Radio World

In 1970, 15-year-old high school sophomore Paul Tinkle joined WCMT(AM/FM) as a “cleanup” boy. 

Today he is the president and part-owner of Thunderbolt Broadcasting, which includes one AM and four FMs as well as seven translators (Tinkle calls them “local FMs”) that serve northwest Tennessee and parts of Kentucky. He is also a former member of the NAB Radio Board.

He recalls that years ago, when an engineer took ill for several months, Tinkle suddenly realized how little he knew about his own facilities. So he started to bone up.

Today he advocates for owners and managers to participate in the creation of maintenance programs and technical documentation, and encourages them to become familiar with their facilities and with basic engineering concepts. 

His engineer visits Thunderbolt’s RF sites monthly, checking everything from the ASRN sign to the tower lights and replacing transmitter filters. Each RF site has a metal bookcase filled with equipment manuals; and Tinkle’s cellphone has the names of dozens of engineers and suppliers he could call if necessary, to help if he had an urgent problem. 

Paul Tinkle wrote the following list of 57 assorted ideas, tips and best practices. He shared it with Radio World for our ebook “Mission-Critical: Maintaining Your Transmitter Site.”

A documentation shelf, two sizes of ladder and a Shop-Vac are at the ready.

1) Purchase a label maker, and see that all equipment is labeled using the name you commonly use when referring to it. Label everything in your service rack. Label the front and back of each piece of equipment as well as where the plugs and wires are inserted.)

2) Label STLs, Marti units and other RF equipment. Include call signs. Note the date each piece of equipment went into service. Do the same for computers, noting their install date. Label the front of each satellite receiver with the name of the program associated with that receiver. Include the serial number on the front.

3) Label your station “calls” on remote gear including headphones, power cords and of course phone and RF equipment that is used on the road. Take a photo of your remote gear with your smartphone or camera.

4) Learn how to read and take transmitter meter readings. Take the actual readings occasionally to stay fresh. Know the transmitter codes and all passwords relating to everything you own. Keep a central log of passwords, and make sure key personnel know how to access it. Change factory default passwords when new equipment arrives.

5) Make sure all EAS equipment includes written instructions on how to perform an EAS test. Keep instructions in the control room.

6) At an AM station, inspect your antenna tuning unit (ATU) at the tower base to check for snakes, birds or other unwelcome intruders or problems.

7) Confirm that your Antenna Structure Registration Number (ASRN) is displayed clearly at the tower site, that your fence is structurally sound and the gate is locked.

8) Inspect your guy wires for damaged insulators. Inspect tower anchors for possible damage due to mowing or lightning. Keep your tower site mowed and neat. FCC inspectors often can tell who’s doing a good job of taking care of their license just by looking at the grass; at least give them a good first impression.

9) Keep a spare set of keys to everything you own. Put it in your vehicle or hidden at the tower site.

10) Keep a journal or notebook — not just a legal pad — at the remote tower site; mandate that anyone who enters the tower building log tower readings and the time they came in and out of your building and the site. Keep a copy of your “vital” records — e.g. the license — in a binder, in plastic sheets. This includes STL (license) path information and transmitter info. Having these at the tower site allows you to access information like transmitter power out (TPO) quickly.

11) Keep a spare tube and parts kit for your transmitter and other vital equipment close by. This includes a fan.

12) At the tower site, keep a set of basic tools and a first aid kit. Also put in a supply of drinking water, paper towels, hand sanitizer, toilet paper and a cot for resting. Engineers may need to take a break, especially if they’ve been working on equipment all night. At some remote sites, for instance where weather might shutter someone in, consider supplies for a longer-term stay such as blankets and non-perishable food. 

13) Change or clean all filters on transmitters and HVAC units.

14) Clean all transmitter and computer filters monthly. Suck out the dust for longer life!

15) Keep a Shop-Vac or similar wet/dry vacuum at the site to help keep the building and equipment clean.

16) Store several flashlights and batteries in your building (including studio control rooms too). Check your smoke detectors annually for performance. Change batteries when you adjust your clocks twice a year.

17) If you have a generator, check it monthly and exercise it weekly. Ensure that you have extra oil and coolant. Check the fuel level. Log it in your journal and write down the hours it was exercised. Put it “online” at least every month.

18)  Personally inspect your towers at night to confirm that all bulbs are burning. Inspect the tower to confirm it will pass FCC paint regulations.

Tower and site inspection sheet.

19) When a bulb goes out, document that you have notified the appropriate officials. Keep the Flight Services NOTAM line phone number (877-487-6867) and your ASRN at hand. Store the ASRN for each site in your smartphone.

20) At AM stations, confirm that your annual NRSC Occupied Bandwidth Measurement and Frequency Test was done within the past 14 months and have it ready for the FCC upon request.

21) Visually inspect your STL, Marti and other auxiliary antennas. Are they secure on your service tower? Check that wind has not damaged or loosened radials.

22) Walk around the back of your radio station and transmitter building to see if anything is out of place. This could be anything such as loose cables, vandalism damage, or strange visitors — cats, rats, snakes, deer, bear, opossum, turkey or groundhogs.

23) Keep spare tools in your vehicle including an air pump for flat tires or slow leaks that happen while you are at the tower site. It will happen.

24) Keep wasp/hornet repellant available. Always have duct tape on hand. It can fix most problems.

25) Show full- and part-time employees where vital controls are located including the electrical breaker box. Label your breakers in the electrical box.

26) Communicate with your engineer regularly, especially if something doesn’t seem right.

27) Instruct part-timers how to turn on and turn off vital equipment such as a backup transmitter.

28) Place combination locks on all gates and tower entrances. Cover them with a piece of rubber tire and a potato chip clip to keep moisture out and prevent freezing.   

29) Keep good records about your equipment, including pictures of all devices. Your smartphone is your friend.

30) If you ship a piece of equipment for repair, tape your business card to it. Use your label maker and put your company’s name on the equipment. (If you put your bumper sticker on it, they will definitely know whose it is.)

31) Be proactive. Ask your engineer what they need to do their job better. Sometimes it’s just an extra roll of tape or a new soldering iron. Sometimes they might tell you something really important that you didn’t know.

32) Document everything. Keep a paper trail for things you do, things the engineer does, things that need to get done, things that got done and things that are undone.

33) Write or print legibly.

34) Teach others in your radio station family the important things. Any DJ/announcer, office manager or newsperson might have to fill in suddenly.

35) If you have a remote vehicle, drive it yourself, inspect it for damage and keep a service record. Check the tires and alignment. It may pull to one side or make a noise; it may need to be cleaned of trash. If connected to remote gear, make sure you have tested it personally.

The station vehicle is well supplied.

36) Inventory any play-by-play equipment. Learn what needs to be replaced or repaired and is being treated professionally. Put headphones in one- or two-gallon plastic freezer bags, available at your local grocer or box store.

37) If there’s a problem at the transmitter site, tell your engineer you want to come watch or hold the flash light — to learn, to help and to keep them company. 

38) Find out where the FCC rules are kept in the radio station, tell the staff and encourage everyone to read them. 

39) Participate in your state’s Alternative Broadcast Inspection program. This is great insurance. It helps your engineer keep equipment running smoothly and in tolerance, and keeps your staff aware of EAS rules.

40) When in doubt about FCC rules and regs, contact your FCC attorney. Spend the money to keep your radio station legal. It’s better to spend money on engineering than wait and send money to the FCC to resolve a Notice of Apparent Liability.

