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Issued an Admonishment to Central Ohio Association of Christian Broadcasters for public file violations for Station WOCB-CD, Marion, OH

The Media Bureau enters into a Consent Decree with Southern Broadcasting Corporation

The Federal Communications Commission has a critical role to play when it comes to addressing the nation’s challenges of climate change, cybersecurity and energy resource management, said FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks.

During a disaster, lives may depend on the nation’s public communications sector and those networks rely on power, Starks said during a speech at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 2021 Virtual Annual Legislative Conference on Sept. 14.

Given the importance of these issues, the FCC must update its rules when it comes to preplanned coordination with energy companies, which includes potentially requiring them to provide some sort of access to backup power during an emergency, he said.

Starks also pointed out the importance of working aggressively to counter cybersecurity threats. He noted President Joe Biden’s recent National Security Memorandum, which calls for a broad government and industry cybersecurity initiative across multiple infrastructure sectors. For the FCC’s part, it is in the process of engaging with federal partners to identify network vulnerabilities.

For example, the commission has started proceedings to block certain foreign telecom companies from being responsible for carrying communications within the U.S. And Starks said the commission has begun the process of finding and replacing nearly $2 billion worth of equipment from what he called “untrustworthy vendors” in the wireless telecom market.

Taking the obvious next step — revoking the authority to import or sell equipment from those same vendors — could impact devices like sensors, webcams and routers used by business, including energy companies. “The energy sector needs to know that our telecom networks are secure and resilient,” Starks said in his speech.

Starks pointed to smart meters as an example of how the energy sector is already using advanced telecom networks. Smart meters not only allow energy companies to monitor the sturdiness of a communications grid but these devices give energy companies the opportunity to easily inform consumers about their energy usage and warn about potentially high energy bills before they are incurred.

[Read: Rosenworcel Names Members to Revamped Advisory Group]

Starks’ colleague, Acting Chairwoman of the FCC Jessica Rosenworcel, has already taken steps to address security in communications across the U.S. Rosenworcel recently named members to a key advisory panel to a federal advisory committee that provides recommendations to the FCC to improve security and reliability of communications systems in the U.S.

Rosenworcel called the Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council “one of the nation’s most impactful cybersecurity partnerships.” The revamped council will include government departments, public broadcast stations, private companies, telecoms, industry organizations and private organizations.

“I see deep parallels between the energy sector and telecommunications sector — both face some serious challenges, but the future also holds tremendous promise,” Starks said in ending his speech. “Let’s keep pushing to fulfill that promise.”

 

The post FCC’s Starks: Climate, Energy and Safety Are Key Priorities appeared first on Radio World.

As Zacks Equity Research sees it, “One company to watch right now is Entravision Communications.”

The company’s shares have been on the rise across 2021. Still, Zacks wonders if EVC is undervalued.

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As the first half of 2021 ended, Cumulus Media could count itself among a select group of publicly traded broadcasters that were enjoying strong interest in investors on Wall Street. Shares reached $14.75 after bottoming out at $9 on May 4.

With hours remaining in trading on September 17, Cumulus shares are moving closer to that six-month low point, punctuating a 90-day decline for the company’s stock.

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It has been tied to the company’s Flint, Mich., radio stations yet has a signal that’s based in Lapeer and covers such Michigan towns as Sandusky and Almont, to the east of Port Huron and Midwestern Ontario.

Now, Townsquare Media has decided to part ways with this outlier. The buyer? A religious noncommercial broadcast operation.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The recently launched nonprofit industry organization representing Low Power, Translator and Class A TV Stations is giving its seal of approval to the “Local Journalist Sustainability Act.”

Says association executive director Michael Lee, “This legislation is surely a sensible investment in the all-important issue of local media trust and transparency.”

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Riverfront Broadcasting, led by Carolyn Becker, has attracted national attention for its operations in the Heartland of America.

With operations in such markets as Yankton, S.D., Riverfront is now scaling back in a small way. It is saying goodbye to an AM, FM and FM translator serving a small city in Iowa.

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Kagan, the media research group within the TMT offering of S&P Global Market Intelligence, has just released its review of all of the broadcast media transactions seen between January 1 and June 30, 2021.

For RBR+TVBR readers, the results aren’t much of a surprise. Yet, Kagan’s Volker Moerbitz’s assessment is still a striking one: the first half of 2021 registered a total deal volume that was less than the average monthly deal volume in any of the years between 2011 and 2019.

Thank the Lord for the brokers involved.

COMING OCTOBER 4: HAS COVID-19 FOREVER IMPACTED MEDIA DEAL VALUES?

 

The Fall 2021 RBR+TVBR Special Report, available to all subscribers of the RBR+TVBR Afternoon Headlines E-mail, features an in-depth report on the state of the transactions marketplace. Adam R Jacobson chats exclusively with some of the nation’s leading brokers, and gets their assessment of the deal-making landscape as 2022 nears. IT’S ONLY IN THE DIGITAL AND PRINT EDITIONS OF THE FALL 2021 RBR+TVBR!

