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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

WRHU at Hofstra University on Long Island has been chosen by the Academy of Radio Arts and Sciences of America to receive the 2021 World Radio Day Award.

“The honor commemorates World Radio Day, established by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) and celebrated annually on Feb. 13,” the organization said in a press release.

“For this year’s award, the jury has highlighted the work done during the coronavirus pandemic, in light of UNESCO’s theme for the World Radio Day 2021 celebration, which is ‘New World, New Radio,’ in the sense that radio is a medium for resilience of our society.”

The award honors a U.S. station that exemplifies the best attributes of the radio industry. Recipients may be large or small, commercial or noncommercial, located in any market, and broadcasting in any language. The jury looks for stations that demonstrate ideals of localism, audience reach, community service, effective use of new digital platforms, diversity in program content and staffing, and financial and ratings success.

Jurors included representatives of Fletcher Heald & Hildreth, Radio Ink, The Weiss Agency, Talkers magazine, the New Jersey Broadcasters Association, McVay Media Consulting, Entercom and Radio World, which was represented by Editor in Chief Paul McLane.

WRHU is the first student-run station to receive this honor. The award was conceived by the Spanish Radio Academy to spread awareness of World Radio Day globally. The first U.S. recipient, named last year, was WTOP in Washington.

Mark Lukasiewicz, dean of the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication, saluted WRHU and its managers and staff “for carrying on their work throughout the pandemic and providing vital information to the community.” The station’s past honors have included three Marconi Awards from the National Association of Broadcasters.

The post WRHU Receives World Radio Day Award 2021 appeared first on Radio World.

Here’s a technical reminder for some EAS equipment users. It comes courtesy of the Alabama Broadcasters Association but will be of interest more broadly.

ABA’s technical newsletter, written by veteran engineer Larry Wilkins, notes that several stations that use Sage Endec EAS units had stopped receiving the required weekly test (RWT) from IPAWS late in 2020.

“The problem was discovered to be a missing security patch CR rev5. This patch was not part of the original 95.00 update, since the patch was not issued till after its release,” the newsletter states. “It is now part of the 95.00 firmware.” You can download the patch here or via the original Sage firmware revision announcement.

Wilkins, who chairs the state’s EAS Committee, wrote that ABA also identified a few stations that were still operating with outdated firmware, which is another FCC violation.

“The fact that so many stations were missing the IPAWS RWT for several weeks is disturbing, since the Chief Operator should have noticed this during the weekly station log review,” he wrote.

“Remember the FCC rules require that the CO review the station log weekly and make notes of any missing or incorrect entries. Discrepancies that continue should be reported to engineering or management for correction. It is not enough just to print the log and put it a file; it must be reviewed and signed by the Chief Operator and report any problems to the correct station personnel.”

Not complying with these EAS issues, Wilkins concluded, can open a station up to a Notice of Violation and fine.

 

The post Reminder About Sage EAS Security Patch appeared first on Radio World.

An image from the Xperi website.

The DTS Connected Radio hybrid radio platform has a new name, DTS AutoStage.

Parent company Xperi introduced the name at the recent online CES show with the tag line “The global hybrid solution that works directly with broadcasters.”

The company’s George Cernat told Radio World that the change comes in the wake of Xperi’s merger with TiVo in June 2020.

“We integrated TiVo’s world-class music metadata and personalized content discovery engine with the DTS Connected Radio platform. This created a next-gen infotainment platform that is truly global and immersive.” He said the company felt that the name DTS AutoStage better represented the scope and implications of the product.

In a recent guest commentary, Xperi’s SVP, Broadcast Radio Joseph D’Angelo wrote about the platform: “Synergies gained from our merger with TiVo have accelerated deployment, enhanced our offerings and helped ensure unsurpassed security and operational support,” he wrote.

“TiVo’s massive music metadata platform and Xperi’s hybrid radio platform make an entirely new radio experience possible with premium radio content enhanced with visually rich data and deep content descriptors.”

Xperi is also the company that makes HD Radio technology.

Related stories:

“DTS Connected Radio Adds Lyrics,” Nov. 2020

“Hybrid Radio Picks Up Momentum,” Sept. 2020

The post Xperi’s Hybrid Platform Is Now “DTS AutoStage” appeared first on Radio World.

Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel named Michele Ellison as acting general counsel at the Federal Communications Commission.

Tom Johnson steps down as general counsel and but continues to serve in the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.

Ellison, most recently deputy general counsel, is a commission veteran. “Ms. Ellison managed the multi-billion dollar transactions, bankruptcy and fraud portfolio,” Rosenworcel’s announcement stated. “She also has the distinction of being the first woman of color to serve as the agency’s chief of staff, chief of the Enforcement Bureau, and acting general counsel.”

Among her current roles she chairs the FCC’s Connect2Health Task Force, and has been involved in commission efforts on localism and on expanding communications opportunities for small, minority and women-owned businesses as well as developing countries.

“Ms. Ellison also played a pivotal role on national broadband planning under Acting Chairman Michael Copps, served as transition counsel to Commissioner (then Chief of Staff to Acting Chairwoman) Mignon Clyburn, and advised Chairman William Kennard as his deputy chief of staff.”

Rosenworcel also named Joel Taubenblatt as acting chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. He was deputy bureau chief.

And Don Stockdale moves to the Office of Economics and Analytics.

The post Ellison Is Acting General Counsel at FCC appeared first on Radio World.

