Radio World

Quick: At what time of the day does most U.S. radio listening take place? It’s not the traditional drive time hours, despite what you might think.

That’s the topic of a new blog post by Pierre Bouvard of Westwood One, who says misperceptions among ad buyers about radio listening can hurt those companies.

[Read: Determining How Many Ads a Station Needs to Run to Get Results]

“Some advertisers only buy drive times thinking they are getting most of AM/FM radio’s audience,” he writes —understandable given radio’s strength in vehicles.

But in truth 39% of AM/FM radio listening occurs during drive times, “a stark difference in perceived and actual AM/FM radio listening.” Middays actually are the most listened to time period.

The highest share of time spent among adults 25 to 54 is middays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with 26%, though the morning and afternoon drive times certainly are also strong. Bouvard notes that middays are helped by the fact that their defined time slot is five hours long.

“There is also a major disconnect about weekend listening. Advertisers perceive only 12% of all listening occurs during the weekend. The Nielsen reality is 21% — bigger than morning drive.”

He concludes that the common advertising rule to “only buy drive times” is actually myth that is “dangerous and harmful to advertiser sales growth,” missing 60% of the AM/FM radio audience, reducing reach and harming advertiser sales “lift.”

He also says that despite the pandemic, the share of AM/FM radio listening by daypart is very stable.

Read the post.

 

The post Drive Time Ain’t the Only Time appeared first on Radio World.

A weekend ice storm has cost station KOEZ in Des Moines, Iowa, the top 100 feet of its tower, which unfortunately was also holding the station’s 10-bay FM antenna.

The photo above is not what you want to see when you get to your tower site.

Tom Atkins, VP and director of engineering for Saga Communications, tells Radio World that local Chief Engineer Joseph Farrington received an off-air alarm and a low transmission line pressure alarm late Saturday evening.

“He immediately switched to the aux antenna to keep KOEZ on the air,” Atkins wrote in an email. “Upon arrival at the transmitter site, he noticed a snapped upper guy wire and no tower lights above the mid-level of the structure.”

It was too dark to see anything on Saturday. He returned Sunday morning to find the top section of tower that held the main 10-bay ERI antenna was laying on the ground partially buried on one end.

“It appears the ice load was too much for the Phillystran supporting the upper section of the tower,” Atkins wrote. “We will be conducting a full investigation along with a tower inspection to determine the official cause.”

Ice on a tower member.

No one was hurt; and KOEZ, which airs an adult contemporary format, is operating at full power from the site utilizing its auxiliary antenna.

The post Iowa Ice Takes Down KOEZ’s FM Antenna appeared first on Radio World.

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

Since last year, many radio stations have favored remote work due to the pandemic. It is expected they will keep staff at home still further into this year. So much isolation for staff and volunteers, though, is pushing us to think about maintaining a productive station culture.

Whether fully staffed or all-volunteer, local radio stations thrive, keep good people, and attract community interest in no small part by good word of mouth. A strong internal culture where people feel a sense of belonging and believe leaders care is key in this regard. Yet, fostering a station culture when everyone no longer is in person can be formidable.

[Read: Community Broadcaster: How Biden Helps Radio]

The consequences of not paying attention to station culture are serious. Recently the New York Times highlighted the problem of distance work creating staff problems. Longtime colleagues and peers are seeing their bonds fraying. Behavior people would never engage in at the station — from aggressive political posturing to disengagement at meetings to rude or uncompassionate treatment — have become the norm in some places. Instead of treating people like coworkers or fellow volunteers, experts note, people are treating these interactions like they’re dealing with online friends. However, these casual and sometimes pointed chats don’t vanish into the ether. As the Times points out, they are becoming the basis for harassment, discrimination and hostile work environment litigation — this time, with a digital footprint to demonstrate such.

For any business, these problems are daunting. For radio stations, especially local, community-based broadcasters, the many priorities related to content, technology and service crowd our to-do lists. Media itself is in the hot seat too, and its people surely are weighed down by the negative views the public increasingly says it feels about media. Station culture, as a result, only suffers.

How can your radio station have support its people and ensure a better culture when so much work is remote now? There are a few key issues.

Transparency is central to trust. Remember back when you were at the station and could walk over to someone’s space and talk about an idea, clear up a misunderstanding, or explain yourself? With that precious in-person interaction gone, it takes extra effort to let others know the full story to anything. Promoting communication and relationship-building is integral today at stations. Telling people about decisions and why they were made makes people feel more included, particularly when they can no longer have access to the traditional channels to learn and talk.

Handling conflicts consistently and proactively is necessary as well. At the station, disagreements can pop up from time to time, or more frequently. Managing conflicts fairly and evenly just as you would any station policy. And do not just let tensions simmer, or pretend like something didn’t happen. Handle it directly, lest it get worse later.

Finally, it’s important to be aware of the mental health and well-being of your volunteers and staff. Wellness vaulted from the realm of essential oils and yoga mats into the mainstream ages ago, so it’s time to embrace it. Isolation can have debilitating effects on your physical and mental health. You can offer your staff and volunteers many low-cost wellness resources to ensure they are happy and healthy. Such investments will create a more harmonious work environment, even remotely.

Sadly, remote station work is not going away soon, so it is up to stations to reimagine work to ensure the best stations possible.

The post Community Broadcaster: Distant Tension appeared first on Radio World.

Fig. 1

San Diego engineer Marc Mann offers some great tips to augment our suggestions in the Oct. 14 issue for keeping your condensate A/C systems clear for drainage.

First, Marc noted that the photo depicted in that column (Fig. 1) showed the condensate drain hard-piped.

Unfortunately, this is more the rule than the exception. It appears that the cleanout cap was not screwed on but secured using PVC cement.

