In January, Joe D’Angelo appeared on the InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, to offer some key takeaways from CES 2021.
Today, the SVP of Broadcast at the parent of both DTS and HD Radio is here to offer a preview of sorts for CES 2022, which includes a January 6 invitation-only Radio Reception presented in part by Xperi.
ALEXANDRIA, VA. — The AWARN Alliance has elected the chair and vice chair of its AWARN Steering Committee for 2022.
John Taylor, Senior Vice President of LG Electronics North America, will serve another term as chairman. Jim DeChant, Vice President of Technology for News-Press & Gazette Broadcasting, will return as AWARN vice chair.
The AWARN Steering Committee serves as the governing body of the AWARN Alliance.
Also elected to serve on the Steering Committee are:
Bischoff and Sockett were re-elected to another term.
Other members of the Steering Committee are:
“2022 is shaping up as a year when things start coming together for AWARN,” said AWARN Executive Director John Lawson. “With over 60 markets on the air with ATSC 3.0 and Sinclair launching the first advanced alerting app in Washington, DC, we expect to see further progress toward development of advanced alerting and continuing emergency messaging with NEXTGEN TV.”
Lawson added that AWARN will continue to focus on the institutional and human side for the development of what it calls “next generation emergency messaging,” or NGEM.
At the end of January, AWARN and partner organizations will co-host a roundtable discussion at KEYT-3 in Santa Barbara, Calif., with TV station GMs, news directors, local emergency managers and other alert originators from across Southern California.
KEYT is owned by News-Press & Gazette Co.
“The goal of the Santa Barbara Roundtable is to explore the creation of NGEM, which is really a voluntary, interoperable ‘network of networks.’ We plan for this to be the first of several regional roundtables across the county in the coming year,” Lawson said.
“As many people are not attending CES, NAGRA is scheduling virtual meetings to share their news.”
That’s the somber news from the portable audio recorder company based in Switzerland, as the rapid increase in cases of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus has increased the threat of lower attendance to the upcoming event.
The choice of a virtual session or an in-person meeting may become standard for all CES 2022 attendees, as the Las Vegas mega-conference’s chances of even being held at all are now in question.
For NAGRA, interested CES attendees that wish to go with a virtual meeting can use this link: Book NAGRA meeting (Virtual, Zoom)
For those attending CES, one can book a meeting with NAGRA at its meeting suite by using this link: Book NAGRA meeting at CES meeting suite
The highlights of NAGRA’s showcase at CES 2022 include:
The nation’s dominant audience measurement and consumer data analytics firm has said it will reveal “a major step” toward its single cross-platform measurement product by showcasing its newest offering — “deduplicate ad measurement.”
It gets its debut under the Nielsen ONE Alpha banner at CES 2022 in Las Vegas.
Alpha is the first iteration of Nielsen ONE, a company spokesperson says. It will continue to evolve with new feature additions, enhancements, and model improvements leading up to the launch of Nielsen ONE in the fourth quarter of 2022.
Joining in the launch are The Walt Disney Company and MAGNA, in addition to “several agencies, advertisers and publishers” as Nielsen ONE Alpha participants from both the buy and sell sides of the industry.
“There’s a critical need for the evolution of measurement to truly reflect audiences and engagement, and Disney is uniquely positioned to help define and develop that roadmap,” said Julie DeTraglia, Head of Research, Insights and Analytics, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution.
Nielsen ONE Alpha will be specific to ad campaigns, unveiling what the company claims is “the first cross-platform measurement system of its kind that offers both comparability and audience deduplication across all screens (linear TV, connected TV, computer and mobile).”
Nielsen continues, “Media buyers and sellers will for the first time have the most holistic view of their ads across consumer delivery systems and platforms in a harmonized and holistic manner—crucial as the linear and digital landscapes continue to rapidly converge. The deduplicated ad measurement metrics account for age and gender information.”
Nielsen COO Karthik Rao added, “All our hard work this past year has positioned us to take this significant step in fundamentally changing the game and providing the industry with what it wants, needs and deserves. We are on track to deliver our single cross-platform measurement solution in the fourth quarter of 2022, as planned and in a manner that will support the $100 billion video advertising ecosystem. The Alpha launch serves as a clear proof point in our ability to deliver and we are working closely with a diverse group of clients on this important step. In fact, Nielsen ONE will bring together all the intelligence we have to date in order to help clients capitalize on consumers’ rapidly shifting media habits.”
Tightrope Media Systems, developers of the Cablecast Community Media broadcast automation, playout and content publishing platform, has hired a “PEG” media executive as the new Vice President of its Cablecast business unit.
