Radio World

The Federal Communications Commission will amend its rules governing short-range, low-power radio services that will affect the CB radio service, general mobile radio services (GMRS) and family radio service (FRS).

At its Open Meeting on Aug. 5, the FCC ruled on three petitions for reconsideration of the 2017 Report and Order to update the commission’s Part 95 personal radio services rules. The move will allow the FM band to be used as an optional modulation scheme for all existing CB radio service channels and allow automatic or periodic location and data transmissions in the GMRS and FRS, which are sometimes used during recreational activities and during emergencies and natural disasters.

Cobra 29LTD Classic CB Radio

The commission decided the public interest would be served by adopting additional rule changes. Cobra Electronics requested the commission permit frequency modulation as an optional modulation scheme in the CB radio service. Motorola Solutions asked the commission to allow automatic or periodic location and data transmissions on GMRS and FRS frequencies. Medtronic sought the correction of typographical errors and rule changes that inadvertently altered the substance of the Medical Device Radiocommunications Service (MedRadio) rules.

When the FCC last considered changes to Part 95 rules surrounding CB radio in 2017, the commission declined to allow use of FM frequency modulation; AM amplitude modulation and SSB single side band remained the only permitted voice-emission types. At the time, the commission concluded that such a change might substantially change the character of the service.

After considering Cobra’s request, however, the commission found that permitting dual modulation will provide a significant benefit to CB radio users, giving them an additional modulation option while still maintaining the basic character of the service. “The addition of FM as a permitted mode will not result in additional interference because users who hear unintelligible audio on a particular channel can simply select another channel or switch modes,” the commission said in its most recent ruling.

The commission noted that AM and FM operations are permitted in other Part 95 services under similar technical parameters. The commission will generally apply the technical rules to FM signals as they are currently applied to AM signals for the CB Radio Service, an approach taken in other Part 95 services.

The commission also made a specific note about peak frequency deviations. In those cases, the commission said it adopted a limit of ±2 kHz due to the 10 kHz channel spacing and 8 kHz occupied bandwidth maximum in the CB radio service. Although this specific limit differs from those established in other Part 95 services (such as ±2.5 kHz for 12.5 kHz channel bandwidth in the GMRS and Multi-Use Radio Service [MURS]), it is consistent across Part 95 services considering the respective occupied bandwidths.

The commission noted that parties planning to incorporate FM mode into CB radios will need to obtain a grant of certification under the commission’s equipment authorization rules.

The commission also agreed with Motorola’s petition and concluded that public interest will be furthered by allowing automatic or periodic location and data transmission on all GMRS channels. In an emergency situation, the FCC said, an individual who is disoriented or unable to send a manual transmission could be helped by the automatic transmission of location information.

The commission also agreed to fix typographical errors, clarify language within the Part 95 rules and correct unintended substantive changes made in earlier changes as part of this petition for reconsideration.

 

The post FCC Finalizes Changes to Part 95 Rules appeared first on Radio World.

Audacy’s plan to adopt a more centralized programming system and eliminate some on-air positions may have created some controversy, but this country’s second largest radio company says its second quarter financial report shows positive news that it is emerging from the havoc created by the pandemic.

The broadcaster, which has more than 200 radio stations and rebranded itself as Audacy earlier this year, did squeeze out a second-quarter income of $1.4 million after reporting a loss in the same period a year ago. The Philadelphia-based company posted revenue of $304.5 million total for Q2, which is an increase of 73% over 2020. That was led by a 98% increase YoY in spot radio advertising to $202.8 million of revenue in Q2.

[Read: Audacy/Entercom Signs Deal With Big Sportsbook]

Digital revenues were $58.4 million and up about 41% compared to the same quarter a year prior. The company notes it has launched some 350 new digital stations available on Audacy’s digital platform. Audacy, which rebranded to better reflect its push into the audio space outside traditional terrestrial radio, has made a concerted effort to monetize its streaming audio platform.

Audacy President and CEO David Field said while the company’s broadcast segment is recovering from the pandemic, it is still being negatively impacted by other “significant disruptions” facing some large sector advertising clients.

“Our recovery is being constrained by the widely reported disruption in supply chain and labor shortages that has impacted a number of our customers, including auto, our largest category,” Field says.

Audacy has aggressively expanded into sports betting content and what is calls “wagertainment” that focuses on “all things sports betting,” according to the company. The broadcaster announced in June it was converting six broadcast stations to a sports betting format with programming provided by partner BetQL.

The broadcaster, which operates nearly 40 all-sports stations across the country, also has advertising and marketing agreements in place with sports betting platforms like BetMGM and FanDuel while naming them preferred sports betting partners.

“The sports betting business is growing at a rapid pace. We expect sports betting to grow into a $100 million category for us in a few years as legalized sports betting grows across the country,” Field said on Friday’s earnings call.

[Read: Audacy Expands BetQL Sports Betting Network]

Audacy reported total operating expenses of $286.5 million in Q2, up 29% compared to $221.4 million in the second quarter of 2020. The rise in expenses is partly due to the build out of a team of digital professionals at the corporate level. “We have digital resources at the local market level as part of station operation’s costs, but there is also a growing and increasingly significant digital team not housed at the market level and that is the most significant driver of our so-called expense growth,” said Rich Schmaeling, chief financial officer for Audacy.

The company’s recent implementation of a centralized CHR programming structure, which involves importing several DJs to multiple stations across the country, has gained considerable industry attention. The move, which was announced in July, followed a similar streamlining of Audacy’s alternative and country formats earlier this year.

There are critics of Audacy’s format reorganizations and the resulting job losses due to consolidation of on-air positions. Jerry Del Colliano, editor of the Inside Music Media newsletter, said he believes Audacy’s debt is responsible for the programming shakeups, which results in less service to listeners in local markets and hurts ratings.

“Audacy ratings have been eroding as the company has aggressively sought to regionalize its programming and fire live and local talent to save money,” Del Colliano recently wrote in his newsletter. “One thing that is a proven fact is that live and local talent almost always generates better ratings than out of market syndication, nationalization or regionalization of programming.”

Audacy has close to $2 billion in debt, according to its most recent filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company did receive a large infusion of cash in July — pegged at approximately $75 million — after it entered into a three-year “trade receivables securitization” with several banks.

