Radio+Television Business Report

NEW YORK — With vendors saying no to Amsterdam in two weeks, others are saying yes to the Big Apple, as TE1 and TE2 DSP engines and remote production products from Solid State Logic (SSL) will be among the wares on display at the Sports Video Group (SVG) Summit.

The event is scheduled for December 12-13 and will be held at the New York Hilton. And, SSL’s presence there coincides with its decision to rejoin the Sports Video Group, an industry organization supporting the sports broadcast community since 2006.

Nigel Beaumont, Managing Director of Solid State Logic, commented, “SSL thought it was the right time to return to SVG, both in terms of our new product and technology offerings and in light of the very encouraging state of the sports broadcast industry at large. We look forward to seeing everyone in New York.”

Unlike other locales, the City of New York strictly enforces COVID-19 vaccination in nearly all large indoor areas, from Midtown Manhattan pubs to the Harvard Club, site of last week’s highly successful Forecast conference staged by Radio + Television Business Report and Radio Ink.

During the SVG Summit, SSL will be showcasing its AoIP based broadcast production solutions, including new System T V3.1 software, which introduces pay-as-you-go DSP licensing via new TE1 and TE2 Tempest Engines.

This, SSL says, allows broadcasters to flexibly scale processing capabilities according to broadcast production requirements. In addition to the new Tempest Engines, attendees will get the opportunity to learn how System T users “are taking advantage of ahead-of-the-curve decentralized production capabilities, large-scale remote production solutions and multi-operator workflows, all the way to easily managing ‘at home’ requirements.”

To find out more or book a consultation at SVG Summit, please visit the SSL Events Page. To learn more about SSL’s broadcast solutions, including its new DSP Tempest Engines, please visit the company’s broadcast audio page.

VIDAA and Intertrust ExpressPlay have confirmed the availability of VIDAA SMART OS-powered Hisense smart TVs preloaded with Intertrust’s ExpressPlay XCATM content security for broadcast TV protection.

This, the companies says, brings secure direct-to-TV broadcasting using a cloud-based content protection product that meets the requirements of premium content owners without requiring additional consumer devices such as set-top boxes (STB) or conditional access modules (CAM).

Based on the open-standard Marlin DRM technology, ExpressPlay XCA is a cloud-based broadcast security product that pre-integrates the XCA client into Hisense smart TVs that support the security requirements for all types of broadcast TV delivery.

Importantly, it meets the Enhanced Content Protection requirements from MovieLabs including Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) and Secure Video Path (SVP).

And, the companies say, it enables satellite, cable, and IPTV operators to adopt a converged security strategy to deliver premium/UHD content directly to smart TVs without the need for additional consumer premise equipment.

VIDAA SMART OS is a Linux-based operating system that provides consumers with a full suite of smart TV features as well as linear and streaming content options with more than 200 fully integrated apps.

By transitioning content protection functionality from external devices to smart TVs, ExpressPlay XCA plugs the HDMI security vulnerability exploited by so-called HDMI strippers. These devices, which illegally circumvent the content protection between a receiver and TV set, are now useless since the content remains encrypted until it reaches the SoC built into the smart TV where it is safely decrypted in a controlled environment. This protects revenue for both rights holders and video service providers.

ExpressPlay XCA is a key component of the ExpressPlay Media Security Suite, which also includes a cloud-based and studio-trusted multi-DRM service, comprehensive anti-piracy services, and an offline multi-DRM platform.

Deployed in both IP and SDI broadcast workflows, Imagine Communications’ Selenio Network Processor (SNP) has added new software features that the company believes “enhance customers’ existing investments, driving further efficiencies in production, playout and distribution architectures.”

Imagine’s SNP video and audio processor platform boasts a software-based architecture, allowing it to deliver “all the functionality of a traditional modular processor chassis, but in an infinitely flexible, instantly reconfigurable form,” the company notes.

The latest major software releases add several important new software capabilities, Imagine adds. This includes JPEG XS encoding and decoding; an automated changeover switch (ACO); an advanced keyer (DSK); and additional audio management capabilities.

“These new personalities can be enabled on any SNP in the field, and all take advantage of the core processing of the SNP, including the ability to easily combine HD and UHD, SDR and HDR, and SDI and IP connectivity,” the company notes.

