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Issued order conditionally granting applications for licensee subsidiaries of Liberman Broadcasting, Inc. to emerge from bankruptcy

Friday, Oct. 4, College Radio Day. is a day to recognize college radio stations nationwide. And every day afterward, it is essential to appreciate these community radio organizations and the way in which they serve their respective campuses and communities.

College Radio Day has been celebrated for nearly a decade. It kicked off in 2010 through the coordination of Rob Quicke of William Paterson University’s WPSC(FM) and Peter Kreten of WXAV(FM), Saint Xavier University. It has since evolved into an annual event where hundreds of college stations around the United States and, occasionally, other countries promote the work of college stations to educate and entertain.

In the age of Spotify, there have been a few think pieces that ask if college radio still matters. Certainly college radio matters. Not only do the stations provide valuable broadcasts locally, but they are wonderful institutions that give students opportunities to learn to produce media and, writ large, how to cultivate in themselves leadership and critical thinking skills. Although college radio is facing many challenges, it is incumbent on us to recognize its importance as an educational resource.

[Read: Community Broadcaster: Just Give]

College radio is one of the most unique parts of the noncommercial radio system. Unlike a nonprofit specifically formed to operate a radio station, college radio stations have a licensee with a massive number of departments, funding priorities, needs and administrative and educational demands on university finances. Rarely does a campus radio station get a dollar devoted to its support; in many cases, stations may be partially or wholly funded by student fees or other monies divided up among whole divisions of campus life. While those funds are surely appreciated and valued, it should not be too surprising when college radio gets lost in the sauce of a campus soup that includes libraries, athletics, intramural sports, student government and so much more.

In this context, visibility for a college radio station really counts. In August, the University Station Alliance, led today by Virginia Dambach (who replaced now-retired head Craig Beeby), conducted a survey on trends in reporting structure among institutional licensees. A takeaway was that 82% of responding general managers reported that their stations are either “appreciated and respected” or “beloved” by their universities. The remaining 18% was split among, in order, licensees knowing what the station does, generally; distant relations; and ignored.

USA points out that reporting relationships may be a clue to better bonds. In its survey, 60% of respondents indicated they report at or above the associate vice presidential level while 40% report below the vice presidential level. More tellingly, the number of station general managers who report directly to one of the top institutional officers rose from 14% to 20% of respondents between USA’s 2009 survey and the 2019 survey.

How a station relates to campus higher-ups and their regard for the station as a part of the school’s brand is meaningful. University-licensed radio stations are in a curious place of late. While some are flourishing, others are being sold off by their home universities. To hear those in the college radio space relate it, religious broadcasters are most frequently the ones showing up to make offers. Such is not an unreasonable assertion: many of the biggest religious broadcasters have considerable resources, the nonprofit status to acquire said licenses and are noncontroversial to most people. And a cash-strapped university might be willing to consider such an offer. However, it’s up to those who care about stations, especially alumni, to constantly share college radio’s value proposition.

There are no shortage of college radio stations doing solid work. Jim Rand and the team at the University of Maine’s WMPG; Jennifer Kiser and student and staff leaders at the University of California Santa Barbara’s KCSB; and KBCS, Bellevue College’s powerhouse station, which recently appointed Dana Buckingham as manager, all are doing incredible campus/community collaborations and award-winning radio. May we together salute them, and the many college radio stations like them, doing cherished and thought-provoking media.

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The post Community Broadcaster: Changemakers appeared first on Radio World.

RUBI, SPAIN — Radio Rubí 99.7FM is the municipal station of the city of Rubí in Spanish Catalonia. Radio Rubí started its activities in November of 1979, with a primary mission of being a public service for the inhabitants of the city, providing an ample variety of content including news, sports and culture while allowing for the active participation of the citizens. In 1996 the station was bestowed with the Rosalia Rovira Award as the best municipal broadcaster in Spanish Catalonia.

From its beginnings, Radio Rubí has counted on equipment and technology from AEQ: mixing consoles, audio codecs or automation systems. A station with the profile of Radio Rubí looks for durable, reliable equipment that is easy to operate and cost efficient.

Radio Rubí is replacing its broadcast production equipment. As part of the renovation, it was decided to migrate its previous AEQ MAR4 automation system to the current AEQ AudioPlus platform in all their studios and news room.