 

The post Audacy Recaps Q2 Earnings appeared first on Radio World.

Having a little fun at the microphone a few years ago, during a guest appearance with the Crosley Radio Players in Terre Haute, Ind.

With our latest issue, I’m taking a moment to note my 25th anniversary of joining Radio World and to appreciate the circle of friends and colleagues who create the memories and stories we’ve shared and continue to make. 

The year 1996, in addition to being a landmark one for U.S. radio regulation, was also when I came on board here, having cut my teeth in radio newsrooms and then learning about radio technology as a sales and marketing executive on the manufacturing and dealer side of our business.

This crazy industry has changed so much since. The challenges that have faced broadcast radio stations, radio executives and radio engineers over those 25 years have been remarkable.

But so is radio’s capability for reinvention.

It has been exhilarating to guide Radio World’s content through a similar process, in partnership with the leadership of IMAS, NewBay Media and now Future, our most dynamic parent company yet.

I’m grateful to today’s business leaders who have put their trust in me, including Carmel King, Rick Stamberger, John Casey and Zillah Byng-Thorne, and to our many advertisers. I’m also privileged to work with a remarkable cadre of contributors, including a “brain trust” of engineers who have become my dear friends.

But none of it happens without you, the industry professional who reads our stories, saves our ebooks, watches our webcasts.

Whether your title is chief engineer, station owner, department head, manufacturing employee, regulator or one of any number of other key radio roles, my hope is that Radio World’s content continues to help you in your job as well as your career, keeping you informed while also entertaining you and stimulating new thinking.  

So thank you for the trust and loyalty you’ve shown to me and to Radio World in those 25 years — and here’s to many more years together.

The post 25 Years and Counting appeared first on Radio World.

The FCC Enforcement Bureau has issued a $20,000 fine against ESPN for “willfully violating the commission’s rules that prohibit the transmission of false or deceptive emergency alert system” tones during a program.

The FCC said the violation occurred during the airing of the program “30 for 30: Roll Tide/War Eagle” on Oct. 20, 2020. After receiving a complaint about the broadcast of the tones on Oct. 27, 2020, the FCC started an investigation and notified ESPN.

In a March 21 response, ESPN admitted that the tones had been broadcast but said they were part of the depiction of April 27, 2011 tornadoes “for storytelling purposes” during the documentary.

[Read: Entercom Faces Penalty for Misuse of EAS Tones in 2018]

ESPN also admitted that the transmission was not part of any actual emergency or EAS test.

The network argued, however, that the broadcast EAS tones could “not have triggered any automated relay equipment” because the portion transmitted “did not include audio frequency-shift (AFSK) tones” and that the tones appeared very briefly in the program for only 1.83 seconds.

The FCC rejected those arguments and proposed a higher fine than the $8,000 base forfeiture for section 11.45 of the commission’s rules covering violations of emergency alerts.

“The nature of EAS violations requires particularly serious consideration because, among other issues, such violations undermine the integrity of the EAS by desensitizing viewers to the potential importance of warning tones and therefore implicate substantial public safety concerns,” the FCC concluded. It also noted that ESPN had been fined in the past for violating these rules.

“Although only a single transmission was involved, given the totality of the circumstances, and consistent with the Forfeiture Policy Statement, we conclude that an $8,000 base forfeiture plus an upward adjustment in the amount of $12,000 is warranted,” the FCC concluded.

 

The post FCC Proposes a $20K Fine for ESPN appeared first on Radio World.

Florence Deusi, right, was a child bride at age 16. She talks with a Mudzi Wathu Radio youth reporter.

The U.S.-based NGO Developing Radio Partners is playing a crucial role in socioeconomic development in several African countries by using local radio to address their communities’ greatest needs.

In Malawi, DRP is closing the knowledge and information gap on sexual reproductive health with a project that helps young people know their health rights. The project, supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development, has trained more than 400 young people ages 14 to 19 to produce weekly radio programs on diverse topics related to reproductive health.

The project is aimed at making sure boys and girls understand their health rights and are aware of the reproductive health services that are available to them. DRP’s project includes partnerships with nine community-based radio stations that are focusing their weekly radio programs and public service announcements (PSAs) on topics aimed at ending child marriage and reducing rates of teen pregnancy, HIV infections and COVID-19.

The programs also encourage girls and boys to stay in school and complete their education.

In Burkina Faso, DRP trained community health workers and radio reporters to produce a weekly program that was broadcast by a community-based radio station. They believed that if local health workers delivered messages about COVID-19, the communities would pay attention and take preventive measures.

Charles Rice, DRP president and chief executive officer, says radio is how most people in Malawi and Burkina Faso get their news and information.

Internet is often nonexistent or very limited in rural areas, and television can be expensive and require electricity. Radio, on the other hand, is relatively inexpensive, and a radio set can be powered by batteries or by solar.

“We have found radio to be the best option to reach a lot of people all at once. In Malawi, for instance, our potential listening audience among the nine radio stations we work with is about 6.5 million people,” Rice said.

“We work with community radio stations because they are part of the community; they are operated by the community. They are often trusted, and the stations we work with often focus on stories that affect the community – whether it’s related to farming, public health or the environment.”

Chanco Radio RLC member Micah Mwalala reads the COVID 19 Bulletin.

Chiko Moyo, DRP’s coordinator and trainer in Malawi, works directly with the mentors, the youth reporters and the radio listening clubs at the nine partner radio stations.

“Just as an example, the youth are taught how to hold public officers accountable and they see the fruits that come out of such actions; public funds for SRH (sexual and reproductive health) are put to good use, youth arise to monitor how officers are conducting youth friendly health services, and many other things that help communities to be served better,” Moyo explains.

DRP conducts trainings on a monthly basis and sends weekly tip sheets to help youth reporters focus on specific topics for their weekly programs and PSAs. The Weekly Bulletin is researched, written, and fact-checked in Malawi; it provides background on specific issues as well as questions for the reporters to use in their programs and contact details for people to interview.

“Station partners have told us that they rely on these bulletins because they are accurate and timely — and we believe this is why their weekly radio programs are popular. Listeners know that the information they are hearing is accurate” said Mercy Malikwa, who writes the Weekly Bulletin.

