Industry News

In early 2020, a Kansas City radio station operator made headlines for its decision to air six hours of programming each day from Russia-sponsored Sputnik Radio, as a result of a lease agreement with Florida-based RM Broadcasting LLC.

Now, the station’s owner has opted to part ways with a far-suburban silent FM translator. It’s a deal that will bring “vida” back to this dormant facility.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

John Moesch, the Vice President and General Manager of the West Texas Radio Group, oversees a group of radio stations in a region known as Permian Basin — and it’s a place where his company competes against another local operator, and against Townsquare Media.

What should media buyers and planners in places such as New York or Chicago know about locales including Midland and Odessa? How does local compare to national in a region of the country not widely known for its affluence?

Moesch answers these questions and more in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

Listen to “The InFOCUS Podcast: John Moesch, West Texas Radio Group” on Spreaker.

At the start of the lockdown when our lives migrated to Zoom, a CEO coaching client of veteran PR professional Rosemary Ravinal said he welcomed being distanced from the audience because his legs shake from nerves when speaking in person. He was excited about being able to read from a script on the screen seated with his legs out of sight.

“Can you guess what happened when we practiced for a high-stakes online speaking opportunity?,” Ravinal says.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

On August 16, Gen Media Partners rebooted its radio network sales and affiliate sales arm that was known as Sun Broadcast Group, rebranding it as G Networks. The shedding of the Sun name follows the late July exit of Danno Wolkoff as COO and Laura Wolkoff as Sun’s VP of Operations.

It is now known that their exit was a bit acrimonious. The Wolkoffs have filed a wrongful termination suit against the company.

As first reported in Streamline Publishing’s Radio Ink, the Wolkoffs are seeking a $2 million judgment against G Networks and GMP. The Wolkoffs first came into the GMP fold in 2020, when it acquired Envision, the company the Wolkoffs launched in the early 2000s.

The lawsuit alleges that the Wolkoffs received a termination letter alleging “gross negligence and gross incompetence in the performance of their duties and take reasonable measures to cured their conduct and its consequences within 30 days.” The Wolkoffs also say their salaries were also “suspended until further notice as a partial offset of the damages to its business caused by them.”

The Wolkoff suit also claims the termination notice failed to identify any specific conduct of Daniel and Laura Wolkoff that allegedly constitutes gross negligence, gross incompetence or willful misconduct. Plus, the notice failed to identify which duties the Wolkoffs allegedly performed with gross negligence, gross incompetence or willful misconduct and that the notice failed to identify what reasonable measures it deems necessary to cure the couple’s alleged gross negligence, gross incompetence or willful misconduct.

As reported by Radio Ink, Danno Wolkoff earned $250,000 at the time; Laura Wolkoff was being paid $200,000. They claim they were fired without cause and, as such, are owed  $2.1 million for a breach of their contract.

— Ed Ryan, with additional reporting by Adam R Jacobson

ATLANTA — Television viewers with the latest NEXTGEN TV-equipped capabilities in the largest city in the South can now enjoy viewing programs delivered with the new ATSC 3.0 digital broadcast standard.

Five channels, including all “Big Four” network homes in Atlanta, have their NEXTGEN TV signals up and running.

Participating stations include Meredith Local Media’s WPCH-17 and CBS affiliated WGCL-46, Cox Media Group’s ABC affiliated WSB-2, FOX Television Stations O&O WAGA-5, and
TEGNA-owned NBC affiliate WXIA-11.

For those pushing the voluntary rollout of NEXTGEN TV, the ignition of broadcasts in Atlanta promises viewers “an enhanced live broadcast viewing experience.”

Tom Casey, VP of Engineering and Technology for the Meredith Local Media Group, also notes that NEXTGEN TV “exclusively offers Voice + audio from Dolby, so viewers can
hear every voice, while also experiencing movie-theater quality sound and uniform volume
across different channels.”

Television models equipped with NEXTGEN TV capabilities are presently available from LG
Electronics, Samsung, and Sony, although features available on NEXTGEN TV vary by device.

Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV, the broadcaster business group that is coordinating NEXTGEN TV station launches, is pleased that many NEXTGEN TV sets are available across the country ahead of the fall football season.