41) Get to know people in the technical community. Network at your state broadcast association’s events. Keep contact names of helpful people at key equipment suppliers. Ask your engineer, “Who are the people you would want me to call if you were in the hospital?

For the engineers

42) Engineers: “Communicate before you medicate.” Let the manager or PD know that you’re planning to take the station off the air. Sometimes really are better than others for routine service.

43) Ask for the equipment you need to keep the station running smoothly. Ask again and again. Research your request with costs and how they will help the station, whether to stay on the air or to clean up noise.

44) Remember to put things away after you have completed a project. Put all the fasteners (nuts and bolts) back in the equipment.

45) Keep good notes. 

46) Don’t put yourself in harm’s way. Slow down when working with RF. Turn off the main power to the transmitter. If you disconnect the failsafe, remember to put it back in place and confirm it’s functioning. Work with a partner if at all possible.

47) Provide your password to the manager so they can be helpful to you when you’re unable to come right away.

48) Make a date with the manager to show them what you believe needs to be done to assure that the radio station continues to run smoothly. 

49) Make sure you have all the spare parts you need to keep your radio station on the air.

50) Show your manager the projects you have accomplished.

51) Neatness matters. Labeling is a must.

52) Date everything regardless of when it was received, installed or pulled out of service.

53) When there is an emergency and you get the call, communicate with management when you are likely to appear on the scene.

Final thoughts

54) Managers: Emergencies are never so big that it you need to put the engineer in harm’s way.

55) Managers: Don’t try to fix what you don’t know how to fix. Engineers should not need to fix what you’ve tried to fix.

56) Managers: Be patient with your engineer.

57) Engineers: Be patient with your manager.

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

The post 57 Tips from the Manager’s Engineering Notebook appeared first on Radio World.

Audix has introduced the A231, a large-diaphragm studio vocal microphone intended for use in lead and backing vocals, spoken word and voiceover applications, and acoustic instrument miking.

The A231 features the same gold-plated brass band as found on Audix’s SCX25A instrument mic, but inside the new microphone, there’s a 33 mm true condenser featuring a tensioned diaphragm with gold deposition all the way to its far edges. According to Audix, this produces a diaphragm area approximately 25% larger than that of a typical large-diaphragm condenser mic. Meanwhile, a cardioid pickup pattern offers a predictable proximity effect and exceptional off-axis rejection.

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

The capsule feeds circuitry designed for quietness, while an active driven shield is employed in an effort to protect the signal path from interference and capacitive coupling. A specially designed internal shockmount is also used to dampen handling noise, enabling the A231 to be used for both studio and live applications.

The A231 capsule is suspended by the internal shock mount behind a double-woven steel alloy mesh grille and seated in the precision-machined aluminum body. Primarily intended for vocals, voiceover and spoken word, the Audix says that the A231 is designed with an aim to provide power, detail and controllable proximity effect due to its cardioid polar pattern with smooth off-axis response over a wide frequency range.

The A231 can also be used on acoustic instruments, able to handle 140 dB maximum SPL even as the mic itself has a low 12 dBA equivalent noise level, making it appropriate for delicate sources like upright bass and strings. The mic itself offers a 128 dB dynamic range.

The A231 is available now for an MSRP of $949.

Send your new equipment news to radioworld@futurenet.com.

Info: https://audixusa.com

 

The post Audix A231 Studio Vocal Microphone Launched appeared first on Radio World.

A proposal to allow computational directional FM broadcast antenna pattern modeling in the United States is a step closer to being approved.

The Federal Communications Commission says it believes that the proposed rule change “would provide regulatory parity and ongoing relief for both antenna manufacturers and FM broadcasters while maintaining the integrity of our licensing requirements.”

We had reported earlier that the idea was advancing at the  commission; now the FCC has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking asking for comments.

The commission’s text makes clear that it thinks this is a good idea, but it expressly also asks for help from “engineers, broadcasters, antenna manufacturers, and other interested parties” to help clarify some issues raised by the proposed rule.

The proposal was made in a joint petition from Dielectric, Jampro, Radio Frequency Systems and Shively Labs, all of which make antennas, as well as broadcaster Educational Media Foundation.

Currently, the rules for verifying FM directional patters require physical modeling and measurements.

The FCC noted that verification of directional patterns through use of computer modeling is permitted in both AM radio and TV/DTV and is a familiar concept to the commission and the industry.

It says more than 2,000 full-service FM broadcast stations, which is more than 20% of them, use directional antennas. The change would allow any of those stations that replace existing antennas to avoid the expense of field measurements. It would apply not only to applicants for new FM facilities, but to FM licensees applying for facility modifications.

[Read the full NPRM text.]

The commission also said that given the demand for FM spectrum, “we anticipate an increase in the use of directional antennas. We believe those future broadcast applicants would benefit from this proposal.”

Among questions being asked by the FCC are whether this change could increase the risk of interference to adjacent stations; whether the commission should adopt a particular computer program or underlying model; if not, which computer modeling software programs it should accept for verification; and how FCC staff should confirm the accuracy of such models.

“Perhaps most importantly, we are interested in comments from broadcasters, engineers and manufacturers who have used both computer modeling of FM directional antennas and physical models of the same, and who can discuss their experience regarding the accuracy of computer-modeled antennas vis-à-vis the performance of such antennas as installed.”

Comments in MD Docket 21-422 will be due 30 days after the NPRM is published in the Federal Register, which hasn’t happened yet.

The post FCC Opens NPRM to Allow Computer Modeling for FM Antennas appeared first on Radio World.

The impact of Qualcomm shutting down its Reciva internet radio aggregation platform earlier this year continues to reverberate through the internet radio manufacturing industry. The loss of this platform means Reciva-enabled internet radios can no longer connect to audio streams on the web — rendering them effectively useless.

Grace Digital’s page for users affected by the Reciva shutdown.

Sangean Electronics is one of the manufacturers left stranded by the Reciva shutdown.

“The official date was April 30, 2021,” Sangean Marketing Director Andrew Wu said. “The response we got [from Qualcomm] was, ‘We have decided to withdraw this discretionary service, for business reasons. We wish you well in finding alternative solutions’.”

“It’s not the first internet radio platform to shut down,” said Wu. “But it is the first time for a supplier to not offer any viable solutions.”

“The shutdown was difficult on both the brands and customers who used Reciva-based devices,” said Greg Fadul, CEO and cofounder of Grace Digital, another internet radio manufacturer. “For Grace Digital, it’s been very difficult. We are a family-run business and we were partners and friends with the Reciva team. However, over the years Reciva was sold twice and the companies that acquired them decided that they would no longer support the legacy servers.”

Why did Reciva shut down?

Qualcomm has not responded to Radio World’s requests for interviews about the Reciva shutdown. However, internet radio manufacturers who supported this platform have offered several reasons for its demise.

First is the complexity and cost of running the Reciva platform. “Back in 2003 the processors in internet radios were extremely slow and had little memory, so Reciva’s strategy  was for its servers to perform the heavy lifting with the radio only performing the basic streaming function,” said Fadul. “Their server system was not simply an internet radio station aggregator, but a high-end global array of dozens of servers located in key cities around the world. The server network provided radio authentication, managed log-ins for premium services, and various settings and configurations for the radios, among many other functions.”

[Read More Internet Radio Stories Here]

Fast-forward 18 years and quality internet radios perform all those functions on the radio itself without the costs of an intermediary array of servers.

The C. Crane CC WiFi-3 is one of the receivers affected by the Reciva shutdown.

