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Provides notice of technical restrictions on FM broadcast construction permit MM-FM1192-B, Channel 300B, Sacramento, California to be offered in Auction 106

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The author is membership program director of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters. NFCB commentaries are featured regularly at www.radioworld.com.

If you have been watching with interest some of the recent FCC consent decrees seemingly aimed at content, you’d be in good company. That is because many community radio stations are keeping an eye on this as well.

Content has seemingly been the fourth wall for decades at the FCC. Ever since the heralded “Seven dirty words” case, the Supreme Court’s standard on obscenity and indecency has not only been the law of the land, but the unspoken line in the sand. Short of patently offensive content, politically motivated and virtually every other sort of content charge has been tossed out by commissioners. Most scholars and legal experts would argue this is fair; there are artistic expression and an educational merit that radio and television have long offered Americans.

[Read: Community Broadcaster: The End of Jazz]

Community radio stations should look a little deeper than the headlines. In the latest matter, Salem Broadcasting agreed to pay $50,000 as part of an FCC finding. The issue deals with a program that gave the appearance of being a live radio show that really was not.

For community radio, the Salem news was met with nervousness. Plenty of community radio stations use automation and may re-air programs that once ran live, but in new dayparts. Can we still do that? What are we allowed to do legally?

The Salem consent decree has some very specific clues for any community radio station stressed about a knock at the door. For one, the program in question had “Live” in its title, inherently giving anyone the impression that it was, in fact, a live broadcast. This was compounded by a lack of identifications for the program as previously recorded. The FCC ruled this presentation was misleading.

If your community radio station has a show with “Live” in the name and you’re not airing it live, you need to announce it is a recording, if you’re re-airing it in another daypart. Even if the program doesn’t have live in its name, it is a courtesy and best practice to note a previous recording anyway. Nothing annoys a listener more than to hear a great song or to catch a comment about an event during a talk break and to call an empty studio, because that listener had no idea the voice behind the mic isn’t there. What’s worse, said listener may not assume the show is recorded, but that the DJ is ignoring the phone or doesn’t care.

The other content-related issue on community radio stations’ radar is the wave of fines for underwriting spots. Full- and low-power stations have borne the brunt of FCC attention, receiving penalties large and small and agreeing to training programs and other ways of fixing problems so they do not continue.

While the FCC’s underwriting rules are quite general, language that can be perceived as commercial is forbidden. As NFCB covered in its February newsletter, underwriting rules are broad, but there are some lines you absolutely cannot cross. These include:

• Do not make qualitative statements about an underwriter;
• Do not include information on prices or value;
• Do not make calls to action;
• Do not list products or services offered by an underwriter.

Among other rules.

Moreover, these penalties are not necessarily content, per se. The commission simply does not allow stations making comparisons between an underwriter’s products or services and other verbal sleights of hand that could come across as advertising.

As with the “live” topic, at the heart of these stories is audience trust. Community radio must do it all to protect that faith listeners put in us. Such includes in the elements we might take for granted.

The post Community Broadcaster: Coming Down on Content appeared first on Radio World.

Tieline has named Doug Ferber to the new role of vice president of sales for the Americas, filling out its sales team, the company announced.

For the prior 12 years, Ferber worked as an independent consultant providing operations and financial services for radio broadcasters. In total, he has three decades of sales experience, beginning as an advertising account executive and eventually managing sales organizations.

The company says U.S. and Latin American codec sales inquiries should be sent to Ferber.

The post Ferber Joins Tieline Sales Team appeared first on Radio World.

The Centrance MicPort Pro 2 can be used as a front end for smartphone apps like Luci Live Lite. It can be used (with the proper adapter) with iOS phones, and as shown here, Android phones such as the Samsung Galaxy A6.

Though technology has made great strides in the last decade, voiceover artists and radio reporters have been tethered to tablets and laptops when recording audio. Smartphones by themselves weren’t an option for the kind of professional audio rerecrecocording necessary for a radio reporter or voiceover artist to do their job. CEntrance’s MicPort Pro 2 offers to change that by bringing professional audio recording capability to the smartphone as well as tablets and laptops.

SMALL PACKAGE, MANY FEATURES

The MicPort Pro 2 connects to a smartphone, tablet or laptop via a USB OTG cable. Users of iOS devices (iPhones) with Lightning connectors, would use a Lightning to USB connector that CEntrance describes on their website. Once connected and recognized, the MicPort Pro 2 is ready to process audio in three flavors: microphone level, line level, and (for the musician) Hi-Z guitar or bass level. There is switchable 48 V phantom power for microphones that require it.

