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This story appeared in the Radio World ebook “Spectacular Radio Studios.”

The Athletic Department at the University of Nebraska became the first major U.S. college athletic department to bring its multimedia operation fully in house, starting with the 2021–22 sports season. Part of the challenge was to bring up a statewide radio network on a very short timeline.

Director of Broadcast Operations Mike Elliott said the new facilities serve the Huskers Radio Network, with its 50+ radio stations across the Midwest, plus internet audio broadcasts across the world on Huskers.com and the official Husker App.

“This was not your typical radio station operation with ‘studios,’” Elliott said. 

“The Huskers Radio Network had to be built to support up to four simultaneous live Husker sporting event broadcasts to terrestrial radio affiliates, with up to eight live simultaneous internet radio streams of live Husker sporting events and programming.”

The network has the capability to send a live video stream of the network’s “Sports Nightly” talk show, heard on more than two dozen terrestrial radio affiliates, plus internet radio streams and free live video streams on YouTube, Huskers.com and the app. The show produces audio and video two hours a day, five nights a week, 52 weeks a year.

The Broadcast Operations Center has five live event production pods. Video can be ingested from any Husker Athletics venue, and audio from anywhere across the globe.

“Private video capability with ultra low latency — under half a second — is part of the Broadcast Center to accommodate non-traveling, COVID-safe broadcasting of any home or road game, with talent in isolated studios and/or offsite locations around the country,” Elliott said. “All audio connectivity to remote sites was using Tieline technology and products.”

At work in the Huskers Radio Network Broadcast Center

Bilingual broadcasts of all Husker Football games was a requirement of the facility, utilizing announcers at remote sites, often different remote sites for every game.

Elliott designed and built the Broadcast Operations Center and all REMI systems, with support from various Husker Athletics departments. 

“When Nebraska Athletics made the decision to bring their radio operation in house, they asked me to join the Athletic Department as Director of Broadcast Operations,” he said. “Initially that was system design, RFPs, buildout, testing, and training of all staff to operate and produce Husker broadcasts.”

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Elliott said the department took an unusual approach to producing road game radio broadcasts.

“Instead of sending producers and engineers to remote sites, we designed a radio version of the TV remote integration, or REMI, model. We send on-air talent to road games but do not send production or engineering staff. Using Tieline Gateway and Via codecs and their Cloud Codec Controller technology, a simple road kit travels. Each and every road game announcer microphone is individually returned to our Broadcast Operations Center. Each and every road talent has their own individual IFB mix to the broadcast operations center production team. 

“Every remote game-site talent — play by play, color, stats, even the sideline reporter — appear on individual ‘pots’ on the Husker Broadcast Center pod assigned to that game,” he continued. 

A producer position to monitor and operate the HDVMixer video production system

“With Wheatstone LXE and AoIP technology, we can easily generate custom mixes, and adjust any needed audio processing for each and every road game microphone while mixing at the Huskers Broadcast Center.”

For example, if the color announcer wanted to hear more nat sound, that’s handled at the broadcast center. Included in the return feeds are various nat sound feeds from the remote venue. 

“Furthermore, all of these feeds are also available to mix into the Spanish broadcast, with the Spanish broadcasters at another remote site.”

They use MaxxKonnect Wireless for automatic failover connectivity to the REMI road kit, with stadium Ethernet as the primary. 

“Using the Tieline CCC we had full monitoring and control of the Tieline equipment at the game site, no matter what IP patch the signals were taking.”

Setup at the remote site, he said, is simple. “Plug in Ethernet from the venue. Plug in headsets. Mount the antennas for the sideline reporter wireless. Power the kit up and the Huskers Broadcast Center takes over from there via Tieline CCC and VPN connectivity to the REMI kit.”

Given changes coming to satellite distribution, Elliott continued, the school decided not to set up a satellite uplink to distribute the network, as had been done in the past.

“We elected to not invest in a satellite system, instead to design and implement an independent redundant IP-based radio network audio and control distribution system. I designed a system using Barix hardware with full dual-provider redundancy, which has proven to be an excellent distribution system to all terrestrial network affiliates.”

Tieline and WheatNet equipment is visible in the rack area

The timeline to complete this project was remarkable, especially given current supply chain challenges.

“The decision to bring the radio network operation in house at Husker Athletics was finalized in the early second quarter of 2021,” Elliott said. 

“System design had to occur in record time, with RFPs in place for all interested bidders through the University of Nebraska public bidding process. RFPs were posted, bids accepted and reviewed, and bids awarded in the second quarter of 2021.”

Key technology components include the Tieline Gateway, Via, Cloud Codec Controller and ReportIT systems; Wheatstone WheatNet, LXE surfaces and StreamBlades; HDVMixer video technology; Telos VX Prime VoIP phone system; Barix codecs; and RCS Zetta automation. Dealer Broadcast Supply Worldwide provided much of the equipment.

Most of the products arrived at the stadium loading dock on May 27, which Elliott called “a herculean effort” by the suppliers. 

