Radio World

Nautel has added two topics to its schedule of webinars about broadcast technology, scheduled for alternating Wednesdays in March.

On March 3 the company covers “All-Digital AM featuring the NX Series” to answer questions about the MA3 mode of HD Radio now that the FCC has allowed its use.

“Many broadcasters have asked what is involved in upgrading, what the different modes mean, and if there is any benefit for their particular situation.”

On March 17 a webinar will explore “FM Digital, featuring the Nautel HD MultiCast+ (HDMC+) HD Importer/Exporter.” Nautel cites discussion in the industry about the pros and cons of fixed-purpose embedded hardware vs. software implementations, especially involving HD Radio importer and exporter components.

“This webinar will review the evolution of HD Radio for FM, the development and features of the HDMC+, and will cover some of the capabilities of this powerful tool.”

Register at https://nautel.com/webinars. Nautel webinars qualify for ½ SBE recertification credit.

 

The post Nautel Plans March Webinars appeared first on Radio World.

The Comrex Access NX Portable at courtside, lower left, supporting live coverage of a Stetson University basketball game.

The author is owner of Airwaves Audio.

CLERMONT, Fla — I own a small production company called Airwaves Audio that does live TV and radio remote production. I’ve worked for several years with ESPN on shows like “Mike & Mike” and “Rusillo & Kanell” to cover events like the Super Bowl and Major League Baseball All-Star games. I also engineer large broadcasts with multiple stations for organizations like Disney. 

It’s a lot of coordination. In addition to handling the technical side, I manage the moving pieces to ensure everyone can be on the air when they need to be.

We started using Comrex equipment in the early 2000s. We tried it for the first time for a mass live broadcast from a Disney cruise ship.

We had made several attempts to connect an ISDN line to the ship, and it just wasn’t happening. So we set up 24 Comrex Access codecs, and ran them simultaneously over the ship’s internet back to the studio. It really saved our bacon on that job, and we never looked back. Comrex has been our number one IP audio codec choice since then.

As an engineer, my favorite part of Access NX Portable is the screen. While I sometimes have a headset and listen to every second of the broadcast, in most cases I set up the equipment, explain how to use it, and then step back. If I have to make sure everything is working during the show, it’s much easier to see the large Access NX screen than the smaller interface on the original Access. And the LEDs in the knobs make it easy for me to keep an eye on levels from a distance — it’s reassuring to know that no one is clipping and the audio sounds good. 

When I first took the Access NX Portable out of the box, I was struck by how it was organized. It’s done the way that I would do it. The channels are clearly delineated, and are color-coded and labeled. When there’s a problem, time speeds up and you’ve got to jump in and fix it ASAP. And I can do that with this because Access NX is so user-friendly.

When I’m out in the field, about 80% of the people I run into these days are using Access NX. ISDN was once the default, but that’s now all but gone. 

When I’m on a job, and I’m told that we’re going to be using a Comrex, I feel a sense of relief because I’m familiar with the software and the interface and I know what we’re getting into. 

I recently did the Citrus Bowl in Orlando. My client requested a somewhat elaborate setup, so I had to get there 5–6 hours ahead of time to get it done.

As I finished and sat down, I looked through the glass wall of the booth next to mine, and saw a couple guys with an Access NX. They got in the door and were set up in 10 minutes, and I was instantly jealous of how simple their day was going to be. If I had the choice, I’d always pick Access NX. 

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

For information, contact Chris Crump with Comrex in Massachusetts at 1-978-784-1776 or visit www.comrex.com.

The post User Report: Access NX Serves Airwaves Audio appeared first on Radio World.

Responding to record cold in Texas along with related consequences such as loss of power for days, the Broadcasters Foundation of America is making one-time emergency grants of up to $2,000 each to qualifying individual broadcaster industry employees based in Texas.

Broadcasters Foundation of America Vice President Peter Doyle explained, “Broken pipes, power outages, displacement, and more have brought devastation to many of our colleagues. The foundation’s Emergency Grant Program is set up with a streamlined vetting process that allows us to move quickly and get checks to those in desperate need. We’re asking every broadcaster in affected areas to help us get the word out to those who may need our assistance.”

Those interested in seeking aid may visit https://broadcastersfoundation.org/apply-for-help. According to a release, once at the webpage, choose Emergency Grants on the right to get to the Emergency Grant & Disaster Information Request Form. According to the release the foundation has heard from employees of Tegna, Nexstar, Radio One, Entercom, Fox and others.

 

The post Broadcasters Foundation Offers Aid for Texas Broadcasters appeared first on Radio World.

Fry’s Electronics has gone out of business.

“After nearly 36 years in business as the one-stop-shop and online resource for high-tech professionals across nine states and 31 stores, Fry’s Electronics, Inc. … has made the difficult decision to shut down its operations and close its business permanently as a result of changes in the retail industry and the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic,” it stated on its website.

“The company will implement the shut down through an orderly wind down process that it believes will be in the best interests of the company, its creditors, and other stakeholders.”

It said it began the wind-down today, Wednesday. “It is hoped that undertaking the wind-down through this orderly process will reduce costs, avoid additional liabilities, minimize the impact on our customers, vendors, landlords and associates, and maximize the value of the Company’s assets for its creditors and other stakeholders.”

It said it was reaching out to customers with repairs and consignment vendors to help them understand what this will mean for them and the proposed next steps.

One veteran engineering told Radio World, “These guys were a great alternative to RadioShack, especially out west!  A shame to see them go.”

The post Fry’s Electronics Closes Its Doors appeared first on Radio World.

Current IPAWS architecture is shown in an FCC graphic.

 

The Federal Communications Commission now has released more details about its plans for improving emergency alerting.

Among other proposed changes, state EAS plans would no longer be publicly visible on the FCC website, for security reasons.

As we’ve reported, the FCC has been instructed by Congress to review the current SECC system, explore internet alerting, gather information about false alerts and take other steps.

Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced this week that alerting will be on the agenda for the commission’s March open meeting.

[Read: “The FCC Will Explore Internet EAS”]

Now the 52-page draft Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of Inquiry has been released.

The NPRM would:

• Propose rule amendments to combine the current non-optional class of WEA “Presidential Alerts” with FEMA Administrator Alerts into a new alert class called “National Alerts.”
• Propose to amend the annual State EAS Plan reporting rule to require certification that SECCs have held a meeting in the past year, propose to provide a checklist of required information for annual State EAS Plan reports, and propose to amend the commission’s rule for review and approval or rejection of annual State EAS Plan reports.
• Propose rules for the FEMA administrator or a state, local, tribal or territorial government to voluntarily report EAS or WEA false alerts to the FCC Operations Center.
• Propose a rule to require repeating EAS messages when certain authorized EAS alert originators want a message repeated, and to ensure EAS Participants are technically capable of repeating.

And the Notice of Inquiry would:

• Seek comment on whether it is technically feasible to deliver EAS alerts through the Internet, including through streaming services.
• Seek comment on whether and how to leverage the capabilities of the Internet to enhance the alerting capabilities of the radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wireline video providers that currently participate in EAS.

Among the many items in the proposal is a stipulation that state EAS plans, which are currently accessible on the FCC website, would not be publicly available there except for names and some contact information of the SECC chairs.

This is because “disclosure of the plans, at least in form where each plan is one place and in a uniform and easily searchable format, could highlight potential vulnerabilities that malefactors could exploit, thereby potentially hindering emergency planning efforts.”

 

The post FCC Releases Details of EAS Proposal appeared first on Radio World.