The MicPort Pro 2 has a control to blend send and return audio, useful if connected as an audio input device for a codec app, such as Luci Live Lite or an audio recording app, such as Audio Evolution Mobile. Headphone connections are made with a 3.5 mm TRS jack. There are LED indicators for signal presence (white) and signal overload (red). Switches for the high-pass filter (6 dB cut below 130 Hz) and Hi-Z line input selection are recessed and require a small object like a paper clip to move.

Recordings made with the MicPort Pro 2 are two-track recordings, although the device is a single-channel input device. One of the tracks (left) is recorded at normal level; the other is recorded –12 dB below the normal level. If the normal level track is unusable due to clipping, the –12 dB safety track can be used. The MicPort Pro 2 is offered with an optional soft-knee limiter, which is used primarily on vocal recordings. A recessed switch and LED indicator control and monitor its operation.

The MicPort Pro 2 has a rechargeable battery that can be recharged by any device with a USB micro connection. The battery needs to be charged for five hours before its first use, and is not user-replaceable. The product can be mounted on a 1/4-20 bolt (like those on a mini photo tripod), so a user can connect microphone, headphones, OTG cable all on one tripod, saving space in cramped quarters like a press area. The unit is sold with a one-year warranty. The downloadable operators manual is very detailed and, if referenced, will help users solve most problems that they may encounter.

RECORDING The Centrance MicPort Pro 2 fits on a small photo tripod with convenient controls and jacks for connections.

I recorded two episodes of my “Radio-Road-Test” program using this device, along with an Audio-Technica AT897 shotgun electret condenser mic, Koss Pro 4 AA Titanium headphones and Future Sonics earbuds. One was recorded on a Google Nexus 7 tablet, the other on a Samsung Galaxy A6 smartphone. I used the Audio Evolution Mobile app on both devices to record the raw audio, consisting of my spoken voice with the limiter engaged. The Nexus 7 recognized the CEntrance MicPort Pro 2 as a USB sound card and I could monitor audio. The Galaxy A6 also recognized the MicPort Pro 2 as a USB sound card and I could record and monitor audio when recording with Audio Evolution Mobile.
I also tried the MicPort Pro 2 using the Luci Live Lite app on the A6 and the phone recognized it as a sound card, allowing me to send and receive audio. When trying to use Cleanfeed (through Google Chrome browser-based Opus codec) with the Galaxy A6 and the MicPort Pro 2 connected, the A6 did not recognize it as an input. CEntrance and Cleanfeed worked through this issue with me and identified that it was a Chrome browser issue.

The arrival of the CEntrance MicPort Pro 2 coincided with the failure of my studio recording console. When comparing the sonic quality of the MicPort Pro 2 and the setup that I’ve been using for more than 10 years, I could find no difference. It is a plug-and-play solution for any mobile, laptop or desktop device that allows a corded connection by USB, which, when equipment fails and a production schedule beckons, brings peace of mind because the backup is as good, if not better, than the original equipment. For a simple home or office studio recording setup, the MicPort Pro 2 would make economic sense, because of its onboard limiter, monitor, 48 V phantom power preamp and rechargeable onboard battery.

What makes the CEntrance MicPort Pro 2 useful: 48 V phantom power, and a switchable soft limiter

The CEntrance MicPort Pro 2 costs $249 for the base version. The version with the optional limiter goes for $279. The MicPort Pro 2 will most likely find its way into the bags of audio technicians, voiceover artists who’d like to be even more mobile, guitarists and bass players, and, most importantly for the Radio World reader, the radio reporter who may need to record voice tracks or connect via codecs.

CENTRANCE MICPORT PRO2

Audio Interface

Thumbs Up
+ Compatible with most
soft codecs and phones
+ 48 V phantom power
+ Onboard high-pass filter

Thumbs Down
– Some flakiness with certain phones; took a while to connect to Cleanfeed via the Chrome browser

Price: $249, with limiter $279

Contact: CEntrance in Illinois at 1-833-236-8726 or visit www.centrance.com.

Paul Kaminski, CBT, is a mostly retired radio reporter, host of msrpk.com’s Radio-Road-Test program, and since 1997, a Radio World contributor. Twitter: @msrpk_com. Facebook: PKaminski2468.

Comment on this or any story. Email radioworld@futurenet.com with “Letter to the Editor” in the subject field.

The post MicPort Pro2 Delivers the Smartphone Audio Goods appeared first on Radio World.

Denied the License Applications, Revoked Program Authority, and Deleted Call Signs

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FCC Chairman Ajit Pai on Thursday laid out his proposal to auction 280 MHz of C-Band spectrum to use for 5G services. The plan includes reimbursement of incumbent fixed satellite companies for expenses caused by the resulting repack.

