Radio World

Jill Crocker and Malayna McGhee of Ronald McDonald House, center, accept a check from Ross Turner, Ditch, Country Cory and Danni Bruns of Cumulus Memphis. The final amount raised was more than shown as donations continued to come in.

Working to help kids with catastrophic illness, “98.1 The Max” had a particularly good fundraiser this month.

The Cumulus station brought in about $533,000 for the Ronald McDonald House of Charities of Memphis, a record for its local campaign.

WXMX(FM) plays “maximum rock.” It raised the money in less than 12 hours in a radiothon on Nov. 5. Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis supports children with pediatric cancer and other catastrophic illnesses undergoing treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and their families.

Morgan D. Bohannon is vice president/market manager at WXMX. Danni Bruns is station program director and the cluster’s operations manager.

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Pierre Robert is baked into the radio landscape of Philadelphia, and now Beasley Media is celebrating him with a month-long 40th anniversary party.

WMMR(FM) will feature highlights of his career, “commemorating local radio’s iconic moments broadcast by a most unique, warm, and recognizable personality.”

Robert (pronounced “roh-BAYR”) is on the air middays in Philly. During his career he has done notable stints on overnights and in morning drive.

[Visit Radio World’s People News Page]

“The award-winning radio host began his journey aboard his trusty microbus, Minerva, when he left his hometown of San Francisco in 1981 to look for a radio home in the City of Brotherly Love,” Beasley Media wrote in the announcement.

“Upon his arrival, there was a natural fit with ’MMR, the progressive rock ’n’ roll radio station located on Rittenhouse Square in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia. The Philly-area listening audience has enjoyed 40 years of Pierre’s musical passion and positive outlook, with his diverse appreciation for all things rock ‘n roll including a vast knowledge of the music they all love.”

The company said he is well known for his interview style with rock artists, his concert coverage and his “Roaming Rock Microphone” on the concert scene.

Beasley Media has owned the station since 2016. Group Vice President of Talent Development and WMMR(FM) Program Director Bill Weston said, “I’ve never worked with a more beloved air talent.”

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Commissioner Nathan Simington thinks the FCC should wait rather than make more changes to media ownership rules just now.

He calls it a strategy of “purposeful nothingness.”

Simington, a Republican who has been on the FCC for 11 months, came across as a big fan of radio when he gave a pre-recorded talk to the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association last week. And he said he “loves” working with Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and that they have “got a lot done together on a bipartisan basis, and I think we’ll get a lot more done.”

On the subject of the refreshed 2018 Quadrennial Review, he didn’t comment directly on specific proposals, but he seemed to suggest he would resist moves to tighten up rules under the expected Democratic majority. Using a baking simile, he asked, “How about we let the dough proof a while?”

[“Biden Renominates Jessica Rosenworcel; Gigi Sohn Also Gets Nod”]

He said that with a newly constituted full commission, “We risk whipsawing back into the pre-Pai world, or, worse, ratcheting further back in the other direction. … Broadcast groups whose market caps vanish into a rounding error of big tech media platforms have to be permitted the space and time to compete. To discover business models that differentiate their offerings and grow audiences. To create scale efficiencies that allow them the flexibility to compete with digital-only platforms. To sell their bread.”

On the power of localism in broadcasting, he said, “Radio broadcasters have expanded their role to become ombudsmen between local communities and institutions, and this is nowhere more true than it is in communities where the most common language is not English. … Google and Facebook don’t have stringers outside of city hall sniffing out corruption, hurricane evacuation routing, or staffing for informational access to local community resources anywhere in their product development path.”

In language that would make any broadcast licensee proud, the commissioner talked about the “irreproducible technological advantage” broadcasters have thanks to their “durable, hardened communications infrastructure.”

“Let me ask you something. During a really bad storm — a tornado or a hurricane — what would you trust more to give you information on what you need to do or where you need to go: a hand-cranked radio or a cell phone? Stupid question, right? The radio. And even people not in broadcast know this. Why? Because everyone knows that your cell phone connection is the first thing to be knocked out, and your connection to broadcasters is, well, the last. That’s not to criticize cell phone carriers, of course. That’s just the reality of the situation.”

Simington said that in upcoming debates over media rules, “I hold out hope that I can urge my colleagues on the commission, and maybe even on Capitol Hill, to take full stock of the realities facing broadcasters. The enormous pressures they are under. And how we must preserve the industry prudentially. While I have no doubt that the full commission will be animated by a zeal to protect consumer interests, I will ask them to consider whether in 2021, broadcasters really wield the kind of power, whether nationally or in local markets, that justifies forceful application of rules drafted for a completely different competitive media landscape.”

[Read his full text.]

The post Simington Cautions Against “Whip-Sawing” Media Rules appeared first on Radio World.

Getty Images Zhihong Zhuo

The MMTC says it has some ideas about how the FCC can help influence the eventual rollout of 6G technology.

The Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel praising her for her recent remarks about 6G, but offers its thoughts on several specific issues.

[See Rosenworcel Calls for 6G Initiative]

The letter, signed by MMTC and several other organizations including the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters and civil rights groups like the NAACP and the Hispanic Federation, urged the commission to take a series of steps to ensure the delivery of affordable and accessible services to communities of color, as well as to ensure inclusion of minority- and women-owned businesses in building 6G infrastructure.

Wireless policy is necessary for economic and national security, the organization said, adding that there were unheeded signs during the early days of the 5G rollout, such as the need for additional mid-band spectrum and a lack of awareness about vulnerabilities in the nation’s supply chain.

“So let’s learn from what came before,” the letter stated. “Let’s acknowledge here and now that it is time to start thinking seriously about how we can better position ourselves for success with 6G. After all, in the age of ever-faster technical development, maintaining our leadership in high-priority emerging technology requires careful planning and execution.”

To do so, the organization asked the commission to take the following five steps:

1. Include a diverse group of engineers and demographers on the commission’s Technology Advisory Committee.
2. Direct the Communications Equity and Diversity Council to develop a plan for the training and inclusion of small, minority- and women-owned contractors in the 6G rollout.
3. Provide the Office of Communications Business Opportunities with the personnel and resources needed to conduct technical and entrepreneurial training for 6G.
4. Set a benchmark for the inclusion of minority- and women-owned businesses during the 6G rollout.
5. Grant MMTC’s proposal to extend the cable procurement rule to all FCC-regulated technologies. This rule requires cable operators to encourage participation with minority and female entrepreneurs.