In this newly created position, Dana Healy will oversee Cablecast sales and operations. She will also work closely with the marketing team to connect with all Cablecast customers on an ongoing basis. Healy will start the new role on January 3, 2022.
“As a user of Cablecast products for many years, I can see how passionate they are about their customers and the market,” she said. “I’m excited to be joining a company that truly believes in going above and beyond for their users, and proud to serve the PEG community alongside colleagues so dedicated to preserving community media. I look forward to chatting with customers about PEG strategies at upcoming trade shows and industry events.”
Cablecast Community Media President Steve Israelsky commented, “Dana’s skills and experience make her a perfect fit for this key leadership role. Having worked within community media organizations for over two decades, she has unique insights into their needs and the challenges they face in the evolving media landscape. We are constantly striving to improve our engagement with our customers and the PEG market at large, and we’re thrilled to have Dana join our team to help us achieve these goals.”
— Brian Galante
How big could political advertising be for local advertising in 2022?
It could very well make next year a banner one for linear and digital media focused on local consumers, newly revised data from BIA Advisory Services show.
In fact, BIA believes its total estimate for 2022 will be $11.8 billion than its previous forecast.
Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senators Roy Blunt and Ron Wyden have come together to propose legislation that, if passed, would strengthen spectrum rights for some low power television (LPTV) stations.
In particular, the “Low Power Protection Act” would open up a filing window qualifying LPTV stations to apply for and receive Class A status. The NAB is supportive of this bill.
“Local television stations play a unique and critical role in their communities, keeping viewers informed, entertained, and alerted in an emergency,” said Blunt. “The Low Power Protection Act would help ensure smaller stations, especially those in Missouri’s rural areas, are able to continue providing coverage that people depend on. I appreciate Senator Wyden’s partnership in this effort and the strong support the bill has received from local, state, and national broadcasters.”
The bill came on a day when Springfield, Mo., became the latest market to rollout NEXTGEN TV. Among the stations using the ATSC 3.0-powered technology is Gray Television’s low-powered ABC affiliate serving the market.
“Low power television stations provide diverse, locally-oriented broadcasting in small communities across Oregon, especially in rural and remote areas of our state,” said Wyden. “I’m proud to join my colleague Senator Blunt in introducing this common-sense, bipartisan bill to empower LPTV stations that serve their communities.”
LPTV stations usually provide locally-oriented or specialized service in their communities. However, LPTV is currently considered a secondary broadcast service by the FCC. As such, LPTV licensees are not granted protections from harmful interference or displacement, and must accept harmful interference or displacement from full power television stations.
In 1999, in an effort to protect LPTV stations from harmful interference or displacement during the transition from analog to digital broadcasting, Congress passed the Community Broadcaster Protection Act (CBPA). The law created the “Class A” station status, and opened a one-time filing window for stations to apply. CBPA directed that Class A licensees be subject to the same license terms and renewal standards as full power television licensees, and that Class A licensees be accorded primary status as television broadcasters as long as they continue to meet the requirements set forth in the statute.
Blunt and Wyden’s Low Power Protection Act would require the FCC to open a new filing window during which qualifying LPTV stations could apply for and receive Class A status.
Class A status would protect LPTV stations from being bumped off-air by harmful interference. That, in turn, “will help ensure they are able to continue providing local coverage, and allow them to better protect existing investment and incentivize further investment in their stations and communities,” the senators say.
Frank Copsidas, Founder and President of the recently formed LPTV Broadcasters Association, says his advocacy group strongly endorses the bill.
“It is an essential, meaningful initiative to serve the public interest,” he said. “The Act is cited as ‘The Low Power Protection Act’ and a key word is ‘protection.’ Much attention has been given to encouraging support for local journalism and jobs, and protecting television stations for the viewers they serve. Secure, trusted local news and culturally diverse content is the foundation of the programming that our members uniquely broadcast on a daily basis. Simply stated, this bill allows LPTV stations to grow to the next level in serving the public interest with both protection of broadcast coverage area and the ability to secure crucial small business financing. The LPTV Broadcasters Association on behalf of its members around the country is committed to seeing this legislation be passed.”
The NAB also took a moment to applaud the bill’s introduction, as it would offer “some community-oriented low power television stations a long-overdue opportunity to gain important interference protections. Millions of viewers across the country rely on LPTVs for local news, weather, community affairs and emergency information, particularly in rural areas and smaller markets. This legislation would ensure Americans’ access to these vital stations and provide assurance that their signals can remain on the air. Broadcasters thank Sens. Wyden and Blunt for their efforts to help LPTVs and their viewers, and we support swift passage of this bill.”