Subscribe now to ensure you get your copy on October 4.

 

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Less than 48 hours after a New York Federal District Court Judge declined to honor its request for summary judgment in a case focused on copyright infringement brought against the operation by the nation’s “Big Four” broadcast TV networks, Locast on September 2 suspended its operations.

Now, that suspension has become a permanent cessation of business activities, thanks to a ruling Wednesday from the 93-year-old judge overseeing the case.

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Nearly one year ago, the radio industry, along with the NAB, started their salute to Radio’s 100 years of service in the United States. While radio stations exited in the 1910s, it was the might of Westinghouse and its KDKA in Pittsburgh that brought Radio into the 1920s as a force to be reckoned with.

One of those early radio stations that predates KDKA didn’t get its commercial license until its relocation to Boston in 1931. Before then, it was located in Springfield, Mass.

That could explain why the current owner of that Bay State giant, WBZ-AM 1030, is sparking a 100-day centennial celebration for the station on Sunday.

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A provider of AI-driven audience engagement and sales intelligence solutions for media has unveiled a selection of principal conclusions from a just-released study conducted in partnership with SmithGeiger.

The biggest finding? There are “tectonic shifts” in how Americans perceive, consume and pay for media content. There are also big changes in how media executives see the sector progressing into the 2020s, putting clouds over their confidence in their ability to address emerging challenges.

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From the People News page: Kristen Delaney will retire from iHeartMedia Albany at the end of the year.

She is area president for iHeartMedia Albany, a position she has held for more than 10 years, overseeing 15 stations in Albany, Poughkeepsie and Sussex, N.J.

According to a company summary of her career, she began in broadcasting in 1989 as an account executive in Utica, N.Y., and worked in sales until 1996 when she was promoted to local sales manager.

[Visit Radio World’s People News Page]

She joined what was then Clear Channel Radio in 1999 in a general sales manager role in Albany, and later was director of sales and then market manager there.

She is also on the board of the New York State Broadcasters Association and the Capital District Radio Association.

“Throughout her time at iHeartMedia, Delaney, along with her teams, helped raise millions of dollars for the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center and WGY’s Christmas Wish,” the company said.

iHeartMedia Markets Group President Hartley Adkins was quoted in the announcement saying, “Rarely do you see someone so inspiring and skilled at their profession as Kristen Delaney.”

Send news of engineering and executive personnel changes to radioworld@futurenet.com.

 

The post Kristen Delaney to Retire from iHeart Albany appeared first on Radio World.

Supply Side is a series of occasional interviews with industry service providers and manufacturers.

Jamie Ashbrook is marketing manager at Radio.co, based in Manchester, U.K. He replied to questions via email.

Jamie Ashbrook

Radio World: For those unfamiliar, what is Radio.co?

Jamie Ashbrook: Radio.co is a platform to host and manage your own radio station online. Think of it like the middleman between you and your listeners.

But let’s face it, talk is cheap. Take a tour of what we can actually do. From choosing your station’s name to broadcasting live to thousands of listeners worldwide, Radio.co has your online radio needs covered. So take a quick on-demand tour.

RW: Who started the company, and who owns it?

Ashbrook: James Mulvany (on both fronts). He’s the man with the plan. Mr. Head Honcho.

Having a love for both radio and business, a fresh faced James launched Wavestreaming way back in 2008. Starting off as a one-man band, the company quickly grew along with the product. In just a few years, thousands of broadcasters were using the platform. But there was a problem: Technology moves fast, quickly outdating the system.

To simplify things and stay ahead of the curve, Wavestreaming was torn down, then rebuilt into an easier solution that anyone could pick and use. In 2015, Radio.co was born.

James Mulvany

James was there every step of the way. And I feel that’s a good thing, to see a founder who owns the company and gets actively involved to improve things on a day to day level.

RW: Your website is headlined “Want to start a radio station?” and it seems targeted to those who want to create audio streams on the internet. Are there offerings for actual broadcasters as well?

Ashbrook: Yup. So there are actually a variety of people from different walks of life that use Radio.co. Whether that’s small community stations like Shady Pines Radio, big Glastonbury style pop up events like ComplexLand or student-led radio like the University of Manchester’s Fuse FM, there’s something for everyone.

Even traditional stations are getting in on the action by relaying their FM, AM, or DAB stream online to reach listeners they wouldn’t normally have access to, just like Radio Exe.

RW: What is Radio.co’s flagship product, and what sets it apart?

Ashbrook: Tricky question. There’s no one aspect that’s considered “flagship.” Radio.co is designed to be an all-in-one solution for broadcasters. But what makes it stand out is how easy everything is to get up and running. If you were gonna time yourself, it’d take roughly two minutes to launch your own station.