Changing the tubing and cap to a threaded type will permit direct access to the drain for cleaning with a bottlebrush and/or compressed air.

The photo also shows a water-detecting puck on the floor. This is great; but if water overflows the evaporator pan, it’s too late.

Consider installing an evaporator pan overflow pipe switch that fits into the condensate line; it will turn off the A/C if water rises in the drain tube due to a clog. An example is the Rectorseal Safe-T-Switch available on Amazon.

Marc also likes to add an easy visual method to check if the condensate is indeed flowing.

As shown below, he adds a vinyl tube (with inside diameter of 1 inch) to the drain. PVC nipples placed on either end are held in place using hose clamps.

Fig. 2: A screw-on drain cap and a see-through section of tubing help guard against wet encounters caused by clogged condensate drains.

On even moderately humid days, you can verify that the condensate water is flowing and leaving the pan to wherever it is discharged. It takes but a few moments to confirm flow. The clear tubing also lets you see when dirt, algae or scum begins to form so you can use a bottlebrush to clean out the drain.

These low-cost methods can help you reduce the chances of a wet encounter of the worst kind.

Budget processor

Inovonics founder and industry innovator Jim Wood is active on a couple of Part 15 experimenter groups online.

“Being an admittedly elderly fellow, I got my start in radio when AM was just about the only game around,” he told us. “In my home town of San Jose, the only FM station of license there was doing elevator music — Muzak or some similar service. Anyway, I’ve always had a soft spot for AM radio, ‘the radio’ I grew up with.”

As a service to wannabe broadcasters, Jim developed a budget audio processor intended for Part 15 and LPAM applications. This was a “labor of love” project in his semi-retirement, and he has sold about 80 over the past few years. The Schlockwood 200 mono processor has XLR or TRS 1/4-inch phone plug ins and outs. It can be used as a ham radio voice processor!

You can view it at his site www.schlockwood.com.

Jim said his second product in the AM arena is under development with promising early results. It’s an AM mod-monitor, again for the experimental broadcast crowd. Jim doubts this will have the appeal of the processor but it’s a fun project.

Radio World honored Jim as an industry innovator in 2017. It’s encouraging to see his innovative spirit continues!

Unwanted connection

Speaking of building things, San Francisco’s Bill Ruck read our column this summer describing a DIY cable tester by Buc Fitch.

Bill recalls that in his youth he’d mooch mic cables from friends and associates for events he engineered. He quickly learned to test those cables before using them, because the event was not the time to troubleshoot faulty cables.

Later, when Bill had more money, he started buying Belden 8412 and making his own. Bill continued to check them but got tired of fumbling with a VOM. So in desperation he cobbled an XLR tester, similar to the one described by Buc Fitch.

Bill included what he found to be an important feature: He tested the connector shells for connection to any of the pins. He learned from experience never to connect the XLR shell to Pin 1, to avoid ground loops.

In practice, you can’t do this with a Cannon XLR connector, but the Switchcraft A3M and A3F have a convenient place to do this.

Over the years, Bill writes that he has found all sorts of miswired configurations as well as unbelievably bad workmanship hidden inside that XLR shell.

Remember your boots

We’ll wrap up this column with a postscript from David Morgan, director of engineering for Sinclair TeleCable–Norfolk whose tips for generator maintenance we shared recently.

From a webinar I did for the SBE on generator maintenance, David adds that the little rubber boot on the positive battery terminal not only guards against corrosion but also prevents accidental shorting of the battery terminals.

How can this happen? Very easily, when you are working with metal tools like wrenches in close proximity to the terminal.

Is your rubber boot missing? You can find replacements at most auto supply stores.

As we enjoy the winter weather in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s also important to check that your block heater is working. As a part of his preventive maintenance, David checks the temperature. Block heaters can and do go bad, and he has replaced one himself.

Battery age is another point to consider. After getting burned a few years ago by trying to squeeze a little more useful life out of an older battery, David now makes it a rule to replace his generator batteries after three years.

The specific gravity of the individual battery cells can be a good guide to replacement. Hydrometers for measuring this can be found on Amazon for less than $15.

David also plans to add hardware cloth to keep mice out after several set up house inside his big 180 kW Kohler. He has also seen mouse pieces in the metal fan guard grating as well as other places inside the genset. That block heater is an excellent welcome sign!

Workbench submissions are encouraged and qualify for SBE recertification. Email johnpbisset@gmail.com.

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

The post Workbench: Tips for Avoiding Wet Encounters appeared first on Radio World.

A new advisory committee created by the National Association of Broadcasters is planning to analyze and tackle issues of diversity, equity and inclusion within the broadcast industry.

The new committee will report to the NAB Board of Directors and will consist of senior-level broadcasters including women, people of color and board members from NAB and the NAB Leadership Foundation (NABLF) who are focused on advancing issues of diversity, equity and inclusion in broadcasting.

[Read: Community Broadcaster: Diversity Was Radio’s Story of the Year]

“NAB is committed to ensuring diverse voices are represented in radio and television broadcasting and that every employee has the opportunity to excel in their career,” said NABLF President and NAB Chief Diversity Officer Michelle Duke when announcing the creation of the DEI Advisory Committee. “This new committee will help NAB continue moving diversity and equity forward, and provide guidance for the broadcast community in creating a more inclusive workplace.”

This isn’t the association’s first foray into inclusivity. Last summer the Leadership Foundation created a website called the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Resource Center focused on helping media companies construct and maintain a diverse and inclusive workplace. The NAB is also advocating for congressional support of a tax certificate program that would provide a financial incentive to those who sell their majority in a radio or TV station to minority owners.