In Rosenworcel, the MMTC may have found a kindred spirit. During her speech in October to the wireless industry’s Americas Spectrum Management Conference, Rosenworcel devoted a portion of her remarks to the idea of paving the way for 6G and beyond. She cited developments that look ahead to 6G and called for an initiative that could offer recommendations on how to rollout 6G.

“If you think I’m too early on this one, think again,” Rosenworcel said at the conference. “Much like in the early days of 5G, the scrum for 6G is already intensifying.”

Comment on this or any article. Write to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post MMTC Calls for Proactive FCC Lead on 6G Rollout appeared first on Radio World.

iHeartMedia thinks the FCC should eliminate the restriction on how many AM stations one company can own in a given market. But it opposes the “overly aggressive” proposal by the National Association of Broadcasters to raise or eliminate the similar cap on FM stations.

The company believes that within broadcast radio, AMs face a “growing and distressing competitive disadvantage” to FM stations, despite the role played by AMs in national security communications and the “outsized place of AM stations as trusted sources of local news and information.”

That has been iHeart’s position for some time. Now the company has reiterated its stance in a September filing with the FCC. The commission had invited comments to update its record in the still-open 2018 quadrennial review of media ownership rules.

This is an excerpt of the summary section of iHeart’s filing:

Emphasizing the continuing role of AM radio as an important source of news, iHeart provided graphics like this one, demonstrating a surge in AM listening in Dallas during a serious weather freeze.

Legal developments subsequent to the closing of the original comment period in this proceeding have strengthened significantly the bases for iHeart’s earlier advocacy.

The twisting course of the litigation challenging the commission’s 2010/2014 Quadrennial Reviews has left the regulatory landscape as it was when the commission received comments and reply comments. Importantly, however, there has not been a meaningful opportunity to ascertain the impact on the marketplace of either the substantial deregulation effectuated by the commission’s November 2017 Order on Reconsideration or its August 2018 Order establishing the Incubator Program.

[See Our Business and Law Page]

The Supreme Court decision reversing the Third Circuit reaffirmed the commission’s reasonable exercise of its authority in applying the broad public interest standard governing Quadrennial Reviews, implicitly rejecting the argument that competition should be the predominant criterion for determining whether to retain, modify or repeal broadcast regulations.

The antitrust actions against Facebook and Google filed by the FTC and the Department of Justice, joined by the vast majority of state attorneys general, also have significant implications for this proceeding.

In the complaints in these cases, the federal government and the states have been explicit in arguing that the relevant advertising markets for the Big Tech companies are separate and distinct from the television and radio broadcast advertising markets and that broadcast radio and television are not substitutable for the social media and search services and related advertising markets of Facebook and Google.

Thus, the federal and state governments have taken the same position utilizing the same analytical framework regarding the relevant market as iHeart has advanced in this proceeding.

Finally, on July 9, 2021, President Biden signed an “Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy,” reflecting the administration’s view that excessive market concentration is harmful to competition.

Of particular relevance to the instant proceeding, the Executive Order encouraged agency heads to pay particular attention to the influence of regulations on concentration in industries within their jurisdiction. Adoption of the NAB’s proposal would be inconsistent with the thrust of the Executive Order on Competition.

“Seismic events”

While these legal developments are directly relevant to this proceeding, the seismic events that have challenged our nation in the past two years also have a bearing on its outcome.

The COVID-19 pandemic, the pervasiveness of misinformation and disinformation on social media and hundreds of internet websites and its disruptive effect on our political processes, and a reawakening about the role race plays in our society following the murder of George Floyd, have underscored the critically important role broadcast radio plays in our country’s life.

Consistent with the examples highlighted in iHeart’s Comments, empirical listening data during the past two years continued to demonstrate that people tune to their local radio stations, especially AM stations, in times of heightened concern, both with respect to local, natural or human-caused disasters and at moments of acute national crisis. Broadcast radio has been an indispensable source of official and factual information about the COVID-19 pandemic, including how best to avoid infection, where to get tested, local and regional infection rates, hospital capacity and the importance, efficacy and availability of vaccines.

[Related: More Change for Radio Ownership Rules?]

Regarding the reexamination of the role of race in American society, iHeart launched the Black Information Network (BIN) in 2020, a 24/7 comprehensive, national, audio Black news service dedicated to providing a trusted source of continual news coverage with a Black voice and perspective. iHeart already has repurposed more than 30 local stations serving large Black populations, the majority of which are AM stations, to be additive to — but not directly compete with — existing Black-owned radio stations.

We continue to support the FCC’s Incubator Program, believing that it should be afforded a meaningful opportunity to succeed in enhancing ownership of broadcast properties by women and minorities, an outcome that would be at risk were FM ownership limits to be relaxed or eliminated.

In light of the increased centrality of broadcast radio to our national information and communications infrastructure, sustaining its economic viability, particularly the more financially vulnerable AM band, should be of paramount concern to the FCC.

Whether measured by numbers of stations on air, audience listening or advertising revenue, broadcast radio has suffered from the broader economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the other hand, there are promising signs that broadcast radio will rebound, including the broader economic recovery, portending increased advertising, and dramatically increased driving in recent months, likely translating into greater audience listening.

It is premature, however, to predict the extent and contours of that recovery, and it is too soon to have reliable, empirical, economic data upon which the commission could make predictive judgments.

“Targeted, moderate”

The net effect of these developments is that the positions taken by iHeart in its Comments and Reply Comments ring as true today — indeed, more so — as when we conveyed them to the commission more than two years ago. Accordingly, the commission should adopt a targeted, moderate approach to reforming the local radio ownership rules by eliminating only the limits on AM stations while retaining the current limits on FM stations.

Doing so will avoid the potentially catastrophic harm that could befall AM stations were the commission to adopt the NAB proposal to deregulate substantially the FM band. Moreover, by maintaining the current FM subcap limits, the commission will ensure that the financial incentives essential to the success of the Incubator Program remain in place. The commission should be guided by the overarching principle of doing no harm.

iHeart’s filing went on to develop these arguments in more detail. You can read a PDF of the full filing at https://tinyurl.com/rw-ihm-2.

Comment on this or any article. Write to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post Eliminate local AM caps but don’t touch FM appeared first on Radio World.

The Nielsen company Gracenote, which supports content search and discovery capabilities on entertainment platforms, has joined RadioDNS.

