Radio World

This year, World Radio Day is dedicated to diversity — diversity behind the mic and in the newsroom, diversity in the airwaves’ music and ideas. This focus comes at just the right time. Radio and radio-like audio are poised for growth, so long as they can woo younger listeners by reaching them where they are, via digital products like streams and podcasts.

Radio knows how to create value for listeners and sponsors. Radio is great for discovery, as trusted voices introduce us to new sounds, new artists and new thoughts on cultural or political developments.

New digital platforms and media are inspired by radio’s time-tested formats. Efforts on the part of streaming services to grow their user base, for example, draw on radio’s ideas, linking music, engaging talk, friendly conversation and other elements into personalized radio-like channels. 

PODCASTING

The podcast boom shows that the human element outweighs the algorithm in creating this value for listeners. The majority of broadcasters see podcasting as a good opportunity, one way or another.

We at BMAT see this as one of the largest global monitors of broadcasting for reporting purposes, carrying out 24/7 tracking of around 8,000 channels across 134 countries.

Podcasts offer potential listeners a chance to catch a beloved on-air personality whenever convenient for the listener. Podcasting lets broadcasters expand their offerings, curate experiences for specific audience segments and, importantly, experiment with new sounds, approaches and perspectives. Podcasts are a great springboard for diversity, allowing new voices to find and build an audience. 

We need to nurture these new voices in order to keep radio’s audiences youthful. For music radio in Spain, where BMAT is based, the average age of listeners is 40, which means there aren’t a lot of teens tuning in. Especially in first-world countries where there are so many other options, Gen Z and millennials are elsewhere. They’re still tuning in, still listening, but not as much. Broadcasters need to think about how to engage with these audiences. This doesn’t mean we should abandon terrestrial broadcasts, but instead, we could let new formats cross-pollinate with tried-and-true approaches. 

We need to nurture these new voices in order to keep radio’s audiences youthful.

These approaches endure and can flourish in the future, I believe, because they involve real human connection. Radio is the most widespread medium on the planet, and worldwide, its penetration is still higher than the internet. For many listeners, radio is still the best, if not the only, way depending on their location, to hear new sounds or catch up on news or important issues. 

For me and for billions of other people out there, there’s this feeling when you turn on the radio. You find your favorite station, and you come to trust the person’s taste you’re listening to. It’s a relationship between you and the presenter, a relationship that means something in this era of on-demand audio content. It’s a relationship that’s still going strong.

Jose Torrabadella is VP of broadcast at Barcelona-based BMAT. He works with the monitoring and reporting of song information, duration, audience and context for broadcasts on TV and radio channels across 134 countries.

The post Relationships Are Why Radio’s Future Promises to Be Strong appeared first on Radio World.

Getty Images/askmenow

It is the age-old question: What came first, the chicken or the egg? Arguments can be made for both, so the question remains unanswered, at least in the philosophical sense. But what does that have to do with broadcast radio? In that regard, I suppose we could ask whether the transmitter or receiver came first, and the answer would be that they both came at the same time.

In the early months of this year, we are faced with a similar question: What has to come first for all-digital AM to succeed: a critical mass of HD-Radio capable receivers, or a significant number of stations transmitting in the all-digital mode?

As the FCC considers allowing AM stations to convert to the MA-3 all-digital mode on a voluntary basis, broadcasters are faced with a choice as to which stations it makes sense to convert.

In some situations, the choice would seem to be fairly clear. If an AM station’s programming is 100% duplicated in the coverage area by an FM signal, whether from a sister full-power station or a translator with good market coverage, chances are that the majority (if not all) of the listeners are tuning into the FM signal anyway, and there is no downside to converting the AM to the all-digital mode, at least in terms of audience impact. The all-digital signal will give listeners another high-fidelity means of getting the station’s programming.

But in other situations, there may be some FM duplication of coverage and programming, but is it enough that no listeners are disenfranchised if the analog AM signal goes away? That is a decision that each licensee will have to make; only those who are intimately familiar with the market, their radio stations and audiences have sufficient information to make that determination.

I suspect that this is where the vast majority of AM stations are — in a situation that is anything but clear-cut one way or the other.

WHERE TO START?

Standalone AM stations would seem to be poor candidates for all-digital conversion. If you believe the HD Radio penetration data, that means as soon as the all-digital switch is flipped, at least 50% of the station’s listeners will get nothing but white noise. And while the statistics on receiver proliferation are undoubtedly correct on the whole, I imagine that the real numbers vary widely depending on region, demographics, the local or regional economy and other factors. All this is part of what amounts to a very local decision as to whether all-digital conversion is right for a particular AM station.

And then there is the elephant in the room: cost of conversion. Since the MA-3 mode primary digital carriers fit within the spectrum occupied by the analog signal, it is likely that most stations have sufficient antenna bandwidth to handle the all-digital spectrum.

This is in contrast to the demands of the digital hybrid mode that is authorized at present. A lot of stations that got on that bandwagon had to do a significant amount of work to get their antenna systems in shape to pass the digital sidebands. I did a bunch of those myself some 15 years ago, and it wasn’t easy.

So assuming few or limited antenna issues, all-digital conversion costs are primarily the Xperi licensing, and the signal generation equipment, which can run into the tens of thousands of dollars. Figure in some needed infrastructure changes for many stations and the costs will be even higher. That may not be a huge thing for a fully-duplicated AM in a profitable local cluster, but for the ma-and-pa AM with a translator in a small market, it may be a deal killer.

And that brings us back to the “what comes first” question.

SO MUCH NOISE

As Ben Downs so eloquently argued in his petition for rulemaking that eventually resulted in the all-digital AM NPRM, the AM broadcast medium is in trouble. In decades past, the issue was interference. In the here and now, it is man-made noise. The interference issue remains, but in many cases it is eclipsed by the noise problem.

The interference issue is, if you will pardon the pun, static (the adjective, not the noun). By and large, other than as a result of normal ionospheric variations, interference for a particular station’s signal is what it is … and what it was. The FCC’s rules and international treaties tend to keep interference from increasing significantly beyond current levels.

Many modern transmitters are all-digital ready.

But the noise problem, now that’s anything but static. It is ever increasing. I encountered an excellent example of this at my home a few months ago.

I began experiencing a lot of new noise on the AM band as well as on the lower HF bands. The noise produced such a roar that I could not listen to any AM signals at home without at least some underlying noise. The big 50 kW signals were at least listenable, but they weren’t clean. Lower-powered signals were completely unlistenable.

I tried everything I could think of to track down the noise source without success, walking around the house with a battery-operated portable radio, listening for an increase or decrease in the roar as I moved from room to room. The noise seemed to be ubiquitous. I eventually concluded that it must be coming from my neighbor’s solar charge controller or inverter.

Then one day, I happened to have a radio on when I turned off the switch for the front exterior lights. We normally leave those lights on all the time, but for some reason I turned them off that day … and instantly the noise disappeared! AM reception was clear and clean, and the S-9 noise floor on the 80, 60 and 40 meter bands dropped to S-2! I turned the exterior lights back on, but the noise remained gone.

I left the lights on, thinking that the noise would eventually come back and I could investigate further, but it never did. And then later that day, as I was backing the car out of the garage, I noted that one of the front exterior lights was out. I opened the fixture and looked at the LED bulb, and I found it discolored. Clearly it had been hot. Most likely it had been arcing internally, and when I turned off the switch, the arc extinguished, and the spacing was sufficient that it did not return when I turned the circuit back on. I replaced that bulb with a new GE LED bulb, and all was well. Still no noise.

The point here is that what happened at my house with one noisy LED bulb (in a house that has 100% LED bulbs) happens all the time in other homes and businesses. It may not be an LED bulb. It may be the motor controller in a high-efficiency HVAC unit. It may be the microprocessor in a washing machine or refrigerator. Or it may be solar charge controllers and inverters. Each noise source adds to the RSS interference level at every receive location, and as more and more devices are added, the noise floor goes up and up and up. Each device is okay by itself, but each one adds to the total.

LET’S GET MOVING

At this late date, I daresay that there is nothing that can be done about the noise issue. That train left the station a long time ago, and there is a lot of momentum. In my opinion, this noise issue spells doom for most of the AM broadcast medium. Only the strongest stations that produce a field of 10 mV/m or more throughout the coverage area have a chance at survival.

This is where all-digital comes in. It has a demonstrated immunity to noise. It’s not a panacea, but it does perform well in our 21st century noisy environment.

So I’m going to go out on a limb here and agree with proponents that if AM is to survive for the long term, it has to make the jump to all-digital.

