Radio World

A college radio station has been honored with a cluster of broadcast awards including Best Overall College Radio Station of the year.

WHPC Station Director Shawn Novatt (center, in suit) with Nassau Community College President Dr. Jermaine F. Williams (third from left) and WHPC students and volunteers in 2019.

WHPC(FM), based at Nassau Community College in Garden City, N.Y., won the Best Overall College Radio Station Award as well as six other honors from the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS), an organization with a membership of more than 1,000 nonprofit, education-affiliated radio stations and webcasters. Founded in 1940, IBS helps establish and operate noncommercial radio and webcast operations. The Abraham & Borst Best Overall College Radio Award is named for George Abraham and David W. Borst, the founders of IBS.

In all, WHPC 90.3 won seven national honors including the Best Morning Show for “The Nassau Morning Madhouse,” Best Station ID, Best Underwriting Announcement, Best Use of Social Media and Best College Radio Station Advisor.

“I could not be prouder of the work being done by the volunteers and staff here at WHPC, especially over the last year,” said Shawn Novatt, WHPC station director. “Even with the pandemic forcing all of us to broadcast remotely, we continued to thrive and provide our audience with the information and entertainment they expect from us.”

Nassau Community College’s radio station is home to approximately 120 volunteers, most of whom are NCC students. Its programming includes sports, entertainment and informational shows, including a variety of music shows. The station can be heard streaming on TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Streema, as well as on Amazon Alexa Google Home devices.

“WHPC has once again proven their excellence in broadcasting a diverse and entertaining variety of programs that serve the listeners in the community,” said Dr. Janet Caruso, associate vice president of Workforce Development, Lifelong Learning and Weekend College at Nassau Community College. “In addition to being an excellent source of entertainment, the knowledge and learning experience the radio station bestows among our students interested in the field provides them with a solid foundation for their future in the broadcasting industry.”

More information can be found at www.mediaconferences.org.

 

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In this issue, Buyer’s Guide looks at transmitters.

Find out why users of Nautel, GatesAir, Ecreso and Rohde & Schwarz chose the models they did; and read about recent introductions from Bext and Broadcast Electronics.

Also, the FM geo-targeting proposal from GBS hits some industry headwinds, with the NAB and several large groups expressing strong opposition to the FM booster system.

And health officials find that low-power radio systems can be a big help as they manage large-scale vaccination clinics.

Read it here.

The post Inside the March 17, 2021 Issue of Radio World appeared first on Radio World.

SANTIAGO, Chile — El Conquistador FM, one of the most important radio groups in Chile, began with one station in Santiago more than five decades ago and today is nationally established with 50 stations in the country.

Alejandro Noemi Hauck, a well-known radio engineer at El Conquistador FM, operates three Ecreso FM 1000W transmitters, broadcasting in three cities, each deployed with SmartFM technology and a five-band audio processor.

While staying on air with the highest quality audio is vital, as for all broadcasters, Hauck also said cost savings and limiting energy consumption are increasingly important.

Multiple factors play into this such as system efficiency, reliability and cost of maintenance. Hauck said their legacy transmitters were not optimal in terms of total cost of ownership, so he looked for a solution that would better fit their needs while lowering operating costs and improving the quality of the signal.

Hauck said he had good experience over four years with the Ecreso FM 1000W, for its efficiency and reliability, so he jumped on the opportunity to use the newly released SmartFM technology.

Manufacturer WorldCast Systems says SmartFM is a sophisticated innovation for FM radio that enables broadcasters to reduce energy costs by up to 40%. The software, in Hauck’s words, “is incredible to see operate automatically according to the program content.”

After testing on-air programs at the edge of the coverage zone, he said he was surprised by the results and that SmartFM does not affect the listening experience. For El Conquistador, this represents a step forward for radio at a time when energy is expensive and businesses need to limit their consumption.

“SmartFM is a breakthrough innovation every FM broadcaster should deploy,” he told the manufacturer, saying that the improvement, activated through a software upgrade, is significant.

In line with its objective to deliver great sound, the broadcaster also uses the built-in five-band sound processor. According to Hauck, he replaced processors he was using from a familiar brand with WorldCast Systems’ solution. No additional hardware is required, and the result is amazing sound that can be personalized for a station.

In addition to reliability and great audio, Hauck said, the group saw power consumption drop noticeably. While Ecreso FM 1000W provided efficiency of up to 72%, with SmartFM they reaped the benefits of even higher efficiency and savings.

“I would recommend Ecreso for the audio quality, the very good transmitter performance and especially SmartFM, which is an impressive innovation,” Hauck said.

Radio World User Reports are testimonial articles intended to help readers understand why a colleague chose a particular product to solve a technical situation.

Contact Tony Peterle at WorldCast Systems in Florida at 1-305-249-3110 or for international queries contact Christophe Poulain at WorldCast Systems in France at +33-5-57-92-89-28 or visit www.worldcastsystems.com.

The post User Report: El Conquistador Deploys SmartFM appeared first on Radio World.

A team member talks to patients about their vaccinations. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon for UChealth

Traffic Information Stations, also known as Highway Advisory Radio systems, have been a fixture on American roads since the FCC authorized the 10 watt AM systems in 1977.

Forty-seven years later, TIS has found a new role as public health officials host drive-through vaccination clinics.

In January, the parking lot of Coors Field, home to the Colorado Rockies baseball team, was turned into a clinic for pre-selected Coloradoans age 70 and over.

It was organized and staffed by the UCHealth health care system and the University of Colorado School of Medicine working with the Rockies, the state of Colorado, the city of Denver, the Denver police and Verizon.

The logistics were daunting. Six lanes of cars had to be marshalled over 1.7 miles, then split to pass through 16 drive-through vaccination tents. The occupants were then directed to holding areas to wait for 15 minutes to detect any adverse reactions before they were allowed to drive away.

Making this happen required traffic cones, flag people and LED signs. But with 10,000 people scheduled over two days, something more was needed to communicate with the vehicles.