In saying that, there are a few features that spring to mind:

• iOS & Android Apps: Put your station in listener’s pockets.
• Talk Shows: Invite guests to record collaborative shows in your browser.
• Alexa Skill: Let listeners tune in with their voice on compatible Amazon Echo devices.
• News Bulletins: Play news on the hour every hour from your preferred news provider.
• Mixcloud Integration: Upload your DJ Mixes directly to your Mixcloud account.
• Listener Requests: Take song requests from listeners automatically for playout on your station.

And probably a load more I’m forgetting about. Not to mention, there are plenty of help guides, new features, and quick support that makes Radio.co the ideal package for broadcasters no matter the size.

RW: Who are some of your customers that we would recognize?

Ashbrook: We’re not one to kiss and tell (ok, we are a bit). But we’ve had some awesome people and businesses walk through our doors over the years.

(Deep breath) A.C. Milan, VICE, Parker’s Kitchen, The Barbican, Australian Government Department of Health, Primavera Sound, M&C Saatchi, Soho Radio, Honest Burgers, Whiskas, Hotel Coastes, Smoke BBQ, Brit Asia TV Café Mambo, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Whalebone Magazine, Everton FC, Cult Records, PHMG, and Complex.

Users of Radio.co at Shady Pines Radio

And a load more we can’t talk about just yet. But there are a few independent stations you might not know like Boogaloo Radio, Melodic Distraction, Diversity Radio, and Foundation FM that are worth checking out.

RW: What is the most important trend or challenge in 2021, for the people who are your customers?

Ashbrook: Covid changed everything. Most people have been stuck at home, so they turned to the internet to stay connected with others. The result? We saw 10 times more broadcasters every month than we usually do.

In terms of challenges, the biggest ones are those nearest to the starting gate. Things like how to set everything up, equipment needed, and reaching the right audiences. But all are addressed in our Radio University, Blog and even over on YouTube.

RW: What else should we know?

Ashbrook: Radio changes. No matter what medium comes along next, radio has adapted ever since its inception in the late 19th century.

Frankly, Radio.co is just one piece of the puzzle. But we’re happy to help broadcasters share their voice to a wider audience. Whether that’s a local community, nationwide or internationally, I’m just excited to see what happens next.

In saying all that, I’m always happy to chat, so if you’ve got any questions (yes you, the reader), drop me a message at studio@radio.co. And hopefully I can help.

The post Radio.co Wants to Host Your Station Online appeared first on Radio World.

By Rob Dumke

A new television viewership report from the spot cable arm of the company that owns Peacock, NBCUniversal and Universal Studios, as well as Comcast, finds that streaming “consistently” serves as a strong complement to traditional TV ad campaigns.

This was based on research conducted during the first half of 2021 from Effectv, the ad sales division of Comcast Cable.

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Petitioner requests the allotment of reserved noncommercial educational channel *4 to Fort Bragg, California, as the community's second local service and its first local noncommercial educational television service.

Licensee has requested the substitution of UHF channel 14 for VHF channel 10 in the DTV Table of Allotments.

The two individuals at the helm of the nation’s largest audio content production and distribution company are preparing for a presentation on Wednesday at the Goldman Sachs 30th Annual Communacopia Conference.

Bob Pittman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Rich Bressler, President, Chief Operating Officer & Chief Financial Officer, of iHeartMedia will participate in a question and answer session at the highly regarded investor event.

They’ll be chatting it up starting at precisely 2:05pm Eastern on Sept. 22.

A live webcast of the session will be available to the general public at the start of the session through a link on the Investors homepage of iHeartMedia’s website (https://investors.iheartmedia.com/).

A replay of the video webcast will be available in the Events & Presentation section of iHeartMedia’s Investors homepage.

 

What did iHeartMedia stock close at on September 16? Visit the Wall Street Report now at RBR.com’s homepage for a quick glance at all of broadcast media’s publicly traded stocks.

According to Nielsen, the return to the classroom had an effect on monthly TV and streaming viewing.

The Gauge, Nielsen’s snapshot of viewing trends, showed a leveling of viewership after three months of steady growth.

The August data reveals that streaming maintained a 28% share of total TV viewing, compared with broadcast TV (24%) and cable (38%).

Children 6-17 years old viewed about 7.5% less than the previous month.

Nielsen said that drop was offset a bit by a 0.5% increase in overall TV viewing. The slight uptick was attributed to adults tuning in to broadcast programming such as the Olympics.

By Rob Dumke and Adam R Jacobson

“Broadcasting locally but driving national results,” Davis Broadcasting Inc. has stood out in the markets in which it operates radio stations in for its commitment to localism.

Now, its President and CEO has personally written to those in favor of a resolution that would prevent the levying of any new performance royalty payments on Radio.

While the biggest piece of legislation on Capitol Hill designed to do this is largely dead, recording industry advocacy group musicFIRST on Monday will seek to resuscitate it.

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