As part of its membership duties, Gracenote will collaborate with manufacturers and broadcasters to develop open standards to support the future of hybrid radio and boost listener engagement in connected cars.

“We’re very pleased to be welcoming another key supplier in the automotive industry to our membership, and one that already handles a great deal of metadata and content,” said Nick Piggott, project director of RadioDNS, in the announcement. “The breadth and depth of our coalition of members means we can draw on relevant and practical experience to develop open standards that respond to real-work requirements.”

[See Our Business and Law Page]

According to the company, Gracenote powers infotainment experiences in 120 million cars, providing music metadata and imagery to help drivers and passengers connect with audio content safely. The Gracenote MusicID system identifies music in real time and serves up relevant song, artist and album information to the car’s on-screen display. The Gracenote Radio Station ID system works in a similar manner, enabling graphically rich displays, while Gracenote Audio On Demand delivers a standardized descriptive dataset for podcasts to improve search capabilities.

RadioDNS said that as a member, Gracenote will engage with broadcasters, manufacturers and technology providers to help define the organization’s technical standards and create standards for new hybrid radio functionalities.

According to Maryann Faricy, senior director of product, automotive, at Gracenote, the company has a sizable footprint in the automotive and consumer electronics sectors and will help RadioDNS better position the organization to influence the future of radio and in-car entertainment experiences.

Comment on this or any article. Email radioworld@futurenet.com.

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This week, we’re taking a look at NPR/Edison Research’s new report on spoken word audio.

“The Spoken Word Audio Report” shows steady growth in spoken word audio consumption since 2014.

How much has spoken word’s share of audio listening grown over the past 12 months? The short answer, a lot. For the third year, NPR and Edison Research have joined forces to produce “The Spoken Word Audio Report.” The results were presented at a Nov. 11 webinar led by Lamar Johnson, vice president of sponsorship marketing at NPR, and Megan Lazovick, vice president at Edison Research.

The survey defines spoken word audio as anything other than music, i.e., news, sports, talk/personalities and audiobooks. According to the research, of the 40 percent growth in spoken word listening over the past seven years cited by the survey, 8 percent took place in the past 12 months. That translates to 22 million more people listening to spoken word than eight years ago.

While music is still the overwhelming content of choice, the research suggests that spoken word is steadily chipping away at that lead. In 2014, music commanded 80 percent of listenership and spoken word got 20 percent. In 2021, those numbers shifted to 28 percent for spoken word and 72 percent for music.

[See More RW Articles About Changing Audiences]

No matter how you break it down, the report claims that the share of time spent listening from 2014 to 2021 has increased across the board. When tracked by gender, men showed an increase from 26 to 32 percent, up 23 percent. One of the big surprises of this report was the increase among women, from 14 to 24 percent, an impressive 71-percent jump.

Not surprisingly, the youngest demographic showed the highest increase. Those in the 13 to 34 bracket had a gain of 116 percent, according to the report. Those aged 35–54 saw a 36 percent jump from 22 to 30 percent, while the 55+ demographic went up from 26 to 28 percent, an 8 percent uptick.

According to the NPR/Edison report, multicultural listeners are a key driving force in the expansion of spoken word audio. Those identifying as white/other saw a 26 percent increase from 23 to 29 percent, while African-American listenership increased 12 to 22 percent, up 83 percent. The Hispanic/Latino population listening to spoken word went up from 15 to 27 percent, an 80 percent jump.

Comment on this or any article. Email radioworld@futurenet.com.

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Denny Todd is shown on Black Mountain near Las Vegas, wearing a Euclid Garment RF suit, in an undated photo from the archives of Richard Tell Associates.

Stephen Lockwood, P.E., PMP, is president of Hatfield & Dawson Consulting Engineers.

The FCC recently adopted Docket No. 19-226, “Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields and Reassessment of FCC Radiofrequency Exposure Limits and Policies.” These new rules became effective May 3, 2021.

This rulemaking has three main parts. The first issue was the resolution of the notice of inquiry from 2013 that asked whether radio frequency exposure limits should be changed. The second was a report and order with new rules for RF exposure. The third was a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for additional modification to the RF exposure rules.

The major takeaways:

• There have been no changes to the existing exposure limits. This process included input from more than 1,000 commenters and participation from other federal agencies including FDA and EPA). The conclusion: “After reviewing the extensive record submitted in response to that inquiry, we find no appropriate basis for and thus decline to propose amendments to our existing limits at this time.”
• New rules have been adopted. The critical part of these rules that affect broadcasters is how to assess RF exposure compliance and how to communicate about RF hazards. New and modified facilities must comply with these rules after May 3, 2021, and existing facilities will be given until May 3, 2023 to come into compliance.
• New rules are proposed to address changing technology that would extend the frequency range from 100 GHz to 3,000 GHz, localized exposure limits and assessment methods. These issues do not pertain to broadcasting.

Evaluation of RF Exposure
The FCC has adopted new methods to determine and demonstrate compliance to replace specific outdated and inconsistent rules.

There are three sections:

• Exemption: This is for devices that are “so clearly compliant,” as demonstrated by a simple calculation to show compliance with the exposure rules, that they do not require further evaluation (i.e., operation at very low power or large distance from humans). The former term for “exemption” was “categorically excluded.” Many devices that were “categorically excluded” will now be classed as “exempt.” The former rules were based on service, whereas the new rules are more calculations-based. Broadcast equipment exempted are likely wireless microphones, wireless video feeds, Wi-Fi, cellphones and other lower power devices used in broadcast production.
• Evaluation: This category is for devices or facilities that require some demonstration such as calculations, measurements or computational modeling to demonstrate compliance. For broadcasters, there are not many changes as most facilities required and will still require analysis of RF exposure. All broadcast transmitting facilities need to analyze the facility and need to include other nearby facilities, since compliance is for the site, not just on a per-station basis.
• Mitigation: Where evaluations show a possibility that the exposure limits are exceeded, mitigation is needed to control access to RF exposure. Mitigation is accomplished by signage, access control, training or other methods to assure that exposure limits are not exceeded. Clear specifications are now given for signage and communications. All facilities that have the potential of producing areas that exceed the exposure limits must have some method of restricting exposure. All areas that exceed the public exposure limits must have some access control to restrict public access to areas that exceed the limits.

Evaluation is performed using site-specific information such as power, frequency, antenna type, physical mounting locations and distance.