The NAB called it “an important step towards ensuring a stable C-Band ecosystem following reallocation,” though without seeming to endorse it outright; the association said it would review the plan.

The C-Band is a 500-megahertz segment of spectrum being used currently by the satellite companies to distribute audio and video content to broadcasters and cable systems. Those services are expected to be repacked to the upper 200 megahertz of the band (4.0–4.2 GHz). Pai detailed the new draft rules during a speech to the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation in Washington.

Pai’s plan would make the lower 280 megahertz of the C-Band (3.7–3.98 GHz) available for flexible use, including 5G, through a public auction, which the chairman wants to begin in December 2020.

This strikes an appropriate balance between making available critical mid-band spectrum for 5G and protecting incumbent uses, according to Pai.

Relocation costs of the C-Band’s current users will be covered, according to the chairman’s proposal. The FCC acknowledges new satellites will need to be launched and filters replaced on earth stations as part of the repack. Under an accelerated relocation incentive package, Pai’s plan would allow fixed satellite operators and other incumbents to tap a pool of $9.7 billion if they meet the accelerated clearing milestones.

Satellite operators would receive the higher payments if they clear the lower 100 megahertz of the C-band in 46 of the top 50 Partial Economic Areas by September 2021, and the remaining 180 megahertz of the C-Band by September 2023, Pai said today.

The reimbursement money for C-Band incumbents disrupted by the repack would come from the winning bidders in the C-Band auction, according to the FCC. Pai did not disclose how much the FCC hopes to generate from the spectrum auction to 5G service providers. The FCC hopes to begin the auction on Dec. 8, 2020.

The fixed satellite operators had argued for more money, Pai said. “In sum, as I see it, the Goldilocks principle applies here. Some may say $9.7 billion is too high. Some may say it’s too low. I say it’s just right — if you are genuinely focused on ensuring that the prompt development of the C-Band is needed for American leadership in 5G.”

Pai says he shared the plan this morning with fellow commissioners. The proposal is expected to be voted on as a Report and Order at the FCC’s next Open Meeting in late February. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would allow for a public comment period.

Complete details of the chairman’s C-Band proposal will be available on the FCC’s website Friday.

The National Association of Broadcasters reacted: “Today marks an important step towards ensuring a stable C-Band ecosystem following reallocation — one that makes significant spectrum available for mobile use while protecting content distribution relied upon by hundreds of millions of Americans today,” said NAB Executive Vice President of Communications Dennis Wharton. “In this and other spectrum proceedings, NAB has played a leading role developing constructive solutions that provide meaningful benefits to all stakeholders.” He said NAB would review the plan and work with the FCC “towards a solution that benefits both current and new users of the spectrum band.”

The National Association of Tower Erectors said the draft rules would reform the use of the C-Band and make a large amount of spectrum available for 5G … The plan appears to strike the right balance to free up access to critical midband spectrum while protecting incumbent users.”

Commissioner Michael O’Rielly, who has been active on this issue, said, “Much time and attention has been spent on the appropriate incentive payment for the satellite providers, and I am pleased that an agreement was reached that should allow them to fully and voluntarily participate in this transition.”

The FCC issued a summary of the plan. Here is the section regarding costs:

“Relocation costs of the C-Band’s current users would be covered. It will cost money for all their operations to be moved to the upper 200 MHz of the C-Band. Among other things, new satellites will need to be launched, and filters will need to be placed on earth stations. Satellite operators and other incumbents would be reimbursed by the winning bidders in the C-Band auction for reasonable relocation costs,” the FCC wrote in the summary.

“Additionally, satellite operators would have the opportunity to receive accelerated relocation payments if they are able to clear the lower portion of the C-Band on an accelerated timeline, thus advancing the national priority of making spectrum available for 5G deployment more quickly.  These payments would create powerful incentives for incumbent operators to expedite the transition, and operators would only be paid if in fact they did so. The accelerated payments could total up to $9.7 billion and would be paid by winning bidders in the C-Band auction.”

 

The post C-Band Auction Could Begin in December appeared first on Radio World.

On Feb. 4, the Federal Communications Commission’s Media Bureau stood behind a decision it made in 2018 to grant a translator to an AM operator in the Philadelphia market as part of Auction 100, the name of the second cross-service FM translator window that opened at the end of January 2018. The window was opened to any AM station licensee that did not participate in either the 2016 FM translator modification windows or the 2017 cross-service FM translator auction filing window.

