Industry News

An FM translator in Puerto Rico — which allegedly violated FCC rules by failing to file a license on time and operating without authorization — was handed a $3,500 forfeiture by the Federal Communications Commission.

In 2018 the Media Bureau issued a construction permit to International Broadcasting Corp. for FM translator station W293DE in Guayama, Puerto Rico. The expiration of that permit — on Jan. 10, 2021 — came and went. According to the bureau, because the permittee had not filed a covering license application by that date, the permit simply expired.

According to FCC rules, “any construction permit for which construction has not been completed and for which an application for license has not been filed, shall be automatically forfeited upon expiration without any further affirmative cancellation by the commission.”

International filed a petition for reconsideration with the bureau, saying the translator had actually been constructed prior to the permit expiration date. The bureau pivoted and decided to treat International’s petition as a request for a waiver of the rules. The bureau granted the waiver, reinstated the permit and instructed International to file a covering license for the application, which was received on Nov. 22, 2021.

But that still left the matter of more than 10 months of unauthorized broadcasts during 2021. The commission said that not only did International fail to file a covering license on time, but it continued operating the translator without any special temporary authority before finally filing the appropriate covering license.

In cases like these, the FCC has the authority to issue a forfeiture penalty with a base amount of $3,000 for failing to file a required form and $10,000 for operation without authorization. That amount can be adjusted up and down based on the facts of the case.

In this situation, the commission found that a $7,000 base forfeiture would be appropriate due to International’s failure to file a covering license and its months of unauthorized operation. The bureau then reduced the forfeiture even further — to $3,500 — because of the translator’s nature as a secondary service.

According to the bureau, International’s pending application for the FM translator can be approved once this forfeiture proceeding has been concluded.

Currently, International uses the translation to relay WIBS(AM), Radio Caribe, which is also based in Guayama.

The post Puerto Rico Translator Handed $3,500 Forfeiture appeared first on Radio World.

The British government has frozen the country’s long-standing TV license fee for two years as it pushes for a new funding stream for the 100-year-old British Broadcasting Corp.

First levied in 1923, the license fee has evolved over time, but currently it is required to watch or record television programs in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, no matter how the programs are delivered (over the air, streaming, or satellite) and regardless of where they originate.

Under the new policy, the fee is frozen at £159 (about $216) for color television until April 1, 2024, then it would be allowed to rise with inflation until Mar. 31, 2028. It is envisioned that a new funding mechanism will be identified as part of the BBC’s Royal Charter renewal in 2027.

In a statement on the government’s move, BBC Director-General Tim Davie and BBC Chairman Richard Sharp, called the freeze “disappointing.”

“We actively look forward to the national debate on the next Charter and, of course, all options should be considered. The BBC is owned by the public and their voice must always be the loudest when it comes to determining the BBC’s future,” Davie and Sharp stated.

With the two-year license fee freeze, the BBC is expected to need some £2 billion ($2.7 billion) in savings over six years to fill the funding gap left by the freeze. “If the BBC’s license fee income is capped at £3.8 billion, then costs have to be capped, or it has to increase its commercial income from £1.3 billion,” analyst Alex DeGroote told Radio World’s sister publication TVBEurope.

The BBC 2020/21 Annual Report breaks out how the TV license fee is spent in per month per household terms.

In 2021, some 25,208 households paid the TV license fee (including four households that paid a lower fee for having only a black and white television set), according to the BBC’s 2020/21 annual report. This raised some £3.75 billion (about $5.1 billion), according to TV Licensing, the agency that oversees administration of the fee. According to the BBC, TV license fee revenue made up about 74 percent of the corporation’s income in the fiscal year ending Mar. 31, 2021.

The original 1923 license fee covered radio receivers and it was expanded to cover television in 1946. In 2016, the BBC iPlayer app was incorporated into the TV license fee framework.

