Radio World

The European Broadcasting Union has announced a pair of engineering awards.

Sweden’s Sveriges Radio’s News Values project was cited for the association’s Technology and Innovation Award.

According to a release, the “technical ingenuity” is what interested the award committee. “Editors rate every news story on three dimensions: magnitude, life span and, crucially, the degree to which it embodies ‘SR values.’ In this way, every item gets a score that is used by the algorithm to automatically generate news playlists for each local SR station. The system is also used internally by the national news team to discover the most interesting stories from around the country.”

Chair of the EBU Technical Committee Judy Parnall said, “This is a perfect example of technical ingenuity being combined with public service values, helping Sveriges Radio to better fulfill its mission.”

Irene Nikkarinen at Finland broadcaster Yle is the recipient of the very first EBU Young Engineers and Researchers Award. The release explained she received the award for “her work on adapting and training an open-source metadata tool” that “is improving the findability of Yle content on its online platforms and apps.”

EBU Technology & Innovation Department Director Antonio Arcidiacono said, “Irene Nikkarinen is a perfect example of the kinds of profile that will ensure public service media remain at the cutting edge when it comes to innovation in media technology.”

The post Sveriges Radio Receives EBU Tech & Innovation Award appeared first on Radio World.

Longtime radio engineering executive Norm Philips is among the industry leaders who will be honored this year by the Texas Association of Broadcasters.

TAB also introduced the inaugural class of its Hightower Award winners, named in honor of the late Jason Hightower, who was a TAB chairman and owner/operator of KMOO(FM) in Mineola, Texas.

 Its Annual Awards Gala will be held in August as part of the TABShow in Austin. The recipients were announced by TAB President Oscar Rodriguez.

[Read: TAB Is Ready for an In-Person Show in 12 Weeks]

“Texas broadcasting is nothing without the passionate and dedicated leadership of individual men and women who take to heart the federal license to do good for the communities they serve, and no one embodies that spirit greater than the six radio and TV broadcasters we’re honoring this year,” he said.

Norm Philips will receive the George Marti Award for Engineering Excellence.

“Texas radio engineering and the name Norm Philips go hand in hand,” TAB wrote in its announcement. “He spent the bulk of his career directing engineering operations for Susquehanna, Cumulus, GAP and Townsquare Media stations in Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Atlanta, Denver and several other markets.”

As one of two engineering VPs for Townsquare, Philips managed nearly 200 stations. TAB said he “has inspired a legion of broadcast engineers who are sustaining radio stations throughout Texas today.” Philips retired in 2016.

Here are the names and bios of the other recipients:

Pioneer Broadcaster of the Year: Mark Grubbs, Ranch Radio Group, Kerrville — “Since 1993, Mark Grubbs has been owner/operator of the Ranch Radio Group stations in the Texas Hill Country,” TAB wrote. “As a ‘consummate radio guy,’ he is always looking for opportunities to serve his community, either with new promotion, programming, and marketing strategies to better serve listeners and local businesses, or a soulful solution to a pressing need. Whether it’s serving as the official radio station for the Gillespie County Fair or raising money for 4-H and FFA scholarships, Grubbs’ passion for serving his community is woven seamlessly into everything he and the Ranch Staff do.”

Broadcaster of the Year: Marty Wind, KLUX(FM), Corpus Christi — “After 38 years, Marty Wind recently retired from managing KLUX, a station he helped start for the Diocesan Telecommunications Corp. He introduced digital radio broadcasting to the Coastal Bend area in 2006 and today, noncommercial station KLUX is a market leader in public service, with a long list of achievements highlighted by courageous endeavors to stay on-air even in the worst of hurricanes. Wind’s heartfelt commitment to his fellow broadcasters and listeners is unmatched. Whether it be technical advice, emergency news and information, education or inspiration and relaxation, Wind is there to serve and protect the people of the Coastal Bend.”

Jason Hightower Awards for Broadcast Excellence — This award recognizes those with at least 10 years in the broadcast industry who have demonstrated a proficiency for enterprise and innovation in servicing their stations’ audience, advertisers and communities. The recipients are Melissa Rivera, digital sales manager for Townsquare Media Victoria; Joe Ellis, executive investigative reporter at KVUE(TV) in Austin; and Josh Gorbutt, news director for KBTX(TV) in Bryan-College Station.

The post TAB Will Honor Norm Philips appeared first on Radio World.

What’s your favorite mic and why? Which models do you use for remote work, news or live sound?

We’ve been asking radio professionals to share their preferences. Here are four more as we celebrate Microphone Month at Radio World.