To make matters worse, “there was no path to upgrade due to the age of the code and its incompatibility with new hardware,” said Bob Crane, president of radio equipment firm C. Crane.  “In addition, there are no longer people who fundamentally understand the ins and outs of this proprietary code and programming. The original software was also burdensome and slower than new chips.”

Despite this, Crane said he believes the driving force behind Qualcomm’s Reciva shutdown was the cost of maintaining its global server system. With manufacturers having moved to newer and more self-contained internet radio-tuning systems, Qualcomm had to cover this cost without receiving any revenue to pay for it.

“The Reciva problem happened in part because there was no recurring income for the founders,” said Crane. “This is why every software developer on the planet — think Adobe, Microsoft, and Oracle — has switched primarily to subscription-based purchases because there has to be some way to fund ongoing maintenance and future development.”

Manufacturers scramble

As reported by Radio World in March 2021 (“Reciva Internet Radio Platform Shutting Down“), internet radio manufacturers are doing their best to assist Reciva-stranded listeners.

At C. Crane, “we accelerated our new CC WiFi 3 internet radio into production as quickly as possible based on Skytune.net,” said Crane. “We also developed a program to take care of our Reciva-based CC WiFi owners, offering them a graduated discount that took into consideration how recently they’d purchased their older sets. We tried to offer a reasonable solution with proof of purchase and a cutoff date so we could take care of as many people as possible.”

“Since Grace Digital did not own the Reciva radio software — we only licensed the code, which means we could not change the radio software – there was unfortunately nothing we could do to save the old Reciva-based radios,” Fadul said. Fortunately, his company had launched its own self-maintained aggregation platform in 2018 to support its new generation of internet receivers.

“To help our dedicated customers with the transition to our new platform, Grace Digital offers discounts to purchase new radios,” said Fadul. “The vast majority of people understand the situation and realize the shutdown was out of our control.”

Over at Sangean, “we contacted the responsible parties to work on possible solutions, but we weren’t given any options that would allow our Reciva devices to continue working,” said Wu. “Therefore, we took the responsibility and offered our newer internet radio devices to our customers at a loss. It’s a very unfortunate situation and it is our desire to ensure all our customers are pleased, but that’s just not always the case. However, the majority took our offer and were satisfied with our response.”

Reality of business today

At first glance, the logical conclusion to be drawn from the Reciva shutdown is never to purchase a device that relies on third-party servers to function.

The problem with this conclusion is that it ignores the fundamental nature and ubiquity of third-party server solutions on the internet. “Any platform that uses a server is at risk of going down or being shut down,” said Fadul. “Basically anything such as YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, Facebook, your cell phone, and even plain old POTS lines use servers/databases.”

[Subscribe to Radio World]

But this is just the tip of the iceberg: “All software platforms are probably at risk when you think about the countless updates and the ‘required’ new equipment purchases we all probably made over the last 15 years,” said Crane. “I am guessing that even Alexa may have a meltdown for the original units at the 15-year mark if you observe the software and hardware upgrades Amazon has issued so far. And even Sirius is looking at sunsetting one of their older platforms,” as reported by thedesk.net on September 21, 2021.

The business reality of “limited lifespans” even applies to broadcast radio. For instance, although AM radio remains viable in North America, the U.K. government’s just-released Digital Radio and Audio Review says that national AM (a.k.a. medium-wave) services should be closed down, due to the AM audience declining to 3% of all radio listening there.

Protecting listeners

Given this reality, the best internet radio manufacturers can do — and are doing — to protect listeners is to make their latest models multi-platform capable.

For instance, Grace Digital allows users to save and display up to 100 presets on their latest internet radios. “The radio presets do not relay on our servers to play,” said Fadul, “so even if we had a short or long server outage it would not affect your ability to play those 100 stations. It would also not affect your ability to play SiriusXM, Pandora, Bluetooth, or Chromecast.”

“It took us years to develop and optimize the software, but we learned from the Reciva shutdown and put all the software in place to make sure that we do not have this issue again,” he added. “Live and learn.”

As for the Reciva shutdown threatening the very existence of internet radio as a viable consumer technology? Bob Crane isn’t worried. Although he acknowledges that smart speakers “dwarf the sales of internet radios, it would be unwise to underestimate the dedication of radio listeners who have a preference to the way they listen,” he said.

“With smart speakers you give part of your private life up to a large company for marketing. Internet radios made by us and others don’t track you at all. It is more of a personal experience well-suited for a person who thoroughly enjoys and relies on radio,” Crane said.

This is why C. Crane, Grace Digital, and Sangean plan to keep developing and selling internet radios — Grace Digital has two models planned for release in 2022 — despite the risk of future Reciva-like platform shutdowns. “Standalone internet radios offer the convenience and simplicity of enjoying various radio streaming services,” said Wu. “They are not only viable, but trending.”

The post With Reciva Dead, Internet Radio Manufacturers Manage the Fallout appeared first on Radio World.

This week, we’re taking a look at NPR/Edison Research’s new report on spoken word audio.

The research behind the latest NPR/Edison Spoken Word Audio Report suggests an explosive growth in listening to that medium, particularly among young and multicultural demographics. This begs several questions: Why, what motivates them? How long are they listening? Is it more or less than in the past?

The Spoken Word Audio Report shows increases in listenership for spoken audio rising fastest among younger and multicultural demographics.

While not part of the formal quantitative research, NPR and Edison conducted in-depth interviews with several respondents for additional background about their listening habits, including the why part of the equation.

[Spoken Word Listenership Increases 40% Since 2014]

The results — many are seeking a different point of view from what they’re hearing on social or mainstream media. Typical of the responses, “… I really like the idea of seeing things from different sorts of perspectives.” Another said, “I want to know about different parts of the world, country, different things like that.” And, “I do think it provides different perspectives on stuff that we don’t see in the media every day.”

Another frequent response from participants is that spoken word audio provides them with an inward view, as well as an opportunity for self-improvement and introspection. One respondent said, “it kind of helps me understand more about how to be more successful and try to be more financially well-off.” Others replied, “… so I can improve my positivity within myself that way and I can spread it to others.”

Additional comments included, “You hear other people call in and someone who has a similar problem gives you an idea to try that you can apply to your situation or whatever,” and, “I can take things from each podcast that can help me become a better mom or be a better girlfriend or, eventually, be a good wife. So that’s why I like to listen.”

The research suggests respondents have an average daily listening time of 2 hours and 6 minutes for spoken word content. Compared to five years ago, 51 percent of those surveyed said they are listening to spoken work more than in the past; 31 percent say it’s the same, while 18 percent are listening less. Those numbers skew upwards for the younger demographics and multicultural listeners, down for older listeners, and stay more or less even for white listeners.

Comment on this or any article. Email radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post Spoken Word Audio Provides Listeners New Perspectives, Introspection appeared first on Radio World.

This continues our coverage of the recent online WorldDAB Summit 2021.

Digital Radio UK launched worked to educate retail staff about the advantages of DAB.

To drive DAB+ receiver sales in Europe, the radio industry has to educate consumer and retail sales staff more effectively. How to do that and more were addressed during Session 2 of the WorldDAB Summit 2021 on Nov. 9. (Recordings of the sessions are on the WorldDAB YouTube page.)

To motivate consumers to buy DAB+ receivers, they first have to understand what DAB+ is all about. Jacqueline Bierhorst, project director with Digital Radio Netherlands, outlined how this education is being delivered in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium in the presentation “Working With Retailers to Help Listeners Upgrade to DAB+.”