In 1971, the radio license fee was ended; however, the funds raised via the TV license fee continue to support BBC Radio. According to the BBC, nearly 17.5 percent of license fee revenue, about £654 million ($889 million), went to support BBC national and local programming. An additional 9.75 percent, nearly £366 million ($497 million), went to support the BBC World Service.

The post British Government Freezes TV License Fee appeared first on Radio World.

Until August 2021, he served as the Market President for iHeartMedia in Huntsville, Ala. That’s when he departed to form his own broadcast media company.

Now, the new entity has filed paperwork with the Commission for its first two properties.

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With the 2022 NAB Show now marking the “big return” for many a broadcast media technology vendor, CP Communications has perhaps emerged as one of the more active players of late. In this RBR+TVBR Winter 2022 Special Report preview, CP CEO Kurt Heitman shares his excitement about what lies ahead for the company in 2022 with Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson.

The conversation is the centerpiece of the latest InFOCUS Podcast, where Broadcast Media comes to Talk. It’s less than 15 minutes in length — the perfect size to go with your morning coffee, afternoon walk, or evening wind-down. Listen now!

Listen to “The InFOCUS Podcast: Kurt Heitman” on Spreaker.

FELTON, CALIF. — A company founded 49 years ago as a radio broadcast technology services provider that today specializes in RDS encoders, AM/FM modulation monitors and off-air monitoring equipment for AM / FM / HD / DAB+ / RDS / Internet Radio is bringing to market two new HD Radio modulation monitors.

Inovonics says the new 551 and 552 HD Radio Modulation Monitors are to be released in February. And, the company says the monitors incorporate the necessary features for station setup, regulatory compliance and remote monitoring.

The model 551, with its 7-inch TFT Touch Screen, displays all the essential modulation data in a graphic format on the front panel, as well as the remote Web interface. In addition, full-time audio outputs are available for FM and digital channels HD1- HD4. The model 552 is designed for remote installations where information is accessible via the graphic Web interface and is available at a more modest price point.

Inovonics President/CEO Ben Barber commented, “When we look back over the past two years of development, we have made great strides in designing a complete and comprehensive FM/HD Radio Mod Monitor. With the dynamic web interface that can be remotely accessed from any smart phone, tablet, or PC, and its SNMP capabilities, these two products take innovation to a new level.”

For more information about price and availability, please contact Inovonics Sales Department via e-mail at sales@inovonicsbroadcast.com || Tel: (+1) 831-458-0552

Broadcast Pix has rolled out a new feature-rich software release for its entire range of  integrated production systems. V9.0 software is now available on all new Broadcast Pix systems, and as a free download to all users with a current support contract.

Apart from the usual bug fixes and minor enhancements, the V9.0 release includes some “significant new features,” ones the company says will benefit all production environments.

GuestPix
GuestPix integrates remote guests connected via their browser with any other video elements in the switcher, including full automation and timing by including them in Macros.

A user logs in through a link using an authentication code and then shares their webcam or desktop, allowing users to see a preview of what is being shared, along with the return program output, including audio with automatic mix minus for echo cancellation.

Integrated Intercom and Chat
Remote crew members such as a camera or graphic operator can talk to the switcher operator like a traditional intercom system through their browser, using their local mic, speakers or headset. Additionally, they can open a chat window and message the switcher operator or control room using IM, with the ability to leave, but still pick up conversations when they reenter. The chat session can also be saved to a text file for later use.

Enhanced Automation

Macro Timer
Schedule a Macro to trigger at a set time or on a recurring basis
Macros can be enabled and disabled without deleting them
Status bar shows a timer icon at 2 mins and a counter at 30 secs prior
Automatically start a production (i.e., a church service or meeting)

Show-Based Camera Control Setting
Works with all IP cameras using the Sony camera control protocol
The camera control and its settings can now be show-based
Simplifies operation for multiple setups of different room configurations
Reduces errors and increases flexibility
Presets are saved locally with unlimited presets, plus export and back up with the show

Broadcast Pix CEO Graham Sharp said, “We are very excited that this major software release will enable our users to do more – include remote guests, improved team collaboration, and enhanced automation within their live productions – at no additional cost. These rich new features build upon our tradition of offering the most powerful yet easiest-to-use live production solutions available today.”