The state broadcasters associations of Oregon and Missouri also support the bill as does the National Hispanic Media Coalition.
For NHMC President/CEO Brenda Victoria Castillo, “Negative portrayals of the Latinx community and the perceptions that come from them are often due to the appallingly low levels of Latinx broadcast and media ownership. Low power television (LPTV) broadcasters tend to provide more unique and diverse programming directly to Latinx and marginalized communities, but often find their frequencies assigned to larger operators that disregard diversity. NHMC is proud to support the Low Power Protection Act–a solution that promotes media diversity by empowering LPTV broadcasters as Class-A licensees.”
— Additional reporting by Adam Jacobson, in Boca Raton, Fla.
Four broadcast TV stations serving Southwest Missouri have become the first in the market to offer local viewers NEXTGEN TV stations.
The launch of the ATSC 3.0-powered signals involves Nexstar Media Group’s local stations in Springfield, Mo., and the Mission Broadcasting property Nexstar operates.
The Springfield market launch includes Mission-owned CBS affiliate KOLR-10; Nexstar-owned FOX affiliate KRBK-TV and MyNetwork TV affiliate KOZL-TV; and Gray Television‘s KSPR-LD 33, the market’s ABC affiliate.
KOZL is the “lighthouse” station for the NEXTGEN TV signals.
BitPath, which is developing new data broadcasting services, led the planning process
and deployment efforts across the four television stations.
Gordon Smith isn’t the only radio industry leader saying farewell to his longtime role come January 1, 2022.
The current CEO of Salem Media Group is stepping aside and will transition to the newly created role of Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Who will succeed Ed Atsinger III as Salem’s Chief Executive Officer? Look no further than its President of Broadcast Media.
With Atsinger’s transition, Salem’s Board of Directors has appointed David Santrella to become Chief Executive Officer.
There’s more shifting in the Salem C-Suite: David Evans, Salem’s President of Digital Media and Publishing, is being promoted position of Chief Operating Officer.
Meanwhile, the current Chairman of Salem’s Board of Directors, Stuart W. Epperson Sr., will resign and transition to the position of Chairman Emeritus on January 1.
As such, son Stuart W. Epperson Jr. will join the Board of Directors, filling the vacancy created by his father’s departure.
“These changes reflect the Board’s ongoing succession planning and are designed to provide leadership continuity as the company continues to execute its strategic initiatives,” the company says.
Since founding Salem in 1974, Atsinger, along with his brother-in-law, the elder Epperson, has grown the company from a single radio station into a multimedia company specializing in Christian and conservative spoken word content.
To be certain, Atsinger will continue to be engaged full-time and focus more of his attention on macro strategy and planning, M&A, external relationships, government affairs and leadership development. “This will allow the company to continue to benefit from Mr. Atsinger’s decades of experience and skills,” the company said on Monday afternoon.
“I am pleased to serve as Executive Chairman and to oversee the succession to the next generation of leadership of our company,” Atsinger said in prepared comments. “I am looking forward to working with the executive team to continue Salem’s vitally important mission of serving the media needs of the audiences interested in Christian content and public policy programming with a traditional conservative focus.”
Atsinger continued that, in his view, Salem is “well-positioned for continued growth into the future.” As such, he said, “now is the right time to take the next step in implementing our long-term leadership transition.”
He concluded, “Most of all, I am blessed to lead our talented and dedicated team. I am extremely proud of Salem’s employees and personalities who create and distribute the content that allows us to serve our loyal and dedicated audience of listeners, readers, and now viewers. It is this talented team that has allowed Salem to become the business it is today. Building and expanding this platform over nearly 50 years has been and will continue to be the focus of my life’s work.”
Commenting on his promotion, Santrella said, “I am deeply honored to have been appointed as Salem’s next CEO. I look forward to working in close partnership with David Evans to take advantage of the tremendous opportunities that exist in today’s media landscape, to further the mission of our company and to grow our business. I am blessed that I will have Ed alongside me in my new role.”
Evans added, “I am looking forward to working together with Dave and the rest of our talented leadership team as we further combine traditional media and digital media in new transformative ways. We have a substantial and passionate audience that accesses our content and brands in many ways and we’re focused on ensuring they can enjoy it and engage with us across multiple platforms.”
The senior Epperson, who has served as Salem’s Chairman of the Board of Directors since going public, said, “Our Board of Directors has engaged in thoughtful long-term succession planning, and today’s announcement demonstrates the strength of that process as well as the depth of talent at the executive management level to drive the company’s continued growth and success. I am confident that David Santrella and David Evans are perfectly qualified to continue working with Edward and the rest of the management team to build on our success and drive Salem into the next phase of its growth.”