Among the committee’s first steps will be an overall assessment of the broadcast radio and television industries’ diversity and inclusion efforts. From there the DEI Advisory Committee will advise NAB and NABLF boards on strategies, initiatives and partnerships to increase the effectiveness of inclusion efforts, the NAB said. The committee will also support NAB staff advocacy efforts at both the Federal Communications Commission and in Congress as well as identify a diverse group of industry experts on various topics for NAB conferences and speaking engagements.

DEI Advisory Committee members will serve a two-year term with one opportunity to renew, the NAB said. Members also have the opportunity to participate in NAB’s board development training program, which works to enhance board leadership skills and prep committee members to become successful directors.

Inaugural members of the DEI Advisory Committee include Sandy Breland, Gray Television; Trila Bumstead, Ohana Media Group; Caroline Chambers, Graham Media Group; Alysia Cox, Cox Media Group; Estevan Gonzalez, KSWV Radio; Corey Hanson, WALA, Meredith Media Group; Michele Laven, iHeartMedia; DuJuan McCoy, Circle City Broadcasting; Heidi Raphael, Beasley Media Group; Oscar Rodriguez, Texas Association of Broadcasters; Sharon Tinsley, Alabama Association of Broadcasters; Grady Tripp, Tegna; and Joel Vilmenay, WDSU, Hearst Television.

 

The post New NAB Committee Will Address Diversity and Inclusion appeared first on Radio World.

A new free ebook explores what will happen next, now that the Federal Communications Commission has given the OK for U.S. AM radio stations to turn off their analog signals and switch on all-digital HD Radio if they wish.

Which broadcasters might implement the technology? What would your station need to do to convert? How can you estimate costs; what guidance can your transmitter manufacturer provide? 

The ebook, co-sponsored by Xperi, includes interviews by Radio World’s editorial team with several broadcasters who have firsthand experience of airing the MA3 mode of HD Radio, plus experts at NAB, Cavell Mertz, Nautel and several other radio companies.

Read it here.

The post AM All-Digital: Ready to Go appeared first on Radio World.

Marcus Doucette takes requests for “Let’s Hear It,” a weekly request show.

The author is a partner at Inrush Broadcast Services.

MILWAUKEE — 88Nine Radio Milwaukee (WYMS/88.9 MHz) is a catalyst for creating a better, more inclusive and engaged Milwaukee through music and stories created for a culturally open-minded community. Their studio facility, built in 2013, is located in the Third Ward neighborhood. All of their programming, including their subchannel 414 Music exclusively devoted to local music, originates from those studios today.

When 88Nine moved into their new space, the studios were filled out with a combination of Telos Hx1 hybrids and an Nx12 talk show from the old building. In a call back to the 1970s, POTS service was dropped directly into the new building and distributed to studios via Cat-6 patch panels.

However, being forward-thinking in both programming and technical areas, Radio Milwaukee adopted the VX in early 2015.

To allow staff a chance to establish a comfort level with the new system, the VX first replaced the Nx12 in the main air studio while the scattered Hx1 hybrids remained. The staff found the transition to be seamless as the phone module of the Axia Element console displayed the lines identically. A VSet12 12-line phone was also deployed in the air studio for talent that was more comfortable with a more traditional phone instrument.

The improved audio quality and increased reliability of VoIP was immediately noticeable, all while operational telecom expenses were reduced dramatically.

When the VX was implemented in 2015, it connected to our VoIP provider Flowroute directly over the public internet, and has performed flawlessly ever since. In 2020, as we planned our migration to Flowroute’s more robust peering infrastructure, we chose to forgo this direct connection.

We instead made the VX an endpoint on the facility’s newly commissioned Asterisk-based VoIP PBX and trunked the PBX to Flowroute. This will allow the staff to make extension-to-extension calls (when they’re finally back in the building) and enables unified telecom administration.

The VX still performs flawlessly behind the VoIP PBX. Creating additional extensions has been a breeze and we’ve been able to quickly add phone numbers in Flowroute, map those numbers to extensions in the PBX, and add them to the VX.

Since 88Nine is a fully Axia-based facility, this can all be done remotely in a matter of minutes — one of many conveniences afforded by VoIP and AoIP during the pandemic.

In the main studio, the VX has been an integral part of “Let’s Hear It,” a weekly request show hosted by Marcus Doucette for many years. It also allows 88Nine to continue interacting with their local community on a more individual level through frequent contesting and listener contributions.

After the VX deployment in the main air studio, we began looking at expansion to the other studios. A backup control room also featured an Axia Element console with a phone module, so a VSet telephone was purchased and it was configured as a mirror of the main studio.

However, the staff found that they preferred to only use the Element phone module for control in that environment. With the versatility of the VX ecosystem we were able to use the VSet in a production studio that already featured an Axia iQ console. Creating the additional studio and show in the VX was just as simple as the main studio. It was far more time-consuming to remove the Hx1 and its wiring than configuring the new hybrid in the VX!

During the pandemic, the VX has been indispensable.

Pledge drives at the station normally featured a full phone bank of volunteers and multiple hosts on a stage, pitching for the station. This year, during two different pledge drives, access to the studio space was severely restricted. The VX served as a simple method for getting multiple hosts on the air, with one staff member in the studio and others into a dedicated VIP line. Other calls are handled on the additional hybrid channel and regular call-in group.

The Omnia audio processing built into VX makes these phone calls sound clean and full.

In the future, the remaining production rooms will have VSets installed so the VX can handle telephony for the entire studio facility. Retiring the remaining POTS hybrids won’t have the same cost savings as with the main studio since these last few lines are already running on ATAs [analog telephone adapters], but it will continue to simplify management and provide a consistent studio experience for the staff. We’re pleased with the VX’s ability to grow and change with the facility over the years and we rest easy given its flawless track record since it was installed.

For information, contact Cam Eicher at The Telos Alliance in Ohio at 1-216-241-7225 or visit telosalliance.com. For integration information, contact Brian Sapp at Inrush Broadcast Services in Chicago at (312) 872-8911 or visit inrush.net.