AEQ AudioPlus offers new functionality and performance that adapts to the real needs, technical skills and budget of the majority of different broadcast stations at this day and age. AudioPlus incorporates everything necessary for manual or 100% automated playout, including remote control at a variety of levels. The same is valid for the actual content acquisition and programming — both musical and advertising. These functions can be accomplished completely automatically or manually, including the editing of contents.

The head of the technical department at Radio Rubí, Jordi Alba, explained, “The AEQ AudioPlus automation system is a perfect match for us and is an indispensable tool in our daily operations.”

Unlike other brands of applications that initially may be perceived as less expensive, this tool of the trade is suitable for small- to medium-sized stations. The capacity to produce and the quality of the programming generated are comparable to systems that the large networks are deploying but costing a fraction of what such stations may be investing in their automation.

The application is designed for Windows OS and uses SQL databases. The software comes with an efficient auto-installation wizard and is compatible with low-cost audio boards as well as more sophisticated choices, including Dante AoIP multichannel network connectivity.

The project to transition the AEQ MAR4 platform to the new AEQ AudioPlus system was coordinated by Mr. Xisco Caballero and Mr. Oscar Bastante of Radio Rubí and the AEQ System Services team at its headquarters.

For information, contact Peter Howarth at AEQ Broadcast International in Florida at 1-800-728-0536 or visit www.aeqbroadcast.com.

The post User Report: Radio Rubi Migrates to AudioPlus appeared first on Radio World.

From 1972–1974 I hosted a late-night telephone talk show on WOHO(AM), Toledo, Ohio. I was young, energetic and desperate to be heard over the airwaves. Fortunately I outgrew that compulsion by 1975, but for the time being I’d nap every afternoon and go into the station after dinner and meet with my producer who was responsible for lining up in-studio guests. These included professional wrestlers, comedians, people touting dubious weight loss programs, and conspiracy nuts who were eager to discuss their theories on alien abductions.

What is up with all the anal probes, anyway?

Then there were the occasional celebrities I’d get on the phone like Dionne Warwick, Captain Kangaroo, Moe Howard and Soupy Sales.

This program was called “Rap,” which at the time was slang for “talk,” not as it connotes today, “shouting inane rhymes about bitches and booty while flashing guns and jewelry.”

[Read: Adventures in 1970s AM: Visit to the Big Station]

We held trivia contests every Friday, a highly anticipated event by our callers who represented many walks of life. A lot of them worked the late shift at a hospital or the power company. Waitresses and cooks at diners were big fans too. Also in the group of folks that tuned in were students up studying, cab drivers, housewives with insomnia and so many more.

Our discussion on any given evening might center on an upcoming election or how to discipline teenagers. It might be open to all topics. On one of the latter evenings a woman named Betty called and proceeded to launch into a highly-detailed account of her recent ingrown toenail surgery. Normally I would have cut her off early in this narrative, but the way she told it, complete with sound effects, made for compelling radio. Another listener was a cross-country trucker who described the hallucinations he experienced after taking amphetamines while driving at 60 miles per hour.

Women confessed to affairs they had not yet admitted to their husbands. Men talked about their fantasies, one of which involved Raquel Welch and warm butter. A young man named Paul owned up to several crimes such as breaking into a store and defacing public property. One woman took the opportunity to “come out” as a lesbian, a brave move. That call brought the expected scorn from the religious right, yet also a surprising amount of support from similarly oriented people.

The “R” might be for “Rap.”

There is a phenomenon that many of my brethren in radio have discovered, namely that people listening to you over the air believe they know you and are your friend. I recall one wintry Friday night “Jill” called in and asked, “Hey, why don’t you meet some of your listeners for coffee after you get off the air?” At first the idea seemed absurd. Who would want to do that? As more callers chimed in, I decided I had little to lose because frankly I didn’t think anyone would show up. We, the audience and I, decided on a location, a local Big Boy that was open all night. Because none of the people who wanted to meet me had any idea what I looked like, I made up a ridiculous description: six feet four inches tall, 103 pounds, porkpie hat, and a tattoo on my left arm that said “Spiro Agnew.” I promised to be at the restaurant at a certain time and even promised to buy muffins for anyone who showed up.

I parked my car in the lot of the restaurant and trudged through the snow to the door. I entered the vestibule, stamped my feet and shook the snow off my coat before slipping into to a back booth. The waitress knew me and shortly brought me a cup of hot chocolate. I looked around and while there were a lot of people there I didn’t see anyone looking for me so I just relaxed and enjoyed a warm beverage on a frigid night.

