Deloitte has released the results of its 15th annual Digital Media Trends Survey.
It reveals how COVID-19 and shifting generational preferences are reshaping the U.S. media and entertainment landscape. How this may impact the future growth of broadcast television and radio makes this essential reading for your organization.
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Eleven years ago, an influential Member of the House of Representatives crafted legislation passed into law by President Obama designed to eliminate those jarring commercial breaks where the audio is out of sync with the regular programming — and much louder in volume.
In recent months, however, jarring TV spots have reemerged at over-the-air and cable TV, leading this politician on April 14 to seek — for the second time — an FCC investigation into the matter.
The Commission has now agreed to do so.
On April 14, Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) sent a letter to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel specifically requesting the Commission investigate ” a reported increase in complaints related to loud television advertisements that may violate the CALM Act.”
The jump in complaints came concurrent to the COVID-19 pandemic, with more people sequestered in their homes and watching television. Thus, the loudness issue could have predated the arrival of the novel coronavirus in the U.S. It was the virus that likely exposed the problem to a greater degree.
Eshoo became aware of the problem. On July 21, 2020, she wrote to then-FCC Chairman Ajit Pai requesting information about complaints related to and enforcement of the CALM Act.
The Pai Commission did not act.
On March 31, 2021, online publication Business Insider followed up on the complaints by offering a lengthy feature story that examined the four-month period from November 2020 to February 2021. In this timeframe, FCC complaints of loud commercials increased 140% compared to the same period a year ago — more than double the volume of complaints.
For TV broadcasters and cable operators, the CALM Act requires any station to abide by the A/85 standard approved by the ATSC, the Advanced Television Systems Committee. The FCC is the enforcement agency.
Eshoo was quoted in the Business Insider article, which makes the assumption that “2021 is poised to be the worst year since the initial rollout” of the CALM Act.
Fueled by the online report, Eshoo then pleaded to acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “This worries me a great deal,” she wrote to Rosenworcel.
It appears the FCC under Democratic Party influence is worried, to. On Monday (4/19), the Media Bureau moved forward with the issuance of a public notice inviting comment from consumers and industry leaders on whether any updates are needed to the Commission’s rules implementing the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act.
Comments are due by June 3. Reply Comments are due by July 9.
“We seek comment on the extent to which our rules have been effective in preventing loud commercials,” the Media Bureau states. ‘In particular, we invite consumers to tell us their experiences as they watch programming provided by television broadcasters and MVPDs.”
In response, Eshoo said, “I welcome the FCC’s action to protect consumers from the vexing issue of loud TV ads. I authored the law to put an end to this national irritant, but complaints are rising again. I welcome the decision of the FCC to hear complaints from the American people. I urge everyone who is annoyed to submit their complaints to the FCC about loud ads to ensure violations of the CALM Act can be investigated.”
DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. — He was most recently VP of Programming Communications and Special Projects for Cumulus Media and Westwood One.
Now, he’ll serve as a National Sales Manager for the United States at key Westchester County-based radio tech company RCS.
Taking the job is Aaron Roberts, who will focus his efforts around the GSelector, Aquira and Revma products. Roberts will also chair the RCS Academy, comprised of self-paced, online courses for individuals with basic to advanced knowledge of music scheduling and radio automation using GSelector and Zetta.
Roberts’ radio career spans over 20 years in operations and programming, including stops at WRQQ/Nashville; WIOT/Toledo, Ohio; and WROV/Roanoke, Va. He’s also served as Operations Manager for Citadel’s former Scranton, Pa., station group.
Roberts also has record industry experience, and was a Southeast Regional representative for Trauma Records.
“Aaron is a perfect fit for our team of talented radio experts,” says Neal Perchuk, RcS’s VP of Sales for the Americas, who Roberts reports to. “Aaron’s commitment to quality, professional radio is unmatched. We are excited to share his particular skills with our clients.”
