cover.”
• Jacobs concluded that radio broadcasters need to improve the dashboard experience by adopting metadata standards to improve continuity and clarity of messaging on car display screens. “Oftentimes, radio does not compare well to other services, like satellite radio or audio streaming services.”

In short, listeners like visual content that matches what they are hearing on-air. Conversely, they get confused or even annoyed when visual messaging is unrelated to what they are hearing.

Read more at https://myquu.net/news/, and scroll to “Jacobs Study on Ad Metadata.”

The post Jacobs: Treat the Dashboard With Urgency appeared first on Radio World.

Radio World’s colleague Tom Butts, the editor of TV Tech, interviewed Curtis LeGeyt, the new president/CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, who attended the 2022 International CES. This is an excerpt of a longer story that appears at tvtech.com. 

“I think CES and [CTA President] Gary Shapiro and his team deserve a ton of credit, and I think the health and safety protocols here are proving to be very, very successful,” LeGeyt said.

“Everyone out on the CES show floor is masked, and there’s room for distancing. I’m very, very encouraged by the feedback I’m getting from exhibitors here and also what I’m seeing for myself. I think that’s gonna put real wind in our sails and makes me very encouraged for April.”

Despite the current omicron wave, LeGeyt is “100%” confident that the show will go on as scheduled.

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

“They were able to pull this off in what I would consider to be the worst possible timing, and all signs indicate that we are going to be in a much, much better place from a health and safety perspective as a country in April.

“We are pacing very, very well in terms of both exhibitor and attendee interest in our show,” LeGeyt added. “Granted, it’s a little like comparing apples and oranges, but metrics wise, it’s really positive compared to even our previous ‘pre-COVID’ shows. And so we’re extremely optimistic.”

When asked if NAB would impose the same safety protocols as CES, LeGeyt said the association planned to follow CDC guidelines.

“I think that that’s going to be something that we continue to monitor between now and April because the health and safety guidance from the CDC continues to evolve,” he said. “But we will have a vaccination requirement consistent with what CES has done.”

LeGeyt also said that attending CES has given him more insight into how changes at the Las Vegas Convention Center will affect the April show.

“I think what I’m seeing at CES validates some changes that were already underway in terms of the format of our show floor,” he said. “The new West Hall is going to be a new venue for us in April, and I think it affords all kinds of opportunities for a little bit more of an innovative layout.

“Our designers were already taking advantage of that to basically ensure that, depending on what phase of the business cycle you’re in — whether you’re an exhibitor, whether you’re in content creation, whether you’re in distribution, or whether you’re in the business of monetization — that we’ve got a layout set up in a way to make this as efficient as possible for the attendees who want to be focused on the business partners who match their element of business,” LeGeyt said.

“I think this new layout with the West Hall just gives you a much, much more open and innovative way to organize the show floor and what this validates for me seeing in person is that the footprint that we’ve laid out is going to be a real win for both our exhibitors and for our attendees.”

He also commented that there was “a fairly significant presence of radio broadcasters out here.”

The post LeGeyt “100% Confident” About Spring NAB Show appeared first on Radio World.

Schwab Multimedia has lost an appeal to the Federal Communications Commission in a case involving a planned AM station near Los Angeles for which it had a construction permit.

This is a “tolling” case, one that involves the FCC construction clock. The history is complex — the FCC’s summary is 2,500 words long, not counting many extended footnotes — but the upshot is that KWIF in Culver City was never built and, barring further developments, apparently will not be. Its call sign has now been deleted.

Levine/Schwab Partnership, which does business as Schwab Multimedia, had applied in 2004 to build a new AM station in the Los Angeles area. It eventually secured a CP in 2016 for the station at 1500 kHz.

That CP was challenged by the owner of another station, KSPA in Ontario, Calif., which is on a first-adjacent channel in the same market. KSPA since was sold, but the new owner has continued to fight KWIF.

Construction of KWIF didn’t get off the ground. Schwab submitted multiple “tolling” requests, asking for more time to build. Its reasons included the pandemic — it said a shelter-in-place order in California made it impossible for vendors to start work — as well as KSPA objections and, later, smoke from California wildfires.

And in the course of events, the original tower site became unavailable, the timing of which is part of the case complexity. In October 2020 Schwab asked to modify its CP because it had lost access to the site, which is now used by KABC; it proposed a site in Montecito Heights instead (formerly used by AM station KIIS). Schwab also sought to document its earlier efforts to construct.

But the FCC dismissed or denied Schwab’s various requests for various reasons. Schwab then filed an application for review.