JPEG XS is a transformational codec, offering typical compression ratios between 5:1 and 20:1. It can also be used as an on-ramp and off-ramp to cloud-based production. The JPEG XS codec will be available as an SNP software personality at resolutions up to UHD/4K (and HDR). The user can tailor the bits-per-pixel (coding rate) for the specifics of the application; Imagine is also working with leading cloud providers to create ground-to-cloud connections.

Available in the latest SNP release is an automatic changeover switch (ACO), which uses content-aware metrics to determine the health of each feed.

A downstream keyer (DSK) is also being added to SNP’s capabilities. This offers four layers of keying and supports UHD/4K and HDR, using external and internal keys. The feature supports graphics sequencing and animations, and it uses SNP core functionality to allow mixed IP and SDI inputs and outputs.

The latest SNP release adds support for up to 16 audio channels within each audio stream (across all personalities). Imagine has also upgraded the SNP’s audio shuffling and remapping capabilities to allow more complex audio channel mapping amongst the MADI, embedded, and IP inputs and outputs.

In addition, the latest release brings significant enhancements to the SNP-MV production multiviewer personality, including caption/subtitle rendering and a large set of new on-screen indicators and alarms.

The first of these new SNP personalities and features are now available for ordering, and upcoming features will roll out in phases over the upcoming months.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Leadership changes have been announced for two key working groups of the National Radio Systems Committee (NRSC), a technical standards-setting body co-sponsored by National Association of Broadcasters and the Consumer Technology Association (CTA).

Alan Jurison, Senior Operations Engineer for Engineering and Systems Integration at iHeartMedia, will chair the NRSC’s IBOC Standards Development Working Group (ISDWG).

ISDWG is a sub-group of the Digital Radio Broadcasting (DRB) Subcommittee, which is co-chaired by E. Glynn Walden, consultant to Audacy, and Jackson Wang, President of e-Radio Inc.

Jurison is vacating his current position as chair of the NRSC’s Metadata Usage Working Group (MUWG) where he has served since 2012. Current activities of the ISDWG include development of an NRSC Guideline for all-digital AM radio stations and updating the NRSC-5 digital radio standard – the technical standards expression of Xperi’s HD Radio digital radio system – a task undertaken by the group every five years.

“Having Alan as the new ISDWG chair is a great development,” Walden said. “Alan has been a major contributor to NRSC technical documents and done an outstanding job at the helm of the MUWG. With the NRSC-5 review upcoming, Alan and his group have their work cut out for them.”

David Bialik, a systems engineering consultant, will be the new chair of the MUWG, a sub-group of the Data Services and Metadata (DSM) Subcommittee which is chaired by New York Public Radio Chief Technology Officer Steve Shultis. David’s initial project as group chair is to lead the development of NRSC-G304, Metadata for Streaming Audio Guideline.

“David’s expertise in the area of streaming for broadcast audio will be put to good use as the new chair of the MUWG,” commented DSM Subcommittee chair Shultis. “Radio broadcasters rely increasingly upon their audio streams and the NRSC is eager to help develop better standards in this area.”

On October 28, RBR+TVBR first reported that the company founded and led by Jeff Smulyan had earmarked as much as $5.2 million to invest in a long-awaited stock repurchase initiative — one intended to take up to two million Class A Emmis Communications shares out of public hands.

The stock buyback effort fell short of that goal, the company revealed on Monday.

Emmis’ cash tender offer expired at 5pm Eastern on Friday (11/19). And, based on the final count by tender offer depositary Broadridge Inc., a total of 1,027,494 shares of Emmis’ Class A common stock were properly tendered and not withdrawn.

What does this mean? With Class A common stock set by Emmis at a purchase price of $2.60 per share, it will move ahead with the purchase all of the shares tendered for an aggregate price of approximately $2.7 million — excluding fees and expenses relating to the tender offer.

he shares to be purchased represent approximately 8.5% of the issued and outstanding shares of Emmis’ Class A common stock and 7.5% of Emmis’ total issued and outstanding equity, which includes the issued and outstanding shares of Emmis’ Class B common stock.

The shares purchased in the tender offer will be cancelled by Emmis. And, after giving effect to the purchase and cancellation of the shares, Emmis will have 12,601,659 shares of common stock issued and outstanding consisting of 11,105,959 shares of its Class A common stock and 1,495,700 shares of its Class B common stock.

