Industry News

Josh Reiss has begun his term as the new president of the Audio Engineering Society.

He succeeds Jonathan Wyner, who said Reiss “brings a deep knowledge of audio technology coupled with an appetite for innovation.”

“The field of audio engineering is changing fast,” Reiss wrote in his president’s message. “Machine learning is introducing changes to almost every facet of our lives, the music industry continues to undergo rapid innovation and professionals continually require training in new technologies and workflows.

“The AES understands and embraces this need to adapt. Handled well, these changes can bring new and better audio, as well as a more inclusive and diverse field, encouraging talent, creativity and innovation from all walks of life. However, to say that we have challenges would be an understatement.”

The society has posted the text of his president’s message.

Reiss is a professor with the Centre for Digital Music at Queen Mary University of London.

[Visit Radio World’s People News Page]

Over 15 years of involvement with the society, Reiss has been vice-chair of its Publications Policy Committee, co-chair of the Technical Committee on High-Resolution Audio, and a former governor of the society.

In 2007 he was general chair of the 31st AES Conference, “New Directions in High Resolution Audio,” and in 2009 he was general secretary of the 35th AES International Conference, “Audio for Games.” He served on the organizational team for several AES International Conventions, including the role of chair of the 128th. He also has won several AES honors.

He has published more than 150 scientific papers, authored the book Working with the Web Audio API and co-authored the books Intelligent Music Production and Audio Effects: Theory, Implementation and Application.

“As coordinator of the EASAIER project, he led an international consortium working to improve access to sound archives in museums, libraries and cultural heritage institutions,” AES wrote. “He is co-founder of the start-up company LandR, providing intelligent tools for audio production, and Tonz, providing neural network-based audio effects. Another start-up based on his team’s research, Nemisindo, has recently launched an online service for procedural sound design and the Nemisindo Action Pack of fully procedural audio plugins for sound effect creation in Epic Game’s Unreal Engine.”

The post Josh Reiss Begins Term as AES President appeared first on Radio World.

LOS ANGELES — It’s considered to be a leader in facility management software for the broadcast and media industries, thanks in large part to MediaPulse, which provides scheduling, automation, asset management, billing and cost recovery for broadcasters, media services companies and transmission facilities.

As of today, it is now owned by a San Francisco-based software-focused private equity firm.

Banneker Partners on December 30 moved ahead with its acquisition of Xytech.

Speaking of the transaction, Banneker CEO Richard Gallagher said, “When I created Xytech, my primary goal was to bring facility management into the next generation to help media facilities — both large and small — be more efficient and productive. For more than three decades, this has been Xytech’s focus, and we are proud of what we have accomplished.”

Gallagher cited Banneker’s investment focus on software products aimed at specific verticals and its willingness “to invest to scale operational delivery, product innovation and sales and marketing.”

He added, “It is the perfect partner for Xytech’s next stage of growth.”

Banneker Partners’ Kenneth Frank commented, “We see this as a strategic investment to accelerate Xytech’s ability to enhance their solution offering and operational delivery capabilities in this key market segment. We look forward to working alongside Richard and the rest of the management team to strengthen the company’s customer penetration and market reach.”

Xytech says its customers can expect “a seamless transition.”

— RBR+TVBR West Coast Bureau

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Mark your calendars for today at 1pm Eastern.

Thanks when global tech trade association ITI will host FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks for a virtual discussion devoted to modernizing digital infrastructure in the U.S.

The Democratic Commission plans to share how the U.S. government can work with domestic industry to ensure effective and timely deployment of infrastructure funding.

The event, part of ITI’s Bridge for Innovation series, will also feature industry leaders and ITI member companies from Cisco, Corning, Equinix and Qualcomm.

“The passage of the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act brings with it billions in new investments in the U.S. for expanding broadband and closing the digital divide, improving our cybersecurity defenses, enhancing government digital services, and much more,” ITI notes. “But how can this funding be allocated to ensure that the largest infrastructure bill in recent history is delivering its full benefits to all Americans?”

That’s a question Starks plans to address.

The event will also feature industry leaders who will discuss modernizing digital infrastructure and providing secure connectivity to all Americans. Panelists will include Alissa Cooper, VP and CTO for Technology Policy for Cisco Systems; Jon Lin, EVP & General Manager of Data Center Services for Equinix; Dr. Durga Malladi, SVP & GM of 5G, Mobile Broadband & Infrastructure for Qualcomm Technologies; and Jason Zelley, Market Development Manager of Carrier Networks and Emerging Accounts for Corning Incorporated. 

Additional details and registration information are available here.

You’ve likely heard of Tesla vehicles and perhaps the Nissan Leaf, in particular if you’ve spent time on Maui. Introducing the Lucid Air luxury electric vehicle.

For owners of a Lucid automobile, there’s one added dashboard benefit that’s on the way. And, it comes courtesy of a new arrangement between Lucid and a Nielsen-owned smart radio platform.

