Radio+Television Business Report

Broadcast media facility management software maker Xytech has selected a VP and Managing Director for its ScheduALL platform.

It’s an individual who was working with the product until September 2020 but has returned, now that Xytech is the ScheduALL owner.

Taking the role is Stefan Nied, and his appointment follows the closing of Xytech’s acquisition of ScheduALL from Net Insight earlier this month.

A veteran of ScheduALL, Nied devoted 23 years to ScheduALL, serving as Vice President of Services and Customer Success until the 2015 acquisition by Net Insight. He then served as Senior Director of Global Strategic Accounts within the larger Net Insight corporate structure, continuing his leadership and key account management within the ScheduALL software business unit.

In his new role, Nied will be responsible for the ScheduALL customer success and support teams throughout the ScheduALL-to-Xytech transition.

“Stefan and I worked together for 12 years when I was at ScheduALL and it’s a thrill to bring him into Xytech,” said Greg Dolan, CCO of Xytech. “With more than two decades of experience with the ScheduALL brand, he is the perfect person to seamlessly lead the ScheduALL-to-Xytech transition. Customer success is top-of-mind, and Stefan’s leadership skills will ensure a smooth and easy transition.”

Nied added, “After spending most of my professional career with ScheduALL, I know the product inside and out, and I’m very familiar with the needs of our valuable clients. I look forward to continuing to provide them with the world-class service they deserve.”

Nied will be based at ScheduALL’s office in Hollywood, Fla,, and report to Dolan.

Workflow automation, media processing, quality monitoring, and test and measurement product provider Telestream has brought to market six new models in its PRISM waveform monitor product line.

The new models have smaller form-factors to address the space constraints in Live Production, the company says.

With these new products, the PRISM family now offers a complete range of “Software Defined Monitoring” instruments, covering use cases from operational SDI monitoring to engineering grade IP analysis, with a common user interface throughout. The new PRISM products are designed to support both local and remote production situations up to 8K HDR. As software-defined instruments, customers can purchase a base model and add features as and when required by simply purchasing a software license; no hardware changes, no manufacturer returns, and no downtime.

“The PRISM technology platform has enabled us to create a range of form factors at affordable entry level price points, while retaining a “no penalty” software upgrade path to add higher end features as required,” said Charlie Dunn, Senior VP of Tek Video at Telestream. “We have effectively re-invented monitoring for the needs of a new generation of users and challenges.”

Remote production is fully supported, including full feature remote viewing of the PRISM display screen (noVNC required). When paired with Telestream’s Inspect 2110 probe, customers can get detailed monitoring and analysis of ST2110 IP video across their entire network. When an area of concern is flagged by Inspect 2110, a single button press launches any stream in PRISM for deep ST 2110 video waveform, audio, data, and PTP analysis to find and fix faults fast.

“Expanding the PRISM platform to this level was our vision from day one, but the collaboration with the Telestream IQ network experts to create the innovative Inspect 2110 product has surpassed everyone’s expectation of what can be achieved,” said Ian Valentine, Vice President of Product Management for Tek Video products at Telestream. “We’ve built a truly unique monitoring system that bridges the SDI/IP divide.”

The new PRISM models are more space conscious –only 5” deep– with no compromises in capability (4K/8K HDR/Wide Color Gamut, 4 inputs, Dolby Audio, 10/25G-IP and 12G-SDI). PRISM embraces a modern paradigm shift from the classic user interface that allows Telestream to provide the largest screens on the market, remote capability, and touch or keyboard/mouse operation.

With a unique set of HDR tools, including the patented STOP waveform, user-defined False Color, Light Meter, and CIE charts, PRISM focuses on content and offers multiple user interface options tailored to the task and role of the user. A single product, from a single vendor, is now the waveform monitor of choice across the facility, including remote production environments, and across both engineering and production applications.

 

New PRISM Models: MPS-100, 200, 300 are single screen half-rack with a depth of only 5 inches. MPD-100, 200, 300 are dual screen full-rack units with only 5 inches of depth. Availability: Shipping Summer 2021 (orderable April 2021)

Eurofins Digital Testing has introduced updated test suites for the Consumer Technology Association’s NEXTGEN TV Logo program.

They’ll be applicable to 2022 model receivers and released by the end of June.

The NEXTGEN TV Logo is the consumer-facing brand for ATSC 3.0, helping identify which devices offer the advanced technology of ATSC 3.0 standards, currently being deployed across the United States.

Developed in an ongoing collaboration with CTA and the NAB, Eurofins NEXTGEN TV Test Suite was first launched in 2019 and has evolved to comprise more than 200 tests covering requirements including ATSC 3.0 physical layer, signaling and ROUTE/DASH, AC-4 audio, 4K HEVC video, captions, interactive application environment, electronic service guides, advanced emergency alerts, watermarks, and other features of ATSC 3.0 standards.