This recent decision by the Media Bureau offers new insights into its policy decision making when it comes to awarding FM translators to AM stations versus LPFM operators.

Low-power FM advocates have long argued that there should be sufficient filing opportunities for LPFM stations when it comes to translators and booster stations, often pointing to the Local Community Radio Act of 2010 and its goal of granting equal protection to community radio stations.

As part of the auction, the bureau approved an application by Mega-Philadelphia LLC for a new cross-service FM translator for W239DS in Camden, N.J. Soon after, a group that included Common Frequency, Prometheus Radio Project and the Center for International Media Action filed informal objections against hundreds of pending translator applications, including the application for W239DS. The FCC, however, dismissed and denied all objections and the following petitions for reconsideration — except for the one filed against W239DS. The bureau found that the petitioner, Paul Bame, had sufficient standing to maintain a petition for reconsideration.

Bame, who is engineering director for Prometheus Radio, stated that the Media Bureau made several errors in initially denying the objection, including disregarding certain safeguards for preserving spectrum for LPFM stations. He also stated that the commission failed to fully meet the requirements of the Local Community Radio Act while running that auction and failed to use the same procedures that were established in Auction 83..

But the bureau disagreed. It dismissed Bame’s contention that the Camden, N.J., application would potentially impede the potential move of an existing LPFM station — and thus not be compliant with the LCRA. Rather, the application followed the exact rules set up as part of Auction 100. And Auction 100 complies with the LCRA, the bureau said.

In fact, the commission said in its ruling, the procedures adopted by the bureau were designed to prioritize the LPFM filing window before opening up translator opportunities to AM licensees. It also pointed to language within the LCRA that says the commission must ensure that licensing opportunities are available for all secondary services and are made based on the needs of the local community.

“The commission determined that AM radio stations provide important community-

based programming, and that measures needed to be taken to preserve that service,” the bureau said in its findings. “While Section 5 [of the LCRA] mandates that secondary services be equal in status, FM translators and LPFM stations are not equal in their ability to address the articulated public interest need of preserving AM service to communities.”

The bureau also disagreed with Bame’s suggestion that it should have followed the rules set up in Auction 83, an auction designed to resolve groups of mutually exclusive applications for those who applied in a 2003 auction for a new commercial FM translator station. More than 13,000 new translator applications were submitted as part of that auction.

Faced with what it called an unprecedented volume of translator applications filed in the general Auction 83 window, the commission said it introduced “extraordinary remedial measures,” including limiting the number of filed applications that applicants could continue to prosecute and requiring applicant-filed preclusion studies — “all to preserve spectrum for future LPFM stations.” So following those same measures in Auction 100 — which had a strict limit on the number of allowed new translator applications — wouldn’t be required, the bureau said.

In short, the bureau disagreed with Bame’s petition, found the granting of the Camden application served the public interest, and thus dismissed and denied the petition for reconsideration.

It remains to be seen whether this decision is indicative of a larger FCC goal of supporting AM stations as part of its AM revitalization efforts, and how LPFMs will be impacted in the long term.

Ruling: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-20-126A1.pdf

The post FCC Stands Behind Philadelphia Translator Decision appeared first on Radio World.

The origins of Jacobs Media’s Techsurvey can be traced to the early 2000s when the scale of change in consumer electronics and media consumption was becoming evident. 

Fred Jacobs, president of the research and consulting firm, says he had a natural curiosity about how changes in listening habits, devices and platforms affect radio stations. 

The rise of the connected car and smart speaker systems like Amazon’s Alexa, Google Home and Apple HomePod are having a significant impact on today’s radio listening environment, as are the podcast movement and other on-demand entertainment options. 

However, the online survey also reveals the remarkable steadiness of radio listening levels through the years, even when you consider the radio-centric nature of these non-scientific studies. 

So it’s both fun and enlightening to look back at other devices and platforms that were prominent, and when, in years past. Jacobs Media did that in a recent webinar highlighting the survey’s 15 years and the digital transformation that radio and its listeners have experienced over that time.

The Media Pyramid slides for 2005 —top — and 2019 — bottom — reflect changing consumer tastes. (The early years of the survey focused on a sample of listeners to rock stations, while the survey now covers listeners to 14 formats.)

“Our mission with Techsurvey has always been to help radio broadcasters produce a great radio product for their constituencies,” Jacobs said during the webinar. 

Techsurvey results parse media usage and tech trends. They are compiled from data collected from listeners of participating radio stations in a variety of formats and are designed to elicit information about those listeners’ technology adoption and usage.  

Techsurvey has morphed since its inception from an original focus on the habits of listeners to rock-formatted stations to include those of multiple radio formats, Jacobs said.

