Radio World

Wireless microphone equipment company Shure Inc. has filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission asking the agency to reverse its decision and guarantee that at least one 6 MHz UHF channel in each market is reserved for wireless mic use.

The FCC recently terminated its Vacant Channels rulemaking initiated during the TV spectrum incentive auction. The rulemaking considered dedicating a UHF TV channel for wireless mic use.

The company told the FCC that now more than ever wireless mic users need clear spectrum. On one hand, reallocation of 600 MHz spectrum for mobile phones and the repack of stations into 500 MHz spectrum has reduced available spectrum. On the other, continued growth of broadcast, performance and sports production is requiring more wireless mic channels than ever, Shure said.

While the FCC identified 900 MHz, 1.4 GHz and 7 GHz as alternatives in 2017, Shure says these bands fall short of addressing the needs of wireless mic users because they don’t offer the same characteristics and flexibility as UHF frequencies.

Use by other industries licensed to operate in these bands means their use for wireless mics is conditioned on requests to share, which may or may not be granted, it said.

The 600 MHz duplex gap and VHF frequencies are helpful but are not alternatives to a dedicated UHF channel and the certainty that offers, Shure said, adding that a designated channel is also important for other applications, such as intercom, IFB and other wireless uses.

Without clear spectrum for wireless mic use, the integrity of a variety of productions, ranging from professional sports and concerts to live TV and theater, will suffer, Shure said.

“The amount of available UHF spectrum for wireless microphone use continues to shrink,” said Ahren Hartman, Shure vice president, Corporate Quality. “With the loss of 700 MHz, 600 MHz, and the DTV repack into 500 MHz, we are at an all-time low for access to UHF spectrum. However, the need for open and clear wireless microphone spectrum is higher than ever before.”

More information is available on the Shure website.

The post Shure Asks FCC to Dedicate UHF Channel for Wireless Mics appeared first on Radio World.

The FCC in January reminded U.S. broadcasters and other EAS participants of their obligations to comply with the Emergency Alert System rules.

“In reporting on the most recent national level test of the EAS, the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau noted improvements in key areas, but identified several issues that impair dissemination of EAS messages,” the Enforcement Bureau stated in a five-page advisory.

“The 2019 Nationwide EAS Test Report noted, for instance, that EAS participants must ensure that messages comply with the FCC’s requirements designed to make the message accessible to individuals with hearing and vision disabilities.”

After briefly summarizing how the system works, the FCC provided the following information:

What steps can EAS participants take to improve their participation in EAS and ensure compliance with the FCC’s rules?

The EAS rules are in sections 11.1 through 11.61 of the commission’s rules. Key requirements include:

EAS participants must ensure that their EAS equipment’s monitoring and transmitting functions are available whenever the stations and systems are operating. An EAS participant’s failure to receive or transmit an EAS message during a national test or actual emergency because of an equipment failure may subject the EAS Participant to enforcement.

• To ensure the availability of these functions, EAS participants should take steps to secure their EAS equipment. For example, EAS participants should upgrade EAS equipment software and firmware to the most recent version recommended by the equipment manufacturer and update with current security patches. Participants should also change default passwords, secure EAS equipment behind properly configured firewalls, and take other protective measures. 
• EAS participants should synchronize EAS equipment clocks to the official time provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology if the equipment does not automatically synchronize to an Internet time source.

EAS participants must transmit national level EAS messages, required monthly tests, and required weekly tests. An EAS participant’s failure to transmit an EAS message during a national test or actual emergency, e.g., based on the configuration of its equipment, lack of redundant monitoring sources, or an accurate understanding of its role as an EAS participant, may subject the EAS participant to enforcement

• EAS participants must understand and identify their role (or “designation”) in the broadcast-based distribution architecture of the EAS. Most EAS participants have only the “participating national” designation. Section 11.18(a)-(g) contains a list of designations and state EAS plans that participants can use to confirm whether any other designations are applicable. Participants must know a facility’s EAS designation to accurately complete the Reporting System’s Form One.
• EAS participants must monitor multiple sources to ensure redundancy and reduce the possibility of message receipt failures. EAS participants should ensure that monitoring sources are independent and do not rely on each other to receive or transmit an EAS message.
• EAS participants should follow up with monitored sources when an EAS message is not received to determine the cause. For example, such issues could be caused by a transmission or reception issue that can be readily corrected. An EAS participant is required to determine the cause of its failure to receive an EAS message during a national test or emergency

EAS participants must ensure that an EAS message is accessible.

For the visual portion of the message, the text must be displayed:

• At the top of the television screen or where it will not interfere with other visual messages (e.g., closed captioning); 
• In a manner (i.e., font size, color, contrast, location, and speed) that is readily readable and understandable; 
• Without overlapping lines or extending beyond the viewable display (except for video crawls that intentionally scroll on and off the screen); and 
• In full at least once during any EAS message.

-For the audio portion of the message, broadcast stations, cable systems, and direct broadcast satellite services must play the audio portion of an EAS message in full at least once to ensure it is accessible to viewers who are blind or have low vision

EAS participants must submit their national test results to the FCC in the Reporting System. An EAS participant may be subject to enforcement if it fails to participate in a national test or submits incomplete or inaccurate information to the Commission in its Reporting System filings.

