Radio World

Image courtesy DAWNco

As we’ve been reporting, operators of registered C-Band earth stations in the United States are being asked by the FCC to decide how they want to be reimbursed for the expense of moving antenna facilities impacted by the spectrum repack.

The National Association of Broadcasters produced a webinar this week that provided more insights from several experts.

Earth station operators on the qualified list of antennas can choose from a more traditional a la carte menu of potential expenses and have their actual costs of a relocation covered, or select a possible lump-sum payment determined by the FCC that takes into consideration the average expected costs associated with the repack of the upper 200 MHz of the C-Band. The deadline for earth station operators to accept the lump-sum payment per registered and qualified antenna is Sept. 14.

Lump-Sum Discussion

The webinar focused much of its discussion on the lump-sum option and the consequences if owners of satellite receivers elect that form of reimbursement.

Matthew Pearl, assistant bureau chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission, said incumbents need to examine their individual circumstances to determine the best path forward when purchasing new antennas and other equipment.

“The lump-sum election option is a new option. Earth station owners are taking the transition into their own hands with that option. The lump-sum amount is based on the average relocation cost based on the type of earth stations they have,” Pearl said during the webinar.

The FCC said it determined the lump sum value based on what the average transition cost of an antenna type or class of earth station. The FCC recently updated cost estimates to increase the range of costs for certain categories of earth station equipment at the behest of NAB, which included bumping up the cost estimate for certain site and project costs for fixed services, including power utility coordination and soil boring.

Pearl said radio broadcasters that operate multiple stations in clusters are reminded that the lump-sum base payments are calculated per antenna rather than per earth station registration or site. Therefore a cluster of radio stations with more than one antenna registered per site could be eligible for reimbursement for multiple lump-sum payouts.

“It’s also important to note that operators will not be able to choose which of their earth stations will receive the lump-sum. It’s an all or nothing.  Meaning it would apply to all of their earth stations or they would have to select the reimbursement option,” Pearl said during the webinar.

If a radio broadcaster selects the lump-sum option they could use the money to transition “to fiber and disconnect from C-Band services and therefore be responsible for any new or additional equipment needed to do that,” Pearl said.

And while there is no specific FCC form earth station owners need to file to accept the lump-sum payment option, operators are encouraged to file at least one document in a “machine readable format” such as an Excel spreadsheet format. Owners of multiple earth stations can file them individually or in aggregate.

“Irrevocable”

“It’s important that all of the information described in the FCC’s Public Notice, including the information that the operator needs to provide and certifications, need to be done by Sept. 14. We strongly encourage operators provide accurate and complete technical information. It is possible incomplete filings could be dismissed with no amendments allowed. It’s not clear right now whether there will be any relief,” Pearl said.

“It’s also important to remember that the decision to elect the lump-sum is irrevocable,” Pearl said. “Anything that is unexpected that comes up later would not be reimbursed by the commission.”

Lump-sum payments to earth station owners would come after the auction for the lower 280 megahertz of the 500-megahertz segment of spectrum from 3.7 to 4.2 GHz, Pearl said. The FCC hopes to hold the auction for the C-Band spectrum being cleared in the repack beginning Dec. 8. C-Band spectrum will be made available for new services and could be redeployed as soon as September 2023, according to the FCC.

Mark Johnson, president of LinkUp Communications, said radio stations that receive programming via C-Band earth stations have a lot to consider in a short amount of time when deciding between the lump-sum option or participating in the coordinated transition process.

“Start with the financial. Obviously revenue is important for radio and TV at this time, but it isn’t as simple as putting a new filter on an antenna normally. It’s much more complex than that. Everyone should take time to examine their specific applications. The satellite companies have spent the past few years studying this situation and making evaluations,” Johnson said.

“Those satellite companies came up with these average costs for what needs to be done and your individual earth station reconfiguration costs could be less or could be more.”

And Johnson said there could be some additional risks involved for those who go with the lump-sum election.

“Keep in mind radio and TV are very different. Operators really need to take the next three weeks evaluating their risk tolerance and researching what their needs are. You can’t paint everyone with one brush. We have seen installing systems all over this country the variation is beyond most people’s imagination.

“For instance, if an earth station operator can’t just replace the filter or re-point their antenna, there could be a need for a new antenna. A new antenna installed … at the new location could be from $10k to $20k. The lump sum wouldn’t begin to touch that,” Johnson said during Monday’s webinar.

The C-Band webinar’s panel of experts also included representatives from satellite fleet operators SES and Intelsat, who outlined the level of detail that will be required for a successful spectrum repack. The webinar, hosted by Patrick McFadden, SVP and deputy counsel for NAB, is free online at the NAB’s website.

[Link: More coverage of the C-Band reimbursement story]

[Link: The FCC’s Cost Catalog]

The post Takeaways From the NAB’s C-Band Webinar appeared first on Radio World.

Public radio stations in the Golden State plan to unite for a one-day fundraising initiative. Organizers call it a first.

Thursday, Aug. 27,  the inaugural California Public Radio Day will try to build awareness of the service offered by nonprofits and to encourage listeners around the big state to support their local public stations.

The initiative is led by Southern California Public Radio and its flagship KPCC in Pasadena; participating stations will include KQED in San Francisco, KCRW in Santa Monica, KPBS in San Diego, KAZU in Monterey Bay, KZYX in Mendocino, KRCB in Santa Rosa, KCBX in San Luis Obispo, KVPR in Fresno, KCLU in Thousand Oaks and KCSN in Northridge.

[Read: Schmidt Grant Helps Fund Public Radio Regional Newsrooms]

“At a time when our country is divided over so many issues, working with our fellow stations for California Public Radio Day is an opportunity for public media to lead by example and demonstrate the power that unity can bring to our communities,” the stations said in a group statement, adding that the cohesive efforts of public radio stations “can go so much further than those divided.”

The broadcasters emphasized the role of California public stations as a source for “fact-based news and information” and for helping listeners discover their next favorite artists.

“Public radio is not beholden to stockholders or corporate interests; it is accountable to the people,” the stations wrote. “But without the support of our listeners, we could be at great risk. We hope Californians will join together with us to help boost this critical service and share their love for public radio.”

Listeners can follow on social media with the hashtags #IlovePublicMedia and #CaliforniaPublicRadioDay.

 

The post California Public Radio Day Aims at Public Awareness appeared first on Radio World.

Eric Wiler

Eric Wiler is senior vice president, technology and operations at Westwood One. This interview is part of Radio World’s current series about the C-Band migration process including radio station reimbursement.

Westwood One provides syndicated content to 250 million monthly listeners via an audio network of 8,000 affiliated radio stations and media partners. The company, owned by Cumulus Media, describes itself as the largest audio network in America.

Radio World: In the typical relationship between Westwood One and a radio station affiliate, who owns the dish and feedhorn?