These are done by using standard electromagnetic modeling, calculations using the methods laid out in OET65, or use of the FCC’s FMModel program, as appropriate.

Mitigation
The FCC has adopted four exposure categories that indicate RF exposure circumstances.

These are equivalent to the practices from “IEEE C95.7-2014 – IEEE Recommended Practice for Radio Frequency Safety Programs, 3 kHz to 300 GHz” and “IEEE C95.2-2018 ‒ IEEE Standard for Radio-Frequency Energy and Current-Flow Symbols.”

Access control, signage and training requirements generally align with existing industry best practices.

Figures 1–3. Fig. 1 (left): An optional GREEN INFORMATION sign for use in Category 1 situations. Fig. 2 (center): A BLUE NOTICE sign and limited public access are required in Category 2 locations. Fig. 3 (right): A YELLOW CAUTION sign and limited access to both workers and the public applies in Category 3. Images courtesy Richard Tell Associates Inc.

The categories from lowest exposure to highest exposure are as follows:

• Category 1: Below the General Population Limit where there is no potential of exceeding the limits. No mitigation measures are required. Optional GREEN INFORMATION sign can be posted. This sign would contain specific language for each broadcast site. Shown is an example for AT&T sites. See Fig. 1. (The images shown are courtesy Richard Tell Associates, radhaz.com.)
• Category 2: Above the General Population Limit and below Occupational Limit. Must post a BLUE NOTICE sign and limit public access to this area. See Fig. 2.
• Category 3: Above the Occupational Limit but below 10x the Occupational Limit. Must post a YELLOW CAUTION sign and limit access to both workers and the public. See Fig. 3.
• Category 4:  Above 10x the Occupational limit. The ORANGE sign shown in Fig. 4 is required, and limit all access. Also must post a RED WARNING sign as discussed below.

Figures 4–5. Fig. 4 (left): In Category 4 situations, this sign as well as the red warning sign are required, with all access limited. Fig. 5 (right): A RED DANGER sign must be posted where immediate and serious injury potential exists, regardless of category. Images courtesy Richard Tell Associates Inc.

A RED DANGER sign must be posted where immediate and serious injury potential exists, regardless of category. An example of this would be AM tower bases, where shock and burn hazards are present. See Figure 5.

Additional Mitigation Measures

• Category 2 (NOTICE): Signs, positive access controls such as locked doors, ladder cages, fences, on-site building security — appropriate training with supervision of transient persons.
• Category 3 (CAUTION): Signs, engineering controls, indicators such as chains, railings, paint, maps. Appropriate training, use of time-averaging, or personal protective equipment.
• Category 4 (WARNING): Signs, restricted access, power reduction, ceasing operation with lockout/tagout on controls.

The following information must be communicated:

• All these signs must include the RF energy advisory symbol. See Fig. 6.
• A description of the RF source (e.g., types of facility and transmitting antennas)
• Behavior necessary to avoid overexposure (e.g., access limits)
• Up-to-date contact information (e.g., monitored phone number or email address connected to someone with authority and capability to provide a prompt response).

From the FCC
As part of this process, the FCC Office of Engineering Technology is revising OET Bulletin No. 65, “Evaluating Compliance with FCC Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radio frequency Electromagnetic Fields.”

Fig. 6: The RF energy advisory symbol.

This document provides the necessary methods to calculate RF exposure. The FCC provides the tool of FMModel to evaluate RF exposure from FM antennas quickly. All new and modified facilities must comply with the new rules. All other licensees must come into compliance by May 3, 2023. A review of the evaluation process and mitigation methods must be done for existing facilities to confirm compliance.

Some Observations
We believe that the vast majority of broadcast sites comply with the FCC rules.

In most of the nation, on-tower work is the situation where RF exposure limits may be exceeded. The best practice is to cease operations when on-tower maintenance is being performed near the antennas.

The more dangerous issue for tower worker safety is the gravity field, and removing the RF field (which, unlike the gravity field, has an off switch!) is the better approach.

For multiuser sites, maintenance requires coordination between licenses and the tower crews.

Docket No. 19-226 specifically warns against over-signage. We note that many sites have conflicting signs, and many licensees have posted all available RF signs.

RF signs and other hazard signs such as HIGH VOLTAGE have been used in place of NO TRESPASSING signs, warning of hazards that do not exist. This is inappropriate as warning should only be given for real hazards — something about a boy crying wolf.

To comply with a misunderstanding of the RF exposure conditions and rules, some licensees have ordered all of the signs in the catalog and posted them all in hopes that one will be correct. We have noted that many sites have all of the signs posted. Some analysis is required for determining the correct signage for each site.

Fig. 7: Graphical representation of exposure categories and associated signage requirements.

Site evaluation now mainly occurs during the licensing process or license renewal.

The first step in this process is to review what was represented to the FCC and ensure that it conforms with reality. Has the antenna been changed? Have new facilities been added to the tower? On an adjacent tower?

The most troublesome RF exposure sites are mountaintop sites that use short towers. Many of these sites present RF exposure environments that are above the FCC limits. Licensee must perform analysis to assure these areas are appropriately signed and managed.

Many sites have outdated signs or signs that are inappropriate. All signage at RF sites must be reviewed and revised to comply with these new rules. For many sites, the signs have been posted for 20 or more years and have faded.

Some examples of outdated and inappropriate signs are shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

Figures 8–9. Fig. 8 (left): An inappropriate message and ionizing radiation symbol. Fig. 9 (right): An obsolete OSHA RF sign.

While these newly-enacted RFR rules don’t change the exposure limits for the frequencies in which broadcasters operate, they still affect broadcasters.

Going forward, we will have to perform new evaluations and update our signage. For existing facilities, the time to prepare for this is now, long before the 2023 deadline.

 

The post Understand These New RFR Rules appeared first on Radio World.

Europe is showing strong support for DAB/DAB+ listening, but there are some clouds on the digital radio horizon.

That’s one takeaway from a session of the WorldDAB Summit 2021, held online last week. (Recordings of the sessions are on the WorldDAB YouTube page.)

During the session “Why French Broadcasters Are Deploying DAB+” Hervé Godechot painted a positive picture of DAB listenership growth in his country. “Today, 40 percent of French people can listen to digital audio broadcasting,” Godechot said.

“We expected to reach this level in 2023, but we went faster! In the next 12 months, we will provide DAB for 26 new areas. Next year, half of French listeners will have 465 digital radio [stations] available at home.” Godechot is a board member with French broadcast media regulator Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel.