Organizers had done a pilot program a few days prior, in which 1,000 patients were vaccinated.

“One of the things we learned … was that signs were not enough,” said Bradford Fixler, UCHealth’s VP of marketing. “Then it hit us: What we needed was one of those low-power AM traffic stations that feeds you prerecorded messages as you drive by.”

Drivers line up for vaccinations at Coors Field on Jan. 30. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon for UChealth

Michigan-based Information Station Specialists provided a rented TIS system. Owner Bill Baker is also a director with the American Association of Information Radio Operators.

ISS provided an EventCAST-PR system that includes a 10 watt AM transmitter, antenna and audio input/management system. It comes in a roll-away equipment case, and can be set up in minutes.

“TIS systems have gone from exclusively transmitting traffic information to being used for all manner of emergency/safety purposes allowed by the Part 90 rules,” Baker said.

“This self-contained station is in high demand with departments of public health and emergency management, because AM radio is still popular with and available to the listening public.”

FCC rules were clarified in 2013 to underline that a TIS signal can be used in emergency situations, with the content under the control of local emergency managers.

The system in Denver provided a range of prerecorded looped  information to listeners in English and Spanish on 1630 kHz. The frequency was authorized by the FCC on an emergency temporary license and promoted on the clinic’s LED signs.

“In our loops, we told them to be sure to drive very slowly, and that they had to have an appointment to get a shot: No exceptions,” said Fixler.

“We were allocated exactly 10,000 doses, so if any of those had been given to someone who didn’t have an appointment, someone who did would have gone without.”

The looped broadcasts told patients to wear masks, stay in their cars, have proof of appointments ready and to have their sleeves rolled up. “We wanted to avoid wasting time in the vaccination tents … because these delays could have significantly slowed down the vaccination process,” Fixler said.

“We also told them about the observation areas where experts were trained to watch for and respond to any adverse reactions.”

The fact that UCHealth opted for prerecorded English and Spanish messages posed a problem. Surely English speakers would turn off their radio when the Spanish loop came on, and vice versa.

Baker suggested that they alternate paragraphs in English and Spanish, said Fixler; this ensured that people of both languages stayed tuned for the entire package.

 

On Jan. 30–31, the broadcasts went to plan.

“The script was very understandable, and the signal coverage on 1630 AM was very clear throughout the Coors Field parking lot. The only thing we don’t know is how many people actually tuned in. We plan to survey them about it the next time we hold this kind of drive-through event.”

The EventCAST system is also being used by SCL Health for walk-in vaccination clinics in Denver; the first was held in February at the National Western Complex. Five thousand people from underserved communities were vaccinated. More clinics were scheduled.

“My background is in state/municipal government, with a lot of experience in emergency management and operations, so I know the value of radio for communicating vital information to people,” said Gregg Moss, SCL Health’s director of public relations and media.

“Radio also helps in constantly reinforcing messages about directions and staying calm: ‘We’re going to take good care of you.’”

The system broadcast looped messages in English and Spanish for 10 hours on Feb. 6. The messages had been recorded by voiceover pros Jeff Laurence and Celina Martinez, who assist Information Station Specialists on special projects.

“We had digital sign boards set up about a quarter mile from the exits where people get off to drive to the National Western Complex, telling them to tune to 1630 AM,” said Moss. “We then had a second set of signs closer to the venue, repeating the same message.”

Because these broadcasts were aimed at patients behind the wheel, “we advised them on which street to turn down and what parking lot to go to,” Moss said. “We also let them know what to expect once they arrived at the complex for their shots and reminded them to book their second vaccination appointments while they were here.”

Based on patient feedback, SCL Health’s TIS station was effective.

“What was funny is that many of the people who tuned in didn’t realize that we were behind the station,” said Moss. “They thought that they were listening to a regular radio station, and that someone was paying to sponsor the broadcast.”

Still relevant

Baker’s company offers licensed fixed and portable stations with a ranges of 3 to 5 miles, per TIS rules, and license-free very-low power AM stations with a range of up to a half mile.

He said are busy days for low-power systems. “We’re challenged to keep up with the demand,” he said. “But it’s been a blessing: We’ve been able to work diligently through the pandemic.”

He said the current interest speaks to the universal nature of radio, and the comfort people feel with it versus text- and web-based systems, especially when they are distracted by illness or worry.

“Radio is tried and true. Everybody knows how to use it, and radio remains a great way for the people who are responsible for mitigating tragedies to speak directly to the people that are affected by them. That’s why AM radio and TIS are still relevant today.”

Listen to a sample of the UCHealth radio messages used at Coors Field:

https://www.radioworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/English-Spanish-v2.mp3

The post Health Officials Deploy TIS for Vaccinations appeared first on Radio World.

The Educational Media Foundation is urging the Federal Communications Commission to decide quickly about FM6 stations — those low-power TV stations known as Franken FMs that effectively operate as radio stations in some cities, heard on 87.7 MHz just below the U.S. FM band.

Those stations will go away when LPTV stations are required to cease analog service on July 13 as part of the nation’s digital TV migration.

The FM6 stations are already six years past when we first thought the stations would be forced to shut down. And many radio broadcasters think these “radio” operations should not be allowed anyway, because the underlying TV licenses were not issued with radio service in mind.

The FCC has been considering allowing an exemption to keep them operating. We already knew that the big Christian noncommercial broadcaster was a supporter; it told the FCC earlier that “FM-on-LPTV stations are already operating and not causing interference at the lowest end of the FM band.”

Now, given the July 13 deadline for LPTVs to cease analog service entirely, EMF Vice President of Operations and Engineering Sam Wallington has written again to the commission.

He asked it to “act expeditiously on this matter” because stations need to be able to plan “to avoid a potential unhappy surprise should their audiences lose service that they have enjoyed for many years.” And he took the opportunity to reiterate EMF’s hope that the FCC will protect the stations.

EMF operates the K-Love and Air1 networks. It also has an FM6 signal of its own.