Eric Wiler: Since satellite has been employed by the major networks, it has been the typical standard that the network provides the downlink receivers and the station installs the dish, feedhorn, LNB, cables and splitters.

RW: We’ve reported on the process set up by the FCC for reimbursing qualified radio stations for modifying C-Band satellite dishes as part of the midband repack. As a radio syndicator with many affiliates, how does Westwood One fit into this process; what role are you playing?

Wiler: We’ve provided recommendations to our affiliates, acting as a conduit for our satellite provider SES, to disseminate information to radio stations. These recommendations included regular communication asking the stations register their C-Band downlink antennas with the commission.

RW: What role are the satellite companies playing? I understand SES and Intelsat are the major players.

Wiler: SES and Intelsat have dedicated extensive resources to their programming providers such as Westwood One to ensure we maintain our ability to continue distribution with the same high level of reliability stations have come to expect with C-Band. They have played an extremely active role in the engineering of a “shared universe” between satellite and terrestrial utilization of the 3700-4200 MHz band.

RW: A key question confronting many radio stations is whether to take the “lump sum” that’s been established by the FCC process, which we’re told is about $9,000 or $17,000 for a typical radio station. How are you advising radio stations on this decision?

Wiler: Westwood One is a programming provider. While we provided the recommendation to follow the FCC guidelines to register all downlinks, the review and acceptance of the terms placed on the downlinks by the “lump sum” is something that should be carefully considered for each situation. As we cannot be clear on the individual dynamics of every business, the lump sum decision must be made by each owner individually.

[Related: “How the C-Band Repack Affects Public Radio”]

RW: If stations take the lump sum, what is their responsibility?

Wiler: My understanding of the public notice is that by accepting the cash distribution, you are agreeing to mitigate the impact of terrestrial utilization of the C-Band to your downlink, while certain video feeds are transitioning to fiber or terrestrial circuits. By electing to receive the lump sum you’re accepting the responsibility for undertaking the necessary transition actions in accordance with the satellite operators timelines. This could be as simple as adding a filter between the LNB and the feedhorn, but this is not a certainty. C-Band is extremely reliable thus the preference over internet or other public terrestrial backup systems.

RW: If stations do NOT take the lump sum, what is their responsibility?

Wiler: Westwood One’s satellite provider is SES. It will be responsible for the transition of your downlink. Their plan is to conduct pre-installation visual site surveys to assess the individual needs. This means when their installer shows up (provided by SES) they will have the additional equipment should something unexpected happened. This option may be best for stations with extremely limited technical resources.

RW: Hardware provider DAWNco told us they’ve been getting a lot of questions, and that one radio station reported being advised by a Westwood One representative “to do nothing” and that this station thus would be entitled to two free filters but would be leaving available money on the table. Is that an accurate summary of Westwood One’s advice?

Wiler: As I noted earlier, as a program provider Westwood One is not really the appropriate authority to provide the ultimate guidance in every situation. SES has indicated to us as their customer if the station doesn’t elect to receive the lump sum, they will provide filters and assistance in maintaining the downlink’s ability to receive programming. If the stations agree to take on the responsibility for technical mitigation, they may receive compensation. Obviously the “lump sum” is much greater than the cost of two filters, but may be less than the total mitigation expense.

RW: Are you hearing from many stations that missed the earlier registration process and thus are apparently locked out of reimbursement?

Wiler: Overall, we’ve heard from a few stations who didn’t register, but the overwhelming majority of stations complied with the initial request.

RW: What other questions have you been asked by affiliates, and how are you answering?

Wiler: The biggest question has been timing. Filters must be installed by December 2021 for the largest 46 PEAs (markets). The rest of the nation has until December 2023 to mitigate C-Band terrestrial signals.

RW: Anything else we should know?

Wiler: This is a highly complex issue with legal, technical and financial implications. There is a lot of information coming at stations as well as the networks and we’re all on the same side, to maintain the continuity of our programming. By using all available resources the answer for your individual station’s situation should be clear.

[Read more of Radio World’s coverage of this issue.]

The post How Westwood One Views the C-Band Migration appeared first on Radio World.

An image from The Weather Channel Radio Network Facebook page

The Weather Channel and Skyview Networks announced an agreement intended to help the weather content provider expand its radio network sales and distribution.

Skyview is a technology, syndication and national network sales company. The announcement was made by Weather Channel President Tom O’Brien, Skyview Networks President/COO Steve Jones and Skyview EVP/GM Jeanne-Marie Condo.

O’Brien was quoted in the announcement saying that The Weather Channel radio network wants to expand its reach and brand awareness. The network is heard in approximately 100 U.S. markets.

Condo highlighted The Weather Channel’s “impressive reach and wide portfolio of formats, including A18-49 and strong female-skewing audiences” in radio.

Send business news and Who’s Buying What announcements to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post Skyview Signs Weather Channel to Sales Agreement appeared first on Radio World.

Image from the Westwood One website

Leading U.S. radio networks are urging buyers and sellers of network and national radio commercials to use the fall 2019 ratings as their reference, essentially asking them to ignore the upcoming spring 2020 nationwide data.

“The Network Radio Research Council (NRRC) is recommending that all network/national buying and selling be based on the Fall 2019 Nationwide survey, which is the latest data available prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,” it stated.

“The NRRC’s recommendation follows a statement from Nielsen that future buying and planning decisions should not be made using COVID-19 impacted audience estimates, which includes the upcoming Spring 2020 Nationwide survey.”

The NRRC is a group of syndicators and other companies with an interest in accurate national radio audience measurement. Its members include AdLarge Media, American Urban Radio Networks, Crystal Media Networks, Premiere Radio Networks, Sun Broadcast Group, United Stations Radio Networks and Westwood One.

“The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented divergence of traditional patterns of media consumption, including, AM/FM listening and the streaming of audio,” the group stated.

“Listening behaviors were significantly altered starting in mid-March 2020, as the public adjusted to remote work environments and shelter-at-home mandates across the United States. The broadcast month of April represents the first month of Nielsen’s Spring 2020 [April-May-June] Nationwide survey. Each month subsequent to April has demonstrated consistent increases in listening, and there is confidence listenership will continue to stabilize and approach pre-Covid-19 levels.”

The group says the Fall 2019 Nationwide book “represents the best solution for the upcoming 2021 network radio upfront and Q4 scatter buys.”

The group quoted this statement from Nielsen: “Given the anomalous nature of audience behavior during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, it is Nielsen’s position that future buying and planning decisions for periods that fall outside the COVID-19 crisis should not be made using COVID-19 impacted audience estimates.”

The post Networks Say Ad Buyers Should Discard Spring Survey appeared first on Radio World.

The author is sound supervisor for Oregon Public Radio in Portland, Ore.

I began working at Oregon Public Radio 15 years ago and am now the sound supervisor. In essence, I work for the news department and am responsible for the final sound quality.