But what comes first? Do we wait for a critical mass of receivers before making that jump, or do we go now? Do we drive the demand for digital receivers by going all-digital now, or is that a pipe dream? Or … is it way too late for any of this, making this a pointless discussion?

I don’t have a Magic 8-Ball that I can shake and get answers, but I do believe that the AM broadcast medium has both value and a future — if we get moving now, in at least a limited way, with conversion to the noise-immune all-digital MA-3 mode. Receiver proliferation will independently continue, driven by the auto industry and FM. AM can ride that wave. But if the AM medium dies while we wait … well … it won’t much matter if there are plenty of digital AM capable receivers out there.

It’s certainly something to think about.

Watch a Radio World webcast about all-digital on the U.S. AM band on Feb. 19. Info is at https://tinyurl.com/rw-sunrise.

Cris Alexander, CPBE, AMD, DRB, is director of engineering of Crawford Broadcasting Co. and technical editor of RW Engineering Extra. Email him at rweetech@gmail.com.

The post Is the Time Right for All-Digital AM? appeared first on Radio World.

Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Director of Technology & Innovation, Ahmed Nadeem, said in a statement that, despite the Coronavirus outbreak, the organization plans to go ahead with DBS 2020.

Nadeem reassured industry professionals the union is “monitoring the situation and following guidelines from local authorities and agencies.” He added that it is “taking all necessary safety precautions to create a safe environment for all concerned.”

SPECIFIC MEASURES

A few of the actions the organization is applying include working closely with Hotel Istana Kuala Lumpur to ensure specific safety measures; increased disinfection across all high-volume touch points (e.g. catering areas, surfaces, handrails, WCs, entrances/exits, public touch-screens); availability of hand sanitizer around the event and main entry-exit points; and signage onsite reminding attendees of hygiene recommendations.

In addition, he emphasized that organizers would implement a “microphone disinfecting and change protocol” for all speakers. They are also encouraging a “no-handshake policy” for attendees and will provide advice to exhibitors on effective cleaning and disinfection of surfaces within their stands as a means of prevention.

Nadeem also pointed out that the hotel has devised a special protocol for anyone feeling unwell and that the hotel’s chief safety officer will be on hand to provide assistance to anyone who needs medical attention.

“We will continue to monitor the situation following the guidelines from local authorities and take the necessary precautions for the safety of everyone involved,” he said. “While we note that a few exhibitors and participants have informed us that they will not be able to join due to travel restrictions and advisories, we highly appreciate their support and continued partnership.”

According to the ABU, the following sponsors/exhibitors have withdrawn from the event for health and safety reasons: DVB, Elevate Broadcast, Eutelsat, Sony, LS telcom and Rohde & Schwarz.

The post Coronavirus: ABU Takes “Necessary Precautions” for DBS 2020 appeared first on Radio World.

A new Raspberry Pi project, six basic audio measurements and Ben Dawson on collocating your AM with a cell tower. All those stories and more are among the technical topics ready for your perusal in the latest edition of Engineering Extra.

Read it online here.

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

DIGITAL RADIO
Is the Time Right for All-Digital AM?

Cris Alexander, our technical editor and one of the industry’s most respected engineers, weighs in on this timely question.

BAKING WITH PI
Get Email Alerts From an RFEngineers Watch Dog Receiver

Ain’t projects like this fun?

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

• Collocating AM Transmitter Facilities With Cellular Monopole Towers
• Introduction to the Six Basic Audio Measurements
• Be Smart When Thinking About UPS

The post Inside the Feb. 12 Issue of RW Engineering Extra appeared first on Radio World.

The Federal Communications Commission said it needs $481.59 million to conduct its operations next year, up just 0.3% from the current fiscal year and reflecting an expected boost in revenue from spectrum auction fees. Among the notable lines items in the Fiscal Year 2021 budget plan that the FCC unveiled on Monday (Feb. 10) was a $134.5 million request for spectrum auction authority, an increase of nearly $2 million (about 1.5%) from the current year.

The FCC’s 2021 budget request coinciding with the release of the White House’ $4.8 trillion proposal to Congress for next year’s spending plan. The administration’s plan includes increased funding at Commerce Department agencies to accelerate 5G and artificial intelligence.

As part of its budget proposal, the FCC listed four “strategic goals for 2021,” starting with objectives for “Closing the Digital Divide” and “Promoting Innovation.” Its goals also include “Protecting Consumers and Public Safety” and “Reforming the FCC’s Processes,” which it defines as efforts to “modernize and streamline the [agency’s] operations and programs.”

[Read: FCC Proposes Record-breaking Forfeitures to Pirate Radio Operators]

Overall, the FCC said it will conduct its business with the same staffing level (1,448 people) that it currently employs. It broke out its proposed budget levels for major bureaus and operations as follows:

As for its primary strategic goal (closing the digital divide), the FCC said it will “develop a regulatory environment to encourage the private sector to build, maintain, and upgrade next-generation networks so that the benefits of advanced communications services are available to all Americans.” It vowed to “employ effective and efficient means to facilitate deployment and access to affordable broadband” where the business case for infrastructure investment doesn’t exist.”

Counting On Auction Revenue

The commission pointed out that its to-date auction program “has generated over $117 billion for government use” at a cost of “less than $2.1 billion or 1.7% of the total auctions’ revenue.”

The budget plan cited the Trump administration’s legislative agenda items “that pertain to the FCC” and “are designed to improve spectrum management and represent sound economic policy.” In particular, it points to plans for “new authority to use other economic mechanisms, such as fees, as a spectrum management tool.”

“The FCC would be authorized to set user fees on unauctioned commercial spectrum licenses based on spectrum-management principles,” according to the 163-page FCC budget document. “Fees would be phased in over time as part of an ongoing rulemaking process to determine the appropriate application and level for fees. Fee collections are estimated to begin in 2021 and total $4 billion through 2030.”

The commission explained that it needs funding at the requested levels “to continue post-broadcast incentive auction (BIA) work related to repacking and reimbursing broadcasters and MVPDs [multichannel video programming distributors] for their relocation costs to implement the results of the BIA, as well as expand that program to include new requirements included in the Reimbursement Expansion Act.”

It also said that the funding level will “improve its auctions program infrastructure in preparation for future auctions” and thus help it to conduct additional auctions to make more spectrum available for next-generation wireless services.” It also cited the need to implement RAY BAUM’S Act (Repack Airwaves Yielding Better Access for Users of Modern Services) of 2018, which will make more spectrum available for mobile and fixed wireless broadband.

Preparing for HQ Move

The FCC confirmed that it intends to move to new headquarters at 45 L Street NE (north of Capitol Hill) in June of this year, as authorized in previous budgets. The cost of the move (about $68 million) will come from “both regulatory fees and auctions program funds.”

Separately, the Department of Commerce section of the White House budget plan singles out the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, allotting it $25 million “to modernize spectrum management systems,” and thus enable the U.S. “to more efficiently satisfy industry’s need for additional spectrum and preparing the nation to transition to 5G.”

NTIA’s sister agency within DoC, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will be allotted $718 million “to advance U.S. innovation and technological development” as part of an “all-of government approach” to establish U.S. leadership in next generation communications (especially fifth generation 5G) wireless, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing. This sum doubles NIST’s prior AI funding “in order to accelerate the development and adoption of AI technologies.”

 

The post FCC 2021 Budget Plan of $482 Million Built Around Spectrum appeared first on Radio World.

Satcaster SiriusXM continues to explore other areas of media. This time it has announced a $75 million investment in audio portal/platform SoundCloud.

According to a release, “SoundCloud will use this additional investment to accelerate its product development and enhance the services that fuel its global community of creators and listeners.”

SoundCloud in the past has worked with internet audio streamer Pandora, a subsidiary of SiriusXM.

SoundCloud Chief Executive Officer Kerry Trainor said, “We’ve built a great relationship with SiriusXM through our highly successful Pandora ad sales agreement, and their investment gives us added capital flexibility to accelerate our vision and take advantage of strategic opportunities as they arise.”

The post SiriusXM Invests in SoundCloud appeared first on Radio World.

(L–R) Frank Montero, Joel Oxley and Paul McLane.

The American Academy of Radio is celebrating this week’s World Radio Day (Feb. 13) by naming WTOP in Washington, as the first U.S. station to receive its World Radio Day Award.

The award was presented Tuesday to Senior Vice President and General Manager Joel Oxley at WTOP’s new studio facility by two members of the jury, Frank Montero, an attorney with Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth, and Paul McLane, the editor in chief of trade publication Radio World.