Director of engineering/IT, Leighton Broadcasting 

Abfalter goes with the proven quality of the Electro-Voice models RE20, RE27 and RE320. Same with specialty applications.

As far as he’s concerned, “No sense in trading quality outside the studio.”

He’s a believer in doing your research and talking to the air staff, and then ultimately making your own call. “There’s no right answer.”

Chief engineer, Salem Media New York, and chief engineer, WRHU Radio Hofstra University

“The Shure SM7B packs a great punch at a reasonable cost,” Gladding says when asked for his choice in a radio studio.

“I really like how the pattern and dynamic response lends itself to both experienced and novice users.”

For remote podcasting, he recommends the EV RE20. “It seems to handle room noise fairly well and is fairly easy to use. Plus it can sound really fabulous when paired with a decent mic processor or preamp.”

When working with student engineers, he encourages them to start with the basics.

“Higher cost doesn’t always equal better quality. Knowledge of good mic placement and usage is more important than specs.”

Broadcast Engineer, Radio Mozambique

For on-air work, count him as a fan of the Electro-Voice RE20 and its effective management of proximity effect. 

“Normally the dynamic mics are susceptible to external inductions, a problem that I faced for a long time with the AKG D3800 and only was overcome with the RE20,” he said.

Out in the field, he turns to the Sennheiser MD46, a dynamic cardioid with clear voice pickup.

“The metallic envelope provides good robustness, especially for a reporter in the field; it can fall and resist the impact without damage. Excellent response for reporting on the go.”

94.7 and The Mighty 790 KGHL

Josh Rath is the programming manager and afternoon drive host on “94.7 and The Mighty 790 KGHL,” which is KGHL(AM) and its FM translator. He also oversees IT operations for Northern Broadcasting System with its 70 or so radio affiliates across four states. Both are based in Billings, Mont.

He too is a fan of the Shure SM7B for studio work. “I’m sure more than half the industry would say the same; but you simply cannot beat a legendary microphone with a build quality tougher than the Terminator.”

He adds that the company is beginning the process of a complete AOIP transition.

“If you have the ability, start with all-digital end to end. Provides you total control, all from a nice digital dashboard, of your mic EQ, gate and more.”

Chief Engineer-Portland for Alpha Media

The Sennheiser MD421-II and the Electro-Voice RE20 are his picks for on-air work. “Both are excellent for just about any type of voice, but the MD421 with the roll-off switch in the flat position, marked M for Music, is hard to beat.”

For specialty environments, it depends on the application, but the one he has found the most forgiving is the Shure SM7B. “In an ideal acoustical situation, add a Cloudlifter and it really comes to life.”

Waage puts the emphasis on proper mic technique. “If you’re making an investment to improve your sound quality, learn how to use that tool.”

Read more of our coverage:

Today’s Microphones Offer a Buffet of Choice

The post Pros Tell Us About Their Favorite Mics appeared first on Radio World.

In the June 9 issue of Radio World there is a nifty free poster from Rohde & Schwarz. The top story looks at how automotive OEMs are expanding their use of the Android Automotive operating system. Several major broadcast organizations have joined with NAB PILOT and Xperi, hoping to ensure that radio is appropriately represented.

There’s the story on an all-digital AM station in the suburbs near the Big Apple.

Plus, a chat with Oliver Berliner, grandson of Emile.

Don’t miss the Buyer’s Guide — Apps for Radio Technology, with helpful apps from Burk Technology, Cloud Cast Systems, Comrex, ENCO, Nautel, Telos Alliance, Tieline, Wheatstone and Xperi.

Read the issue.

The post Inside the June 9, 2021 Issue of Radio World appeared first on Radio World.

The National Association of Broadcasters is among several organizations pledging to strengthen “diversity, equity and inclusion” in government relations.

“NAB is proud to be one of four early adopters of the DGR pledge, along with America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), Signal Group and Women’s Global Impact Initiative,” wrote Vice President of Government Relations Charlyn Stanberry, who joined NAB in April.

“As we continue to advocate before members of Congress and the administration, we will continue to recruit, hire and promote talent that represents the richness of our nation and broadcasting ecosystem.”

The pledge is an initiative of the DGR Coalition. Stanberry wrote about NAB’s perspective on the issue in a blog post about the pledge.

“While there is still much work to be done, one of the unique aspects local broadcasters have is their ability to reflect the diverse communities they serve,” she wrote. “This effort extends to the work we do within NAB.”

The post NAB Supports “DGR Pledge” appeared first on Radio World.