What is the status of the implementation of the Television Viewer Protection Act of 2019 (TVPA)?
The Media Bureau would really like to know, and is inviting comment from “interested parties” in regard to the latest in a series of Congressional actions that have revised the Communications Act of 1934 with the intent to “encourage competition and establish parameters for the carriage of television broadcast stations by multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs).”
Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)
Want to chime in on MB Docket No. 21-422?
You have more time to do so, as the Media Bureau has just extended the comment and reply comment deadlines for its FM Directional Antenna Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM).
Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)
Gray Television is closing out 2021 with another deal. While it is hardly the size of its Quincy Media, Inc., or Meredith Local Media transactions, it is certainly worth noting.
The company co-led by Pat LaPlatney and Hilton Howell Jr. is scooping up five licensed low-power TV stations and a single Construction Permit. The seller: Jeff Winemiller.
Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)
Should a low-power TV station Construction Permit be able to relocate without any restrictions, making them as lucrative as ever to potential buyers?
One licensee says yes, and has filed a Petition for Reconsideration with the Commission with the intent of undoing a special condition given to his LPTV’s CP that must keep it in place for at least one year before any possible move can be made.
Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)
With 11 days remaining in the 2021 calendar year, the busy team at BIA Advisory Services on Monday (12/20) released its list of the top billers in broadcast radio for the 2020 calendar year.
To the surprise of no one, Hubbard-owned all-News WTOP in Washington is No. 1.
The data came at the same time as a report showing nearly 800 licensees as having left the radio broadcasting industry since 2019. As one broker sees it, however, it’s much ado about nothing.
RBR+TVBR OBSERVATION: Hundreds of licensees over the last 24 months that had perhaps one or two stations in their stable cashed out and are no longer radio broadcasters. But, isn’t this exactly what the NAB and many industry leaders want — a smaller ownership pool driven by even more consolidation?
Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)
Travel between Macon and Valdosta, Ga., along Interstate 75, and you’ll pass through the tiny town of Cordele. Here, an FM translator is being spun.
But, it’s originating AM isn’t a part of this end-of-year deal.
Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)
The increased focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Corporate America is not going unnoticed among Black, Hispanic and other diverse audiences, a new Horowitz Research study shows.
As such, to resonate with the multicultural, “brands need to step up,” Horowitz advises. Does the concept of “brand” extend beyond the advertiser to the media outlets themselves?
Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)
She’s been the Chief Information Officer for Audacy Inc. since joining the company then-known as Entercom in September 2020.
Now, the former FreeWheel and Imagine Communications executive has been promoted to the newly created role of Chief Technology Officer — a move that comes just as RBR+TVBR readers for the first time are honoring Broadcast Media’s Top Tech Leaders.
Who are Broadcast Media’s Top Tech Leaders? Is Audacy represented on this first-ever, reader-generated honor roll? Find out on January 24, exclusively in the all-new Winter 2022 Radio + Television Business Report print edition. It includes a cover story on the future of broadcasting and OTT for over-the-air TV, and interviews with a wide array of broadcast technology leaders — including GatesAir CEO Bruce Swail, Qligent’s Brick Eksten and CP Communications’ Kurt Heitman. It’s available to RBR+TVBR subscribers and as a digital download to all MWC Barcelona 2022 attendees.
Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)
SUNRISE, FLA. — The warning signs started on Thursday, when headliner Megan Thee Stallion withdrew from the Atlanta “Jingle Ball” concert staged by iHeartMedia for its “Power 96.1” in the market, elevating The Black Eyed Peas, Tate McRae, Tai Verdes and Bazzi in rank of must-see acts on the bill.
Then, with just hours to go before the final scheduled “Jingle Ball” concert for iHeartMedia’s “Y-100” in South Florida, the event was scratched.
The Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus is to blame. Is this a warning sign that event revenue for broadcast radio remains shaky for an industry that has experienced a much slower recovery from the depths of the pandemic than broadcast television?
News of the Y-100 Jingle Ball cancellation, following announcements of similar cancellations and postponements of Broadway shows and Saturday Night Live in New York and sports matches in the NFL, NHL and NBA, brings a new wariness to the in-person mass gathering for radio. At the Audacy Beach Festival, held December 4 and 5 on Fort Lauderdale’s main beach, headliner Swedish House Mafia pulled out within 24 hours of its festival-closing performance due to COVID-19.