Trade show conversations, like this one between Mark Goins and Stephen Denny in the GatesAir booth at the 2019 NAB Show, are an important part of building your personal knowledge network. Manufacturer salespeople and designers can be valuable sources of technical and career info. (Photo by Jim Peck)

When you’re an engineer, the employer judges you by your skills and knowledge. Let’s talk about knowledge.

A good engineer does not need to know everything, just how to find the answer. In the old days we had tons of books to refer to (I still have editions of the “Audio Cyclopedia” and “Radio Handbook” on the shelves). Manuals from companies like Ampex and Scully explained the principles of how the products worked. Today we have the search engines — but who can really rely on the unedited and curated database?

The best answers will come from your teammates in arms: other engineers. This is why organizations like the Society of Broadcast Engineers, Audio Engineering Society, IEEE Broadcast Technology Society and Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers are important.

At local meetings, engineers gather and learn from headline speakers on new and innovative topics. Then the magic happens. Groups form and the engineers start to trade war stories. During these discussions you will hear about the idiosyncrasies of various equipment, how non-ordinary scenarios were solved and where the job openings are.

Unfortunately, online Zoom meetings are not the best for this, but it is still happening.

Associations and societies bring you together with people who have common career interests. Here, colleagues teased Nautel’s Jeff Welton, right, as he was honored at the 2019 Public Radio Engineering Conference.

Trade publications are fabulous when you can determine the difference between a good user report and sales hype. Learn which authors are good; you will eventually meet them throughout your career. Trade publications also let you know about current technologies and products, where to obtain the items and sometimes who is using them.

School is a great start for the engineer, but you should also take advantage of industry conferences and conventions.

Someday soon we’ll be able to attend major events in person again, where you’ll be greeted by huge exhibition halls. Yes, you get to see all the new and exciting equipment available for the right price. But you also get to meet salespeople and (if lucky) the designers of the gear you will depend on.

One thing to ask, because it is never obvious, is whether you can join their online user group. Sometimes the company hosts it, or it may be found on a common social media platform like Facebook. That’s a great place to read, ask questions, trade experiences.

Beyond the exhibit hall there are gatherings, technical sessions and standards meetings. The gatherings will be very broad and you can usually hear some notable speakers. The technical sessions will teach you about new technologies and techniques. Standards meetings will allow you to be part of the evolution of the technology.

Being a member of the organized technical community is essential. Going to conferences and conventions is great. Don’t be arrogant and think, “I don’t need to do this because I know everything.” (Yes, I have met such people.) You are never too old to learn, and technology is always changing. Don’t be ashamed to ask others questions; this is the only way to learn (Socrates agreed with this).

Remember: An engineer does not have to know everything, just how to find the answer.

David Bialik is a consultant who has held technical broadcast and streaming positions for companies like Entercom, CBS Radio, Bloomberg and Bonneville. He is co-chair of the AES Technical Committee for Broadcast and Online Delivery and a Senior Member of the SBE. Reach him at dkbialik@erols.com or 845-634-6595.

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

The post Nurture Your Personal Network 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.

As you likely saw on a screen near you, a flurry of activity has been the calling card of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Appointments and executive orders were only the beginning. However, one cannot stress enough how radio must be a focus. Not only can radio be a player in the many initiatives the new administration is set to launch, but it also needs the president and vice president’s attention.

[Read: Community Broadcaster: Off-Air]

Our relationship with audiences as Biden takes office that may prove to be most crucial to our place in Americans’ lives. As political divisiveness hits levels rarely seen in the nation, what can the new administration do to engage radio? A few things, really.

Ensure greater investment in rural, locally staffed, educational media. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is not likely to be on the chopping block like it was when former President Trump tried unsuccessfully several times to gut it. And though CPB does a great job, the new administration is seeing the decline of local news and culture sources that all Americans are witnessing. Biden’s team must put attention on how real radio in communities — radio that is not voicetracked from elsewhere and able to respond to rural needs and emergencies, radio whose service is rooted in education — survives amid the pandemic.

Help streamline filings. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, at points criticized for his deregulatory zeal, resigned Jan. 20, making way for Jessica Rosenworcel, to be named acting chair. It’s probable that Pai’s legacy of simplifying the multitude of filings we do will continue after his departure. While it is important not to decimate rules that protect the public and its interest in an inclusive broadcast space, the new administration can certainly support smoothing out the processes that can be onerous, especially for rural community broadcasters.

Put vaccine education dollars into radio. The new administration would be wise to learn on radio for efforts around coronavirus as well as vaccine education. Pres. Biden has made COVID-19 response a cornerstone of his first 100 days. Such a drive will require a massive education campaign placing radio at the center. Even as more polls find little trust in media, radio’s bond remains steady. Pew Research and other pollsters say Americans remain skeptical of the vaccine, and they’ll need to be persuaded through expert interviews and information radio stations can effectively deliver.

Ask radio to educate about extremism. With white supremacy a potent topic on the American agenda, the new administration may consider how radio can help Americans understand and address issues locally. We in media can also reflect on how we can better contribute to cohesion instead of handing the microphone to the worst among us. A new study slams TV news for amplifying the voices of hyperpartisans to shore up ratings, but not because they widely represent Republicans or Democrats. Give credit to executives at Cumulus Media, who warned its hosts to stop spreading conspiracy theories that have buoyed the latest tensions. However, the more the new president can do with radio in the form of public education, the better off the country will be.

The Biden administration should look at radio’s position of trust in communities. The new president’s vision can be strengthened by prioritizing our content service for this new chapter of U.S. history.

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