“The Netherlands has a 360-degree campaign to influence behavior and improve the actual use of DAB+,” said Bierhorst. “The campaign has been heard and seen on radio TV, through native ads and Facebook links, out of home, on the back of trucks and online video. On top of that, we have a collaboration with the five biggest Dutch retailers.” The payoff, she said, “All these efforts have resulted in a great uplift of sales [with a growth of] 271 percent.”

Meanwhile, “Digital Radio Germany is very active and a great inspiration for other countries,” she said. “The team in Germany made sure that all retail staff get guidance and new updates on DAB+ and its advantages. This makes sure that the shop seller is well-informed and can give a good explanation of DAB+ to customers.”

[Read more from Radio World about Digital Radio]

Then there’s Belgium, where this year “the first joint national DAB+ campaign was aired a two-week radio campaign aired on the main French- and Flemish-speaking stations, starting on Sept. 13 in association with the retailer Vanden Borre,” Bierhorst said. Again, both national efforts are increasing DAB+ receiver sales in their respective markets.

Similar promotional efforts in the United Kingdom were touched upon during a session about “Working With Retailers to Train and Educate Their Staff,” presented by Ford Ennals, chief executive officer of Digital Radio UK.

In the U.K., “digital radio sales are challenging,” Ennals said. To find out why, Digital Radio UK surveyed audio sales staff, most of whom were in their mid-20s.

The results: Young audio sales staff tend to view radio as being “more for older people,” said Ennals. “When they’re pressed [by customers], ‘Should I buy a smart speaker or a digital radio?’ they would advise consumers to buy a smart speaker because they see it as an easier and perhaps a more sexy sale.”

Based on this knowledge gap, Digital Radio UK spent the past six months educating sales staff about the full benefits and options provided by DAB+

One way to sell digital radio to consumers is to outline how “green” its transmission system is compared to conventional FM broadcasting. One real-life comparison was offered during “Environment — Bavaria’s DAB+ Green Report,” which was presented by Veit Olischläger, head of technology, media management and public relations for Bayerischen Landeszentrale für neue Medien (BLM), the Bavarian public-service broadast operator.

BLM compared the FM and DAB power consumption levels, on a per-service basis, for two Bavarian broadcasters. The results were impressive: “The given FM power consumption for Bayerischer Rundfunk is around 1,000 megawatt hours per year, and on the DAB side it’s 261 megawatt hours, which results in a reduction of 75 percent,” Olischläger said.

A Bavarian study found a 75 percent increase in energy consumption to reach the same audience with digital radio versus conventional FM.

Similar savings were seen for the private radio broadcaster Antenne Bayern. “The energy consumption on FM is higher … [while] the energy consumption on the DAB side is slightly reduced to a slightly reduced data rate,” he said. “Overall, the reduction is 85 percent for the private network.”

The final Session 2 presentation was titled “Performance — GfK Analysis.” It reported trends in consumer electronics sales.

The bare facts: “Total 2021 spending was up versus 2020,” said Max Templeman, insight director for consumer electronics at research firm GfK. Digital radio sales only showed “a small value increase,” he said. “Germany, France, Italy and Belgium increased share of total Europe DAB sales, but the Czech Republic saw the highest growth rate.”

As well, “over half of all DAB sales occurred online in quarter one this year,” said Templeman. “DAB radios over €200 still provide a healthy market share and gain importance in quarter four.”

See Radio World’s coverage of WorldDAB Summit 2021 Session 1.

The post Educating Consumers, Sales Staff Key to Building DAB+ Receiver Sales appeared first on Radio World.

The IBC show is a “go.”

After weighting tightened COVID restrictions announced by the Dutch government late last week, the show organizers announced Tuesday morning that the show will take place as scheduled starting Dec. 3 in Amsterdam.

The IBC cited “determined industry support” for the event to proceed.

“The announcement follows a decision at [Monday’s] IBC Partnership Board meeting to continue with the planned event because it can be delivered safely and create the essential business momentum that the industry needs,” it stated.

“We will forge ahead with our IBC Digital offering to ensure that whether onsite in Amsterdam or onscreen at home the industry can come together,” said Chief Executive Michael Crimp in the statement.

Crimp acknowledged the “waves of concern” prompted by the government action last week, but said that examination of the new rules and consultation with The RAI facility showed that “not much changes with regards to the safety plans we had already put in place. We will still have the perimeter fence around The RAI and thorough COVID status and health screening on entry. We will make a number of adjustments to our safety management and operational protocols to make sure the guidance is clear, and the event is safe for exhibitors and visitors.”

The show hours have been adjusted so participants “can make the most of their visits.” Crimp said, “I can definitely see breakfast and lunch gatherings being the mode of networking at this year’s event. Let’s save the big parties to 2022 and focus right now on re-connecting and driving business.”

[Read the full announcement text.]

IBC2021 show opening times will be:

Friday              03.12.21         09:00 – 16:30

Saturday         04.12.21         08:30 – 16:30

Sunday            05.12.21         08:30 – 16:30

Monday          06.12.21         08:30 – 16:00

The post Despite Tightened Restrictions, IBC Show Will Proceed appeared first on Radio World.

Mike Everhart

Alpha Media has operations in 42 markets around the United States, stretching from Alaska to South Carolina, comprising about four dozen studio locations and 200 or so FM and AM licenses.

Director of Engineering Mike Everhart is one of several engineers I interviewed for our ebook “After the Masks Come Off.”

He told me that Alpha’s leadership has been putting lessons of the pandemic into practice.

[Check Out More of Radio World’s Ebooks Here]

“You’ll see it in future iterations of our studio builds. We’re entering a right-sizing operation in the Portland, Ore., market right now; and we’re looking at a move-and-build in another market in the next year or so that will take a lot of those lessons into account.”

The company was already heading down this road, he said, due the cost of construction, which Everhart said has ballooned well above the rate of inflation; a general decline in radio revenue in recent years; and the possibilities that technology brings for enabling remote work and creating more flexibility in the use of infrastructure.

“Those forces have come together and forced us to rethink the way we do these facilities,” Everhart said.

“We’ve been reducing the physical footprint. We’ve been reducing studio counts. We’ve been looking at hoteling workspace as opposed to dedicated individual workspaces, in the office as well as the studio. A person does not have a dedicated workspace all the time.”

A design principle of engineering is to seek efficiency, he said; but Alpha Media’s analysis has shown that traditionally radio is inefficient in their use of space, with low occupancy rates of desks and studios. He attributes this to a cultural paradigm in which a brand’s identity is wrapped up in the control room, where you build a culture to share with an audience.

“What we’ve found is that the culture and feel of a brand is what comes out the speakers and the feelings engendered in the audience members. It doesn’t come from the space, it comes from the head and the heart of the people producing the programs.”

With all that taken into account, and given the costs of building facilities and the expense of commercial real estate, “It doesn’t make sense to keep doing things the way we’ve been doing things.”

I enjoyed putting this particular ebook together and invite you to read more from Mike Everhart and other top engineers. Find it at radioworld.com/ebooks.

Comment on this or any article. Write to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post Your Culture Doesn’t Come From the Studio Space appeared first on Radio World.

Broadcast audio software tools developer Futuri Media has announced an update to its Post podcast creation system.

New tools include an in-app audio editor “designed to save production time, speed up distribution of timely content, and enable audio brands to quickly make simple edits to their on-demand broadcast content to keep people listening longer,” according to the company

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

Customizable widgets have been added that aids in branding embedded audio. Ad insertion has also been with improvements in ad marker and mid-roll capabilities.

Futuri adds that third-party destination publishing is better, chapter markers are enhanced and analytics deeper.