The author is senior solutions consultant for the Telos Alliance.

This article appeared in Radio World’s “Trends in Codecs and STLs for 2020” ebook.

Radio World reports there are more than 22,000 licensed radio stations in the United States. Of these, more than 15,000 are tallied by the traditional accounting of full-power AM and FM stations. Low-power FMs, translators and FM boosters add about 7,000 more.

The vast majority of these stations employ some kind of audio link from the studio or other origination point to the transmitter site. That’s a lot of studio-transmitter links.

Changing STL Technologies
What kind of STL was used by the first radio station where you worked? Forty years ago our main STL choices were these:

1. Equalized program lines from your local phone company;
2. Discrete (L/R) 950 MHz (band) TX/RX radios — one for mono, two for stereo;
3. Multiplex (MPX) 950 MHz (band) TX/RX radios.

More choices arose during the 1980s — digital choices — such as the QEI CAT-LINK, which transported FM MPX over a T1 or E1 telco link, and Dolby’s 950 MHz STL transmitter/receiver pair. More audio data-reduction codecs allowed further choices in the 1990s, both in wired and wireless STL systems, including stereo and even multichannel digital STL systems.

[Check Out More of Radio World’s Ebooks Here]

Most of these used either T1/E1 telco circuits or worked in the 950 MHz band in the United States, and other UHF bands for other countries. The 21st century brought upgraded digital RF STLs as well as a variety of budget-priced analog composite systems.

By the end of the 20th century, both wired and wireless STL systems began having some serious challenges. Telcos became less interested in supplying equalized program circuits — so much so that most stopped accepting orders for new circuits. And, in major markets — often with clustered tower sites — the 950 MHz RF band had no room for additional users.

Today, it’s nearly impossible to even order new T1/E1 service, and observant engineers can easily see the deterioration of their telco’s outside wire plant.

In some markets, ISDN usage became “unlimited,” so a few broadcasters employed either dial-up or “nailed-up” ISDN service with ISDN codecs at each end. These days, ISDN service is withering and new connections are generally not available.

Despite the disappearance of old telco services and the congestion in some areas of the 950 MHz band, engineers actually have more STL choices than ever before.

The key to new STL options is internet protocol — IP. And the best news about IP is that it can be transported in more ways than you might think.

Let’s edit and append our list to delete nonviable options and add new options:

1. Equalized program lines from your local phone company;
2. Discrete (L/R) 950 MHz (band) TX/RX radios — one for mono, two for stereo;
3. Multiplex (MPX) 950 MHz (band) TX/RX radios;
4. ISDN codec (came and went over a 30 year period);
5. T1/E1 link (unavailable for new installation and dying quickly);
6. Digital, discrete (L/R) multichannel 950 MHz (band) TX/RX radios;
7. Satellite delivery (L/R) using audio codecs;
8. Discrete (L/R) audio using IP audio codecs with appropriate IP connectivity;
9. Public internet;
10. Fiber;
11. Cable;

iii. DSL;

1. 4G LTE carrier;
2. Wireless ISP;
3. Satellite;
4. Managed, wired IP link;
5. Private, wireless IP link;
6. Linear, discrete (L/R) audio using AoIP (Livewire+, AES67) with appropriate IP connectivity;
7. Managed, wired IP link;
8. Private, wireless IP link;
9. FM Multiplex (MPX) using µMPX bitrate-reduced multiplex technology (for FM);
10. Public Internet;
11. Fiber;
12. Cable;

iii. DSL;

1. 4G LTE carrier;
2. Wireless ISP;
3. Satellite;
4. Managed, wired IP link;
5. Private, wireless IP link;
6. FM Multiplex (MPX) using linear multiplex technology (for FM);
7. Managed, wired IP link;
8. Private, wireless IP link.

That’s quite a list of options we have now. And, yes, several sub-items regarding IP transport are duplicated. However, that’s to make a point: As our society’s reliance on IP connectivity grows, so also grow our options to acquire and use it on a reliable and professional level.

Key Criteria
We engineers generally have three key criteria for our studio-transmitter links:

1. We’re seeking at least five 9s of reliability. That translates to about 26 seconds per month or 5 minutes and 15 seconds of downtime over an entire year;
2. Audio quality. Every moment of audio that we broadcast to the public will traverse our STL. There’s no room for any compromise here; it really must be perfect;
3. We should consider both capital expense and operational expense (cap-ex and op-ex).

Let’s consider each of these three criteria, comparing traditional and IP-based STL systems.

Purpose-Engineered STL Systems
Purpose-built RF STL radio systems are generally considered to be reliable. They tend to work well 24/7/365 throughout their service life expectancy of perhaps 10 to 20 years. They tend to be thoughtfully engineered and well-built.

They should be, as some of these STL systems cost well over $15,000 for just the radios. Add-ons may include additional audio channels, ancillary data, serial transport, etc. Add to this the cost of antennas and coax cable for effective service at 950 MHz and a full-featured, purpose-built radio STL system can top out at $30,000 or more, plus tower crew installation. A full backup system will likely double that capex expense. The good news is that there is likely little or no continuing operation expense (op-ex), unless tower space and/or building rooftop rental is required for a given installation.

Lower-end RF STL radio systems can cost far less than the example above. A basic FM MPX STL radio pair can be purchased for under $4,000, though the antenna/coax/placement expenses would be similar to those above.

Audio quality of RF STL systems can range from “acceptable” to “pristine.” Purely analog RF STLs balance between wideband system noise and demodulated distortion. Any distortion of any type in the system will end up being demodulated at the STL receiver and retransmitted by the main FM signal. Traditional digital RF STL systems deliver crystal-clear audio with a very low noise floor. However, many of them are limited to about 15 kHz of top-end audio transport. The brick-wall filtering required is, indeed, audible on some of these systems when A/B compared to 20 kHz STL systems in which only the FM audio processor is doing pilot-protection filtering.

Finally, unless the digital RF STL offers linear audio transport, there will be some kind of psychoacoustic coding algorithm involved. And most likely the aggressive, multiband FM audio processor will follow this coded audio in the chain. The net effect is exaggeration of any coding artifacts in the station’s audio.

Some key benefits of 950 MHz RF STL systems are:

• Robust, reliable operation;
• Independence from third-party service providers;
• Op-ex costs ranging from “reasonable” to zero;
• Excellent expected equipment lifespan;
• Digital systems that offer very clean audio with low noise.

Some downsides to 950 MHz RF STL systems include:

• RF congestion that implies interference potential;
• Lack of RF coordination, which continues to result in occasional problems;
• Susceptibility to malicious interference;
• Higher capex costs, potentially much higher;
• One-way communication — no inherent return path;
• Psychoacoustic coding algorithms producing artifacts that are exaggerated by aggressive audio processing;
• Audio sampling (bit depth) likely only 16 bits.

Purpose-built wired STL systems typically depend on an incumbent telco provider for T1/E1 service or some other tariffed connection. These have had some assurance of reliability from the telco and, at least in the past, were given priority for clearing any faults. Indeed, before telcos became more interested in providing IP connections, such dedicated circuits as T1s and the like were considered very reliable, with “backhoe fade” being the most prominent risk. These days, anecdotal evidence suggests that T1 and similar services are no longer a priority for incumbent carriers.

Some key benefits of purpose-built, wired STL systems are:

• Robust, reliable operation;
• Immunity from malicious interference;
• A variety of user-end connection options — audio, data, POTS extension, etc.;
• Excellent expected equipment lifespan;
• Two-way communication with optional equipment.

