Industry News

What was the deal-making market like in December 2021 for the entire media and telecommunications sector?

S&P Global Market Intelligence crunched the numbers. And, of the top deals announced in the final month of 2021, an Allen Media Group transaction and a radio transaction involving Craig Karmazin-led Good Karma Brands are among the biggest.

But, neither is on top.

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BURBANK, CALIF. — The Hispanic-targeted multimedia company led by CEO Peter Markham that recently welcomed veteran Spanish-language sales leader Steve Mandala as Chief Revenue and Local Media Officer has inked a multi-year renewal agreement for local television measurement from Nielsen.

Signing the renewal is Estrella Media, known for its original programming targeting Spanish-speaking audiences. While Estrella Media owns radio stations, this agreement is for its TV stations only. Estrella properties are in its home DMA of Los Angeles, and in Dallas, Denver, Chicago, Houston, Miami, Phoenix, and San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose.

Estrella will have access to Nielsen’s Local TV View (NLTV) and Nielsen’s Arianna services across these markets. Arianna is an analysis tool that offers program performance reports on an overnight basis, in addition to trending programs and time periods in their markets. “With NLTV, Estrella will have the capability to analyze household and persons-level data in custom geographies that align with an advertiser’s customer base using a wide range of demographic analysis,” Nielsen says.

Estrella also gains access to Nielsen’s sales activation program. Mandala commented, “Estrella, like every media company, seeks full measurement of our audiences, and we are pleased to continue working with Nielsen to ensure every user, viewer, and listener is fully counted. As our audience continues to grow, it is valuable for us to access the full suite of Nielsen’s measurement tools. While important to all broadcasters, it is especially relevant to Spanish language stations as over-the-air penetration among Hispanic households often doubles that of the general market.”

Mark January 19-20 on your calendar. The dates tied to the now-cancelled NATPE Miami conference and expo in Miami Beach also happen to be when a virtual small cap conference will take place.

Among the participants is a local media company known for its digital and broadcast radio solutions.

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On a national level, Capitol Broadcasting Company‘s Raleigh duo, comprised of NBC affiliate WRAL-5 and FOX affiliate WRAZ-50, are known for their roles as pioneers in the rollout of NEXTGEN TV in the U.S.

Now, they have a new Station Manager, and she couldn’t be more excited about her new role.

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NEW YORK — The nation’s top audio content creation and distribution company has taken what it is calling “an important next step” in extending its presence into “web3” and the metaverse.

It starts with the commencement of plans for the creation of iHeartMedia events and experiences for listeners and music fans on Roblox.

That’s the shared experiences platform launching “tokenized communities” for its users and creators — key to the world of “NFTs.”

The iHeart team plans to use its consumer reach to create the awareness and demand necessary to bring new metaverse and web3 platforms to the mass market.

“Although there are a number of great new products for the metaverse and web3 from a wide array of creators, with our unparalleled audience reach, multiple platforms, and our trusted broadcast and podcast hosts, iHeartMedia is uniquely positioned to build the consumer awareness, understanding and demand necessary for those new products and platforms from both us and others to succeed,” said Bob Pittman, Chairman/CEO at iHeartMedia. “We see this as a unique opportunity to serve our listeners’ needs, provide an important new layer of growth for the company, and help develop the advertising and consumer potential for the metaverse and web3.”

As part of this overall strategy, in 2022 iHeartMedia plans to bring “immersive musical moments” to the more than 47 million daily active users on the Roblox platform and launch its first tokenized community, “building a new token that will incentivize and reward the iHeart creator community in new ways and give iHeart’s fans unique access to offerings across its multiple platforms, and a series of collectible non-fungible tokens (NFTs).”

It builds on “the success” of the previously launched iHeartRadio Music Festival NFTs in partnership with Green NFT platform OneOf in September 2021.

“In the same way in which we believed in and committed to digital radio and podcasting – and became the strong number one in both — we are big believers in the incredible potential of web3,” said Conal Byrne, President of the iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group. “We have already stepped into the metaverse with NFTs and have much more to come. iHeart’s place in this ecosystem — giving fans extraordinary access to the special events and influencers we provide every day of the year — is what we’re focused on building out as we work with key partners and develop an easy-to-use ramp to the metaverse and web3 for the mass market.

The IBC2022 Conference Technical Papers Programme is now accepting submissions, and they are looking for the latest research on broadcast, communications, electronic media and entertainment fields.

The program, according to IBC, is an opportunity for forward-thinking technologists and companies to put ideas and research before media industry leaders looking for new technology concepts and practical applications.

“Last year we learnt of conversational robots, industry challenging approaches to privacy management, practical improvements to streaming systems and the standardization of AI/Machine learning – to mention only a handful of the excellent papers received,” stated Dr. Paul Entwistle, chair of IBC’s Technical Papers Committee, in the call for papers.