Send your new equipment news to radioworld@futurenet.com.

Info: https://futurimedia.com

 

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Jill Crocker and Malayna McGhee of Ronald McDonald House, center, accept a check from Ross Turner, Ditch, Country Cory and Danni Bruns of Cumulus Memphis. The final amount raised was more than shown as donations continued to come in.

Working to help kids with catastrophic illness, “98.1 The Max” had a particularly good fundraiser this month.

The Cumulus station brought in about $533,000 for the Ronald McDonald House of Charities of Memphis, a record for its local campaign.

WXMX(FM) plays “maximum rock.” It raised the money in less than 12 hours in a radiothon on Nov. 5. Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis supports children with pediatric cancer and other catastrophic illnesses undergoing treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and their families.

Morgan D. Bohannon is vice president/market manager at WXMX. Danni Bruns is station program director and the cluster’s operations manager.

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Pierre Robert is baked into the radio landscape of Philadelphia, and now Beasley Media is celebrating him with a month-long 40th anniversary party.

WMMR(FM) will feature highlights of his career, “commemorating local radio’s iconic moments broadcast by a most unique, warm, and recognizable personality.”

Robert (pronounced “roh-BAYR”) is on the air middays in Philly. During his career he has done notable stints on overnights and in morning drive.

[Visit Radio World’s People News Page]

“The award-winning radio host began his journey aboard his trusty microbus, Minerva, when he left his hometown of San Francisco in 1981 to look for a radio home in the City of Brotherly Love,” Beasley Media wrote in the announcement.

“Upon his arrival, there was a natural fit with ’MMR, the progressive rock ’n’ roll radio station located on Rittenhouse Square in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia. The Philly-area listening audience has enjoyed 40 years of Pierre’s musical passion and positive outlook, with his diverse appreciation for all things rock ‘n roll including a vast knowledge of the music they all love.”

The company said he is well known for his interview style with rock artists, his concert coverage and his “Roaming Rock Microphone” on the concert scene.

Beasley Media has owned the station since 2016. Group Vice President of Talent Development and WMMR(FM) Program Director Bill Weston said, “I’ve never worked with a more beloved air talent.”

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Commissioner Nathan Simington thinks the FCC should wait rather than make more changes to media ownership rules just now.

He calls it a strategy of “purposeful nothingness.”

Simington, a Republican who has been on the FCC for 11 months, came across as a big fan of radio when he gave a pre-recorded talk to the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association last week. And he said he “loves” working with Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and that they have “got a lot done together on a bipartisan basis, and I think we’ll get a lot more done.”

On the subject of the refreshed 2018 Quadrennial Review, he didn’t comment directly on specific proposals, but he seemed to suggest he would resist moves to tighten up rules under the expected Democratic majority. Using a baking simile, he asked, “How about we let the dough proof a while?”

[“Biden Renominates Jessica Rosenworcel; Gigi Sohn Also Gets Nod”]

He said that with a newly constituted full commission, “We risk whipsawing back into the pre-Pai world, or, worse, ratcheting further back in the other direction. … Broadcast groups whose market caps vanish into a rounding error of big tech media platforms have to be permitted the space and time to compete. To discover business models that differentiate their offerings and grow audiences. To create scale efficiencies that allow them the flexibility to compete with digital-only platforms. To sell their bread.”

On the power of localism in broadcasting, he said, “Radio broadcasters have expanded their role to become ombudsmen between local communities and institutions, and this is nowhere more true than it is in communities where the most common language is not English. … Google and Facebook don’t have stringers outside of city hall sniffing out corruption, hurricane evacuation routing, or staffing for informational access to local community resources anywhere in their product development path.”

In language that would make any broadcast licensee proud, the commissioner talked about the “irreproducible technological advantage” broadcasters have thanks to their “durable, hardened communications infrastructure.”

“Let me ask you something. During a really bad storm — a tornado or a hurricane — what would you trust more to give you information on what you need to do or where you need to go: a hand-cranked radio or a cell phone? Stupid question, right? The radio. And even people not in broadcast know this. Why? Because everyone knows that your cell phone connection is the first thing to be knocked out, and your connection to broadcasters is, well, the last. That’s not to criticize cell phone carriers, of course. That’s just the reality of the situation.”

Simington said that in upcoming debates over media rules, “I hold out hope that I can urge my colleagues on the commission, and maybe even on Capitol Hill, to take full stock of the realities facing broadcasters. The enormous pressures they are under. And how we must preserve the industry prudentially. While I have no doubt that the full commission will be animated by a zeal to protect consumer interests, I will ask them to consider whether in 2021, broadcasters really wield the kind of power, whether nationally or in local markets, that justifies forceful application of rules drafted for a completely different competitive media landscape.”

[Read his full text.]

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Getty Images Zhihong Zhuo

The MMTC says it has some ideas about how the FCC can help influence the eventual rollout of 6G technology.

The Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel praising her for her recent remarks about 6G, but offers its thoughts on several specific issues.

[See Rosenworcel Calls for 6G Initiative]

The letter, signed by MMTC and several other organizations including the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters and civil rights groups like the NAACP and the Hispanic Federation, urged the commission to take a series of steps to ensure the delivery of affordable and accessible services to communities of color, as well as to ensure inclusion of minority- and women-owned businesses in building 6G infrastructure.

Wireless policy is necessary for economic and national security, the organization said, adding that there were unheeded signs during the early days of the 5G rollout, such as the need for additional mid-band spectrum and a lack of awareness about vulnerabilities in the nation’s supply chain.

“So let’s learn from what came before,” the letter stated. “Let’s acknowledge here and now that it is time to start thinking seriously about how we can better position ourselves for success with 6G. After all, in the age of ever-faster technical development, maintaining our leadership in high-priority emerging technology requires careful planning and execution.”

To do so, the organization asked the commission to take the following five steps:

1. Include a diverse group of engineers and demographers on the commission’s Technology Advisory Committee.
2. Direct the Communications Equity and Diversity Council to develop a plan for the training and inclusion of small, minority- and women-owned contractors in the 6G rollout.
3. Provide the Office of Communications Business Opportunities with the personnel and resources needed to conduct technical and entrepreneurial training for 6G.
4. Set a benchmark for the inclusion of minority- and women-owned businesses during the 6G rollout.
5. Grant MMTC’s proposal to extend the cable procurement rule to all FCC-regulated technologies. This rule requires cable operators to encourage participation with minority and female entrepreneurs.

In Rosenworcel, the MMTC may have found a kindred spirit. During her speech in October to the wireless industry’s Americas Spectrum Management Conference, Rosenworcel devoted a portion of her remarks to the idea of paving the way for 6G and beyond. She cited developments that look ahead to 6G and called for an initiative that could offer recommendations on how to rollout 6G.

“If you think I’m too early on this one, think again,” Rosenworcel said at the conference. “Much like in the early days of 5G, the scrum for 6G is already intensifying.”

Comment on this or any article. Write to radioworld@futurenet.com.

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iHeartMedia thinks the FCC should eliminate the restriction on how many AM stations one company can own in a given market. But it opposes the “overly aggressive” proposal by the National Association of Broadcasters to raise or eliminate the similar cap on FM stations.

The company believes that within broadcast radio, AMs face a “growing and distressing competitive disadvantage” to FM stations, despite the role played by AMs in national security communications and the “outsized place of AM stations as trusted sources of local news and information.”

That has been iHeart’s position for some time. Now the company has reiterated its stance in a September filing with the FCC. The commission had invited comments to update its record in the still-open 2018 quadrennial review of media ownership rules.