From our “Who’s Buying What” page: OmniPlayer said that Flemish broadcaster VRT will use OmniPlayer 3 Radio Automation software in Flanders to support several radio stations.

“Flemish public broadcast corporation VRT will start using the Dutch OmniPlayer system for their stations Radio 1, Radio 2, Klara, MNM, Studio Brussel, streaming, DAB+ channels, VRT Nieuwsdienst and Sporza,” the manufacturer stated.

[See More Equipment Sales News at Our Who’s Buying What Page]

“This investment is partially inspired by the technological changes that are coming soon, in perspective of the new office building.”

It said the system will connect with the iNews editorial system via MOS and integrate with MusicMaster and with Radiomanager by Pluxbox.

Wim Ermens is project manager technology at VRT.

Submit announcements for Who’s Buying What to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post VRT to Use OmniPlayer in Flanders appeared first on Radio World.

Perhaps the greatest negative impact that COVID has had on radio, according to Jacob Media’s TechSurvey 2021, has been on AM/FM listening in the automotive mediascape. The short answer as to why might be more time spent at home, and less in cars. It’s more complicated than that, though. Information provided in the recent survey focuses on that. Some of the information seems to contradict. Fasten your seat belt, this could be a rough ride.

Of the leading 71% who said they spent less time listening to radio, spending less time in the car was the main reason they gave. This documents a well-established trend, AM/FM has been losing ground in the home to smart speakers and streaming media for some time. The last bastion is the car, and now that is under siege.

Advances in automotive entertainment system technology is also having an impact, according to TS 2021. Newer vehicles make it easy to connect smartphones into the system, and younger drivers especially, seem to be doing so. The spread ranges from the Greatest Generation’s 67% to Gen Z and Millennials’ 85%.

Get ready for a sudden lane change. TS 2021 says that the most important feature for those buying or leasing new cars is FM radio, with 74%, followed closely by Bluetooth, with 73%. AM radio ranks 6th with 34% overall, with a callout noting it is 59% for news/talk listeners, and 44% for sports radio fans. An interesting note is that the CD player now follows AM radio in the 7th position with a distant 29%.

All of that being said, when asked what percentage of time in the car they spent with each entertainment source, AM/FM is the clear winner with 58%. SiriusXM is a distant second with 18% of respondents. The data suggests that while people are spending less time in the car than they used to, they still prefer radio when they are behind the wheel.

When the survey factors in those who own “connected cars,” AM/FM still leads, but the number has slipped to less than half, with 49%. SiriusXM is still number two, with 24%.

It’s hard to get an exact fix on radio usage in the car, there are so many factors and different ways of looking at the data that is presented. Perhaps the 10,000-foot view is that all analog media is slowly losing ground to digital. One constant that this data seems to demonstrate is that localism still matters, and while AM/FM may be slipping in some categories, there seems to be a commensurate gain in listening to the hometown stream.

The post Radio Hits a Bumpy Road in the Car Mediascape appeared first on Radio World.

SBE Chapter 15 in New York City is honoring the late Chris Tobin.

Tobin, who died in December, was named the chapter’s 2021 Engineer of the Year.

“Chris had been an active member of Chapter 15 dating back to the early 1980s and, over the years, he held a variety of chapter officer roles, including that of chapter president,” the chapter wrote on its website.

“In addition to his dedication to the chapter, Chris took an avid interest in new technology education and for many years, co-hosted the ‘This Week in Radio Technology’ video podcast. During his career, Chris worked at a range of prestigious broadcast companies, including ABC Radio Network, WINS(AM), Westwood One and eventually stepped into the position of chief technology officer at WBGO(FM).”

In his honor the chapter made a $1,000 donation to the SBE Scholarship Fund. The award will be presented to his wife Lisa.

The post SBE Chapter 15 Honors Chris Tobin appeared first on Radio World.

The Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council has announced that Robert Branson is the new president and CEO of the group as of June 1, as Maurita Coley officially retires.

Branson is a former Federal Communications Commission staff advisor along with a media and telecom industry lawyer who spent time at Verizon, Association of Local Television Stations, National Association of Broadcasters and Post/Newsweek Stations. He is also former president of the Federal Communications Bar Association.

MMTC Board Chair and Treasurer Ronald Johnson said, “Given President Branson’s many years of service in government and in the private sector public and private entities, he is the perfect person to lead MMTC. We extend our deepest appreciation and many thanks to Maurita Coley who has, since 2012, served us admirably, with unparalleled integrity and transparency.”

The post Branson Takes Over at MMTC as Coley Retires appeared first on Radio World.