[More from Radio World on Digital Radio]

The same upbeat view of DAB’s impact was shared by Erwin Linnenbach, managing director of German program producer TEUTOCAST, in his presentation “Disruption in the German Audio Market.”

“DAB+ is finally the chance for the normalization of the German radio market,” Linnenbach said. This is because DAB+ made it possible to launch national private audio services based on listener-favorite formats, such as sports. In addition, the 400 local/regional private radio stations in this country are controlled by about 2,000 owners, Linnenbach said. With the arrival of national private DAB channels, ownership consolidation is practical.

Hosting the “Switzerland’s FM Switchoff in 2024” presentation, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Communications Project Manager of Digitisation and Convergence René Wehrlin outlined why Swiss broadcasters are so keen to terminate FM within the next three years.

“FM prevents greater media diversity,” Wehrlin said, because Switzerland’s FM band is full and thus not open to new players. At the same time, it is expensive and pointless for broadcasters to run both DAB and FM networks,in his view, “because DAB networks cover the country practically 100%. However, as long as FM is in operation and part of the audience is not equipped with DAB radios, no FM broadcaster will voluntarily give it up.”

From WorldDAB President Patrick Hannon’s presentation on the current state of DAB technology.

However, a presentation about the recent UK Digital Radio and Audio Review poured some cooler water on the conversation.

For instance, although “DAB will be the primary platform for radio well into the next decade,” said Ian O’Neill, head radio/head of television for the U.K. government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport, setting a firm date for shutting off FM could end up sabotaging digital radio.

The reason: Fixing a firm FM closing date “could lead to a reduction in radio listening if FM listeners who were prompted by the change decided to move away from radio,” O’Neill said.

Coincident to this, “the decline of all radio devices in the U.K. has continued now for some time,” said Lindsey Mack, BBC senior manager of DAB & BBC Sounds external affairs.

“The most recent figures we have [show] that DAB in particular has declined by about 17.5 percent in the last 12 months. Now there’s multiple factors leading to that decline. One is obviously the growing use of smartphone and online music services, the launch of smart speakers, [as well as] the lack of innovation and features and product design, because most of the DAB radios have actually remained virtually unchanged,” Mack said.

“Research has shown that consumers, whilst they liked DAB, they find DAB radio is far too one dimensional,” said Mack. “DAB has also become a very much a replacement purchase. So there’s limited scope for market growth.”

He also noted that retailers are concerned the range of models available in stores have declined, leading to even fewer choices for consumers. Despite this, Mack said, “DAB listening remains very healthy.”

Radio World will have reports on the WorldDAB Summit 2021’s Sessions 2 and 3 in the days to come.

The post Strong Euro Support for DAB, but Clouds on Horizon appeared first on Radio World.

Audio-Technica has introduced its new BP28 14-inch and BP28L 22.4-inch line + gradient large diaphragm condenser microphones, intended for use in broadcast, film, television, outdoor recording and theater applications.

Combining a large-diaphragm condenser element with a 28 mm diameter shotgun design aiming for low-noise performance, the mics sport tight polar patterns and a patented acoustic port design that aids directionality.

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

Both mics offer a highly directional pickup pattern, but the BP28L’s pattern is said to be exceptionally narrow. They provide low noise levels (BP28: 8 dB; BP28L: 3 dB), high sensitivity (BP28: –28 dBV; BP28L: –23 dBV), wide dynamic range (135 dB), and high-SPL capability (BP28: 143 dB; BP28L: 138 dB). Additionally, they are equipped with a switchable 80 Hz high-pass filter and 10 dB pad. Each microphone is housed in lightweight, structural-grade aluminum alloy.

Send your new equipment news to radioworld@futurenet.com.

Info: www.audio-technica.com

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Broadcast business software developer Marketron has released the Integration Suite.

The company says the suite “leverages open APIs, connectors, and custom integrations to give Marketron customers the ability to consolidate disparate data sources — including linear, O&O, and third-party digital advertising systems — into a single ecosystem.” Accordingly that should help, “users to reduce bottlenecks, realize greater visibility, and drive increased revenue.”

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

The suite consists of three modules, open APIs, connectors and custom integrations.

The open APIs provide for industry standard interfacing between systems. The connectors are step further with some customization providing access to common customizations of business software systems.

The final leg is the customization option wherein Marketron will work with a client on specific requirements, especially concerning nonstandard customized business systems which prevent compatibility with off-the-shelf systems.

Marketron Senior Vice President of Product Development Jimshade Chaudhari said, “The Marketron Integration Suite enables our customers to save time by automating daily tasks, bringing digital and linear orders into one system and accessing better reports all while building a best-in-breed technology stack.”

Send your new equipment news to radioworld@futurenet.com.

Info: www.marketron.com

 

The post Marketron Releases Integration Suite appeared first on Radio World.

The Netherlands government has announced a three-week partial lockdown for the country, beginning 8 p.m. local time on November 12.

The new restrictions mean people will be asked to work from home as much as possible, and sporting events will be played behind closed doors. Schools, theatres and cinemas will remain open, but with limited capacities, and cafes, bars and restaurants will be told to close at 8 p.m. Restaurants are able to deliver orders after 8 p.m. local time.

The restrictions will be revisited on Friday, December 3. There is currently no updated guidance on international travel into or out of the country.

This year’s IBC show is due to take place at the RAI in Amsterdam December 3–6, 2021. IBC subsequently announced that its December show was on track to go ahead in a “safe and comfortable way” as it was exempt from the measures due to it being organized within a perimeter where everyone must show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test before entering the premises.

It is also believed the government is considering bringing back mandatory social distancing measures, legislation that would reportedly take up to two weeks to pass through both houses of parliament.

The number of new coronavirus infections in the country was recorded at more than 16,000 for the second day running today, with the current infection rate of 93.5 per 100,000 people the highest since the pandemic began.

The Netherlands government updated its Covid protocols as recently as November 2 when it reinstated mandatory face mask rules for the public from 6 November in public areas where no Covid entry passes are used, including supermarkets, shops, libraries, theme parks and train stations.

We will have more on this story as it unfolds…

The post Dutch Government Announces Three-Week Lockdown appeared first on Radio World.

Movo is a company that seems to have come about to help budget-conscience video creators, gamers, and podcasters and they’re often coming out with some interesting items. On a few occasions, they’ve presented their mics as options for broadcasters.

