Radio World

The author is executive director of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters. NFCB commentaries are featured regularly at www.radioworld.com.

New reports on listening habits brought on by the pandemic are must-reads for stations. Even as states and the federal government are reviewing existing policies related to COVID-19, new audience habits may be here to stay. And, with that, our past ways of talking about radio may need to adjust.

On March 11, The Infinite Dial’s latest findings were released. The longtime initiative of Edison Research has been the gold standard when it comes to seeing where listening habits are as well as indicators for the future. Some of the dire discoveries presented opportunities, too.

[Read: Community Broadcaster: Is OnlyFans Music’s Next Royalty Model?]

In-car listening has dropped from about the same time last year. Seventy-five percent of the more than 1,000 respondents participated in this survey said they tuned in via their vehicles in the last month. That’s a significant decline from the 81% who listening in their cars in 2020. Bear in mind, however, that the number of people in autos dipped by five% from last year.

Considering the spike in streaming service subscriptions, rivals like satellite radio and other entertainment, radio’s draw among Americans remains solid. These numbers could grow as vaccinations become more available by summer.

Photo: Getty Images- Helen Ross

Sixty-two percent of Americans listen via the web at least weekly. Online listenership, researchers say, is at an all-time high. Such a statistic may prompt your station to think about how it markets itself on the air. If your promos are more focused on “tuning in,” could you be missing out by not talking up online options? Smart speaker adoption continues to grow. Are your spots telling your loyal fans how they can find you there?

Also, AudiGraphics discussed audience metrics with Current. Most interesting is the return of in-home listening to radio. This isn’t your grandparents’ old-time living room radio, though. Smart speakers and connected devices have made streaming your favorite radio station easier than it’s ever been. Where people used to listen on their commute, AudiGraphics points out they’ve simply shifted to catch the news and other programming they enjoy through alternate means. A question to thus ask is how your station is recognizing those listeners.

The storm cloud in this research is primarily for news and talk-based radio, especially noncommercial ones. It’s not entirely surprising, though. With election day long gone and media attention away from the Jan. 6 violence, more listeners are skipping the news in favor of other programming. AudiGraphics highlights the drop in listenership for NPR stations especially. Given NPR’s prominence, one would have to think these trends will impact any station rooted in news/talk. If you are a station that leans on news and public affairs programming, you might consider reviewing the figures closely.

While stations do their best to deliver a consistent quality of service, the technology around us changes every generation, and faster. Our ability to evolve with our audience can only prove beneficial.

The post Community Broadcaster: Off Road appeared first on Radio World.

The Federal Communications Commission weighed in on a series of complaints, petitions and supplements that were filed by stations complaining that an LPFM is interfering with their stations.

In the end, the FCC dismissed some of the complaints and petitions but mandated that stations work together to determine exactly what is causing the interference.

In October 2020, New River Community Church, Manchester, Conn., filed a petition for reconsideration on a Media Bureau decision that found that its WYPH(LP), was continuing to interfere with second-adjacent channel WDRC(FM) in Hartford, Conn., owned by Red Wolf Broadcasting Corp.

[Read: Fla. LPFM Gets Interference Notice]

In that decision the Media Bureau concluded that not only did WYPH fail to eliminate the interference it was allegedly causing, it also failed to prove beyond a doubt that its station was not the culprit in this interference situation.

Other parties began to weigh in too. Red Wolf Broadcasting filed a supplemental letter alleging that WYPH’s operations were causing interference to the over-the-air reception of its station, while Saga Communications of New England, which is licensee of WAQY(FM) in Springfield, Mass., also filed an interference complaint.

What’s key to understand is that FCC rules spell out a series of second-adjacent channel minimum distance separation requirements for LPFM stations — but only if the LPFM station demonstrates that its proposed operations will not result in interference to any authorized radio service.

As it stands, WYPH is currently licensed to operate under an approved second-adjacent channel waiver since it is short-spaced to second-adjacent channel stations WDRC and WAQY. But if the commission receives a complaint that an LPFM station is causing interference — even if they are operating with an approved second-adjacent channel wavier — the station must suspend operations until the interference is eliminated or the LPFM can prove that it is not the source of the interference.

And to be clear: any claim of interference must be from a disinterested listener who can prove their name and address and can pinpoint a location at which the interference occurs.

Over the course of 2016 and 2017, New River Community Church received a green light for both the second-channel adjacent waiver and a construction permit for WYPH.