KAISERSLAUTERN, GERMANY — Starwaves, a developer and distributor of receiver technologies centered around the digital broadcast standard DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale), has joined forces with a supplier in the field of broadcast encoder and receiver components for DRM to develop an Android app that allows DRM reception on mobile devices.
Starwaves enables Android phones and tablets to receive entertainment, text information, and emergency warnings via DRM Digital Radio.
The Starwaves technology is based on Fraunhofer technology.
Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) is being pitched as the “digital successor standard to the classic AM and FM radio services.”
Radio reception with mobile phones and tablets combines the mobility and flexibility of these devices with the benefits of free-to-air radio services.
And, it solves a conundrum that plagued NextRadio, a one-time unit of Emmis Communications, while the ambitious Soundot app failed due to lack of publicity and industry support.
Starwaves has been active in the field of DRM radio receivers for many years. The “STARWAVES DRM SoftRadio” app was developed in close cooperation with Fraunhofer IIS. Its goal: to ensure easy access to innovative DRM radio services for everybody.
It is available from now in the Google and Amazon Android app stores.
“The app provides listeners with access to all the essential features of the DRM digital radio standard, across all transmission bands from DRM on long wave to FM band and VHF band-III,” Starwaves says.
Fraunhofer IIS is a significant co-developer of core digital radio technologies.
This includes the innovative xHE-AAC audio codec, which provides high audio quality at lowest data rates, as well as the Journaline application, which gives radio listeners access to news, the latest sports updates, local weather forecasts, travel tips, and even radio schooling services without requiring internet access.
The app also supports many more DRM features such as the Emergency Warning Functionality (EWF), image slideshows, station logos, and service descriptions including Unicode support for worldwide application.
To provide all these services, the app only requires a standard off-the-shelf SDR RF dongle that is attached to the device’s USB port.
“We are proud to launch the world’s first low-cost full-featured DRM digital radio reception solution for mobile devices, developed in close partnership with Fraunhofer IIS. Now everybody can easily upgrade their existing mobile phone and tablet to enjoy DRM digital radio with its undistorted audio quality and advanced features including Journaline,” says Johannes von Weyssenhoff, founder of Starwaves.
— RBR+TVBR European News Desk
Broadcast media facility management software maker Xytech has selected a VP and Managing Director for its ScheduALL platform.
It’s an individual who was working with the product until September 2020 but has returned, now that Xytech is the ScheduALL owner.
Taking the role is Stefan Nied, and his appointment follows the closing of Xytech’s acquisition of ScheduALL from Net Insight earlier this month.
A veteran of ScheduALL, Nied devoted 23 years to ScheduALL, serving as Vice President of Services and Customer Success until the 2015 acquisition by Net Insight. He then served as Senior Director of Global Strategic Accounts within the larger Net Insight corporate structure, continuing his leadership and key account management within the ScheduALL software business unit.
In his new role, Nied will be responsible for the ScheduALL customer success and support teams throughout the ScheduALL-to-Xytech transition.
“Stefan and I worked together for 12 years when I was at ScheduALL and it’s a thrill to bring him into Xytech,” said Greg Dolan, CCO of Xytech. “With more than two decades of experience with the ScheduALL brand, he is the perfect person to seamlessly lead the ScheduALL-to-Xytech transition. Customer success is top-of-mind, and Stefan’s leadership skills will ensure a smooth and easy transition.”
Nied added, “After spending most of my professional career with ScheduALL, I know the product inside and out, and I’m very familiar with the needs of our valuable clients. I look forward to continuing to provide them with the world-class service they deserve.”
Nied will be based at ScheduALL’s office in Hollywood, Fla,, and report to Dolan.
Workflow automation, media processing, quality monitoring, and test and measurement product provider Telestream has brought to market six new models in its PRISM waveform monitor product line.
The new models have smaller form-factors to address the space constraints in Live Production, the company says.
