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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Association of Broadcasters Leadership Foundation (NABLF)  has shared this year’s group of recipients of the 2024 Celebration of Service to America Awards.

The honors recognize outstanding service to their communities by local television and radio stations. Winners will be honored at the awards ceremony on June 4 at The Anthem in Washington, D.C.

The Celebration of Service to America Awards are presented by Bonneville International and Hearst Television and is a component of the NABLF’s mission “to honor the exemplary and essential public service campaigns and philanthropic efforts that local radio and television stations lead in their markets across the country.”

NABLF President Michelle Duke said, “Television and radio stations are the cornerstones of their communities, and they go above and beyond to serve their audiences. From trusted reporting that uncovers corruption to fundraisers that help those in need, these stations are doing incredible work. We can’t wait to share their stories with everyone at the 2024 Celebration of Service to America gala in June.”

 

The following is the list of honorees by category:

Service to Community Award for Radio, Broadcast Ownership Group
Bonneville, Maui Strong

Service to Community Award for Television, Broadcast Ownership Group
Cox, Real Estate Racket

Service to Community Award for Radio, Large/Major Market
WFSH-FM, Salem Media Group, Atlanta, Ga., Acts of Love

Service to Community Award for Television – Large/Major Market
WANF-TV, Gray Television, Atlanta, Ga., In Plane Sight

Service to Community Award for Radio – Medium Market
KTXY-FM, Zimmer Communications, Columbia, Mo., Children’s Miracle Network Radiothon

Service to Community Award for Television – Medium Market
KETV-TV, Hearst Television, Omaha, Neb., Voices of GenZ

Service to Community Award for Radio – Small Market
WLBC-FM, Woof Boom, Muncie, Ind., Muncie You-Nite

Service to Community Award for Television – Small Market
WJHG-TV, Gray Television, Panama City, Fla., Chapter Chat

 

Marketron, known for its front-office workflow software services for the broadcasting industry, says it has reached a digital advertising milestone.

How so? Marketron’s third-party digital advertising technology has now processed more than $400 million in local digital advertising revenue since the company debuted these capabilities in 2020.

The built-for-radio digital platform, Marketron NXT, is used by local media advertising sales associates, and can be integrated with various traffic systems.

This, Marketron says, allows for digital and airtime campaigns in one proposal, allowing a salesperson to produce a customer-facing proposal in short time.

This proposal can be converted to an order, and goes to the traffic system and demand-side platforms (DSPs) for execution. Performance reporting filters into a consolidated report, and billing can occur in the same traffic system that is used for the airtime billing, resulting in one invoice.

Marketron SVP/Sales and Head of Revenue Todd Kalman commented, “Digital advertising is an essential product line for radio stations. Providing them with the best technology, training, coaching and solutions ensures they can thrive in today’s local media environment. We’ve witnessed hundreds of stations launch digital with our products and quickly win the business of local advertisers. It’s effective, scalable and simple.”

BALTIMORE — The owner of broadcast TV stations in markets ranging from West Palm Beach to Salt Lake City, in addition to Tennis Network, Compulse and Dielectric, has joined the Entertainment ID Registry as a member of its board of directors.

Sinclair Inc. will be represented by Mike Palmer, the company’s Assistant VP of Media Management. Palmer serve on EIDR’s board as Sinclair’s representative for a one-year term.

EIDR is a public registry that provides a unique identifier for audio-visual content, designed to provide a standard way of identifying and tracking works across the media supply chain.

Palmer commented, “EIDR captures the complex relationships between descriptive metadata and registered media in a public standard that better enables Sinclair to build rich and unique content experiences that entertain and inform the communities Sinclair serves,” said Palmer.

Sinclair will use EIDR’s metadata capabilities to manage and distribute content more effectively, creating improved workflows, enhanced content discoverability, and new opportunities to optimize return on content investment.

 

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NEW YORK —  A group that calls itself a “leading voice on veteran employment issues” has given Hearst Television a five-star honor for its recruitment efforts tied to both members and veterans of the United States Armed Forces.

Hearst’s designation of VETS Indexes 5 Star Employer in the 2024 VETS Indexes Employer Awards recognizes the organization’s commitment to recruiting, hiring, retaining, developing, and supporting veterans and the military-connected community.

“The extraordinary efforts of Hearst Television to hire, retain and support veterans and the military-connected community have earned the organization one of our highest awards,” said George Altman, president of VETS Indexes.

This year, a record 344 organizations submitted completed surveys for the VETS Indexes Employer Awards, an increase of more than 100 from last year and nearly triple the number from two years ago. Of those, VETS Indexes recognized 285 organizations across the following award levels: 5 Star Employer, 4 Star Employer, 3 Star Employer, and Recognized Employer. Not every responding organization made the cut – only those that demonstrated a strong commitment to veterans, members of the National Guard and Reserves, and military spouses. Participating organizations included companies large and small, government agencies and departments, nonprofit groups, colleges, and universities.