The most recent survey in 2019 explored the habits of approximately 64,000 listeners of 560 North American radio stations, according to Jacobs Media. 

Techsurvey 2020, for which data gathering began in January, will accompany specific studies for public radio and Christian music broadcasters that Jacobs Media will present later in the year. 

EARLY DITCHERS

When the survey began in 2005, its findings reflected those days of flip-phones and internet dialup, Jacobs said.

“There were lots of AOL accounts, and text messaging was just for young people. Only 25% of those surveyed were texting on their phones,” Jacobs said. “Fewer than one in four listened to internet radio, and MP3 players were just coming into vogue.”

An important discovery from the first survey was the number of 18- to 34-year-olds who had already ditched their house landlines and were cell-only, he said. 

“It was about 33%, which is significant when you consider that Arbitron at the time was not including cellphone-only in their samples. That was when the Arbitron Advisory Council used this data to pressure Arbitron to use cellphone-only households,” Jacobs said.

The cellphone breakout was evident by 2006, Jacobs said, and by 2007 the survey clearly reflected the influx of streaming on YouTube and the beginnings of social media’s impact. 

“This was about the time MySpace ruled social networking sites. FaceBook was just opening up to becoming more than just a college campus community, but this is when technology really began to explode,” he said.

Techsurvey 2008 arrived just before Apple launched its App Store, Jacobs said. That survey detected a shift in cellphone use, he said. “Along with using them for texting and taking photos, cellphones are being used as alarms to wake up. In fact, a majority of people [in 2008] were using cellphones to wake up. 

“iPhones were popular; Android phones were just coming in,” he continued. “In addition, you can see some trending that shows the rampant growth of iPod type devices along with MP3 players during this time. Really, the whole idea of using the smartphone as a MP3 player hadn’t kicked in yet.” 

PANDORA IN THE PICTURE

Jacobs Media uses a “media usage pyramid” to demonstrate the relative use of various technologies. The 2009 survey revealed growth in the use of streaming audio, social media and text messaging among survey respondents. Nearly four out of 10 people in 2009 said they listened to audio over the internet.

“They were streaming radio station streams, but Pandora is trending up big time. It was when we really started focusing on Pandora and what might be happening with it,” Jacobs said. “It’s also the first year Twitter shows up on the social networking list.”

The smartphone revolution was at “full speed” by 2010, which also found the Blackberry on its way out and Apple’s iPhone building dominance. And “now everyone is downloading apps,” Jacobs said. In fact, eight out of 10 who owned a smartphone were downloading paid and free apps by then, according to the survey.

Social media was exploding by 2011, he said, with Facebook beginning to dominate MySpace, and early signs of LinkedIn and Twitter making their marks. Android smartphones gained in numbers on the iPhones. 

Jacob’s eighth survey, in 2012, was the first to be open to all radio formats and all radio stations, which greatly increased the number of respondents — more than 57,000 total.  

By then, Jacobs said, the survey was an established indicator of what kind of content people were consuming. “But what it was also starting to do was telling us about distribution. We knew cellphones were very important, but how big? How about in-car entertainment systems and such?”

Jacobs said 2012 was also the first year in which cellphone usage (96%) eclipsed the percent of people who listened to AM/FM terrestrial radio (93%) in the media usage category among mainstream AC listeners. 

Also in 2012, Jacobs said, his firm began to discover the “emotional benefits” of listening to the radio.

“By that point you could get music from a lot of different sources. We asked: Why listen to the radio? Well, we found that radio is a mood elevator, about companionship and about escape. It’s critically important to know what moves listeners in this age of tech,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs also discovered about this time the importance of “word of mouth” in the era of social media. “Without questions it’s more important than ever,” he said.

Techsurvey 9 in 2013 was the first to break out data by generations, Jacobs said, with boomers, Gen Y, Gen X and Gen Z the main categories.   

“We also asked those who were listening to less radio why that was the case. Number one was a lifestyle change, such as a change in jobs, moving to a new area or retirement. That stuff is really outside of radio’s control,” he said. “However, the next two top reasons were that they didn’t enjoy the programming any longer, and too many commercials.”

In 2013 Jacobs began asking about the digital dash and things like Bluetooth and iPod connectivity in the car, he said. “It’s becoming more and more desirable, and definitely portends what we see currently in that people really enjoy those features.”

By 2014 and Techsurvey 10, which Jacobs considers a digital tipping point for social media usage, Instagram and Snapchat inch into the picture for social networking choices.