At this stage, the committee is seeking 300-word synopses that provide a clear and concise overview of the concept being discussed in the paper, highlighting what is unique and explaining its background. Synopses are due by Feb. 9, 2022, and can be submitted online via the IBC website.

A panel of professional experts will review all submissions. Papers accepted for presentation at the IBC Conference are considered for the Best Conference Paper Award, which is presented during the IBC Awards.

“This year, more than ever, we are looking forward to the opportunity to sit alongside our peers and learn of their work, enjoying the debate and a glimpse into our industry’s future,” Entwistle stated.

The post IBC2022 Conference Opens Call for Technical Papers appeared first on Radio World.

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr and DISH Co-Founder and Chairman Charlie Ergen will take part in a Q&A Keynote Fireside Chat at the upcoming conference of the communications tower industry.

The keynote will take place during the NATE Unite 2022 Awards Luncheon, sponsored by DISH, on Feb. 23 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas.

NATE is the Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association. President/CEO Todd Schlekeway said he welcomed the participation of Carr and Ergen and the chance for them to share their insights.

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“Additionally, NATE Unite 2022 being held in Las Vegas is well-timed to coincide with DISH preparing to activate service and make the city its first official 5G wireless market during the first quarter of 2022,” he said in a press release.

NATE quoted Carr as saying, “The individuals who are building, servicing, maintaining and deploying America’s wireless networks have some of the toughest jobs out there. But their hard, often gritty work is critical for the buildout of 5G and has allowed us to continue to lead the world in wireless.”

Carr is one of two Republicans on the FCC and is the agency’s former general counsel. At the FCC, he has worked to update infrastructure rules and accelerate the buildout of high-speed networks. NATE said these reforms have cut a large amount of red tape and enabled the private sector to construct high-speed networks.

The discussion will be moderated by analyst Jennifer Fritzsche, head of North American Telecom and Digital Infrastructure at Greenhill & Co.

Registration is open to attend NATE Unite 2022. Here is a PDF of the schedule of events.

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From our Who’s Buying What page: Zoo Communications station WZFL(FM) in Miami is using Myriad Playout Version 5 automation from Broadcast Radio Ltd.

“With this update the station can now have talent live from home with full on-air control, and even bring guest and co-host on air, and all broadcast to the studio in HD quality audio with a milli-second delay,” the supplier said.

“Myriad Playout also gives the station the ability to display now playing information for syndicated programming on RDS receivers.”

Irvin “Brainchild” Nunez is program director of the station, which is branded Revolution 93.5.

The Myriad line from Broadcast Radio Ltd. also includes Myriad Anywhere products that offer web-based, remote working solutions.

Suppliers and users are invited to send announcements for Who’s Buying What to radioworld@futurenet.com.

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The metaverse doesn’t really exist yet, at least not in its envisioned form; but that isn’t keeping companies from expanding their efforts to play in it.

That includes iHeartMedia, which says it wants to build “an easy-to-use ramp to the metaverse and Web3 for the mass market.”

iHeart announced an “important next step in extending its presence into Web3 and the metaverse, beginning with plans for the creation of iHeart events and experiences for listeners and music fans on Roblox,” which it says brings people together online through shared experiences.

The company said it also is committed to launch tokenized communities for its users and creators.

It said it plans to use its existing consumer reach and engagement “to create the awareness and demand necessary to bring new metaverse and Web3 platforms to the mass market.” Chairman/CEO Bob Pittman said in the announcement that iHeart “is uniquely positioned” to play that role.

The company said this year it “plans to bring immersive musical moments to the over 47 million daily active users on the Roblox platform.”

It will launch its first tokenized community, “building a new token that will incentivize and reward the iHeart creator community in new ways and give iHeart’s fans unique access to offerings across its multiple platforms.” It will also launch a series of collectible non-fungible tokens, citing he success of its iHeartRadio Music Festival NFTs launched in partnership with NFT platform OneOf last September.

iHeart’s Digital Audio Group President Conal Byrne said, “We are big believers in the incredible potential of Web3. We have already stepped into the metaverse with NFTs and have much more to come.”

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

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Cyrus Uible joins WorldCast Group as an application engineer and solution architect. He will be based in Miami.

He’ll offer sales support to account managers and customers for the company’s brands including NMS Kybio by WorldCast Connect, as well as WorldCast Systems’ Ecreso, APT and Audemat solutions.

WorldCast Co-President Christophe Poulain said Uible’s “strong software know-how, market understanding, insights and solution-oriented approach” will enhance the company’s recent successes in North America.

Uible brings 20 years of experience in software engineering to the position with expertise gained during his time at companies such as Dalet and Skyline Communications, and recently serving as a principal solutions architect covering OTT, satellite broadcast management and NOC monitoring for Skyline Communications.

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