Other jury members included Heather Cohen of the Weiss Agency, Michael Harrison of Talkers Magazine, longtime broadcaster Bob Kieve, consultant Mike McVay, Deborah Parenti of Radio Ink and Paul Rotella of the New Jersey Broadcasters Association.

The announcement was made by Jorge Álvarez, president of the Spanish Academy of Radio, whose advocacy for World Radio Day helped prompt U.N. recognition of the day. The date of Feb. 13 was settled on because it also marks the anniversary of the founding of United Nations Radio in 1946.

WTOP is Hubbard Radio’s all-news flagship station in Washington, which is Nielsen Radio Market #7. Five million people age 12+ live in the metropolitan area. The city is a globally important national capital and a vibrant local media market, with crowded suburbs and a city government and two state governments to cover; a severe traffic situation; variable weather; and a vibrant pro and college sports environment. WTOP is one of the most recognizable media brands in the city and is also the top-earning commercial station not only in Washington but in the country, according to BIA Kelsey.

[Related: “World Radio Day Organizers Raise U.S. Profile”]

World Radio Day was adopted in 2012 by the United Nations General Assembly, highlighting radio as “a powerful medium for celebrating humanity in all its diversity [that] constitutes a platform for democratic discourse,” according to a UNESCO website.

In making the presentation, McLane said WTOP was chosen in part for its notable success at building and sustaining a media business around core concepts of localism and service to a specific and unique marketplace of listeners.

Last year’s recipient of the award was Gordon Smith, president/CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, recognizing Smith’s help in establishing World Radio Day.

All radio stations can find assets to celebrate World Radio Day at its UNESCO website.

Watch a short video message about radio from the U.N. Secretary General António Guterres.

 

The post WTOP Receives World Radio Day Award appeared first on Radio World.

The author is field service engineer for Wheatstone, Audioarts, and PR&E products.

I’m often amazed at what engineers will do to keep older consoles on air.

If you’re currently supporting analog and/or digital consoles designed in the 1990s and the aughts (2000-2009), I don’t need to tell you of the challenges! Here are five proven steps for transitioning your facility to AoIP, whether that takes place this year or next.

Richard Maddox

STEP 1

Convert Existing Wiring One Device at a Time

Almost all new between-equipment wiring uses unshielded CAT5e or CAT6 cables. It’s possible to use these two CAT cables, which have identical specs for our usage, to connect analog audio, AES-3 audio, AoIP audio streams, ethernet for KVMs and VoIP/SIP phones as well as your facility’s LAN connections.

CAT6 has a thicker sheathing and tighter twists in its four wire pairs than CAT5e. This makes it more resistant to crosstalk but also slightly harder to handle. Many broadcasters have standardized on using UTP (unshielded twisted pair) CAT5e as their interconnection cable of choice.

A typical AoIP configuration showing all sources available to console surfaces and devices.

When moving to category cables to connect up just about everything, there are two main approaches. Either buy pre-made “patch cables” in various common lengths like 6-foot, 15-foot, 25-foot, etc. Or buy reels of raw CAT5e cable and bags or boxes of RJ45 plugs so you can create your own custom-length cables. It really boils down to how much time you have and how much you like crimping RJ45 plugs onto cables.

Since the IT industry uses CAT5e and CAT6 cables by the truckload, the price for category cabling and plugs means your cabling cost (whether making custom length cables yourself or using off-the-shelf “bagged” cables) is a fraction of what it would be to run shielded balanced audio cables around your facility.

STEP 2

Adapt, Adapt, Adapt

Most audio and broadcast equipment has not transitioned to adding an RJ45 jack for their analog or AES signals, therefore you’ll still need XLR or TRS plugs on your cables. This means you’ll need to terminate your CAT5e cabling at one end to something other than RJ45. You could solder the plugs directly to the category cable wire pairs, but that’s messy and time-consuming.

An easier solution that will cost about US$20 (approximately €18) is to use RJ45-to-XLR and RJ45-to-TRS adapters to connect new equipment using CAT5e without having to solder anything.

RJ45 adapters are available for just about every connector type, but not for the AMP MOD IV plugs used since the mid-90s on all PR&E consoles (except Oasis). No one makes an RJ45-to-MOD IV adapter, but there are RJ45-to-pigtail adapters, so with a bit of hand crimping of the MOD IV terminals onto the pigtails, you can roll your own MOD IV-to-RJ45 adapters.

By the way, it’s possible to repurpose any custom MOD IV adapter you make later as an RJ45 adapter for a satellite receiver or other equipment using D-sub and other non-standard jacks.

STEP 3

Add I/O Devices

You’re likely already familiar with the concept of distributed I/O, where one “I/O interface box” is mounted in each rack to connect all the equipment within that rack. Each I/O box then connects to a main router using a single CAT5e cable.

An AoIP system is configured in much the same way. For example, a WheatNet BLADE is an AoIP I/O box with eight stereo inputs and eight stereo outputs on RJ45 jacks to connect local signals.

The BLADE then connects, again using a CAT5e cable, to a gigabit Ethernet switch to network it with the other BLADEs in the system. So any discrete local input can be streamed to any other BLADE or console in the plant, and any other system signal can be streamed to any local output on that BLADE.

If you have a VistaMax system, or any brand of TDM router, with some spare I/O (like eight unused AES ins and eight AES outs), then you’re prepared to begin the transition to AoIP. Connecting that spare AES I/O to an AES Blade (using 16 CAT5e cables) means you now can convert one or two studios to AoIP consoles while continuing to use your existing router.

These eight “tie lines” allow signals from the new consoles (PGM, bus-minus, etc.) to feed the existing router, and the router system to send common signals like off-air-tuners, EAS, satellite feeds, hybrids, etc. to the AoIP consoles. A couple non-dedicated tie lines allows users to change signals from one system to the other as necessary.

AoIP Advocates Snag Technical Emmy

STEP 4

Add An AoIP Console or Two

It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Adding an AoIP console in the main studio, for example, offers a world of features, like source selection, bus-minus, and audio processing on every fader, which were not available on any twenty-year-old console. AoIP consoles typically cost about the same, or even less, than a 20-year-old console did when new. For example, you can obtain an eight-channel AoIP console like the Audioarts DMX for under $8,000 (about €7,250), pretty much the price for a NetWave-8 console from the early 00s.

STEP 5

Plan for Obsolescence

An analog exit strategy is crucial, whether you can do it all at once in a complete studio rebuild, or by updating one studio at a time.

Start by looking at all the activities that take place in your facility. Consider how you feed your air chain and your internet streams. Just about everything can be simplified by moving to AoIP. For instance, what type of playback system are you using? If it supports AoIP streaming, then you can kiss your audio cards and Bob boxes good-bye forever.

Same for your VoxPro and other PC-based audio editors. When you move to AoIP, it’s possible to network each server and PC that handles audio directly into the AoIP system. To do this, use a dedicated NIC and one CAT5e cable. There is no other hardware necessary beyond an available port on a network switch. Once you make the switch to AoIP, you open up so many other doors.

Adding appliances like the PhoneBLADE allow you to integrate your VoIP phone system into your AoIP system. Other AoIP appliances, like StreamBLADE, give you the codec and processing tools for managing multiple streams. Still other appliances can extend AoIP beyond the studio so you can connect with other studios or remote locations.

Even if you can’t jump into AoIP with both feet, taking these steps will give you some, and eventually, all the benefits of an AoIP facility.

Richard Maddox joined PR&E in 1993 as their Digital Product Specialist, with later stints in the Engineering, Systems Design, and Customer Service departments. When Wheatstone purchased PR&E assets, he joined Wheatstone to continue supporting legacy PR&E products. He now supports the full line of current Wheatstone-designed products from his location in Southern California.

The post How to Transition to AoIP in Five Steps appeared first on Radio World.

John Records Landecker, a longtime top 40 DJ whose shows and interactive phone bits have influenced many others in radio, will be in the spotlight when the 2020 NAB Show comes to Las Vegas.

The selection of a classic air talent to join the NAB’s Broadcasting Hall of Fame comes during a winter when the role of the American DJ has been challenged by technology.

Not that National Association of Broadcasters made any mention of recent iHeart headlines in naming Landecker, whose selection was likely decided well in advance.

NAB Executive Vice President of Industry Affairs Steve Newberry hailed Landecker’s “profound impact on radio” and said his induction “symbolizes the personal connection between DJs and their audiences and how innovative personalities can influence radio programming.”