Version 9.0 software is now available on all new BPswitch, ChurchPix, RadioPix and StreamingPix systems and is also available as a free update for existing Broadcast Pix users under warranty or a support contract. To learn more, visit www.broadcastpix.com.

Over the course of his career, Harry Simons has worked in numerous roles: on the air, as a chief, as a director of engineering and in station management. So it’s not so unusual that in retirement Harry chose to build a studio in his living room, shown here.

Fig. 1: Start with a studio in your living room. (left); Fig. 2: The musician’s pit! (right)

In addition to a Radio Systems console, Harry has added a variety of recording equipment and a Musician’s Pit; see the second photo.

Harry produces and mixes tracks for local groups, as well as music for a Part 15 carrier current/internet station he programs.

It’s true: Once broadcasting is in your blood, it never really leaves — even in retirement.

Harry can be reached at h790@cox.net.

[Check Out More of Workbench Here]

Potential gotcha

Dave Kline — who describes himself as a solder jockey — writes to comment on our discussion of 3.5 mm TRRS (Tip-Ring-Ring-Sleeve) connectors as used in computer audio wiring, and the potential “gotcha.”

Not only might the ground/common/shield not be where you expect it, but its location may differ depending on the device. Dave ran into this when trying to interface audio with Apple iOS devices and other devices such as ones from Samsung.

He found that there are at least two different “standards.” Most notably, the common, which is on one of the rings shown in our previous column, might be on the shield for other devices.

Dave found an explanation that included drawings. Google “Mashtips Apple headphone” and look for the story headlined “Apple Headphone on Android Is Not Working …”

The “standard” that uses ground on the shield not only seems intuitive but is more compatible with common TRS (Tip-Ring-Sleeve) wiring.

If we have at least two “standards” for wiring TRRS connectors, who knows how many more might be lurking in the dark to make our day more interesting? Great point, Dave.

I should add that Dave began his email with an appropriate quote from Andrew S. Tanenbaum, an American-Dutch computer scientist: “The good thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from.” (For you old-timers, think “AM Stereo.”)

A note about pins

Following up on our “Pin 1 is ground” discussion in December, here are a couple things to remember when wiring up an XLR connector.

First, although soldering wires to the pins on an XLR connector is straight-forward, when you observe the pin numbers imprinted on the connector, keep in mind that the location of “Pin 1” flips from left to right (or vice versa) depending on the sex of the XLR.

A common mistake is to wire all the terminals the same, regardless of the sex of the connector (Male A3M or Female A3F). Since Pin 1 is ground and Pin 2 (next to it) is the hot or “+” you should refer to the pin numbers embossed or printed on the connector. See the accompanying diagram.

Oh, and before you begin soldering, don’t forget to slip the XLR cover over the wires!

A nifty specialty tool

There’s nothing more frustrating than radiofrequency interference. But when RFI affects airport communications, the problem is no longer just a nuisance. It must be corrected quickly.

Fig. 4: European electricity transmission system company TenneT used a Fluke ii910 Precision Acoustic Imager to troubleshoot an interference problem at an airport.

In the case of Rotterdam The Hague Airport in the Netherlands, interference was coming from an arcing electrical substation. The problem was resolved with the help of a Fluke ii910 Precision Acoustic Imager, which was developed to help engineers detect and identify such sources of electrical discharge. (It can also be used to detect air leaks.)

The handheld ii910 has a 7-inch LCD touchscreen that displays the results of an array of integral microphones that convert ultrasonic signals into clear visual images. It quickly diagnosed the source of the problem at the substation.