Moving ahead to January 2020, Red Wolf filed a complaint alleging that WYPH’s operations were causing interference to the over-the-air reception of WDRC. That led the FCC to order WYPH to cease operations until it resolved the interference issues.

New River responded to say that the listener objections were not bona fide complaints because Red Wolf solicited and scripted those complaints with listeners. The licensee also suggested that on/off testing be conducted by a third-party engineer and that those test results be submitted to the Media Bureau to confirm whether WYPH is the source of interference to WDRC.

The back and forth began in earnest. New River said Red Wolf would not agree to participate in testing. New River also said that Red Wolf had tried to oust WYPH from its tower site to attempting to lease the entire tower for FM purposes.

Red Wolf replied to say that WYPH was operating with the wrong antenna, which violates FCC’s rules. Specifically, after its permit was granted, WYPH installed a two-bay half-wavelength antenna, a Shively 6812B-2. Red Wolf said that WYPH’s operations with this antenna is causing interference to both Red Wolf’s station WDRC and to Saga’s station WAQY.

New River responded by saying it was “three years too late” for Red Wolf to object and that New River’s engineering report only showed predicted interference, not actual interference.

Then Saga Communications joined in, filing an interference complaint alleging that if WYPH is allowed to resume operations, it will continue to cause interference to Saga’s WAQY. Saga asked the FCC to keep WYPH from resuming operations until the Shively antenna is replaced with a Nicom antenna.

The FCC weighed in with decisive decisions. It reaffirmed the Media Bureau decision that said that New River failed to show that its station was not the source of interference. Until New River eliminates the interference or shows that it is not causing it, the station cannot resume broadcasting, the FCC said. The commission also dismissed New River’s assertion that interference complaints were not bona fide. The bureau also reprimanded New River by failing to conduct certain on/off tests in conjunction with Red Wolf.

But New River still has the opportunity to prove that its station is not the source of interference by beginning to conduct those on/off tests. The bureau ruled that the two broadcasters — New River and Red Wolf — must jointly cooperate in a test to formally determine the source of the interference. The two have 90 days to submit those results to the bureau. The bureau also denied Red Wolf’s request to rescind WYPH’s license because the filing was not done with in a proper time frame. The commission also reviewed Saga’s complaint and found that Saga failed to submit any valid listener complaints to prove interference.

 

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Publication of the latest The Infinite Dial report by Triton Digital and Edison Research is nudging the series to the quarter-century mark, with the first release taking place in 1998. The current edition tracks media consumption in a year that was full of surprises. A recent online presentation hosted by Tom Webster, senior vice president at Edison Research and John Rosso, president of market development at Triton Digital, summarized this year’s key findings.

The broad view of 2020, according to Webster and Rosso, is that all media took a hit during the disruptive period starting in March, with layoffs, lockdowns and many beginning to work from home. The good news is that by January 2021, when The Infinite Dial’s telephone survey of 1,507 people was taken, things had pretty well returned to normal, with the expected growth being seen in most areas.

Smartphone ownership experienced rapid growth from the time of its introduction in 2009 through 2017, when it began to plateau as the market approached saturation. Nevertheless, the numbers went from 85 million owners in 2019 to an estimated 88 million in 2021. Webster and Rosso speculate that this increase may have been driven largely by Apple’s introduction of the second generation iPhone SE in April.

Not all devices are enjoying an uptick in popularity, according to Triton and Edison’s data. Tablet ownership peaked at 56% of the U.S. population in 2019, and has since declined to an estimated 51% for the current year. At the same time, the data suggests that internet-connected watch ownership seems to have hit a plateau. In 2018 and 2019, 17% of the U.S. population owned one, and the estimated number only rose to 18% for 2021.

In the no-big-surprise department, smart speakers seem to have had another good year. The Infinite Dial’s numbers suggest that ownership jumped from 27% in 2020 to an estimated 33% for this year. Webster and Rosso add that the researchers dug a bit deeper to try and understand why there was this much growth. When this same question of ownership was asked of those who are employed full- or part-time and work from home, the number jumped from 33–49%. Correlation, as they say, is not causation, but it makes one wonder if the economic upheaval of 2020 might not have had a positive effect on smart speaker sales.

Further signs of smart speaker growth, according to The Infinite Dial 2021,  may be found in data on number of smart speakers in a household. In 2018, the first year that numbers were collected, 67% of respondents owned one smart speaker, 22% owned two, and just 11% owned three or more. Ownership for the current year is 47% owning one, 19% with two, and 34% with three or more. Webster and Rosso posit that this data suggests many first-time buyers are starting out with two or more smart speakers.