Some downsides of purpose-built, wired STL systems include:

• Dependence upon telco service providers;
• Poorly-maintained telco cable plant that portends more faults;
• Higher capex costs, potentially much higher with optional add-ons;
• Psychoacoustic coding algorithms producing artifacts that are exaggerated by aggressive audio processing;
• Audio sampling (bit depth) likely only 16 bits.

Similar to digital RF STL systems, the audio is often brick-wall filtered at 15 kHz, with the attendant audible coloration of such filters. Also, psychoacoustic coding algorithms deteriorate the audio slightly, with exaggerated effect after the FM processing that follows.

IP-Based STL Systems
IP-based STL systems can be generally divided into two categories — linear and “coded.” Another disambiguation of IP-based STLs could be “wired” and “wireless.” However, we can also use wired and wireless IP transport methods at the same time, or with one backing up the other.

Linear IP STL systems will transport digital audio perfectly with the same 1s and 0s that go into such an STL being delivered to the far end. Twenty-four-bit, 48 kHz-sampled linear audio typically requires about 2.5 Mbps to transport. While this audio delivery is basically perfect, it typically depends on having zero packet loss. This zero-error scenario is often provided through redundant IP paths between the endpoints.

Coded systems will use some kind of coding algorithm to reduce the bitrate required for transport. The audio codecs in such STL systems are generally configurable from a wide range of bit rates, and perhaps even a selection of coding algorithms. Bitrates that are appropriate for broadcast audio range from about 128 kbps up to 756 kbps, depending on the chosen codec. Modern coding algorithms offer some “error concealment.” For example, the AAC family of algorithms claims inaudible error concealment with up to 20% of random packet loss.

Linear IP STL systems are particularly good for broadcasters in that they are absolutely transparent to the audio. Every sample of audio data from the studio arrives exactly the same at the transmitter site. The IP transport path must provide excellent packet delivery performance in a linear IP audio system. Indeed, a common approach to implementation is to simply extend the audio over IP network at the studio out to the transmitter site. With this approach we assume the AoIP audio channels we need at the transmitter already exist on the studio’s AoIP network. By providing a qualified IP path to the transmitter site, we can “subscribe” to the desired audio channel(s) from the studio.

One example of such a system is at Delta Radio in Greenville, Miss. The studio and rack room were fully Livewire AoIP already. A robust 5.8 GHz IP-radio link was established to the transmitter site, 13 miles away.

The only audio equipment required at the transmitter site, apart from the IP radio, is an Axia xNode. Four linear stereo channels are received there via the Axia xNode. For remote monitoring, there are four linear stereo return channels over the same IP connection. All this audio is 20 kHz in bandwidth, using 48 kHz digital sampling and 24 bits per sample. The aggregate data rate across the IP radio link is about 10 Mbps in each direction. A thorough explanation of this system, including IP radio performance considerations, is available in this article.

Other examples of IP-radio STL systems are becoming more and more commonplace, from stations in rural Australia and small Pacific islands to the largest radio markets in the U.S.

IP radios may be licensed or unlicensed, depending on the RF band selected for operation. While not an absolute guarantee against interference, licensed IP radio paths tend to be secure and free from such interference. An RF path and interference study is required as part of the licensing process. Unlicensed IP radio pairs are likely to work well in rural or uncongested areas, but careful consideration and backup planning are suggested for unlicensed operation in built-up urban locales.

Coded IP STL systems offer several advantages in terms of bandwidth requirements and recovery from packet loss. While a linear IP STL, as discussed above, needs a near-perfect IP transport path to work properly, a coded-based IP STL is less stringent. Codecs generally offer more packet buffering, error concealment and reordering of packets arriving out-of-order than a linear system. While audio codecs themselves will cost more than, say, a simple “node” AoIP endpoint, they offer more flexibility in their IP connection’s requirements. For example, using audio codecs at each end, one may install an IP radio link pretty much “out of the box” and have a working STL. One may also use public internet for either the main or backup link between codecs.

Another IP-based STL method has appeared in the past few years. It’s an FM MPX transport codec over IP. This is similar in connection to the audio chain as an MPX RF STL; the FM audio processor is placed at the studio, and the full MPX signal is carried to the transmitter site where it’s wired to the FM exciter directly. These MPX over IP systems also appear in both linear and coded varieties.

Linear MPX STLs require anywhere from 3 to 7 Mbps to faithfully sample and transport an FM processor’s MPX output. These systems may not offer any error correction but usually do offer connections for dual-path redundancy.

An interesting application of MPX-over-IP technology is to use one FM audio processor to feed identical audio to several FM transmitter sites. There’s no need for separate FM audio processors at each site.

More recently, an interesting and useful method has arrived for coding the FM MPX signal to transport it at a much lower bitrate.

The trade name is µMPX (or Micro-MPX). This proprietary method does not use psychoacoustic coding. Rather, it’s a novel application of mathematical data reduction that is well suited for the FM MPX signal. It is “well-suited” because artifacts of the µMPX algorithm tend to fall in time and frequency where they don’t affect the perceived audio. And, unlike psychoacoustic codecs, precise peak control is maintained through a µMPX STL system. The minimum bitrate for µMPX systems is 320 kbps, with a maximum of 576 kbps. The algorithm also offers dual IP path redundancy as well as forward error correction to rebuild occasional lost packets.

(Click here to enlarge.)

The IP transport(s) for µMPX can be Public Internet, IP radios, Wireless ISP, etc. or any combination of those.

Some key benefits of IP STL systems are:

• Highest audio quality using 20 kHz (48 kHz/24-bit) linear audio;
• Lower-performance IP connections can use coded audio;
• It’s likely the lowest cost option, even with redundant IP path cost;
• Robust, reliable operation with redundant IP paths;
• Additional uses thanks to IP connectivity, e.g. monitoring, backup, disaster recovery, etc.;
• Two-way communication inherent in IP connections and AoIP;
• One-to-many distribution for single-frequency networks;
• µMPX distribution that offers excellent MPX performance at modest bitrates.

Some downsides of IP STL systems include:

• IT networking skills are needed for most robust configurations;
• Where applicable, psychoacoustic coding algorithms result in artifacts which are exaggerated by aggressive audio processing (does not apply to linear configurations);
• Ultimate reliability is based on having at least two IP paths for redundancy.

IP-based STL systems easily offer the most flexibility in terms of connection options. If a private, high-quality IP link, using enterprise-grade IP radios, for example, can be obtained, then two-way linear audio is the best option for perfect audio transport. That same high-quality IP connection can also be used for remote transmitter control, remote backup, disaster recovery options, security video surveillance, remote telephony and so much more. If only public internet or lesser-grade IP radio paths are available, then coded audio at the highest available bitrate makes sense.

In either case, having more than one IP path is truly important for redundancy. We know that packet loss and occasional outages from internet service providers can be a problem.

(Click here to enlarge.)

The transactional business world, as well as the worlds of social media and entertainment, are now dependent on IP connectivity. For broadcast engineers this widespread dependency implies competitive low cost and wide availability of IP transport. Moreover, this active marketplace of IP equipment and services is delivering flexible system solutions; redundant systems and connections; and generally better audio performance that we’ve heard before.

Wrapping It Up
Radio broadcasters truly have more options than ever for their studio-to-transmitter link technology. Traditional 950 MHz RF links work well enough in most situations. Analog systems do exhibit some noise, while digital 950 MHz links may be constrained by filters and less bit-depth, or by audio coding artifacts. IP-based solutions afford engineers more options, including the possibility of the most pristine linear audio link they’ve ever experienced.