However, Emmis intended to cancel a higher number of shares in the tender offer.

It was the third transaction to involve a “unique” group of low-power TV construction permits, given their construction deadline. And, the deal was first announced in late August.

Now, Ravi Kapur has completed his acquisition of two digital mini-TV facilities from Mako Communications.

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On November 16, some of the radio industry’s biggest leaders gathered in New York to attend Forecast 2022. Little did they know that they were in perhaps the most underrated hub for AM and FM audio consumption in the United States. From Uber to Lyft, from retailer to sundry shop, traditional radio was alive and well. This leads our Editor-in-Chief to exclaim, “Can someone please alert Madison Avenue that New York loves Radio?!” Check out the newly updated Forecast 2022 Photo Gallery by clicking here now!

 

 

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NEW YORK —  Never More Than 2 Minutes of Commercials at a Time.

That was the pledge presented to listeners of the Alternative music station serving the nation’s largest market, implemented in August 2019 — well before COVID-19 and the pandemic led to advertiser cutbacks. And, it was a sign that Audacy Inc., was prepared to address the No. 1 listener complaint at its “ALT”-branded stations: the length of its commercial breaks.

Now, nearly 28 months after the “2 Minute Promise” even got its own hashtag, Audacy has abandoned it. The reason? Rising advertiser demand.

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With Black Friday fast approaching, the holiday vibe is in full effect. For one retailer, that means dominating its ad category on both broadcast and cable television, the latest Media Monitors Spot Ten reports show.

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By Steve Newberry
Special to Streamline Publishing

Forecast 2022 was a great event. Seeing friends in person, gathering to hear industry influencers, and sharing ideas with colleagues felt wonderful! It was a slice of normalcy to the broadcast community that we’ve all missed since March of 2020.

While the social aspect of Forecast 2022 felt familiar, the business challenges facing radio and television broadcasters are far from normal. Digital revenue, D.C. policy battles with giant tech companies, the need for diversity and countless other topics are all impacting how we chart our future. In our previous “normal world”, these were seen as daunting obstacles for broadcasting’s future.

For far too long, our industry looked toward the inevitable changes to the media landscape as a looming threat. I’m criticizing myself as much as anyone. I loved how radio worked. I loved the margins. I felt like I had it figured out, and I really didn’t want to have to deal with a long list of new issues like podcasting, streaming, apps, digital sales, competition from the tech companies and…well, the list seemed to go on and on.

However, Forecast 2022 felt like a pivotal point in how broadcasting is approaching the future. Instead of frustration, objection to or denial of the challenges ahead, I heard optimism, strategic thought, and the embracing of new opportunities.

It seems, at long last, broadcasting is embracing the “new normal.”

There was excitement and energy around merging new business and distribution opportunities with our long-established and trusted brands. A realization broadcasters can do more than ever before. A fresh approach to taking traditional over-the-air signals, enhancing our familiar and trusted broadcast products with new delivery paths, and creating rich content. An approach that both deepens the relationships with our listeners/viewers while also creating exciting new revenue opportunities.

Panel after panel presented this new perspective throughout the day. Discussions about business growth, station valuations, diversity and revenue trends ALL had the same general theme. Radio and television broadcasting are strong industries with tremendous legacies of service. However, by embracing a different way of running our businesses, creating compelling content, and serving our communities, the future path is filled with opportunity for enormous reward.

It was great to be in-person at Forecast 2022 with so many colleagues. It felt terrific. But in reflection, what felt best about this year’s event was the sense of how those in the room have pivoted from defending threats to embracing opportunities. Broadcasting’s world is not back to “normal.” Instead, it appears broadcasters are now embracing a “new normal” with enthusiasm and a sense of opportunity.

I’m looking forward to Forecast 2023 and I’m really looking forward to broadcasting’s exciting new future. It will have its challenges, but the opportunities are endless!

Steve Newberry is CEO of Quu Inc. He was previously Executive Vice-President, Industry Affairs and Strategic Planning for the National Association of Broadcasters. He can be reached at snewberry@radioky.com

It’s a Class C 1kw AM radio station with an FM translator serving as the ESPN Radio affiliate for East Texas’ key Nielsen Audio-rated market.

Now, the facilities are being sold to a new owner, pending FCC approval of the deal.

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NEW YORK — Measurement of national television “in a more precise manner” is the promise Nielsen seeks to deliver by enhancing its Nielsen Individual Commercial Metrics.