The post Despite Disruptions in 2020, Media Consumption Trends Upwards appeared first on Radio World.

Two leading minority organizations are calling for the creation of a test pilot program before the FCC makes any decision about geo-targeting via FM boosters.

The Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council and the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters made the recommendation to the Federal Communications Commission, which has been taking industry input about the geo-targeting concept proposed by technology company Geo-Broadcast Solutions.

Advocates of the GBS idea have cited potential benefits to minority broadcasters and businesses among its selling points; and MMTC and NABOB have been among those expressing support for the concept.

But the National Association of Broadcasters and several large radio groups expressed strong opposition in the recent comment period, saying that geo-targeting could have serious technical and financial implications for the FM business model.

Now Maurita Coley and David Honig, who are respectively president/CEO and president emeritus/senior advisor of MMTC, and James Winston, president/CEO of NABOB, have told the FCC, “The NPRM contains 103 questions. Fortunately, many of the 103 questions may be answerable with engineering and economic data that could be produced by a pilot test of the technology.”

They encouraged “the leading parties” to collaborate to design and execute a pilot with at least three markets: urban, suburban and rural.

“We recommend that the pilot be designed to address all of the questions raised in the comment round of this proceeding, including the impact of the technology on local advertising markets. We encourage the commission to help unite all parties in the quest for a universally beneficial result.”

[Related: “ZoneCasting Will Level the Playing Field for Radio”]

 

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The Federal Communications Commission has a couple of reminders for U.S. radio and TV stations.

First, its Enforcement Bureau has issued an advisory to broadcasters about their obligations for sponsorship identification.

“Broadcasters who air paid-for programming without disclosing the program’s sponsor can mislead the public and promote unfair competition,” the bureau reminded them in a public announcement.

“Such non-disclosures foster the perception by the public that a paid announcement is the station’s editorial content, while concealing that the station is being paid by a third party to promote a particular message. That impression can also give undisclosed sponsors an unfair advantage over competitors whose paid programming is properly disclosed as paid-for material.”

The document summarizes broadcasters’ disclosure obligations and provides more information; read it here.

Second, with the broadcast license renewal cycle moving ahead, the Media Bureau is reminding commercial broadcast licensees that every “sharing” agreement about the operation of the station must be retained in their online public files.

That includes lease of airtime, joint sale of advertising or sharing of operational services.

“Commercial broadcast licensees have a longstanding obligation to place in their OPIF, within 30 days of their execution, public copies of every agreement or contract involving the lease of airtime on a licensee’s station (or of another station by the licensee) and every agreement for the joint sale of advertising time involving the station,” the bureau wrote.

It emphasized that these requirements are based on the substance of an agreement rather than its title, even if it is not specifically labeled as a “Time Brokerage Agreement,” “Local Marketing Agreement,” “Joint Sales Agreement” or “Shared Services Agreement.”

Broadcasters have seen recently that the FCC is well aware of what is in their online public files, given the announcements in recent months of numerous consent decrees involving public and political files not being kept current.

The post FCC Issues Enforcement Reminders appeared first on Radio World.

One of the new studios for RTM’s PerlisFM facility. Note the Calrec Type R console in the center.

Radio Television Malaysia has installed six Calrec Type R radio broadcast consoles in its PerlisFM regional studio facility as part of a substantial upgrade project, including AoIP networking.

A release adds, “The facility is now the reference for all future upgrades to RTM’s other regional stations.”

The release says that the Type R in some studios integrates with RCS Zetta automation and Visual Radio’s MultiCAM visual radio system.

[See Our Who’s Buying What Page]

RTM points to motorized faders, customization options, touchscreen operation and native IP networking as highlights.

The project was completed and overseen by Calrec’s Malaysia distributor, JAA Systems, with VME Broadcast acting as the main contractor and Medialab Alliance as the system integrator.

JAA Systems’ David Chan said, “We are very honored to be part of this transformation of RTM’s radio infrastructure, which places it at the cutting edge of modern radio. Calrec’s Type R for Radio is perfect for this installation. … We believe that this IP installation points to the future of radio across Malaysia and beyond.”

Send news for Who’s Buying What to radioworld@futurenet.com.

 

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Targetspot announced an agreement with Bauer Media Audio that it says will allow it to market inventory in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway.