With these new products, the PRISM family now offers a complete range of “Software Defined Monitoring” instruments, covering use cases from operational SDI monitoring to engineering grade IP analysis, with a common user interface throughout. The new PRISM products are designed to support both local and remote production situations up to 8K HDR. As software-defined instruments, customers can purchase a base model and add features as and when required by simply purchasing a software license; no hardware changes, no manufacturer returns, and no downtime.
“The PRISM technology platform has enabled us to create a range of form factors at affordable entry level price points, while retaining a “no penalty” software upgrade path to add higher end features as required,” said Charlie Dunn, Senior VP of Tek Video at Telestream. “We have effectively re-invented monitoring for the needs of a new generation of users and challenges.”
Remote production is fully supported, including full feature remote viewing of the PRISM display screen (noVNC required). When paired with Telestream’s Inspect 2110 probe, customers can get detailed monitoring and analysis of ST2110 IP video across their entire network. When an area of concern is flagged by Inspect 2110, a single button press launches any stream in PRISM for deep ST 2110 video waveform, audio, data, and PTP analysis to find and fix faults fast.
“Expanding the PRISM platform to this level was our vision from day one, but the collaboration with the Telestream IQ network experts to create the innovative Inspect 2110 product has surpassed everyone’s expectation of what can be achieved,” said Ian Valentine, Vice President of Product Management for Tek Video products at Telestream. “We’ve built a truly unique monitoring system that bridges the SDI/IP divide.”
The new PRISM models are more space conscious –only 5” deep– with no compromises in capability (4K/8K HDR/Wide Color Gamut, 4 inputs, Dolby Audio, 10/25G-IP and 12G-SDI). PRISM embraces a modern paradigm shift from the classic user interface that allows Telestream to provide the largest screens on the market, remote capability, and touch or keyboard/mouse operation.
With a unique set of HDR tools, including the patented STOP waveform, user-defined False Color, Light Meter, and CIE charts, PRISM focuses on content and offers multiple user interface options tailored to the task and role of the user. A single product, from a single vendor, is now the waveform monitor of choice across the facility, including remote production environments, and across both engineering and production applications.
New PRISM Models: MPS-100, 200, 300 are single screen half-rack with a depth of only 5 inches. MPD-100, 200, 300 are dual screen full-rack units with only 5 inches of depth. Availability: Shipping Summer 2021 (orderable April 2021)
Eurofins Digital Testing has introduced updated test suites for the Consumer Technology Association’s NEXTGEN TV Logo program.
They’ll be applicable to 2022 model receivers and released by the end of June.
The NEXTGEN TV Logo is the consumer-facing brand for ATSC 3.0, helping identify which devices offer the advanced technology of ATSC 3.0 standards, currently being deployed across the United States.
Developed in an ongoing collaboration with CTA and the NAB, Eurofins NEXTGEN TV Test Suite was first launched in 2019 and has evolved to comprise more than 200 tests covering requirements including ATSC 3.0 physical layer, signaling and ROUTE/DASH, AC-4 audio, 4K HEVC video, captions, interactive application environment, electronic service guides, advanced emergency alerts, watermarks, and other features of ATSC 3.0 standards.
CTA research forecasts U.S. TV shipments with NEXTGEN TV capabilities will increase from 2021 to 2022 by 500%, with 12 million units expected to ship by 2024. With this considerable increase projected for unit sales and multiple new broadcast stations planned to launch online into 2021 and beyond, these trends exemplify the accelerating pace of ATSC 3.0 adoption across the United States.
NAB Chief Technology Officer Sam Matheny commented, “The test suite for the NEXTGEN TV logo program assures confidence that ATSC 3.0 transmissions and receivers will work together properly. ATSC 3.0 technology has unparalleled flexibility and receiver manufacturers need to know that their products will respond appropriately to the wide
variety of services that broadcasters may transmit. This new expanded set of tests for 2022 products will increase confidence from broadcasters to provide more services, from TV set manufacturers to implement more features, and from consumers to look for products with the NEXTGEN TV logo.”
