Industry News

If the name Searchlight Capital Partners sounds familiar to you, it is because the private investment firm founded by Wade Davis in January 2021 — through its Searchlight III UTD and ForgeLight units — grabbed a majority stake of Univision Holdings.

The purchase placed Davis in the CEO slot, some seven months after Searchlight completed its acquisition of Frontier Communications‘ operations and assets in the Pacific Northwest, creating Ziply Fiber.

Now, Searchlight, led by Davis associate Eric Zinterhofer, has selected a new Partner who also become a prospective board member of “a number of Searchlight’s existing investments in the technology, media, and telecommunications sectors.”

It puts a former FCC Chairman in the slot.

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KAISERSLAUTERN, GERMANY — A Munich-based digital technology firm with a regional office in the U.S. that works with such companies as ViacomCBS and Discovery has forged a collaboration agreement with a company controlled by one of the busiest buyers in broadcast TV today: Byron Allen.

Allen-controlled Weather Group Television LLC, parent of The Weather Channel and OTT subscription service Local now, will now see tech support in digital product development from intive.

Specifically, intive will support the media group with digital services including consulting, design, product strategy, development, and quality assurance. “The collaboration will help bring the Weather Group in a position to advance their digital portfolio, tap into their OTT potential and drive further digital growth,” intive says.

Local Now SVP/GM Michael Senzon comments, “Going forward, it was crucial for us to find a trustworthy technology partner who would help us make the most of our digital portfolio. In intive we’ve found the perfect mix of domain-specific expertise and design and engineering excellence.”

— Additional reporting from the RBR+TVBR European News Desk

Shulins Solutions, known for its monitor, control and protection products for use at transmission sites and its broadcast consulting services, has completed the installation of its Stellar Eclipse broadcast site monitor and protection system.

It includes VSWR Sentinel to protect four FM radio stations and their shared antenna and combining systems.

Shared common antenna sites often with complex combining networks demand monitoring and protection beyond a simple remote control. To protect these significant investments, broadcasters need a proactive solution to not only provide next level of monitoring, logging and control, but a comprehensive VSWR system for maximum protection.

According to Shulins, Stellar Eclipse with VSWR Sentinel technology was installed to protect and monitor transmission system operations by constantly monitoring the VSWR on all inputs and outputs to the combiner system and refreshing these values many times every second. Anytime a VSWR is detected that exceeds a preset threshold, hard relay interlock
relays are controlled that can open interlocks on connected transmitters. RF power is then removed from the system when an unsafe condition exists, thereby saving the systems from costly damage.

Stellar Ellipse also provides unique cloud-based monitoring of many shared systems often overlooked in an individual stations remote control, Shulins adds.

Visit www.shulinssolutions.com for more information.

LOS ANGELES — A company known for its broadcast and video production audio monitoring productions has brought to market a second-generation headphone designed for monitoring dialogue on production sets.

As broadcast TV increases its own self-produced offerings, it’s a piece of technology perhaps worthy of an acquisition.

Introducing the Scene Monitor headphone from Halter Technical LLC.

The newly released Scene Monitor (HTSM2) boasts a single-sided cable, speakers that, and compatibility with all radios and listening devices with a 3.5mm stereo headphone jack.

Other new features include a headband that is now reinforced throughout to provide long-lasting durability. The cable is dual-shielded to prevent breakage. The upgraded earpads provide everybody on set with a luxury feel. And, the Stereo drivers are improved to equip all listeners with the fidelity and clarity that production demands.

For additional information, visit the company online at www.haltertechnical.com.

The NAB Leadership Foundation announced the 2021 Technology Ambassador Program (TAP) cohort’s graduation from the six-month education and training series. TAP provides training and education on the technological advancements that are growing the broadcast media industry. The list of graduates is available on NABFoundation.org.

During the program, Ambassadors earned Amazon AWS and SBE certifications and learned directly from experts on topics such as NextGen TV, voice demand and radio programming, cloud computing in broadcast and IP networking fundamentals. They also provided insight and participated in focus groups to help develop the next engineering and technology education programs.

“We are excited to present this year’s diverse class to the broadcasting industry,” says NAB Leadership Foundation president Michelle Duke. “We are confident that their great talents will continue to bring innovation and new ideas to our industry.”

Sponsors of this year’s program include Amazon AWS, Sinclair, TVNewsCheck and others.