Radio World User Reports are testimonial articles intended to help readers understand why a colleague chose a particular product to solve a technical situation.

 

The post User Report: Telos VX Builds Community in Milwaukee appeared first on Radio World.

Shure MV7 microphone shown in a promotional image. It is available in silver, shown, or black.

When a Shure representative contacted us to promote their new MV7 podcast microphone, we were interested to learn that one of its users is New York Public Radio. So we pursued a Q&A with Jim Stagnitto, director of engineering for the organization, which is the home of WNYC and WQXR, to ask about the mic but also get an update on the station’s remote operations.

Radio World: We did a story a while back about how the pandemic had affected NYPR’s workflows. Can you update readers; to what extent is NYPR is getting back to normal?

Jim Stagnitto

Jim Stagnitto: NYPR has announced that we’ll remain in work-from-home mode until at least the end of our fiscal year in June, and make firm plans to return once the availability of a vaccine is confirmed.

This situation has revealed something to us that we would not have considered for normal operation — that is, having talent broadcast from home on a daily basis using the various codecs in our equipment storehouse.

Remember, it’s not just point-to-point audio of our on-air talent that’s needed for the creation of our shows; there are remotely located show directors, producers and screeners, and they all need computer access, intercom, telephone screening and call selection, and integration of remote interview guests.

We’re finding that it works; and it has been working reliably, thanks to all of the efforts of our broadcast and IT engineers.

RW: Shure tells us that the station is using one of its new models as part of the WFH strategy. What has been your experience with it?

Stagnitto: The first month of the COVID-19 lockdown, it was madness. We were making a lot of our solutions up on the fly.

Fortunately, we had enough codec kits and ancillary equipment to get us started quickly. I can’t say enough good things about all of our equipment suppliers; they were right there for us, ready to help with whatever we needed, and we were able to deploy more remote kits pretty quickly.

We’re now up to 25 kits in circulation using hardware-based codecs, along with mics, stands and other equipment. These traditional kits can be mighty expensive. Certainly, we did not budget for this type of expansion of our remote gear.

Now, with the work-from-home scenario going much longer than originally expected, we have increased need to deploy a lot more remote kits for both WNYC and classical WQXR. They would need to have high-quality connectivity and sound on a lower budget.

One way to do this is to utilize software-oriented codecs, and we’ve been looking into different ones we could deploy. A typical kit would be shipped to talent in a flight case and could possibly have a tablet type computer, a pair of headphones and a Shure MV7 Podcast Microphone with a desk stand. That’s pretty much all that would be needed.

For the record, in order to do this review, Shure kindly provided us with sample MV7 microphones, and once we saw what the mics could do for us, allowed us early access to purchase a number of units, so we could fabricate our remote kits as soon as possible.

In the studio, one of our standard in-house microphones is the Shure SM7B. For our kits, we were looking for something that would come close to the quality of the SM7B and had tested some of the current USB microphones on the market.

Rear view of the MV7 (black model)

Some were very good, however we’ve found that the Shure MV7 performed best for our use case — it doesn’t sound exactly like an SM7B, but the Shure MOTIV software gives you the opportunity to tailor the sound of the microphone so you can get a sound similar to what we get in our studios.

An added benefit of the MV7 is the touch panel control on the microphone body that lets the user adjust the microphone’s gain, headphone volume and monitor mix. Should you want to operate the system utilizing the MOTIV software you would have an option to lock these settings, and more, as a preset.

Our plans are to configure the microphone settings in advance, lock them and ship the kit. All the recipient will have to do is plug the mic into the tablet’s USB port, follow the directions to connect back to our Master Control and begin speaking.

RW: How has the organization’s approach to content production and remote work in general evolved — what has been learned since the earlier days of the pandemic?

Stagnitto: The pandemic has changed how we’re handling production. You can have producers receiving remotely recorded sound files, editing them in their at-home system, and then electronically sending them back to our main studio to go into our on-air play-out system. With the proper attention to detail, it’s working amazingly well.

Many of our hosts are recording and broadcasting live from typical New York City apartments, and this is another place where the performance of the MV7 microphone excels. It is a dynamic microphone, tuned for the voice — it’s not going to pick up a lot of subway rumble or street noise as you might with a condenser microphone. We don’t have to worry about putting up a lot of sound absorption materials in somebody’s apartment. The microphone has a very tight cardioid polar pattern, so off axis audio is very efficiently rejected.

We’re aware that we are in our talent’s homes, so if we can use the technology to help us get as close to a studio sound as we can without turning their living room into a studio, that’s a big plus.

RW: What else would your engineering colleagues be interested in knowing about that microphone or the broader workflows now at the station?

Stagnitto: With the MV7, Shure gives the user most of the tools they need to tailor and process the sound of the microphone; to be able to use the microphone in a less-than-optimum physical space.

It really is an “all in one” package. If you feel you need to use mic processing, you can do so, using Shure’s downloadable MOTIV software. Using this, you can access the MV7’s processing, including a built-in compressor, equalizer, and limiter. Once you get a sound you like, you can save your settings as a preset.

The software package also has a setup page for those who simply want to choose some preconfigured presets using all of the above mentioned audio tools. In addition, if you have the need to simultaneously feed a second audio device, the MV7 has a direct analog XLR output of the dynamic microphone.

In a traditional remote broadcast package, using a computer and a software-based codec or recording package, you would start with a good quality microphone, possibly followed by a mic processor, and a separate USB audio interface to connect to your computer to both send and receive audio. With the MV7 Podcast Microphone you’re giving the broadcaster or podcaster all of this. Everything that is needed to create a good quality product from home, built into one unit.