Targetspot is part of ad technology company AudioValley, and offers audio streaming, ad serving and programmatic advertising. The company has ambitions to expand further in northern Europe.

In the announcement, Eric van der Haegen, its strategic partner development director, was quoted saying, “The digital audio culture is already well established in all Nordic countries. This arrival in the countries of Northern Europe is naturally part of our strategy of promoting local partnerships.”

Bauer Media Audio is “Europe’s leading digital commercial broadcaster and audio operator.” Targetspot says the agreement allows advertisers to access its inventory including brands like Sonos, AudioBoom, and Radio France and Shoutcast radios, “more than 2 million allocations each month in the Scandinavian countries and Finland.”

AudioValley CEO Alexandre Saboundjian cited data saying 91% of the Nordic population streams music. “Nordics listen to digital music on average 3.2 hours a day. The source of musical discoveries is revealed as 36% for radio and playlists of streaming services account for 13%.”

The post Targetspot Works With Bauer Media in Nordics appeared first on Radio World.

Here’s a list you don’t want to be on:

“On Dec. 1, 2020, radio stations located in Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota were required to file applications for license renewal for terms expiring on April 1, 2021,” the Federal Communications Commission announced this week.

“The following stations failed to file license renewal applications and their licenses will expire as of April 1, 2021, provided no renewal application is received by midnight on the date of expiration.”

The list includes eight low-power FMs and some translators, as well as full-power stations.

Call sign, Community of License, Facility ID, Licensee

KCMJ-LP, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, 194782, COLORADO MEDIA JUSTICE FOUNDATION

KMZG-LP, DURANGO, CO, 132236, CALVARY CHAPEL OF DURANGO, INC.

K272AI, GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO, 40807, COLORADO RADIO MARKETING, LLC

K292AK, LAKE CITY, CO, 27258, HINSDALE COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

KMKZ, RED FEATHER LAKES, CO, 176133, 3G LEARNING SOLUTIONS

K236BA, RIFLE, CO, 139109, PROFESSIONAL ANTENNA, TOWER AND TRANSLATOR SERVICE (PATTS)

K280AT, ELY, MN, 63345, RANGE PAGING, INC

KQEP-LP, ST. PAUL, MN, 196883, NEW CULTURE

KPNP, WATERTOWN, MN, 49642, SELF RETIRE, INC.

KDWG, DILLON, MT, 93389, THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA – WESTERN

KNMC, HAVRE, MT, 49580, NORTHERN MONTANA COLLEGE

KRUL-LP, HELENA, MT, 193567, HELENA ADVENTIST EDUCATIONAL MEDIA, INC

KWHP-LP, PLAINS, MT, 134935, PLAINS-PARADISE EMERGENCY SERVICES

KPLR-LP, POPLAR, MT, 134953, POPLAR SCHOOL SYSTEM

KTBP-LP, POPLAR, MT, 193519, FORT PECK ASSINIBOINE & SIOUX TRIBES

KLND, LITTLE EAGLE, SD, 59762, SEVENTH GENERATION MEDIA SVCS, INC.

KSTJ-LP, SIOUX FALLS, SD, 196898, JUAN DIEGO RADIO OF SIOUX FALLS, INC.

The post These Stations Need to Turn in License Renewals ASAP appeared first on Radio World.

U.S. radio stations doing great work in community service are being honored by the National Association of Broadcasters.

NAB just released the list of finalists for the 34th annual NAB Crystal Radio Awards. See list at bottom.

The recipients will be announced during an online awards program in April.

NAB will also present Howard University’s WHUR-FM in Washington with the Crystal Heritage Award. This recognizes stations that have won five Crystal Radio Awards for exceptional year-round community service efforts. Nine others have received the Heritage award.

WHUR’s selection means there are now two Heritage recipients in the nation’s capital; WTOP(FM) was chosen in 2018. The 2020 Heritage recipient was KCVM(FM) in Iowa (read our profile).