“Reinvention” will be on the agenda for the closing session of the fall Radio Show.

Rishad Tobaccowala will keynote the session on Thursday, Oct. 14.

[Related: “The Fall Radio Show Will Be at the Westgate”]

“The session will focus on the continued transformation happening across the media ecosystem, changing consumer behavior, and what it means for radio,” according to organizers at the National Association of Broadcasters and the Radio Advertising Bureau.

His talk is titled “The Great Reinvention: What Does That Look Like in 2022 and Beyond?”

Tobaccowala is a senior advisor to Publicis Groupe, where he was chief growth officer, overseeing business development for clients. He wrote the book “Restoring the Soul of Business: Staying Human in the Age of Data.” Show organizers said he is considered a pioneer in digital marketing.

The post Radio Show to Look at “Reinvention” appeared first on Radio World.

When Jacobs Media rolled out Tech Survey 2021, part of what it revealed was which aspects of media usage had been affected by COVID-19, and how. Their research suggests that hometown station listening is up, and that streaming video, internet use, social media and music streaming is also on the rise. All of these trends were well underway before COVID, but the social and economic upheaval of the past 13 months seems to have amped up the rate of change.

Almost half of the respondents reported watching streaming video daily, and weekly usage is now more than three in four. Since TS 2017, according to the survey, the weekly numbers have increased ten percentage points from 66–76%. Most of the users were in the Gen Z and Millennial groups, who are tied with 93%.

[Read: Amidst Social and Economic Upheaval, Radio Continues to Flourish]

Half of those surveyed said they listened to streaming audio daily. Weekly usage is also on an uptick, and, no surprise, the numbers skew up towards the younger demographic. As with streaming video, streaming audio has also seen a ten percentage point uptick since TS 2017, increasing from 58–68%.

The research turned up another bright spot for broadcasters. It says those who listened to streaming audio regularly, tuned inmost to the hometown stream, with 68%, far ahead of Pandora, with 27%; other radio station streams, with 26% and YouTube, holding 25%.

Several years ago, many broadcasters and groups invested heavily in more robust streaming technology. At the time, it was a bit of a gamble, as on-air listeners still outnumbered online listeners. Now, that gamble seems to have paid off.

In the surprise category are the numbers on paid audio and video streaming services. Seventy percent of video users are paying for two or more services, while just 27% pay for two or more audio services. These numbers are startling because some industry analysts predicted a sharp decline in subscription services due to a floundering economy and job loss.

All of that being said, over 60% of those polled say subscription costs for audio and video services are a concern.

The post Survey Surprises With Superb Statistics for Subscription Services appeared first on Radio World.

The announcement was made by Wayne Pecena, president of the Society of Broadcast Engineers.

To give you an idea of how deep Imlay’s roots are with the SBE: His first case was to try to appeal the FCC decision to eliminate the First Class Radiotelephone License. He said his SBE role has “allowed me to do what I do best: defending spectrum allocations of clients and participating in technical regulatory proceedings.”

[Read Chris Imlay’s Contributions to Radio World]

“Chris has worked with the SBE since 1980, and has been the SBE’s general counsel since 1991,” the society stated. Pecena called him “a valuable resource for and asset to the SBE over the past 41 years. He has also been a staunch advocate for the SBE’s goals and objectives. He is a tough act to follow.”

The society said it will split Imlay’s duties; it plans a process to find a replacement communications counsel, and also will hire an attorney for business matters based near its headquarters in Indianapolis.

Meanwhile Imlay will continue to work part-time for other long-term clients.

In the announcement, he was quoted describing himself as “a down-in-the-trenches communications lawyer” who loved working with broadcast engineers. And for 37 years until 2018, Imlay also was general counsel for ARRL, the national association for amateur radio; he is former president of the Foundation for Amateur Radio and recently was inducted into the CQ magazine Hall of Fame.

Several commentaries by Chris Imlay have appeared in Radio World in recent years, on topics such as engineer ethics and the idea of broadcasters as “first responders.” Read those here.

SBE said Imlay has worked for 22 SBE presidents and was elected a Fellow of the SBE in 1997.

According to SBE’s summary of his career, Imlay began working in law in 1975 and in communications in 1979 when he joined Booth and Freret.

When SBE sought to administratively appeal the decision to eliminate the First Phone, SBE President Bob Jones retained Bob Booth for the work, and Booth assigned the task to Imlay. The society regained him as communications counsel in 1984 and named him general counsel in 1991.

He was a partner with Booth, Freret and Imlay from 1981 to 1995; president of Booth, Freret, Imlay & Tepper, P.C., from 1995 to 2014; and managing member, Booth, Freret & Imlay, LLC, 2014 to present.