“EMF has been able to expand the coverage for its programming by using the analog audio channel of KBKF(LP), San Jose, Calif., which has been received by the public on their FM radio dial at 87.7 since August 2010,” Wallington wrote.

“This service is a benefit to the community, providing well-received programming to the residents of the San Jose area. Especially in larger markets like San Jose, much, if not all, of the FM band has been claimed, leaving little room for noncommercial services like those that EMF provides on 87.7 MHz.”

Silencing the station, he said, would leave a void; he said other operators have reported similar experiences.

“There is no apparent technological or policy reason — and certainly no public interest benefit — for ending FM-on-LPTV service. In fact the [TV] digital transition and preservation of analog audio on 87.7 puts the commission in a win-win position — viewers receive all the benefits of digital television on Channel 6 while the audio channel can be preserved to serve current listeners and be available for future listeners to discover.”

Opponents to the dual-mode operation, including National Public Radio, say the stations flout FCC rules and are misusing the spectrum. In addition, NPR has voiced concerns about interference to stations in the adjacent reserved band.

The term Franken FM was coined early in their history by online observers and promulgated by Radio World. It plays on the word Frankenstein and refers to what some consider their unnatural combination of licenses (or body parts).

[Related: “Goodbye, Frankens? TV Deadline Approaches”]

The post EMF Urges Quick Decision on Franken FMs appeared first on Radio World.

Despite the fact that traditional AM/FM broadcasting is at the century mark, it still leads all newcomers in the in-car media ecosphere.

That’s according to The Infinite Dial 2021’s latest data. The annual Infinite Dial is prepared by Edison Research and Triton Digital.

The numbers suggest that AM/FM radio holds a commanding lead at 75%. Owned digital music holds a distant second place with 48%, followed by the CD player, online audio, podcasts and Sirius XM. It bears noting that AM/FM broadcasting’s automotive lead is slowly slipping away, having been at 81% in 2019 and 2020.

[Read: Despite Disruptions in 2020, Media Consumption Trends Upwards]

Another entertainment technology that is rapidly disappearing in the rear view mirror is the car CD player, as more vehicles from the 1990s and early 2000s have a date with the scrapyard. To put this in perspective, the CD player came in second with 63%, behind AM/FM’s 84% in the 2013 Infinite Dial report. The most recent figures place the CD player third with 35% of audio sources ever used in the car.

Also trending down, according to The Infinite Dial 2021, is the percent of respondents driving/riding in a car/vehicle in the past month. Their 2020 data suggests 87% were cruising monthly, and that number fell this year to 83%. That’s not hard to understand when one considers the pandemic lockdown, employment statistics, and that rush hour traffic in many cities has become a thing of the past.

New automotive technologies continued to make gains in 2020, according to Triton and Edison Research data. The percent owning in-dash information and entertainment systems crept up from 18–20% over the past year. Data for online audio listening in-car through a cellphone suggests an increase from 45–50% over the past year.

A new category introduced to the 2021 Infinite Dial is the percent having an integrated mobile operating system in their primary vehicle. The numbers say Apple Car Play has 10%, while Android Auto has 8%.

 

The post Data Says AM/FM Radio Still Leads in Automotive Environment appeared first on Radio World.

Paul Rogers has been promoted by iHeartMedia to area president for North Florida, which includes the Jacksonville market.

He succeeds Nicky Sparrow, who was recently named the senior vice president of multicultural sales for iHeartMedia Markets Group.

The Jacksonville cluster includes eight stations with music formats in English and Spanish: WSOL(FM), WQIK(FM), WJBT(FM), WWJK(FM), WKSL(FM), WFXJ(AM), Rumba 106.9FM and 107.3FM Planet Radio.

Rogers has been market president for Tallahassee and Panama City since 2017. iHeart’s realigned North Florida area now also includes those two cities.

Rogers will report to Division President Linda Byrd.

Send People News announcements to radioworld@futurenet.com.

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The author is chairman of the European Digital Radio Alliance (EDRA). This is one in a recurring series of commentaries from and about WorldDAB.

The European Digital Radio Alliance is a joint initiative bringing together 25 members from 13 European countries.

Its members represent public and commercial broadcasters from across the continent, several hundred large and small radio stations along with a few hundred million listeners.

One of EDRA’s key priorities has been to promote digital radio, and ensure it is included in the new European Electronic Communications Code. Digital terrestrial radio is now compulsory for new passenger cars sold across Europe, and member states have the possibility to extend this obligation to domestic receivers.

[Read: Commentary: DAB+ Takes Center Stage]

In November, EDRA decided to adopt a manifesto in the face of digital developments, and raise awareness regarding radio stations’ growing dependence on certain digital giants, and the dangers that entails.

European Digital Radio Alliance members

By putting their content on the platforms of these tech giants, radio stations become increasingly dependent on tech giants and enable them to act as gatekeepers. Therefore they are becoming the new digital competitors of our radio stations, weakening them as they attract more listeners, make limited national production investments, and reduce the pool of choice of consumer and radio stations’ exposure on digital platforms.

We firmly believe that the intervention of commercial third-party platforms, mediating the relationship between the broadcasters and the listeners, is detrimental to the level playing field which has existed in European countries until now.

At EDRA, we aim to promote together a radio distribution strategy based on a secure, direct route to reach audiences, independent of the technologies employed. In this context, we would underline the importance of broadcast distribution in maintaining continuity of service for public safety in emergency conditions.

We have outlined two strategies to face these challenges — the first one is to facilitate collaboration within our industry. While we continue to compete on content, we need to bring the industry together to maintain a strong basis for radio around Europe and stay attractive to our listeners.

We also need to secure direct access to our listeners by favoring common platforms that allow for the growth of radio — DAB+ digital radio being the obvious one — but also by develop attractive digital platforms that will allow us to step away from third parties who are less likely to invest in our economies.