This year’s Crystal finalists are:

KBFB(FM) Dallas, Texas
KCLY(FM) Clay Center, Kansas
KDKA(AM) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
KIKV(FM) Alexandria, Minnesota
KIRO(FM) Seattle, Washington
KKBQ(FM) Houston, Texas
KKFN(FM) Denver, Colorado
KKZY(FM) Bemidji, Minnesota
KMVP(FM) Phoenix, Arizona
KNDE(FM) College Station, Texas
KOSI(FM) Denver, Colorado
KPNT(FM) St. Louis, Missouri
KRSP(FM) Salt Lake City, Utah
KSBJ(FM) Humble, Texas
KSL(FM) Salt Lake City, Utah
KSTP(FM) Saint Paul, Minnesota
KTAR(FM) Phoenix, Arizona
KTMY(FM) Saint Paul, Minnesota
KUPD(FM) Phoenix, Arizona
KYGO(FM) Denver, Colorado
KYW(AM) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
WARH(FM) St. Louis, Missouri
WBAB(FM) West Babylon, New York
WBAP(AM) Dallas, Texas
WBLI(FM) Patchogue, New York
WBYT(FM) Mishawaka, Indiana
WCCO(AM) Minneapolis, Minnesota
WDRV(FM) Chicago, Illinois
WDSY(FM) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
WDUV(FM) St. Petersburg, Florida
WFXE(FM) Columbus, Georgia
WGCI(FM) Chicago, Illinois
WHPT(FM) St Petersburg, Florida
WJJY(FM) Brainerd, Minnesota
WKTI(FM) Milwaukee, Wisconsin
WMCI(FM) Mattoon, Illinois
WMMR(FM) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
WNRP(AM) Pensacola, Florida
WOKV(FM) Jacksonville, Florida
WPLR(FM) New Haven, Connecticut
WSB(AM) Atlanta, Georgia
WSB(FM) Atlanta, Georgia
WSHE(FM) Chicago, Illinois
WTAW(AM) College Station, Texas
WTMX(FM) Chicago, Illinois
WTOP(FM) Washington, D.C.
WWPR(FM) New York City, New York
WWRM(FM) Tampa Bay, Florida
WXGL(FM) Tampa Bay, Florida
WXOS(FM) St. Louis, Missouri
WYCT(FM) Pensacola, Florida
WYKY(FM) Somerset, Kentucky

The post NAB Announces Crystal Radio Finalists appeared first on Radio World.

Automation and workflow systems provider ENCO has moved its headquarters from Southfield, Mich., to the community of Novi about 17 miles away.

“The newly constructed, 12,000-square-foot facility will offer a more collaborative work environment and a centralized location for staff and customers in the Detroit suburbs,” it stated in an announcement.

“ENCO’s entire operation across sales, administration, engineering, finance, management, manufacturing and marketing will be based in Novi, effective immediately.”

It said the interior uses an open floor plan and will bring previously separated functions closer together. “The spacious environments throughout all areas ensure that social distancing policies can continue to be met until the pandemic subsides.”

President Ken Frommert called it “truly a state-of-the-art facility” that includes an open production lab,  high-tech meeting and conference spaces, and various seating and lounge settings.

He said Novi is “an exciting city on the rise” and that the location is more accessible to Detroit Metropolitan Airport.

The new address is 41551 West 11 Mile Road in Novi, MI 48375.

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The Media Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission has dismissed an objection filed against a Durham, N.C., FM translator. That objection claimed that the translator licensee should not be allowed to claim noncommercial educational exemption because the AM station being rebroadcast is owned by commercial organizations.

In its objection, Triangle Access Broadcasting alleged that the FM translator operator, Delmarva Educational Association who is licensee of W224DK, was not entitled to claim an NCE exemption for application and regulatory fees because the AM station they are rebroadcasting — WPTF in Raleigh, N.C., which is licensed to First State Communications — is a commercial station.

[Read: AM Station’s Spotty Operational Schedule Puts License at Risk]

Thus, Triangle argued, the translator is itself a commercial one. Triangle also argued that Delmarva shouldn’t be qualified to receive a nonprofit regulatory fee exemption. While Triangle recognized that Delmarva is a nonprofit entity, it argued that Delmarva disqualified itself from the nonprofit exemption because First State supplies commercial programming to the translator. According to Triangle, this gives First State an attributable ownership interest in Delmarva.

Triangle also alleged that Delmarva has failed to pay required application fees for the translator dating back to 2003. Triangle thus urged the commission to dismiss Delmarva’s application for failing to pay required fees and to cancel the translator outright unless the delinquency is resolved.

In response, Delmarva countered that its failure to pay a filing fee was inadvertent and it has since remitted payment. Delmarva also countered that the commission’s rules clarify that it is exempt from paying regulatory fees because it is a qualified nonprofit, tax-exempt entity under Section 501 of the Internal Revenue code.