The post Shure MV7 Finds a Home at NYPR appeared first on Radio World.

Rob Babin has been named senior VP, radio, at Cox Media Group. He succeeds EVP of Radio Bill Hendrich, who retired.

The announcement was made by President/CEO Dan York, who called Babin “a collaborative and agile executive, with deep industry and CMG expertise and passion for everything he does.”

[Read: Daniel York Named Cox Media Group President and CEO]

Babin will oversee the company’s 65 radio stations in 11 markets. “He will focus heavily on achieving CMG’s Radio strategic growth objectives while maintaining CMG’s industry leading content, impactful community engagement, and growth-focused culture,” according to a statement. Cox Media Group also owns 35 TV stations plus various streaming and other digital platforms.

Babin’s past roles include regional VP for five Cox radio markets (Miami, Houston, Tampa, Fla., San Antonio and Long Island, N.Y.); VP/market manager for CMG Miami radio; director of sales and general sales manager for CMG Atlanta radio (WSB, WSB(FM), WALR, WSRV); and general sales manager for CMG Orlando radio (WWKA).

“In his most-recent role, Rob was VP/market manager for CMG Atlanta’s award-winning and market-leading radio brands: WSB, WSB(FM), WALR and WSRV; and CMG Athens radio: WRFC, WGAU, WGMG, WXKT, WPUP and WNGC.”

He is a board member of the Georgia Association of Broadcasters and the Radio Advertising Bureau.

 

The post Cox Names Rob Babin Head of Radio appeared first on Radio World.

French media regulator CSA announced this month that the national DAB+ broadcast authorization across France will become effective on July 15, essentially setting the earliest day by which national broadcasters in France can go on air.

According to a WorldDAB summary of the CSA announcement, the first stage of the national broadcasts is set to cover highways in mainland France (often referred to as “metropolitan France” in French), starting with highways between the country’s two largest cities, Paris and Marseille, crossing Lyon.

A total of two multiplexes are set to launch in France in the summer of 2021, hosting 12 and 13 stations respectively. The 25 broadcasters that have been selected to broadcast nationally on DAB+ have already been determined, and include the six Radio France national radio stations.

WorldDAB said the CSA’s DAB+ rollout plan, the nodes and arcs strategy, which also includes continued regional rollouts alongside the launch of national services, aims to bring population coverage in France up to 40% by the end of 2022.

The post France Edges Closer to National DAB+ Launch appeared first on Radio World.

From Radio World’s Who’s Buying What page: UK-based streaming platform SharpStream said British Forces Broadcasting Service chose its Timbre production suite to manage and deliver audio content, including listen again, catchup and on-demand material as well as the “Sitrep” podcast.

Timbre is a new media management and streaming production suite. In addition to hosting and streaming, the company says, it has an interface that allows broadcasters and podcasters to automatically record, publish, distribute and monetize content, and analyze results.

[See Our Who’s Buying What Page]

“IAB-compliant analytics give customers the ability to accurately value their audience for monetization,” the company states. “Its multiuser environment gives broadcasters the ability to create custom roles and approval workflows. Timbre comes with unlimited podcasts/feeds/playlists and a 99.9% SLA.”

Anthony Woodley is digital projects manager at BFBS, which brings UK TV, sport and music to armed forces worldwide.

Send news for Who’s Buying What coverage to radioworld@futurenet.com.

 

The post BFBS Uses Timbre by SharpStream appeared first on Radio World.

Jeff Chang

MMTC announced that another station has been donated through its donation program.

“Multicultural Media & Telecom Brokers recently closed on the sale of Barstow, Calif., radio station KIQQ(AM) to Asian-American entrepreneur Jeff Chang,” it stated.

“This transaction was made possible by Lazer Broadcasting Corp., to whom we are deeply grateful for their generosity.”

[Related: “La Z Seeks to Make Its Mark in Detroit”]

The donation program offers broadcasters who might otherwise close down a station an alternative with tax benefits that also helps boost another operator.

Lazer had aired regional Mexican music. Chang Media Group has not announced a planned new format but indicated it would complement its other station in the area, KQTE(AM), which carries ESPN Radio. Transmission equipment is part of the donation agreement.

MMTC seeks to promote minority and women entrepreneurship in broadcasting through this program. Past station donors include Entercom, Trinity Broadcasting and Clear Channel (now iHeartMedia). Markets where other stations have been donated over the past decade include Detroit, Minneapolis, and Salem, Ore.

“We encourage interested donors to call or email us for more information about our station donation program.” Email Director Suzanne Gougherty.

 

The post California AM Donated to Chang Media Group appeared first on Radio World.

Fig. 1: WJMC Studio with temporary antenna

Mike Murrey hired on as engineer at WJMC(AM/FM) and WAQE(AM/FM) in Rice Lake, Wis., back in 1998. He took one look at the 459-foot tower serving WJMC on 1240 kHz and knew it would need to be replaced someday.

Well, that someday came in late 2019 when a crew refused to climb the 63-year-old structure. That started a chain of events to replace the tower.

Heavy and consistent rains made site preparation exceedingly difficult. Temporary roads were built with rock and gravel so concrete could be poured at the new tower base and guy anchor points. The original concrete could not be used because towers are now “engineered” so they can be insured by insurance companies.

It was beginning to look like the project would extend into 2020 when the tower crew announced they were starting “right NOW” to take the old tower down. Rather than disassemble the old tower a section at a time, they elected to cut a guy anchor and let ’er fall. (Watch the video.) People were evacuated from the studio/transmitter building and a nearby business for the tower to come down. Besides, who would want to be inside working while a spectacle was going on outside?

Hurry

It had been assumed that there would be more than enough time to put up a temporary AM transmit antenna, but now there was a scramble to make it happen.