After about 10 minutes a woman carrying a baby came over to me and said “Are you Ken R.?” I nodded and she started laughing. “You were kidding about being six feet tall and having a tattoo!” Then she turned to her friends and said “C’mon over, guys, he’s in the booth!” About 15 other folks came over and crowded in there with me. A couple of guys had to pull up chairs when there was no more room in the booth. I had forgotten about the silly self-description I had broadcast, but we all had a good laugh over it. We introduced ourselves and ended up having a jolly time.

And yes, I did buy muffins for anyone who asked.

Ken Deutsch is a writer who lives in sunny Sarasota, Fla., and has a book of these tales available, Up and Down the Dial. 

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The post Adventures in 1970s AM: Diary of a Mad Talk Show Host appeared first on Radio World.

Discover how at 75, Woofferton, the U.K.’s last public shortwave site is providing essential info to listeners globally via analog and digital broadcasts. Read about this and more in the October issue of Radio World International.

FACILITY
Radio Minerva Enters the Digital Age

Local independent station inaugurates new on-air studio

ONLINE
DJ-Run Internet Radio Station Thriving

BlastTheRadio.com started after John Mielke lost his on-air job

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

• In-Car Updates From Radioplayer, BBC Sounds
• Belgium’s Wallonia-Brussels Federation Redefines Radio Landscape
• Media Asset Management: Automation, Traffic/Billing

The post Inside the October issue of Radio World International appeared first on Radio World.

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Denies request for waiver of final payment deadline by Auction 94 winning bidder

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There will be one less FM translator constructed in The Last Frontier state after the Federal Communications Commission moved to dismiss and deny a request by an Alaska licensee to obtain several FM translator construction permits (CP).

In 2013, Alaska Educational Radio System Inc. (AERS) filed four applications proposing new FM translator stations serving Moose Pass, Palmer and Hope, Alaska. Soon after, Turquoise Broadcasting Co. filed petitions to deny those applications, alleging that AERS lacked the financial qualifications necessary to construct and operate those proposed translators.

Among other things, Turquoise pointed to a report that AERS filed in 2010 with the State of Alaska that showed that AERS had real and personal property assets of no monetary value.

[Read: AM Station Hit with $15,000 Forfeiture After Public File Lapse]

Afterward, AERS filed two additional applications — which proposed new FM translator stations serving Seward, Alaska. Turquoise jumped in again, alleging that AERS still lacked the financial qualifications to construct and operate the translators it proposed. Even though AERS responded to the petition to deny, its formal comments did not specifically address the allegations about its financial qualifications.

At this point the Media Bureau stepped in and dismissed the applications because it could not determine that AERS was financially qualified at the time it filed the applications. This is an important consideration. FCC rules state that before a grant of a CP for an FM translator can be made, applicants must have the ability to construct and operate the proposed facility for three months — without revenue — at the time they file.

When AERS filed a petition to review the finding — which the Media Bureau subsequently dismissed — AERS filed a petition again, which is when the commission itself stepped in to issue a ruling.

In a memorandum on Oct. 2, the FCC affirmed the bureau’s decision to dismiss the applications. AERS had two opportunities to provide helpful insights regarding its financial qualifications, but failed to provide any documentation that would have allowed the bureau to assess whether AERS had “reasonable assurance of committed financing sufficient to construct the proposed facility and operate it for three months without revenue at the time [the applications were filed],” the commission said.

Because of AERS’s failure to provide this information, the commission said, it formally dismissed the of applications and denied the licensee’s request for review.

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The post FCC Dismisses Request for FM Translator CP in Alaska appeared first on Radio World.

The author of this commentary is CEO of Play MPE.

Fred Vandenberg

Radio continues to thrive and grow in spite of decades-old predictions of decline. It remains (by far) the single most common way to hear a song. Predicting the future for radio comes with challenges as the digital age of music evolves. As the industry changes from the historical view of terrestrial radio broadcasts to a broader view that includes online streaming, radio will continue to thrive, so long as radio programmers, promoters and other behind-the-scenes curators find the right tech tools to enhance their product and boost their efficiency.