But those connections have been squarely in the middle of debate in American radio over recent weeks, as the industry digested the announcement by iHeartMedia that it would put artificial intelligence and other technologies to work in its programming, and proceeded to lay off hundreds or more of its air talent.

So regardless of intentions with this award, it may be with some taste of bittersweet that the NAB will induct a classic radio jock into its Hall of Fame. It’ll do so during the Achievement in Broadcasting Dinner on April 20 at the Encore.

“Landecker is best known for his tenure as the evening personality at WLS(AM) Chicago, a 50,000-watt station reaching audiences in some 40 states,” NAB stated in the announcement. “His signature style included incorporating satirical songs and bits based on current events into the program, as well as his trademark saying, ‘Records truly is my middle name.’”

The association noted that Landecker is credited for introducing some of the first interactive phone features on top 40 radio.

According to the bio, his 50-year career began as a high school student at WOIA(AM) in Saline, Mich. He stayed on the air throughout college in Michigan, working at WTRK(AM) in Flint, WERX(AM) in Grand Rapids and WILS(AM) in Lansing. “Landecker later entertained listeners with stints at WIBG(FM), Philadelphia; CFTR(AM), Toronto; WPHR(FM), Cleveland, WJMK(FM), Chicago and WGN(AM), Chicago.”

[Read Radio World’s interview with last year’s honoree Cathy Hughes.]

Additionally, Landecker has released six albums and written an autobiography. Today he hosts a weekly program on WEFM(FM) Michigan City, Ind.

Landecker has won other notable honors including induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame; and his work is acknowledged in the radio exhibit of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

Read the honor role of past inductees.

 

The post Landecker to Be Honored at NAB Show Las Vegas appeared first on Radio World.

The AEQ Systel IP broadcast telephone and multiconference solution operates on VoIP phone lines. The system is based on a digital matrix designed to manage IP lines.

The company says the interface offers a dynamic and flexible workflow for various scenarios including radio, television or corporate.

It’s possible to operate AEQ Systel IP through dedicated software on PC. Staff can also operate the system through the Systelset+ handset, a touchscreen IP phone with an intuitive interface to manage incoming calls.

The company recently released the new Systel IP Basic engine version. It’s a 19-inch, single-rack unit able to work as a multi-line IP phone with SIP signaling protocol. The basic version features eight IP phone lines and four additional hidden for Systel Set + handsets.

The engine features four digital audio inputs and outputs as well as two analog audio inputs and outputs. It also offers 32 AoIP inputs and outputs based on Dante protocol/AES67- compatible. That means it’s possible to integrated into an AoIP net and route the calls inside the IP network.

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

Users can upgrade the AEQ Systel IP Basic to Systel IP 16 through a software license. This allows expansion to a bigger system in the future, either to service more studios or to add more simultaneous calls on air.

For information, contact AEQ in Spain at +34-916-861300 or visit www.aeq.eu.

The post AEQ Adds to Systel IP Phone System appeared first on Radio World.

As it gets closer to the RadioDays Europe 2020 edition in Lisbon, Portugal, organizers continue to announce conference’s lineup of speakers and other sessions.

The coordinators have added eight new speakers to the RadioDays Europe agenda.

Among them are Niina Jokiaho, head of Radio Nova, Bauer Media Audio; Johannes Saukko, radio content director at Sonoma; Yolanda Tati, an entertainer, content director, digital entrepreneur and female social activist; and Mary Hoogerbrugge, branding specialist from De Positioneerders.

Author and journalist Sophian Fanen; Laurie Palacio, deputy head of talkSPORT; Renata Silva, executive board member, CCO of Grupo Renascença Multimėdia; and Rebecca Frank, content director at KISS will also address participants during the event.

[Niall Power, Adam Bowie Join Radidays Europe Speaker Lineup]

The schedule for ReelWorld Room’s Track 1 has also been revealed. Running from March 30–31, ReelWorld Room will host presentations from James Purnell, director, radio and education, at the BBC; radio host Carolina Bermudez; iHeartMedia’s Vice President of Talent Development Dennis Clark; and the Radio Summit. The full schedule can be found online.

RadioDays Europe will also put a special spotlight on podcasting, running multiple sessions, as well as a #ThePodcastLife meet-up area. More information is available on the RDE website.RadioDays Europe 2020 takes place from March 29–31 in Lisbon, Portugal. More information is available at www.radiodayseurope.com.

The post RadioDays Europe in Lisbon Adds Speakers, Special Events appeared first on Radio World.

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

If you have been watching with interest some of the recent FCC consent decrees seemingly aimed at content, you’d be in good company. That is because many community radio stations are keeping an eye on this as well.

Content has seemingly been the fourth wall for decades at the FCC. Ever since the heralded “Seven dirty words” case, the Supreme Court’s standard on obscenity and indecency has not only been the law of the land, but the unspoken line in the sand. Short of patently offensive content, politically motivated and virtually every other sort of content charge has been tossed out by commissioners. Most scholars and legal experts would argue this is fair; there are artistic expression and an educational merit that radio and television have long offered Americans.

[Read: Community Broadcaster: The End of Jazz]

Community radio stations should look a little deeper than the headlines. In the latest matter, Salem Broadcasting agreed to pay $50,000 as part of an FCC finding. The issue deals with a program that gave the appearance of being a live radio show that really was not.

For community radio, the Salem news was met with nervousness. Plenty of community radio stations use automation and may re-air programs that once ran live, but in new dayparts. Can we still do that? What are we allowed to do legally?

The Salem consent decree has some very specific clues for any community radio station stressed about a knock at the door. For one, the program in question had “Live” in its title, inherently giving anyone the impression that it was, in fact, a live broadcast. This was compounded by a lack of identifications for the program as previously recorded. The FCC ruled this presentation was misleading.

If your community radio station has a show with “Live” in the name and you’re not airing it live, you need to announce it is a recording, if you’re re-airing it in another daypart. Even if the program doesn’t have live in its name, it is a courtesy and best practice to note a previous recording anyway. Nothing annoys a listener more than to hear a great song or to catch a comment about an event during a talk break and to call an empty studio, because that listener had no idea the voice behind the mic isn’t there. What’s worse, said listener may not assume the show is recorded, but that the DJ is ignoring the phone or doesn’t care.

The other content-related issue on community radio stations’ radar is the wave of fines for underwriting spots. Full- and low-power stations have borne the brunt of FCC attention, receiving penalties large and small and agreeing to training programs and other ways of fixing problems so they do not continue.

While the FCC’s underwriting rules are quite general, language that can be perceived as commercial is forbidden. As NFCB covered in its February newsletter, underwriting rules are broad, but there are some lines you absolutely cannot cross. These include:

• Do not make qualitative statements about an underwriter;
• Do not include information on prices or value;
• Do not make calls to action;
• Do not list products or services offered by an underwriter.

Among other rules.

Moreover, these penalties are not necessarily content, per se. The commission simply does not allow stations making comparisons between an underwriter’s products or services and other verbal sleights of hand that could come across as advertising.

As with the “live” topic, at the heart of these stories is audience trust. Community radio must do it all to protect that faith listeners put in us. Such includes in the elements we might take for granted.

The post Community Broadcaster: Coming Down on Content appeared first on Radio World.

Tieline has named Doug Ferber to the new role of vice president of sales for the Americas, filling out its sales team, the company announced.

For the prior 12 years, Ferber worked as an independent consultant providing operations and financial services for radio broadcasters. In total, he has three decades of sales experience, beginning as an advertising account executive and eventually managing sales organizations.

The company says U.S. and Latin American codec sales inquiries should be sent to Ferber.

The post Ferber Joins Tieline Sales Team appeared first on Radio World.

The Centrance MicPort Pro 2 can be used as a front end for smartphone apps like Luci Live Lite. It can be used (with the proper adapter) with iOS phones, and as shown here, Android phones such as the Samsung Galaxy A6.

Though technology has made great strides in the last decade, voiceover artists and radio reporters have been tethered to tablets and laptops when recording audio. Smartphones by themselves weren’t an option for the kind of professional audio rerecrecocording necessary for a radio reporter or voiceover artist to do their job. CEntrance’s MicPort Pro 2 offers to change that by bringing professional audio recording capability to the smartphone as well as tablets and laptops.

SMALL PACKAGE, MANY FEATURES

The MicPort Pro 2 connects to a smartphone, tablet or laptop via a USB OTG cable. Users of iOS devices (iPhones) with Lightning connectors, would use a Lightning to USB connector that CEntrance describes on their website. Once connected and recognized, the MicPort Pro 2 is ready to process audio in three flavors: microphone level, line level, and (for the musician) Hi-Z guitar or bass level. There is switchable 48 V phantom power for microphones that require it.