The Media Bureau now has rejected that appeal on the grounds that the main cause of the construction delay was the loss of the original site, which the FCC said is not a circumstance that qualifies for tolling.

But it also addressed Schwab’s pandemic-related arguments “in the interest of a complete record.” It said it also denied the review on the “alternative and independent grounds” that Schwab did not provide adequate evidence to support its claims that the pandemic was the cause of its failure to construct; and it said there were other issues with Schwab’s filings too.

“[T]he commission has determined that a three-year construction period provides ample opportunity for permittees to overcome unanticipated difficulties, including siting issues. Schwab does not claim that the pandemic caused its years-long site availability issues or explain how the pandemic could have disrupted construction, equipment delivery or arrival of crews at the original site at a time when Schwab no longer had the site owner’s permission to build there,” the FCC wrote.

It also laid out reasons for rejecting several other of Schwab’s arguments. For instance: “The commission has long held that permittees that seek additional construction time following a disaster must establish a material nexus between the disaster and failure to construct … Schwab did not adequately meet that burden.” It also said Schwab cited the shelter-in-place restrictions without acknowledging that communications facilities are exempt from those requirements.

Schwab made other arguments, all of which the commission rejected. The FCC’s detailed description is available here. In short the commission has denied the application for review from Schwab, dismissed its application to modify the unbuilt facilities of KWIF and deleted the call sign because the CP has expired.

A representative of Schwab Multimedia declined comment to Radio World.

The post FCC Says No to Appeal for a New AM in L.A. appeared first on Radio World.

Curtis LeGuyt (Photo by Jay Mallin)

In his first blog post as NAB president and CEO, Curtis LeGeyt put the mission of local broadcasting front and center.

“As I step into the role as president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, I will strongly advocate on behalf of America’s broadcasters and help fulfill their mission of providing trusted local journalism that keeps our communities safe, informed and connected,” he wrote on the NAB Blog.

LeGeyt noted that he has spent a decade at NAB, advocating for policies that benefit free, local broadcasting and the journalism that local broadcasters provide especially during times of crisis, natural disasters, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

While promising to continue to engage with Congress and the FCC on the vital local impact of broadcasters, LeGeyt also warned of the need for legislative action around “Big Tech” and the threat social media platforms pose as information gatekeepers.

“Broadcasters need a level playing field both to fairly compete for audience and advertising dollars with these tech behemoths, and to ensure we are fairly compensated when our locally focused content is accessed through their platforms,” LeGeyt wrote.

[Visit the NAB Blog to read the full post.]

The post LeGeyt Highlights Broadcasters’ Local Mission appeared first on Radio World.

David Santrella

Edward G. Atsinger III has transitioned from CEO to executive chairman of the board of directors at Salem Media Group, a move that was announced in late December.

David Santrella becomes CEO, promoted from president of broadcast media. David Evans moves up from president of digital media and publishing to COO.

Chairman Stuart W. Epperson has resigned, and Stuart W. Epperson Jr. joins the board.

“These changes reflect the board’s ongoing succession planning and are designed to provide leadership continuity as the company continues to execute its strategic initiatives,” the organization stated.

Edward G. Atsinger III

Salem said Atsinger “will continue to be engaged full-time and focus more of his attention on macro strategy and planning, M&A, external relationships, government affairs and leadership development.”

“Since founding Salem in 1974, Mr. Atsinger, along with his brother-in-law Mr. Epperson, has grown the company from a single radio station into America’s leading multimedia company specializing in Christian and conservative content,” it stated. “He has been a driving force in Salem’s mission to serve the company’s audiences nationwide with content that is unavailable through mainstream media channels.”

[Read the full statement.]

The post At Salem Media, an Orderly Transition appeared first on Radio World.

Private equity firm Banneker Partners acquired industry facility management software firm Xytech Systems, the latter announced. Terms of the acquisition were not available.

“We see this as a strategic investment to accelerate Xytech’s ability to enhance their solution offering and operational delivery capabilities in this key market segment,” said Kenneth Frank, partner at Banneker Partners, in the announcement, which was made with Xytech CEO Richard Gallagher.

Gallagher said Xytech has worked to “bring facility management into the next generation” to help media companies become more efficient and productive.

He said Banneker has an investment focus on software solutions aimed at specific verticals “and willingness to invest to scale operational delivery, product innovation and sales and marketing.”

Banneker Partners is an enterprise-software-focused private equity firm based in San Francisco.

Last April, Xytech acquired the ScheduALL brand of enterprise resource management software.