Other clients in federal communications law have included big names like JVCKenwood USA, the National Football League, NASCAR and Goodyear, as well as many TV and radio stations, common carrier and private wireless licensees, as well as video production companies, auto racing sponsors and speedways; and equipment manufacturers.

The post Imlay Will Retire as SBE General Counsel appeared first on Radio World.

The Vermont Association of Broadcasters announced it will hold its annual convention in August.

VAB had to cancel last year because of the pandemic.

The 65th Annual VAB Convention and Production of the Year Award Ceremony will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 18, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to the association’s newsletter.

“Our new venue, Lareau Farm Inn, is home to the original American Flatbread in Waitsfield, Vt., and features two outdoor covered pavilions where we’ll spend the day learning, laughing and socializing again,” VAB wrote.

Details and schedule are to follow at the VAB website.

Send your event news and updates to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post VAB Will Hold Annual Convention in August appeared first on Radio World.

Advocates of low-power FM in the United States are hoping that the Federal Communications Commission will adopt a proposal to raise the maximum power level for many stations from 100 to 250 watts.

It’s not a new idea, but supporters are excited because the commission recently opened a 30-day window for public comments on a fresh petition from REC Networks. This has led some to speculate that under a Democratic presidential administration, the FCC may be more willing to entertain the idea.

The proposal to amend Parts 73 and 74 of the rules was submitted by Michelle Bradley, founder of REC Networks. Bradley says the dial can accommodate the change, noting that nearly two-thirds of LPFM stations are outside of the top 100 Nielsen Audio markets and that only 15% are in “deep-urban areas.”

In the summary, Bradley gave a brief history of the 250-watt debate and proposals since 2012 and why she is updating the proposal now, including changes to address concerns that had been raised about the earlier versions.

[Read the proposal.]

Among stations in support is WXOX(LP), “Art FM,” in Louisville, Ky. The station emailed its community calling this “a very exciting and unexpected opportunity that would help our low-power stations exponentially.” It asked supporters to file comments by the June 20 deadline.

“Discuss technical issues with the current 100 watts permitted by the FCC,” it suggested. “This includes inability to get FM signal beyond a few miles from the transmitter site and difficulty receiving FM signal inside certain buildings within this limited range. Discuss local populations that may be excluded by the low wattage.”

Specifically, the new proposal would would create an LP250 class of service with an effective service contour of about 4-1/2 miles, in addition to the current LP100 service.

The maximum height above average terrain would be 451 meters or 1,479 feet.

There would be a second distance separation table for the new class that includes distances up to 9 km longer than the LP100 service.

Bradley said the proposal “fully respects the 20-kilometer buffer zone” and includes a suggested policy for upgrades on stations that are already second-adjacent short-spaced. She said the proposal does not add any new processes that would involve a contour study. It would allow class upgrades and downgrades as a minor change as long as other minor change criteria are met.

It also suggests a “launch window” method to manage an expected rush of stations wanting to upgrade. And it proposes a simplified RF radiation standard similar to the one used in LP100.

“In other words, this is simply like the LP100 service that has been around for the past 20 years, but just an add-on with the LP250 ‘numbers,’” Bradley wrote. “Or, in other words, simple.”

[A separate appendix to the proposal lists upgrade implications for all existing LPFMs, read that here.]

Bradley said the new proposal addresses past concerns about 250 watts. For example she submitted the accompanying image showing three hypothetical LPFM facilities.

Their class-standard interfering contours are in red, the full-service station’s protected contour is in green and the buffer zone is in orange 20 kilometers outside of the green protected contour curve.

The LPFM curve at the top depicts an LP100 station under current rules. The middle curve (OLD250) depicts a method proposed earlier in which the buffer zone is penetrated to keep minimum distance separation. The bottom curve (NEW250) depicts what is being proposed.

By increasing the distances for the LP250 class on co- and first-adjacent channels, Bradley says the proposal satisfies the commission’s past concerns.

Comments can be submitted at the FCC comment system. Refer to Proceeding RM-11909.

The post LPFMs Are Hopeful About “Simple LP250” appeared first on Radio World.

Quu Inc. and vCreative announced an integration.

“vCreative customers can now publish messages on car dashboards for their clients that use Quu’s advertising services,” they said in an announcement.

vCreative provides media production workflow solutions. Quu adds dynamic visuals to radio broadcasts.