The success of DAB+ is based on cooperation between radio stations, and we are seeing strong growth in DAB+ listening across several European markets as the migration of radio audiences to digital continues.

Digital distribution, both terrestrial broadcasting and internet, is inevitably the future of radio; it will continue to deliver listener benefits around supplementary data and flexible on-demand provision.

 

The post DAB+ — Radio’s Biggest Ally in Facing Off Digital Giants appeared first on Radio World.

Failing to file a license renewal application on time can be a costly endeavor as four broadcasters found out after receiving apparent liability notices from the Federal Communications Commission.

A school district in Michigan and three houses of worship — in Ohio, Arkansas and Illinois — were issued forfeiture notices that ranged from $1,500 to $3,500.

The costliest forfeiture was handed out to Lighthouse Ministries of Northwest Ohio for $3,500. As licensee of WKJH(LP) in Bryan, Ohio, the FCC said that Lighthouse failed to file a timely license renewal application for the station. The commission said Lighthouse also willfully and repeatedly violated the Communications Act by continuing to operate the station even after its authorization expired.

[Read: These Stations Need to Turn in License Renewals ASAP]

FCC rules require that applications for a broadcast station license renewal must be filed by the first day of the fourth month prior to the expiration date of the license. In the case of Lighthouse, the renewal application should have been filed by June 1, 2020, which would have been four months prior to the license expiration date of Oct. 1 2020. But the commission said Lighthouse did not file any renewal. In early September, FCC staff let WKJH know that its license was to expire by midnight on Oct. 1. But no application was filed.

Then on Oct. 27, the licensee filed both an application and a petition for reconsideration requesting reinstatement of its license. In the petition, program director James Hollin explained that he mistakenly believed that the license renewal application wasn’t due until 2021. Hollin also said that family issues occurred at the time that the renewal application was due. Yet at no time did the licensee request special temporary authority (STA) to operate the station after its license officially expired.

But a line had been crossed. The FCC rules on failure to file are straightforward. The rules establish a base forfeiture of $3,000 for failing to file to required form. They also specify a separate base forfeiture of $10,000 for construction and/or operation without authorization.

Of course, the FCC has the leeway to adjust that amount upward or downward based on the nature and gravity of the violation.

While the FCC said it is sympathetic to Hollin’s family issues, it said it found that issuing a notice of apparent liability is still appropriate. “The licensee itself was ultimately responsible for ensuring it complied with the rules by filing a timely renewal application,” the commission said in its notice. “It did not do so.”

The commission initially found that a $7,000 forfeiture was appropriate. This decision was made because not only did the station allegedly fail to file its renewal application on time, it  continued operating the station after the license expired and never filed an STA to request the right to operate the station after its license expired.

Since the station is an LPFM station — and is providing a secondary service — the commission decided to reduce the forfeiture from the base amount to $1,500 for the failure to file a timely license renewal application and to $2,000 for unauthorized operations, for a total of $3,500.

The situation was a similar one for WCHW(FM), a station licensed to Bay City School District, Bay City, Mich. It also failed to file a license renewal application on time. The FCC laid a base forfeiture of $3,000 at Bay City’s door but did not find the action to be a serious violation.

Two additional houses of worship — Amazing Grace Church in Paron, Ark., and Family Worship Center Church in Effingham, Ill. — were also each issued notices of apparent liability for $1,500 each. In the case of Family Worship Center, the FCC said the licensee allegedly failed to file a license renewal for FM translator station W204BG. The application, which was due on Aug. 3, 2020, wasn’t filed until mid-November 2020.

In its application, Family Worship Center Church said that it inadvertently failed to file a renewal application for the translator when it went about filing applications for its other translators and full-service stations in Illinois. In this case the FCC lowered the forfeiture from the base amount of $3,000 to $1,500 because the FCC said the station — as a translator — is providing a secondary service.

In Amazing Grace’s situation, the renewal application for KILB(LP) was filed about a month late. The application was due on Feb. 3, 2020, but was not filed until March 11, 2020. Amazing Grace provided no explanation for the untimely filing of the application. Just as in the case of Family Worship, the base forfeiture was reduced from $3,000 to $1,500 because, as an LPFM station, the station is providing a secondary service, the FCC said.

In all four cases, the commission has given each applicant 30 days to pay the full amount or file a written statement seeking reduction or cancellation of the proposed forfeiture.

 

The post Four Stations Receive Forfeitures for Same Alleged Violation: Late Filings appeared first on Radio World.

New consumer research commissioned by technology provider Frontier Smart Technologies shows how the coronavirus shifted broadcast radio listening across the United Kingdom and how those developments could influence that country’s move toward DAB [Digital Audio Broadcasting], DAB+ and IP streaming and multimedia technologies.

The newly released survey examined the audio listening habits of the British public — from March 24 to May 11, 2020 — during the first U.K. COVID-19 lockdown. A total of 1,096 people participated in the survey. The majority of the survey panel was between the ages of 36 to 65 years old, according to Frontier Smart Technologies.

[Read: DAB Advocates Celebrated Growth in 2020]

The survey shows that just over a quarter of respondents (27%) listened to more radio in lockdown than before, while a quarter (25%) and a fifth (20%) respectively reported listening to podcasts and physical mediums less frequently. In addition, 81% of respondents listened to radio, compared to music streaming (52%), physical formats (33%) and podcasts (24%) during the survey period.

The U.K. survey findings also reinforce the importance of the radio receiver as a dedicated device, with a significant number of people (40%) reporting that a standalone radio was their main source of audio entertainment, compared to their mobile phone (19%), smart speaker (18%), laptop/PC (8%), tablet (5%), CD/record player (4%) or other (6%).

A review provided by Frontier Smart Technologies concludes: “The continuing popularity of radio listening and devices dedicated to this purpose, as well as these shifts in listening habits, are likely to extend beyond COVID-19 in some form, as workers — who wish to continue splitting business hours between the home and the office, to enjoy more flexible arrangements — push for the new-normal to inform the post-COVID workplace.”