My job varies day by day, hour by hour. On any given day, I’ll hop from engineering something for a live broadcast, to mixing a music session for an audience in our performance space, to doing post-production mixes for a documentary series on our own channel.

When stay-at-home orders were put in place in Oregon, we needed to work quickly to get our staff set up to work outside the studio.

With most staff at home, the studios at Oregon Public Broadcasting have been rearranged to prioritize remote broadcasting.

We ordinarily have about 120 people, including talent and reporters, working in the building on any given day. In March, we had to cut down to 12, but we were still producing all of the shows we normally do, including our locally-produced “Morning Edition,” a locally-produced “All Things Considered” and our flagship daily talk show called “Think Out Loud.”

On that show, newsmakers come on and discuss what’s happening in the state of Oregon and southwest Washington. The focal point of my effort when stay-at-home orders were put in place was making sure that that show stayed on the air — it gives us our highest ratings, and it’s where people tune in for information.

We’ve been using the Comrex Access codec since it was first released. They have always been important to producing “Think Out Loud” because they allow us to go into parts of rural Oregon and broadcast the show from places that usually wouldn’t get a visit from a radio show like ours. We’ve gone all over the United States to do the show with Access units.

Now, we’ve been using them to make sure that our hosts don’t have to come into the building. It’s been pretty huge to keep everybody remote — the fewer people here, the safer we all are.

Comrex Access Rack Units

ISDN is not an option, and it hasn’t been for a long time — it’s not possible to get a line without a good deal of planning from any provider. (Not to mention, it’s prohibitively expensive — one time, an ISDN line was accidentally left connected over a four-day weekend, and we were stuck with a $6,100 bill.) Access has been a great solution for us because in addition to sounding great, it doesn’t come with a line charge.

We’ve been using Access in concert with other Comrex products. We have Comrex Opal for guest interviews, and we have three Comrex Access rack units to connect with our hosts from their homes. We also have one Comrex BRIC-Link here which we use to connect to all our remote bureaus — it’s a dedicated link that lets us connect to other stations throughout Oregon and Washington.

Comrex Opal

I have the host of “Think Out Loud” outfitted with a portable Access unit, the attachable mixer and a headset mic, and he’s been broadcasting from his son’s bedroom.

The only hurdle is the quality of his home internet, but so far, it’s been smooth. Because he can’t be in the studio, we connect him with multiple guests simultaneously using a combination of tools.

For instance, we routinely have multiple-participant interviews where one guest is connected over Opal, a second is connected with BRIC-Link, and our host is using an Access, and they’ll all be talking to each other. These tools enabled us to come up with a smooth solution for working outside the studio in the course of just a week.

I’ve been an evangelist for Comrex for a while, and our experience with its codecs over the course of the COVID pandemic has confirmed why. If we didn’t have effective equipment, we wouldn’t be on the air. But because we’ve had Comrex, we haven’t had to sacrifice any of our programming.

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

For information, contact Chris Crump at Comrex in Massachusetts at 1-978-784-1776 or visit www.comrex.com.

The post User Report: Oregon Public Radio Broadcasts Through Chaos appeared first on Radio World.

The author wrote in July about “Why WWV and WWVH Still Matter.” 

It may seem improbable that two radio stations that announce the time could end up being world-saving superheroes. But one day Colorado shortwave station WWV and its sister station WWVH in Hawaii may do just that.

The reason: If a massive solar coronal mass ejection from the sun ever supercharges the earth’s ionosphere, the resulting power surge would overload satellites and ground-based digital communications systems. The internet would be just one of the casualties: This planet’s unshielded electronics could be fried.

Actually, the right term is not “if” but “when.” In 1859, a massive solar flare hit the atmosphere; it was named the Carrington Event after UK astronomer Richard Carrington, who spotted the flare and deduced what was coming. The resulting nighttime auroras were so bright that sleeping miners in the Rocky Mountains woke up and made breakfast.

[Letter: “WWV Is Nice But Not All That Critical”]

At the time, telegraph networks in North America and Europe were the only electronics in widespread use, and the Carrington Event flare definitely affected them. The current induced into the telegraph wires was so strong that some operators received serious shocks. Others discovered that they could send and receive Morse Code over the network, without having to connect power sources to it.

In our modern world, a Carrington Event-sized solar storm “could lead to power loss for a period of weeks or more,” according to a 2013 analysis prepared by Lloyd’s of London and Atmospheric and Environmental Research.

“This would cause major disruption to transport, food supplies, emergency and hospital services … It is also likely that financial markets (especially as the financial sector is generally concentrated in the areas most at risk i.e. the northeast of the U.S.) could be significantly disrupted by a severe space weather event.”

When the next Carrington Event-sized solar storm hits the Earth, WWV and WWVH will step up to quell the chaos.

The reason: Not only do WWV and WWVH’s powerful shortwave radio signals easily cover North America and much of the world, but the facility has a generous supply of diesel standby generators, screened/shielded facilities to protect equipment from power surges and a robust, non-digital transmission infrastructure.

“Quite frankly, much of our equipment is tube-based analog technology,” said Glenn Nelson, an electronics technician at WWV and sister time code station WWVB. “This mean it is less vulnerable to power surges damage than digital equipment.”

With Assistance from MARS

WWV and WWVH won’t be the only superheroes working to bring order back to a world blasted by a solar storm (or a man-made electromagnetic pulse; either will do). The stations will be joined in their efforts by their partners in the Department of Defense Military Auxiliary Radio System. MARS members are amateur radio volunteers trained and certified to operate on DOD frequencies using military messaging protocols in order to communicate with the U.S. military.

MARS was established by DOD back in 1925, to enlist the help of hams during man-made and natural disasters, and to serve as trained pool of radio operators to support the military.

“It is always difficult to coordinate rescue officials and volunteers when there is a widespread communications breakdown, especially on the scale of a Carrington Event,” said Paul English, who runs the U.S. Army’s MARS program. “Hams will play a vital role in such emergencies gathering situational awareness information for the military on a county level,” he told Radio World. “They’ll tell us what’s the status of electricity, water and transportation, and we’ll compile that information on a national level to help guide the nation’s response.”

Website of the Army MARS program. The Air Force has one too.

Using their powerful transmissions and broad coverage, WWV/WWVH will serve as central information hubs for MARS team members. The team will be packed with hams from across the United State, “who use their own equipment and donate their time to provide this service,” said amateur radio operator Cal Zethmayr (ham callsign W4GMH). WWV and WWVH’s broadcast will keep everyone on the same page and working together despite the chaos.

Getting Ready for Disaster

Mindful that solar storms can strike at any time, DOD holds MARS exercises on a regular basis. Since April 19, 2019, WWV/WWVH have been a part of this process, by announcing current and upcoming MARS exercises during their 24/7 time broadcasts.

“The WWV and WWVH announcements will provide information to Amateur Radio participants regarding the purpose, dates, times and locations of the exercises and other information,” states the WWV web site at www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/radio-stations/wwv.