The post More Choices Than Ever for Radio STL appeared first on Radio World.

A phone displays a presidential emergency alert test message in 2018 in New York City. (Photo Illustration by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

Congress wants the Federal Communications Commission to take steps to improve emergency alerting around the country. So that will be on the agenda when the commission meets in March.

Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said the FCC will consider new rules to keep the public informed. This will implement the READI Act, which was part of the federal government’s defense authorization legislation for fiscal 2021 (the bill on which Congress overruled a veto by President Trump in January).

The READI Act instructs the FCC to take several steps, most of them in consultation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Notably, it tells the commission to examine the feasibility of updating EAS to enable or improve alerts to consumers through the internet, including through streaming services, and to report about this to Congress.

Given the ubiquitous nature of the internet in American lives, this stipulation could lead to the biggest change coming out of the bill.

“We’re proposing updates to the way Americans receive emergency alerts wherever they are — on their phones, on television and on radio,” Rosenworcel wrote in a blog post, previewing the March open meeting of the commission.

But also of interest to broadcasters is an instruction from Congress regarding State Emergency Communications Committees.

In the next six months, the FCC is supposed to encourage states to review the makeup and governance of their individual SECCs (and to establish an SECC if one doesn’t exist). Congress then wants each state committee to meet at least annually to review and update its state’s EAS plan and to submit an updated plan to the FCC, which the commission is supposed to review and approve or reject.

The FCC is also supposed to establish a “State EAS Plan content checklist” for SECCs to use when reviewing their EAS plans.

In addition to those two issues, the READI Act requires the FCC to establish a way to receive reports of false alerts under the Emergency Alert System or the Wireless Emergency Alerts System, so it can track them and study their causes.

And the commission was told to modify the Emergency Alert System to provide for repeating EAS messages while an alert issued by the president, head of FEMA or other appropriate parties is still pending. This applies to warnings about national security events such as missile threats, terror attacks or acts of war, not to typical local EAS events like weather warnings.

The post The FCC Will Explore Internet EAS appeared first on Radio World.

Getty Images westend61

Consumer demand for one-to-one digital audio is a powerful economic force in the 21st century. Depending on your perspective, radio companies are either embracing the trend or being forced to do so. Either way, companies continue to diversify in the burgeoning audio marketplace.

The ongoing digital transformation is redefining how audio gets consumed in the home, the car and elsewhere, as Americans turn more often to their smartphones, tablets and connected speakers for audio content.

Observers who spoke to Radio World say all signs continue to point to continued growth of podcasts and on-demand content as personalized media plays a larger role in this overall audio ecosystem.

[Related: “So, Where Do We Go From Here?”]

The dramatic pivot in audio delivery is of critical interest to radio entities that engage consumers in the increasingly cluttered media environment. It leaves C-suiters searching for the latest accoutrement to accent their digital audio catalogs.

The trend is reflected in how “radio” companies now describe themselves.

Cumulus promotes itself as an “audio-first media company” that has broadcast, digital, mobile and voice activated options, including the Westwood One Podcast Network. SiriusXM — which owns Pandora and Stitcher and has an investment in SoundCloud — calls itself “North America’s leading audio entertainment company.”

iHeartMedia would probably contest that, given that iHeart lays claim to being “the number one audio company in the United States, reaching nine out of 10 Americans every month,” with a quarter of a billion monthly listeners, “a greater reach than any other media company in the U.S.”

CEO Bob Pittman has pushed the company toward new audio offerings.

“Podcasting is wide open and the sky is the limit. It’s sort of an on-demand version of radio. We see it as an extension of radio,” Pittman said during a quarterly earnings report in 2020. Just this month the company announced another planned audio-related acquisition, that of Triton Digital.

The podcast business is thriving, with growth driven by consumers embracing on-demand audio; and radio firms have participated. Research from Borrell & Associates and the RAB shows that over 70% of radio stations produce locally-focused podcasts.

Entercom is another company emphasizing the power of audio. It released a study at the virtual CES 2021 show showing that the nature of audio content makes it more engaging for audiences than other media. The study tracked “immersion,” defined as “a scientific measure of emotional connection and attention,” and found that audio ranked highest in the test.

The proliferation of audio seems to be pushing radio broadcasters to adopt mobile apps and tech innovation to further their reach. And those efforts are expected to accelerate as hybrid radio in connected cars and voice activation tools like Amazon’s Alexa Auto proliferate. Understanding the “skills” required to integrate with new audio services will be critical for radio broadcasters, experts say.

“Every channel matters”

Jeremy Sinon, VP of digital strategy for Hubbard Radio, said the company is quickly moving to digital, as in its partnership with PodcastOne in the on-demand space.

“We have a strong focus on our mobile apps, web listening and smart speaker listening. We also continue to focus on consumption via video on platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. Every channel matters and they all warrant attention,” Sinon said.

Hubbard Radio launched PodMN, a mobile app dedicated to local podcasting in Minnesota, recently. “The project has helped build a closer connection with podcast consumers in the state as well as local podcasters,” he said.

Beasley Media Group recently announced a partnership with Entercom to be included in the Radio.com platform.

“One of the most important benefits of these partnerships is incremental distribution. We engage our users where and when they are on our O&O assets — live over the air, live streaming, and time-shifted streaming,” said Todd Handy, chief digital officer for Beasley Media Group.

“By partnering with these platforms, we gain the opportunity to meet not only our current audience members where and when they are when they’re not on our O&Os, and also to be exposed to and engage with potential new audience members.”

Beasley Media Group, which has long been partners with the iHeartRadio app and the TuneIn app for streaming, has embraced podcasting; for instance it created the bPod Studios Networks where it’s innovating in other podcast-adjacent spaces, Handy said.

“The intent there is to not only meet current and potential audiences where they are, but also to bring them fresh, engaging content that in some cases is part of our general programming, and in other cases is more long-tail and niche focused.”

Finding ways to engage audiences through multiple distribution channels is what drives Beasley’s digital development, Handy said.

“Hybrid radio is the next evolution in that engagement. It combines the large reach of broadcast with online interaction, making radio even more powerful and dynamic. Hybrid radio will allow listeners to engage with content and marketing messages they hear in the car. This will increase radio attribution and overall advertising effectiveness,” Handy said.

Beasley Media Group also has invested in SpokenLayer, a leading provider of short-form voice and audio content for virtual assistant and connected devices, including Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

Short bites, daily habits

National Public Radio continues to invest development resources in its digital platforms, including station streaming, the NPR One app, NPR podcasts and the Alexa skill, according to Michael Smith, chief marketing officer for NPR.

Smith says the nimbleness of audio and the ability present it through new technology is critical to NPR’s growth.

“The new platforms have allowed us to create different kinds of content because the format has changed. People today are listening to what I call short bite or daily habit podcasts. Just 10- and 15-minute shows. It presents new opportunities to present NPR audio,” Smith said. “Therefore you have these new podcasts that deal specifically with finance or politics.”

NPR’s short daily podcasts include “Up First,” which is produced by the “Morning Edition” team, and “Short Wave,” which comes from the NPR Science Desk.

Smith, who leads NPR’s business development team, says the lines between what is a podcast and what is an Instagram post are blurring. “People are even consuming podcasts on YouTube,” he said.

In addition, there is growth in interest among younger audiences finding NPR programming on the new distribution channels.

“Younger listeners are eager to engage in news and information presentations but on the platforms they are already comfortable with. On social media and smart phones. That opens up a whole new audience for us,” Smith said.