The tech company, an OEM that provides radio chips and modules to numerous electronics brands worldwide, hopes the data will bring more focus on DAB+ and how “digitization” is influencing the radio listening experience.

Consumer trends, the company said, show a shift to digital yet a surprisingly high number of consumer radio devices sold in Europe (64%) are analog-only, according to Frontier, which is slowing the adoption of DAB+. The company says DAB+ provides a gateway to a SmartRadio future across Europe. SmartRadio is a hybrid product combines terrestrial broadcasts with internet protocol services and content. It is promoted by the SmartRadio coalition, of which Frontier is a member and equipment manufacturer.

Frontier Smart Technologies said: “DAB+ adds to the benefits of DAB by providing advanced data services and improving on the simple text-based electronic program guides of DAB with the addition of built-in color displays. They may include details about the station, track or album being listened to — including cover art and other images — as well as information on traffic reports, and images from the news, sports and even advertisers.”

The technology provider continues: “SmartRadio adds on-demand audio, including podcast support, a key feature for mass consumer appeal, with listener figures increasing rapidly over recent years. Listeners can enjoy thousands of internet radio stations from across the globe, in addition to local and national broadcast services.”

 

The post UK Survey Shows Shift in Radio Listening During Pandemic appeared first on Radio World.

The Telos Alliance is taking its well-known VX VoIP hardware and software talk show phone system and creating a “virtualized” version to adapt changing broadcast workflows and operations of late.

Broadcasters can deploy VXs on their servers in the rack room, on shared servers in the centralized data center, or into cloud. These deployment options deliver the benefits of virtualization, such as easier facility-wide upgrades, cost-efficiency, remote operation and teamwork along with automated deployment without site visits.

Broadcasters can scale VXs in size from a single studio to a facility-wide talk show system to a multilocation system.

[Check Out More Products at Radio World’s Products Section]

VXs uses fifth-generation audio processing for improved call quality. Other features includes Smart AGC coupled with Telos’ three-band adaptive Digital Dynamic EQ, a three-band adaptive spectral processor, noise gating, and Acoustic Echo Cancellation. HD voice calls benefit from VXs’ native support of the G.722 codec, instantly improving caller speech quality.

Installing a VXs VoIP system in facilities already powered by Livewire+ AES67 networks is straight forward. The new VXs system will plug right in, using automatic mix-minus from an Axia console and existing phone module for control.

Support for AES67 gives broadcasters the capability of integrating VX into any AES67 or compatible SMPTE 2110-30 environments. Support for SAP advertisement means VXs integrates alongside AES67-enabled Dante devices, as well. With plug-and-play connectivity, users can network multiple channels of audio with any manufacturer’s AES67-compliant hardware.

Info: www.telosalliance.com

The post Telos Alliance Virtualizes VX VoIP System appeared first on Radio World.

GeoBroadcast Solutions is defending its proposed geo-targeting system for the FM band and says its additional planned tests will only add to a technical record that supports the idea.

As we’ve reported, the company wants the Federal Communications Commission to modify FM booster rules to allow stations to transmit very localized content for three minutes per hour independent of signals of the booster’s primary station.

Filing reply comments in the FCC’s proceeding, GBS lamented “exaggerated speculations” made by the National Association of Broadcasters and some large radio groups about the potential for increased interference and damage to FM’s business model from its ZoneCasting system.

GBS made four main arguments in its filing: that the technical data doesn’t support the claims of opponents about interference and performance in transition areas; that ZoneCasting won’t affect the EAS system; that its system will not cause a “race to the bottom” or “redlining”; and that its demonstrations in San Jose and San Francisco will further support its claims.

“Our efforts to improve radio technology and provide an economic lifeline to broadcasters competing on a daily basis against less regulated mediums, met surprising opposition from those we had hoped would embrace the opportunity to work with us and build new economic models that would help the industry remain competitive,” said Robert Udowitz, a spokesperson for GeoBroadcast Solutions.

The company said it continues to work with groups, stations, advertisers and industry organizations in the rule process; and it indicated that it would welcome having engineering representatives from large radio groups visit to view the testing process.

It told the FCC that it had expected its proposal to be “just a small adjustment of a technical rule.” However, “What we have seen over the last 10 months is that, while the rule change may be minor, the implications of radio stations having just the option to geo-target content is somehow troubling to parts of the radio industry that apparently do not want other radio stations to have even the option to innovate and compete in new ways,” GBS wrote in its reply to the FCC.

Beasley Media Group, Cumulus Media, Entercom Communications and iHeartMedia are among the radio groups that have questioned the technical soundness of geo-targeting, saying a rule change would be “premature” without further vetting.

[Related: “Minority Groups Call for a Geo-Targeting Pilot”]

GBS said it believes the role of the FCC is “not to manage an industry’s current business plan not shield it to certain broadcasters that do not want to innovate from competitors willing to deploy new technologies” based on their anticipation of changes in market and consumer demand.

“Instead, the job of the FCC is to listen to the many strong voices on all sides of this issue and assess whether the rule change is in the public’s interest and whether the rule change enhances localism and deepens the ability of broadcasters to meet the needs of their community.”

In addition: “The FCC should focus on the regulatory questions that are properly before it and not be sidetracked by issues that either fall outside the FCC’s purview or are based on nothing but unsubstantiated speculation.”

GBS issued assurances of a seamless transition between the main and FM booster zones, and that “plain, inarguable facts establish that in 99.9 percent of the geographic footprint of a radio station, the same content will be heard 95 percent of the time.”

The primary technical issue raised in the comments to the NPRM is the nature and duration of transition areas, the borders between zones. A “transition zone” will comprise a tiny percentage (typically less than one tenth of one percent) of a broadcaster’s service area, GBS wrote.

GBS also believes FM broadcasters will engineer their systems to avoid self-interference. “The FCC’s current rules require radio broadcasters to manage their spectrum, including their use of FM boosters, so as not to disrupt the listening experience and those rules will remain in place if the NPRM is adopted.”