“More and more people are driving a connected car, in fact one in five. Still, half of all consumption of radio still takes place in the car, and 29% at work or home. But podcast sneaks into the survey for the first time,” Jacobs said. “And more listeners are looking favorably upon radio that they can socially interact with. And Facebook is [by then] the monster it is still today.”

In 2015 the survey included more than 220 radio stations and 41,000 respondents, and continued to show radio holding steady in the overall media usage pyramid at 92%.

IN THE HOME

Jacobs notes that for 2016, the survey began to ask respondents about radio ownership specifically in the home. Boomers registered at 93% while Gen Y checked in at only 78%, he said. “And remember, this is a radio-centric sample.”

This 2019 chart shows the percentage of time spent with a listener’s “home” station via various platforms in a given week. Non-traditional digital channels now account for 31%.

The impact of on-demand entertainment options like podcasts, Netflix, Hulu and YouTube TV had become more significant by then, with podcasting and other on-demand options being driven by millennials; 31% of Gen Y respondents said they listen to podcasts weekly.

“Young people were way into TV on demand sooner than anyone else obviously,” he said. “And if a person is into video on demand, they are also likely to be into audio on demand, better known as podcasting.”

Listening in connected cars, like those with Ford’s Sync Connect, became more fragmented by 2016. AM/FM listening was at 55%, while satellite radio, personal music on phones, podcasts, Pandora and audio books accounted for the rest. 

The survey now includes detailed info about podcast listening habits among radio listeners.

The 2017 survey shed more light on why people are still listening to AM/FM radio despite having so many other options. Jacobs said the answer is easy: “Because it’s free. And surprisingly, it’s the younger demos, perhaps because they are the most cash-strapped, which appreciate the fact that radio is free. And more are cutting the cord and moving away from premium pay services.”

Radio listening continued in 2017 to tip from traditional terrestrial on-air listening (74%) toward more digital listening via streams (22%). 

“Most digital listeners are still streaming off a radio station’s website, but more and more are accessing the stations app,” Jacobs said, “which means it’s becoming more and more critical for radio stations to have a Millennial or Gen Z strategy. And smart speakers and the voice command feature on devices have become a big thing by 2017.”

 Jacob Media’s brand pyramid in the 2018 survey showed significant growth by Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and Netflix, Jacobs said, as on-demand video streaming exploded. Radio was still the top “brand” (92%); but for the first time the survey asked about the most important features in a new connected car, and it differentiated between AM and FM radio.

“FM radio is the more important new car feature in the dash (81%), but only 37% say AM radio is a must-have in [their] next car. Things like Bluetooth connectivity (72%) and smartphone aux connector is (63%) are growing in demand,” Jacobs said. 

The most recent survey, released in 2019, revealed growing privacy concerns among listeners, especially via home speakers and social media platforms such as Facebook. 

“Nearly a quarter of those surveyed said they were seriously considering deleting Facebook due to privacy concerns. And we are seeing a connection to a decline of the number of people willing to sign up for a radio station’s stream. We think privacy is a big reason why fewer people are willing to sign up for the stream and provide us information,” Jacobs said.

In addition, a big conclusion of the latest survey is that satellite radio is making a strong comeback, he said.

SiriusXM “bought Pandora. They also have a great program with Amazon so that now you can listen to any SiriusXM channel on an Amazon Echo device. Now nearly one in four respondents in 2019 subscribed to satellite radio. And the top two options for satellite radio subscribers are the spoken word, sports and news/talk programming.”

Jacobs said Techsurvey this year will delve deeper into smart speakers and voice control, podcasting and CarPlay and Android Auto in the dashboard, as well as “hearables” — smart headphones — such as AirPods.

The post Techsurvey Reflects Consumer Dynamics appeared first on Radio World.

Under the theme “radio and diversity,” UNESCO’s 2020 edition of World Radio Day will focus on radio’s responsibility as “a platform for democratic discourse.” The international organization is encouraging radio stations worldwide to participate in the one-day celebration, which takes place on Feb. 13.

It’s also calling on radio broadcasters to consistently maintain “diversity in the newsroom and on the airwaves” to guarantee variety of content and voices for its varied audiences.

Radio World spoke to Mirta Lourenço chief, Media Development and Society, Communication and Information for UNESCO on the significance of this day and the importance of radio in maintaining plurality and transparency.

Radio World: What is the history of World Radio Day and why was it created?

Mirta Lourenço is chief, Media Development and Society, Communication and Information for UNESCO.

Mirta Lourenço: Following a proposal from Spain, in 2011 UNESCO’s 36th session of the General Conference proclaimed World Radio Day, on the basis of a feasibility study undertaken by UNESCO, further to a proposal from Spain.