This, the nation’s dominant audience measurement and consumer analytics company believes, will help transition audience estimates to a methodology based on individual ads — and not commercial minutes.

What does this mean for broadcast media AEs and sales pros?

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There are two huge users of Spot Radio that stand out, once again, in the latest Media Monitors Spot Ten Radio report.

For the week ending November 21, The Home Depot is the big No. 1 by play count, while job search portal Indeed is a strong No. 2.

Meanwhile, a new effort from cleaning tool Swiffer puts the product in the Spot Ten, as does a new effort from Wendy’s.

 

A TV channel solely devoted to environmental content has hired a new leadership team composed of industry veterans from Discovery, RIDE TV, Animal Planet and TLC.

The stated mission: to turn EarthxTV into “a globally recognized entertainment network catering to audiences increasingly attuned to issues affecting our planet.”

“We have an ambitious plan to expand development and distribution of EarthxTV into a powerful global entertainment and educational network, and I’m thrilled to welcome a truly talented leadership team to help us achieve our goals,” says Michael Fletcher, Co-CEO of EarthX.

Since its launch, EarthxTV now delivers hundreds of hours of programming with plans to aggressively increase its library of acquired and original series, films, and documentaries in 2022. The network is currently available at Earthx.tv, on iOS, and Android phones and tablets and through a growing list of OTT partners, including Roku, Apple TV, Firestick, and Google Play.

EarthX expects to announce traditional and digital 24×7 linear distribution deals soon. Helping its growth are the following new employees:

• Dan Russell is EVP of Content and Strategy for EarthX, “driving the acceleration of programming development and acquisitions for EarthxTV.” Russell’s experience in building multi-platform audiences and identifying new hit formats and personalities will enable EarthxTV to develop a slate of programming that resonates with current viewers and reaches new audiences around the globe. Russell has been a key part of multiple management teams responsible for launching and reformatting television channels in the US and internationally, including TLC, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, Discovery Health Channel, Velocity/MotorTrend, Discovery International, Poker Central TV (OTT/TVE), and now CuriosityStream (Linear/OTT/VOD). Before EarthX, he was VP of Channel Management at Curiosity Systems, launching the linear channel and digital/VOD offerings globally. He also served as SVP of Content Development at New Dominion Pictures.

• Rose Stark is SVP/Marketing for EarthX, overseeing marketing, social media, and communications for EarthX Expo, EarthxTV, and its annual EarthX Film Festival.  Stark has built and rebranded significant media enterprises, including Planet Green, Discovery Health, and TLC. Before EarthX, Stark spent more than 15 years at Discovery working on its global brands.

• James Levitt is EVP/Global Advertising Sales for EarthX, leading the company’s global sales strategy to expand opportunities for EarthxTV. Founder of Orama Advisors, he brings 30-plus years of experience across linear, streaming, CTV, OTT, and mobile platforms. Before EarthxTV, Levitt led global advertising sales for Ride TV. He also served as Senior Vice President of Advertising Sales at Discovery Inc.

• Mike Clark joins as EVP/Global Distribution, charged with expanding the availability of EarthxTV across digital and linear platforms globally. Before EarthX, Clark was at Ride TV, where he served on the board of directors and worked in numerous leadership roles, including VP operations, SVP Corporate Development, and EVP International Operations.

• Bryan W. Redd serves as Interim Chief Financial Officer for EarthX. Before EarthX, Redd was at Ride TV for over five years in various leadership roles including Vice President of Strategy.

• Tim Pirrello is SVP/Production for EarthxTV, leading the network’s creative, production, and post-production departments. A seasoned production professional, Pirrello served in a multitude of roles at AMS Pictures for more than 21 years, delivering hundreds of hours of television programming for networks including Discovery, HGTV, A+E, History, Food, Cooking, Lifetime, Bio, Showtime, WGN, TruTV and Reelz.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — With the late Friday release of a Public Notice, the Office of Economics and Analytics (OEA) and the Media Bureau seek comment on the procedures to be used for Auction 112, an auction of construction permits for full-power television stations.

The FCC expects the bidding for Auction 112 to begin in June 2022.

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MESA, ARIZ. — Scott Sutherland was recently promoted to the corporate team as EVP of Regional Media Operations for Bonneville International Corp.