“WWV will air MARS announcements on the 10th minute of each hour, and WWVH will use the 50th minute. The announcements will air for about two weeks, prior to and during each exercise.”

It is impossible to say when the next Carrington Event-level solar storm may hit our planet. It could be hundreds of years from now; it could be tomorrow. But when this storm does strike, the staff at WWV/WWVH and their MARS team members will be there to help quell the chaos. They’ll be real-life superheroes aiding the U.S. government in finding out which Americans urgently need help, so that it can be sent as soon as possible.

“When you look at today’s world where we are completely dependent on computer-controlled electronics in all aspects of our lives, a Carrington Event-sized coronal mass ejection could be devastating,” said English. “WWV, WWVH, and MARS will help us cope in such emergencies.”

Information about upcoming MARS exercises can be found at www.dodmars.org. Read about a recent exercise from the Army point of view here.

The post WWV/WWVH Stand Ready to Fight Global Chaos appeared first on Radio World.

IP audio networking equipment developer Barix says that it is “bringing its IP paging and intercom expertise to large broadcast and emergency response networks with RackBox, a universal cloud-based, any-to-all platform for widespread delivery of critical messages.”

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

The 1RU RackBox can provide standard and emergency paging and intercom needs inside and outside the a broadcast facility. The IP backbone can facilitate messaging across a whole network, putting everyone on the same page. As a native IP device, it will be at home on standard IT networks.

A front-panel XLR connector allows for connection to a microphone. An onboard speaker provides for feedback. It uses a Linux-based heart while supporting major audio formats.

Info: www.barix.com

The post Barix Releases the RackBox appeared first on Radio World.

Michael Beach
(Photo by Allison Shelley)

As we’ve been reporting, the Federal Communications Commission has published a “cost category schedule” that describes potential expenses and costs that users of earth stations in the United States may incur as a result of the C-Band repack, and put in place a reimbursement program that includes a possible lump-sum payment to earth station owners including many radio stations.

We asked NPR Vice President, Distribution Michael Beach how this is playing out in public radio.

Radio World: Why should public radio stations know about this process now?

Michael Beach: To give some context, we’re talking about existing satellite services that will be repacked in the C-Band’s upper 200 MHz.

Here at NPR Distribution we serve public radio stations in two ways using C-band satellite-based technology.

First, we share the programming of more than 70 active, national radio-content producers with local public radio stations.

Second, we support distribution of content to more than 30 regional public-radio networks. Impact to each of these systems will be minimal because we are transitioning all our networks to the upper band. That move will protect our stations from interference by 5G systems entering the lower part of the band.

RW: Are there risks of interference?

Beach: Risk will occur if any of the new 5G facilities either transmit outside FCC limitations or are physically close to a satellite earth station. To help mitigate these risks, the FCC is providing funding to add a passband filter to each satellite antenna to guard against and lower the risk of potentially interfering signals coming from the lower part of the C-band that will be occupied by 5G.

RW: Are the proposed reimbursements fair?

Beach: The FCC has provided three options for earth stations that are registered and on the list of qualified antennas.

One: A station can take no action and allow its satellite operator to provide and install the filter at no cost. In the case of PRSS stations, Intelsat is the operator. If Intelsat does that work, it will seek reimbursement from the FCC.

Second: An earth station can purchase and install a filter on its own and seek reimbursement directly from the FCC. Details of reimbursement expenses are included in the guidelines of the FCC’s Cost Catalog.

Third:  An earth station can receive a one-time lump-sum payment. If a station chooses this last approach, it has a deadline [now extended to Sept. 14] to file its intention with the FCC. The election and electronic filing process is included in the FCC Public Notice.

[Related: Dawnco Urgest Stations to “Take the Lump Sum”]

RW: What if an earth station is not registered with the FCC or not on the list of qualified stations?

Beach: The FCC published a list of registered C-Band antennas on August 3, 2020. If a station is not registered, the station will need to purchase and install a filter at its own expense. The station will not be reimbursed, and the satellite operators will not provide the filter or installation.

RW: What is the lump sum amount that the FCC is offering?

Beach: The lump sum is $8,948 per registered and qualified antenna. FCC documents indicate the amount was derived after considering many different potential migration costs and averaging them.

RW: What are the downsides of either taking that lump-sum option or self-installation and seeking reimbursement?

Beach: By choosing the lump-sum option, an earth station operator assumes all costs and risks with no future option to change its mind. If for any reason an operator selects a filter that does not meet specifications, or installs it incorrectly, the operator’s recourse is to spend more money to correct the problem. This risk also exists if the operator does its own installation followed by seeking reimbursement.

RW: What else should radio engineers and managers know about how this process is going?

Beach: It’s not clear from the FCC’s currently available information what the timetable is for when an earth station can apply for reimbursement. Also unknown is when the filter specifications will be published. So, today, we also cannot identify for our PRSS stations the specific manufacturer part numbers that meet the specifications.

The good news is there is some time; potential interference is not imminent. The FCC auction won’t happen until later this year, and the lower part of the band only has to be cleared in certain cities by the end of next year (2021). The auction for the remaining part of the band and additional cities will be even later. It also means the FCC will not have funds for reimbursements until sometime after the auction, and likely not before June 2021.

The post How the C-Band Repack Affects Public Radio appeared first on Radio World.

Below are the recipients of the 2020 Service to America Awards from the National Association of Broadcasters Leadership Foundation. These awards recognize outstanding community service by U.S. broadcasters.

Descriptions are as published by the NABLF and include links to multimedia presentations about each station’s efforts.

Recipients were announced during the Celebration of Service to America Awards program, which was conducted virtually this year.

Service to Community Award for Radio – Ownership Group
Zimmer Radio of Mid-Missouri, “Miracles for Kids Radiothon”

Raising awareness and money for the University of Missouri’s Children Hospital is personal for the Zimmer Radio & Marketing Group, considering members of the staff have needed this hospital for their own children. Radio stations KCLR, KTXY, KATI and KSSZ came together to host the 13th annual Miracles for Kids Radiothon to tell the hospital’s story and raise money to benefit sick kids in mid-Missouri. The 2019 event raised $309,000, bringing the total amount raised for this local hospital to $2.81 million. The team at Zimmer Radio is committed to doing their part to make sure kids have the best doctors, nurses, staff and equipment when it comes to battling illness.

Service to Community Award for Radio – Major Market
KIRO-AM Seattle, Wash., “710 ESPN Seattle and Coaching Boys Into Men”
Bonneville International

With a goal of ending domestic violence, KIRO decided to take the issue back to where it starts, focusing on homes, schools and role models within a local community. In partnership with Coaching Boys into Men, this campaign aimed to prevent domestic violence by teaching high school coaches and athletes how to be community leaders. The station hosted a training program for winter sports coaches, offering incentives for those who completed the program. Through this partnership, KIRO has reached more than 33,000 students with a 42% implementation rate throughout the Seattle area. Thanks to the team at KIRO and the Coaching Boys into Men training, this local community is closer to developing leading examples of role models and athletes for the next generation and putting an end to the cycle of domestic violence.