EAS compliance will not be affected by geo-broadcasting, GBS wrote, “We state unequivocally that ZoneCasting will have no impact on EAS alerts. In the event an EAS alert is aired while a station is geo-targeting content to one zone, all zoned operation will immediately drop into simulcast synchronized SFN mode.”

The company promises to launch two demonstrations at FM stations in California. The FCC has approved an application for experimental authorization for a field test at KSJO(FM) and its booster KSJO(FM1) in San Jose, Calif. In addition, the company has proposed a demonstration test with a full-power FM station in San Francisco.

Roberson and Associates LLC, a technology and management consulting firm based in Schaumburg, Ill., will oversee the demonstrations. That firm “has met with senior engineering contacts at each of Beasley, Entercom, iHeart and Cumulus to discuss the parameters of the San Francisco demonstration and directly solicit their feedback regarding what variables the demonstration should test. Xperi, the developer of HD radio technology, will also advise,” GBS said in its filing.

GBS performed field tests in 2010 in Randolph, Utah, and 2011 in Avon Park, Fla. The most current ZoneCasting Design was tested in 2016 in Union Grove, Wis.

 

The post GBS Defends Its Geo-Targeting Proposal appeared first on Radio World.

The author is executive director of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters. NFCB commentaries are featured regularly at www.radioworld.com.

New reports on listening habits brought on by the pandemic are must-reads for stations. Even as states and the federal government are reviewing existing policies related to COVID-19, new audience habits may be here to stay. And, with that, our past ways of talking about radio may need to adjust.

On March 11, The Infinite Dial’s latest findings were released. The longtime initiative of Edison Research has been the gold standard when it comes to seeing where listening habits are as well as indicators for the future. Some of the dire discoveries presented opportunities, too.

[Read: Community Broadcaster: Is OnlyFans Music’s Next Royalty Model?]

In-car listening has dropped from about the same time last year. Seventy-five percent of the more than 1,000 respondents participated in this survey said they tuned in via their vehicles in the last month. That’s a significant decline from the 81% who listening in their cars in 2020. Bear in mind, however, that the number of people in autos dipped by five% from last year.

Considering the spike in streaming service subscriptions, rivals like satellite radio and other entertainment, radio’s draw among Americans remains solid. These numbers could grow as vaccinations become more available by summer.

Photo: Getty Images- Helen Ross

Sixty-two percent of Americans listen via the web at least weekly. Online listenership, researchers say, is at an all-time high. Such a statistic may prompt your station to think about how it markets itself on the air. If your promos are more focused on “tuning in,” could you be missing out by not talking up online options? Smart speaker adoption continues to grow. Are your spots telling your loyal fans how they can find you there?

Also, AudiGraphics discussed audience metrics with Current. Most interesting is the return of in-home listening to radio. This isn’t your grandparents’ old-time living room radio, though. Smart speakers and connected devices have made streaming your favorite radio station easier than it’s ever been. Where people used to listen on their commute, AudiGraphics points out they’ve simply shifted to catch the news and other programming they enjoy through alternate means. A question to thus ask is how your station is recognizing those listeners.

The storm cloud in this research is primarily for news and talk-based radio, especially noncommercial ones. It’s not entirely surprising, though. With election day long gone and media attention away from the Jan. 6 violence, more listeners are skipping the news in favor of other programming. AudiGraphics highlights the drop in listenership for NPR stations especially. Given NPR’s prominence, one would have to think these trends will impact any station rooted in news/talk. If you are a station that leans on news and public affairs programming, you might consider reviewing the figures closely.

While stations do their best to deliver a consistent quality of service, the technology around us changes every generation, and faster. Our ability to evolve with our audience can only prove beneficial.

The post Community Broadcaster: Off Road appeared first on Radio World.

The Federal Communications Commission weighed in on a series of complaints, petitions and supplements that were filed by stations complaining that an LPFM is interfering with their stations.

In the end, the FCC dismissed some of the complaints and petitions but mandated that stations work together to determine exactly what is causing the interference.

In October 2020, New River Community Church, Manchester, Conn., filed a petition for reconsideration on a Media Bureau decision that found that its WYPH(LP), was continuing to interfere with second-adjacent channel WDRC(FM) in Hartford, Conn., owned by Red Wolf Broadcasting Corp.

[Read: Fla. LPFM Gets Interference Notice]

In that decision the Media Bureau concluded that not only did WYPH fail to eliminate the interference it was allegedly causing, it also failed to prove beyond a doubt that its station was not the culprit in this interference situation.

Other parties began to weigh in too. Red Wolf Broadcasting filed a supplemental letter alleging that WYPH’s operations were causing interference to the over-the-air reception of its station, while Saga Communications of New England, which is licensee of WAQY(FM) in Springfield, Mass., also filed an interference complaint.

What’s key to understand is that FCC rules spell out a series of second-adjacent channel minimum distance separation requirements for LPFM stations — but only if the LPFM station demonstrates that its proposed operations will not result in interference to any authorized radio service.

As it stands, WYPH is currently licensed to operate under an approved second-adjacent channel waiver since it is short-spaced to second-adjacent channel stations WDRC and WAQY. But if the commission receives a complaint that an LPFM station is causing interference — even if they are operating with an approved second-adjacent channel wavier — the station must suspend operations until the interference is eliminated or the LPFM can prove that it is not the source of the interference.

And to be clear: any claim of interference must be from a disinterested listener who can prove their name and address and can pinpoint a location at which the interference occurs.

Over the course of 2016 and 2017, New River Community Church received a green light for both the second-channel adjacent waiver and a construction permit for WYPH.

Moving ahead to January 2020, Red Wolf filed a complaint alleging that WYPH’s operations were causing interference to the over-the-air reception of WDRC. That led the FCC to order WYPH to cease operations until it resolved the interference issues.