He said research shows that the median age of NPR’s podcast listening audience is at least 15 years younger than the traditional terrestrial radio audience.

NPR is firmly entrenched in the podcasting ecosystem. Podtrac says it had 20 million unique listeners in the U.S. in December, with nearly 193 million streams and downloads.

Findings from a study by NPR and Edison Research in 2020 showed spoken word audio in the United States had increased by 30% in the past six years. Some of the biggest growth is among 13- to 34-year-olds.

Meanwhile, digital advertising continues to accelerate for commercial broadcasters, according to AdsWizz, as the number of mobile devices accessing digital audio grows.

The digital audio advertising platform said in its annual Podcast Trends report there was an 81% increase in advertising impressions between January and September 2020 among the publishers it works with.

iHeartMedia’s digital revenue was up 16.5% year-over-year in Q3 2020 with most of that growth attributable to podcasting, which grew revenue 73.6% compared to the previous year. The iHeartPodcast Network remained the biggest podcast publisher in December 2020 among the entities measured by Podtrac.

The country’s largest radio group acquired Voxnest at the end of 2020 and is now able to provide podcast advertisers with additional targetable inventory by allowing the effective and efficient monetization across an entire range of podcast inventory on our programmatic platform, said Carter Brokaw, president of digital revenue strategy for iHeartMedia.

“This additional inventory and the application of Voxnest’s programmatic capabilities will increase the monetization of iHeartMedia’s full range of podcasts and advance the podcast marketplace for both buyers and sellers,” Brokaw said.

iHeartMedia’s SmartAudio project, Brokaw says, is a data-driven platform for the total audio marketplace, which includes broadcast, streaming and podcasting.

“We look to establish benchmarks of success by measuring results of radio campaigns with total iHeart universe delivery, insights and attribution data. This allows for a much more holistic view of campaign performance from demand generation to preference building to demand fulfillment.

“We can now look at cross-platform audiences and attribution as one and enable brands to connect with consumers across multiple content touch points,” Brokaw said.

Triton Digital is among the digital technology companies that provide audio publishers with streaming services and automated buying services. A company official reported during a presentation on Jacobs Media’s Virtual Tour of CES in January that programmatic digital ad sales have grown significantly in recent years.

The company reported total global spending on programmatic digital audio between 2018 and 2020 surged 213%. Triton’s exchange totals 13,000 live streams and podcasts.

[Subsequent to initial publication of this article, iHeartMedia announced plans to acquire Triton in a $230 million move to further broaden its acquisition of companies and technologies related to the wider business of audio. Other recent audio-related additions at iHeart include Jelli, Radiojar, Unified and Voxnest.]

Attribution is critical

Radio broadcast companies continue to search for ways to monetize their digital initiatives.

Bonneville International’s Audience in Motion (AIM) program gives advertising clients access to audiences across multiple digital properties. Those include display, video, audio streaming, social, native or sponsorship and programmatic opportunities.

The broadcaster is streaming audio over multiple outlets, said Jennifer Williams, director of digital media for Bonneville International, including Spotify, Pandora, Google Play and SoundCloud, in addition to the company’s owned and operated network.

And ad attribution is imperative, Williams says, now that clients expect it.

“In the past, we used to compete with budgets that had attribution, now we complement and extend the ad recall. We have been able to help prove ROI by including audio tactics in a traditionally digital campaign.”

Bonneville International is focused on an initiative to increase its video pre-roll and smart speaker options on its streaming services, Williams said.

“To be able to add a visual element to those initially logging on via web, and a catchy intro to those using at home devices in their new office set up will be a been a fun new way to show the evolution of audio,” Williams said.

 

The post For Radio, Audio Is the “New Now” appeared first on Radio World.

Summit Technology Group says it has added features to its ATMOS Weather Reporting product, including an IPAWS integration that provides more natural-sounding emergency alerts.

“Stations that choose to ignore optional EAS alerts can instead provide an unobtrusive, natural-sounding announcement in its place to convey the same message,” the company said.

“Furthermore, users can use ATMOS’ advanced scripting language (known as ATMOS Markup Language) to create scripts that suit their station branding and include their station name or slogan. When integrated with automation, the product can produce an alert announcement and gracefully insert it into the playlist.”

ATMOS is used by radio and TV stations to automate weather reports in a natural-sounding manner. It uses customizable script templates and AI-powered synthesized speech.

Summit President Paul Stewart was quoted in the announcement saying the intent of the IPAWS integration was to improve public safety in creating alerts that deliver the message without a robotic voice and are delivered without preempting a station’s programming.

“We heard far too often that optional alerts were being ignored on account of the National Weather Service voice engines sounding too robotic and jarring,” he said.

Summit worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to implement the interface needed to receive IPAWS alerts, he said. The interface is built on a cloud-based process that is hosted by redundant, geographically-separated tier-3 data centers.

Also new, Sponsor Manager provides a tool to manage advertisers and underwriters and appending their messages to weather reports.

“The new tool allows a user to create a sponsor, write a script, schedule the message and even track the number of times the weather report was performed. This is important considering each weather report may be aired numerous times an hour as prescribed by a station’s format and audience behavior,” the company said.

While the concept isn’t new, Stewart said, the environment makes it easy to edit, synthesize and schedule messages.

Also, ATMOS can now integrate with EAS equipment manufacturers, providing the ability to automate Required Weekly Tests from within ATMOS or through most automation or playout software suites. “This functionality is especially useful when inserted into a playlist to provide graceful execution of RWTs that do not interfere with programming or traffic breaks.”

ATMOS can be configured to provide a linear PCM (wav) file for ingest into automation or can be configured to play out the audio report directly. Subscribers are delivered a desktop application compatible with Windows 7, 8, 10, and Server 2014 or newer.

The post Summit Integrates IPAWS in ATMOS appeared first on Radio World.

The National Association of Broadcasters announced a digital campaign called “Voices From the Field,” that is intended to highlight stories of broadcasters using first-person accounts.

The first segment features Shomari Stone, general assignment reporter for WRC-TV in Washington, who talks among other things about his experiences covering the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

“The campaign, part of NAB’s ‘We Are Broadcasters’ initiative, will spotlight how broadcasters are using their expertise, experience and dedication to local broadcasting to serve their audiences and uplift their communities,” the NAB stated in a press release.

Subjects will share why they became broadcasters and what they are passionate about in their careers.

“The campaign will focus on local reporters, on-air radio talent, photojournalists, broadcast engineers, producers and editors to highlight the people responsible for delivering news, weather, emergency information and public affairs programming to local communities.”

NAB said the campaign will use podcasts, video interviews and Q-and-As.

 

The post NAB Celebrates Broadcast Voices appeared first on Radio World.

The author is owner-engineer of AM Detuning Service.

Currently there are more than 4,500 AM broadcast stations on the air in the U.S. These stations still rely, to a limited degree at least, on a technology that, at its heart, hasn’t changed much in over 80 years.

One area that uses well-established and core electronic techniques is the AM antenna system.

AM broadcast antenna systems rely heavily on the use of L/C (that is Inductor/Capacitor) networks to accomplish things like impedance matching, phase shifting, broadbanding, frequency trapping, harmonic filtering and numerous other applications.

The most common configuration of L/C components in an AM antenna system is the ubiquitous “T” Network, so named because of the circuit configuration.

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Nearly every AM antenna system uses one of these networks to match the complex impedance of the antenna to the impedance of the transmission line feeding it. We remember from early electronics training that when the source impedance (the impedance of the transmission line) equals the load impedance (the impedance of the antenna), we get the most efficient power transference to the load. Getting every last watt of power to the antenna is usually good thing!