The MicPort Pro 2 has a control to blend send and return audio, useful if connected as an audio input device for a codec app, such as Luci Live Lite or an audio recording app, such as Audio Evolution Mobile. Headphone connections are made with a 3.5 mm TRS jack. There are LED indicators for signal presence (white) and signal overload (red). Switches for the high-pass filter (6 dB cut below 130 Hz) and Hi-Z line input selection are recessed and require a small object like a paper clip to move.

Recordings made with the MicPort Pro 2 are two-track recordings, although the device is a single-channel input device. One of the tracks (left) is recorded at normal level; the other is recorded –12 dB below the normal level. If the normal level track is unusable due to clipping, the –12 dB safety track can be used. The MicPort Pro 2 is offered with an optional soft-knee limiter, which is used primarily on vocal recordings. A recessed switch and LED indicator control and monitor its operation.

The MicPort Pro 2 has a rechargeable battery that can be recharged by any device with a USB micro connection. The battery needs to be charged for five hours before its first use, and is not user-replaceable. The product can be mounted on a 1/4-20 bolt (like those on a mini photo tripod), so a user can connect microphone, headphones, OTG cable all on one tripod, saving space in cramped quarters like a press area. The unit is sold with a one-year warranty. The downloadable operators manual is very detailed and, if referenced, will help users solve most problems that they may encounter.

RECORDING The Centrance MicPort Pro 2 fits on a small photo tripod with convenient controls and jacks for connections.

I recorded two episodes of my “Radio-Road-Test” program using this device, along with an Audio-Technica AT897 shotgun electret condenser mic, Koss Pro 4 AA Titanium headphones and Future Sonics earbuds. One was recorded on a Google Nexus 7 tablet, the other on a Samsung Galaxy A6 smartphone. I used the Audio Evolution Mobile app on both devices to record the raw audio, consisting of my spoken voice with the limiter engaged. The Nexus 7 recognized the CEntrance MicPort Pro 2 as a USB sound card and I could monitor audio. The Galaxy A6 also recognized the MicPort Pro 2 as a USB sound card and I could record and monitor audio when recording with Audio Evolution Mobile.
I also tried the MicPort Pro 2 using the Luci Live Lite app on the A6 and the phone recognized it as a sound card, allowing me to send and receive audio. When trying to use Cleanfeed (through Google Chrome browser-based Opus codec) with the Galaxy A6 and the MicPort Pro 2 connected, the A6 did not recognize it as an input. CEntrance and Cleanfeed worked through this issue with me and identified that it was a Chrome browser issue.

The arrival of the CEntrance MicPort Pro 2 coincided with the failure of my studio recording console. When comparing the sonic quality of the MicPort Pro 2 and the setup that I’ve been using for more than 10 years, I could find no difference. It is a plug-and-play solution for any mobile, laptop or desktop device that allows a corded connection by USB, which, when equipment fails and a production schedule beckons, brings peace of mind because the backup is as good, if not better, than the original equipment. For a simple home or office studio recording setup, the MicPort Pro 2 would make economic sense, because of its onboard limiter, monitor, 48 V phantom power preamp and rechargeable onboard battery.

What makes the CEntrance MicPort Pro 2 useful: 48 V phantom power, and a switchable soft limiter

The CEntrance MicPort Pro 2 costs $249 for the base version. The version with the optional limiter goes for $279. The MicPort Pro 2 will most likely find its way into the bags of audio technicians, voiceover artists who’d like to be even more mobile, guitarists and bass players, and, most importantly for the Radio World reader, the radio reporter who may need to record voice tracks or connect via codecs.

CENTRANCE MICPORT PRO2

Audio Interface

Thumbs Up
+ Compatible with most
soft codecs and phones
+ 48 V phantom power
+ Onboard high-pass filter

Thumbs Down
– Some flakiness with certain phones; took a while to connect to Cleanfeed via the Chrome browser

Price: $249, with limiter $279

Contact: CEntrance in Illinois at 1-833-236-8726 or visit www.centrance.com.

Paul Kaminski, CBT, is a mostly retired radio reporter, host of msrpk.com’s Radio-Road-Test program, and since 1997, a Radio World contributor. Twitter: @msrpk_com. Facebook: PKaminski2468.

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

The post MicPort Pro2 Delivers the Smartphone Audio Goods appeared first on Radio World.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai on Thursday laid out his proposal to auction 280 MHz of C-Band spectrum to use for 5G services. The plan includes reimbursement of incumbent fixed satellite companies for expenses caused by the resulting repack.

The NAB called it “an important step towards ensuring a stable C-Band ecosystem following reallocation,” though without seeming to endorse it outright; the association said it would review the plan.

The C-Band is a 500-megahertz segment of spectrum being used currently by the satellite companies to distribute audio and video content to broadcasters and cable systems. Those services are expected to be repacked to the upper 200 megahertz of the band (4.0–4.2 GHz). Pai detailed the new draft rules during a speech to the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation in Washington.

Pai’s plan would make the lower 280 megahertz of the C-Band (3.7–3.98 GHz) available for flexible use, including 5G, through a public auction, which the chairman wants to begin in December 2020.

This strikes an appropriate balance between making available critical mid-band spectrum for 5G and protecting incumbent uses, according to Pai.

Relocation costs of the C-Band’s current users will be covered, according to the chairman’s proposal. The FCC acknowledges new satellites will need to be launched and filters replaced on earth stations as part of the repack. Under an accelerated relocation incentive package, Pai’s plan would allow fixed satellite operators and other incumbents to tap a pool of $9.7 billion if they meet the accelerated clearing milestones.

Satellite operators would receive the higher payments if they clear the lower 100 megahertz of the C-band in 46 of the top 50 Partial Economic Areas by September 2021, and the remaining 180 megahertz of the C-Band by September 2023, Pai said today.

The reimbursement money for C-Band incumbents disrupted by the repack would come from the winning bidders in the C-Band auction, according to the FCC. Pai did not disclose how much the FCC hopes to generate from the spectrum auction to 5G service providers. The FCC hopes to begin the auction on Dec. 8, 2020.

The fixed satellite operators had argued for more money, Pai said. “In sum, as I see it, the Goldilocks principle applies here. Some may say $9.7 billion is too high. Some may say it’s too low. I say it’s just right — if you are genuinely focused on ensuring that the prompt development of the C-Band is needed for American leadership in 5G.”

Pai says he shared the plan this morning with fellow commissioners. The proposal is expected to be voted on as a Report and Order at the FCC’s next Open Meeting in late February. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would allow for a public comment period.

Complete details of the chairman’s C-Band proposal will be available on the FCC’s website Friday.

The National Association of Broadcasters reacted: “Today marks an important step towards ensuring a stable C-Band ecosystem following reallocation — one that makes significant spectrum available for mobile use while protecting content distribution relied upon by hundreds of millions of Americans today,” said NAB Executive Vice President of Communications Dennis Wharton. “In this and other spectrum proceedings, NAB has played a leading role developing constructive solutions that provide meaningful benefits to all stakeholders.” He said NAB would review the plan and work with the FCC “towards a solution that benefits both current and new users of the spectrum band.”

The National Association of Tower Erectors said the draft rules would reform the use of the C-Band and make a large amount of spectrum available for 5G … The plan appears to strike the right balance to free up access to critical midband spectrum while protecting incumbent users.”

Commissioner Michael O’Rielly, who has been active on this issue, said, “Much time and attention has been spent on the appropriate incentive payment for the satellite providers, and I am pleased that an agreement was reached that should allow them to fully and voluntarily participate in this transition.”

The FCC issued a summary of the plan. Here is the section regarding costs:

“Relocation costs of the C-Band’s current users would be covered. It will cost money for all their operations to be moved to the upper 200 MHz of the C-Band. Among other things, new satellites will need to be launched, and filters will need to be placed on earth stations. Satellite operators and other incumbents would be reimbursed by the winning bidders in the C-Band auction for reasonable relocation costs,” the FCC wrote in the summary.

“Additionally, satellite operators would have the opportunity to receive accelerated relocation payments if they are able to clear the lower portion of the C-Band on an accelerated timeline, thus advancing the national priority of making spectrum available for 5G deployment more quickly.  These payments would create powerful incentives for incumbent operators to expedite the transition, and operators would only be paid if in fact they did so. The accelerated payments could total up to $9.7 billion and would be paid by winning bidders in the C-Band auction.”

 

The post C-Band Auction Could Begin in December appeared first on Radio World.