Quu’s system lets stations publish programming and sales messages called Visual Quus that it says helps with upsells and makes ads more effective. With this integration, radio stations now can produce and send those Visual Quus via the vCreative vPPO production workflow system.

The announcement was made by  Susie Hedrick, CEO of vCreative, and Steve Newberry, CEO of Quu.

The post vCreative Can Now Publish to Quu appeared first on Radio World.

Wedel Software has hired Rick Rowland as an onboarding manager for its new Adthos Platform.

“Rick has been working in the industry for more than 30 years and has, by his own admission, held just about every radio station role within that time,” the company said in its announcement.

[Visit Radio World’s People News Page]

“Not only that, but he’s also designed his own suite of radio software focused on media readiness, commercial reconciliation and daily file readiness.”

Rowland’s products include Power-Link Software Systems and Proof of Play.

The hire was announced by CEO Raoul Wedel. The company introduced the Adthos ad sales platform this month.

Send news of engineering and executive personnel changes to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post Wedel Hires Rowland in Adthos Role appeared first on Radio World.

AEQ has a new codec for remote broadcasting; we asked Roberto Tejero, right, AEQ product manager and expert trainer, about it as part of our recent ebook about remote radio.

RW: What prompted it, and how does it reflect trends in radio workflows?

Roberto Tejero: Radio has historically been the most flexible, immediate and dynamic media. Stations have been trying for a long time to prevent regular contributors or collaborators having to travel to the station. Thousands of ALIO audio codecs have been installed on the home desks of regular participants of talk shows, commentators, correspondents and experts.

The pandemic has accelerated the trend. After the first confinement, all radio organizations have begun to facilitate technical resources so that their hosts and regular guests and contributors can work remotely.

The budget for this has put a lot of strain on many stations, and they have started looking for non-professional solutions. Dropouts, artifacts and faulty sound are common. 

Our mission is to adapt to the needs of changing environments. After almost exhausting our stock of the Phoenix ALIO portable audio codec, and seeing the need to produce a device that is easier to operate, adapted to non-technical personnel, we developed TALENT, which is a new portable audio codec, with fantastic design and small dimensions. 

It is simple to connect and allows transmission of a high-quality stereo audio channel. With a simple, domestic internet connection or wireless 3G / 4G / 5G data and a headset, you can make radio at home or from anywhere easily and safely.

RW: Generally speaking, what level of home connectivity is needed to create reliable work-from-home operations?

Tejero: This problem doesn’t have a single solution. It depends on the quality of service of the telecommunications infrastructure at each location. 

In many countries it is essential to be able to request a connection with guaranteed QoS from the service provider, either wired or wireless.

The good news is that a high-capacity connection is normally not required to be able to operate audio codecs from a remote location or home. A stable connection is enough to provide sufficient bandwidth for the encoding algorithm used. 

An ideal environment is the use of fiber optics, but it is also possible to use ADSL connections if they have reasonable latency and bandwidth. In numbers, for radio broadcast quality, OPUS encoding, a stable bandwidth of 400 kbps and a latency of less than 100 ms is sufficient.

RW: What other considerations are stations dealing with now? 

Tejero: There are many challenges when it comes to outside radio broadcasting. Almost more important than latency and audio quality are the costs involved. This affects both large corporations and small radio stations to different degrees. 

The fact that hosts are producing their shows from home at least implies a minimum investment in audio codecs. This expense can be multiplied by hundreds of audio codecs for each possible collaborator who goes on the air. 

In addition to responding to the requirements of simple handling, TALENT has a suitable price for any broadcaster. It eliminates the need to purchase more expensive audio codecs or the purchase of mobile devices dedicated exclusively to broadcast software applications.

RW: Are air talent connecting wirelessly or via wired connection from home?

Tejero: That depends on the country. For example, in Spain, wired connections are the most reliable. This is the case in the urban areas of most developed countries. 

In rural areas and countries with lower levels of development, quality wired connections are not always available and it may be a better solution to use a 3G / 4G router modem. 

To respond to this situation, TALENT has an Ethernet interface through which it allows both wired and wireless connections. This interface can be connected to a local network with connectivity to a fiber optic service provider network, domestic ADSL or other wired connection. But you can also connect to a wireless router that provides connectivity through WiFi or through 3G / 4G / 5G wireless phone networks.

RW: Anything else we should know? 

Tejero: We want to highlight the benefits that we have incorporated into a basic device as TALENT.

It does not need to be configured or operated by the user. You can simply speak without needing to touch any buttons, except Help if required. It also has a local app for smartphone, TALENT Pilot, allowing the user to control and configure the audio codec.