AM antenna systems have a resistance value (R) and a reactive value (X). Most often, this is expressed as a complex number R+jX.

This complex number is the “impedance” of the antenna system and is measured at the operating frequency of the antenna.

When an engineer designs an AM antenna, its complex impedance can be estimated with a good degree of accuracy using empirical data gathered decades ago, or it can be even more accurately estimated using moment-method modeling. However, ground conductivity at the antenna, variations in the ground radials configuration and nearby structures may have some effect on that value.

The best way to determine the exact AM antenna base impedance is to use an impedance bridge or network analyzer and measure the impedance on the frequency of operation.

Fig. 1: Schematically, the components form the letter “T,” thus the descriptor “T network.” (Click here to enlarge.)

Component Arrangement

As noted, the “T” network gets its name from the schematic arrangement of the components in its makeup. As Fig. 1 shows, the components Xa, Xb, Xc are electrically connected in a way to form the letter “T.”

For those just getting into radio engineering, I’d like to mention that the components do not have to physically form the letter “T” when they are mounted in place, though they can if you desire. It is wise, though, to mount inductors perpendicular to each other, so they don’t inductively couple energy and do unpredictable things.

Fig. 2: The physical layout for an AM antenna tuning unit “T” networks. Note that the layout doesn’t exactly resemble a letter “T,” but it could if desired. Also note that coils are physically mounted at right angles to one another to minimize mutual coupling. (Click here to enlarge.)

Fig. 2 shows a layout for a commercially-built ATU. You will notice the input component Xa is a capacitor-coil series combination. This coil in series with a capacitor “subtracts” from the capacitive reactance to allow a wide range of adjustment. Xc is the shunt coil of this “T” network, and one end is grounded through a paralleled pair of capacitors. Again, the series coil provides for adjustment of this leg. At the top right is Xb, which is the output inductor. Notice this inductor is mounted at a 90-degree angle to Xc, and in a different plane, to Xa. This is done to minimize mutual coupling between the coils. The component layout may not form the letter “T” mechanically, but electrically it does.

Impedance Matching

One function of the “T” network is impedance matching, that is, taking a high or low value of antenna impedance and transforming it to the same value as its transmission feedline.

Along with the impedance transformation, the “T” network also has some inherent shift of the current from the input to the output of the network. It’s possible to design either a phase-lagging or phase-leading network.

In many, but certainly not all, AM broadcast antenna tuning units, the “T” network is designed for a 90-degree phase shift. The focus of this article will be limited to 90-degree “T” networks.

One of the reasons for choosing a 90-degree phase shift is that this value simplifies the component calculation. The reactance values for Xa, and Xb are the same and Xc is the same numerical value but of opposite sign. Typically, in a phase-lagging network, Xa and Xb are equal value inductors and Xc is a capacitor of the same, but negative, reactance value. The opposite is true of phase-leading networks. But as we shall see, that’s not always the case.

Fig. 3: 90-degree “T” network equation and example calculation. (Click here to enlarge.)

To calculate the values for an example “T” network, the follow the equations in Fig. 3. For the moment, we will ignore the reactive part of the antenna’s impedance and use only the antenna resistance and the characteristic impedance of the transmission line.

In the example shown in Fig. 3, all three component reactances are calculated to be 70.7 ohms, but that doesn’t take into account the reactive component of the antenna impedance. What we need to do is to make that reactive part go away by adding an opposite sign reactance in the output leg of the “T” network.

To do this, we must add a negative 250-ohm reactance to the output leg of the “T” network. This gives us a network that looks like the one shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 4: Block diagram of a complete “T” network, including a reactance to cancel antenna reactance. (Click here to enlarge.)

Now we can combine the two reactive components in the output arm of this network into one component by adding Xb + (– jX ) together to get  –j 179.3 ohms, which changes this arm of the network from inductive to capacitive. We calculated the capacitor value to replace both of these components to be 888 pF. This isn’t a standard value of transmitting capacitor, so we can either use a vacuum variable capacitor adjusted to that value or employ a standard-value capacitor with a slightly lower capacitance value and put an inductor in series with it. The value of the inductor is then adjusted to achieve the exact net let reactance that we need.

For example, using a 750 pF capacitor and a 10 µH coil, we would adjust the coil for a net combined reactance of –j 179.3 ohms in the output arm of the “T” network.

“T” networks with phase shift values different than 90 degrees require a bit more math. We’ll explore that in a future article.

RW welcomes your Tech Tips, email us at radioworld@futurenet.com.

The author started his radio career as an amateur radio operator in his teens and worked for various AM and FM stations in the Chicago region. After 30 years as a chief engineer he retired from radio, got bored shortly thereafter and started AM Detuning Service to mitigate wireless tower effects on AM antennas.

 

The post Okay, Everybody, It’s Tee Time! appeared first on Radio World.

A low-power FM radio station in Mississippi faces a $1,500 fine from the Federal Communications Commission for failing to file for license renewal on time.

The station is WEHS in Eupora, Miss., licensed to Voice of Eupora. Its president told the FCC that his mother had been ill and subsequently died, which is why he’d been out of town for several months, causing the application to be filed more than two months late in April of 2020.

“Although we are sympathetic to the licensee’s president’s loss, we find that issuing a notice of apparent liability is still appropriate here,” the commission’s Audio Division ruled.

“The commission has long held that ‘licensees are responsible for the acts and omissions of their employees and independent contractors,’ and has consistently ‘refused to excuse licensees from forfeiture penalties where the actions of employees or independent contractors have resulted in violations.’ The licensee itself was ultimately responsible for ensuring it complied with the rules by filing a timely renewal application. It did not do so.”

The base penalty is $3,000 but the commission reduced it to $1,500 based on circumstances, including the fact that LPFMs are a secondary service.

The station has 30 days to pay or file a reply to the notice of apparent liability.

 

 

The post Miss. LPFM Faces $1,500 Paperwork Fine appeared first on Radio World.

CES President/CEO Gary Shapiro is shown during the virtual CES 2021 show.

If you’re looking for a flavor of what happened at the recent CES 2021 show that pertains to our industry, the Radio Advertising Bureau has a free presentation you can check out this week.

RAB’s Erica Farber, Jacobs Media’s Fred Jacobs and “futurist/trendcaster” Dr. Shawn DuBravac will present report back about the virtual CES 2021.

They promise to cover “what’s new and noteworthy about the connected car, voice technology, audio and home entertainment … the future of work, technology during the pandemic and the changing face of content.”

The one-hour presentation with Q&A streams on Thursday Feb. 25 at 1 p.m. Eastern time.

Info is here.

 

The post RAB Offers a CES Wrapup Webcast appeared first on Radio World.

GeoBroadcast Solutions says its geo-targeting proposal creates no opportunity for interference between FM broadcasters, and that self-interference won’t be an issue either.

The company filed comments earlier this month with the Federal Communications Commission as part of the open notice of proposed rulemaking to allow geo-targeting via synchronized FM boosters.

GBS, which wants to deploy a proprietary technology in the United States, used the filing to reiterate its overall arguments but also to address several specific issues, one of which was interference.

(As we’ve reported, the National Association of Broadcasters has recently come out strongly against the geo-targeting proposal. The GBS comments described below were submitted on the same day to the FCC and does not address NAB’s latest statements; GBS is expected to do so in reply comments, which are due March 12.)