This survey and recognition program analyzes employers’ policies, practices, and outcomes in detail, across the following 5 categories:

Veteran job candidate recruiting and hiring
Veteran employee development and retention
Veteran-inclusive policies and culture
Support for members of the National Guard and Reserves
Military spouse/family support

Click this link to see the full slate of awardees: https://vetsindexes.com/award-results-2024

 

A Class A noncommercial non-secular FM serving the Indiana cities of Bedford and Bloomington is being sold.

The buyer is one of the biggest operators of religious radio stations in the U.S.

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NEW YORK — On August 2, 2021, just shy of eight months after the company confirmed that it was “considering” a sale of all of its assets, Quincy Media, Inc. marked the end of an era. Its 24 broadcast television properties were officially sold, and now the property of Gray Television and Allen Media Group, respectively.

“This was a difficult decision for our Board of Directors and shareholders,” said Ralph Oakley, who led the licensee. By April 2022, Oakley was all but retired, as he was honored with a Broadcasters Foundation of America Leadership Award at its NAB Show breakfast event.

Oakley has just returned to broadcast TV station ownership. And, it is thanks to a deal engineered through a newly created entity that’s agreeing to purchase a station from the nation’s No. 1 owner of over-the-air properties.

 

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Orban and Super Hi-Fi jointly announced the latest addition to the Optimod product line. 

They’re describing the Optimod 5950 Super Hi-Fi Edition as “an all-in-one transmitter-based cloud playout appliance.” It combines Orban audio processing and Super Hi-Fi’s AI-powered programming as well as the recently introduced HLS+ delivery technology.

They call this “an all-in-one appliance designed to replace racks of playout equipment, audio processing, PPM encoding and metadata servers in a single 1U rackspace,” adding that it is intended to help radio stations simplify their tech stacks.

The box works with HLS+ so stations can deliver broadcasts and accurate metadata along with interactive, personalized versions of those same broadcasts through mobile apps, smart speaker integrations and web clients.

Optimod 5950: Super Hi-Fi Edition

HLS+ is a new streaming technology from Super Hi-Fi, introduced a few weeks ago. Audacy’s 700+ online stations are in the process of integrating it.

“As radio companies look to reduce the complexity of their ecosystem, they’re going to require fully integrated solutions that replace decades of legacy hardware,” said Super Hi-Fi CEO Zack Zalon in the announcement.

In Super Hi-Fi’s vision, “Radio companies can program, image, voice track and broadcast their stations from a web browser using Super Hi-Fi’s Program Director, deliver it to the transmitter and other digital endpoints using Super Hi-Fi’s HLS+ streaming technology, and play it out at the transmitter site with incredible fidelity and control, apply best-in-class PPM encoding and enable high-quality metadata output.”

Orban President David Day said, “Together with Super Hi-Fi, we’re building a 100% cloud-based system with reliable and robust playout, right at the transmitter site … No more automation systems, no more dedicated PCs, no more closets full of rack-mounted gear.”

Also on Thursday, Super Hi-Fi announced StreamPlayer 1, a transmitter-based cloud-playout device for FM, HD Radio, and DAB/DAB+ broadcasts that costs $799.

“With its seamless integration with Super Hi-Fi’s HLS+ streaming technology and robust features, StreamPlayer 1 ensures high quality uninterrupted broadcasting, even in the event of internet outages.” 

This box was developed in partnership with Barix. Super Hi-Fi calls StreamPlayer 1 “a reliable, cost-effective way to receive and broadcast Super Hi-Fi’s HLS+ cloud-based station streams directly at the transmitter, while automatically generating and storing backup programming to keep stations on the air.” In the event of internet outages, StreamPlayer 1 broadcasts a fully produced fallback program.

Super Hi-Fi StreamPlayer1

“StreamPlayer 1, coupled with Super Hi-Fi’s Program Director, offers the simplest way to manage a high-quality broadcast operation from anywhere,” the company said.

[For More News on the NAB Show See Our NAB Show News Page]

The post Orban and Super Hi-Fi Introduce an “All-in-One” Optimod appeared first on Radio World.

Is AI good enough to co-host a radio program? We’re about to find out.

Futuri is rolling out a tool that facilitates interactions between human hosts and AI personalities, called CoHostAI, while another new tool, CallerAI, lets listeners call in to “talk” directly with AI.

“These innovations represent a significant leap forward in integrating AI with live broadcast programming, podcasts and audience interaction,” the company said.

The announcement precedes the NAB Show in Las Vegas, where Futuri head Daniel Anstandig will give a keynote in company with an AI robot. 