“Our first live radio network broadcast from the new Huskers Broadcast Center was June 28, 2021 — that’s from a completely open space on May 27, to a complete live radio and video production/live studio facility, including IP radio network distribution to 50+ sites, live video and audio streaming, full automation signaling to affiliates and training production staff. 

“Then over the next month we built and prepared for all live game-site production with our new radio REMI model of no traveling producers or engineers.”

The post Go Big Red: A New Radio Network for the Huskers appeared first on Radio World.

Last week’s release of TechSurvey 2022 shows the rise in popularity of digital audio and its role in the listening habits of the survey’s respondents, especially among younger radio listeners. 

Survey data shows the percent of time core radio listeners spent with their P1 station through a traditional manner with a radio — either in the car, at home, work or school — is 61%, while digital accounts for 35% of listening. 

That data has mirrored itself the past two surveys, according to Jacobs Media, but the gap has narrowed over the past decade. In 2013 it was 85% traditional listening and 14% digital via an Internet stream or mobile app.

“You can see the trajectories very clearly and where we are headed. Every year it seems digital becomes just a little more important while traditional listening is dropping, said Fred Jacobs, president of Jacobs Media. 

Age difference also impacts how TechSurvey participants are listening to the radio. Last week’s online presentation shows Baby Boomers listen to radio by traditional means at 66% and digital 31%. Meanwhile, Millenials are listening on a regular radio at home, work, school or in the car at 53% and digital plots the graph at 42%.

“So Millenials are way lest likely to have a traditional radio in those traditional areas,” Jacobs said. “It’s when you start looking at generations that you can really see the listening difference. Gen Z is beginning to challenge traditional listening and digital. A 49% to 42% split between traditional and digital.”

Jacobs says broadcasters forging a digital strategy and meeting listeners where they want to listen is crucial.   

Techsurvey 2022 includes a media usage pyramid that reflects compilation data collected in early 2022 from survey respondents. AM/FM radio usage was down a couple of percent from 2021 levels. Audio streaming was down a bit but Smart Speaker and Smartphone usage was flat while use of hearables, things like Airpods and Bluetooth headphones, jumped up to 50% of respondents saying they use them.

Of interest to broadcasters who are following dashboard developments in connected cars is data showing that 30% of survey respondents drive a connected car, as compared to 27% a year ago. “That means three out of ten respondents now drives a connected car with a system like Ford Sync,” Jacobs said. 

This is another in a series of stories examining the results from TechSurvey 2022. The 18th annual web survey tracks audio listening habits and how core radio listeners interact with the mediascape away from the radio. The population spread of this year’s TechSurvey crew is 48% men and 52% female with the largest age group being 55-64, which represents 36% of respondents. 

The annual project, which measures the amount of change in the tech space and its impact on radio broadcasters, engaged radio listeners throughout the United States from more than 470 participating stations with some 31,000 respondents. Interviews took place in January and February of this year, according to Jacobs Media. 

This is the fourth in a series of stories examining the results from TechSurvey 2022. Click here to read part three.

The post TechSurvey 2022: Influence of Digital Audio Grows appeared first on Radio World.

Franken FM is on the agenda at the FCC.

Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has released a list of topics for the commission’s June meeting and FM6 is on it.

“We’re asking about preserving established local programming for radio audiences,” she wrote.

“For years, some low-power television stations licensed on Channel 6 have provided listeners local radio programming that was picked up on the FM dial, so-called FM6 stations. These stations sought to maintain this service to their existing audiences after the LPTV digital transition by seeking commission approval to provide their analog radio service as ‘ancillary or supplementary services.’”

Rosenworcel said the commission will consider a proposal to allow these broadcasters to continue their existing FM6 radio service, “provided that they meet certain conditions, including interference protection and the provision of a synchronous TV service to consumers.”

The Educational Media Foundation has been among those pressing the FCC for approval and clarification on policies around FM6 stations.

Radio World contributor James O’Neal has an ongoing series of articles on these stations; the first provided an overview, the second focuses on the tech behind the stations in the era of ATSC 3.0.

The post FCC Will Consider Franken FMs in June appeared first on Radio World.

On March 1, the new President and CEO of the nation’s primary advocacy and lobbying group for radio and television broadcasting companies issued a request. Despite being a “fierce defender” of the First Amendment, Curtis LeGeyt asked that any state-sponsored programming with ties to Moscow be pulled from U.S. airwaves — now.

LeGeyt seemingly took aim at Sputnik, the English-language service of the Voice of Russia. It is heard for six hours each weekday in St. Louis, in addition to 24/7 service on an AM and an FM translator serving Washington, D.C.

The owner of the St. Louis station has already been vocal, sharing his ire over LeGeyt’s request. This week, KCXL-AM‘s owner renewed his disdain for LeGeyt’s request, labeling it “a call to disregard our right of free speech.”

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Roger Wahl is a convicted felon. As the FCC’s Media Bureau noted, Wahl’s convictions of a felony and multiple misdemeanors alone “raise the question under the Commission’s Character Qualifications Policy Statement whether he possesses the requisite character qualifications to remain a Commission licensee.”

Indeed, Wahl could be stripped of his license. But, that may not happen for a year, based on a Hearing Designation Order schedule released by the FCC on Thursday.