More information is available on the company’s website.

Submit business announcements to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post Banneker Partners Buys Xytech appeared first on Radio World.

TASCAM is updating its firmware for the Mixcast 4 Podcast Station with built-in recorder/USB audio interface. The Mixcast 4, suitable for podcast creation, live streaming, event production or voiceover work, offers enhanced audio production capabilities, the company said.

The V1.20 update enables users to apply a global voice effect to any or all four mic inputs. This can be useful for raising or lowering the timbre of one’s voice for dramatic effect or for creating a podcast featuring various character voices.

V1.20 will allow input gain control for the USB, Bluetooth and 3.5 mm (1/8-inch) auxiliary input for outside calls or an additional input. To prevent audio feedback, the update also features automatic mute on monitor out when the Mixcast 4 microphone inputs are active.

Three additional enhancements complete the update.

The audio level display is indicated in decibels, as opposed to the green/red color-only indicators, giving users a more accurate reference for signal strength. The audio ducking control is applied to the sound pads for automatic ducking when speaking over musicbeds or when effects are played from the sound pads. And, lastly, front-panel channel buttons are assigned as a Jump function for quick access to individual channel settings.

TASCAM plans to have the Mixcast 4 V1.20 update available in February. It can be downloaded here.

The post TASCAM Updates Mixcast 4 Firmware appeared first on Radio World.

Some of the NAB’s best technological minds are giving their predictions about breakthrough technologies will arrive in 2022.

The forward-looking forecast from NAB technologists points to greater use of artificial intelligence in broadcasting, as well as the expansion of all-digital AM, among other breakouts.

John Clark, executive director of NAB’s PILOT, sees an explosion of voice-based services in the year ahead. “Whether it’s a car, TV, radio, phone or appliances in your home, you’ll find that you’re talking more than ever,” Clark said.

Clark envisions a day when those conversations will be more natural as consumers become more comfortable talking with multiple interfaces.

Meanwhile, the rollout of artificial intelligence will continue to have an impact on broadcasting, playing a more significant role in the industry, said Sam Matheny, chief technology officer at NAB.

“It could take many forms — ranging from content creation and conversion, inventory analysis, relationship management, weather forecasting, automated captioning, translation, asset recognition, or some other application,” Methany predicted.

Methany wrote on the predictions post at NABPILOT.org that he doesn’t see “fully enabled, self-contained solutions,” but rather incremental AI tools that, “when combined with human expertise, deliver measurable operational improvements.”

David Layer, VP of advanced engineering for NAB, foresees the expansion of all-digital AM in the United States with more stations launching the service now that AM broadcasters in the U.S. can replace their analog AM with an HD Radio all-digital AM signal.

“A handful of broadcasters made the leap in 2021, and my prediction is that we will see more stations do the same in 2022,” Layer said.

Layer cited a number of benefits to all-digital AM, including improved audio quality, reduced adjacent-channel interference, expanded coverage and support for metadata, such as song title and artist information and artwork. Of course, Layer said, the flip side is all-digital AM signals are not receivable on analog radios.

All the AM stations switching to all-digital have FM translators or affiliated FM radio stations, Layer noted, which means their signals are still receivable on analog radios. “However, as the number of automobiles with HD Radio receivers continues to rise over time, whether to switch or not will become an easier question to answer,” Layer said.

Jeremy Sinon, vice president of digital strategy at Hubbard Radio, offered that hybrid radio dashboards — with streaming audio and OTA displays — will end up being the catalyst to finally seeing HD subchannels having true potential as they are no longer buried in dashboard interfaces.

“Demos of Hybrid Radio-enabled dashboards rolling off new car lots show HD subchannels sitting in the same tier as their HD-1 counterparts. Consumers using these dashboards will not know the difference between a main station and subchannels,” Sinon said.

However, Sinon wrote, the “true pay-off [for broadcasters] won’t be available for years to come as hybrid radio prevalence is a ways away.”

The post NAB Tech Experts Look at Innovations for 2022 appeared first on Radio World.

Under a new strategic plan approved by its board of directors in December, RTBF plans to wind down its FM and DVB-T signals over the next five years. RTBF is the public service broadcaster for Wallonia, the French-speaking half of Belgium.

The new five-year plan replaces the “Vision 2022” initiative RTBF adopted in 2016. The new plan places an emphasis on the digital transition, streaming, and younger audiences. According to reports in the French-language newspaper Le Soir, the RTBF board worked with consultancy Deloitte considering three scenarios: the migration of audiences away from traditional platforms, the difficulty of procuring original content, and increasing competition in a globalized media market.