On Feb. 4, the Federal Communications Commission’s Media Bureau stood behind a decision it made in 2018 to grant a translator to an AM operator in the Philadelphia market as part of Auction 100, the name of the second cross-service FM translator window that opened at the end of January 2018. The window was opened to any AM station licensee that did not participate in either the 2016 FM translator modification windows or the 2017 cross-service FM translator auction filing window.

This recent decision by the Media Bureau offers new insights into its policy decision making when it comes to awarding FM translators to AM stations versus LPFM operators.

Low-power FM advocates have long argued that there should be sufficient filing opportunities for LPFM stations when it comes to translators and booster stations, often pointing to the Local Community Radio Act of 2010 and its goal of granting equal protection to community radio stations.

As part of the auction, the bureau approved an application by Mega-Philadelphia LLC for a new cross-service FM translator for W239DS in Camden, N.J. Soon after, a group that included Common Frequency, Prometheus Radio Project and the Center for International Media Action filed informal objections against hundreds of pending translator applications, including the application for W239DS. The FCC, however, dismissed and denied all objections and the following petitions for reconsideration — except for the one filed against W239DS. The bureau found that the petitioner, Paul Bame, had sufficient standing to maintain a petition for reconsideration.

Bame, who is engineering director for Prometheus Radio, stated that the Media Bureau made several errors in initially denying the objection, including disregarding certain safeguards for preserving spectrum for LPFM stations. He also stated that the commission failed to fully meet the requirements of the Local Community Radio Act while running that auction and failed to use the same procedures that were established in Auction 83..

But the bureau disagreed. It dismissed Bame’s contention that the Camden, N.J., application would potentially impede the potential move of an existing LPFM station — and thus not be compliant with the LCRA. Rather, the application followed the exact rules set up as part of Auction 100. And Auction 100 complies with the LCRA, the bureau said.

In fact, the commission said in its ruling, the procedures adopted by the bureau were designed to prioritize the LPFM filing window before opening up translator opportunities to AM licensees. It also pointed to language within the LCRA that says the commission must ensure that licensing opportunities are available for all secondary services and are made based on the needs of the local community.

“The commission determined that AM radio stations provide important community-

based programming, and that measures needed to be taken to preserve that service,” the bureau said in its findings. “While Section 5 [of the LCRA] mandates that secondary services be equal in status, FM translators and LPFM stations are not equal in their ability to address the articulated public interest need of preserving AM service to communities.”

The bureau also disagreed with Bame’s suggestion that it should have followed the rules set up in Auction 83, an auction designed to resolve groups of mutually exclusive applications for those who applied in a 2003 auction for a new commercial FM translator station. More than 13,000 new translator applications were submitted as part of that auction.

Faced with what it called an unprecedented volume of translator applications filed in the general Auction 83 window, the commission said it introduced “extraordinary remedial measures,” including limiting the number of filed applications that applicants could continue to prosecute and requiring applicant-filed preclusion studies — “all to preserve spectrum for future LPFM stations.” So following those same measures in Auction 100 — which had a strict limit on the number of allowed new translator applications — wouldn’t be required, the bureau said.

In short, the bureau disagreed with Bame’s petition, found the granting of the Camden application served the public interest, and thus dismissed and denied the petition for reconsideration.

It remains to be seen whether this decision is indicative of a larger FCC goal of supporting AM stations as part of its AM revitalization efforts, and how LPFMs will be impacted in the long term.

Ruling: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-20-126A1.pdf

The post FCC Stands Behind Philadelphia Translator Decision appeared first on Radio World.

The origins of Jacobs Media’s Techsurvey can be traced to the early 2000s when the scale of change in consumer electronics and media consumption was becoming evident. 

Fred Jacobs, president of the research and consulting firm, says he had a natural curiosity about how changes in listening habits, devices and platforms affect radio stations. 

The rise of the connected car and smart speaker systems like Amazon’s Alexa, Google Home and Apple HomePod are having a significant impact on today’s radio listening environment, as are the podcast movement and other on-demand entertainment options. 

However, the online survey also reveals the remarkable steadiness of radio listening levels through the years, even when you consider the radio-centric nature of these non-scientific studies. 

So it’s both fun and enlightening to look back at other devices and platforms that were prominent, and when, in years past. Jacobs Media did that in a recent webinar highlighting the survey’s 15 years and the digital transformation that radio and its listeners have experienced over that time.

The Media Pyramid slides for 2005 —top — and 2019 — bottom — reflect changing consumer tastes. (The early years of the survey focused on a sample of listeners to rock stations, while the survey now covers listeners to 14 formats.)

“Our mission with Techsurvey has always been to help radio broadcasters produce a great radio product for their constituencies,” Jacobs said during the webinar. 

Techsurvey results parse media usage and tech trends. They are compiled from data collected from listeners of participating radio stations in a variety of formats and are designed to elicit information about those listeners’ technology adoption and usage.  

Techsurvey has morphed since its inception from an original focus on the habits of listeners to rock-formatted stations to include those of multiple radio formats, Jacobs said.

The most recent survey in 2019 explored the habits of approximately 64,000 listeners of 560 North American radio stations, according to Jacobs Media. 

Techsurvey 2020, for which data gathering began in January, will accompany specific studies for public radio and Christian music broadcasters that Jacobs Media will present later in the year. 

EARLY DITCHERS

When the survey began in 2005, its findings reflected those days of flip-phones and internet dialup, Jacobs said.

“There were lots of AOL accounts, and text messaging was just for young people. Only 25% of those surveyed were texting on their phones,” Jacobs said. “Fewer than one in four listened to internet radio, and MP3 players were just coming into vogue.”

An important discovery from the first survey was the number of 18- to 34-year-olds who had already ditched their house landlines and were cell-only, he said. 

“It was about 33%, which is significant when you consider that Arbitron at the time was not including cellphone-only in their samples. That was when the Arbitron Advisory Council used this data to pressure Arbitron to use cellphone-only households,” Jacobs said.

The cellphone breakout was evident by 2006, Jacobs said, and by 2007 the survey clearly reflected the influx of streaming on YouTube and the beginnings of social media’s impact. 

“This was about the time MySpace ruled social networking sites. FaceBook was just opening up to becoming more than just a college campus community, but this is when technology really began to explode,” he said.

Techsurvey 2008 arrived just before Apple launched its App Store, Jacobs said. That survey detected a shift in cellphone use, he said. “Along with using them for texting and taking photos, cellphones are being used as alarms to wake up. In fact, a majority of people [in 2008] were using cellphones to wake up. 

“iPhones were popular; Android phones were just coming in,” he continued. “In addition, you can see some trending that shows the rampant growth of iPod type devices along with MP3 players during this time. Really, the whole idea of using the smartphone as a MP3 player hadn’t kicked in yet.” 

PANDORA IN THE PICTURE

Jacobs Media uses a “media usage pyramid” to demonstrate the relative use of various technologies. The 2009 survey revealed growth in the use of streaming audio, social media and text messaging among survey respondents. Nearly four out of 10 people in 2009 said they listened to audio over the internet.

“They were streaming radio station streams, but Pandora is trending up big time. It was when we really started focusing on Pandora and what might be happening with it,” Jacobs said. “It’s also the first year Twitter shows up on the social networking list.”

The smartphone revolution was at “full speed” by 2010, which also found the Blackberry on its way out and Apple’s iPhone building dominance. And “now everyone is downloading apps,” Jacobs said. In fact, eight out of 10 who owned a smartphone were downloading paid and free apps by then, according to the survey.

Social media was exploding by 2011, he said, with Facebook beginning to dominate MySpace, and early signs of LinkedIn and Twitter making their marks. Android smartphones gained in numbers on the iPhones. 

Jacob’s eighth survey, in 2012, was the first to be open to all radio formats and all radio stations, which greatly increased the number of respondents — more than 57,000 total.  

By then, Jacobs said, the survey was an established indicator of what kind of content people were consuming. “But what it was also starting to do was telling us about distribution. We knew cellphones were very important, but how big? How about in-car entertainment systems and such?”

Jacobs said 2012 was also the first year in which cellphone usage (96%) eclipsed the percent of people who listened to AM/FM terrestrial radio (93%) in the media usage category among mainstream AC listeners. 

Also in 2012, Jacobs said, his firm began to discover the “emotional benefits” of listening to the radio.

“By that point you could get music from a lot of different sources. We asked: Why listen to the radio? Well, we found that radio is a mood elevator, about companionship and about escape. It’s critically important to know what moves listeners in this age of tech,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs also discovered about this time the importance of “word of mouth” in the era of social media. “Without questions it’s more important than ever,” he said.