DRP has been producing the Weekly Bulletin on sexual reproductive health since May 2017. It started a special weekly bulletin on COVID-19 in March 2020 and it is still being produced.

Changing behavior

The radio programs, both in Malawi and Burkina Faso, have proven to be popular with listeners as well as health officials.

“The project has tremendously improved youth reproductive health awareness and rights in the sense that we have better information dissemination through radio, and that has improved the lives of youth and changed their behavior,” said Jossein Chazala, the Youth Friendly Health Services Coordinator in Malawi’s Nkhotakota District.

In Burkina Faso, the radio program led to the creation of a health association covering 16 villages in the listening area; it comprises community leaders and local health workers who work closely with villagers to ensure everyone gets regular health checks and observes COVID-19 preventive measures.

The Malawi stations often use peer-to-peer storytelling to change behavior, and that was dramatically illustrative for Florence Deusi, who was a child bride at 16 but says the weekly youth program on her local station (Mudzi Wathu Community Radio in Mchinji in central Malawi) helped her escape her illegal marriage to a much older man.

“Whenever I was alone I could tune in to the youth program and that’s where I gathered courage to get out of the mess that I was in.”

Now 19, Florence has told her story on the program, “and I encourage girls who are in situations like me to get out of such marriages and go back to school.”

The Malawi stations have other notable successes, including a yearlong campaign by youth reporters at Chirundu Community Radio in Nkhata Bay to have an abandoned hospital converted into a vocational school teaching such skills as bricklaying, welding, and plumbing.

Women in Vithenja village listenito Nkhotakota Radio Youth Health Program in Malawi.

Also, data tracked by DRP and the stations suggests that programs and PSAs at the Mchinji station from January to March 2021 led to an eight-fold increase in the number of young people seeking HIV testing and counseling services. The station manager launched the programs after noticing a huge drop in visits related to HIV testing between October and December 2020.

After Gaka FM in Nsanje in southern Malawi began partnering with DRP in January 2021, visits to the local youth health clinic climbed 81% between January and March compared to figures from July-December 2020.

Data from the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare also suggest that there is correlation between the reduction in child marriages and the radio programs and PSAs produced by DRP-partner stations.

“Based on the data, we believe the radio programs are having a significant impact by reducing child marriages in the districts where we work and increasing the number of COVID-19 vaccinations in those districts where DRP is operating” Rice said.

Raphael Obonyo is a public policy analyst. He has served as a consultant with the United Nations and the World Bank. Also, he’s a writer and widely published in Africa and beyond. An alumnus of Duke University, he has authored and coauthored numerous books, including Conversations about the Youth in Kenya. Obonyo is a TEDx fellow and has won numerous awards. Read more articles by this author.

The post Developing Radio Partners Makes a Difference in Africa appeared first on Radio World.

iHeartMedia says it is positioned to return to revenue levels last seen in 2019 by the end of this year as the company continues to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic.

In its second quarter 2021 earnings call on Thursday the country’s largest radio broadcast company reported a 77% year-over-year revenue increase to $862 million for the quarter ending June 30.

The company’s Multiplatform Group, which includes nearly 860 radio stations, continued to rebound from the pandemic amid the return of the commercial advertising market. The company says revenues in the segment were up nearly 70% compared to the same period in 2020 to $605.8 million. For comparison, iHeartMedia disclosed revenue from the second quarter 2021 was down 21% compared to Q2 in 2019.

[Read: iHeartMedia Continues in Recovery Mode]

Specifically, radio broadcast revenue was up nearly 85% in Q2 YoY on a reported basis while iHeartMedia’s network business, which includes Premiere Networks and the Total Traffic and Weather Network, grew 28.3% compared to Q2 in 2020.

Podcasting remains a strong focus of the company. iHeartMedia Chairman and CEO Bob Pittman spent a large amount of time on Thursday’s earning’s call examining the Digital Audio Group, which includes all digital assets like podcasting. The group showed a 112% year-over-year increase in Q2 revenue to $197.9 million. Podcasting revenues were up even more at 152% compared to the same period in 2020.

iHeartMedia’s build out of its tech capabilities continues, Pittman said, but it’s not only podcasting catching the eye of advertisers. The company continues investment in the expansion of broadcast radio in digital devices, he said. “We have invested in broadcast radio to make it look like digital for the advertiser. When you look at the unique reach we have with broadcast radio and having the ability to make that digital, and put that into a digital buy, at a very efficient price,” Pittman said

The broadcaster’s Audio and Media Services segment, which includes Katz Media Group and software provider RCS, saw revenue grow by 55.9% in Q2 compared to the comparative period in prior year, as a result of the continued recovery from the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the company’s financial report filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Pittman said on Thursday’s earnings call iHeartMedia is still facing some uncertainties, but “based on what we are seeing we remain confident we will be back to 2019 adjusted EBITA levels by the end of 2021.”

The broadcaster, which emerged from bankruptcy in 2019, continues to centralize resources into its Center of Excellence; and its SEC filing on Thursday indicates the savings from the endeavor could be substantial.

iHeartMedia President/COO/CFO Rich Bressler said during Thursday’s earnings call capital expenditures will be elevated in 2021 primarily due to the proactive streamlining of the audio company’s real estate footprint. The company projects cap ex of $165 million to $185 million in 2021 and then a return to normal levels in 2022.

“The [real estate] program has made certain real estate assets redundant enabling the company to sell such assets to partially offset the initiative expenditures,” Bressler said. “The real estate program is a company wide effort to leverage new technology and adopt new best practices to make our office spaces more efficient.”

By the conclusion of the real estate project, the company experts to reduce occupied square footage and rent and related expenses by approximately 50%, Bressler said.

iHeartMedia continues to eye debt reduction, Bressler said on Thursday. The broadcaster announced in July it made a voluntary prepayment of $250 million of debt. The majority of the prepayment was used to prepay a portion of iHeartMedia’s $2.07 billion term loan, according to the iHeartMedia SEC filing. As of June 30, 2021, the company was carrying nearly $6 billion in total debt.

 

The post iHeartMedia Discloses Q2 Financial Results appeared first on Radio World.

The National Association of Broadcasters has endorsed legislation on Capitol Hill that would reestablish a Minority Tax Certificate Program.