As part of adapting to the expected changes, RTBF would shut down digital terrestrial television signals in favor of IPTV and migrate its FM services to DAB+ by 2027.

The latest IPSOS/maRaido.be survey found, as of year-end 2020, that 80 percent of people in French-speaking Belgium were familiar with DAB+ and some 20 percent of people use a DAB+ receiver. The same survey found that about half of all radio listening in Wallonia was done via a digital platform (DAB+, streaming or digital television).

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Gabby Barrus (left) and Tim Ray

The Wyoming Association of Broadcasters are adding two long-time sportscasters to its Hall of Fame: Gene “Gabby” Barrus of Cody, Wyo., and Tim Ray of Grand Junction, Colo. The pair will be inducted into the WAB Hall of Fame at WAB’s annual convention on June 11, 2022, in Cody.

Barrus began his play-by-play career at KODI(AM) in Cody in 1947 and later served as the station’s sports director. Curt Gowdy, 2003 WAB Hall of Fame inductee, once referred to Barrus as “the voice of high school sports in Wyoming.” He spend more than 20 years on air, mostly at KODI, and was a mentor to many future sports broadcasters in the state. Barrus passed away Nov. 20, 1998.

Tim Ray stared on air as a play-by-play announcer at KWYO(AM) in Sheridan, Wyo., in 1980. In 1984, he launched the first sports program on sister station KROE(AM) with play-by-play commentary and weekly live sports-talk shows from a variety of businesses in Sheridan.

In 1987, Ray joined KTWO Radio/Wyoming Radio Network where he did various radio and television assignments for the station and the University of Wyoming, including sideline reporting, play-by-play and studio broadcasting. He hosted a statewide radio talk show with 2005 WAB Hall of Famer George Kay on KTWO(AM) in Caspter, Wyo., radio for nine seasons.

Ray was named Wyoming Sportscaster of the Year in 1986, 1988 and 2003 by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association in Salisbury, N.C.

The Wyoming Association of Broadcasters has inducted 41 Wyoming broadcast legends into the WAB Hall of Fame since it was founded in 2003.

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The author is owner and chief engineer of WGTO and W246DV in Cassopolis, Mich. His commentaries are a recurring feature at radioworld.com.

I have written in recent years about AM quality, including modulation and bandwidth. There have been several articles from many other experienced and qualified engineers as well.

Today I want to ask a few questions and set the stage for answers that seem to have evaded us for more than three decades.

A brief history

AM radios were at one time rather broad in their front-end response. And while that sounded pleasant, that broad front end caused trouble as the band became packed with more stations. The typical receiver delivered degraded audio, as its wide front end let in adjacent signals that made listening less enjoyable, especially at considerable distances.

The problem was exacerbated by AM stations running boosted high-frequency audio at full unrestricted bandwidth, as the audio demanded.

As a response, manufacturers tightened up the IF so the audio output was less affected by adjacent-station high-frequency modulation. We then saw years of tit for tat. Denser modulation with high-frequency boost was met with more narrowed response by radio manufacturers.

The battle went on until AM sounded more like telephone audio than a quality audio service.

In the 1980s the National Radio Systems Committee set out the honorable goal of standardizing transmission equalization with preemphasis that was matched by complimentary deemphasis in receivers. The goal was a much improved end-to-end listening experience, one that could approach the sound of FM in new radios.

The FCC adopted the transmission preemphasis, along with a bandwidth limit or mask for modulating audio with a cutoff that was as sharp as the edge of the Grand Canyon, blocking anything over 10 kHz from making it onto the air.

Receiver manufacturers said they would soon open the front ends of typical cars and home radios once the new preemphasis and cutoff were adopted.

Fact is the mask cutoff worked so well that you could sit 5 miles from a 50 kW station and tune to a 1 kW first-adjacent 80 miles away and hear it with no interference from the nearby flamethrower on just about any modern car radio. For the casual listener on a consumer radio, the days of adjacent interference were over.

The present

It has been more than 30 years since that agreement was made at the NRSC table, more than a generation since the plan was drawn up.

We have gone through many phases since then — AM stereo, which died. AM hybrid digital, which frankly sucked. And now finally a move to go all-digital.

But we know that analog radios will be around for years to come. Most of the senior engineers from the manufacturers who were working in the ’80s have long since passed away. But the standards that were supposed to change never did.