Service to Community Award for Radio – Medium Market
WSGW Saginaw, Mich., “WSGW’s Sharing Hope Radiothon”
Alpha Media

To help curb increasing homelessness in the area, 100.5 and 790 Newsradio WSGW hosted the 14th annual Sharing Hope Radiothon to raise money for the Rescue Ministries of Mid-Michigan and its local shelters. With cross promotion from sister station 94.5 The MooseWCEN, this 12-hour campaign exceeded its fundraising goal and raised more than $47,000 while also educating the community. To show continued support for their sister station, WSGW partnered once again and helped raise awareness and donations for the two-day St. Jude Kids Radiothon to raise another $83,250. These two campaigns strengthen the ties of local radio and continue to better the community through the sharing of hope and resources.

Service to Community Award for Radio – Small Market
WKXW-FM Trenton, N.J., “New Jersey Judges”
Townsquare Media

In July 2019, WKXW launched a series of reports highlighting misconduct within the New Jersey Family Court regarding rape and sexual assault cases. These investigative reports included the shocking details of local judges blocking prosecutors’ requests to try juveniles as adults as well as a pattern of victim blaming. This news series encouraged the community and local lawmakers to respond to these injustices. As a result of this series of investigative reports, the state Supreme Court accepted the resignation of one of the judges, took action to remove another from the bench and implemented mandatory sex crime training for all judges.

 

The post Radio Service: Listen to Award-Winning Stations appeared first on Radio World.

The offices of equipment manufacturer Inovonics are closed temporarily due to fires in its part of California.

“For those of you who have read about the CZU Complex Fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains, California, we wanted to let you know that we are fine,” wrote company President/CEO Ben Barber in an email to customers today. “Thankfully, everyone at Inovonics is healthy and safe from harm.

“The Inovonics factory in Felton is also fine although located in the evacuation zone. As a result our offices are closed temporarily.”

He thanked industry colleagues who had expressed concern, and said the company will respond to communications remotely through email for the time being. Tech support issues should be sent to tech@inovonicsbroadcast.com while sales inquires are being answered at sales@inovonicsbroacast.com.

“Order Processing: For those with pending orders, we will ship as soon as we are able and will keep you informed as information becomes available,” Barber wrote. “Stay tuned as they say in the radio biz…”

 

The post Inovonics Factory Affected by Evacuation Zone appeared first on Radio World.

It’s a good thing that U.S. radio stations now have a couple of extra weeks to explore their reimbursement options for tweaking their satellite infrastructures. Those options are part of the C Band repack supporting national expansion of 5G, and there are plenty of questions flying around about it, which is natural because there are thousands of dollars involved.

Radio World is featuring a series of Q&As with various participants around the industry. (Read recent background here).

We asked John Joslin, director of sales and marketing at satellite hardware supplier Dawnco, for his take on it.

Radio World: For the typical U.S. radio station, what is the lump sum amount that they’re being offered?

John Joslin: Most radio stations will get [approximately] $9,000 or $17,000 per registered satellite antenna.

Email a picture of the feedhorn on each dish to Dawnco, and we can identify which amount makes sense for each dish. You can make the determination yourself by looking up in the front of each dish, to see the feedhorn that the C Band LNB bolts onto. If the feedhorn has only one port with one CLNB bolted to it, your lump sum is $9K; when the feedhorn has two ports with two CLNBs bolted to it, your lump sum is $17K.

Sometimes, the feedhorn has two ports with one CLNB bolted to it and a cover plate over the second port; this is a dual-polarization feedhorn and may qualify for the $17K lump sum.

RW: Do you think these amounts are fair, too much, too little? How does it compare to the hardware outlay for a typical station?

Joslin: The vast majority of dish-registered radio stations will have tons of money left over with the lump sum, if their existing dishes are good. And even if they buy a new dish they’ll have money left over after getting the lump sum. The 5G C Band repack will require most radio stations to install less than $2K of new filters and parts per dish, if the current satellite antennas are in good condition with plenty of signal quality margin.

If the old dish is not performing well now, you’ll probably need to buy a new 3.7 meter dish package for less than $5K. For a small number of radio stations with roof-mounted dishes that need to be replaced, the lump sum may cover most but not all expenses, due to the high cost of roof-mounting structures.

RW: Do you think most stations will choose the lump option?

John Joslin

Joslin: When they know all the facts, nearly all radio station decision-makers will choose the lump sum payment, which gives them surplus money after buying all needed filters and parts. The only other option is to have the big satellite owners (SES and bankrupt Intelsat) provide filters and gear to them, which leaves no opportunity for surplus money for the radio station.

The $17K lump sum even makes sense for the few stations that need expensive roof structures to hold new dishes on the roof.

Some stations may miss the lump sum opportunity because their dishes were not previously registered, or they missed the lump sum filing deadline [now Sept. 14], or they weren’t given enough time to learn all of the facts.

RW: What happens next if a qualified station chooses the lump sum option?

Joslin: Radio stations must act quickly to decide they want the lump sum, then immediately make their lump sum filing with the FCC before the Sept. 14 deadline.

Call Dawnco or email us a picture of the dish-feedhorn, and we can help determine if the dish qualifies for $9K or $17K lump sum. We put all stations in touch with a respected Washington, D.C. area firm, who has the experience and connections to handle the lump sum filing, priced at $1,250 plus $75 per dish. Our recommended firm is very familiar with this FCC filing process. They are very likely to get stations the amount they are entitled to.

If you file yourself and make an error, you may not get what you need.

RW: What happens next if a qualified station does not opt for the lump sum option?

Joslin: When a station doesn’t take the lump sum or misses the filing deadline, their only other option is to have the big satellite owners (again, SES and Intelsat) provide filters and gear to them.

They will need to log onto the website for the big company that owns the satellite they are receiving signals from (usually SES for radio), navigate to the 5G C Band repack page, and enter a request for filters and equipment. There will be procedures to follow, questions to answer, and a wait time for obtaining answers.

At some point the big satellite company will ship the needed filters and gear, for the station to install themselves. Upon request, the big satellite company can schedule a roving crew to pass by the station for a quick installation of the filters.

RW: What option if any is available to stations that did NOT register their earth stations in the earlier window for that?

Joslin: The FCC documentation makes clear that the lump sum is not available to sites that did not previously register their satellite antennas with the FCC.

Unregistered sites can make a request for free filters to the big satellite company that they are receiving signals from (usually SES for radio). It is not clear if the big satellite company will provide filters or other gear to unregistered sites (time will tell).