The 2021 Technology Ambassador Program graduates are:

• Rucha Athavale, New Jersey Institute of Technology
• Asheeta Bothra, University of Virginia
• Chase Browning, University of Virginia
• Allison Burns, Appalachian State University
• Mario Chapa, University of Texas – San Antonio
• Maria Depasquale, George Washington University
• Alma Duderija, Loyola University Chicago
• Rebecca Hamilton, Bates Technical College
• Roniecia Harris, Arizona State University
• Krystal Holland, New York University
• Selah Konur, Omega Studios School of Applied Recording Arts and Sciences
• Joshua Li, University of California, Los Angeles
• Maria Marmora, New Jersey Institute of Technology
• Zachary Neace, Western Kentucky University
• Wynter Pero, Omega Studios School of Applied Recording Arts and Sciences
• Angelina Plaza, New Mexico State University
• Jon Sanelli, Hofstra University
• Andrew Saturnino, Union County College
• James Shonubi, Morgan State University
• Rachel Stapholz, Arizona State University

The next class of the Technology Ambassador Program will launch in October 2021, at NAB Show in Las Vegas. Those pursuing a degree or attending technical school focused on a related subject are encouraged to apply.

Instreamatic, known for its voice AI platform designed to manage, measure and monetize the “conversations between brand and consumer,” has successfully concluded a Series A funding fundraising effort.

Progress Ventures led the round, joined by Accomplice and Google Assistant Investments.

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The owner of a Class A FM radio station serving a rural portion of the Rocky Mountains has agreed to assign this property, along with its four FM translators, to one of Colorado’s largest non-commercial licensees.

To make it happen, this non-comm operator is trading an AM serving the city of Pueblo, along with its FM translator.

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In 1959, a 23-year-old up-and-coming disc jockey from Haverhill, Mass., took on the role of morning co-host for a legendary Top 40 radio station owned by Gordon McLendon serving North Texas. He’d go by the name “Irv Harrigan” — a name used by other air personalities over the next 25 years as part of other incarnations of the Charlie & Harrigan program.

This voice, however, would go on to a notable career at KVIL and, later, at KLUV before retiring in June 2005.

Now, the Radio industry has lost one of its most beloved air personalities for all time, as Ron Chapman has died. He was 85, the Dallas Morning News reports.

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On April 13, Univision Communications revealed that, after years of rumors, it had reached an agreement with Mexico media pioneer Televisa that will result in the combination of the two multimedia conglomerates.

To create the binational radio, TV and digital giant, investors were brought to the table. They include the SoftBank Latin America Fund, The Raine Group and Google, with a combined $1 billion infusion from these entities agreed to.

It appears Google’s involvement with what will become Televisa-Univision goes beyond a simple investment.

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As part of its efforts to improve diversity within the ranks of the communications and tech industries, the Federal Communications Commission has set April 28 for its diversity symposium and virtual fair.

The Tech and Communications Diversity Opportunity Symposium and Virtual Fair will be held online on Wednesday, April 28 from 12–6:45 p.m. EDT. The symposium and fair is designed to provide information, resources and support to diverse communications businesses including those focused on legacy communications industries — like radio, TV, cable and satellite — as well as  technology-oriented industries seeking business opportunities as vendors, suppliers or partners. The commission is particularly seeking to support small businesses, minority- and ethnic-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses, LGBTQ-owned businesses and disabled-owned businesses.

[Read: New NAB Committee Will Address Diversity and Inclusion]

Two informative panels from 12–3:45 p.m. will kickstart the symposium. The first panel, Your Tax Dollars at Work: Government Programs and Initiatives, will feature a discussion with representatives from federal, state and local government agencies on financing and procurement opportunities and trends. This session will highlight diversity requirements and standards; training, education and consulting opportunities; as well as mentoring, incubation and apprenticeship programs.

The second panel, entitled For We Have Promises to Keep: Private Sector Programs and Initiatives, will include representatives from private sector companies that will discuss procurement opportunities and trends, new and updated funding sources, as well as discounted opportunities for diverse communications businesses.

The afternoon event will include a Virtual Fair from 4–6:45 p.m., which will feature one-on-one confidential consultations offering individualized advice on a number of strategies and initiatives including supplier and vendor tactics, financial support options and mentoring and incubation programs. The Virtual Fair is open to owners, managers and employees of diverse communications businesses.

The symposium is being co-sponsored by  the Media Bureau, the FCC’s Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment (ACDDE) and the ACDDE member Internet Association. Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel will welcome symposium participants while Edith McCloud, acting national director of the Minority Business Development Agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, will deliver keynote remarks.

The symposium will be presented as a Zoom webinar. More information and the full agenda can be found here.

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