Triangle acknowledged that even though Delmarva remitted payment, it questions Delmarva’s initial failure to pay during the licensing process. Triangle also maintained that Delmarva is not qualified for the nonprofit regulatory fee exemption because its operation of a commercial translator deviates from the “scope of its charitable purpose.” Added to this is the fact that Eastern Airwaves, a commercial entity that Triangle said co-owns First State, has exercised control over the translator. Thus it has an attributable ownership interest in the translator.

“[That makes it] improper for Delmarva to avoid regulatory fees based solely on Delmarva’s nonprofit status,” Triangle said.

But the Media Bureau disagreed. It said that informal objections to license renewal applications must not only provide well-supported allegations of fact but must also contain adequate and specific factual allegations. Triangle has not met this threshold, the FCC said.

For one, Delmarva acknowledged that it submitted the application without the requisite filing fees and went on to pay those fees. Secondly, the commission has already confirmed that Delmarva is a nonprofit organization. Finally, Triangle does not explain how First State or Eastern would have an attributable interest in the translator.

As a result, the bureau dismissed and denied the objection.

But the Media Bureau did find that Delmarva was remiss in its failure to pay the required application filing fees. It assessed the licensee a penalty charge equal to 25% of the filing fee for license of W224DK for a total of $17.50.

 

The post FCC Nixes Idea to Rebrand NCE Translator as Commercial appeared first on Radio World.

Jörg Fries was named the new vice president of Broadcast, Amplifier & Media Solutions for manufacturer Rohde & Schwarz. He replaces Cornelius Heinemann, who has taken another role at the company outside of the Broadcast & Media Division.

He has been with the company for 25 years, most recently in the Wireless Multimedia segment.

[Read: R&S Celebrates Istanbul Tower Project]

“His appointment to head Rohde & Schwarz’s Broadcast and Media Division supports the strategic shift in its approach towards its core markets and reinforces the company’s intention of becoming more disruptive in production, delivery and distribution workflow management and software-centric products and systems,” the company stated.

In the press release, Fries said that among the most important trends in the market right now is “the rise of remote production based on a flexible, software-centric approach.” He said the company is focused on “increasing production efficiency in remote architectures, standardizing new workflows and establishing new technologies to enable a seamless transition to remote production.”

Send business announcements for our People News coverage to radioworld@futurenet.com.

 

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In India, where regulators have been working toward recommending a standard to digitize the FM band, Digital Radio Mondiale is presenting its case.

DRM has been conducting trials and demos since late February, when a digital radio transmission with three audio services and Journaline text information went live in Delhi alongside existing analog FM transmissions.

“The transmission is part of an extensive trial and demonstration of DRM conducted by Prasar Bharati and its radio arm, All India Radio (AIR), with the help of the DRM Consortium and its local and international members,” DRM stated in a press release. “The test was officially launched on Feb. 24 and 25 at the headquarters of All India Radio in New Delhi.”

The test was requested by regulator TRAI and the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.

DRM officials said a presentation to AIR’s committee showed DRM in the FM band on various car radios including line-fit, aftermarket, standalone receivers, mobile phones and tablets. A head unit from Mobis, upgraded for FM via firmware, was installed in a Hyundai Verna. DRM said, “The reception was found to be excellent for over 15 km radius with just 100 W of DRM power in digital,” including  5.1 surround sound test broadcasts on DRM.

The DRM for India Automotive Group wrote, “A whole automotive eco-system has evolved in India around DRM. It includes chipset manufacturers like NXP, Tier-1 receiver manufacturers and car brands like Hyundai, Maruti-Suzuki, Toyota and others. These companies have invested large amounts of money in digitizing car radios based on the DRM technology.”

It said 2.5 million cars on Indian roads have DRM receivers. “The India trial has been an excellent opportunity to demonstrate how the existing DRM transmissions in the former AM bands can be upgraded to support DRM in both AM and FM bands by a simple receiver firmware update (no change in hardware needed).”

Chairman Ruxandra Obreja said she hoped the results will “convince the Indian authorities that DRM is the right standard to upgrade All India Radio’s already established country-wide DRM services in the AM bands to the FM band.”

Consortium Vice President Alexander Zink listed the involvement of Technomedia for logistics and signal measurement; Gospell and StarWaves for providing consumer receivers; and Fraunhofer IIS, Nautel and RFmondial for content, transmission and professional monitoring receivers. NXP, Hyundai Mobis and Harman also supported the demo with FM-band upgrades to existing automotive DRM receivers.