Hundreds of radio stations did not register any of their dishes, or improperly registered for only some of the dishes they own. [Related: “SBE Issues Reminder for C Band Dish Users“]

Many unregistered sites are only finding out now that they made a big error, which may cost them thousands of dollars for new equipment needed to cope with the mandated 5G C Band repack. [Related: “C Band Repack Could Be Costly for Many Radio Stations“]

Many stations have expressed how they didn’t know they had to register, or didn’t realize that not registering would expose them to big costs. I guess the unregistered sites can talk to their congressmen to try for some political pressure on the FCC to extend the registration date.

RW: What support if any are the satellite operators, radio syndicators like Westwood One or networks like NPRSS providing to these stations?

Joslin: We speak to many radio station owners and engineers each day. At this point in mid-August, many individual stations are just now hearing about the 5G C Band transition, and realizing that it will affect them. The vast majority of radio stations do not realize that 60% of C Band for satellite will be removed within three years, or that filters will need to be installed in front of every single C Band LNB.

Management at the big station groups are aware of the 5G C band transition, but some are not aware of all of the details of Lump Sum compared to getting filters from the satellite operators.

RW: What recommendations are you making to radio stations about this decision?

Joslin: File for the lump sum if it is available to you. Don’t choose the option of using the big satellite companies, unless it is your only option.

RW: You mentioned confusion in the marketplace.

Joslin: Here is an interesting conversation I just had with a radio station that addresses one of the questions you asked me earlier. We presented our customer with an explanation of the lump sum opportunity. He had recently called to Westwood One, asking what he should do, regarding the 5G C Band repack. They told him to do nothing. We told him that because he had already registered his two satellite dishes, he was qualified for a $26K lump sum payment for his radio station ($9K + $17K).

Both of his dishes are in great shape, so his only cost for his rural site is $1,600 for two filters. He walks away with a surplus of $24K that he can put in his pocket. If he had taken the advice of the Westwood One representative, he would have been entitled to two free filters but zero surplus money. There seems to be some misinformation out there.

[A Westwood One official told Radio World on background that the syndicator is “not advising people/stations on what they should do on the lump sum decision. That’s their own decision to make.”  Radio World shortly will publish a Q&A with Westwood One’s Eric Wiler about the company’s perspectives on the reimbursement program.] 

RW: What else should we know?

I just saw a Radio World article stating that stations have the ability to get reimbursement from the FCC Clearinghouse using the cost catalog, which is not exactly true. Stations can ask the big satellite companies to provide needed filters and equipment.

SES or bankrupt Intelsat can file with the FCC Clearinghouse using the cost catalog, to obtain reimbursement for the cost of equipment they give to the stations. For example, SES and Intelsat will be reimbursed up to $900 for each C Band bandpass filter they provide to stations.

By the way, think what would be possible if that $8 billion bonus money to the big satellite operators, was instead equally divided by the 15,000 satellite antennas in the USA. It would be $533K for every dish!

[Related: “Lump Sum Option May Not Be Best for All”]

 

The post Dawnco Urges Stations to “Take the Lump Sum” appeared first on Radio World.

Engineers discuss the impact of the ’Rona on capital expenditures. Alfred Liggins explains why Urban One isn’t moving ahead on tests for all-digital AM. Linda Baun retires from the WBA. RadioDNS pursues a consistent look for radio in the dashboard. And Buyer’s Guide explores codecs and STLs.

Read It Online Here.

Prefer to do your reading offline? No problem! Simply click on the digital edition, go to the left corner and choose the download button to get a PDF version.

Tech Management

Infrastructure Spending Is Slammed by Pandemic

The impact of the crisis on the radio technology marketplace in the United States has been severe.

New Gear

Summer of Products!

A dozen new and recent offerings from companies like Inovonics, Moseley, AEQ, Angry Audio and Digigram.

Also in this issue:

• Snippets From “World Audio Day”
• Build This XLR Cable Tester
• RadioDNS Aims to Establish Metadata Consistency

 

The post Inside the August 19 Issue of Radio World appeared first on Radio World.

Is your radio station’s online political file in order? If not, don’t expect the FCC to believe later that you didn’t see enforcement coming.

The Federal Communications Commission Media Bureau has just cranked out yet more consent decree agreements with owners of seven stations whose license renewal applications have been held up because of investigations into management of their online political files.

This continues a recent broad campaign by the FCC that seems intended to raise awareness of the rules without yet imposing financial penalties.

The spate of consent decrees, which comes in a national election year, could also be read to suggest that many broadcasters had been out of compliance in the past before new online systems made it easier for the FCC to keep track.

The consent decrees all involve owners acknowledging that their stations were not in compliance and promising to implement programs and to report to the FCC about them over a limited period of time. The FCC in turn removes its “hold” from the license renewal applications.

Roughly 30 such announcements have been made. The FCC began last month by announcing six “big name” companies that had numerous station renewals in process. The most recent have involved companies with one or a handful of current renewals.

This batch includes Third Partner Broadcasting, Acadia Broadcast Partners, Stannard Broadcasting, Radio Hendersonville, and Dr. Pepper Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of Dyersburg.

[Updated: As of Aug. 24 the FCC has also announced settlements with licensees Mitchell Community Broadcast, Rose Ann Marx, Ad-Venture Media, Lafayette Broadcasting, Fleur De Lis Broadcasting, Midwest Communications and Princeton Broadcasting.]

The post Yet More Settlements in Political File “Derelictions” appeared first on Radio World.

The author is chief engineer of Monadnock Broadcasting Group and Saga Communications in Keene, N.H.

Mark Johnson is a good source for information about the C-Band repack [“Lump Sum Option May Not Be Best for All”].

That said, most of the radio syndication providers on SES-11 are staying put or changing frequencies to another transponder of same polarity. So it’ll be a no brainer.

For those in the biggest urban centers who will see 5G turned up the soonest, installing the 5G waveguide mounted filter Is a rather trivial matter.

For those not in the hottest urban areas, there will be lots more time for future filter installation.

Tweaking cross polarization and nudging aim to maximize signal quality can be done using one of the satellite receivers brought to the dish or a spectrum analyzer if an experienced engineer is on staff, but likely won’t be needed.

That said, a “Ma and Pa” station might want to not take the money and rather get full carefree service.

Comment on this or any letter. Email radioworld@futurenet.com with “Letter to the Editor” in the subject field.

The post Letter: Lump Sum Decision a “No Brainer” for Most Stations appeared first on Radio World.

The author is president of Tom Ray Broadcast Consulting.

In 2018, it was coming time for a new main transmitter at WJMJ(FM) Radio in Hartford, Conn., owned by the Archdiocese of Hartford.

Father John Gatzak wanted to further the message of WJMJ to the community and wanted to go HD Radio. Looking at the situation, we looked to see if we could move WJMJ’s transmitter because the signal skimmed the top of Avon Mountain, causing a shadow in the city of license, and the HD coverage would have been poor, at best.

We found that not only could we move the transmitter to Rattlesnake Mountain in Farmington, Conn., but we would be able to go from a Class B1 to a full Class B.