Recently they shipped to me a microphone they labeled as the VSM-7. As someone who has done voice work for years, I’m always interested in mics, but I’m also a hard-sell for a good voice mic.

[Read: Quick Take: Movo MA5L Lightning Microphone]

Mics tend to be like favorite flavors and favorite colors. The favorite mics is based on a person’s own voice and what they like. Whether it’s a Neuman TLM 103 (or even the big U 87), or the Shure SM7, the Sennheiser MD 421 or MD 441, or my own favorite the Electro-Voice RE320 (even over the RE20 or RE27).

So when I received the Movo VSM-7, I really wasn’t expecting much. A big reason for the low expectation is based on a price of $124.95 list, whereas the previous mics mentioned can cost $300 to over $3,000.

With that said, here are the specs. First, the mic requires phantom power. The frequency response is listed at 20 Hz–20kHz. The mic measures just over 7 inches tall (207 x 115 x 185 mm) and just under 2 pounds (29 ounces). It’s made of metal and it has a very solid feel. The three switches are solid and lock in place with one being pattern selection (cardioid, omnidirectional and bidirectional),  one is a pad (0 dB and –10 dB), and the third is a flat/bass rolloff selector. There’s no fancy case or even bag, but the box is designed to protect the mic with a custom foam insert. The mic ships with a fairly inexpensive 10-foot XLR cable, a very nicely-designed shock mount, and a great working plosives/pop filter. Included is also a spare shock mount band (which was nice thinking on Movo’s part).

The real story? Nice!

Surprisingly, this microphone actually sounds much more like a high-priced broadcast mic. The response on my voice (a lower range voice) is very clean, and with or without the roll-off, it produces a sound that I could use for any voice over work. The patterns are interested, and if used as a single mic for an interview (host on one side, guest on the other), I have no doubt the bidirectional/figure 8 would be ideal.

The omnidirectional truly IS an omni, so it does pick-up in a very consistent Omni pattern. For voice work, most would go with a cardioid for noise rejection (and it really did reject noise from everywhere but the front). The plosive filter did an excellent job and would be just fine as the only filter needed, and it didn’t seem to color the audio at all.

If there is one thing I found with this mic, is that it is subject to proximity effect. With people (like myself) who “work a mic” (meaning “get closer” to talk quietly, or “back away” to project excitement), this mic will enhance the low frequencies when you work it closely. This is one of the features of the EV mics I’ve always loved is the ability to maintain a very flat response at any distance. In some cases, many voice people actually like a warmer bass by working the mic closely, and this one would be very good for that.

Overall, for $124.95, this is a well-built, nicely-designed mic. For cost-conscious people running tighter budgets, this would be a very good choice for a studio mic. For people less concerned about cost, it’s actually still a very nice mic. I’d certainly have no trouble throwing it in as a guest mic or in a production studio.

Info: www.movophoto.com

 

The post Quick Take: Movo VSM-7 Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone appeared first on Radio World.

An AEQ Capitol IP console is at the center of Radio Super W’s main studio.

From the Radio World “Who’s Buying What” page: As part of an upgrade from analog to digital, Radio Super W in Ecuador has equipped a new on-air facility with an AEQ Capitol IP console and Orban Optimod 5500i processor.

“Radio Super W started in 2000 as the dream of businessman Walter Hernán Ocampo, who wanted to bring modernity to La Concordia, his hometown in Ecuador,” AEQ wrote in a project summary.

“Nowadays this radio continues to broadcast content for the benefit of the community, always trying to innovate as technology advances, and offering outstanding programs such as ‘Café-W’ or ‘W-Noticias’ both of which are star programs of the station, and much loved by its audience.”

The CTO of Radio W is Isaac Ocampo.

Users and sellers of equipment are welcome to send announcements for “Who’s Buying What” to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post Radio Super W Goes With AEQ and Orban appeared first on Radio World.

Two legendary three-letter stations are among the recipients of the 2021 NAB Marconi Radio Awards.

KYW(AM) in Philadelphia was named the Major-Market Station of the Year and WSB(AM) Atlanta was honored as Legendary Station of the Year.

Other notable recipients include Rickey Smiley as Network/Syndicated Personality and “We Need to Talk” from WGTS(FM) in Washington for Best Radio Podcast.

The National Association of Broadcasters announced the recipients during a virtual event that’s now available on demand. The program was started in 1989 and is named after inventor and Nobel Prize winner Guglielmo Marconi.

The winners are below.

Legendary Station of the Year
WSB-AM, Atlanta, Ga. AC Station of the Year
WTMX-FM, Chicago, Ill. Legendary Manager of the Year
Ben Downs, Bryan Broadcasting Best Radio Podcast of the Year
“We Need to Talk,” WGTS-FM, Washington, D.C. Network/Syndicated Personality of the Year
Rickey Smiley, Reach Media, Inc. CHR Station of the Year
KNDE-FM, College Station, Texas Major Market Personality of the Year
The Musers – Dunham, Miller & Keith,
KTCK-AM, Dallas, Texas Classic Hits Station of the Year
WCBS-FM, New York, N.Y. Large Market Personality of the Year
Ann Kelly, WDUV-FM, Tampa Bay, Fla. College Station of the Year
WPSC-FM, William Patterson University, Wayne, N.J. Medium Market Personality of the Year
Dan Potter, KRMG-FM, Tulsa, Okla. Country Station of the Year
WYCD-FM, Detroit, Mich. Small Market Personality of the Year
Frito and Katy, KNDE-FM, College Station, Texas News/Talk Station of the Year
WTOP-FM, Washington, D.C. Major Market Station of the Year
KYW-AM, Philadelphia, Pa. Religious Station of the Year
WGTS-FM, Washington, D.C. Large Market Station of the Year
KTMY-FM, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn. Rock Station of the Year
KLOS-FM, Los Angeles, Calif. Medium Market Station of the Year
KRMG-FM, Tulsa, Okla. Spanish Language Station of the Year
KLLI-FM, Los Angeles, Calif. Small Market Station of the Year
WTAW-AM, College Station, Texas Sports Station of the Year
KTCK-AM, Dallas, Texas Urban Station of the Year
WEDR-FM, Miami, Fla.

The post KYW, WSB Are Among Marconi Award Recipients appeared first on Radio World.

Helwin Leach, Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR)

A German broadcaster is being recognized for his support and promotion of the DAB+ standard.