It supports all types of headphones, low or high impedance, and microphones, dynamic and condenser, as it features phantom power. It also has a Bluetooth connection so you can connect it to your mobile phone, do phone interviews and send them mixed to the studio.

It can be powered in many ways, depending on where and how you are: from the USB outlet of a PC, from a 5 to 15 volt outlet, such as a vehicle battery or a power bank, or from the mains power supply that comes with the unit.

Operation is very intuitive. It is intended for personnel without prior technical knowledge. Typically the station’s technician will hand it over to the user, ready to connect to the domestic router and the power source and start working.

For local control, the Talent audio codec has indicators and basic controls to make the necessary adjustments during the broadcast. It also has the app for smartphone so that somewhat expert users can connect it in places other than their home.

TALENT, connected by Bluetooth to a smartphone, allows you make telephone interviews or, alternatively, through applications such as Skype, WhatsApp or Zoom, among others. These latter provide high quality to the interviewee’s voice and mix them to program signal sent to the station through the IP connection.

Further, TALENT can be controlled remotely. This operation can be in parallel or even overriding the local controls of the equipment. Therefore, one of the most important buttons is the “HELP” button. This is used to call for attention or request remote assistance from the station’s technician.

The post AEQ Rolls Out a New Codec appeared first on Radio World.

The National Association of Broadcasters’ technology innovation initiative, Pilot, will be accepting submissions for this year’s Pilot Innovation Challenge through 5 p.m. ET on July 9.

The program will provide mentorship and promotion to winning proposals, along with an opportunity to demonstrate their products at the NAB Show in Las Vegas, Oct. 9–13, 2021.

“The Innovation Challenge offers a platform for developing technologies that will help broadcasters better serve their audience, while providing emerging companies a showcase for their cutting-edge products,” said Pilot Executive Director John Clark in a press statement.

[Read: The Fall Radio Show Will Be at the Westgate]

This year’s challenge seeks startups and growing companies that provide solutions to some of the challenges and opportunities facing broadcasters over the next two to three years. The challenge is looking for products or prototypes that are focused on the following areas:

• Edge technologies that drive new revenue opportunities for broadcasters, such as through geo-targeted content, location-based advertising, accurate audience measurement and augmented experiences;
• Technologies that enhance broadcast journalism to help viewers and listeners get more from their most trusted source of local news, including tools to better aggregate and verify crowd-sourced news reports, enhancements to news-gathering technologies such as drones, or avatar news anchors to deliver personalized updates on a myriad of topics; and
• In-vehicle technologies that deliver more value out of broadcasting, including technologies that enhance the in-car experience for radio listeners, as well as technologies that harness the mobile reception capabilities of the NextGen TV standard to deliver even more rich data services or back-seat entertainment.

Individuals, teams, companies, academic institutions and nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply subject to the official rules of participation. Up to 10 finalists will be selected by a panel of industry experts by early August, with up to three winning proposals being notified by Sept. 1.

Three winners will be selected to receive relevant mentorship, feedback, numerous opportunities to engage with broadcasters and a trip to the annual NAB Show. They will be provided exhibit space in the “Startup Loft” to demonstrate their prototype to potential customers, investors and partners.

To learn more, visit NAB’s Pilot website.

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The NAB Show and the fall Radio Show in October will both have a different look and feel this year.

This was expected, given the unusual circumstances of the pandemic; but now details about how the shows will work — particularly the aspects of interest to radio people — are becoming clearer. We also know more about the health and hygiene steps that will be taken at the conventions.

As we’ve reported, the “big” NAB Show was postponed to the fall, and the two-day Radio Show, co-produced by the NAB and the RAB, was reset for the same week, also in Las Vegas. (The 2020 Radio Show was supposed to be in Nashville but was cancelled; this year’s fall show originally was supposed to be in New Orleans.)

Thus the NAB Show will be held Oct. 9 to 13, while the Radio Show will be Oct. 13 and 14, with a day of overlap on the Wednesday.

Now the NAB and RAB have told the show community that Radio Show conferences and exhibits will be held at the Westgate Las Vegas, next door to the Las Vegas Convention Center, and the official show hotel for the Radio Show will be the Sahara Las Vegas.

Note how Radio Show booths will work. Exhibitors have the option to purchase a tabletop exhibit for the two days of the Radio Show; these will be in the general session ballroom of the Westgate, and exhibitors have been told to expect a space selection process in coming weeks.

That means attendees who want to visit radio industry suppliers should look for them on the main NAB Show floor of the LVCC on Sunday through Wednesday, while some radio suppliers also (or conceivably only) will have tabletops at the Radio Show in the Westgate on Wednesday and Thursday.