[Read More from Larry Langford at Radio World]

I often wonder why the NRSC or NAB could not twist some arms and why the FCC left the room when asked to mandate the new receiver standards; but that is another story.

AM portable and most car radios still have audio response that rolls off like a ski slope after 2 kHz. But every station in the United States and some other areas have adopted the 10 kHz cutoff.

The question and challenge

A lot of people read Radio World so I am looking for someone to answer the question in technical detail of why, after all these years and tests, the standard AM radio is still unnecessarily narrow and bad-sounding.

I want someone with credentials as a manufacturer to step up and tell us what possible reason they have for not redoing the basic chipset in 30 years to accommodate the NRSC standard.

The argument has gone on for decades, but I have never seen a written word from any trade group or individual representing radio manufacturers that really explains this position.

Manufacturers promised the NRSC they would make radios to compliment the new standard, even though the FCC never made the receiver improvement mandatory, while making every radio station modify transmission systems to meet the new standard.

Makers did respond quickly to the expanded band, cranking out radios that went to 1700 kHz at record speed; and now they are slowly making digital radios for more car models. But no one took the simple step of changing the mass-produced chipsets to something that would better resemble decent fidelity since 1988.

Someone tell me why improvements were not made to increase bandwidth to any reasonable degree. Is there a political answer? I cannot think of an engineering answer, but I wish to open the floor for someone to stand up to explain this archaic practice of tightly limited AM bandwidth — at a time when most AM listening is local, and adjacent interference at that range is rare. Is there anyone from the manufacturing side who will offer testimony? Is there someone to come forward or will we hear only country crickets in the night?

Comment on this or any story to radioworld@futurenet.com. The author can be reached at larrylangford@aol.com.

 

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Gigi Sohn (image credit C-SPAN)

Add Consumer Technology Association president Gary Shapiro to the list of those strongly endorsing Gigi Sohn for the fifth seat on the Federal Communications Commission.

President Joe Biden resubmitted Sohn’s nomination to the Senate on Jan. 4 as the administration attempts to finally secure a Democratic majority after a year in a political 2–2 tie. (Nominations must be resubmitted to a new session of Congress unless they have been held over by the relevant committee, which Sohn’s was not.)

It will take that majority to tackle potential regulation of broadcasters and internet service providers, s9mething Republicans are unlikely to vote for.

[See Our Business and Law Page]

In a blog post as CTA kicked off CES 2022, Shapiro called Sohn a “pragmatic problem solver who understands what it takes to make innovation thrive.”

Support from Shapiro comes hardly out of the blue. He and Sohn were on the same side of several fair-use fights when she headed advocacy group Public Knowledge.

He pointed to her opposition to the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and PROTECT IP Act (PIPA), which CTA also opposed.

“Good government depends on the leadership of good people — individuals who are committed to principles over partisanship, open to diverse perspectives and dedicated to acting in the public interest,” wrote Shapiro. “As the U.S. Senate considers a nominee for Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), I urge them to confirm a candidate who embodies these qualities: Gigi Sohn.”

Sohn also received the endorsement of a trio of Obama-era FCC Homeland Security Bureau chiefs this week.

She has already had a nomination hearing, but has yet to get a vote out of the Senate Commerce Committee, after which she would need full-Senate confirmation.

Some Republicans have taken issue with her tweets about Fox News and past positions on net neutrality, but others concede elections have consequences and respect her intellect and her integrity.

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Steve Koenig (Photo by John Staley)

“Innovation tends to accelerate and bunch up, and, as it is unleashed, it levels up society and makes life better. We have seen innovation this past season, and it is waiting for you at CES,” said Steve Koenig, vice president, Research, for the Consumer Technology Association, in his introduction to the “CES 2022 Trends to Watch” session the evening of Jan. 3. This annual rundown gives members of the media a look at the trends  shaping the industry, and previews some of the technologies that await them on the show floor.

The first trend Koenig mentioned was the increase in tech demand. The U.S. tech industry forecast is $505 billion dollars, a new high for the industry. Growth rates in 2020 and 2021 showed elevated annual growth for such a mature industry — hitting nearly 10 percent in 2021.

[For News on CES 2022 and Other Shows See Our Show News Page]

So what are people buying? The CTA’s report shows that consumers are leveling up their tech, with people upgrading to 4K Ultra HD TVs and smart home products, such as doorbells and appliances. They are also investing in premium brands to create a better experience for themselves, as well as services such as connected fitness devices like Peloton. Premium content services are also growing with the average consumer subscribing to eight different paid services.

