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It’s long-term outlook looks good. But, the next nine months aren’t so rosy for Cumulus Media, say Wall Street analysts.

Yet, as soon as Jessica Rosenworcel scored the approval of Congress and officially took the role as Chairwoman of the FCC, Cumulus shares went from sour to sweet on Wall Street.

Almost as if on cue, CMLS reversed its downward activity seen at the Opening Bell and propelled forward, reaching $12.24 with just 1 minute remaining in Tuesday’s trading.

That’s a 5.6% gain from Monday, and puts Cumulus back on track to get a bit closer to its year-to-date high of $14.75, seen in late June. Meanwhile, CMLS has clawed back from a $9.89 finish seen on September 20.

CMLS bears a 1-year target price of $23.67. To say that is a bit aggressive is an understatement. In the past five years, $20.90 is the highest Cumulus shares have ever been. And, that closing price was seen in August 2018, just days after the company emerged from Chapter 11 reorganization and began trading as CMLS on Nasdaq.

I really appreciated the article from Mark Persons on amateur radio (“Alike, but Not Alike: Broadcast vs. Ham Radio”).

Unfortunately, as Mark mentioned, with cell phones and the internet, the youth of today can’t be bothered with amateur radio and that poses a problem to get new broadcast engineers. As a kid, I was really into music and where did music come from, why, the radio, where else. So I was addicted to AM radio.

While my parents watched television, I sat in a different room listening to radio, DXing the AM dial and the shortwave bands on an old Zenith chassis with its 12-inch electromagnetic speaker and its metal 6F6 output stage that burned the skin off my forearms more than once.

The good thing is that most of the hams at that time used AM so I could listen to them without the luxury of a BFO that the Zenith didn’t have. So after listening for years, I got the old Ameco study guide and a key from Olson Radio and went about getting a novice license in 1961. Had a lot of fun with a homebrew single 6L6 running off an old TV power transformer and 5U4.

[Check Out More Letters at Radio World’s Reader’s Forum Section]

When I got a “real” license I added another 6L6 and a 12AX7 and made an AM rig, wow, a Heizing choke and downward modulation on 40 all the way.

Well, that led to a First Phone license when I turned 16 and wound up as Chief Engineer of a commercial classical station after the Chief passed away on Christmas morning. Sure the transmitter was a lot bigger and a lot more sophisticated than the 6L6 rig but from the years of building ham transmitters, receivers, and antennas, walking into a broadcast station was not a shock (pardon the pun).

I think there are two things that make a great broadcast engineer, one is a background as a ham and second an appreciation for music as it trains your ears to good audio. I still have my ham license and operate regularly as does my wife. The old 6L6s are gone but still operate with some homebrew gear and a Collins S line; no solid-state gear here.

I am pushing 73 now and if I was 10, I would have followed the same path as I did knowing what I know now.

Ron Schacht
K3FUT

Share your thoughts with us. Write to radioworld@futurenet.com

The post Letter: Ham Radio, a Gateway to Broadcast Engineering appeared first on Radio World.

Jim Bohannon is headed to the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

The National Association of Broadcasters said Bohannon will be inducted during the NAB Show in April. If current plans hold, that will be the first in-person spring NAB in three years.

Bohannon is host of Westwood One’s syndicated radio talk show, “The Jim Bohannon Show,” which airs on approximately 300 radio stations.

“Delivering his wit, wisdom and natural charm to listeners across the nation, Bohannon offers a unique blend of breaking news, informative reports on a wide range of topics and live conversations with listeners,” NAB stated in the announcement.

It noted that he has been in broadcasting for more than 50 years, and spent more than 31 of them as host of the early morning show “America in the Morning.” He previously hosted the weekend program “America This Week.”

NAB President/CEO Gordon Smith has been a guest on Bohannon’s program. “Jim encompasses the spirit of radio. His distinct voice, humor and engaging programs have informed and entertained listeners for 50 years, while addressing historic milestones affecting our nation,” Smith said.

Bohannon started in radio at KLWT(AM) in his hometown of Lebanon, Mo., in 1960.

“Following college and military service during the Vietnam War, he returned to radio in the Washington, D.C. market, covering news at both WTOP(AM) and WWRC(AM),” NAB wrote in a bio. “He later worked as a morning anchor at WCFL(FM) in Chicago and as a freelance reporter for CNN.”

He hosted a Saturday night phone-in program starting in 1984 and was principal back-up on the “Larry King Show.” In 1993, he took over King’s time slot.