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B. Eric Rhoads, CEO of Streamline Publishing, is asking fellow broadcasters for one minute of their time to consider a way radio can help change the world.

“The situation in Ukraine is dire,” he says. “Radio around the country is raising money and doing what they can to help. But we can do more.”

Rhoads writes:

Radio has changed lives, raised money for charity, and made a difference in each of our communities. We have all used our platforms to create awareness, help our neighbors, and use music to move hearts.

Years ago, radio pushed the song “We are the World” as an anthem to help people in Africa. Radio made that movement possible.

An anthem for Ukraine is needed to bring the world together to keep a focus on Ukraine until this situation is resolved fully.

Feeling the need to do something, I came up with a concept and co-wrote this song, “Tears for Ukraine,” with artist Billy Craig and Matt Jacobs.

Please consider doing your part and adding this song into rotation. Show that the radio industry continues to have influence over the world to unify our listeners.

Let’s use the power of radio to impact worldwide sentiment to raise awareness and prevent this kind of thing from ever happening again.

To download, click on the image below:

To download this song in WAV or MP3 file format, click on this image. https://www.rbr.com/wp-content/uploads/BC-Tears-For-UkraineWAV.wav

Listen to the song by clicking above.

Watch the Video on YouTube by Clicking Here.

“Uncle” Bob and “Cousin” Mark have signed a deal that will make one of those two figures an owner of “The Talk of the Town” in Athens, Tenn., situated between Chattanooga and Knoxville on U.S. 11.

Why? The Uncle has decided to sell his stake in the station.

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Radioplayer, the partnership between the BBC and U.K. commercial radio responsible for ensuring easy access to radio via IP platforms, is adding digital radio to its remit.

Following the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport’s October 2021 Digital Radio and Audio Review report, Radioplayer and Digital Radio UK saw significant benefits in merging operations.

The restructuring and merger was agreed to by the BBC, the U.K. commercial radio organization Radiocentre, and the national broadcast groups Global and Bauer Media.

The merger will, according to a statement from the organizations, strengthen partnerships and cooperation among U.K. broadcasters, as well as partnerships with European radio broadcasters, audio device manufacturers and with retailers. The goal is “to promote the benefits of radio and audio, and the increased choice of services available.”

[Related: “Radioplayer Expands in Europe”]

In the joint statement, the BBC, Bauer, Global and Radiocentre said: “We know there are further significant changes taking place in the audio market and in how audiences are accessing our content, as the recent Digital Radio and Audio Review highlighted. The newly structured Radioplayer, combined with increased investment and continued collaboration, will allow us to embrace every digital opportunity available to us and successfully deliver the next phase of innovation and transformation for the radio industry.”

While the U.K. has committed to continue FM broadcasting until at least 2030, the industry sees the future of radio as both digital and multiplatform, according to the statement, with online platforms playing an increasingly important role alongside DAB/DAB+ — particularly in cars.

As part of the restructuring, Ford Ennals will step down as CEO of Digital Radio UK. Ennals was appointed as Digital Radio UK’s first CEO in 2009, following his work as head of the British digital television switchover body, Digital UK. The statement thanked Ennals “for his services to digital listening, which is now the way most people listen to radio.”

With the restructuring, the BBC, Global and Bauer are expected to increase their investment in Radioplayer and to seek further international collaboration for the benefit of the radio industry as a whole.

The post Digital Radio UK to Merge with Radioplayer appeared first on Radio World.

Bill Sanders, a second-generation Iowa broadcaster and a former chair of the NAB Radio Board, has died. He was 77.

According to his obituary, “His work life started and ended in the world of radio broadcasting.”

Sanders grew up around KICD in Spencer, Iowa, which was owned by his father Ben. Sanders eventually purchased the station and served as general manager until retiring in 2000.

Bill Sanders (photo via Warner Funeral Homes & Crematory)

KICD, now owed by Saga Communications, posted an appreciation that includes audio clips of Sanders. It noted that the station was owned by the Sanders family for 54 years.

Sanders was also a former board member and president of the Iowa Broadcasters Association and was inducted into the Iowa Broadcasting Hall of Fame. He served on the NAB Radio Board in the late 1980s and was chairman of the board from 1989–90.

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He was also former chairman of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters, which honored the longtime broadcaster with a special achievement award, and a former member of the advisory board of the Associated Press.

The obituary said Sanders was diagnosed over time with several rare cancers, starting in 1984.

“He was the most optimistic person on earth and he oozed positivity every single day,” the obituary read. “The man never had a bad day. Even when the cancers took away his ability to smile/laugh/eat/drink and talk he continued to look forward. He was not going to let the disfigurations stop him from living life to its fullest.” [Read the obituary.]

The post Former Iowa Broadcaster Bill Sanders Dies appeared first on Radio World.

The GM of Gray Television‘s NBC affiliate in Louisville, formerly the head of its WVUE-8 in New Orleans, is being promoted to a senior-level position.

At the same time, Gray has created the position of Regional Vice President/General Manager and is elevating five General Managers into this new role.

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