Station listenership is growing and moving to new devices. According to Nielsen’s 2019 mid-year report, there were 7 million more weekly radio listeners in the U.S. than there were in 2016. Terrestrial broadcast is only part of the growth, as one of the most frequent use of a smart speaker is to stream a favorite FM station.

FINDING MUSIC

This is not to say that listeners’ habits aren’t shifting dramatically, because they are. These shifts and the change in expectations that go with them should give anyone pause. Radio professionals will need to find new and innovative ways of getting access to a broader range of content, more quickly, if they wish to compete with rising mediums such as streaming.

Identifying these technological solutions can empower radio professionals to make a positive push towards innovation. The concrete details of this push feel less than revolutionary, but promise to have a vital impact on the way radio programmers can work.

Professionals need the means to find new, appropriate music, anywhere, from any device, at any time. Bringing key tools to mobile, for example, should be an industry priority. Listening to, saving and sharing with colleagues should be easy. The music should be at the center, with technology simply serving to surface new tracks and make them easy to manage.

There are additional important layers that will be ever more essential to decisionmaking for radio teams, and they all involve data of some sort.

This may be contextual assets and information, images, videos, lyrics and other helpful materials that add to the tracks themselves. This data may include analytics and other guides that help a radio pro assess a track’s potential for exciting their audiences and working in their format. In short, the more data radio professionals have access to, the easier it will be for them to evolve with the current shift in expectations. Gaining a deeper understanding of how consumers engage with the music they hear will be key to leading the innovation needed to stay relevant.

The more seamless and accurate our tech tools are behind the scenes, the better radio will fare. It will be able to change and live on, without losing what it does so perfectly: present great music, with a touch of a button, in places and at times when listening is prized most.

Play MPE is a music promotion and delivery service that “connects content from the world’s largest major and independent labels, artists, promoters and managers to thousands of music’s top tastemakers and curators.”

Comment on this or any story to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post How Radio Can Usher in the Next Era With Innovation appeared first on Radio World.

The Arab States Broadcasting Union has announced that it will host a joint workshop with WorldDAB at its headquarters in Tunis, Tunisia, that will focus on the opportunities DAB+ brings to radio, manufacturing, retail and automotive sectors. Specifically, topics will include how DAB+ is currently deployed in Tunisia and businesses can benefit from its growing market.

Members of the Tunisian Ministry of Communication, Ministry of Commerce, the National Broadcast Network Operator in Tunisia, Office National de Telediffusion, as well as representatives from the audio visual regulators, retailers, receivers, car manufacturers and ASBU directors.

This is the second workshop that has been hosted in Tunis this year on the DAB+ that followed the launch of regular DAB+ services in June—the first phase implemented the national multiplex that covers 51% of the country’s inhabitants, while the second phase will boost that number to 75% by the start of 2020. The multiplex hosts 18 DAB+ stations.

“WorldDAB is committed to assisting broadcasters and regulators in the MENA region, sharing best practices and key learnings from existing and established DAB+ markets, and helping manufacturers and retailers to realize the business opportunities and potential of DAB+ digital radio,” said Bernie O’Neill, WorldDAB project director.

The workshop, titled “Promoting DAB+ Services and Receivers,” will take place on Oct 10 at the ASBU headquarters. More information is available here.

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The post ASBU To Host DAB+ Workshop in Tunisia appeared first on Radio World.

BRUSSELS — Public broadcaster VRT’s Labo Radio is now using its first “Light Remote Radio Studio” for Studio Brussel and Radio 1 broadcasts.

Studio Brussel presenter Stijn Vlaeminck (center) controls the VRT main studio from his living room, together with Studio Brussel engineer Wim Reyniers (L) and Labo Radio engineer Geert Cantens (R).

The broadcaster first tested the new mobile studio with MNM presenter Peter Van de Veire, when he hosted the “Ochtendshow” (“Morning Show”) from New York. It then carried out a second trial for the “Bij Vlaeminck” (“At Vlaeminck’s”) Studio Brussel program, where DJ Stijn Vlaeminck produced the show from his living room.

Labo Radio is VRT’s radio “taskforce” for all of the station’s hardware and software systems used for radio production. In close collaboration with DJs, reporters and music programmers, Labo Radio is continuously developing solutions with a goal of helping radio staff produce creative content.

The Light Remote Radio Studio uses Peplink Pepwave MAX HD4.