Koenig also mentioned that alongside consumers there is another group leaning into the tech sector — investors, who are heavily focused on tech startups. The evidence of this trend is here at CES, with 800 startups located in Eureka Park. The key funding areas for these investors are retail tech, financial tech and healthcare.

Of course, the industry is still facing some large challenges with supply chain issues and the chip shortage, but Koenig sees light at the end of the tunnel in both cases. For supply chain, shipping costs are coming down, but delays remain. “It will take the better part of 2022 before we unravel this challenge,” he said.

For the chip shortage, the short-term solution is to squeeze out more product volume from existing facilities. The real fix for the problem, he said, is to build more chip-making facilities. “It will take time to build the facilities,” he said. “Once we have these new fabs, by the middle of the decade, we will also have a greater geodiversity of chip facilities.”

He concluded the presentation by looking at the current trends, which once again include 5G and AI, but now also include the metaverse.

“5G will provide the connected tissue for innovation in this decade,” said Koenig. “In 2022 we will start to turn from a consumer-centric focus of 5G to industrial IoT — increasing cloud infrastructure, digital transformation, and so on. And hand in hand with 5G is AI — AI getting better and better with new use cases.

“The metaverse is closer than you think, he continued. “The building blocks are here — cloud, 5G, haptics, volumetric video — now we have to assemble them into an experience. The next gen of the internet will create immersive experiences and over time — within 10 years — these experiences will become inextricably linked with our reality.”

An example of this can be seen in the Hyundai Mobis exhibit, located in West Hall, where users can create an avatar to test drive a virtual Hyundai.

The other trends to watch for at CES 2022 include Transportation, Space Tech, Sustainable Tech and Digital Health.

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PILOT, NAB’s technology innovation initiative, is accepting submissions for its Innovation Challenge.

PILOT Executive Director John Clark called it a “showcase for the cutting-edge ideas and innovations that can transform how broadcasters do business and serve their communities.”

The program provides mentorship and promotion to winning proposals, along with an opportunity to demonstrate products to potential customers and investors at the NAB Show in April.

The challenge seeks products or prototypes that align with three focus areas:

“Create” is focused on content creation from pre-production to post, including tools and advanced workflow options for better storytelling.

“Connect” is focused on content distribution and delivery, ranging from cloud computing to new media infrastructure.

“Capitalize” focuses on reach and ROI, including technologies for creating new revenue streams and supporting the content economy.

Individuals, teams, companies, academic institutions and nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply. Finalists will be chosen by early March, with winning proposals announced later that month.

The deadline to apply is Jan. 31 at 5 p.m. EST.

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The National Association of Broadcasters is accepting entries for its annual NAB Crystal Radio Awards, which recognize outstanding community service efforts by radio stations.

NAB member stations can submit an online entry through NAB’s member platform, My NAB, describing their community service efforts for the 2021 calendar year. The deadline for submissions is Jan. 31.

Finalists will be announced in February, with award recipients being honored at the 2022 NAB Show, April 23–27 in Las Vegas.

Entry information is available on the award web page.

Last year’s recipients were KSL(FM), Salt Lake City; KRSP(FM), Salt Lake City; KSTP(FM), St. Paul; WBAP(AM), Dallas; WDRV(FM), Chicago; WFXE(FM), Columbus, Ga.; WJJY(FM), Brainerd, Minn.; WMMR(FM), Philadelphia; WSB(FM), Atlanta; and WWRM(FM), Tampa. Howard University’s WHUR(FM) in Washington received the Crystal Heritage Award.

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The U.K. government has authorized broadcast regulator Ofcom to renew two national commercial radio multiplex licenses until December 2035. Previously, the Digital One Ltd. multiplex was set to expire in 2023 and the Sound Digital Ltd. multiplex in 2028.

“Radio’s distinctive and much-loved format means it continues to be at the heart of people’s lives,” stated Media Minister Julia Lopez. “Today we are confirming plans to extend radio multiplex licenses until 2035 so our hugely popular stations can continue to reach audiences through digital radio networks and we can give broadcasters the certainty they need to invest in their future services.”

Arqiva owns Digital One, while Sound Digital is co-owned by Arqiva, Bauer Media Group, and Wireless Group Ltd.; both multiplexes are operated by Arqiva. Some 45 stations are carried between the two multiplexes, including on Digital One Absolute Radio, Capital and talkSPORT and on Sound Digital Jazz FM and Virgin Radio.

The government stated that renewing the multiplex licenses via a Legislative Reform Order will provide long-term continuity for national commercial stations to broadcast via DAB.

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