Democratic lawmakers in both houses have introduced bills to provide a tax incentive to those who sell a majority interest in a radio or TV station to underrepresented broadcasters. NAB has long been on record as favoring such a move.

The original FCC program started in 1978 and was in place for about 17 years. “The program was highly effective in leveling the playing field for underrepresented broadcasters, increasing diverse ownership in broadcast stations by more than 550%,” NAB wrote in a policy statement. Congress repealed it in 1995.

“Reinstating the Tax Certificate Program at the FCC would encourage investment in broadcast station ownership for women and people of color and dramatically help underrepresented voices realize their dreams of radio and television station ownership,” NAB said.

It noted that supporters include the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC) and the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB).

The backers of the bills are Sens. Gary Peters of Michigan and Robert Menendez of New Jersey, and Reps. G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina and Steven Horsford of Nevada. The Senate bill is called the Broadcast VOICES Act; in the House it’s the Expanding Broadcast Opportunities Act of 2021.

President and CEO Gordon Smith released a statement: “NAB and its members are strongly committed to market-based initiatives that expand radio and television station ownership opportunities for women and people of color. A tax incentive program is a proven solution that significantly diversified the ranks of broadcast owners over its nearly two decades of existence.”

He urged swift passage of the legislation.

 

The post NAB Gives Thumbs Up to Minority Tax Bills appeared first on Radio World.

Seeking to update its political programming and recordkeeping rules, the Federal Communications Commission has opened a new notice of proposed rulemaking.

We shared the draft notice with you earlier and reported that the commission was planning to take this step; it now has done so.

This means the FCC will start taking public comments. Deadlines for those will be announced soon. The Media Bureau docket number for filing comments is 21-293.

Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has said the goal of the NPRM is to comply with statutory requirements and take into account modern campaign practices.

The NPRM would revise the definition of “legally qualified candidate for public office.” If ultimately passed, this would update the list of activities that can be considered in determining whether an individual running as a write-in has made a “substantial showing” of their candidacy. It would add the use of social media and the creation of a campaign website to the list.

The NPRM also would also revise the FCC’s political recordkeeping rules to conform with the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 to include any request for the purchase of advertising time that “communicates a message relating to any political matter of national importance” (i.e., issue ads) and specify the records that must be maintained. The commission said the current rule language does not reflect the federal law on this question.

In addition to radio and TV stations, the changes would apply to cable system operators, Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) service providers and Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service licensees.

The commission noted that it had not has done a formal review to update the political programming and recordkeeping rules in 30 years.

The post FCC Proposes Change in “Substantial Showing” appeared first on Radio World.

Radio World has gathered tips and best practices for U.S. radio stations ahead of the upcoming national EAS test.

As you probably know by now, FEMA will conduct its test of the national Emergency Alert System on Wednesday Aug. 11, 2021. It will be fed at 2:20 p.m. EDT via the Primary Entry Point (PEP) Network. (FEMA will also be testing Wireless Emergency Alerts.)

This particular EAS test will not be available on the IPAWS network, because two years ago FEMA did one that bypassed internet connectivity and found some issues on the EAS side. Now it wants to document the effectiveness of the improvements since then.

Here’s what the experts have told us:

-Start by reviewing the FCC Emergency Test Reporting System website, the one it uses each time FEMA conducts national EAS tests. The page includes key information including guidelines for filling out the three required test reporting forms.

-By now you should have filled out Form One. Make yourself a note to file Form Two immediately after the Aug. 11 test (but no later than the next day, Aug. 12) and also to file Form Three by Sept. 27. “I always recommend tackling these ETRS forms early in the allotted time windows,” says Aaron Read, IT/engineering director for The Public’s Radio in Rhode Island. Don’t wait until the last few hours or days, he said; in case of a problem on the FCC end, you’ll have time to call or email the help desk.

-All of our sources agree that you should make sure that your EAS equipment has the most current software version. Check with your manufacturer if you aren’t confident.

-Larry Wilkins of the Alabama Broadcasters Association and chair of the Alabama SECC said engineers should check their equipment for the following items:

1. Verify that you are monitoring the correct two sources, assigned by the State Emergency Communications Committee (SECC) or EAS committee. The alert will be received by the PEP station or stations in your state and relayed around the state via State Relay networks and the LP-1 and LP-2 stations in your area.
2. Verify that the audio quality of both sources are broadcast quality (no crosstalk, hum, noise, etc.) and that the levels are correct to match your program audio.
3. Verify that you are receiving the Required Weekly Test (RWT) from both monitor sources.
4. Review the incoming filter list in your equipment to ensure there is a filter labeled National Periodic Test (NPT), with the originator set to primary entry point (PEP). The location should be left blank or have 6 zeros (000000).
5. Verify that your EAS equipment has the correct date and time and is locked to a national time server.
6. Assign someone to be on hand, monitoring the over-the-air (OTA) signal at the time of the test to verify proper reception and retransmission of  the test.

(Larry’s ABA Engineering Academy also has posted a detailed video specifically to help stations prepare for this national test.)

-Manufacturer Digital Alert Systems released a preparation document to help users of its gear. It also noted, “The NPT is an occasion to perform essential checks on fundamental items, such as checking that the EAS equipment is operating, backup power is functional, the radio monitors are tuned and monitoring the appropriate sources from the state EAS plan, and the equipment’s software is updated.”

It too reminds stations to make sure their devices are synced to the correct time and time zone.

-Manufacturer Sage Alerting Systems reminded stations to check their logs to make sure they are receiving weekly tests from their monitor assignments, and that they have been originating weekly tests and relaying Monthly Tests as required by their license type.

“Make sure your ENDEC has a filter to receive and relay the NPT,” Sage wrote. “The easiest way to check this is to access your ENDEC with a web browser. From the main page, click the Tools button on the left column, then click the ‘Verify Req’ button. If you see ‘Your ENDEC will meet the FCC requirements for the National Periodic Test’ on the last line, your ENDEC is ready.”

-Another reader with experience in EAS recommends that you should monitor the Primary Entry Point even if none of your assignments are the PEP. “Obviously you still need to monitor your LP stations as assigned, but adding the PEP as an additional source is good practice. This does wonders to improve audio quality, which has been the most frequent complaint during previous tests.”