A wide consultation process started in June 2011, carried out by UNESCO. It included all stakeholders, including broadcasting associations, public, private, community and international broadcasters, UN agencies, topic-related NGOs, academics and foundations as well as UNESCO Permanent Delegations and National Commissions.

Ninety-one percent were in favor of the project. The project leader, Academia Española de la Radio, received more than 46 letters of support from diverse stakeholders, including the Arab States Broadcasting Union, the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, the African Union of Broadcasting, the Caribbean Broadcasting Union, the European Broadcasting Union, the International Association of Broadcasting, the North American Broadcasters Association, the Organización de Telecomunicaciones Ibeoramericanas, BBC, URTI and Vatican Radio.

On Jan. 14, 2013, the United Nations General Assembly formally endorsed UNESCO’s proclamation of World Radio Day. Feb. 13 is the day United Nations Radio was established in 1946.

World Radio Day was proclaimed to raise greater awareness among the public and the media of the importance of radio. Radio is the media reaching the widest audience in the world. It is also recognized as a powerful communication tool and a low cost medium.

Radio is specifically suited to reach all segments of societies, even remote communities and vulnerable people — while offering a platform to intervene in the public debate, irrespective of people’s educational level: Communities with lower levels of literacy, persons with disabilities, women, youth and those facing poverty. Furthermore, radio has a strong and specific role in emergency communication and disaster relief.

RW: What are UNESCO’s goals in organizing such an event?

Lourenço: It is more than an event, or it is several events around the world, all of them celebrating radio. The objective is to encourage decision makers to establish and provide access to information through radio, as well as to enhance networking and international cooperation among broadcasters.

UNESCO leads the celebration and chairs the World Radio Day Committee, which is composed of regional and international broadcasting organizations.

RW: Describe the effort to develop awareness of World Radio Day around the world.

Lourenço: World Radio Day is first and foremost a celebration of the first electronic medium that has, over the decades, remained a powerful medium for connecting people and possessing the potential to reinforce critical governance concerns such as access to information, media diversity and pluralism.

World Radio Day aims for radio coverage in preference to press coverage. Nonetheless, UNESCO’s strategy for World Radio Day contributes to phenomenal press coverage every year, with over 500 articles published around the world. There is not a continent that doesn’t celebrate World Radio Day.

On Feb. 13 each year, UNESCO offers to radio stations, and wider to the civil society, free resources, audio clips, short videos, stories and testimonials in a visually attractive dedicated website. The statistics show that approximately 25% of users are return visitors, meaning that key stakeholders return to the site on numerous occasions.

And every year, when visitors land on the page, they stay. World Radio Day has a good average of page view and people’s sessions last long, so users have a great interest in the content and truly explore the worldradioday.org site. Major global influencers usually make public statements aligned with our messages for World Radio Day.

RW: What actions would you like radio organizations to take in the future? What else should we know?

Lourenço: Defending and fostering free, independent and pluralistic radio is the most important goal, since it underlies democracy and the rule of law. Radio has survived all media upheavals because it has successfully demonstrated its usefulness again and again.

In many countries, radio stations have maintained a respectable space for information and democratic debate, free from political or commercial pressures. There is also, alas, radio that can insulate and reinforce narrow-mindedness, and it is an everyday effort as a broadcaster or as a listener to object to or try to change such realities.

RW: What is the World Radio Day Committee and what is its purpose?

Lourenço: The World Radio Day Committee gathers international and regional broadcasting organizations, and it meets to evaluate each year’s celebrations and to choose the theme for the upcoming year. 

RW: What’s new this year?

Lourenço: This year we are focusing on diversity and radio, which should give radio stations plenty of opportunities and angles to celebrate the day. We suggest considering any or all of these three axes:

• Diversity in the radio landscape: Diversity of voices and opinions in radio relies first on the degree of media concentration and the coexistence of different types of stations with a mix of public, private and community broadcasters. The development of policy environments conducive to transparency and diversity of media ownership is the keystone to a pluralistic, inclusive and democratic radio sector. Technological advances such as digital radio are also participating to diversify the radio sector. Through digital radio radio, the choice of stations available to listeners is dramatically increased with more stations being able to broadcast in the same areas on less frequency space than necessary for FM and AM radio. Digital radio also offer additional information and features, such as the display of program and song played, or the ability to pause and even record live broadcast, further enriching the radio experience. On Feb. 13, radio stations could, for example, interview duty-bearers, including media regulators, and ask how they promote a favorable environment for radio diversity to flourish by means of different measures, such as increasing the licensing of radio operated by a variety of groups, such as indigenous/native/minority people – and/or measuring progress of broadcasting organizations towards diversity.
• Diversity in the newsroom: Editorial teams are generally comprised of staff from majority groups. Through equal opportunity and fair treatment policies, which prevent discrimination based on factors such as gender, origin, sexual orientation, religion, age, social and socio-economic backgrounds and/or political party, radio stations could gain multi-cultural teams that bring different perspectives on issues, opinions and stories, thus enhancing their credibility vis-à-vis listeners. A diverse and representative radio workforce is not only important for countering discrimination and ensuring gender representation; it is crucial for creativity and relevance of content. It thus safeguards editorial independence. For example, on Feb. 13, radio stations can show how they integrate people from diverse groups in their editorial teams, including women, youth, minority from different origins, LGBTQI, people with disability and others.
• Diversity on the airwaves: Through diverse channels of transmission, types of editorial content, programming and topics, radio reaches the widest audience globally and opens up a multitude of spaces for democratic debate on an infinity of subjects. Radio stations can offer a wide array of shows and programs — from reportages and documentaries to talk shows and podcasts, there is something for each of us. Within the program, diversity in the choice of angles, languages, music, invited guests and sources can further portray, engage and reflect the diversity of humanity, thus fostering tolerance, inclusion and solidarity. It’s essential for media pluralism and broadens journalists’ and program makers’ creativity. On Feb. 13, radio stations can show how they fairly and equally represent all men, women and children by creating and broadcasting targeted programs by and for specific sectors of society, while also reflecting the diversity of the population in mainstream programs, for example.

RW: How do you celebrate at the Unesco headquarters in Paris?

Lourenço: This year we are not having an event at UNESCO headquarters, but UNESCO has offices across the world. Check worldradioday.org or unesco.org to see how our offices observe the Day.

RW: Is this an effort aimed at traditional over-the-air formats or is UNESCO also targeting streaming services and podcasts, etc.?

Lourenço: It covers both. News technologies increase diversity in radio. Digital radio, online streaming, satellite radio and the spread of low-costs technologies have broadened the access to cost-effective methods of transmitting and broadcasting programs.

Similarly, podcasts have opened the door to new ways of producing and consuming audio content thus, increasing access to information and the variety of programs available, regardless of spectrum availability. And even as other digital distribution opportunities proliferate, there continues to be an interest in pure audio as a valued form of free speech, information gathering and democratic exercise.

Radio, in this sense, is not a technology. It’s not even a platform: It’s a social institution — and this is what we honor as well. Long before social networking, radio was already a social foundation, which built identities and communities and created conversations and participation in the public sphere.

Radio is a success story actually. It’s the medium that has really taken advantage of new communication technologies. It can be used in marginalized or remote places, where there is a lack of other connectivity and where print media does not arrive.

Today radio is also a podcast, a website, an app, a platform. And at the same time, it still exists as a transistor! So rather than getting left behind, radio is truly adaptable — it’s a format that will keep growing and is accessible.

In many countries, radio is also the number one medium for offering a choice of channels and languages and interests (not just for those who already have access to digital radio or internet and tune into the world but also for those lucky to have community radio, which often broadcasts from very remote areas, or in local languages).

For plurilinguistic countries (some have more than 20 languages), the access to information and audience interaction in various national languages is not possible through TV or social media. This is because providing different language services requires diverse teams and is costly, some languages lack written grammar and connectivity (even electricity) may not be reliable.

Register your event or acitivies event/activity here and check out the WRD 2020 Celebration kit at www.worldradioday.org.

The events and activities shared will be publicized on UNESCO portal.

Our IT team is developing an interactive map that will allow to display not only event description but also podcasts during WRD2020.

The post World Radio Day to Celebrate Radio and Diversity appeared first on Radio World.

In this document, the Commission's proposal to amend its rules for the 5.850-5.925 GHz (5.9 GHz) band. The proposal would permit unlicensed devices to operate in the lower 45-megahertz portion of the band at 5.850-5.895 GHz under part 15 of the Commission's rules. It would also permit Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) operations in the upper 30-megahertz portion of the band at 5.895-5.925 GHz under parts 90 and 95 of the Commission's rules. ITS operations would consist of Cellular Vehicle to Everything (C-V2X) devices at 5.905-5.925 GHz, and C-V2X and/or Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) devices at 5.895-5.905 GHz. The document also asks whether alternate spectrum band approaches would better achieve the goal of maximizing the effective and efficient use of the 5.9 GHz band, including whether differently sized sub-bands or greater flexibility to introduce additional vehicular safety communications technologies into the band would be warranted.