Mike’s original plan was to have two utility poles put up to support a long-wire antenna. My experience with horizontal wire antennas is that they make good “cloud burners,” as we say in the amateur radio hobby — RF radiation tends to go up rather than out to the horizon. I found that to be the case when helping another station. The coverage with a quarter-wavelength wire, from the tower base to a tree, went only a few miles. Ouch!

Details

A better choice was to erect the tallest possible temporary vertical antenna.

The local power company installed a used 40-foot utility pole with 35 feet sticking out of the ground as shown in the image at the beginning of this article.

Topping that was 40 feet of pipe bolted to the pole. A wooden dowel was inserted inside the bottom pipe section to keep it from crushing when mounting bolts were tightened down. There was a fair amount of pole to pipe overlap. The top turned out to be only 68.5 feet above the ground.

The pole consisted of four 10-foot sections of iron plumbing pipe, reducing from the bottom 1-1/4 inch to 1/2 inch at the top. To help with antenna efficiency, Mike constructed a “top hat” of three 10-foot wires, at the top, attached to nylon guy lines. These wires were bare #10 soft-drawn copper. It was the same wire that is normally used in AM ground systems. They helped make the electrical height of the antenna a bit taller. A #6 stranded copper wire ran down the wooden pole from the metal pipe at the top. The wire was connected to a used/temporary antenna coupling network at the bottom. Four 200-foot copper radials were run out from the base on top of the ground. Some half-length radials were also run bercause there was extra wire available on the supply reel. Might as well use it.

Things didn’t go exactly as hoped (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2: Raising the temporary antenna

Mike attached the pipe to the top hat while the utility pole was being put into the ground. Then the pipe bent over at almost 90 degrees while being raised into position. That required two boom trucks to help straighten the pole so it could be guyed. You will see it was still a bit bent in the photo.

After Dark

Contract engineer Del Dayton out of Eau Claire, Wis., was called in to measure the antenna impedance at night (Fig. 3).

Fig. 3: Del Dayton tuning the temporary antenna coupling network

He came up with 38 –J180, then calculated a design. Components were then installed and adjusted in a temporary antenna coupling network. It was convenient that the original 50-ohm transmission line could be pulled over and connected to the coupling network.

The downside is that the temporary antenna could not be constructed 100 feet away from the studio and original tower as originally planned. Instead it was located just off the parking lot some 10 feet or so from the studio. This is because trucks could not drive over the water-saturated ground.

The location presented its own challenges. Even though employees were kept RF-safe from the tower, RF got into unshielded cables leading to the fax and credit card processing machines. Mike relocated those to another part of the building.

Mike is a U.S. Air Force veteran and was laughed at by his U.S. Navy veteran brother. It seems Air Force guys don’t know how to tie knots in rope on guy lines. It takes a sailor to do it right!

He asked for and received special temporary authority from the FCC to cover the situation. He chose to run 250 watts, instead of the licensed 1000 watts, to keep RF at bay.

A Delay

Construction of the new 459-foot tower began, but soon the tower crew pulled off the job for three days to work at a TV station that was off the air. The foreman felt justified in doing that because WJMC was indeed “on the air.” The station manager and employees were happy because they still had listeners instead of being off for weeks.

How well did it work?

The station had usable coverage. This intrepid reporter measured field intensity at 14 random points in the listening area using a GPS to document each location (Fig. 4).

Fig. 4: The author taking field intensity measurements

That allowed me to figure distance to measurement locations and plot them on a curve. This was a “Mark’s Two-Hour AM Micro-Proof,” as described in an article I wrote for Radio World in 2003 (read it at www.mwpersons.com/articles/6-4-03-RW-article.html).

The data revealed that the field intensity was 33 mV/m at a kilometer with only 250 watts of transmitter power. It was certainly better than nothing! There was about 10 mV/m in downtown Rice Lake and about 12 mV/m in residential areas. The population of this small Wisconsin town is 8,338 people. The half mV/m contour went out about 10 miles in their low ground conductivity of only 4.

The meter I used was a Potomac Instruments FIM-41. The FIM-21 and the PI 4100 are similar instruments that are commonly used for measuring monitor points on AM directional antenna systems. They are good tools for determining antenna efficiency, as you see in this article.

Before and After

I did the previous antenna resistance measurements back in 1993. It was 108 ohms with –247 ohms reactance for an antenna current of 3.04 amperes with 1000 watts input. Del Dayton measured the new tower as 43 ohms, –125 ohms reactance, for 4.83 amperes at 1000 watts. The details are in Fig. 5 below, which you can click to see enlarged. Yes, the two towers were the same height.

Fig. 5: Schematic diagram of the WJMC antenna system. Click to enlarge.

A lot of factors can change the characteristic impedance including tower width, antennas on the tower, isocouplers, lighting chokes, capacitance to the tower from the guy lines and lead-in to the antenna coupling network.

I now believe the old tower had a bad electrical connection between tower sections near the top. Yes, this can happen as towers rust. Sections can become electrically disconnected, even with tons of downward pressure. Hard to believe, but it is true. That is why at least one leg needs to be welded at joints. Learn more on an article I wrote in Radio World in 2012, “Better Living Through Tower Welding” (www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/better-living-through-tower-welding). Mike had the crew weld two tower legs because it was convenient for the welder when doing the work.

In Fig. 6, Mike Murrey shows off the completed project with new isocouplers and a rebuilt AM antenna coupling unit. The new tower has FM translators for their two AM stations and a backup antenna for their three full-power FMs.

Fig. 6: Mike Murrey and the completed project

Comment on this or any article. Write to radioworld@futurenet.com.

Mark Persons, WØMH, is a Certified Professional Broadcast Engineer and recent recipient of the SBE John H. Battison Award for Lifetime Achievement. His website is www.mwpersons.com.