Last year at this time, the industry was reacting to the introduction by Futuri of RadioGPT, which later was renamed Futuri AudioAI, and the past year has seen a flurry of additional announcements by Futuri and other technology companies in the AI space.

Now Futuri says the CoHostAI feature “creates a seamless collaboration between human hosts and AI personalities during live broadcasts. This breakthrough feature empowers hosts to engage in natural, dynamic conversations with AI counterparts, delivering a captivating and immersive experience for listeners.”

With the CallerAI technology, conversations are recorded with permission of listeners and may be used on the air. 

“Both capabilities facilitate direct interaction between AI, listeners and AI hosts, allowing engagement in meaningful conversations with AI personalities,” the company says.

Several broadcasters quoted in the ebook “Artificial Intelligence in Radio” told Radio World that they use AI hosts on the air in overnight shifts and for spot fill-ins.

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The post Futuri Introduces AI-Powered Co-Hosts appeared first on Radio World.

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Super Hi-Fi has released Voicetrack Fusion, describing it as a new approach to voice tracking. 

It says the platform blends talent management, shift management, job assignment and voice track recording into one interface and reduces VT scheduling and production to a matter of minutes. 

Voicetrack Fusion is available through the Super Hi-Fi Program Director OS. It was announced by CEO Zack Zalon. 

The tool offers recording, production and shift management to a browser-based interface. “The platform automatically produces all of the elements around voice tracks, so they’ll sit perfectly in the mix and always hit the post,” the company says.

An editing screen in Voicetrack Fusion

Tools include voice track scheduling; variants for network or localized syndications; and automated alternates, so that if a talent misses an assigned voice track, the system will select the items and auto generate a reduced, voice-free alternate segue. 

“VoiceTrack Fusion allows managers to schedule DJ shifts, automatically generate voice track assignments, deliver job notifications via text and email, and monitor job progress for all On-Air Talent with ease.”

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The post Super Hi-Fi Introduces Voicetrack Fusion appeared first on Radio World.

Radio Content Pro has joined the Radio Vendor Alliance.

RVA formed up recently with the stated mission of developing services and applications in synch.

Radio Content Pro is an AI-based show prep and support tool from Tracy Johnson of the Tracy Johnson Media Group, targeted at small- and medium-market stations.

The nine other members of RVA are RadioFX, Envisionwise, Big Deals Media, Cool Radio Streaming, Rumple, Silverback Advertising, Radio Consulting Services, Navaquest and Frank Gerard Voiceovers.

“Each vendor has submitted to a review process and their inclusion in the RVA has been based on their proven track record of delivering fair market value services backed by inclusive support,” the group states. “As a result, RVA offers a network of trusted partners that radio operators can rely on to help them grow and succeed.”

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The post Radio Content Pro Joins Radio Vendor Alliance appeared first on Radio World.

Photo courtesy SPIE Belgium

Belgian infrastructure companies SPIE Belgium and Jacops NV are partnering to ensure DAB+ signals can be heard in tunnels across Flanders. The project was commissioned by the Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer, which is responsible for motorways, regional roads and cycle paths in the Flemish-speaking part of Belgium.

Tunnels always present a problem for radio waves, but the use of repeater systems and special antenna systems help keep drivers entertained and informed as they travel underwater and underground. For AWV, ensuring digital radio broadcasts are received in tunnels means being able to easily target drivers with emergency information, including with visual warnings on in-dash displays.

“This project is an important step in the modernization of the road infrastructure in Flanders. In addition to optimizing the sound and radio frequency range, DAB+ will bring tangible improvements in road safety thanks to targeted emergency notifications in tunnels,” stated Norman Kabir, business development manager at SPIE Belgium.

Previously the tunnels were fitted with repeater systems for ASTRID, the Belgian public safety communications system for police, fire, and other emergency services and first responders. The DAB+ project covers installation of repeater systems for DAB+, as well as maintenance and upgrading of these radio systems.

SPIE Project Manager Michael Spronck said that an engineering study for the Leonardtunnel in Tervuren is being finalized and four other tunnel radio renewals are in the planning stage.

The post Flanders Bringing DAB+ to Tunnels appeared first on Radio World.

USSI Global, known for its customized network and digital media products, has been awarded ST Engineering iDirect 2024 North America Gold Partner Status for its broadcast division.

What does this signify? USSI Global will manage sales, customer service and technical support for ST Engineering iDirect broadcast solutions in the United States and Canada, including the new MCX8000 multi-carrier satellite gateway.

USSI Global will also support ST Engineering iDirect’s business operations, including service agreement renewals.

USSI Global and ST Engineering iDirect have a long-standing partnership on broadcast and satellite initiatives including the FCC’s C-band transition, now in the final stages of clearing spectrum for 5G mobile services.