Helwin Lesch of Bavarian public broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) was named the 2021 recipient of the WorldDAB Award for Outstanding Service. The award was presented at the online WorldDAB General Assembly meeting on Nov. 8.

Lesch has been a pivotal figure in promoting DAB+ across Europe, the organization said, having served for several years on the WorldDAB steering board. He is a founding member of the European Digital Radio Alliance and serves on the executive board of Digital Radio Platform e.V.

[Visit Radio World’s People News Page]

“I am honored and at the same time grateful for the great support I have received from my colleagues in Germany and on the WorldDAB steering board over many years,” said Lesch. “Together we have indeed achieved a lot for DAB. Digital radio will help to ensure that radio continues to play an important role for people in the future and provides a common information base for discussions in our society.”

Lesch joined BR in 2002 and has been in his current role — head of the main distribution and controlling department of the BR production and technology directorate — since 2015. During his time at BR he also served as director of the main program distribution department and as director of the main planning and technology department.

Prior to joining BR, Lesch worked with the Bavarian Regulatory Authority for Commercial Broadcasting as a specialist consultant while simultaneously working as a signatory at the media company Bayerische Medien-Servicegesellschaft mbH.

Even though Lesch said he is no longer an active member of the WorldDAB Steering Board, he plans to continue to devote his energy to digital radio.

As a global industry forum responsible for defining and promoting DAB digital radio, WorldDAB provides professional broadcasters with knowledge and expertise on implementing broadcast digital radio.

Send your people news to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post Organization Honors German Broadcaster for Focus on DAB+ appeared first on Radio World.

iHeartMedia named Howard Greiner as the next area president for the Albany, N.Y., area, which also includes Poughkeepsie and Sussex, N.J.

He succeeds Kristen Delaney, who retires at the end of December. She has held that position for more than a decade.

[Visit Radio World’s People News Page]

The Albany region encompasses 17 stations in the three markets. Greiner will report to Dan Lankford, division president for iHeartMedia Community Markets.

Greiner has led his own consulting firm, and spent 18 years with Buntin Out-Of-Home Media, where he most recently was president/COO.

Send People News announcements, especially about executive leadership and engineering positions, to radioworld@futurenet.com.

 

The post Greiner Will Lead iHeart’s Albany Area appeared first on Radio World.

A promotional image shows an R&S radio communication tester.

Rohde & Schwarz announced that it has joined the Car Connectivity Consortium, or CCC.

This isn’t a story about radio broadcasting but it gives some insight into the evolving tech environment in cars.

The CCC seeks to “foster industrywide standards for communications between vehicles and smartphones.” Rohde is joining because of its interest in providing testing products and services to the automotive industry.

“In particular, the company will provide its solutions for the development and production of UWB devices and modules for automotive applications such as keyless vehicle access,” it stated.

The CCC recently launched a specification that enables compatible mobile devices to perform passive keyless access and start the engine via UWB in combination with Bluetooth Low Energy technology.

“UWB is a radio-based communications technology for short-range, high-speed spatial and directional transmission of data,” R&S noted. “It is likely to feature on a wide range of computer devices and IoT peripherals in the future.”

Rohde expects UWB will be used for many automotive applications such as remote access and gesture recognition. “For instance, the car can be parked or its trunk opened autonomously. Furthermore, with the UWB enabled Digital Key connection standardized by the CCC, access credentials to a rental vehicle can be shared or temporary access to in-car parcel delivery services can be granted via a mobile phone.”

 

The post Rohde & Schwarz Joins Car Connectivity Consortium appeared first on Radio World.

Gordon Smith was true to his reputation as a pragmatist in his final State of the Industry remarks Wednesday. His talk also provide some insight into why he is regarded as one of NAB’s most effective leaders.

Among the lessons he imparted: “Never be afraid to negotiate.” … “NAB should never register Republican or Democrat, but as human, local and American. …  We need friends on both sides of the aisle.” … “Treat others well. This is a key ingredient to strong advocacy.” … “Reflect the values that underpin an FCC license – civic engagement, relief, rescue, community decency, local focus, fair, diverse, journalism.” … “Some things have to ripen, and you want to calibrate your punch when it’s most impactful.”

Smith, a Republican former U.S. senator, will leave his position as president/CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters at the end of the year. He gave his talk online, given that the NAB Show and Radio Show were both cancelled this fall.

Here is Smith’s text:

While this is not how I had hoped to share my final state of the industry address with all of you, know that we are building towards a strong NAB Show in April, and I look forward to seeing all of you there where we can continue focusing on building a thriving and vibrant industry.

There’s never been a more important time to be a broadcaster… in the past 20 months, perhaps more than any other time that I can recall, your role has been invaluable. You have been there for your communities… keeping them informed, connected and safe during this time of uncertainty. And your advocacy team at NAB has been committed to ensuring local stations have the support you need to carry out your vital mission of serving your communities during this critical time.

From delivering on critical pandemic relief and paycheck protection to standing up to the Big Tech giants, we are sending a strong message to Congress and the FCC that the vital role of broadcasters and the local journalism they provide must be upheld.

In thinking about what I wanted to say to you today, I couldn’t help but reflect on my journey to Washington, D.C., how I built a career in politics, and how I found myself at NAB.

Many of you know that I was born in Pendleton, Oregon, to a father who processed peas and who worked for President Dwight Eisenhower, and a mother whose maiden name was Udall. So, in some sense, I was born to the battle of peas, policies and politics – and I’ve loved every minute of it. I’ve loved my life and I’ve loved my time in this great city.

I remember vividly when I was eight years old attending the 1961 inauguration of John F. Kennedy. Our cousin Stewart Udall was becoming the president’s secretary of Interior, so it was an especially exciting day for my family.

That day reached deep into my soul…and it wasn’t just the president’s clarion call to a new generation of Americans to ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country. The whole occasion struck me as something to aspire to and value.

You could say I caught Potomac Fever right then and there as an eight-year-old boy. From that day on, my professional ambition in life was to become a U.S. senator. I feel blessed and humbled to have achieve that dream. And I will admit to you that I was extraordinarily disappointed when the voters of Oregon did not elect me to a new term in 2008. It was not long thereafter that I was hired by NAB. It was a time in my life I was somewhat lost. But in a divine turn of events, broadcasting once again gave me an anchor in public service.

During my childhood, I had served as a paper boy for two Washington papers – the Washington Star and the Washington Daily News. I became a news addict and read all the headlines and stories. I would come home and ask my mom if she had seen the same stories. And, she’d often say, “Remember, Gordy, the best way to ruin a good story is to hear the other side.”