-Not specific to this test but about EAS in general, Aaron Read said, “EAS is a good place to not be cheap. Spend a little more and get the good encoder/decoders, like a Sage or DASDEC, that you can easily access and update remotely over the web. Get the good tuners like the Crown RFBA1 or the Inovonics InoMINI AM/FM/WX receivers,” he said.

“I know it’s an unfunded government mandate and that its usefulness in real terms is highly questionable for many stations across the country; so the instinct is to spend as little money on it as possible. But EAS is one of those things where the less you spend up front, the more you waste in time down the road, and the reverse is also true. And as we all know, time equals money.”

-And R. V. Zeigler, director of engineering for the Nebraska Rural Radio Association and chairman of the Nebraska SECC, offered us this series of tips:

1. If you have noise issues picking up a terrestrial PEP, Zeigler said, there are also three satellite PEPs: NPR (its Squawk channel), Premiere Networks (its FEMA channel) and Sirius/XM (its non-subscription “Barker” channel). “Communicate with your SECC regarding these options,” he said. “The FCC has approved the use of these sources in state plans.”
2. Also, Zeigler said, make sure everyone in your stations is aware of the upcoming test. “Reception may get calls. Programming as well as traffic need to be aware of the disruption in normal programming. Everyone else should know as well, in case they get questions from clients or the public at large.” Running a PSA in the days before the test can help.
3. In fact he suggests you make sure your local Public Safety Answering Point or 911 answering center is aware as well. “Sending the dispatch and emergency management supervisors a copy of the FCC announcement would be a great goodwill gesture. SECCs generally take care of this; but as JFK said, ‘There is always some poor bastard who doesn’t get the word.’”
4. When you submit Forms 2 and 3, save copies of all of forms for reference when the next NPT comes around.
5. And last, Zeigler said, relax. “If you have checked everything on your end and followed all of the ideas in this article, you have done your job. This is a test, and only a test.”

If you need more information, contact your State Emergency Communication Committee (SECC), EAS Committee or State Broadcasters Association. You can also send an email to the Federal Communications Commission EAS Test Reporting System desk to ETRS@fcc.gov.

FEMA also has a public-facing FAQ page about the test.

The post Are You Ready for the Aug. 11 National EAS Test? appeared first on Radio World.

Nielsen PPM Wristband model

In September, Nielsen will begin placing 3,000 new Portable People Meter Wearables in its pool of active PPM panelists.

“PPM Wearables feature an updated design that is smaller and more aligned with current wearable technology trends,” the research company said in the announcement.

Pendant model

“The new PPM Wearable comes in a variety of ways to wear including wristbands, clips and pendants, which are more appealing among demographics that typically have lower compliance. In addition, a new companion app will help improve communication, encourage participation and enable data transmission when the device is outside the home.”

It said the companion app will allow it to add features and adapt to technology trends more seamlessly.

The designs were first introduced in 2019 at the NAB Show. This week’s announcement was made by Mainak Mazumdar, Nielsen’s chief research and data officer.

The new PPMs are seen by Nielsen as providing “foundational support” for its work toward Nielsen One, a platform that it hopes someday will deliver “a single, deduplicated metric for media consumption” across TV, digital and audio, which includes radio.

Clip-on model

There are about 60,000 active PPM panelists, so the first batch will be used by a subset of that population. The company said it will share top line findings in the second quarter of next year for the subset phase, and a full rollout of PPM Wearables in new panel households is planned for the second half of 2022.

“PPM Wearables have been through a series of rigorous tests and the system has performed very well in each phase,” it stated. “These tests included lab, focus group and dual-carry testing that measure how the wearables detect codes versus the current PPM among the same panelists.”

Portable People Meters are used by Nielsen in measuring audiences for audio, including radio, as well as local and national TV. First developed by Nielsen predecessor Arbitron, PPMs are carried by people in the Nielsen panels in larger markets to measure exposure to media.

[Related: “Nielsen Releases PPM Software Encoder for FMs”]

 

The post Meet Nielsen’s New PPM “Wearables” appeared first on Radio World.

A view from the floor of the Texas Association of Broadcasters annual convention.

The Texas Association of Broadcasters said attendance at its two-day annual convention this week was slightly over 1,000, “more than we anticipated and not too far from our normal attendance of 1,400,” according to a spokeswoman.

The event was one of the first in-person conferences for the broadcast industry since the pandemic hit the United States 17 months ago. It was held the JW Marriott in downtown Austin.

Other state associations having annual events in the next five or six weeks include those in Nebraska, Vermont and Wisconsin, as reported on the Radio World events calendar. The Alabama Broadcasters Association postponed its August event to January, as we reported yesterday.

Photos provided by Radio World’s John Casey or the Texas Association of Broadcasters.

From the floor of the Texas Association of Broadcasters 2021 annual convention – the crew manning the Lawo booth, left, and Paul Stewart of Summit Technology Group, right.

 

The post TAB Show Draws 1,000 to Austin appeared first on Radio World.

The National Association of Broadcasters released the list of finalists for the 2021 NAB Marconi Radio Awards.

The awards honor stations, managers and air personalities for excellence in broadcasting. Winners will be announced at the fall Radio Show in Las Vegas in October.

This year’s NAB Marconi Radio Award finalists are:

LEGENDARY STATION OF THE YEAR
WNCX-FM, Cleveland, OH
WSB-AM, Atlanta, GA
KIIS-FM, Los Angeles, CA
KYGO-FM, Denver, CO
WHUR-FM, Washington, DC

LEGENDARY MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Ben Downs, Bryan Broadcasting
Joel Oxley, WTOP-FM
Joe Bell, Beasley Media Group
Ben Mevorach, WINS-AM
Mimi Brown, WEQX-FM

NETWORK/SYNDICATED PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
DL Hughley, Reach Media, Inc.
George Noory, Premiere Networks
Rickey Smiley, Reach Media, Inc.
DJ Digital – XXL Higher Level Radio, Townsquare Media Group
Ace & TJ Button, iHeartRadio

MAJOR MARKET PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Joe Soto, WVAZ-FM, Chicago, IL
Ellen K, KOST-FM, Los Angeles, CA
The Musers, Dunham, Miller & Keith, KTCK-AM, Dallas, TX
Melissa Forman, WLIT-FM, Chicago, IL
Hawkeye in the Morning, KSCS-FM, Dallas, TX