USSI Global installed ST Engineering iDirect modulators, redundancy switches and conversion equipment as part of their turnkey services for moving broadcasters to new C-band frequencies.

Broadcasters that install ST Engineering iDirect hardware products will have access to USSI Global’s 24/7 monitoring and preventative maintenance services, including oversight of third-party systems in the ecosystem.

Darren Ludington, Regional Vice President/Americas for ST Engineering iDirect, commented, “Satellite remains an essential distribution and contribution platform for broadcasters, especially where terrestrial and broadband connectivity is limited or non-existent. For those areas with connectivity challenges, satellite is the preferred broadcast distribution path. Additionally, satellite is the ideal redundancy model due to its unmatched availability, uptime and reliability. Our MCX8000 satellite gateway supports these and other important requirements for broadcasters today, and USSI Global has a thorough understanding of how ST Engineering iDirect’s solutions function in the broadcaster’s headend. As we move toward adding a service layer to our hardware model, including native IP over satellite distribution, USSI Global’s experience in managed services and broadband network infrastructure will help to extend our broadcast and satellite offerings to more customers at a higher service standard.”

USSI Global VP of Business Development Lincoln Biederbeck added that the partnership is already paying dividends. “We have secured initial deals for new ST Engineering iDirect installations and have been working with existing clients to renew service level agreements,” he said. “The latter is especially important to developing a model with customers that will also lead to more managed services and future upgrades to ST Engineering iDirect’s forthcoming generation of solutions. We are thrilled to be partnering with ST Engineering iDirect and working to serve our common customers in exciting new ways ahead.”

— Reporting by Brian Galante, in Boston

The two companies will highlight their partnership along with the MCX8000 at NAB Show 2024, where they will share space in a West Hall hospitality suite (W4772). The event, which takes place from April 14-17 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, marks USSI Global’s first return to the NAB exhibit floor since 2008.

DETROIT — AI video advertising firm Waymark is entering the 2024 NAB Show, which begins in full Sunday at the Las Vegas Convention Center, with partnerships in hand with broadcast, cable, radio and streaming platforms covering more than 90% of the nation’s DMAs.

It also happens to be rolling out a new self-serve plug-in tool, along with capabilities en español.

Waymark’s automated plug-in is designed as “a turnkey tool” to allow media publishers to integrate the AI video creator into their own platforms. The plugin is the basis of a recent strategic partnership with Sweden-based DanAds, which provides global publishers and media owners with a fully automated, white-labeled self-serve advertising infrastructure.

“Our mission is to democratize access to TV-quality creative,” says Hayden Gilmer, VP of Revenue at Waymark. “With the rise of Connected TV and the industry’s rapid adoption of self-serve advertising platforms, we see a tremendous opportunity. Combining a la carte ad buys with instant video creative is a winning formula.”

Waymark is also introducing Spanish-language capabilities to its AI-powered video platform, enabling users to generate “high-quality commercials with professional voice-over in just five minutes or less.”

The update allows for the creation of full video ads with on-screen Spanish copy and fluent Spanish voice-overs, featuring localized synthetic AI accents. “This update opens potential new revenue opportunities for businesses looking to connect with the growing Spanish-language segment,” Waymark notes.

Waymark enjoys signed deals with The E.W. Scripps Company, FOX TV Stations, Spectrum Reach, Gray Television, Beasley Media Group, and Morgan Murphy Media. It also expanded its global footprint through a significant partnership with Nine, Australia’s leading broadcaster and UK-based publishing company National World plc.

NEW YORK — Consulting, consumer intelligence and activation firm Magid has a new Chief Brand and Communications Officer, and it is an individual who will serve as a member of the group’s executive leadership team, reporting direct to CEO Brent Magid.

Earning the role is John Rood, who has until now led a marketing consultancy advising media companies, agencies and tech start-ups on strategy and business development. Before that, Rood was widely known as SVP/Marketing for Disney Channel, and had been at The Walt Disney Company for some 15 years.

Before that, Rood spent a decade at Warner Bros., serving as EVP/Sales, Marketing and Business Development for its DC Comics unit before jumping to Disney.

“Magid was a powerful partner of mine while I was at Disney/ABC Television, helping us devise winning strategies for a number of our businesses,” said Rood, who will appear often in Magid’s New York and Minneapolis offices but will be based in Los Angeles. “In the years since, I have witnessed the Magid reputation grow even further, in stature, in its product suite and in industries served. If ya know, ya know – brands who partner with Magid today are experiencing the very best combination: legacy credibility and modern innovation. I am thrilled to be joining these great people at this great company.”

Broadcast TV station owner Gray Television has announced when it will release its first quarter 2024 earnings report.

What can holders of “GTN” expect to hear from Pat LaPlatney, Hilton Howell Jr. and the rest of the executive leadership team?

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