For the Y-100 “Jingle Ball,” the venue was the FLA Live Arena, home of the Florida Panthers pro hockey club. In a Tweet from the official Jingle Ball account, “the increased transmission of the new COVID-19 variant” led to the event’s cancellation.
In a follow-up post made by WHYI “Y-100” on Twitter, the longtime iHeartMedia Top 40 station said, “Our ticketing partners have relayed that refunds may take between 3 and 30 days to be reflected in your account.”
The Tweet was in stark contrast to the last one made by Y-100, which advised, “Everyone better hydrate and stretch before the #Y100JingleBall tomorrow because we’re gonna be shakin’ it, twerkin’ it and boom boom pow’in it all night with @Saweetie, @Anitta, @BEP, and @duttypaul.”
Megan Thee Stallion was being promoted as a performer on Saturday by iHeartMedia and Y-100 despite the act’s withdrawal from the December 16 Atlanta show. Meanwhile, artists Doja Cat and The Jonas Brothers had already withdrawn from the Jingle Ball series of concerts originated by WHTZ “Z100” in New York due to COVID-19 concerns.
At iHeartMedia, Events revenue is calculated under the rubric of the iHeartMedia Multiplatform Group, which is also comprised of the company’s broadcast radio, networks and sponsorships businesses. For the three months ending September 30, 2021, sponsorship and event revenue for iHeartMedia came in at $42.66 million, rising rom $28.9 million in Q3 2020.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel was the first local news organization to widely distribute news of the Y-100 “Jingle Ball” cancellation. The newspaper cited that 30% of new COVID cases in Florida are “breakthrough” cases, while quoting Dr. Anthony Fauci, who spoke Sunday morning on a national television newsmagazine and noted the Omicron variant is “just raging around the world.”
With CES 2022 just two weeks away in Las Vegas, one of the world’s biggest conferences and vendor expos is now suddenly in the COVID-19 crosshairs. “As many people are not attending CES, NAGRA is scheduling virtual meetings to share their news,” the portable audio recorder manufacturer shared in a press release released Monday.
Then, there is NATPE Miami, which begins January 18 at the Fontainebleau Resort on Miami Beach and traditionally attracts a large international crowd of program suppliers and vendors.
While these major events with global reach are very much on-schedule, and fully vaccinated attendees are not expected to be impacted, Omicron’s spread could very well cloud what transpires come January.
Just past 7:20am local time on Monday, a trio of FM signals serving a popular Colorado ski resort region were heard playing tunes from Post Malone and The Weeknd; Todd Rundgren; and Zac Brown Band.
Will this continue in 2022, as the three radio brands are being spun to a new ownership group?
Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)
As the clock struck midnight on Friday, December 17 in New York, all Disney-owned channels, including ESPN and local ABC stations, became unavailable on YouTube TV. A monthly price reduction from $64.99 to $49.99 for its customers went into effect, a sign that a long-term retransmission consent impasse between the Alphabet Inc.-owned vMVPD and The Walt Disney Co. had come to fruition.
By Sunday evening, it was all over, with all Disney-related live channels and on-demand content back on YouTube TV.
“We’re happy to announce that we’ve reached a deal with Disney and have already started to restore access to channels like ESPN and FX, and Disney recordings that were previously in your library,” YouTube TV’s Twitter minders posted in the 3pm Eastern hour on Sunday. “Your local ABC station will also be turning on throughout the day.”
For “Members,” the monthly subscription will revert to $64.99. However, “all impacted members will still receive a one-time $15 discount,” YouTube TV said.
And just like that, a potentially bruising battle between two multimedia giants came to an end.
At 2am Eastern Saturday, that was hardly a prediction one could have safely made. In an e-mail communique to its Members, YouTube TV said, “We have held good faith negotiations with Disney for several months. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we were unable to reach an equitable agreement before our existing one expired.”
As such, anyone relying on YouTubeTV to watch such stations as KTRK-13 in Houston or “ABC7” in San Francisco, Chicago, New York or Los Angeles were out of luck. Furthermore, a “blackout,” by law in lieu of a retransmission consent agreement, prevented YouTube TV Members from accessing any previous library recordings from the impacted channels, including 4K content that is available as part of the 4K Plus add-on.
“We know this is frustrating news, and it is not the outcome we wanted,” the Google sibling said early Saturday. “We will continue conversations with Disney to advocate on your behalf in hopes of restoring their content on YouTube TV.”
It turns out that a swift resolution could be had after all.
The impacted channels off of YouTube TV for approximately 18 hours are:
Disney-owned channels no longer available on YouTube TV:
Please show your support by using the Ko-Fi link at the bottom of the page. Thank you for supporting REC's efforts!