The post Quick, We Need a Temporary AM Antenna appeared first on Radio World.

iHeartMedia has created the position of senior vice president of diversity and inclusion and named Yesenia Bello to the post.

Her job is to help the company “to drive comprehensive long-term and measurable diversity and inclusion strategies” and develop and meet specific diversity and inclusion goals. She’ll report to Michele Laven, chief human resources officer and chief diversity officer.

The job touches on both internal and external relationships. For instance among her tasks is to help identify existing “high-potential talent” and promote internal mobility; but also to work on diversity initiatives with business partners.

She joined the company in 2019 as senior vice president of multicultural sales. She also has worked at Telemundo Network, Hulu’s Latino division and Google. Bello came to the United States from the Dominican Republic at age of 11.

 

The post iHeart Creates New D&I Post appeared first on Radio World.

Broadcast Pix’s version 8.0 of its driving software for its video systems fixes bugs and adds some enhancements to features and capabilities, according to the company.

New H.264 and MP4 recording formats have been added. NDI and Windows Audio Device interfacing performance has been improved. Some systems will see multicast live streaming for up to five targets.

[Check Out More Products at Radio World’s Products Section]

Among improvements is integrated Broadcast Pix RoboPix and PTZOptics PTZ camera control along with RTMP streaming controls for Zoom and other teleconferencing systems. In addition, remote production tools such as graphics editing, streaming/recording control from the Commander GUI.

There are also network augmentations aimed at to recently introduced switchers, FX8 and FX10 BPswitch systems.

The upgrade is a free download.

Info: https://broadcastpix.com

 

The post Broadcast Pix Upgrades Software appeared first on Radio World.

Entercom this week announced that two of its radio signals in Los Angeles and Denver will be branded “The Bet” and carry gambling-related content from its new BetQL Audio Network.

Colorado is a legal sports betting state; California is not but seems to be moving in that direction.

In Los Angeles, “The Bet 93.1 HD3” will be heard by listeners who have HD Radios on the HD3 digital multicast frequency of KCBS(FM), which does not change format. That HD3 multicast channel formerly was called Jack-HD3.

Meanwhile in Denver, “The Bet 1430 AM” is KEZW, formerly branded as “EZ 1430, Timeless Music.”

The BetQL Audio Network is in partnership with the QL Gaming Group, an affiliate platform recently acquired by Entercom for $32 million. It features sports gambling programming to serve Entercom’s sports stations and the Radio.com Sports Digital Network.

Programming on the two stations will include “BetQL Daily” with Joe Ostrowski and Ross Tucker and “You Better You Bet” with Nick Kostos and Ken Barkley, both of which are podcasts on Radio.com, as well as CBS Sports Radio Network programming.

 

The post Entercom Tries Betting Radio in L.A., Denver appeared first on Radio World.

Audio equipment manufacturer Ward-Beck Systems will cease manufacturing at the end of January, it announced on its Facebook page.

“Since its founding in 1967 by Ron Ward and Rodger Beck, through the transition to Colleen and Eugene Johnson in 1993, and the succession and partnership changes promoting Kevin Lyver as president and CEO in 2016, we are extremely proud to have been suppliers of choice to broadcasters, audio production houses, film sound studios and sound professionals around the globe,” the announcement states.

The Canadian company, based in Scarborough, Ontario, said its lease will end at the end of February.

“We can continue to supply products which are in stock. We also have an inventory of equipment that is available for sale, and intellectual property which may be of interest to folks in the industry.”

The company expressed thanks for the “many caring individuals” in its circle including “our families, our staff, our clients, our suppliers, our friends and collaborators.”

Reached by email, owner Eugene Johnson added, “The broadcast industry has been good to us, we are grateful and have no regrets.”

The current WBS product line includes audio networking and routing, metering, impedance matching transformers and related devices.

Questions about stock or IP available for sale can be emailed to sales@ward-beck.com. The company said the website, www.ward-beck.com will remain active

The post Ward-Beck Will Cease Manufacturing appeared first on Radio World.

“We have work to do to put consumers first.”

Jessica Rosenworcel made her first remarks as the new acting chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission via video the commission staff on Monday.

She spoke about supporting “digital equity,” of policies that keep the public “cybersecure,” and keeping media policies current “while also honoring our longstanding values of competition, localism, and diversity.”

Rosenworcel is heading a panel that currently has two Democrats and two Republicans, until such time as the open Democratic seat is filled.

Below is the text of her remarks as provided by her office:

>>>

Good afternoon. It is an absolute honor to address you today as Acting Chairwoman. As you may know, last week President Biden designated me to take the reins of the Federal Communications Commission. I thank the President for the opportunity to lead this great agency at a time when its work is more important than ever before.

The FCC staff is not just uncommonly talented and knowledgeable about communications law and policy, it’s also an exceptional group of public servants. I think public service is a special calling.

I also like to think it runs in my family. I grew up mostly in New England, with pitstops in Southern Illinois and Northern New Jersey along the way. My father served in the Air Force and later went on to a career as a nephrologist in Hartford, Connecticut. For three decades he ran the city’s clinic for hypertension and kidney failure. My mother spent over two decades helping run a soup kitchen. And my grandfather before them served in the United States Customs Service right here in Washington. My great grandfather before that served the public in a different way—he swept the streets of New York.

As some of you may know, as a young lawyer I worked at the agency as staff. I then served in Commissioner Copps’ office before going on to work as counsel to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation under the leadership of Senator Inouye and later Senator Rockefeller. So when I was first sworn in as a Commissioner, it felt like coming home. Because the fact of the matter is that we are a family here at the FCC, too. We share professional accomplishments. We celebrate life’s events together. We weather uncertain times together. But above all, we work hard together toward the same goal—advancing the public interest.