The published conference agenda for the Radio Show includes time slots dedicated to exhibits on both days. Registrants to co-located events including the Radio Show get access to the NAB Show floor and to any all-access NAB Show Main Stage sessions and special events.

As for health considerations for the NAB Show, organizers note that Las Vegas returned to pre-pandemic guidelines on June 1.

“We are working with a top medical firm to guarantee we are following all health and safety protocols as outlined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control,” the NAB Show website states. “As information around the virus continues to develop, we will adjust our approach as needed.”

Masks are not required for attendees who are fully vaccinated. “Visitors may be required to undergo health screenings such as temperature checks or other screening processes upon entry.”

Registration will be “touchless,” and organizers encourage people to register at a hotel satellite location before going to the LVCC.

The organizers ask that people refrain from greeting one another using any physical contact. Meeting rooms and floor theaters will be set up with three feet of social distancing.

NAB wrote that the LVCC “has invested in HVAC upgrades to allow for greater ventilation as well as using air filters with a quality rating of MERV 14 (hospital grade filtration system). The frequency of the filter changes and the outdoor air exchange rate have both been increased.”

The LVCC management is also planning deep advance cleaning, enhanced sanitation at high-touch areas, UV lights and sanitizing AV equipment, among other precautions; and hand sanitation facilities will be available.

You can read more about the show safety precautions here.

Of course, a question everyone will be asking is just how many people will show up.

No one we’ve talked to expects the 91,000+ that NAB reported as attending the spring show in 2019. (The fall Radio Show usually draws a little over 2,000.) It remains to be seen how many folks will decide to travel to an in-person convention in the fall of 2021, especially given that the spring show usually draws a quarter of its people from abroad.

Regardless, being able to hold a sizeable in-person event at all will be a notable milestone as our industry works its way back.

A final note of interest is that most broadcast visitors who do attend will get their first look at the LVCC’s massive West Hall expansion, though this year’s NAB Show won’t use that space. The Las Vegas Review Journal has a video and pix.

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The National Association of Broadcasters is expressing concern about what it is calling a significant increase in regulatory fees by the Federal Communications Commission on broadcasters.

For the third consecutive year in a row, the commission plans to increase fees to “unfair, unsustainable levels,” particularly in light of the economic impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the broadcasting industry, the NAB said in its filing.

The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposed a 5 to 15% increase in regulatory fees for radio broadcasters face a (with TV broadcasters fee factor jumping nearly 9%) even though the commission’s general salary and expenses budget increased by only 0.5%, the NAB said. The FCC proposes to collect $374 million for the 2021 fiscal year, with Congress appropriating expenses into two separate categories: $341 million to cover FCC salaries and expenses and an additional $33 million specifically to cover costs associated with the implementation of the Broadband DATA Act.

Ann Marie Cumming, NAB senior vice president of communications, said in a statement that the NAB objects to its members being used to pay for the funding the Broadband DATA Act. The legislation is designed to improve accuracy of the FCC’s broadband availability maps to help close the digital divide that exists between urban and rural areas.

Not only does the FCC fail to explain the reasons for this year’s fee increase, but it’s clear that the commission is forcing broadcasters to subsidize the regulation of other entities that are either contributing less than their fair share of fees or being given a free ride altogether, she said.

In its filing, the NAB said that the commission has an “obligation to ensure that its regulatory framework enables TV and radio stations to serve the public interest in free, over-the-air broadcast service, which means that the broadcast industry must remain economically viable in an increasingly competitive marketplace.”

The NAB urged the commission to adjust its proposal so that only the beneficiaries of the commission’s Broadband DATA Act initiatives pay for the associated costs. The NAB also pressed the commission to expand the base of fee payers to include big tech and other unlicensed spectrum users that use a substantial amount of the commission’s resources and benefit from its activities.

“Many broadcasters simply cannot afford unnecessary expenses in a year when revenues continued to decline due to the economic impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and a slow-moving recovery,” the NAB said in its filing. “The commission must confront and correct the elements of its regulatory fee proposal that impair broadcasters’ ability to remain economically viable in a competitive marketplace, and undermine their ability to provide quality, free service to the public.”

The broadcast industry must remain economically viable in an increasingly competitive marketplace, the NAB said, a situation made all the more tricky because broadcasters cannot simply pass on regulatory costs to consumers.

The FCC is seeking comment on its proposed changes, which are available through Docket Number 21-190 at the FCC’s ECFS comment database. Reply comments are being accepted through June 18.

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