“The NPRM asks whether it is reasonable to expect stations to adequately manage self-interference without additional guidance or mandates,” GBS told the FCC. “The answer here is the same answer the commission reached last month in the DTS proceeding: Yes, of course broadcasters have every incentive and ability to manage self-interference.

“And to be clear,” it continued, “the proposed rule merely permits the use of this technology. It does not require it. Accordingly, any broadcaster that voluntarily uses this technology will do so only if they are convinced it will not raise technical issues and is good for its business and its community. ”

The company also said field tests of its ZoneCasting system have shown that it does not result in harmful interference within the single-frequency network, either between the primary station and boosters or among the booster cluster itself.

It noted that it performed field tests in 2010 in Randolph, Utah, and 2011 in Avon Park, Fla. After R&D work, the current ZoneCasting design was then tested in 2016 in Union Grove, Wis.

“This test showed that the transition area — meaning the boundary between the primary station and the booster coverage zones — can be minimized to a very limited period of time within a tiny area within a station’s entire coverage area (far below 1 percent),” GBS told the commission. It quoted Alpha Media, licensee of the Wisconsin station, supporting the technology enthusiastically.

“There is no need for the FCC to adopt additional, unnecessary regulation to address an issue which can be entirely managed by technology, and which broadcasters will have the ultimate incentive — the value of their signal — to ensure is addressed,” GBS wrote.

Further, “There is no need for the commission to adopt additional regulation to manage interference between broadcasters for the simple reason that the rule change creates no opportunity for interference between broadcasters. So any rule change would address a problem that simply cannot exist.”

Because boosters use the same channel frequency as the primary station, a broadcaster operating on an adjacent channel won’t be affected by a neighboring broadcaster who uses zoned coverage technology like ZoneCasting, GBS said, since the neighboring broadcasters are already coexisting with current frequency agreements.

“It would be unreasonable for the FCC to impose second channel interference protection requirements for FM booster stations, as the NPRM posits — this would be imposing a new rule for broadcasters to follow and for the commission to enforce that is not implicated by the proposed rule change.” The existing rules and procedures, it said, are sufficient.

GeoBroadcast Solutions also reiterated its past statements that the technology would have significant public interest benefits. (Read its filing.)

The post GBS Says Interference Isn’t an Issue 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.

The passing of media giant Rush Limbaugh should be a reminder of the ability of radio to shape lives and opinions.

Limbaugh, the conservative antagonist, died Feb. 17 after a battle with cancer. His biggest boosters praise him as a champion of populism and nudging the Republican Party to be something more assertive than it was than when he began his radio broadcasts in 1984. His shock-jock style won over millions, including former President Donald Trump, who awarded Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor.

[Read: Community Broadcaster: Has Radio Done Enough to Fix its Racist Past?]

Like many Americans, I wasn’t particularly fond of him. Just last week, I credited Limbaugh with making racist hucksterism viral, infecting local radio coast to coast. Regardless, this column is not an interrogation of Limbaugh’s contributions, but rather a conversation about the medium.

The out-of-touch eulogies may today cast the man as an antique from the 1980s and 1990s. The truth is Limbaugh enjoyed a huge audience in 2021. Carried on over 600 radio stations nationwide, more than 20 million daily listeners tuned in to Limbaugh. Yes, daily. The audience remained loyal even though he’d been largely absent from the program due to illness. That number beats most top television shows on any given week, including football on Sundays, Mondays or Thursdays.

Rush Limbaugh pumps thumb after being awarded the Medal of Freedom by First Lady Melania Trump after being acknowledged by President Donald Trump during the State of the Union address in February 2020. (Photo: MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

For fans, Limbaugh’s act was surely a draw. In addition, the end of the Fairness Doctrine in 1987 gave stations greater license to air his viewpoints. However, is there really any debate that television or print would hardly have elevated him the way radio did? Without a medium as ubiquitous as radio, he never would have soared to the heights he did — and remains, frankly.

This gets to the heart of the matter. Radio is often declared dead. Some sneer at it as a relic left behind by Tidal and Spotify. We in community and public media fret over relevance, but sometimes miss the power of relationships. Radio is still a part of the lives of most Americans. In crises like we experienced this week in Texas and other states besieged by winter storms, radio has been a lifeline. Moreover, what would iconic voices we’ve known and do know be without radio?

Even with so much content available to us and the answers to literally every question as far away as our pants pocket or purse, radio still holds a place for all of us. It captures our imaginations and permits us to focus in on just the human voice and the visuals that words create. Netflix can keep churning out programs. Instagram and YouTube can percolate the next stars for Gen-Z. And, as a pillar of media worldwide, radio will continue to be integral enough to take for granted.

Before we again accept another obituary for radio or be subjected to another lazy headline asking about radio’s demise, let’s remember the importance radio has in the world. It continues to impact culture, politics and everyday life, and will for years to come.

The post Community Broadcaster: Unspoken appeared first on Radio World.

A session of the upcoming virtual Pro Audio & Radio Tech Summit will explore trends in audio over IP for radio broadcasters.

Moderated by Radio World Editor in Chief Paul McLane, the 30-minute session will discuss what radio infrastructure planners need to know about current trends, including implications of the new WFH environments that are now part of everyday life for broadcasters.

Panelists will include Ed Bukont of E2 Technical Services & Solutions, an experienced media systems consultant and engineer who works often with networked audio; Michael LeClair, chief engineer of WBUR in Boston, who wrote and edited Radio World’s most recent ebook about AoIP trends; and Chris Crump, senior director of sales and marketing for Comrex, whose products play a key role in the AoIP workflows of many radio broadcast operations.

The one-day virtual event is free and includes separate tracks exploring radio and pro audio technology topics, as well as a virtual show floor that allows attendees to interact with exhibitors and learn about new products.

Registration is open here. Limited sponsorship opportunities are also available.

Also that day, NAB’s David Layer and John Clark will give the radio track keynote about hybrid radio and Android Automotive, two key technology developments that affect radio. Another of the 10 sessions available that day will cover virtualization, featuring Roz Clark of Cox Media and Alan Jurison of iHeartMedia.

This virtual event is produced jointly by Mix magazine, Pro Sound News and Radio World.

The post AoIP Is on the Agenda for April 1 Summit appeared first on Radio World.

The author is EVP of sales, support and marketing, Telos Alliance.

Most Radio World readers might wonder why the next television standard — ATSC 3.0, also known as NextGen TV — would have any relevance to a radio engineer or manager. There is more to consider than you might have guessed.

First, an update on the rollout: A number of U.S. television stations have now adopted the ATSC 3.0 standard. The Advanced Television Systems Committee expects 60+ markets serving about 70% of all U.S. television viewers to launch by mid-2021.

According to the Advanced Television Systems Committee website, TV broadcasters are working to bring ATSC 3.0 first to 62 markets.

The standard includes provision for 4K video, immersive audio, control over the viewer experience and quite a bit more. The standard has been tested extensively over the air in Phoenix, and viewers are excited about the enhanced viewing experience.

If you want to learn more, TV Technology, Radio World’s sister magazine, has a great stack of articles at www.tvtechnology.com/tag/nextgen-tv.

Here’s why I think ATSC 3.0 matters to those of us primarily focused on radio broadcasting:

ATSC 3.0 is an IP-based standard and can provide more than just a better TV picture and sound. IP has revolutionized how we distribute and mix audio in our facilities and distribute our content to transmitters and streaming CDNs. Likewise, having the TV over-the-air (OTA) transmission path capable of supporting an IP stream means more flexibility for what is carried by RF signals to all those homes.