Separately, Eurofins Digital Testing operates an independent test lab for ATSC 3.0 technologies and is an ISO accredited lab for ATSC 3.0 RF testing, as well as its Arreios for ATSC 3.0 Test Tool, available to manufacturers opting to test for ATSC 3.0 conformance of devices in-house.
Eurofins also supplies the test suite used to verify compliance with ATSC 3.0 Security Authority (provider of service security and DRM licences for ATSC broadcast services) specifications.
The author is director of engineering, Leighton Broadcasting.
I’ll be the first in line for new audio processing if I think it can give us an edge, but only if it’s truly a step up and not just the same old tech in new packaging.
We serve a predominantly young population here in the college town of St. Cloud, Minn. With 70 other stations competing for those ears, our six stations will take every advantage we can get.
I’d heard about the Wheatstone MP-532 AM/FM/HD multipurpose processor before it was officially released. The inside scoop was that Wheatstone’s Jeff Keith had designed into it a new five-band “windowed” AGC, which he called Windy.
As different program material comes in, it adapts to make sure that the multiband section and the five-band limiter later on are always fed consistent audio. This, I was told, was one of the reasons why the MP-532 could deliver those “airy” highs and deeper lows we’re all hoping for in the business.
It was worth a listen.
I got one of the first MP-532s and put it on our classic rock station, KZPK, K277BS/ZRock (HD2) 103.3 MHz. The installation experience was typical Wheatstone. Super intuitive, with presets that immediately gave us a much-improved sound right out of the box.
Friendly installI’ll get to the sound in a minute, but first I’d like to pause for a moment and give you a busy engineer’s perspective on audio processing.
Yes, most of us like to tweak processing. But we also have a huge appreciation for a smooth installation experience. I need to get it on the air, make minor adjustments and move on in life. That’s one very strong suit of this processor, its ease of installation.
To be fair, I know my way around Wheatstone processors, having owned X1s, AM-55s, FM-55s, X3s and X5s.
As easy as the setup was, this alone is not a good enough reason to invest in an audio processor. It has to sound good; that’s the core mission for processing, and for radio.
[“Engineer Tony Abfalter Is an MVP”]
So how did the MP-532 do? Impressive. Very impressive.
They weren’t kidding when they said the highs would be airy and detailed and the lows would be deep. The MP-532 has the most articulation and clarity of any audio processor I’ve ever heard. It effectively kicked its predecessor, the FM-55, into the prehistoric dinosaur age and can hold its own next to Wheatstone’s flagship processor, the X5 FM/HD processor, but with a few less features and a lot less dollars.
One nice bonus is that it is a multipurpose processor (that’s what the MP is for), which means it would make an excellent backup for both my AM as well as FM stations. But, it’s really too good to be a backup processor, so I have it running continuous programming on ZRock.
Radio World User Reports are testimonial articles intended to help readers understand why a colleague chose a particular product to solve a technical situation.
For information contact Jay Tyler at Wheatstone in North Carolina at 1-252-638-7000 or visit www.wheatstone.com.
The post User Report: Wheatstone MP-532 Opens Eyes at Leighton appeared first on Radio World.
Cheryl McHenry, the veteran anchor and reporter at Cox Media Group’s CBS affiliate serving Ohio’s Miami Valley, WHIO-7 in Dayton, will soon celebrate 40 years at the dominant TV station.
She first covered the courts, and in June 1991 moved to the anchor desk. In the last two years, McHenry has covered COVID-19, social justice protests, devastating tornadoes and a mass shooting in the Oregon District of Dayton.
In this exclusive interview, McHenry shares her thoughts on longevity, the necessity of local news and what it means to be a journalist in 2021 in the latest RBR+TVBR InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.
Listen to “The InFOCUS Podcast: Cheryl McHenry” on Spreaker.
TORONTO — It’s known for such stations as CHBM “Boom 97.3” in Canada’s largest market.
Now, Stingray Radio is moving forward with a podcast strategy. And, it has selected the Omny Studio platform from iHeartMedia-owned Triton Digital to support it.