Now, his successor as SVP/Market Manager of the company’s Phoenix stations has been named.

Earning the role is Ryan Hatch, who has been the stations’ Vice President of Programming since 2011. He has been with Bonneville since November 2006, where he launched “Sports 620” on KTAR-AM, with the Talk station’s transition to 92.3 MHz, replacing KKFR-FM.

Hatch was previously Operations Manager of Bonneville’s Seattle stations.

“I’m humbled, honored and thrilled for the opportunity to lead the most talented team in local media in a city that my family loves and calls home,” Hatch said. “I look forward to continuing to serve our dynamic and growing community, our advertisers, team broadcast partners and the audiences of KTAR News, Arizona Sports and ESPN Phoenix.”

Sutherland now oversees Bonneville’s Denver, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Francisco and Seattle markets.

The Women’s Media Center has released its 2021 report on the status of women in U.S. media — a compilation of research that shows the persistent challenges and intermittent progress for women in American media.

WMC’s “The Status of Women in the U.S. Media 2021” report draws data from 110 studies that together show the standing of women across all media, including legacy and digital news platforms, film, television, radio, technology, literature, and more.

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NEW YORK — After coming off a strong September, October 2021 all-media investment volume reached a new year-to-date high, leading into the holiday push. That’s according to Standard Media Index‘s U.S. ad tracker.

How does radio, in particular, rate compared to other media?

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MIAMI — With captioning and metadata company Digital Nirvana confirming on Friday that it is attending IBC2021, even as companies including Viaccess-Orca have withdrawn from the affair, the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) has made it clear that it is moving full steam ahead with its NATPE Miami 2022 event — a major draw for television industry leaders and media brokers.

NATPE, the business association for content producers, distributors, streamers and buyers across all platforms, on Friday revealed its first programming details for its upcoming event, scheduled for January 18-20, 2022 at the sprawling Fontainebleau Resort in Miami Beach.

The main stage program’s first programming details include conversations and fireside chats with Bob Greenblatt, the former Chairman of WarnerMedia Entertainment, Chairman of NBCUniversal Television Group, and founder of the production studio The Green Room.

Also in attendance, of course, is a figure who has roamed the halls of the Fontainebleau for years while rapidly growing his assets in broadcast TV: Byron Allen.

Among the other confirmed attendees set to appear in NATPE Miami sessons are Banijay Chairman of the Americas and Endemol Shine Holdings President/CEO Cris Abrego;
ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group President Dan Cohen; NBCUniversal President of Ad Sales and Partnerships Laura Molen; and veteran media analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich (née Cohen), traditionally the first person to participate in the iHeartMedia quarterly earnings call Q&A period.

To say that NATPE sees “momentum” building for its flagship event is an understatement. It made a point in its communication to the press on Friday that A+E, “Nick Cannon” TV show distributor Debmar-Mercury, Disney-ABC, Globo, MGM, Univision, ViacomCBS and WarnerMedia are among the companies confirmed to attend the first major content event of the new year.

Global streaming platforms such as Pluto, Tubi, and Redbox to participate as well.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new showcase will explore what the NAB is calling “the transformative impact of data, artificial intelligence and automation on the media and entertainment industry” at its long-awaited 2022 NAB Show.

It’s on track for April 23-27, with the Radio Show now permanently locating with the Las Vegas affair.

The “Intelligent Content” showcase, as the NAB is calling it, will direct attendees through data utilization in the content lifecycle, “providing opportunities for inspiration, innovation and implementation.”

Chris Brown, the NAB’s EVP/Managing Director for Global Connections and Events, comments, “Media is becoming more data-driven, and this focused destination marks our commitment to expanding the industry’s use of data and creating opportunities for the media industry to lead the future of content.”

The Intelligent Content showcase will feature networking events, future-focused exhibits and educational programming that will introduce new trends in production automation, content customization and immersive experiences.

AWS, MediaKind and Microsoft will anchor the showcase, located in the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The showcase will highlight new engagement opportunities presented by always-on platforms and emerging networks, and the role data will play as the industry opens new monetization models.

Intelligent Content is the fourth content pillar created for NAB Show, joining the previously announced “Create,” “Connect” and “Capitalize.” The four pillars, associated with the content lifecycle, “offer renewed opportunities for learning, discovery and engagement,” the NAB asserts.