“Bohannon joined Westwood One in 1983 and has anchored newscasts, political conventions and election night coverage in addition to his weekday programs.”

Read the list of past inductees.

The post Jim Bohannon Heads to NAB Hall of Fame appeared first on Radio World.

One decade ago, RBR+TVBR was sharing kind words from then-FCC Chairman Jules Genachowski for the Democrat and Republican, respectively, who had their names put forth by the Obama Administration as the next two commissioners at the FCC.

The GOP nominee was Ajit Pai, who would go on to become Chairman. Now, Obama’s other selection has become Chairwoman — Jessica Rosenworcel. 

As she looks ahead to her new role, how she got to the highest post at the FCC wasn’t an easy ride.

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Jessica Rosenworcel, now chairwoman of the FCC, is shown at a Senate committee hearing in 2018. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The first woman to lead the Federal Communications Commission as its chair is Jessica Rosenworcel. She has been reconfirmed to the FCC by the U.S. Senate.

CNBC reports the vote was 68 to 31.

Her term was set to expire shortly; and because the commission is already down one member, the prospect that Rosenworcel would not be reconfirmed raised the possibility of a commission with a Republican majority despite a Democratic administration holding the White House.

The nomination of Gigi Sohn for the remaining seat is having a rougher go, and until she or another candidate is confirmed, the commission will consist of two Democrats and two Republicans, which most observers believe means the FCC must limit itself to relatively uncontroversial actions for now.

The National Association of Broadcasters congratulated Rosenworcel and called her appointment historic.

“She is a dedicated public servant who has demonstrated effective leadership and expertise on telecommunications issues during her tenure at the FCC. We look forward to continuing to work with her and her fellow commissioners on ensuring a vibrant future for free and local broadcasting.”

Commissioner Brendan Carr, a Republican, offered congratulations and said, “Under her leadership, the FCC has taken significant steps towards eliminating the digital divide, increasing support for telehealth services and enhancing the security of America’s communications networks.”

NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association said Rosenworcel “has demonstrated sound leadership, a keen command of critical communications issues and a firm commitment to preserving and expanding the nation’s essential communications capabilities,” in the words of NATE President/CEO Todd Schlekeway. “NATE has been pleased with Chairwoman Rosenworcel’s engagement with industry leaders and her continued support of NATE’s legislative and regulatory priorities, updating broadband maps, closing the digital divide and securing the nation’s leadership in 5G deployment.”

In a statement, Rosenworcel said: “People across the country count on the FCC to support the connections they need for work, learning, healthcare and access to the information we require to make decisions about our lives, our communities, and our country.  I look forward to working with the administration, my colleagues on the commission and FCC staff, members of Congress, and the public to make the promise of modern communications a reality for everyone, everywhere.”

The commission has not had a female chair until now. Mignon Clyburn was acting chairwoman for about six months in 2013.

 

 

The post Senate Approves Rosenworcel’s Reappointment appeared first on Radio World.

Jim Bohannon, who hosts a nationally syndicated eponymous talk show distributed to radio stations by Cumulus Media-owned Westwood One, has been selected as the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame 2022 radio inductee.

The induction will take place at the Achievement in Broadcasting event at NAB Show, scheduled for April 23–27, 2022 in Las Vegas.

“The Jim Bohannon Show” airs from 10pm-1am Eastern weeknights and is distributed to more than 300 radio stations. A 50-year-plus broadcasting veteran, Bohannon spent over 31 years as host of the early morning weekday news magazine “America in the Morning,” for which he still provides interviews and his feature “The Offbeat.” He previously hosted the weekend news magazine “America This Week.”

“Jim encompasses the spirit of radio. His distinct voice, humor and engaging programs have informed and entertained listeners for 50 years, while addressing historic milestones affecting our nation,” NAB President/CEO Gordon Smith said. “I am grateful for his friendship and the opportunities I have had to be a guest on his show. We congratulate Jim on this befitting honor.”

Bohannon began his radio career in 1960 at KLWT-AM in his hometown of Lebanon, Missouri. Following college and military service during the Vietnam War, he returned to radio in the Washington, D.C. market, covering news at both WTOP-AM and WWRC-AM. He later worked as a morning anchor at WCFL in Chicago and as a freelance reporter for CNN.

Bohannon hosted his own Saturday night phone-in program starting in 1984 and served as the principal back-up for Larry King on the “Larry King Show.” In February of 1993, Bohannon took over the prestigious nighttime radio talk show slot formerly held by King.