The trial is to continue in Jaipur, where DRM hopes to demonstrate a transmission of up to six signals, which would provide up to 18 audio programs and six Journaline services from one FM band transmitter.

Xperi’s HD Radio FM system has also been tested in New Delhi.

The post DRM Makes Its Pitch for India’s FM Band appeared first on Radio World.

An image from the Podcorn website.

Entercom has added to its podcast business with an acquisition of Podcorn. It says the acquisition will help advertisers “tap into the hard-to-access micro-influencer community.”

Podcorn calls itself a marketplace of podcast influencers, “connecting unique voices to unique brands for native advertising.”

The transaction values Podcorn at $22.5 million, with an upfront cash payment of $14.6 million and a performance-based earnout over three years. Founders Agnes Kozera and David Kierzkowski will stay on.

Entercom head David Field said the deal “builds on our position as one of the country’s three largest podcast publishers and the #1 creator of original, premium audio content.”

The big media company also owns Cadence13 and Pineapple Street Studios in the podcast space.

Chief Digital Officer J.D. Crowley noted the explosion in podcast programming over the past two years but said only a fraction of those shows generate revenue.

Field said Podcorn makes it easier for brands to collaborate with targeted creators. According to Entercom, this marketplace includes 40,000 creators and an infrastructure for enabling client relationships

“The acquisition fills an industry-wide gap in helping brands of all sizes tap into the hard-to-access micro-influencer community.”

Among the benefits Entercom cites to advertisers are “highly immersive, native formats,” “host reads at scale” and “workspaces where they can craft the ideal relationship and explore deeper formats including reviews, unboxings, guest interviews, panels and topical discussions, which provide true listener value.”

The post With Podcorn, Entercom Chases “Micro-Influencers” appeared first on Radio World.

The Buchanan Hammer

Sure enjoyed the trip down memory lane with Kevin Curran’s story on the Electro-Voice 635A microphone. 

I started in radio back in 1961 at WCCW in Traverse City, Mich., and I remember the day in 1966 when Dave Veldsma of Audio Distributors fame rolled into town with a basket of EV 635A microphones. Dave made the rounds to the various stations in T.C. and sold all but one. 

Years later, EV salesman Greg Silsby came to town to demo the EV Sentry 100A speakers and brought a “squashed” EV 635A with him for show-and-tell. If I recall, Greg said that mic had been squished into the tar parking lot by an 18-wheeler on site at an NAB Show. He plugged it in and demonstrated that it still worked. 

EV was then located in Buchanan, Mich., so we engineers in the state didn’t have far to go to hear the latest offers from EV.

Michael Bradford, CPBE, Broadcast/Audio Services, Jackson, Mich.

Son of 635A

Good piece about EV’s 635A. As Paul Harvey used to say, “The Rest of the Story” is about the “Son-of-635A.”

A few years after the EV masters gave us the 635A, they came up with an interesting, upgraded design for TV and radio field ops. It was the RE50. That great technical team took a 635A and placed it inside a rubberized tube for shock mounting, and put a foam and metal screen on top and, violà, the RE50. 

If you were to unscrew the top windscreen, you’d discover a 635A body inside the tube. One basic design, two must-have mics.  

Personally I favor the 635A, it’s lighter and with a windscreen, performs great. But generally, my field mic of choice for the last 50 years has been the RE55. There is no better choice.

Larry Barr

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Connectors specialist Neutrik is acquiring a German company, Connex, that specializes in event and installation AV interconnection hardware.

Connex is perhaps best known for its Fiberfox fiber-optic network hardware brand.

A release elaborates, “The [Connex] product portfolio comprises solutions for mobile or stationary applications. These include power distribution systems, fiber-optic solutions, video products, Ethernet components, splitters, patching systems, stage boxes, cabling and measuring devices.”

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The FCC has commenced a hearing proceeding into whether it should renew the license of a radio station that has been silent or operating at unauthorized power levels except for brief periods of time since 2018.

NIA Broadcasting Inc. has been licensee of WSYL(AM) in Sylvania, Ga., since Jan. 22, 2018. Its renewal of license application was flagged by the commission after the Media Bureau raised concerns about the broadcaster’s service to its community of license due to its lack of operation.

The FCC in a Hearing Designation Order and Notice of Opportunity for Hearing released on Tuesday details its findings and defines the upcoming hearing process.

[Read: Miss. LPFM Faces $1,500 Paperwork Fine]

During NIA Broadcasting’s tenure as licensee of WSYL from January 2018, for the balance of the license term ending in 2020, according to the FCC, the station was silent or operated at unauthorized power levels except for brief periods of operations.