While this was good news, we were now presented with an issue. We needed to transport three stereo channels of audio up to Rattlesnake, preferably via microwave STL. And I wanted to have an IP backup in the event of a failure of the RF side. We knew we had a shot to Rattlesnake because we had a Moseley Starlink STL repeater at the site, as we could not see the old main site from the studios in Prospect, Conn.

Linear Stereo

Looking at the systems available, we chose to go with the Moseley Starlink SL9003QHP-8SLAN. There were many reasons, not the least of which was Moseley’s reputation for building rock-solid products.

WJMJ, while being a religious station, runs a ’70s, ’80s and ’90s format, with many other genres of music mixed in including a classical block, in addition to religious programming on Sundays. So the main analog channel and the HD1 audio quality were of prime concern.

The Starlink would allow us to have a linear stereo channel with no data compression for the main channel audio — perfect.

Doing so would allow running the other two stereo channels at 192 kHz data rate, AAC audio. From experience, I know that the AAC algorithm plays nicely with the HD Radio codec. The plan would be to put Eternal World Network in Spanish on the HD2, which would be evolved into a local Hispanic channel in the near future, and to put Eternal World Radio Network on the HD3.

While both are primarily talk oriented, the HD subs are currently being run in mono — but the stereo capability of the Starlink would allow us to take those channels stereo in the future. Even at 192 kB AAC from the STL, the HD subchannels, running at 32 kB each, sound surprisingly good.

The Starlink is capable of transporting four stereo audio channels in the RF channel (or eight mono audio channels), and four stereo IP channels from one end to the other.

From the factory, the Starlink came configured with the RF channels the way I wanted them. The hard part was configuring the IP channels.

Word of warning — make sure you put the IP side of the Starlink behind a good firewall router, and open only the ports necessary. I initially was given an IP link to the outside world — naked — which worked for about 20 minutes, then the entire unit on the transmit side started rebooting, including the RF side.

Working with the Moseley tech support crew showed that our connection was being attacked with people trying to break in. The resultant overload of the IP side was causing the unit to reboot on a regular basis — we’re talking roughly every 30 seconds. Once it was behind a firewall, everything has been fine.

The audio side of the Starlink is based on Moseley Rincon technology.

My pet peeve with the system is that you need to read multiple manuals — including the Rincon manual — to learn to set up the IP streams correctly. Each stream requires setting up a profile describing the codec and data rate to be used, so you need to understand your available IP bandwidth before you start. Each stream requires its own separate IP port from transmit to receive side, so you will need to open up the necessary ports in your router to the receiver — in our case, we opened three.

Robust

Once the unit was correctly set up — and it took a little trial and error to do so — the IP streams have been solid. In fact, I put them on the air recently when we had the antennas realigned after the TV repack, as there are five TV stations on the tower we are on and there was much activity near our antenna. The streams were solid and sounded good on the air during the realignment.

The RF side of the Starlink SL9003QHP-8SLAN features 5 W of output, as opposed to the 1 W of output featured in the older versions of the Starlink system. This adds robustness to the digital signal at the receiver — in our case, the shot is approximately 16 miles.

It has been on the air almost two years now, and I can count the data errors on one hand. This is through thunderstorms, ice storms, snow and heavy rain. I haven’t gotten that panic call yet where the digital STL audio quits.

The Starlink SL9003QHP-8SLAN can be accessed through a web browser and through SNMP. The disappointing part of this is that you can only access the Rincon (audio) part of the system. You cannot control the RF side nor see the RF parameters. Moseley really needs to address this, as having this information available via web browser would be quite helpful when trouble arises.

It would also be nice if the Starlink allowed automatic switching to the IP streams, but alas, this is not the case, so we have external switching in place to do so.

A nice feature of the Starlink is that you can set up any output to be whatever audio source you desire  — IP or radio. We use the AES outputs for the analog/HD1, the HD2 and the HD3 and I feed the main channel audio AES to the Starlink transmitter feeding the backup site. I have the analog audio ports set up so that the main channel audio feeds a backup audio processor, and the HD subs feed the analog input ports on the HD subchannel processors as backup.

Overall, the value and quality we received for the money we paid, and the reputation of Moseley products and support, have given us a reliable STL that does exactly what we need. Now, if Moseley could just give us a full manual with all the answers in one place, I’ll be a very happy camper.

The Moseley Starlink SL9003QHP-8SLAN is an excellent choice for your multichannel HD operation or to just feed audio to more than one station.

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

For information, contact Bill Gould at 805-968-9621 ext. 785, email sales@moseleysb.com or visit www.moseleysb.com.

 

 

The post User Report: Starlink Digital STL Solves Problem for WJMJ appeared first on Radio World.

With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing for the foreseeable future, creating clean and safe work spaces for audio pros of all professions will be a key concern for broadcast and recording studios, live music venues, houses of worship and other common spaces that use microphones and other pro audio gear that is used by multiple people. With that in mind, On-Stage has introduced its new DSA8000 Microphone Cleanser and the DSA3200 Multi-Surface Cleanser Refill.

The DSA8000 Microphone Cleanser is said to feature a formula that is both alcohol- and fragrance-free, and reportedly helps reduce the spread of bacteria and germs. Designed for safe use on essentially all gear, the cleanser does not leave behind a scent or sticky residue.

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

Packed into an 8-ounce fine mist spray bottle, the solution can be sprayed directly on surfaces or applied to a cloth and wiped on more fragile gear items, such as microphones, mixers and other electronics.

For more broad applications, the new DSA3200 Multi-Surface Cleanser Refill is intended for use in studios and venues as a bulk refill option for smaller fine mist spray bottles. The cleanser safely reduces the spread of common bacteria and germs on most surfaces.

“Studio owners, venue operators, DJs, and anyone else operating a business where microphones are regularly used, now have cleanliness front of mind,” said Jason Joyal, product line manager for On-Stage. “Our new range of cleansers is an easy way to help them stay on top of their cleaning needs and make sure everyone at their establishment stays safe.”

A longtime manufacturer of solutions for professional musicians, audio engineers, music producers, touring professionals, DJs and educational institutions, On-Stage is a division of The Music People Inc.

Info: www.on-stage.com

 

The post On-Stage Launches New Microphone Cleansers appeared first on Radio World.

Using controls developed in VisTool.

From our Who’s Buying What page comes this look into a new Lawo installation for Brazilian broadcaster Rádio Itatiaia.

The supplier says the broadcaster installed a new routing system to switch, process and distribute programming from its headquarters in Belo Horizonte. Rádio Itatiaia supports a network of 52 affiliate stations in the state of Minas Gerais.

The new system uses Lawo’s Power Core mixing engines, Nova17 routing frames and custom touchscreen controls that were designed with Lawo VisTool Unlimited graphical control software. Rádio Partes did the integration.

“Project planning began in 2018, with the goal of replacing an aging digital router with a true AES67 system that could work with AoIP equipment from a variety of manufacturers, and be easily expanded to accommodate future needs,” Lawo stated in a press release. The system uses the Ravenna networking protocol.