I never lost my passion for politics and hearing the other side. As I reflect on my time in politics and at NAB, a movie from the 1960s called, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” comes to mind. This humorous movie has several themes – but the ones I remember most are how unexpected life can be and sometimes it’s the journey of discovery that matters most. Well, finding my way to NAB – the forum – was unexpected. But it has enriched my life in ways that I could not have imagined.

So, if you can humor me for just a few minutes…I’d like to tell you my side of the story…what I’ve learned on the way to the forum so to speak. And, how these lessons have led to many of our successes as an association.

1 — Never be afraid to negotiate. President John F. Kennedy once said, “Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.” Negotiating is important — it’s engagement. If you’re going to lose something, get something. This has been our winning strategy behind the performance tax issue. Our engagement on the Hill is to talk, negotiate and deal to be in the game — stopping legislation that we deem harmful to our listeners and viewers, and shaping other legislation to advance and protect the interests of broadcasters.

There is also a saying that comes to mind that Eddie Fritts used a lot… there are no permanent victories and no permanent defeats in democracy. When you have to win something, you also have to lose something.

2 — NAB should never register Republican or Democrat, but as human, local and American. We uphold and defend American values, such as factual journalism and the First Amendment. Neither party satisfies 100% of our issues. We need friends on both sides of the aisle.

3 — Spend money on the possible – prioritize our issues. Focus on likely outcomes. When I first came here, I was handed a book of legislative issues that was about 50 pages long. I was asked what I thought about the book. I said I thought it was all very interesting, but you’re not telling me what’s important and what isn’t. There were probably only three main issues. My point is to prioritize – be a rifle, not a shotgun.

4 — Invest to thrive, not just to survive. Invest in our future. Investing in new technologies, such as Next Gen TV and hybrid radio, not only provides audiences with more choices and a better viewing and listening experience, it also underpins the values we hold so dearly as broadcasters — keeping our citizens connected and informed with the news they can trust – anywhere they are, and always for free.

5 — No matter how many conflicting interests we have (cable, satellite, terrestrial vs. streaming) NAB must always speak for free over-the-air, local broadcasting. If NAB doesn’t, nobody else will.

This mission unifies our industry. Whether you’re in radio or TV, a network or affiliate, urban or rural, large or small, we have more in common than in difference. And, we will always be stronger with a unified message on Capitol Hill.

6 — Our PAC and grassroots are vital advocacy tools that we should continually tap into. We have many other tools in our toolbox. Broadcasters’ nuclear bomb is our airwaves, but it must be used judiciously as should our other tools.

Consider your tools, tone and timing. Tools – we must use all our tools at our disposal. Tone – needs to be calibrated. Timing – has to be at the right moment

7– Hire the best, not the most. Good people equal good policy, which equals winning in politics.

Treat others well. This is a key ingredient to strong advocacy. If you’re likable, a good person and have strong policy arguments, you’re going to win. Good business equals good policy on Capitol Hill.

8 — Reflect the values that underpin an FCC license – civic engagement, relief, rescue, community decency, local focus, fair, diverse, journalism.

Edmund Burke was an English parliamentarian who supported the American revolutionaries. Upon looking up from the Westminster floor where he was giving a speech, he remarked, “there were three Estates…but in the Reporters Gallery yonder, there sat a fourth Estate more important far than they all.”

At the time, the first two estates were the clergy and the nobility. The third was commoners, or the people. For us, it’s the presidency, the Congress and the courts. The Fourth Estate is still the press.

As the Fourth Estate, we reflect the values and integrity of our communities. We foster civic engagement and root out corruption through our factual journalism. That will never change.

9 — Before you take a punch, anticipate the counterpunch. This will tell you whether it’s worth it. Some things have to ripen, and you want to calibrate your punch when it’s most impactful.

These are just nine lessons learned, and there is more I’d like to share with you, but I’m reminded of a story of former President Woodrow Wilson. In 1918, Wilson had put forth his Fourteen Points proposal outlining his vision for ending World War I. It was a peace plan intended to ensure that no such conflict occurred again. America’s allies, however, did not think much of the fourteen points. Upon hearing of Wilson’s Fourteen Points, French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau stated, “Mr. Wilson bores me with his Fourteen Points; why God Almighty has only 10!”

Lest I surpass God Almighty himself, it behooves me to end at nine points.

I want to thank all of you for listening to my perspective throughout the years. You are not only trusted colleagues, but have also become dear friends. I have learned so much from being in the trenches with all of you. And, I know that NAB will continue to achieve great success under Curtis’ strong leadership. He is the right person at the right time for this job.

Like you, my heart will always beat as a broadcaster….as a public servant.

NAB gave me a new way to serve, a way to be in public service, still…a way to utilize all the experience and training of those Senate years in the noble, public cause of broadcasting.

To look back too often at any of life’s chapters, with nostalgia or lament, neither than looking forward to the future with vigor and purpose, is to surrender to old age and regret. Together, we have not surrendered. We have won. Thank you.

[Related: Read the Radio World interview with incoming President/CEO Curtis LeGeyt.]

The post Read Gordon Smith’s Final State of the Industry Talk appeared first on Radio World.

Promotional image of the TuneIn app.

The fight for dashboard visibility continues among audio content providers. Streaming service TuneIn is now collaborating with Harman International in a partnership that targets carmakers.

“Together, Harman and TuneIn will join forces to create a pre-integrated implementation of the TuneIn app, bringing on-demand live sports, news, music, podcasts and radio to the Harman Ignite Store,” they announced.

The Ignite Store is a connected vehicle platform that Harman says lets automakers develop and operate their own in-vehicle app stores.

“Automotive manufacturers can leverage the Harman Ignite Store digital ecosystem to enable drivers to download a TuneIn app tailored to the in-car environment,” the companies stated.

“Through the app, TuneIn listeners can access audio content from around the world, while keeping their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.”

They said their scalable platform can be customized and added into an automaker’s development cycle, “allowing manufacturers to benefit from faster go-to-market timelines and gain the ability to tailor in-vehicle offerings to meet specific customer needs.”

Drivers will be offered a free trial subscription to TuneIn Premium and personalized content recommendations from the dashboard app.

The announcement was made by Harman Ignite Store VP Albert Jordan and TuneIn CEO Richard Stern.

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