“In 2018, WSYL operated for 16 days, presumably at its licensed power level. In 2019, WSYL operated for 270 days, in whole or in part at an unauthorized power level of 500 Watts. In 2020, WSYL operated for two days at an authorized power level of 20 watts,” the FCC concluded.

WSYL is a Class C AM station licensed to operate at 1 kW of power from a site in Sylvania, Ga., according to the FCC’s document. Sylvania is located approximately 200 miles southeast of Atlanta.

NIA Broadcasting filed the station’s renewal application in late 2019, according to the FCC. However, the commission pointed to the station’s extended periods of silence during the proceeding term, which “left [the FCC] unable to find that grant of the renewal application is in the public interest.”

It is not clear from the public record why NIA Broadcasting has operated only sporadically since it assumed the license of WSYL in 2018, but its inactivity nonetheless drew the interest of the FCC at the time of the license renewal request.

According to the FCC’s order: “A broadcast licensee’s authorization to use radio spectrum in the public interest carries with it the obligation that the station must serve its community, providing programming responsive to local needs and interests.”

FCC requirements also include an obligation for radio stations to transmit national level EAS message during times of emergency.

The licensee’s renewal application “has now been designated for hearing before the FCC administrative law judge at a time and place to be specified in a subsequent order,” according to the FCC.

NIA Broadcasting will be provided the opportunity to explain its behavior and convince the FCC it is acting in the public interest. However, it faces some hurdles put in place by the FCC for such cases.

In 2001, the commission cautioned “all licensees that … a licensee will face a very heavy burden in demonstrating that it has served the public interest where it has remained silent for most or all of the prior license term.”

The FCC’s notice of hearing document concludes: “If NIA Broadcasting Inc. fails to file a written appearance within the time specified, or has not filed prior to the expiration of that time a petition to dismiss without prejudice, or a petition to accept, for good cause shown, such written appearance beyond expiration of said 20 days, the captioned application shall be dismissed with prejudice for failure to prosecute.”

The FCC’s hearing notice is available online (MB Docket No. 21-82).

 

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Newly installed Nautel GV10 FM analog transmitter at KSGF in Springfield, Mo.

Last month KSGF(FM), a Summit Media station in Springfield, Mo., purchased and installed a Nautel GV10 analog FM transmitter.

Vice President of Engineering Dennis Sloatman said he installed the transmitter without a hitch. It went live on Feb. 27. Sloatman says he has installed seven Nautel FM transmitters in recent years — ranging from a VS1 to a GV40.

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He said he likes them for their ease of installation, remote interface, reliability and tech support.

Sloatman explains, “Engineering at Nautel has covered all the bases with the rich feature set and clean layout. We will continue purchasing Nautel products for all our transmitter needs.”

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Widelity describes itself as a “provider of business and network engineering consulting services for broadcasting and telecom service operators.”

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It is pointing out a need that many broadcasters are encountering in the COVID pandemic — lack of staffing for fulfilling online public information file (OPIF) maintenance requirements. It is offering itself as a third-party contractor for such services.

The consultancy offers many FCC-related services for broadcasters such as license renewal assistance, compliance audits, EEO compliance monitoring and more.

Widelity’s Mike Lasky and Jim Glogowski specialize in helping stations maintain and keep current on filings.

Info: https://widelity.com/

 

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Radioplayer said its metadata will be used starting next year in new BMW cars in Europe.

“The partnership will see BMW Group using official broadcaster metadata from Radioplayer’s Worldwide Radioplayer API (WRAPI) to help create a brilliant radio interface,” the nonprofit group said in its announcement.

Radioplayer has an existing partnership with Audi/VW Group.

“BMW Group and Radioplayer will be delivering the best possible radio experience in the car, by keeping broadcast radio at its heart, enhanced by complementary metadata delivered over the internet. This guarantees a rich digital experience in BMW Group cars, while also being easy to use, with radio station search via an A-Z list, and high-resolution station logos on the screen.”

The announcement was made by Radioplayer Managing Director Michael Hill.

He said, “Together we will be delivering the next-generation smart radio interfaces that listeners expect. The agreement with BMW Group is based on our unique Radioplayer model, collaborating through us with our thousands of international member stations to keep radio strong.”

Related:

“Radioplayer Expands in Europe”

“Radioplayer Demos Three-Way Hybrid App”

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