CTA research forecasts U.S. TV shipments with NEXTGEN TV capabilities will increase from 2021 to 2022 by 500%, with 12 million units expected to ship by 2024. With this considerable increase projected for unit sales and multiple new broadcast stations planned to launch online into 2021 and beyond, these trends exemplify the accelerating pace of ATSC 3.0 adoption across the United States.

NAB Chief Technology Officer Sam Matheny commented, “The test suite for the NEXTGEN TV logo program assures confidence that ATSC 3.0 transmissions and receivers will work together properly. ATSC 3.0 technology has unparalleled flexibility and receiver manufacturers need to know that their products will respond appropriately to the wide
variety of services that broadcasters may transmit. This new expanded set of tests for 2022 products will increase confidence from broadcasters to provide more services, from TV set manufacturers to implement more features, and from consumers to look for products with the NEXTGEN TV logo.”

Separately, Eurofins Digital Testing operates an independent test lab for ATSC 3.0 technologies and is an ISO accredited lab for ATSC 3.0 RF testing, as well as its Arreios for ATSC 3.0 Test Tool, available to manufacturers opting to test for ATSC 3.0 conformance of devices in-house.

Eurofins also supplies the test suite used to verify compliance with ATSC 3.0 Security Authority (provider of service security and DRM licences for ATSC broadcast services) specifications.

Cheryl McHenry, the veteran anchor and reporter at Cox Media Group’s CBS affiliate serving Ohio’s Miami Valley, WHIO-7 in Dayton, will soon celebrate 40 years at the dominant TV station.

She first covered the courts, and in June 1991 moved to the anchor desk. In the last two years, McHenry has covered COVID-19, social justice protests, devastating tornadoes and a mass shooting in the Oregon District of Dayton.

In this exclusive interview, McHenry shares her thoughts on longevity, the necessity of local news and what it means to be a journalist in 2021 in the latest RBR+TVBR InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

Listen to “The InFOCUS Podcast: Cheryl McHenry” on Spreaker.

TORONTO — It’s known for such stations as CHBM “Boom 97.3” in Canada’s largest market.

Now, Stingray Radio is moving forward with a podcast strategy. And, it has selected the Omny Studio platform from iHeartMedia-owned Triton Digital to support it.

Through the partnership, Stingray Radio will use the tools within Omny Studio to create, publish and promote their portfolio of podcast content to audiences across a range of devices and platforms, including smart speakers, social media networks and smart phones.

“We are thrilled to expand our relationship with Triton, and to be leveraging the Omny Studio platform to support our podcast strategy,” said Steve Jones, SVP of Brands & Content at Stingray Radio. “Triton’s commitment to innovation and receptiveness to the podcast industry’s needs make the Omny Studio platform a force. We are confident that Omny will provide us with an unparalleled workflow and efficiency that will enable us to create more content, grow our audience, and meaningfully increase our revenue.”

John Rosso, President of Market Development at Triton Digital, added. “Stingray is a meaningful contributor to the rapidly growing podcast landscape in Canada, and we are proud to provide them with a flexible, enterprise-level tool that will grow and scale with them.”

The owl ran afoul of the comatose coxswain.

You’ve most likely heard that line a lot of late, thanks to a new Progressive audio campaign.

But, when it comes to spot TV, a competitor has risen to the top in the latest look at brand activity by play count, courtesy of Media Monitors.

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For a generation of Spanish-language radio listeners in Central Florida, the 98.1 MHz frequency licensed to Deltona, Fla., has served as a home for salsa and Tropical programming.

Now, after 21 years, programming has shifted back to English fare, as RBR+TVBR has confirmed its sale. In doing so, it has ignited a war among Christian radio operators in the Orlando DMA.

The bigger news: this radio station’s owner, Entravision Communications, is set to say goodbye to the I-4 corridor.

Learn all about the power of the Hispanic audio content consumer at the Hispanic Radio Conference. For full details on this autumn 2021 event, click here!

 

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RBR+TVBR, the publication dedicated to the business of broadcast media, is proud to unveil the third annual Broadcast’s Best Financial Leaders list.

The Top 15 finance leaders in radio and television will be revealed, based on your vote, in RBR+TVBR’s June 2021 Special Edition, distributed at the virtual Kagan Media Summit electronically as part of the official Kagan conference app and via e-mail to all RBR+TVBR Members.

Make your nomination today for the RBR+TVBR Broadcast Best Finance Leaders list. Nominations will be accepted until Friday, April 23.

To make your nomination, please click here!

Those making nominations are asked to follow RBR+TVBR’s guidelines:

1. The persons you nominate must be active in radio and television media finance today and have a minimum of five years’ experience in broadcast media.
2. Nominations can come from any department of your radio or television station or parent company.

 

HURRY! You may make up to three nominations by our deadline of Friday, April 23 at 5pm Eastern/2pm Pacific. Please fill out only one ballot.

The latest Media Monitors Spot Ten Radio report is out, and it’s very clear who wins the home improvement retailer battle when it comes to spot count.

Lowe’s has been practically silent with its radio advertising, while Menards continues to use radio where it has stores. Nationally, there’s no competition.

And, that Home Depot domination continued in the week ending April 18, Media Monitors data show.