Techsurvey 9 in 2013 was the first to break out data by generations, Jacobs said, with boomers, Gen Y, Gen X and Gen Z the main categories.   

“We also asked those who were listening to less radio why that was the case. Number one was a lifestyle change, such as a change in jobs, moving to a new area or retirement. That stuff is really outside of radio’s control,” he said. “However, the next two top reasons were that they didn’t enjoy the programming any longer, and too many commercials.”

In 2013 Jacobs began asking about the digital dash and things like Bluetooth and iPod connectivity in the car, he said. “It’s becoming more and more desirable, and definitely portends what we see currently in that people really enjoy those features.”

By 2014 and Techsurvey 10, which Jacobs considers a digital tipping point for social media usage, Instagram and Snapchat inch into the picture for social networking choices.

“More and more people are driving a connected car, in fact one in five. Still, half of all consumption of radio still takes place in the car, and 29% at work or home. But podcast sneaks into the survey for the first time,” Jacobs said. “And more listeners are looking favorably upon radio that they can socially interact with. And Facebook is [by then] the monster it is still today.”

In 2015 the survey included more than 220 radio stations and 41,000 respondents, and continued to show radio holding steady in the overall media usage pyramid at 92%.

IN THE HOME

Jacobs notes that for 2016, the survey began to ask respondents about radio ownership specifically in the home. Boomers registered at 93% while Gen Y checked in at only 78%, he said. “And remember, this is a radio-centric sample.”

This 2019 chart shows the percentage of time spent with a listener’s “home” station via various platforms in a given week. Non-traditional digital channels now account for 31%.

The impact of on-demand entertainment options like podcasts, Netflix, Hulu and YouTube TV had become more significant by then, with podcasting and other on-demand options being driven by millennials; 31% of Gen Y respondents said they listen to podcasts weekly.

“Young people were way into TV on demand sooner than anyone else obviously,” he said. “And if a person is into video on demand, they are also likely to be into audio on demand, better known as podcasting.”

Listening in connected cars, like those with Ford’s Sync Connect, became more fragmented by 2016. AM/FM listening was at 55%, while satellite radio, personal music on phones, podcasts, Pandora and audio books accounted for the rest. 

The survey now includes detailed info about podcast listening habits among radio listeners.

The 2017 survey shed more light on why people are still listening to AM/FM radio despite having so many other options. Jacobs said the answer is easy: “Because it’s free. And surprisingly, it’s the younger demos, perhaps because they are the most cash-strapped, which appreciate the fact that radio is free. And more are cutting the cord and moving away from premium pay services.”

Radio listening continued in 2017 to tip from traditional terrestrial on-air listening (74%) toward more digital listening via streams (22%). 

“Most digital listeners are still streaming off a radio station’s website, but more and more are accessing the stations app,” Jacobs said, “which means it’s becoming more and more critical for radio stations to have a Millennial or Gen Z strategy. And smart speakers and the voice command feature on devices have become a big thing by 2017.”

 Jacob Media’s brand pyramid in the 2018 survey showed significant growth by Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and Netflix, Jacobs said, as on-demand video streaming exploded. Radio was still the top “brand” (92%); but for the first time the survey asked about the most important features in a new connected car, and it differentiated between AM and FM radio.

“FM radio is the more important new car feature in the dash (81%), but only 37% say AM radio is a must-have in [their] next car. Things like Bluetooth connectivity (72%) and smartphone aux connector is (63%) are growing in demand,” Jacobs said. 

The most recent survey, released in 2019, revealed growing privacy concerns among listeners, especially via home speakers and social media platforms such as Facebook. 

“Nearly a quarter of those surveyed said they were seriously considering deleting Facebook due to privacy concerns. And we are seeing a connection to a decline of the number of people willing to sign up for a radio station’s stream. We think privacy is a big reason why fewer people are willing to sign up for the stream and provide us information,” Jacobs said.

In addition, a big conclusion of the latest survey is that satellite radio is making a strong comeback, he said.

SiriusXM “bought Pandora. They also have a great program with Amazon so that now you can listen to any SiriusXM channel on an Amazon Echo device. Now nearly one in four respondents in 2019 subscribed to satellite radio. And the top two options for satellite radio subscribers are the spoken word, sports and news/talk programming.”

Jacobs said Techsurvey this year will delve deeper into smart speakers and voice control, podcasting and CarPlay and Android Auto in the dashboard, as well as “hearables” — smart headphones — such as AirPods.

The post Techsurvey Reflects Consumer Dynamics appeared first on Radio World.

Under the theme “radio and diversity,” UNESCO’s 2020 edition of World Radio Day will focus on radio’s responsibility as “a platform for democratic discourse.” The international organization is encouraging radio stations worldwide to participate in the one-day celebration, which takes place on Feb. 13.

It’s also calling on radio broadcasters to consistently maintain “diversity in the newsroom and on the airwaves” to guarantee variety of content and voices for its varied audiences.

Radio World spoke to Mirta Lourenço chief, Media Development and Society, Communication and Information for UNESCO on the significance of this day and the importance of radio in maintaining plurality and transparency.

Radio World: What is the history of World Radio Day and why was it created?

Mirta Lourenço is chief, Media Development and Society, Communication and Information for UNESCO.

Mirta Lourenço: Following a proposal from Spain, in 2011 UNESCO’s 36th session of the General Conference proclaimed World Radio Day, on the basis of a feasibility study undertaken by UNESCO, further to a proposal from Spain.

A wide consultation process started in June 2011, carried out by UNESCO. It included all stakeholders, including broadcasting associations, public, private, community and international broadcasters, UN agencies, topic-related NGOs, academics and foundations as well as UNESCO Permanent Delegations and National Commissions.

Ninety-one percent were in favor of the project. The project leader, Academia Española de la Radio, received more than 46 letters of support from diverse stakeholders, including the Arab States Broadcasting Union, the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, the African Union of Broadcasting, the Caribbean Broadcasting Union, the European Broadcasting Union, the International Association of Broadcasting, the North American Broadcasters Association, the Organización de Telecomunicaciones Ibeoramericanas, BBC, URTI and Vatican Radio.

On Jan. 14, 2013, the United Nations General Assembly formally endorsed UNESCO’s proclamation of World Radio Day. Feb. 13 is the day United Nations Radio was established in 1946.

World Radio Day was proclaimed to raise greater awareness among the public and the media of the importance of radio. Radio is the media reaching the widest audience in the world. It is also recognized as a powerful communication tool and a low cost medium.

Radio is specifically suited to reach all segments of societies, even remote communities and vulnerable people — while offering a platform to intervene in the public debate, irrespective of people’s educational level: Communities with lower levels of literacy, persons with disabilities, women, youth and those facing poverty. Furthermore, radio has a strong and specific role in emergency communication and disaster relief.

RW: What are UNESCO’s goals in organizing such an event?

Lourenço: It is more than an event, or it is several events around the world, all of them celebrating radio. The objective is to encourage decision makers to establish and provide access to information through radio, as well as to enhance networking and international cooperation among broadcasters.

UNESCO leads the celebration and chairs the World Radio Day Committee, which is composed of regional and international broadcasting organizations.

RW: Describe the effort to develop awareness of World Radio Day around the world.

Lourenço: World Radio Day is first and foremost a celebration of the first electronic medium that has, over the decades, remained a powerful medium for connecting people and possessing the potential to reinforce critical governance concerns such as access to information, media diversity and pluralism.

World Radio Day aims for radio coverage in preference to press coverage. Nonetheless, UNESCO’s strategy for World Radio Day contributes to phenomenal press coverage every year, with over 500 articles published around the world. There is not a continent that doesn’t celebrate World Radio Day.

On Feb. 13 each year, UNESCO offers to radio stations, and wider to the civil society, free resources, audio clips, short videos, stories and testimonials in a visually attractive dedicated website. The statistics show that approximately 25% of users are return visitors, meaning that key stakeholders return to the site on numerous occasions.

And every year, when visitors land on the page, they stay. World Radio Day has a good average of page view and people’s sessions last long, so users have a great interest in the content and truly explore the worldradioday.org site. Major global influencers usually make public statements aligned with our messages for World Radio Day.

RW: What actions would you like radio organizations to take in the future? What else should we know?

Lourenço: Defending and fostering free, independent and pluralistic radio is the most important goal, since it underlies democracy and the rule of law. Radio has survived all media upheavals because it has successfully demonstrated its usefulness again and again.