Through the partnership, Stingray Radio will use the tools within Omny Studio to create, publish and promote their portfolio of podcast content to audiences across a range of devices and platforms, including smart speakers, social media networks and smart phones.
“We are thrilled to expand our relationship with Triton, and to be leveraging the Omny Studio platform to support our podcast strategy,” said Steve Jones, SVP of Brands & Content at Stingray Radio. “Triton’s commitment to innovation and receptiveness to the podcast industry’s needs make the Omny Studio platform a force. We are confident that Omny will provide us with an unparalleled workflow and efficiency that will enable us to create more content, grow our audience, and meaningfully increase our revenue.”
John Rosso, President of Market Development at Triton Digital, added. “Stingray is a meaningful contributor to the rapidly growing podcast landscape in Canada, and we are proud to provide them with a flexible, enterprise-level tool that will grow and scale with them.”
Global Security Systems has acquired a license to participate in the ShakeAlert earthquake notification system through its Alert FM disaster warning system. Alert FM provides tornado, hurricane, fire and other possibly life-threatening emergency notifications across the United States.
The earthquake information is from the United States Geological Survey’s ShakeAlert earthquake detection and warning system.
[Read: Changes Coming in National Alerting]
Matthew Straeb, EVP/CTO of Global Security Systems, developer and operator of Alert FM, said, “As a long-time provider of emergency notifications for tornadoes, fires, hurricanes, evacuations, and tsunamis, adding early earthquake warning notifications is a tremendous benefit for increasing public safety in all of our communities.”
The ShakeAlert system is active on the West Coast and GSS is implementing AlertFM/ShakeAlert for customers in in California, Oregon and Washington state.
In addition in the following months, according to a release, “Alert FM will integrate automated actions to accompany earthquake early warnings for sirens, accessible devices such as bed-shakers and other consumer electronic devices. … GSS will also pursue partnerships with accessible, hospital, transportation and public utility systems.”
Straeb explained, “We will be seeking partners to integrate our low-cost FM technology to control emergency generators, door openers, production machinery, and other sensitive equipment in concert with alert messages. The benefits are nearly endless in earthquake situations.”
The post FM Alert to Add Earthquake Warnings appeared first on Radio World.
The National Association of Broadcasters is unhappy about a planned change to FCC rules involving sponsorship identification of content that came from foreign governments.
General Counsel Rick Kaplan wrote about it on an NAB blog. He said the Federal Communications Commission had good intentions of helping the public better understand when they are watching or listening to content sponsored by a foreign government, and he said NAB agrees with the goal even though there are few broadcast cases compared to pay TV providers and social media.
[“Pai Calls for Transparency on Government Sponsored Broadcast Content”]
But Kaplan and the NAB oppose a provision that broadcasters entering into lease agreements with any programmers must take a series of steps to determine whether they are dealing with a foreign government in the first place.
“You might be wondering if there is an exception for the station leasing time to a long-standing trusted business partner, right? Nope,” Kaplan wrote.
“What if you are leasing time to a local church for services on Sunday mornings? Nope. Surely, it can’t involve leases for the 3:30 a.m. long-form Snuggie infomercial? Sorry, it does, says the FCC.”
Kaplan said “hundreds if not thousands” of stations “are now on the verge of being mandated to undertake steps to prove in advance they are not dealing with foreign governments, even when they each know with certainty they are not.” He called it “old-world regulation at its worst.”
He said there’s no evidence of a “groundswell of foreign propaganda” on the U.S. airwaves or that stations are confused about the origins of what they air.
“The FCC should not simply saddle broadcasters with this needless obligation — or rather, multiple needless obligations — because it can regulate broadcasters but not social media companies,” he argued.
And he said that “with each added regulation, the FCC makes broadcasting a less attractive investment, including for new entrants and historically underrepresented groups.”
He urged the FCC to “fix its proposal before approving it later this week.”
Read the proposed order (PDF).
The post NAB Unhappy With Lease Agreement Proposal appeared first on Radio World.
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