The latest report also shows that Indeed, the job search website, is the lone other campaign to register more than 50,000 play counts in the last week.

 

Spanish-language content was in focus last week with the blockbuster news that Univision Communications would be merging with Mexico-based Televisa, combining the struggling operator’s content operations with Univision — a key recipient of its programming.

GroupM’s Global President of Business Intelligence, Brian Wieser, was compelled to take a close look at the deal.

His assessment? “With a similar scale among Spain’s dominant media owners and significant investment in related content from Netflix, ViacomCBS, Disney and others, significantly increased investment will likely be required to accomplish stated goals.”

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Despite what MoffettNathanson Senior Analyst Michael Nathanson calls the “recent turmoil” among media stocks, the respected Wall Street financial house has increased confidence that Fox Corporation shares will outperform.

Why? Nathanson points to “improving fundamentals in the near term.”

He also likes what Thursday night holds for FOX in the coming years.

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LOS ANGELES — The owner of The Weather Channel and a growing collection of broadcast TV stations including the ABC affiliate for the Hawaiian Islands has just launched a free streaming ad-supported service steeped in local news.

It’s available on most major platforms, bringing information on demand through another “over the top” offering.

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He’s enjoyed a 53-year career in radio that saw him break through the sales management ranks by taking the General Manager role for a heritage Class A AM in Des Moines and its FM sibling.

In 2004, he joined Salem Media Group, and today oversees its AM/FM combo in Houston.

On April 30, Chuck Jewell will bid farewell to Salem, and to the radio industry.

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U.S. Highway 160 traverses the Navajo Nation, from northern Arizona through the “Four Corners” region and onward to Interstate 25 on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains. It’s one of the most picturesque routes in North America, and along the way one can tune to a New Mexico-based FM with a trio of translators in key southwest Colorado cities where Native Americans reside.

This explains why Vertical Radio, the first Christian radio station serving the region, was born. Now, the station’s Navajo operators are yielding the 40-year old facility to the fastest-growing non-secular broadcaster on the continent.

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Some 19 years ago, a Class C AM serving a coastal North Carolina community began simulcasting an FM Talk station with a signal best heard in Morehead City, New Bern and points east. This gave the Talker better coverage of Jacksonville, N.C.

Now, “The Talk Station” is saying goodbye to its AM component.

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Due south of Shreveport is the city of Mansfield, La. It’s home to a Class A station licensed to Leon Hunt and his Hunt Broadcasting.

Soon, it will be licensed to a new owner.

Classic Country KJVC-FM 92.7 is being spun to Sputnik Media LLC.

To be clear, this isn’t the controversial “Sputnik” operation tied to the Russian government. Rather, it is a Louisiana operation led by Quinn Echols.

A $100,000 purchase price has been agreed upon, with a 10% earnest money deposit made to Hunt.

As a separate transaction, Sputnik, for a period ending three months after the date of Closing, gains the exclusive option to acquire from Hunt Broadcasting a Broadcast Electronics STX LP-2 2 kW FM Transmitter for a purchase price of $15,000 cash.

Haven’t had much luck locating the Estrella Media-owned Spanish-language broadcast TV network on your MVPD’s channel lineup?

Here’s another way to view it — one that may work for you, or TV viewers in your market.

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A Senior VP at Xperi has been selected to lead a NAB Show Premiere session scheduled for Monday (4/19) on the application of radio broadcasting in IoT and smart cities.

Ashruf El-Dinary, Xperi’s senior vice president, Digital Platforms, will join NAB Show Premiere on Monday, April 19 at 3:00 p.m. ET to outline a vision of how digital radio broadcasting can play a role in developing secure, low-cost communication services to millions of devices.

The session, “HD Radio Data Services: Radio Broadcasting Applications in IoT and Smart Cities,” and NAB Show Premiere are available exclusively on NAB Amplify. An NAB Amplify account is required to access the session.

El-Dinary will explore how HD radio broadcasting can:

• Create cost-effective one-to-many data applications with a digital broadcast system for AM and FM radio stations;
• Expand stations beyond a single audio program;
• Provide multiple program services through multicasting;
• Compete as a more accessible alternative to 5G.

El-Dinary will additionally lead an audience discussion after the session.

 

CORAL GABLES, FLA. — In a crowded television market that includes flagship properties from NBCUniversal’s Telemundo, Spanish Broadcasting System’s MegaTV and Univision Communications, in addition to Estrella Media’s owned-and-operated home for EstrellaTV, a pair of television stations have carved a niche of late as a local news source — en español — with a Conservative lean.

That programming tilt will soon be expanding to an AM radio station that has been offering a more balanced Spanish-language spoken word format for several years, thanks to a transaction that sees the executive of a “Put” agreement.

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MIAMI — The latest results from Kantar‘s report focused on “Entertainment On Demand” service in the U.S. is out, and it only further illustrates just how many consumers are paying for a SVOD service.

BE SURE TO FOLLOW RBR+TVBR ON TWITTER!

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