An over-the-air “fully IP” system aligns broadcasters with how the audience consumes nearly all their other media, whether audio-only or audio with a picture.

The potential intersection of radio with ATSC 3.0 should prompt us to consider different scenarios. However, we are in the early days and very much on the front end of what is possible.

This is the time when decisions can have a wide-ranging impact. It’s a time to explore and ask “what if” with open minds. Some of what we consider may never come to pass or could look very different than originally described.

The point is, as an industry, we need to consider our future carefully because what we’ve always done might not be what we need to do in the future to be successful. We only need to look at the interruption of radio OTA listening, compared to radio consumed via streaming devices like Alexa and Google Home during the pandemic, to help us consider the possibilities.

Radio Via ATSC 3.0 in the Home?

Listening to the radio while watching TV is an unusual use case. Still, one recently converted TV broadcaster in Seattle is carrying local radio stations on its ATSC 3.0 payload, making these radio stations available via a web-based program guide running on NextGen TVs. A sort of radio repeater, if you will.

Think about it: Many homes do not have conventional radios anymore. In this case, ATSC 3.0 is providing an alternative path for radio stations to enter the home-listening environment. And when the re-broadcasted radio signal starts out at the playout/mixing stage of the radio station as IP, rich metadata can also play a part to enhance any such listening experience much like is possible with HD Radio.

Radio in the car

And it’s not just radio-listening in your house via ATSC 3.0. The new TV standard is intended to operate in a very robust way in cars, long the domain of AM/FM.

Fadio’s dominance of the mobile listening environment (the dashboard) has begun to share the mobile listener with services delivered by LTE either through a dedicated hotspot or docked mobile phone.

ATSC 3.0 signals carrying radio, in the above example, could also provide an alternative to AM/FM in the car. This gives OTA radio more ways to compete in the dashboard of the future. We can think of radio delivered via ATSC 3.0 in the home and car as “extensions of service.”

Chips in the phone

Over the years, there have been efforts to activate radio receiver chips that already exist in many mobile phones.

Of course, the goal is to have access to OTA radio wherever people are, which is wherever they have their phones! We applaud the hard work of our colleagues who have helped the industry achieve some success in this regard, but it has unfortunately been limited.

Now chips are being designed to receive ATSC 3.0 TV signals in phones. Mobile television reception powered by chips that receive a wide range of world TV standards might move the needle with the mobile phone companies. Hence, OTA broadcasters get a shot at this audience in their daily comings and goings.

If successful, having an over-the-air television chip in mobile phones puts radio broadcasters one step closer to having access to listeners through carriage on ATSC 3.0 stations or possibly via ATSC 3.0 chips that also support OTA radio.

Think of this as the rising tide that lifts all over the air (OTA) broadcasters. It’s a stretch, but “what if?”

Who can predict?

Radio has a 100-year history of informing, entertaining and providing critical information to its millions of listeners. While the industry has had highs and lows over its existence, nothing beats its resilience.

While there is no guarantee of another 100 years, all of us can think and put forth our best ideas not just to be relevant from a content perspective but also to innovate technologically to be where people need us. This might mean building bridges and relationships in ways we have not in the past — in order to change.

Maybe ATSC 3.0 will play a part.

Comment on this or any story. Email radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post Why We Should Care About ATSC 3.0 appeared first on Radio World.

Dan Jackson is head of audio operations for SCA [Southern Cross Austereo], Australia’s biggest entertainment company. Its multimedia assets include more than 100 radio stations.

This article appeared in Radio World’s “Trends in Codecs and STLs for 2020” ebook.

Radio World: What’s the latest in trends in the design and performance of codecs?
Dan Jackson: At SCA we are a big believer in standards to ensure interoperability between products. We like to talk in terms of SMPTE 2110 and AES67 for audio distribution, and AES67/SNMP for control. As for codecs we tend to change our choice based on the application; we still use aptX for voice and AAC, Opus and Tieline MusicPlus for audio distribution.

One of the most important trends is delivery of service. As we move away from dedicated POTS and ISDN lines and onto 4G/5G services, we are at the mercy of the tower operators. Having the ability to double-deliver the data through the same or two carriers ensures that content is delivered 100% of the time.

We’ve also noticed a shift away from having extremely low latency links, so things like Forward Error Correction are welcome to help ensure the quality of service.

Another important trend I see is the shift away from traditional “boxes” and capital expenditure. We are seeing a large demand for a software and op-ex model, much like the rest of the IT world.

One of the biggest issues we faced during COVID was the inability to scale our codec fleet. Technologies like ipDTL are certainly paving the way for a software/op-ex future.

When we talk about remote codecs for remote broadcasts, the more portable and durable, the better. Gone are the days of running OB trucks and lengthy ISDN installs. Content teams want to be able to go as soon as possible.

RW: How are today’s technologies solving problems in creative ways?
Jackson: Moving to IP-based technologies has decreased reliability on links, so SmartStream and dual link codecs have allowed codecs to be used in place of expensive microwave links, where historically the IP service is no good.

RW: What role are codecs playing for you in at-home broadcasting?
Jackson: During COVID we had around 20 shows at 50 locations using mostly Tieline VIAs. Their Cloud Codec Controller was an excellent add-on as it allowed our engineers to manage the codecs remotely.

Historically we have been fairly flexible without talent, so broadcasting from home was not new for us. Holiday homes, pregnancies and simply being in another state have required us to have the capability to broadcast remotely. Moving to more portable devices like IOS and Android, but still providing the same level of quality, is an important factor.

[Check Out More of Radio World’s Ebooks Here]

RW: What recent features are offered that other engineers may appreciate?
Jackson: Time-zone delay is a great feature. The ability to pass data streams as well as audio is great.

RW: What will the codec of the future look like, if we use one at all? How powerful can codecs get?
Jackson: As for the future: Fully flexible drop-and-drag DSP boxes, with inputs and outputs on AES67.

If you think about virtual environments and how much resource these environments have, there doesn’t seem to be a limit to power!

RW: What best practice tips should codec buyers be aware of in 2020?
Jackson: Plan for the future. If you don’t have AoIP just yet, it probably won’t be long.

Think about the environment. Is it being installed into a data room or carted to every football game? Do you require dual bonded SIMs?

 

The post Delivery of Service Is Key for Planning appeared first on Radio World.

From our People News page: iHeartMedia has named Derrick Martin to be the market president for its four-station cluster in Norfolk, Va.

He’ll report to Area President for Virginia Chuck Peterson.

“Martin joins iHeartMedia Norfolk from the iHeartMedia St. Louis market, where he most recently served as the region president, overseeing the St. Louis; Des Moines, Iowa; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Davenport, Iowa; and Springfield, Mo. markets,” the company said in a press release.

“Prior to serving as the region president for St. Louis, from 2013 to 2017, he served as the market president for the Norfolk market and is now making his return.”

He started his career at iHeartMedia Memphis.

[Send your people news to radioworld@futurenet.com]

 

The post Martin Takes Reins at iHeart Norfolk appeared first on Radio World.

The Feb. 17 issue is now available in digital edition format.

John Bisset shares tricks with infrared cameras in Workbench. A low-power FM station takes its power from the sun.

Buyer’s Guide looks at sports reporting and remote gear.

Sinclair makes a radio play with NextGen TV, and in a companion commentary, Marty Sacks expands on why radio should care about ATSC 3.0.

Read it here.

The post Inside the Feb. 17 2021 Issue of Radio World appeared first on Radio World.