Bohannon joined Westwood One in 1983 and has anchored newscasts, political conventions and election night coverage in addition to his weekday programs.

The NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame recognizes radio and television personalities or programs that have earned a place in broadcasting history. 

It positions itself as the TV channel “in constant evolution that brings the best of Latin America.”

Now, this unique offering is poised to welcome viewers in the Coachella Valley of California, thanks to a just-filed transaction awaiting FCC approval.

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Audacy has added FM service to another of its iconic AM news stations, this time with KNX(AM) in Los Angeles.

“KNX News 97.1 FM” now carries the 24-hour news and traffic content of its AM sibling. The station most recently had been branded as “97.1 Now, LA’s Party Station,”

Audacy, the former Entercom, picked up a number of iconic AM news outlets through its 2017 acquisition of CBS radio assets. In the past year or so it has made similar moves onto FM in St. Louis with KMOX, Pittsburgh with KDKA and Philadelphia with KYW.

KNX is celebrating its 100th anniversary this month.

“For over 100 years, KNX has been the station Southern California has depended on for breaking news, important events and life changing moments,” said Regional VP Jeff Federman in the announcement.

“With spoken word audio consumption at an all-time high, this move allows us to significantly upgrade the existing KNX brand and create a news destination for a new generation.”

Audacy said this launch shows “its commitment to its local news brands, reflective via a multiplatform transformation announced earlier this year.”

The company no doubt is hoping that the AM/FM combo will help KNX do some leapfrogging in the ratings. In the Nielsen Audio top line ratings released this month, KNX(AM) was 10th in the market in AQH Share for Persons 6+, Mon-Sun 6AM-Mid overall; the only other AM in the top 10 was No. 8 KFI. Audacy’s former music format on 97.1 was much farther down the list.

Audacy describes itself as “the No.1 local news platform in the country, operating more than two dozen news stations across the U.S.” It has all-news formats in 26 markets.

The station launched with a tribute to some of the station’s biggest headlines over 100 years.



The post KNX Is Now Heard on FM, Too appeared first on Radio World.

Responding to Bob Meister’s letter (“Genset reset rethink,” Aug. 4 issue):

I couldn’t agree more with Bob on this matter! Safety should always precede convenience, particularly where electrical power is concerned.

There had to be a valid reason for the generator fault in the original situation described by John Bisset. Merely resetting it remotely without knowing the cause is bad practice.

The new transmitters I installed at my two (now-gone) stations featured automatic restarts — first two faults would pause then reapply HV, while a third would shut off and inhibit it. This was essential to protect the $10,000–$15,000 IOT finals from damage.

I declined to wire the transmitters’ fault-reset inputs to our remote controls in fear that a less-experienced MC op might destroy the finals or other expensive parts by repeated resets.

If you have spare status inputs on your remote, look into adding indicators that could warn you of impending problems and help you resolve little matters before they grow, or provide additional evidence that may help you decide between a simple “reset” visit and a major repair effort.

[Visit the Reader’s Forum for More Letters and Comments]

Also useful: temperature and light sensors; door switches; and fluid-detectors, which are easy to install and provide inexpensive insurance. Example: A simple “homebrew” pair of opto-isolators added to my Kohler transfer-switch alarm panel would confirm that all was well and whether we were on utility or generator power.

A personal note on safety: I’m truly grateful to have a touch of OCD. It has helped keep me (and others) alive when working anywhere near power.

Years ago, I was reunited with an old UHF TV transmitter that had seen better days. It featured a pair of doors that opened in front of a high-power Klystron (only 32 kV connections atop it!) along with various “deficiencies” like uncovered AC relays in another door and a “failed-shorted” interlock switch in yet other. A consulting engineer had come close to being electrocuted there months earlier, partly because the station engineer also misinterpreted his directions.

My mind insists on “pointing and saying” before I do anything potentially dangerous. Remember: You have many opportunities to get it right, but you may have only one chance to get it wrong.

Cheers and stay safe!

Michael Shovan, CBTE
fd&t technical services
Newburgh, N.Y.

Radio World invites industry-oriented commentaries and responses. Send to Radio World.

The post Letter: Genset reset rethink redux appeared first on Radio World.

The nation’s eight-ranked market has become the latest to gain access to ATSC 3.0-powered NEXTGEN TV.

And, its launch is thanks to the FOX Television Stations-owned duopoly as well as the Nexstar-owned affiliate of The CW Network.