New River responded to say that the listener objections were not bona fide complaints because Red Wolf solicited and scripted those complaints with listeners. The licensee also suggested that on/off testing be conducted by a third-party engineer and that those test results be submitted to the Media Bureau to confirm whether WYPH is the source of interference to WDRC.

The back and forth began in earnest. New River said Red Wolf would not agree to participate in testing. New River also said that Red Wolf had tried to oust WYPH from its tower site to attempting to lease the entire tower for FM purposes.

Red Wolf replied to say that WYPH was operating with the wrong antenna, which violates FCC’s rules. Specifically, after its permit was granted, WYPH installed a two-bay half-wavelength antenna, a Shively 6812B-2. Red Wolf said that WYPH’s operations with this antenna is causing interference to both Red Wolf’s station WDRC and to Saga’s station WAQY.

New River responded by saying it was “three years too late” for Red Wolf to object and that New River’s engineering report only showed predicted interference, not actual interference.

Then Saga Communications joined in, filing an interference complaint alleging that if WYPH is allowed to resume operations, it will continue to cause interference to Saga’s WAQY. Saga asked the FCC to keep WYPH from resuming operations until the Shively antenna is replaced with a Nicom antenna.

The FCC weighed in with decisive decisions. It reaffirmed the Media Bureau decision that said that New River failed to show that its station was not the source of interference. Until New River eliminates the interference or shows that it is not causing it, the station cannot resume broadcasting, the FCC said. The commission also dismissed New River’s assertion that interference complaints were not bona fide. The bureau also reprimanded New River by failing to conduct certain on/off tests in conjunction with Red Wolf.

But New River still has the opportunity to prove that its station is not the source of interference by beginning to conduct those on/off tests. The bureau ruled that the two broadcasters — New River and Red Wolf — must jointly cooperate in a test to formally determine the source of the interference. The two have 90 days to submit those results to the bureau. The bureau also denied Red Wolf’s request to rescind WYPH’s license because the filing was not done with in a proper time frame. The commission also reviewed Saga’s complaint and found that Saga failed to submit any valid listener complaints to prove interference.

 

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Publication of the latest The Infinite Dial report by Triton Digital and Edison Research is nudging the series to the quarter-century mark, with the first release taking place in 1998. The current edition tracks media consumption in a year that was full of surprises. A recent online presentation hosted by Tom Webster, senior vice president at Edison Research and John Rosso, president of market development at Triton Digital, summarized this year’s key findings.

The broad view of 2020, according to Webster and Rosso, is that all media took a hit during the disruptive period starting in March, with layoffs, lockdowns and many beginning to work from home. The good news is that by January 2021, when The Infinite Dial’s telephone survey of 1,507 people was taken, things had pretty well returned to normal, with the expected growth being seen in most areas.

Smartphone ownership experienced rapid growth from the time of its introduction in 2009 through 2017, when it began to plateau as the market approached saturation. Nevertheless, the numbers went from 85 million owners in 2019 to an estimated 88 million in 2021. Webster and Rosso speculate that this increase may have been driven largely by Apple’s introduction of the second generation iPhone SE in April.

Not all devices are enjoying an uptick in popularity, according to Triton and Edison’s data. Tablet ownership peaked at 56% of the U.S. population in 2019, and has since declined to an estimated 51% for the current year. At the same time, the data suggests that internet-connected watch ownership seems to have hit a plateau. In 2018 and 2019, 17% of the U.S. population owned one, and the estimated number only rose to 18% for 2021.

In the no-big-surprise department, smart speakers seem to have had another good year. The Infinite Dial’s numbers suggest that ownership jumped from 27% in 2020 to an estimated 33% for this year. Webster and Rosso add that the researchers dug a bit deeper to try and understand why there was this much growth. When this same question of ownership was asked of those who are employed full- or part-time and work from home, the number jumped from 33–49%. Correlation, as they say, is not causation, but it makes one wonder if the economic upheaval of 2020 might not have had a positive effect on smart speaker sales.

Further signs of smart speaker growth, according to The Infinite Dial 2021,  may be found in data on number of smart speakers in a household. In 2018, the first year that numbers were collected, 67% of respondents owned one smart speaker, 22% owned two, and just 11% owned three or more. Ownership for the current year is 47% owning one, 19% with two, and 34% with three or more. Webster and Rosso posit that this data suggests many first-time buyers are starting out with two or more smart speakers.

The post Despite Disruptions in 2020, Media Consumption Trends Upwards appeared first on Radio World.

Two leading minority organizations are calling for the creation of a test pilot program before the FCC makes any decision about geo-targeting via FM boosters.

The Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council and the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters made the recommendation to the Federal Communications Commission, which has been taking industry input about the geo-targeting concept proposed by technology company Geo-Broadcast Solutions.

Advocates of the GBS idea have cited potential benefits to minority broadcasters and businesses among its selling points; and MMTC and NABOB have been among those expressing support for the concept.

But the National Association of Broadcasters and several large radio groups expressed strong opposition in the recent comment period, saying that geo-targeting could have serious technical and financial implications for the FM business model.

Now Maurita Coley and David Honig, who are respectively president/CEO and president emeritus/senior advisor of MMTC, and James Winston, president/CEO of NABOB, have told the FCC, “The NPRM contains 103 questions. Fortunately, many of the 103 questions may be answerable with engineering and economic data that could be produced by a pilot test of the technology.”

They encouraged “the leading parties” to collaborate to design and execute a pilot with at least three markets: urban, suburban and rural.

“We recommend that the pilot be designed to address all of the questions raised in the comment round of this proceeding, including the impact of the technology on local advertising markets. We encourage the commission to help unite all parties in the quest for a universally beneficial result.”

[Related: “ZoneCasting Will Level the Playing Field for Radio”]

 

The post Minority Groups Call for a Geo-Targeting Pilot appeared first on Radio World.

The Federal Communications Commission has a couple of reminders for U.S. radio and TV stations.

First, its Enforcement Bureau has issued an advisory to broadcasters about their obligations for sponsorship identification.