This is an excerpt of the summary section of iHeart’s filing:

Emphasizing the continuing role of AM radio as an important source of news, iHeart provided graphics like this one, demonstrating a surge in AM listening in Dallas during a serious weather freeze.

Legal developments subsequent to the closing of the original comment period in this proceeding have strengthened significantly the bases for iHeart’s earlier advocacy.

The twisting course of the litigation challenging the commission’s 2010/2014 Quadrennial Reviews has left the regulatory landscape as it was when the commission received comments and reply comments. Importantly, however, there has not been a meaningful opportunity to ascertain the impact on the marketplace of either the substantial deregulation effectuated by the commission’s November 2017 Order on Reconsideration or its August 2018 Order establishing the Incubator Program.

[See Our Business and Law Page]

The Supreme Court decision reversing the Third Circuit reaffirmed the commission’s reasonable exercise of its authority in applying the broad public interest standard governing Quadrennial Reviews, implicitly rejecting the argument that competition should be the predominant criterion for determining whether to retain, modify or repeal broadcast regulations.

The antitrust actions against Facebook and Google filed by the FTC and the Department of Justice, joined by the vast majority of state attorneys general, also have significant implications for this proceeding.

In the complaints in these cases, the federal government and the states have been explicit in arguing that the relevant advertising markets for the Big Tech companies are separate and distinct from the television and radio broadcast advertising markets and that broadcast radio and television are not substitutable for the social media and search services and related advertising markets of Facebook and Google.

Thus, the federal and state governments have taken the same position utilizing the same analytical framework regarding the relevant market as iHeart has advanced in this proceeding.

Finally, on July 9, 2021, President Biden signed an “Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy,” reflecting the administration’s view that excessive market concentration is harmful to competition.

Of particular relevance to the instant proceeding, the Executive Order encouraged agency heads to pay particular attention to the influence of regulations on concentration in industries within their jurisdiction. Adoption of the NAB’s proposal would be inconsistent with the thrust of the Executive Order on Competition.

“Seismic events”

While these legal developments are directly relevant to this proceeding, the seismic events that have challenged our nation in the past two years also have a bearing on its outcome.

The COVID-19 pandemic, the pervasiveness of misinformation and disinformation on social media and hundreds of internet websites and its disruptive effect on our political processes, and a reawakening about the role race plays in our society following the murder of George Floyd, have underscored the critically important role broadcast radio plays in our country’s life.

Consistent with the examples highlighted in iHeart’s Comments, empirical listening data during the past two years continued to demonstrate that people tune to their local radio stations, especially AM stations, in times of heightened concern, both with respect to local, natural or human-caused disasters and at moments of acute national crisis. Broadcast radio has been an indispensable source of official and factual information about the COVID-19 pandemic, including how best to avoid infection, where to get tested, local and regional infection rates, hospital capacity and the importance, efficacy and availability of vaccines.

[Related: More Change for Radio Ownership Rules?]

Regarding the reexamination of the role of race in American society, iHeart launched the Black Information Network (BIN) in 2020, a 24/7 comprehensive, national, audio Black news service dedicated to providing a trusted source of continual news coverage with a Black voice and perspective. iHeart already has repurposed more than 30 local stations serving large Black populations, the majority of which are AM stations, to be additive to — but not directly compete with — existing Black-owned radio stations.

We continue to support the FCC’s Incubator Program, believing that it should be afforded a meaningful opportunity to succeed in enhancing ownership of broadcast properties by women and minorities, an outcome that would be at risk were FM ownership limits to be relaxed or eliminated.

In light of the increased centrality of broadcast radio to our national information and communications infrastructure, sustaining its economic viability, particularly the more financially vulnerable AM band, should be of paramount concern to the FCC.

Whether measured by numbers of stations on air, audience listening or advertising revenue, broadcast radio has suffered from the broader economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the other hand, there are promising signs that broadcast radio will rebound, including the broader economic recovery, portending increased advertising, and dramatically increased driving in recent months, likely translating into greater audience listening.

It is premature, however, to predict the extent and contours of that recovery, and it is too soon to have reliable, empirical, economic data upon which the commission could make predictive judgments.

“Targeted, moderate”

The net effect of these developments is that the positions taken by iHeart in its Comments and Reply Comments ring as true today — indeed, more so — as when we conveyed them to the commission more than two years ago. Accordingly, the commission should adopt a targeted, moderate approach to reforming the local radio ownership rules by eliminating only the limits on AM stations while retaining the current limits on FM stations.

Doing so will avoid the potentially catastrophic harm that could befall AM stations were the commission to adopt the NAB proposal to deregulate substantially the FM band. Moreover, by maintaining the current FM subcap limits, the commission will ensure that the financial incentives essential to the success of the Incubator Program remain in place. The commission should be guided by the overarching principle of doing no harm.

iHeart’s filing went on to develop these arguments in more detail. You can read a PDF of the full filing at https://tinyurl.com/rw-ihm-2.

Comment on this or any article. Write to radioworld@futurenet.com.

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The Nielsen company Gracenote, which supports content search and discovery capabilities on entertainment platforms, has joined RadioDNS.

As part of its membership duties, Gracenote will collaborate with manufacturers and broadcasters to develop open standards to support the future of hybrid radio and boost listener engagement in connected cars.

“We’re very pleased to be welcoming another key supplier in the automotive industry to our membership, and one that already handles a great deal of metadata and content,” said Nick Piggott, project director of RadioDNS, in the announcement. “The breadth and depth of our coalition of members means we can draw on relevant and practical experience to develop open standards that respond to real-work requirements.”

[See Our Business and Law Page]

According to the company, Gracenote powers infotainment experiences in 120 million cars, providing music metadata and imagery to help drivers and passengers connect with audio content safely. The Gracenote MusicID system identifies music in real time and serves up relevant song, artist and album information to the car’s on-screen display. The Gracenote Radio Station ID system works in a similar manner, enabling graphically rich displays, while Gracenote Audio On Demand delivers a standardized descriptive dataset for podcasts to improve search capabilities.

RadioDNS said that as a member, Gracenote will engage with broadcasters, manufacturers and technology providers to help define the organization’s technical standards and create standards for new hybrid radio functionalities.

According to Maryann Faricy, senior director of product, automotive, at Gracenote, the company has a sizable footprint in the automotive and consumer electronics sectors and will help RadioDNS better position the organization to influence the future of radio and in-car entertainment experiences.

Comment on this or any article. Email radioworld@futurenet.com.

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This week, we’re taking a look at NPR/Edison Research’s new report on spoken word audio.

“The Spoken Word Audio Report” shows steady growth in spoken word audio consumption since 2014.

How much has spoken word’s share of audio listening grown over the past 12 months? The short answer, a lot. For the third year, NPR and Edison Research have joined forces to produce “The Spoken Word Audio Report.” The results were presented at a Nov. 11 webinar led by Lamar Johnson, vice president of sponsorship marketing at NPR, and Megan Lazovick, vice president at Edison Research.

The survey defines spoken word audio as anything other than music, i.e., news, sports, talk/personalities and audiobooks. According to the research, of the 40 percent growth in spoken word listening over the past seven years cited by the survey, 8 percent took place in the past 12 months. That translates to 22 million more people listening to spoken word than eight years ago.

While music is still the overwhelming content of choice, the research suggests that spoken word is steadily chipping away at that lead. In 2014, music commanded 80 percent of listenership and spoken word got 20 percent. In 2021, those numbers shifted to 28 percent for spoken word and 72 percent for music.