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KSJO(FM) in San Jose, Calif., is broadcasting geo-targeted radio advertising, according to technology supplier GeoBroadcast Solutions. The company said this was the first such field test with real radio spots.

The station aired several national breakfast promotions for Jack in the Box targeted to the areas of Livermore and Pleasanton along the I-680 corridor.

The station, owned by Universal Media Access and branded “Bolly 92.3FM, The Bay Area’s Bollywood Station,” has experimental authority from the FCC to test the GBS ZoneCastingFM booster system. GBS said its tests would continue during short parts of the broadcast hour through February.

The station also is experimenting with zoned traffic reports.

Jack in the Box CMO Ryan Ostrom was quoted saying the company is “only scratching the surface with our first test, and we will continue to lean into the unpacked potential of geotargeted radio activations.”

KSJO’s Brad Behnke, vice president and chief operating officer of station owner Universal Media Access, encouraged the FCC to allow such geo-targeting.

GeoBroadcast has asked the FCC to change its booster rules to allow this kind of content origination.

The post San Jose Station Tests Geo-Targeted Ads appeared first on Radio World.

Its CEO says it will enjoy strong holiday season sales; it was the “Black Friday” winner on a day that has lost much of its past cultural and consumer significance.

It’s also searching for a new CFO, as Brett Biggs will step down at year’s end.

Walmart is a retailer in transition, as it seeks to nibble away at Amazon with more opportunities ahead in the online space. That said, its in-store magnetism remains high with key consumers, and it is using Spot Cable and Spot TV to attract the masses.

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Radio World is taking an in-depth look at “The Infinite Dial UK 2021” report this week.

In Part Two of Radio World’s summation of Edison Research’s “The Infinite Dial UK 2021” report we look at Edison Research President Larry Rosen’s findings on radio listening in the United Kingdom (and other countries), plus rates of radio/smart speaker ownership here and in the United States.

The report is based on 1,000 telephone interviews with U.K. residents 16 and older, during the fourth quarter of 2021.

U.K. radio listening

Based upon the complete mix of British AM/MW, FM, and DAB stations, 83 percent of the 16+ population surveyed by Edison Research listened to radio in the last week. By age group, this breaks down 80 percent for people 16–34; 84 percent for 35–54; and 80 percent for 55 and older.

Past Week Radio Listening in the U.K. (Courtesy Edison Research)

[Read more of our coverage of ‘Infinite Dial’ report]

“Some of you might be used to seeing slightly higher numbers from RAJAR for weekly listening,” said Rosen. “Let me remind you that this is a telephone survey where we’re just asking a single question about listening into the radio in any way in the last week, whereas RAJAR takes steps to jog people’s memories and remind them of all the cases where they might’ve listened to the radio.”

Compared to Canada’s 70 percent (18+), Australia’s 79 percent (18+) and the U.S.’s 59 percent (16+), the U.K. is doing pretty well in terms of radio listening.

“People are listening to the radio in the U.K., and they are remembering that they have listened to the radio in the U.K. in greater numbers than in these three other English-speaking countries around the world,” Rosen said.

Radio and smart speaker ownership

When asked, ‘Do you own a radio? Do you have a radio in your household?’, Edison Research found that 78 percent of U.K. respondents said yes while 22 percent said no.

Moreover, “Fourteen percent of people in the U.K. — consistent across age groups — said they have four or more radios in their household,” said Rosen. “So, you see, radio remains very central to the lived experience of people in the U.K.” He contrasted these numbers to the U.S., where 68 percent own radios (10 percent have four or more), and 32 percent do not.

Radio Receiver Ownership, U.K. and U.S. Compared (Courtesy Edison Research)

The differences continued when Larry Rosen looked at U.K./U.S. radio ownership and smart speaker ownership.

“Fifty-eight percent of everyone in the U.K. says they have a radio in their home, but don’t have a smart speaker,” he said. “20 percent say they have both the radio and the smart speaker in their home; 6 percent say they have a smart speaker but not a radio in their home. So, 6 percent of people seemingly have replaced radio in their homes with the smart speaker, and only 16 percent of people in their homes have neither a radio nor a smart speaker.”

Radio and Smart Speaker Ownership, U.K. and U.S. Compared (Courtesy Edison Research)

Meanwhile, 50 percent of Americans surveyed reported owning a radio but not a smart speaker; 19 percent said they owned both; 8 percent said they had a smart speaker but not a radio; and 23 percent had neither.

This last number caught Larry Rosen’s attention: “Here in the United States, we have more people saying that they neither have a radio nor a smart speaker.”