The Labo Radio team is also involved with the design and implementation of VRT’s next generation of radio studios for the broadcaster’s future headquarters, which are expected to be ready in 2021. By means of “proof of concepts,” Labo Radio, together with the on-air department, is aiming to make the future radio studio more user-friendly and flexible through the use of new technology.

“The main idea behind the Light Remote Radio Studio concept is that for outside broadcasts, we only take the ‘remote control’ to the location,” explained Tom Hantson, VRT radio system expert and driving force behind the concept. “Audio sources like telephone, music, jingles or commercials remain in VRT’s main broadcast center, the presenter’s microphone signal and control of the audio sources are on location.”

The new concept consists of standard broadcast equipment like a DHD 52/MX console, a laptop controlling a Dalet Plus playout system, a Broadcast Bionics Bionic Studio telephone system, four Shure Beta 87 microphones or four Sennheiser HME headsets.

“VRT engineers developed this remote technology,” said Christophe Delplace, head of VRT Radio Support.

Tom Hantson (center) and Pieter De Coster (R) explain how the Light Remote Radio works to VRT CTO Stijn Lehaen (L).

“DHD already featured a ‘control link’ to control multiple cores with one console, or to split faders on a console over one or more remote users. The New York experiment allowed us to test this long-distance, and it proved successful,” Hantson added.

The Light Remote Radio Studio makes use of a dedicated IP VPN tunnel using Peplink Pepwave MAX HD4 router. “The big challenge was delay and jitter using the IP connection,” said VRT Radio System Engineer Pieter De Coster.

“Too much delay would have been disastrous for the on-air result. We achieved good results with a buffer in the VPN tunnel, but it had to be feasible for the presenter. In the case of New York, Van de Veire is an experienced DJ and he reported positive results with the solution.”

The current final version of the Light Remote Radio Studio includes a feature that allows the presenter to fine-tune the delay from the outside broadcast location, synchronizing the antenna output signal with the DJ’s headset. “It all comes down to establishing a balance between user-friendliness and the extra possibilities offered by this technology,” said Delplace.

“In case of an issue such as signal loss, the engineer in VRT’s broadcast center gets an acoustic warning signal and can take control,” added Hantson and De Coster.

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With a second Light Remote Radio Studio in production, outside broadcasts require less staff and logistics. Does this mean the end of OB-vans for the broadcaster?

“We face increasing demand for on-site broadcasts,” said Delplace. “In the past, we had to drive an OB-van or a truck with 10 flight-cases to the location, and two engineers for 12 hours for a standard production. The Light Remote Radio Studio is shipped in two compact flight-cases with one engineer, cutting the amount of resources and support required to about 60%. This allows us to answer increasing demand without increasing staff.”

In September, VRT’s Radio 2 will begin using the Light Remote Radio Studio for its Saturday morning show “Start je Dag” (“Kick off your day”), hosted by Kim Debrie. VRT’s Studio Brussel will also implement the solution on Fridays for an eight-hour radio broadcast from SME (mall medium enterprises) throughout Flanders, offering “music at work.”

The post VRT Rolls Out Light Remote Radio Studio appeared first on Radio World.

Four NAB members have been selected by Pilot as the recipients of grants designed to fund paid engineering or media technology internships in the spring of 2020. They are stations are WISR(AM)/WBUT(AM)/WLER(FM), Butler County Radio Network in Butler, Pa.; KNXV(TV), Scripps Media Inc. in Phoenix; WNKY(TV), Marquee Broadcasting in Bowling Green, Ky.; and WKAR(AM/FM/TV), Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich.

[Read: NAB’s Pilot Seeking Proposals For AI-Inspired Innovation Challenge]

The program, which began this past spring, is in partnership with the NABLF to help grow technical and engineering talent. The recipients are NAB members that do not currently offer engineering or media technology internships. Also as part of the program, NAB provides resources to help identify and support interns, including having them attend the 2020 NAB Show in Las Vegas.

“Pilot and the NAB Leadership Foundation remain committed to assisting NAB member stations in attracting the best and brightest new candidates to a career in broadcast technology,” said Sam Matheny, NAB’s executive vice president and chief technology officer.

Since it was initiated, the program has provided technology internship grants to 13 organizations.

For more information on the program, visit nabpilot.org/techinterns/.

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The post NAB’s Pilot Announces Spring 2020 Internship Grant Winners appeared first on Radio World.