[See More RW Articles About Changing Audiences]

No matter how you break it down, the report claims that the share of time spent listening from 2014 to 2021 has increased across the board. When tracked by gender, men showed an increase from 26 to 32 percent, up 23 percent. One of the big surprises of this report was the increase among women, from 14 to 24 percent, an impressive 71-percent jump.

Not surprisingly, the youngest demographic showed the highest increase. Those in the 13 to 34 bracket had a gain of 116 percent, according to the report. Those aged 35–54 saw a 36 percent jump from 22 to 30 percent, while the 55+ demographic went up from 26 to 28 percent, an 8 percent uptick.

According to the NPR/Edison report, multicultural listeners are a key driving force in the expansion of spoken word audio. Those identifying as white/other saw a 26 percent increase from 23 to 29 percent, while African-American listenership increased 12 to 22 percent, up 83 percent. The Hispanic/Latino population listening to spoken word went up from 15 to 27 percent, an 80 percent jump.

Comment on this or any article. Email radioworld@futurenet.com.

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Denny Todd is shown on Black Mountain near Las Vegas, wearing a Euclid Garment RF suit, in an undated photo from the archives of Richard Tell Associates.

Stephen Lockwood, P.E., PMP, is president of Hatfield & Dawson Consulting Engineers.

The FCC recently adopted Docket No. 19-226, “Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields and Reassessment of FCC Radiofrequency Exposure Limits and Policies.” These new rules became effective May 3, 2021.

This rulemaking has three main parts. The first issue was the resolution of the notice of inquiry from 2013 that asked whether radio frequency exposure limits should be changed. The second was a report and order with new rules for RF exposure. The third was a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for additional modification to the RF exposure rules.

The major takeaways:

• There have been no changes to the existing exposure limits. This process included input from more than 1,000 commenters and participation from other federal agencies including FDA and EPA). The conclusion: “After reviewing the extensive record submitted in response to that inquiry, we find no appropriate basis for and thus decline to propose amendments to our existing limits at this time.”
• New rules have been adopted. The critical part of these rules that affect broadcasters is how to assess RF exposure compliance and how to communicate about RF hazards. New and modified facilities must comply with these rules after May 3, 2021, and existing facilities will be given until May 3, 2023 to come into compliance.
• New rules are proposed to address changing technology that would extend the frequency range from 100 GHz to 3,000 GHz, localized exposure limits and assessment methods. These issues do not pertain to broadcasting.

Evaluation of RF Exposure
The FCC has adopted new methods to determine and demonstrate compliance to replace specific outdated and inconsistent rules.

There are three sections:

• Exemption: This is for devices that are “so clearly compliant,” as demonstrated by a simple calculation to show compliance with the exposure rules, that they do not require further evaluation (i.e., operation at very low power or large distance from humans). The former term for “exemption” was “categorically excluded.” Many devices that were “categorically excluded” will now be classed as “exempt.” The former rules were based on service, whereas the new rules are more calculations-based. Broadcast equipment exempted are likely wireless microphones, wireless video feeds, Wi-Fi, cellphones and other lower power devices used in broadcast production.
• Evaluation: This category is for devices or facilities that require some demonstration such as calculations, measurements or computational modeling to demonstrate compliance. For broadcasters, there are not many changes as most facilities required and will still require analysis of RF exposure. All broadcast transmitting facilities need to analyze the facility and need to include other nearby facilities, since compliance is for the site, not just on a per-station basis.
• Mitigation: Where evaluations show a possibility that the exposure limits are exceeded, mitigation is needed to control access to RF exposure. Mitigation is accomplished by signage, access control, training or other methods to assure that exposure limits are not exceeded. Clear specifications are now given for signage and communications. All facilities that have the potential of producing areas that exceed the exposure limits must have some method of restricting exposure. All areas that exceed the public exposure limits must have some access control to restrict public access to areas that exceed the limits.

Evaluation is performed using site-specific information such as power, frequency, antenna type, physical mounting locations and distance.

These are done by using standard electromagnetic modeling, calculations using the methods laid out in OET65, or use of the FCC’s FMModel program, as appropriate.

Mitigation
The FCC has adopted four exposure categories that indicate RF exposure circumstances.

These are equivalent to the practices from “IEEE C95.7-2014 – IEEE Recommended Practice for Radio Frequency Safety Programs, 3 kHz to 300 GHz” and “IEEE C95.2-2018 ‒ IEEE Standard for Radio-Frequency Energy and Current-Flow Symbols.”

Access control, signage and training requirements generally align with existing industry best practices.

Figures 1–3. Fig. 1 (left): An optional GREEN INFORMATION sign for use in Category 1 situations. Fig. 2 (center): A BLUE NOTICE sign and limited public access are required in Category 2 locations. Fig. 3 (right): A YELLOW CAUTION sign and limited access to both workers and the public applies in Category 3. Images courtesy Richard Tell Associates Inc.

The categories from lowest exposure to highest exposure are as follows:

• Category 1: Below the General Population Limit where there is no potential of exceeding the limits. No mitigation measures are required. Optional GREEN INFORMATION sign can be posted. This sign would contain specific language for each broadcast site. Shown is an example for AT&T sites. See Fig. 1. (The images shown are courtesy Richard Tell Associates, radhaz.com.)
• Category 2: Above the General Population Limit and below Occupational Limit. Must post a BLUE NOTICE sign and limit public access to this area. See Fig. 2.
• Category 3: Above the Occupational Limit but below 10x the Occupational Limit. Must post a YELLOW CAUTION sign and limit access to both workers and the public. See Fig. 3.
• Category 4:  Above 10x the Occupational limit. The ORANGE sign shown in Fig. 4 is required, and limit all access. Also must post a RED WARNING sign as discussed below.

Figures 4–5. Fig. 4 (left): In Category 4 situations, this sign as well as the red warning sign are required, with all access limited. Fig. 5 (right): A RED DANGER sign must be posted where immediate and serious injury potential exists, regardless of category. Images courtesy Richard Tell Associates Inc.

A RED DANGER sign must be posted where immediate and serious injury potential exists, regardless of category. An example of this would be AM tower bases, where shock and burn hazards are present. See Figure 5.

Additional Mitigation Measures

• Category 2 (NOTICE): Signs, positive access controls such as locked doors, ladder cages, fences, on-site building security — appropriate training with supervision of transient persons.
• Category 3 (CAUTION): Signs, engineering controls, indicators such as chains, railings, paint, maps. Appropriate training, use of time-averaging, or personal protective equipment.
• Category 4 (WARNING): Signs, restricted access, power reduction, ceasing operation with lockout/tagout on controls.

The following information must be communicated:

• All these signs must include the RF energy advisory symbol. See Fig. 6.
• A description of the RF source (e.g., types of facility and transmitting antennas)
• Behavior necessary to avoid overexposure (e.g., access limits)
• Up-to-date contact information (e.g., monitored phone number or email address connected to someone with authority and capability to provide a prompt response).

From the FCC
As part of this process, the FCC Office of Engineering Technology is revising OET Bulletin No. 65, “Evaluating Compliance with FCC Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radio frequency Electromagnetic Fields.”

Fig. 6: The RF energy advisory symbol.

This document provides the necessary methods to calculate RF exposure. The FCC provides the tool of FMModel to evaluate RF exposure from FM antennas quickly. All new and modified facilities must comply with the new rules. All other licensees must come into compliance by May 3, 2023. A review of the evaluation process and mitigation methods must be done for existing facilities to confirm compliance.