In January 2020, Brenda Floyd and James Allgood closed on their purchase of a pair of FM radio stations in Louisiana. The $200,000 deal was brokered by Bill Whitley of Media Services Group.

Now, one of those 50-50 ownership partners is selling their stake in the stations.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

Across New England, “Super” Frank Copsidas is well-known for his investment in local broadcast television. Earlier this year, Copisdas expanded his low-power TV holdings by grabbing a facility in Texas, and in late 2020 entered Indiana.

Now, Copsidas is getting recognition for an act that doesn’t even involve a Form 314 filing with the FCC, but has everything to do with how Washington, D.C., and Wall Street impact and shape the low-power television business.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

The National Association of Broadcasters has released a letter concerning protocols for the upcoming show, Oct. 9-13.

In the letter signed by NAB EVP & Managing Director, Global Connections and Events Chris Brown, he said “we will require all attendees and participants to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination.”

He added, “We think this is a positive step in reducing the spread of COVID-19 and will provide further details on implementation as well as other safety measures under consideration.” The letter did not address protocols issued at the end of July.

Brown cited consultations with “health and safety experts, gathering feedback from a range of exhibitors and attendees, and review of the safety measures recommended by national and local health authorities, including Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak’s important announcement this week regarding large events.”

Sisolak announced that large venues could eschew a mask requirement in exchange for COVID vaccination proof.

The NAB looks to be following the lead of the CES which earlier in the week announced a vaccination requirement for its show in January.

The Audio Engineering Society, with its annual show co-locating with the NAB Show, has also announced a similar vaccination requirement policy, excerpting the NAB letter in its announcement.

The post NAB Show Will Require Vaccination appeared first on Radio World.

The organizers of California Public Radio Day are bringing it back for a second year.

The effort aims to raise awareness and financial support for public radio. The date is Thursday Aug. 26.

“After a successful inaugural year, California Public Radio Day is returning with 30 stations coming together to commemorate the day,” they said in an announcement. Thirteen stations participated last year.

“In the single-day celebration aimed at creating awareness for the vital public service public radio brings to the community, stations across the state, from San Diego to Arcata, will collectively encourage listeners to support their local stations.”

California Public Radio Day will take place on August 26. On social media the campaign uses hashtag #CaliforniaPublicRadioDay.

The organizers said events of the past year have only underlined “the importance of access to trustworthy public media for everyone in our communities.”

Participating stations are Cap Radio (Sacramento), DubLab (Los Angeles), KALW (San Francisco), KAZU (Monterey Bay), KCBX (San Luis Obispo), KCHO North State Public Radio (Chico), KCLU (Santa Barbara), KCRW (Santa Monica), KCSN (Northridge), KDFC (San Francisco), KDVS (UC Davis), KFCF (Fresno), KISL (Avalon), KJCC (San Jose City College), KKJZ (Long Beach), KMUD (Redway), KPBS (San Diego), KPCC (Pasadena), KPFA (Berkeley), KPFK (Los Angeles), KQED (San Francisco), KRCB (Santa Rosa), KUSC (Los Angeles), KVCR (San Bernardino), KVPR (Fresno), KXLU (Loyola Marymount University), KXFM (Laguna Beach), KZSC (Santa Cruz), KZYX (Mendocino), UCLA Radio (UCLA).

The post Aug. 26 Is the Second “California Public Radio Day” appeared first on Radio World.

LBA Group has hired Juan Macias as its chief technology officer.

He is former lead senior RF engineer with American Tower, senior broadcast consultant for the FCC repack and lead RF designer for Malaysia’s AIM/IoT infrastructure, the company said.

[Visit Radio World’s People News Page]

“Macias brings over 20 years of experience in the radio frequency field, with an iNARTE Certification as a Telecommunications Senior Engineer and as an IEEE Senior Member,” LBA wrote in its online announcement.

“Originally from Mexico, Macias had been involved in multiple RF, GPRS, GSM, CDMA and IoT projects worldwide for Iusacell and others.”

Among his jobs will be “developing new offerings in the escalating 5G world to position LBA as a leading resource for 5G RF safety and compliance, IoT, DAS and other evolving technology areas.”

Send People News announcements to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post LBA Group Hires Macias as CTO appeared first on Radio World.