“Itatiaia also wanted a system with DSP capabilities to enable audio shaping of sources on-the-fly, and, being a network content provider, operational redundancy at every level.”

Redundancy is provided by two Lawo Power Core engines, each paired with a Nova17 routing frame with dual redundant master control/interface cards that are interconnected via mirrored MADI backbones, with automatic failover from the primary to the secondary system in case of a fault. Control also is redundant, with physical controls via rack-mounted KSC controller panels and then touchscreen PCs with VisTool graphical control software.

A Host at Rádio Itatiaia

A PTP grand master handles synchronization, with a Lawo A__mic8 unit providing backup clocking.

Rádio Itatiaia’s Vice President Cláudio Carneiro was quoted in the announcement saying, “The ability to integrate with our existing AoIP mixing desks as well as Dante devices using Ravenna with AES67 is unprecedented.”

Lawo posted a case study on the Rádio Itatiaia project at its website.

See more Who’s Buying What stories here. Radio World welcomes news about recent installations including studios, RF and all other technical operations; email radioworld@futurenet.com.

 

The post Brazil’s Rádio Itatiaia Has New Lawo System appeared first on Radio World.

Webcasting platform Live365 recently hosted a “World Audio Day 2020” conference, a virtual event about a range of audio topics and trends.

Here’s a sampling, with info on how to find the full archive online:

Future of podcasting: A panel discussion explored impediments to increasing podcast audiences These include the need for Android smartphone users to install podcasting client software on their handsets before they can access this content, a problem akin to buying a software-based radio with AM reception standard but where FM tuning has to be downloaded.

“When you buy an Android device off the shelf, there’s isn’t a podcast client on it,” said Rob Walch, VP of podcaster relations at Libsyn.

Rob Walch is VP of podcaster relations at Libsyn.

Having a native podcasting app matters: “The last big inflection point in podcasting was 2014 when Apple’s iOS 8 came out with a native podcast player app. That really helped podcasting get to where it is today.”

Language barrier: Attracting listeners to the Live365 Latin music stream “The Sounds of Brazil” is an ongoing challenge for station Creative Director Scott Adams. Since the songs generally are in Portuguese, selling this content globally based on the lyrics is out.

To solve this marketing problem, Adams promotes his internet radio station using tags such as Smooth Jazz, Latin Jazz and Contemporary Jazz. They give non-Portuguese speaking listeners many reasons to tune in.

“It’s all about crossover and outreach,” Adams said during a station marketing panel. “Everything has to be relatable to the listener … (They) may not be able to relate to songs sung in Portuguese, but they can certainly relate to Rio’s sun-kissed beaches.”

Create your persona: Radio station imaging was front and center in a content creation and production libraries session; specifically how effective imaging can create an alluring station persona in the listeners’ minds.

Matthew Anderson is director of custom imaging at Benztown.

To make this happen, “you need to look at your radio station as its own person,” said Matthew Anderson, director of custom imaging at Benztown.

“The voiceover that you choose and the creative copy that you write is the voice of that person,” he explained. “So who do you want to be?”

It’s like Christmas every day: The year-round popularity of seasonal music was explored in a station formats session, as explained by panelist Bud Kress. He is the owner/operator of Live365’s “That Christmas Channel,” which plays holiday music 24/7.

“We’re constantly playing the biggest hits of Christmas and more,” said Kress. Even in the “off season” between January through August, “we’re still maintaining a nice audience. There are people listening to Christmas all year long.”

Mutual harm: RealNetworks Founder Paul Glaser mused on the music industry’s inability to find common ground on content streaming, and the money-making opportunities they missed as a result, during a discussion of the history of internet radio.

“The music industry resembles nothing more than a circular firing squad in terms of how it works,” Glaser said. “What we saw play out over a 15-year process was a very Darwinian process.”

How to Watch

The event was held not long after the pandemic hit the United States hard. Its goal was to bring together voices from internet radio and AM/FM broadcasting, podcasting, monetization to legality, programming and marketing.

Live365 said thousands of people tuned in. Justin Ruoff, vice president of operations, said, “We set out to try to plan a full teleconference in just three weeks time due to the circumstances going on right now in the world. To see dozens of organizations and industry leaders, as well as thousands of webcasters and fans, pull together for an amazing day of information sharing goes to show just how special this community is.”

The panel discussions are available on YouTube. The content is broken down into topics such as Content Creation & Production Libraries; Station Formats; Station Marketing; History of Internet Radio; Ad Tech; and SoundExchange Overview.

 

The post Snippets From “World Audio Day” appeared first on Radio World.

Wayne Pecena

The Society of Broadcast Engineers has tallied the votes and determined that sitting President Wayne Pecena has been re-elected to serve a second term as the society’s president.

Pecena, CPBE, 8-VSB, AMD, DRB, CBNE, is the associate director of educational broadcast services at Texas A&M University, which operates the KAMU(FM/TV) public broadcast stations. He is a member of SBE Chapter 99 in College Station, Texas.

[Read: SBE Takes Its National Meeting Online]

“I look to my second term as our industry and our personal lives have experienced change and challenge like never before,” Pecena said. “I want to ensure the society brings a sense of normalcy to our members. This uniformity is accomplished through our professional development continuing education, certification and frequency coordination programs, while making the right decisions for change in the future to insure continued value to our members.”

Other results from the election included Andrea Cummis, CBT, CTO of Chapter 15 New York, Roseland, N.J., being elected as vice president; Kevin Trueblood, CBRE, CBNT of Chapter 90 Southwest Fla., Ft. Myers, Fla., as secretary; and Ted Hand, CPBE, 8-VSB, AMD, DRB of Chapter 45 Charlotte, Charlotte, N.C., as treasurer. All were elected to one-year terms that will start on Sept. 23.

Jim Leifer, CPBE, of Andover, Md., continues as immediate past president.

The following individuals were elected to two-year terms on the SBE Board of Directors, also starting Sept. 23:

• Stephen Brown, CPBE, CBNT; Chapter 80 Fox Valley, Appleton, Wis.;
• Roswell “Roz” Clark, CPBE, CBNT; Chapter 39 Tampa Bay Area, Clearwater, Fla.;
• Kirk Harnack, CBRE, CBNE; Chapter 103 Nashville, Nashville, Tenn.;
• Thomas McGinley, CPBE, AMD, CBNT; Chapter 16 Seattle, Missoula, Mont.;
• Shane Toven, CBRE, CBNT; Chapter 43 Sacramento, Antelope, Calif.;
• Fred Willard, CPBE, 8-VSB, CBNT; Chapter 37 District of Columbia, Washington, D.C.

The national board of directors for SBE is responsible for the development of policy and determines the programs and services the society provides to its members.

 

 

The post Wayne Pecena Re-Elected SBE President appeared first on Radio World.