LARGE MARKET PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Jack Harris, WFLA-AM, Tampa, FL
Ann Kelly, WDUV-FM, Tampa Bay, FL
C4 and Bryan Nehman, WBAL-AM, Baltimore, MD
Mike Calta, WHPT-FM, St. Petersburg, FL
Dan Mandis, WWTN-FM, Nashville, TN

MEDIUM MARKET PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Dan Potter, KRMG-FM, Tulsa, OK
Kevin Miller, KIDO-AM, Boise, ID
Harlen the Sports Guy and Pigskin Bob, KYKX-FM, Tyler, TX
Simon Conway, WHO-AM, Des Moines, IA
Buzz Jackson, KIIM-FM, Tucson, AZ

SMALL MARKET PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Cosmo and Lauren, KTXY-FM, Columbia, MO
Chris and Rosie, WUSQ-FM, Winchester, VA
John Raynar, KKHJ-FM, Pago Pago, AS
Brian Lee and Chris Wolfe, KZOQ-FM, Missoula, MT
Frito and Katy, KNDE-FM, College Station, TX

MAJOR MARKET STATION OF THE YEAR
WQHT-FM, New York, NY
WKYS-FM, Washington, DC
WBZ-FM, Boston, MA
KYW-AM, Philadelphia, PA
WINS-AM, New York, NY

LARGE MARKET STATION OF THE YEAR
KTMY-FM, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
WALK-FM, Long Island, NY
WTMJ-AM, Milwaukee, WI
WVKL-FM, Norfolk, VA
WKRQ-FM, Cincinnati, OH

MEDIUM MARKET STATION OF THE YEAR
WSGW-AM, Saginaw/Bay City, Midland, MI
KRMG-FM, Tulsa, OK
WHO-AM, Des Moines, IA
WHBC-AM, Canton, OH
WERO-FM, New Bern, NC

SMALL MARKET STATION OF THE YEAR
KVOM-FM, Little Rock-Pine Bluff, AR
WJJY-FM, Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN
WFMD-AM, Frederick, MD
WTAW-AM, College Station, TX
WNRP-AM, Pensacola, FL

BEST RADIO PODCAST OF THE YEAR
“We Need to Talk,” WGTS-FM, Washington, DC
“Pregnancy Pearls,” Audacy
“Garage Logic,” Hubbard Radio
“Purple Daily,” KSTP-AM, Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN
“Outkick the Coverage with Clay Travis,” Premiere Radio Networks

AC STATION OF THE YEAR
WLTW-FM, New York, NY
WTMX-FM, Chicago, IL
WREW-FM, Cincinnati, OH
KSTP-FM, St. Paul, MN
KOIT-FM, San Francisco, CA

CHR STATION OF THE YEAR
KNDE-FM, College Station, TX
KTXY-FM, Columbia, MO
WHTZ-FM, New York, NY
WPOI-FM, St. Petersburg, FL
WBLI-FM, Long Island, NY

CLASSIC HITS STATION OF THE YEAR
KRTH-FM, Los Angeles, CA
WOGL-FM, Philadelphia, PA
WCBS-FM, New York, NY
WMGK-FM, Philadelphia, PA
WXGL-FM, St. Petersburg, FL

COLLEGE RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR
WRHU-FM, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY
WMSC-FM, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ
WRRC-FM, Rider University, Lawrenceville, NJ
WPSC-FM, William Patterson University, Wayne, NJ
WSOU-FM, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ

COUNTRY STATION OF THE YEAR
WYCT-FM, Pensacola, FL
WXFL-FM, Florence, AL
KNUC-FM, Seattle, WA
KCLR-FM, Columbia, MO
WYCD-FM, Detroit, MI

NEWS/TALK STATION OF THE YEAR
WSB-AM, Atlanta, GA
WTOP-FM, Washington, DC
KSSZ-FM, Columbia, MO
WLW-AM, Cincinnati, OH
KNX-AM, Los Angeles, CA

RELIGIOUS STATION OF THE YEAR
WGRB-AM, Chicago, IL
KKJM-FM, St. Cloud, MN
WGTS-FM, Washington, DC
KLTY-FM, Dallas, Fort Worth, TX
KFIA-AM, Sacramento, CA

ROCK STATION OF THE YEAR
KLOS-FM, Los Angeles, CA
WPLR-FM, New Haven, CT
WGBF-FM, Evansville, IN
WIYY-FM, Baltimore, MD
KCMQ-FM, Columbia, MO

SPANISH STATION OF THE YEAR
KLLI-FM, Los Angeles, CA
WXNY-FM, New York, NY
KLNV-FM, San Diego, CA
WLZL-FM, Washington, DC

SPORTS STATION OF THE YEAR
WMFS-FM, Memphis, TN
KXNO-AM, Des Moines, IA
WIP-FM, Philadelphia, PA
KTCK-AM, Dallas, TX
WXYT-FM, Detroit, MI

URBAN STATION OF THE YEAR
WALR-FM, Atlanta, GA
WGCI-FM, Chicago, IL
WEDR-FM, Miami, FL
WWPR-FM, New York, NY
WMBX-FM, West Palm Beach, FL

 

The post NAB Announces Marconi Radio Award Finalists appeared first on Radio World.

The Society of Broadcast Engineers wants to make sure that a new wireless mic technology, if allowed by the Federal Communications Commission, won’t cause spectrum havoc.

The SBE has submitted detailed comments about proposed changes to Part 74 rules that would allow the use of Wireless Multi-Channel Audio Systems in broadcast TV bands and other Part 74 bands on a licensed basis.

WMAS systems have been proposed by wireless mic manufacturers like Sennheiser and Shure, and the FCC has an notice of proposed rulemaking open, asking for comments about them.

The engineering society told the commission it is “not opposed to the use of WMAS technology in the subject allocations,” but it said the use of WMAS in existing wireless microphone and low-power auxiliary service allocations should be subject to coordination with SBE local market frequency coordinators.

It also said WMAS systems should be operated only on a non-interference basis to incumbent wireless mic technologies, especially at UHF, “so as to not reduce further the nominal, residual UHF spectrum available for current technology wireless microphones.”