“Broadcasters who air paid-for programming without disclosing the program’s sponsor can mislead the public and promote unfair competition,” the bureau reminded them in a public announcement.

“Such non-disclosures foster the perception by the public that a paid announcement is the station’s editorial content, while concealing that the station is being paid by a third party to promote a particular message. That impression can also give undisclosed sponsors an unfair advantage over competitors whose paid programming is properly disclosed as paid-for material.”

The document summarizes broadcasters’ disclosure obligations and provides more information; read it here.

Second, with the broadcast license renewal cycle moving ahead, the Media Bureau is reminding commercial broadcast licensees that every “sharing” agreement about the operation of the station must be retained in their online public files.

That includes lease of airtime, joint sale of advertising or sharing of operational services.

“Commercial broadcast licensees have a longstanding obligation to place in their OPIF, within 30 days of their execution, public copies of every agreement or contract involving the lease of airtime on a licensee’s station (or of another station by the licensee) and every agreement for the joint sale of advertising time involving the station,” the bureau wrote.

It emphasized that these requirements are based on the substance of an agreement rather than its title, even if it is not specifically labeled as a “Time Brokerage Agreement,” “Local Marketing Agreement,” “Joint Sales Agreement” or “Shared Services Agreement.”

Broadcasters have seen recently that the FCC is well aware of what is in their online public files, given the announcements in recent months of numerous consent decrees involving public and political files not being kept current.

The post FCC Issues Enforcement Reminders appeared first on Radio World.

One of the new studios for RTM’s PerlisFM facility. Note the Calrec Type R console in the center.

Radio Television Malaysia has installed six Calrec Type R radio broadcast consoles in its PerlisFM regional studio facility as part of a substantial upgrade project, including AoIP networking.

A release adds, “The facility is now the reference for all future upgrades to RTM’s other regional stations.”

The release says that the Type R in some studios integrates with RCS Zetta automation and Visual Radio’s MultiCAM visual radio system.

[See Our Who’s Buying What Page]

RTM points to motorized faders, customization options, touchscreen operation and native IP networking as highlights.

The project was completed and overseen by Calrec’s Malaysia distributor, JAA Systems, with VME Broadcast acting as the main contractor and Medialab Alliance as the system integrator.

JAA Systems’ David Chan said, “We are very honored to be part of this transformation of RTM’s radio infrastructure, which places it at the cutting edge of modern radio. Calrec’s Type R for Radio is perfect for this installation. … We believe that this IP installation points to the future of radio across Malaysia and beyond.”

Send news for Who’s Buying What to radioworld@futurenet.com.

 

The post RTM Selects Calrec Consoles appeared first on Radio World.

Targetspot announced an agreement with Bauer Media Audio that it says will allow it to market inventory in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway.

Targetspot is part of ad technology company AudioValley, and offers audio streaming, ad serving and programmatic advertising. The company has ambitions to expand further in northern Europe.

In the announcement, Eric van der Haegen, its strategic partner development director, was quoted saying, “The digital audio culture is already well established in all Nordic countries. This arrival in the countries of Northern Europe is naturally part of our strategy of promoting local partnerships.”

Bauer Media Audio is “Europe’s leading digital commercial broadcaster and audio operator.” Targetspot says the agreement allows advertisers to access its inventory including brands like Sonos, AudioBoom, and Radio France and Shoutcast radios, “more than 2 million allocations each month in the Scandinavian countries and Finland.”

AudioValley CEO Alexandre Saboundjian cited data saying 91% of the Nordic population streams music. “Nordics listen to digital music on average 3.2 hours a day. The source of musical discoveries is revealed as 36% for radio and playlists of streaming services account for 13%.”

The post Targetspot Works With Bauer Media in Nordics appeared first on Radio World.

Here’s a list you don’t want to be on:

“On Dec. 1, 2020, radio stations located in Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota were required to file applications for license renewal for terms expiring on April 1, 2021,” the Federal Communications Commission announced this week.

“The following stations failed to file license renewal applications and their licenses will expire as of April 1, 2021, provided no renewal application is received by midnight on the date of expiration.”

The list includes eight low-power FMs and some translators, as well as full-power stations.

Call sign, Community of License, Facility ID, Licensee

KCMJ-LP, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, 194782, COLORADO MEDIA JUSTICE FOUNDATION

KMZG-LP, DURANGO, CO, 132236, CALVARY CHAPEL OF DURANGO, INC.

K272AI, GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO, 40807, COLORADO RADIO MARKETING, LLC

K292AK, LAKE CITY, CO, 27258, HINSDALE COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

KMKZ, RED FEATHER LAKES, CO, 176133, 3G LEARNING SOLUTIONS

K236BA, RIFLE, CO, 139109, PROFESSIONAL ANTENNA, TOWER AND TRANSLATOR SERVICE (PATTS)

K280AT, ELY, MN, 63345, RANGE PAGING, INC

KQEP-LP, ST. PAUL, MN, 196883, NEW CULTURE

KPNP, WATERTOWN, MN, 49642, SELF RETIRE, INC.

KDWG, DILLON, MT, 93389, THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA – WESTERN

KNMC, HAVRE, MT, 49580, NORTHERN MONTANA COLLEGE

KRUL-LP, HELENA, MT, 193567, HELENA ADVENTIST EDUCATIONAL MEDIA, INC

KWHP-LP, PLAINS, MT, 134935, PLAINS-PARADISE EMERGENCY SERVICES

KPLR-LP, POPLAR, MT, 134953, POPLAR SCHOOL SYSTEM

KTBP-LP, POPLAR, MT, 193519, FORT PECK ASSINIBOINE & SIOUX TRIBES

KLND, LITTLE EAGLE, SD, 59762, SEVENTH GENERATION MEDIA SVCS, INC.

KSTJ-LP, SIOUX FALLS, SD, 196898, JUAN DIEGO RADIO OF SIOUX FALLS, INC.

The post These Stations Need to Turn in License Renewals ASAP appeared first on Radio World.