I know that doing all of this during the last year has been difficult. It seemed like overnight our daily routines pivoted from commuting to the office to working from kitchen tables and living rooms. We’ve all had to adjust to new ways of being that help keep us safe. All of this means many of us haven’t been together in nearly a year and I know I miss seeing you in the halls, grabbing coffee, and convening in our meeting rooms.

At home I find myself navigating this new normal, speaking at a video conference one moment, organizing a call the next, and reading the work of the agency all while also serving as chief Wi-Fi fixer and snack-maker in my household. In other words, I know this time is challenging.

This pandemic is not easy. If this virus has touched you or your family, know that you have my support and the support of the agency. Your safety and security are paramount.

To that end, I want to note that my predecessor did an exemplary job of keeping the agency staff informed and safe. I want to assure you that the existing remote work policies will not be disturbed by this transition.

As difficult as it is, this pandemic has also demonstrated how important our work is at the FCC. Because as a nation we need connections—physical and digital—that strengthen our mutual bonds. We benefit from communications that reach all and help us work, learn, be informed, enlightened, and entertained. And we need connections that can break down barriers that for too long have held too many back.

As if on cue, a new appropriations law has provided this agency with authority to help do just that. Congress directed us to establish an Emergency Broadband Benefit to expand access to high-speed connections and assist those struggling in the ongoing economic crisis. It tasked the agency with expanded support for telehealth and provided funding that will make our networks more powerful and more secure.

These efforts surely will take up time in the next few weeks, but they only scratch the surface. We have work to do to put consumers first. We have work to do to support digital equity, especially in communities that have been overlooked and underserved for too long. We need to advance communications policies that keep the public safe and cybersecure. We have work to do to continue our history-making wireless and auction policies that serve as a global model. We have work to do to build bridges and find common ground with our state, local, and Tribal partners. We have work to do to ensure that our functional equivalency policies live up to our responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act. We have work to do to keep media policies current, while also honoring our longstanding values of competition, localism, and diversity. We have work to do to ensure that all students have the internet access they need for a fair shot at 21st century success, no matter who they are or where they live. And we have work to do to ensure open, reliable, and affordable broadband reaches 100% of this country—rural areas, urban areas, and everything in between.

All of this means every single person at this agency has something to contribute. From the dedicated staff in our field offices to the professionals that keep our agency running in Washington to the attorneys, engineers, and economists that populate our offices and Bureaus, know that your work matters. It makes a difference.

Finally, I’d like to close by recognizing Commissioner Carr, Commissioner Starks and Commissioner Simington. This agency is well-served by these men and their contributions, their interests, and their public service. I look forward to working with each of them in the days ahead.

We have a lot to do. I can’t wait to get started. Thank you.

The post Rosenworcel to Staff: “Put Consumers First” appeared first on Radio World.

The WorldDAB Automotive Working Group has a new chairman, Martin Koch, who succeeds Laurence Harrison.

Koch is head of development entertainment and car functions at Volkswagen Car SW.Org Wolfsburg AG.

The Automotive Working Group “brings together radio broadcasters and auto makers to collaborate on improving the DAB+ digital radio experience for drivers.”

Among its projects are to create guidelines on implementing DAB+ features; encourage enhancements to the in-car user experience for DAB+ and hybrid radio; and expand the group’s focus to cover the DAB+ user experience via voice control.

[Related: “Metadata, Keeping Radio Strong in the Car”]

In a statement released by WorldDAB, Koch was quoted: “As cars become increasingly connected, we need to ensure that drivers have access to a complete multimedia experience that combines a great user interface, rich content, and more importantly, a truly hybrid experience that offers seamless transition between broadcast, IP and on-demand.”

Harrison, director of automotive partnerships at UK Radioplayer, has chaired the WorldDAB’s automotive group since 2015. During his tenure, the AWG produced industry guidelines on the best user interface for in-car digital radios, made advances in enhanced antenna and network performance and increased broadcaster awareness of the importance of metadata for radio in the car.

[Related: “Assembly Highlights Advances in WorldDAB”]

Also announced: Gregor Pötzsch, product owner DAB at Volkswagen Car SW.Org Wolfsburg AG, will chair a sub-group of the Automotive Working Group that is focused on enhancing the in-car digital radio user experience.

 

The post Koch Will Head WorldDAB Auto Working Group appeared first on Radio World.

Many radio pros know the Ross Video name mostly from the large hard-to-miss NAB Show booth, often posted near the entrance of the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention center. No radio thingies to see there.

No longer! Ross Video has teamed up with audio processing technology and equipment maker Orban to launch the Radio and Streaming Audio Processor for IP and AES67 digital audio networks. It includes HD Radio applications.

[Check Out More Products at Radio World’s Products Section]

Built around Orban’s OptiCloud along with Nielsen Watermarking, Dolby AC-3 Dolby Loudness Levelling technologies, the rackmounted hardware-based processor features two-band AGC, five-band compressor/limiter, a three-band parametric EQ, phase corrector, phase enhancer, bass EQ and limiter, downward expander, stereo synthesizer, Orban OPTIMOD loudness control, loudness control and 50 custom presets along with unlimited user presets.

Orban’s Mike Pappas said, “The broadcast community, including radio, is moving steadily toward software-based solutions for the broadcast air chain. The new softGear platform from Ross, which incorporates next-generation Orban processing along with Nielsen audio watermark encoding and Dolby audio, brings powerful tools to radio broadcasters. It’s available now – we have a launch customer who has ordered hundreds of channels — and the platform is backed by Ross’ 24/7/365 worldwide support.”

There will be a webinar discussing this Jan. 26, 11 a.m. EST. Info can be found at www.rossvideo.com/live.

 

The post Ross Video Teams With Orban for Radio Venture appeared first on Radio World.