In many countries, radio stations have maintained a respectable space for information and democratic debate, free from political or commercial pressures. There is also, alas, radio that can insulate and reinforce narrow-mindedness, and it is an everyday effort as a broadcaster or as a listener to object to or try to change such realities.

RW: What is the World Radio Day Committee and what is its purpose?

Lourenço: The World Radio Day Committee gathers international and regional broadcasting organizations, and it meets to evaluate each year’s celebrations and to choose the theme for the upcoming year. 

RW: What’s new this year?

Lourenço: This year we are focusing on diversity and radio, which should give radio stations plenty of opportunities and angles to celebrate the day. We suggest considering any or all of these three axes:

• Diversity in the radio landscape: Diversity of voices and opinions in radio relies first on the degree of media concentration and the coexistence of different types of stations with a mix of public, private and community broadcasters. The development of policy environments conducive to transparency and diversity of media ownership is the keystone to a pluralistic, inclusive and democratic radio sector. Technological advances such as digital radio are also participating to diversify the radio sector. Through digital radio radio, the choice of stations available to listeners is dramatically increased with more stations being able to broadcast in the same areas on less frequency space than necessary for FM and AM radio. Digital radio also offer additional information and features, such as the display of program and song played, or the ability to pause and even record live broadcast, further enriching the radio experience. On Feb. 13, radio stations could, for example, interview duty-bearers, including media regulators, and ask how they promote a favorable environment for radio diversity to flourish by means of different measures, such as increasing the licensing of radio operated by a variety of groups, such as indigenous/native/minority people – and/or measuring progress of broadcasting organizations towards diversity.
• Diversity in the newsroom: Editorial teams are generally comprised of staff from majority groups. Through equal opportunity and fair treatment policies, which prevent discrimination based on factors such as gender, origin, sexual orientation, religion, age, social and socio-economic backgrounds and/or political party, radio stations could gain multi-cultural teams that bring different perspectives on issues, opinions and stories, thus enhancing their credibility vis-à-vis listeners. A diverse and representative radio workforce is not only important for countering discrimination and ensuring gender representation; it is crucial for creativity and relevance of content. It thus safeguards editorial independence. For example, on Feb. 13, radio stations can show how they integrate people from diverse groups in their editorial teams, including women, youth, minority from different origins, LGBTQI, people with disability and others.
• Diversity on the airwaves: Through diverse channels of transmission, types of editorial content, programming and topics, radio reaches the widest audience globally and opens up a multitude of spaces for democratic debate on an infinity of subjects. Radio stations can offer a wide array of shows and programs — from reportages and documentaries to talk shows and podcasts, there is something for each of us. Within the program, diversity in the choice of angles, languages, music, invited guests and sources can further portray, engage and reflect the diversity of humanity, thus fostering tolerance, inclusion and solidarity. It’s essential for media pluralism and broadens journalists’ and program makers’ creativity. On Feb. 13, radio stations can show how they fairly and equally represent all men, women and children by creating and broadcasting targeted programs by and for specific sectors of society, while also reflecting the diversity of the population in mainstream programs, for example.

RW: How do you celebrate at the Unesco headquarters in Paris?

Lourenço: This year we are not having an event at UNESCO headquarters, but UNESCO has offices across the world. Check worldradioday.org or unesco.org to see how our offices observe the Day.

RW: Is this an effort aimed at traditional over-the-air formats or is UNESCO also targeting streaming services and podcasts, etc.?

Lourenço: It covers both. News technologies increase diversity in radio. Digital radio, online streaming, satellite radio and the spread of low-costs technologies have broadened the access to cost-effective methods of transmitting and broadcasting programs.

Similarly, podcasts have opened the door to new ways of producing and consuming audio content thus, increasing access to information and the variety of programs available, regardless of spectrum availability. And even as other digital distribution opportunities proliferate, there continues to be an interest in pure audio as a valued form of free speech, information gathering and democratic exercise.

Radio, in this sense, is not a technology. It’s not even a platform: It’s a social institution — and this is what we honor as well. Long before social networking, radio was already a social foundation, which built identities and communities and created conversations and participation in the public sphere.

Radio is a success story actually. It’s the medium that has really taken advantage of new communication technologies. It can be used in marginalized or remote places, where there is a lack of other connectivity and where print media does not arrive.

Today radio is also a podcast, a website, an app, a platform. And at the same time, it still exists as a transistor! So rather than getting left behind, radio is truly adaptable — it’s a format that will keep growing and is accessible.

In many countries, radio is also the number one medium for offering a choice of channels and languages and interests (not just for those who already have access to digital radio or internet and tune into the world but also for those lucky to have community radio, which often broadcasts from very remote areas, or in local languages).

For plurilinguistic countries (some have more than 20 languages), the access to information and audience interaction in various national languages is not possible through TV or social media. This is because providing different language services requires diverse teams and is costly, some languages lack written grammar and connectivity (even electricity) may not be reliable.

Register your event or acitivies event/activity here and check out the WRD 2020 Celebration kit at www.worldradioday.org.

The events and activities shared will be publicized on UNESCO portal.

Our IT team is developing an interactive map that will allow to display not only event description but also podcasts during WRD2020.

The post World Radio Day to Celebrate Radio and Diversity appeared first on Radio World.

Originally announced last September, the Mackie ProFXv3 Series of audio mixers made their debut at last month’s NAMM Show.

The half-dozen mixers are intended for use both in live sound settings as well as for home studios, content creators and live streaming.

The new series is based around the six-channel ProFX6v3, 10-channel ProFX10v3, 12-channel ProFX12v3, 16-channel ProFX16v3, 22-channel ProFX22v3, and 30-channel ProFX30v3.

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

All the mixers have some features in common, including Mackie’s Onyx mic preamps, GigFX effects engine, 24-bit/192 kHz USB recording and shared design cues. The mixers also come with a variety of software, notably a copy of the Avid Pro Tools|First DAW, as well as the Mackie Musician Collection, a set of 23 Avid plug-ins.

Mackie says that the Onyx mic preamps offer up to 60 dB of gain, while its new GigFX high-resolution effects engine provides 24 effects such as reverbs, delays and more. The mixers feature a built-in USB interface; a dedicated Blend knob that swaps between DAW output and direct latency-free monitoring; single-knob compression; Hi-Z switches and more.

Avid plug-ins provided with the mixers include the 304C compressor and 304E equalizer. In addition, users will also get Waveform OEM DAW software with its DAW Essentials Collection of 16 plug-ins.

The mixers range from $199.99 for the ProFX6v3 up to $1,169.99 for the flagship ProFX30v3.

Info: www.mackie.com

The post Mackie ProFXv3 Mixers Debut appeared first on Radio World.

Sports and pop culture phenomenon The Ringer will be acquired by Spotify as part of an effort to “build the world’s flagship sports audio network,” The Ringer founder Bill Simmons said in a press release Wednesday. 

Spotify already touts itself as “the world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service,” and this acquisition will round out the company’s sports and entertainment offerings and present new strategic opportunities, it announced. 

Created in 2016 by ESPN alum Simmons, in four years The Ringer grew from a standalone website to a multimedia company with its own podcast network with more than 30 shows, a video production house and a new publishing imprint. It will be interesting to see how Spotify handles the breadth of these offerings, given its emphasis on audio. 

In the press release, Spotify Chief Content Officer Dawn Ostroff explained that The Ringer will “drive our [Spotify’s] global sports strategy” through its editorial team led by Simmons. Ostroff said, “The Ringer’s proven track record of creating distinctive cultural content as well as discovering and developing top tier talent will make them a formidable asset for Spotify.”

According to Recode, Spotify plans to hire both Simmons and his 90-person team as part of the deal. (Recode is a part of Vox Media, which hosts The Ringer via Chorus, its CMS.) That move would be consistent with other recent buys, such as last year’s Gimlet Media acquisition, Recode’s Peter Kafka notes.

For his part, Simmons cited the benefits of Spotify’s “power of scale and discovery” as well as the opportunity to bring new audiences to The Ringer. 

[From 2017: Spotify Ramps Up Podcast Offerings]

The deal is expected to be closed this quarter for an undisclosed sum, pending regulatory approval and other conditions.

This isn’t Simmons’ first association with Spotify. “The Bill Simmons Podcast” was among the first the streamer added when it expanded from a music only service in 2017. In return, Simmons promoted the service via his own channels.

It remains to be seen how this acquisition and subsequent sports content initiatives may affect radio, and AM in particular, since one of the remaining programming strongholds of the medium band is sports talk.

The post Spotify and The Ringer Want to Create “Flagship Sports Audio Network” appeared first on Radio World.