Some Observations
We believe that the vast majority of broadcast sites comply with the FCC rules.

In most of the nation, on-tower work is the situation where RF exposure limits may be exceeded. The best practice is to cease operations when on-tower maintenance is being performed near the antennas.

The more dangerous issue for tower worker safety is the gravity field, and removing the RF field (which, unlike the gravity field, has an off switch!) is the better approach.

For multiuser sites, maintenance requires coordination between licenses and the tower crews.

Docket No. 19-226 specifically warns against over-signage. We note that many sites have conflicting signs, and many licensees have posted all available RF signs.

RF signs and other hazard signs such as HIGH VOLTAGE have been used in place of NO TRESPASSING signs, warning of hazards that do not exist. This is inappropriate as warning should only be given for real hazards — something about a boy crying wolf.

To comply with a misunderstanding of the RF exposure conditions and rules, some licensees have ordered all of the signs in the catalog and posted them all in hopes that one will be correct. We have noted that many sites have all of the signs posted. Some analysis is required for determining the correct signage for each site.

Fig. 7: Graphical representation of exposure categories and associated signage requirements.

Site evaluation now mainly occurs during the licensing process or license renewal.

The first step in this process is to review what was represented to the FCC and ensure that it conforms with reality. Has the antenna been changed? Have new facilities been added to the tower? On an adjacent tower?

The most troublesome RF exposure sites are mountaintop sites that use short towers. Many of these sites present RF exposure environments that are above the FCC limits. Licensee must perform analysis to assure these areas are appropriately signed and managed.

Many sites have outdated signs or signs that are inappropriate. All signage at RF sites must be reviewed and revised to comply with these new rules. For many sites, the signs have been posted for 20 or more years and have faded.

Some examples of outdated and inappropriate signs are shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

Figures 8–9. Fig. 8 (left): An inappropriate message and ionizing radiation symbol. Fig. 9 (right): An obsolete OSHA RF sign.

While these newly-enacted RFR rules don’t change the exposure limits for the frequencies in which broadcasters operate, they still affect broadcasters.

Going forward, we will have to perform new evaluations and update our signage. For existing facilities, the time to prepare for this is now, long before the 2023 deadline.

 

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Europe is showing strong support for DAB/DAB+ listening, but there are some clouds on the digital radio horizon.

That’s one takeaway from a session of the WorldDAB Summit 2021, held online last week. (Recordings of the sessions are on the WorldDAB YouTube page.)

During the session “Why French Broadcasters Are Deploying DAB+” Hervé Godechot painted a positive picture of DAB listenership growth in his country. “Today, 40 percent of French people can listen to digital audio broadcasting,” Godechot said.

“We expected to reach this level in 2023, but we went faster! In the next 12 months, we will provide DAB for 26 new areas. Next year, half of French listeners will have 465 digital radio [stations] available at home.” Godechot is a board member with French broadcast media regulator Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel.

[More from Radio World on Digital Radio]

The same upbeat view of DAB’s impact was shared by Erwin Linnenbach, managing director of German program producer TEUTOCAST, in his presentation “Disruption in the German Audio Market.”

“DAB+ is finally the chance for the normalization of the German radio market,” Linnenbach said. This is because DAB+ made it possible to launch national private audio services based on listener-favorite formats, such as sports. In addition, the 400 local/regional private radio stations in this country are controlled by about 2,000 owners, Linnenbach said. With the arrival of national private DAB channels, ownership consolidation is practical.

Hosting the “Switzerland’s FM Switchoff in 2024” presentation, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Communications Project Manager of Digitisation and Convergence René Wehrlin outlined why Swiss broadcasters are so keen to terminate FM within the next three years.

“FM prevents greater media diversity,” Wehrlin said, because Switzerland’s FM band is full and thus not open to new players. At the same time, it is expensive and pointless for broadcasters to run both DAB and FM networks,in his view, “because DAB networks cover the country practically 100%. However, as long as FM is in operation and part of the audience is not equipped with DAB radios, no FM broadcaster will voluntarily give it up.”

From WorldDAB President Patrick Hannon’s presentation on the current state of DAB technology.

However, a presentation about the recent UK Digital Radio and Audio Review poured some cooler water on the conversation.

For instance, although “DAB will be the primary platform for radio well into the next decade,” said Ian O’Neill, head radio/head of television for the U.K. government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport, setting a firm date for shutting off FM could end up sabotaging digital radio.

The reason: Fixing a firm FM closing date “could lead to a reduction in radio listening if FM listeners who were prompted by the change decided to move away from radio,” O’Neill said.

Coincident to this, “the decline of all radio devices in the U.K. has continued now for some time,” said Lindsey Mack, BBC senior manager of DAB & BBC Sounds external affairs.

“The most recent figures we have [show] that DAB in particular has declined by about 17.5 percent in the last 12 months. Now there’s multiple factors leading to that decline. One is obviously the growing use of smartphone and online music services, the launch of smart speakers, [as well as] the lack of innovation and features and product design, because most of the DAB radios have actually remained virtually unchanged,” Mack said.

“Research has shown that consumers, whilst they liked DAB, they find DAB radio is far too one dimensional,” said Mack. “DAB has also become a very much a replacement purchase. So there’s limited scope for market growth.”

He also noted that retailers are concerned the range of models available in stores have declined, leading to even fewer choices for consumers. Despite this, Mack said, “DAB listening remains very healthy.”

Radio World will have reports on the WorldDAB Summit 2021’s Sessions 2 and 3 in the days to come.

The post Strong Euro Support for DAB, but Clouds on Horizon appeared first on Radio World.

Audio-Technica has introduced its new BP28 14-inch and BP28L 22.4-inch line + gradient large diaphragm condenser microphones, intended for use in broadcast, film, television, outdoor recording and theater applications.

Combining a large-diaphragm condenser element with a 28 mm diameter shotgun design aiming for low-noise performance, the mics sport tight polar patterns and a patented acoustic port design that aids directionality.

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

Both mics offer a highly directional pickup pattern, but the BP28L’s pattern is said to be exceptionally narrow. They provide low noise levels (BP28: 8 dB; BP28L: 3 dB), high sensitivity (BP28: –28 dBV; BP28L: –23 dBV), wide dynamic range (135 dB), and high-SPL capability (BP28: 143 dB; BP28L: 138 dB). Additionally, they are equipped with a switchable 80 Hz high-pass filter and 10 dB pad. Each microphone is housed in lightweight, structural-grade aluminum alloy.

Send your new equipment news to radioworld@futurenet.com.

Info: www.audio-technica.com

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Broadcast business software developer Marketron has released the Integration Suite.

The company says the suite “leverages open APIs, connectors, and custom integrations to give Marketron customers the ability to consolidate disparate data sources — including linear, O&O, and third-party digital advertising systems — into a single ecosystem.” Accordingly that should help, “users to reduce bottlenecks, realize greater visibility, and drive increased revenue.”

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The suite consists of three modules, open APIs, connectors and custom integrations.

The open APIs provide for industry standard interfacing between systems. The connectors are step further with some customization providing access to common customizations of business software systems.

The final leg is the customization option wherein Marketron will work with a client on specific requirements, especially concerning nonstandard customized business systems which prevent compatibility with off-the-shelf systems.

Marketron Senior Vice President of Product Development Jimshade Chaudhari said, “The Marketron Integration Suite enables our customers to save time by automating daily tasks, bringing digital and linear orders into one system and accessing better reports all while building a best-in-breed technology stack.”

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Info: www.marketron.com

 

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