SBE also said WMAS should not be viewed as a replacement for conventional narrowband systems.

“Finally, the commission should carefully test and evaluate the increase in the noise floor that might result from the overlay of WMAS on incumbent narrowband wireless mic operation, and the effect of any such noise floor increases on the latter facilities,” it wrote.

“Reportedly, WMAS has a greater potential for interference than does current narrowband wireless mic technology, and WMAS has not been shown to be compatible with the large deployment of narrowband wireless microphones.”

SBE said it endorses the FCC’s efforts to encourage spectrum efficiency in the “extremely limited BAS allocations” available for wireless mics and other auxiliary facilities. “However, SBE urges that the commission not view this proceeding as a sufficient response to the critical shortage in available spectrum for wireless microphones, especially in the UHF television bands.”

Its full filing goes into detail about the recent history of spectrum management affecting wireless microphones. [Read the filing.]

SBE concludes: “We are hopeful that the commission will recognize that the authorization of WMAS must be done carefully so as to not further disrupt incumbent narrowband wireless mic operation, especially at UHF, and that the commission should establish as a high priority to make further accommodation for continued UHF wireless microphone and LPAS operation … Moreover, the commission should require that all users of WMAS technology participate in the frequency coordination process established as a service to the industry by SBE prior to commencement of operation at any given location.”

As we reported yesterday, the National Association of Broadcasters gave cautious support to the proposed use of WMAS, calling on the FCC to allow it on a “secondary basis” with “prudent restrictions” on its operations.

The post SBE: New Wireless Systems Need Frequency Coordination appeared first on Radio World.

A graphic on the WideOrbit website depicts the Electronic Material Instructions process.

WideOrbit announced a new release of its WO Traffic ad sales and commercial operations platform for broadcasters.

“The newest release of WO Traffic marks a significant milestone in the industry with the introduction of the Electronic Material Instructions module, the first automated solution to address the long-standing need to simplify and streamline the material instructions process,” it stated in a press release.

The licensed module integrates with several material instructions providers including ECN, PremiumMedia360, ITN Networks and SpotGenie. More integrations are planned, including Warren Lamb and vCreative.

“These integrations simplify the exchange of new and revised material instructions, helping broadcasters reduce errors (and costly makegoods) while increasing staff productivity,” the company stated.

WO Traffic v21.0 has other enhancements including more intuitive log editing functionality, a customizable Inventory Analysis Report and improved New Orders navigation with easier property location and selection.

The announcement was made by Chief Product Officer Will Offeman, who called the EMI module “a significant step forward in automation for what was previously a highly manual process.”

Info: www.wideorbit.com

The post WideOrbit Releases WO Traffic v21.0 appeared first on Radio World.

Radio World’s Buyer’s Guide section turns each summer to the important category of codecs and related products used for remote broadcasting, STLs and infrastructure planning. Read about the latest from AEQ, Angry Audio, Barix, Comrex, Ferncast, GatesAir, Telos Alliance, Tieline, WorldCast and 2wcom.

Also, Ryan Star of Stationhead explains why he thinks the future of radio is in social audio. The Federal Communications Commission looks at possible changes to several radio technical rules. Clay Freinwald will ease back in his duties at the Washington state SECC. And Workbench has a tip about keeping bees out of your feed horn.

Read the issue.

The post Inside the Aug. 4, 2021 Issue of Radio World appeared first on Radio World.

John Whittingdale

The United Kingdom’s Office of Communications is asking for comments about its plan to relicense the country’s two national commercial radio DAB multiplex licenses.

Ofcom is hoping to gather opinions from stakeholders about different roadmaps to renew the national commercial digital radio licenses held by Digital One Limited and Sound Digital Limited. Together those organizations provide access to 40 free-to-air commercial digital radio stations across the nation.

Digital One Limited launched in 1999 and carries three national analog commercial services — Classic FM, TalkSport and Absolute Radio — as well as 17 other services, reaching around 91% of UK homes. Sound Digital Limited launched in 2016 and currently reaches 83% of UK homes. The Digital One license is set to expire in November 2023 while the Sound Digital license will expire March 2028.

The aim of the review is to seek views and collect information in an effort to better inform decisions about the licensing process, said John Whittingdale, OBE MP, minister of State for Media and Data for the UK, who posted a wide-ranging document on the issue. It describes the policy and regulatory issues, lists policy options for consultation and sets out a series of key questions.

He said the goal is come up with a plan that will clarify that the relicensing process for these national radio multiplexes works in the best interests of the commercial radio industry and audiences across the UK.

“We believe it is appropriate to give consideration to the policy on the licensing and renewal of the national DAB multiplex licenses to give the commercial radio operators who use these networks clarity and certainty about the future of the platform and ensure there is no disruption of the services broadcast on the network,” he wrote.

The department is seeking views on three potential options: one, to allow the two licenses to expire and be re-advertised through an open competition every 12 years; two, to amend the Broadcasting Act of 1996 and allow both companies to renew their license until December 2035; or three, amend the broadcasting act so that both licenses have a matching expiry date of December 2030.

A longer renewal term would provide national broadcasters and license holders with stability that in turn would help support the government objective to support a listener-led transition of radio to digital, he said.

A shorter license renewal term would harmonize the expiration dates and allow for a more strategic approach to be taken in regard to the use of broadcast spectrum by commercial radio in the 2030s; for example by allocating more spectrum to national, local or small scale DAB services.

The department is also seeking views on other issues such as whether a renewed license should include obligations for a higher level of DAB coverage, and whether in offering a renewal to 2030 or 2035 there is need for a mechanism to protect stations that are carried on either multiplex from future carriage fees charged by the national commercial radio multiplex operators.

The review period is open now and runs until Sept. 14. Responses can be sent to nationalmultiplexconsultation2021@dcms.gov.uk.

The post UK Looking for Opinions on Relicensing of DAB Radio Licenses appeared first on Radio World.

COVID has disrupted another broadcast event. The Alabama Broadcasters Association has postponed its annual conference until January.

“While we are disappointed to have to make this change, it is in everyone’s best interest,” ABA stated in an email. “The surge in the rate of infections and hospitalizations has to be addressed. We’ll all do our part and put off our gathering for a few more months.”