Read more about this device and the problem it corrected at the airport. At fluke.com, search “The Hague.”

Vista meravigliosa!

A reader wrote in to ask, “Could someone identify the location of that mountaintop community tower site in the photograph included with the article ‘Time to Plan for Old Man Winter’ in your Oct. 13 publication? It reminds me of Tiger Mountain east of Seattle.”

Fig. 5: Do you know where this photo was taken?

Radio World Editor-in-Chief Paul McLane replies that the photo in fact shows towers atop Paganella, a mountain in the Trentino-Alto Adige/South Tyrol region of the Italian Alps.

Have you been there? Tell us about it at johnpbisset@gmail.com. And other great tower site photos welcome!

Plant a seed in our garden of ideas, and help a colleague at the same time. Send your tips and ideas to johnpbisset@gmail.com.

John Bisset, CPBE, has been in broadcasting more than 50 years and is in his 31st year writing Workbench. He handles western U.S. radio sales for the Telos Alliance and is a past recipient of the SBE’s Educator of the Year Award.

The post Workbench: Retirement starts in your living room! appeared first on Radio World.

A Los Angeles-based company known for transcriptions and captioning products is welcoming a sales leader who has held several senior sales, marketing, and business development roles throughout his career.

Joining Digital Nirvana is the former U.S. Director of Business Development for Brand Localization solution provider Blend. That’s Tom Moniak, and he’ll serve as Director of Sales at Digital Nirvana.

Digital Nirvana says it created the position in response to the company’s growth and expansion.

This puts Moniak in charge of sales to media and entertainment clients in the United States.

“Tom has served clients in every aspect of production and delivery in the M&E space and has strong relationships across the localization, media production services, advertising, gaming, and software development communities and with Fortune 500 companies,” Russell Wise, SVP/Sales and Marketing for Digital Nirvana, says. “That mix of experience makes us better able to serve customers and prospects in postproduction environments and lays the groundwork for our continued growth in the U.S.”

Moniak’s resume includes a three-year stint at Deluxe Entertainment Services Group.

 

MIAMI — It’s known in media and broadcast circles for its products. Now, this French operation is welcoming an Application Engineer and “Solution Architect” to its U.S. headquarters.

Taking the South Florida-based role is Cyrus Uible, who joins from Skyline Communications, where he served as a Principal Solutions Architect.

From June 2008-May 2015, Uible was associated with HA Design Group LLC, as a design engineer.

At WorldCast, his role is to offer pre/post-sales support to Account Managers and customers in their call for tenders and project deployment – for all company brands, including the NMS Kybio, by WorldCast CONNECT, and WorldCast Systems’ Ecreso, APT, and Audemat solutions.

“I could not be more excited to have joined the Worldcast team! My goal is to help grow and strengthen our relationships with partners and customers in the Americas by designing, delivering and supporting innovative solutions,” Uible said.

FORT LAUDERDALE — The company handling the distribution and Support for RME Audio Products in North and South America, in addition to Ferrofish, Digigram, Appsys and myMix products, is moving forward with a series of networking and educational events under the “Connections & Cocktails” banner.

Synthax U.S. plans to host multiple events across the country in 2022. The series kicks off  January 27 from 5pm-8pm at Sinema in Nashville.

Additional no-cost events are planned for locales in Southern California and Miami, with dates to be announced later in 2022.

Geared for audio technology for musicians, producers, live sound engineers, audio integrators and broadcasters, “Connections & Cocktails” will feature live product demos, food, an open bar and live music.

“During a time when we aren’t meeting in large groups, Synthax U.S. saw the opportunity to gather in a more intimate setting while continuing to educate end users on all the potential the Synthax portfolio of brands has to offer,” said Marie Sorenson, Marketing Manager for Synthax U.S. “We look forward to connecting with engineers, musicians and producers and share how they can get the most out of their gear, while also giving them an opportunity to network with their peers.”

To RSVP for the event, click here.