In Part Three of Radio World’s summary of “The Infinite Dial UK 2021,” we’ll look at the U.K.’s consumption of online audio.

The post ‘Infinite Dial UK’ Details U.K. Radio Listening, Ownership appeared first on Radio World.

Digital video technology firm Bitmovin has unveiled the results of its fifth annual Video Developer Report. The latest data reveal a maturing video/streaming/OTT industry overall, experiencing key areas of growth, innovation, and opportunity as consumption and pressures to personalize and deliver seamless experiences increase.

Conducted between July and August 2021, the Video Developer Report underscores the most relevant issues to the video developer community. As more devices come online each day, the pressures mount for industry professionals to continually innovate, increasing quality and engagement all while carefully controlling costs. This report illuminates the inter-connected and competing priorities developers are facing and how they’ve evolved over time. This year, low latency streaming topped the charts as both the biggest challenge and largest opportunity for innovation, primarily driven by demand for more interactive experiences and competition with traditional broadcast latency.

Key findings include: 

·         Increased consumption and variation in device preference.  

o    81% of respondents deliver streams via HTML5 in desktop browsers, followed by 57% via HTML5 on Android.

o    Smart TV brand preference varies by region, with Philips the preferred Smart TV brand in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) and Vizio in North America. 

o    Sony PlayStation 4 (PS4) is the most popular console for streaming in North America, outranking many Smart TV brands. Console use in all other regions of the globe is much lower.

·         Regional shifts and the quest for compatibility.  

o    Streaming device usage differs significantly worldwide. While Apple TV is most popular in North America and Asia Pacific, it comes in at only #5 in Latin America (LATAM).  

o    Android TV is preferred in LATAM (44%) and EMEA (51%), with others, such as Chromecast TV, closely behind at 44% in LATAM and 38% in EMEA.  

o    These differences are largely due to variations in infrastructures, as devices like Apple TV require a powerful, consistently reliable Internet connection which is not available in all areas of the globe. 

·         A ‘changing of the guard’ in codec usage. 

o    The AVC/H.264 video codec continues to dominate device reach, however newer and more efficient codecs, such as HEVC, VP9, and AV1 all saw increases in testing and production usage in 2021. HEVC is being deployed currently by nearly 50% of survey respondents.  

o    Increased AV1 usage on consumer platforms like YouTube and Netflix and support from affordable devices like Fire TV Stick 4K Max signals a potential shift toward broader AV1 adoption across the ecosystem. 

o    Reigning audio codec AAC continued its position at the top but did see some incremental decline over the past year while multiple Dolby audio formats rose in popularity and usage. 

o    The most popular streaming format, HLS, saw its first usage decline. With CMAF rising in adoption from 21% to 26%.  

·         Critical importance of video analytics platforms.  

o    Industry standards are essential in the video broadcasting space, and leveraging the power of an analytics platform is key to optimizing organizations for scalable growth. This year’s study found that for the first time in two years, in-house solutions took the top spot for analytics at 39% over Google at 37%, indicating more sophisticated usage and that basic traffic and completion rates are no longer sufficient.

o    As the market landscape becomes increasingly competitive, video analytics play an integral role in monitoring viewer experiences/engagement and gaining audience insights to improve future offerings and solutions.

 

 

Download the Bitmovin’s 2021 Video Developer Report 

Technical paper and panel proposals are now being accepted for the Broadcast Engineering and Information Technology (BEIT) track of the NAB Show Conference, held at the 2022 NAB Show in Las Vegas.

BEIT, held April 24 – 26, is designed for broadcast engineers and technicians, contract engineers, broadcast equipment manufacturers, distributors, engineering consultants, R&D engineers, IT professionals and related media technologists. The program features technical papers addressing the latest opportunities, challenges and solutions facing broadcast engineering and media industry IT professionals around the world.

NAB Show seeks presenters with fresh ideas and unique perspectives on key trends and technologies driving the future of radio, television and general media creation and delivery. All paper and panel proposals should be submitted online through the 2022 BEIT Call for Papers and Panels portal.

Proposals are subject to peer review, and those featuring original research or highly regarded speakers receive most favorable consideration. All content proposed should be presented in a tutorial, non-promotional form. Proposals overtly promoting company products or services will not be accepted, although proposals explaining the underlying technologies used in broadcast products or services may be considered.

The deadline for BEIT paper and panel proposals is January 14, 2022. Proposals selected for inclusion in the 2022 BEIT program will be announced in February 2022. Click here for additional information and to submit a proposal.