“Innovative and intuitive audio features” are on the way to Lucid Air vehicles, courtesy of Nielsen’s Gracenote. “By integrating Gracenote’s Smart Radio data and technology solutions, Lucid’s elegant entertainment interface will seamlessly connect drivers and passengers to audio content from a range of sources to optimize the in-car entertainment experience,” Nielsen boasts.

Specifically, Gracenote’s Radio Station ID will be employed in-dash across all Lucid vehicles.

This serves to simplify radio station selection and enable browsing lists and station categories, Nielsen’s Gracenote notes.

Gracenote powers the connected car experience for over 120 million cars on the road today.

— RBR+TVBR West Coast Bureau

WASHINGTON, D.C. — PILOT, NAB‘s technology innovation initiative, is now accepting submissions for the PILOT Innovation Challenge through 5pm Eastern on Monday, January 31. The program will provide mentorship and promotion to winning proposals, along with an opportunity to demonstrate their products at the 2022 NAB Show.

This year’s challenge is seeking startups and growing companies providing products that help address some of the key challenges and opportunities facing broadcasters over the next two to three years. The challenge is specifically seeking products or prototypes that align with three new focus areas of the 2022 NAB Show associated with the content lifecycle.

These areas are:

• “Create”: Focused on content creation from pre-production to post, including the latest tools and advanced workflow options to elevate storytelling.

• “Capitalize”: Focused on reach and ROI, including next-generation technologies creating new revenue streams and fueling the content economy.

• “Connect”: Focused on content distribution and delivery, from cloud computing to new media infrastructure.

“The Innovation Challenge presents a showcase for the cutting-edge ideas and innovations that can transform how broadcasters do business and serve their communities,” said PILOT Executive Director John Clark. “This year’s program aligns with NAB Show’s focus on the three main pillars of today’s content ecosystem as we provide renewed opportunities to help broadcasters evolve and adapt.”

Individuals, teams, companies, academic institutions and nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply subject to the Challenge’s official rules of participation. Up to 10 finalists will be selected by a panel of industry experts by early March, with up to three winning proposals being announced the week of March 28, 2022. Participants can review the judging criteria on the PILOT website.

Winners will be selected to receive relevant mentorship, feedback, numerous opportunities to engage with broadcasters and a trip to the annual NAB Show, held April 23-27, 2022 in Las Vegas. They will be provided exhibit space on the NAB Show floor to demonstrate their prototype to potential customers, investors and partners.

To apply please click here.

MIAMI BEACH, FLA. — South Florida has the Brightline high-speed rail service. Now, its beach cities have Breezeline to add to the mix.

No, it’s not a new train service, although Miami Beach could use one to connect it to downtown Miami. Rather, it is the new name for the nation’s eighth-largest cable operator, today owned by Canadian multimedia company Cogeco.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

No, we’re not talking about stations tied in some way to Bobby Vinton but, rather, the town of Vinton, Va. Here, an AM radio station with an FM translator are heading to a new owner, pending FCC approval.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

NEW YORK — Emerson Coleman, the SVP/Programming at Hearst Television, is retiring in summer 2022. His successor has just been named, and it is the person who is joining the operation to serve as VP/Programming under Coleman, who will guide her until he says farewell.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

NEW YORK — Discovery, Inc. has become a minority owner of OpenAP, the advanced advertising company serving the television industry.

Discovery joins FOX, NBCUniversal and ViacomCBS in the joint venture.

The investment signals an expansion of Discovery’s existing relationship with OpenAP, having integrated with OpenID in April 2021 and more recently partnering with OpenAP on the launch of XPm, the TV publisher backed cross-platform measurement framework.

“The commitment to OpenAP furthers Discovery’s strategy of building a technical framework that enables cross-platform audience-based buying and creating collaborative support for alternative currency standards,” OpenAP says, adding that it will help further its ability to grow the overall market for audience-based advertising ‘and expand the breadth and scale of its services across cross-platform identity, measurement and planning.”

Discovery Chief U.S. Advertising Sales Officer Jon Steinlauf and Jim Keller, EVP/Digital Ad Sales and Advanced Advertising, will each represent the company on OpenAP’s Board of Directors.

Additionally, Discovery will be able to contribute to OpenAP’s corporate strategy and product roadmap, while gaining further operational and technical efficiencies by activating audiences centrally through OpenAP.

“Discovery is excited to take an active role shaping the future of advanced audience buying,” Keller said. “Given our current momentum, influence and growth of audience-based sales, we believe Discovery can help further the work OpenAP has been doing to initiate meaningful change in the market.”

OpenAP works with more than 100 advertisers following the 2019 launch of the OpenAP Market with centralized advanced audiences able to be distributed to all national TV publishers regardless of platform.

“There is no denying that automotive dealers have been on a wild ride over the past two years, bouncing from one extreme to another,” says local advertising analyst Gordon Borrell.

A new report from his Borrell Associates recounts the events from the last 24 months that have changed the automotive advertising environment and previews what is to come.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)