The conference was to have been held Aug. 13 and 14. It will now be held on Jan. 21 and 22 at Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa in Birmingham.

Companies of interest to Radio World readers that were listed as exhibitors for the event include BGS, Bonneville Distribution, Dielectric, GatesAir, Nautel, RCS, SCMS, Shively, Telos Alliance and Tieline.

The association said people who have already registered can email ABA either to hold the registration for January or request a refund.

Meanwhile, 680 miles to the southwest, the Texas Association of Broadcasters opened its two-day convention and trade show in Austin on Tuesday.

The post Alabama Broadcast Conference Postponed appeared first on Radio World.

The National Association of Broadcasters supports the proposed use of a new wireless microphone technology if the Federal Communications Commission allows it on a “secondary basis” with “prudent restrictions” on its operations.

The technology is called the Wideband Multichannel Audio System. It was first proposed by Sennheiser and is being actively supported by Shure, which has made several presentations to FCC staff about it.

The commission has been taking comments on whether WMAS technology should be granted on a licensed basis in frequency bands where wireless mics are already authorized. This includes TV bands, the 600 MHz duplex gap and in portions of the 900 MHz, 1.4 GHz and 7 GHz bands. The NPRM also looks at using WMAS on an unlicensed basis.

In comments filed Monday, the NAB said WMAS could help relieve spectrum congestion in situations where a large number of wireless microphones are needed.

But because WMAS “has a greater potential for interference and is not compatible with legacy narrowband wireless microphone deployments,” NAB said, the FCC should put restrictions in place to “help reduce the potential for interference to primary spectrum users and to ensure that spectrum efficiency is actually improved.”

[Read the full filing.]

Notably, the NAB says the commission should limit WMAS operations to large events.

“WMAS systems occupy more spectrum than traditional wireless microphone systems. As a result, the use of WMAS systems has a preclusive effect on traditional systems where spectrum is limited. For example, if there is only a single 6 MHz TV channel available for use at a breaking news event, one news crew using a WMAS system could occupy the entire channel and prevent coverage by other news organizations.”

So the association said the commission should limit use of the technology to situations where a large number of audio channels are needed and all channels are under control of one entity, such as arena concerts, big sporting events, TV and movie production and major theatrical shows. It suggested that an appropriate threshold would be 10 audio channels in use by a single entity.

“As an added measure, NAB suggests the commission only authorize WMAS base stations that are designed to prevent transmission when fewer than 10 paired audio devices are detected.”

NAB also said the FCC should require a minimum efficiency of six audio channels per megahertz.

“The commission’s proposal of at least three audio channels per megahertz appears to represent no meaningful efficiency improvement, particularly if the audio channels are not of broadcast or production/performance quality. … Based upon marketing information from one of the petitioners, existing digital wireless microphone systems can support at least 47 audio channels in a six MHz RF channel, albeit with some restrictions, corresponding to a spectrum efficiency of 7.8 channels per MHz. NAB understands that WMAS can support up to 64 audio channels in 6 MHz of RF bandwidth, corresponding to an efficiency of 10.7 channels per MHz. A baseline efficiency requirement for WMAS of six channels per MHz would thus represent an improvement upon what is available using existing technologies but be comfortably below the theoretical maximum efficiency of WMAS technology.”

The association asked the commission to restrict WMAS eligibility to Part 74 licensees and to limit the new systems to 6 MHz bandwidth.

And NAB agrees with an FCC proposal to limit these systems to 250 mW EIRP in the UHF television bands, regardless of the bandwidth of the WMAS operation.

“NAB believes this 250 mW power level would be sufficient power to accommodate a large number of WMAS audio devices while reasonably limiting the co-channel interference potential to that of conventional wireless microphone deployments. An EIRP limit of 250 mW also maintains the necessary protection of WMAS to television stations operating on adjacent channels.”

 

The post NAB Supports WMAS, With Restrictions appeared first on Radio World.

College sports media company Learfield IMG College is simplifying its name. It will now be called Learfield.

The name Learfield derives from co-founders Clyde Lear and Derry Brownfield, who started a farm radio network in Missouri in 1972. A series of business combinations and acquisitions had led to the most recent name, Learfield IMG College.

The company is a media and technology services supplier in intercollegiate athletics; its specialties include sports multimedia rights, licensing, technology and data.

“We think the new brand visually distinguishes the company in the same way that the expertise and passion of our people differentiate the experience of working with Learfield and its affiliated brands,” said CEO Cole Gahagan in the announcement.

The change includes a new logo. “The icon represents the ‘pennant’ prominent in company logomarks combined with a stylized ‘number one’ to create an active L design,” according to the announcement.

[Related story: Randy Williams of Learfield, shown below, talks about gear in our special series on microphones in radio applications.]

Randy Williams with some of his favorite gear.

The post Learfield IMG College Is Now Simply Learfield appeared first on Radio World.

Black Lion Audio has launched its PG-P Portable Power Conditioner, built around its proprietary PG-P portable filtering technology.

It says the aim is to provide the same level of noise filtering as found in rack-mount power conditioners.

Black Lion says that the power conditioner is built using Panasonic capacitors, selected to help eliminate high-frequency noise. As a result, the unit provides studio-grade power-on-the-go via six wall-wart-spaced outlets, as well as Ground OK, Protection On and Clean Power On LEDs.

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

PG-P is available to purchase through Black Lion Audio’s global network of dealers/distributors with a MAP of $69.

The unit comes on the heels of the new PG-2, a pro power conditioner that Black Lion recently introduced, offering a 120 V Power Grid of 14 outlets in a 2U rack-mountable chassis.

The PG-2 sports proprietary PG-99 Filtering Technology, alongside a suite of status and alert capabilities, all of which Black Lion says helps the unit provide an average of 99.7% of noise filtering.

The power conditioner features Panasonic and Wimi capacitors, and offers filtration with a reported power absorption rating of 2,775 joules. Also, the PG-2 features a bank of 12 switched, filtered, and surge-protected outlets on its back panel arranged as three groups — four digital audio outlets, four analog audio outlets and four high current outlets.

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

Info: www.blacklionaudio.com

 

The post Black Lion Audio Launches PG-P Portable Power Conditioner appeared first on Radio World.