• EAS participants must update their Reporting System Form One submissions yearly. Because the Form One will auto-populate with information from the EAS Participant’s previous Form One filing, EAS Participants should review the Form before submission to be sure it is current and accurate. 
• EAS participants are required to participate in national tests and required to file information related to national tests in the Reporting System. 
• The accuracy of Reporting System filings is critical. If an EAS Participant receives or retransmits a partial EAS message, e.g., if the audio is missing in the data received and/or retransmitted, the EAS Participant is responsible for ensuring that its Report ting System filing reflects this issue and the reason it failed to receive the full message.

The FCC document also discusses national tests and station reporting requirements. Read the full notice.

The commission said questions about EAS Participant obligations should be directed to Maureen Bizhko of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau at (202) 418-0011 or email Maureen.Bizhko@fcc.gov.

The post More on the FCC’s EAS Advisory appeared first on Radio World.

From our Who’s Buying What page: Broadcast Solutions GmbH and WDR (Westdeutscher Rundfunk Köln) designed and built two radio trucks for the German public broadcaster.

“The two vehicles are part of an overall package that includes a third video OB van,” the supplier stated in a press release, adding that they are now in use in Cologne.

[See Our Who’s Buying What Page]

“During larger productions, it could be possible that the audio control in the video OB van is no longer sufficient. In these cases, the audio control can be fully outsourced to one of the radio OB vans, with the audio control in the video OB truck being controlled in the radio OB. Both vehicles are connected via one fiber-optic cable, to exchange data and audio and video signals.”

Broadcast Solutions said WDR wanted two smaller radio vans that offer the same functionalities and acoustic values as larger vehicles. The company said its main challenges were the acoustic insulation and providing sufficient storage space that had to accommodate equipment as well as a UPS.

“The audio control uses a Lawo console (mc²56 MKIII with 48 faders) with Lawo Nova 73 Core. A Riedel MicroN system is used to connect to the video truck and as a video router,” it stated.

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

The post WDR Gets Two New Remote Trucks appeared first on Radio World.

Marketing company Veritonic wants to raise awareness of effective audio advertising. So it has introduced a monthly feature identifying advertisers that are producing the most effective spots for radio, podcasting and other audio platforms.

Its first “Audio Ad Index” gives high honors to AutoZone, “driven by their spot that focuses on helping people get ready for the cold weather ahead by ensuring they don’t add battery problems to their list of troubles. The brand punctuates the ad with practical offers — a free battery test, a free charge — to support the message.”

Veritonic’s Scott Klass wrote, “AutoZone’s sonic decisions for this ad match the content well. The spot is very upbeat, leveraging music that the brand uses consistently across its ads.”

Ads were rated for their ability to drive listeners to buy the product being advertised, a “purchase intent score.”

Other advertisers on the list include Indeed and Home Depot. Veritonic said spots with cultural relevance, “uplifting tone” and “practical help” resonate with listeners.

The blog post features samples of the best ads and a description of the company’s technology used in making the determinations. Below is its top 10 list for January:

The post “Hope and Help” Audio Ads Resonate appeared first on Radio World.

FCC paperwork can be a hassle for a radio station, even during a pandemic. But not completing it on time can be costly.

Such could be the case for a Kentucky AM station that didn’t get its FM translator license renewal application in on time.

The FCC Media Bureau said Heritage Media of Kentucky, licensee of WMTL(AM), didn’t submit its application to renew its translator in Leitchfield until almost four months after the April 1 due date, and didn’t explain why.

The base fine in this type of case is $3,000 but the FCC lowered the proposed amount to $1,500 because the station did file the application prior to expiration of the license. And the commission said it intended to renew the license, assuming no further issues emerge in the case.

The case isn’t closed yet; Heritage has 30 days to pay or challenge the fine.

The post Kentucky AM Faces Fine for Late Filing appeared first on Radio World.

The InfoComm 2021 Show has been postponed from June to October. It is the latest event on the media technology business annual calendar to suffer the impact of the pandemic.

Show owner AVIXA (which stands for the Audiovisual Integrated Experience Association) announced the change today. CEO David Labuskes wrote that planners are making the change “with a holistic perspective of all factors in North America.”

The event now is scheduled for Oct. 23–29 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. In 2019, the last time InfoComm was held in person, it attracted about 44,000 people.

[Visit the Radio World Calendar]

The show website states, “While third-party research indicates a high confidence level for attendees to return to in-person events in 2021, we also acknowledge the delay in the widespread distribution and administration of the COVID-19 vaccines within the U.S. which may influence an individual’s ability and willingness to travel to InfoComm.”

Among other things, this change means that, if current plans hold, the month of October is going to be an important one for physical trade shows in and around the media and AV industries. October is also when this year’s 2021 NAB Show is to be held, combined with the fall Radio Show and co-located in Las Vegas with the AES fall show.

“AVIXA has continued to monitor the vaccine rollout, economic indicators, travel restrictions, and the show community to better gauge overall trends and future conditions for holding a major event in the U.S. in June of 2021,” Labuskes wrote.

He said that a postponement had “overwhelming support” from the show’s stakeholders. “As excited as the community is about the show, and as hopeful and optimistic as we remain in combatting the pandemic, it is believed that the U.S. will be further along in the battle against the pandemic by October than in June.”

A FAQ page has more info.

Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) continues to plan its scheduled event in Barcelona in June. ISE is a joint venture of AVIXA and CEDIA, the Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association.

The post InfoComm Show Postponed to October appeared first on Radio World.

Nexstar Inc. named Jeff Moriarty as its new executive vice president and chief product officer, Digital Division.

The division operates its portfolio of digital news offerings and media brands in lifestyle and entertainment. He is based in Los Angeles and reports to Karen Brophy, president, Digital.

Brophy said the move is part of the company’s efforts to expand digital footprint “by rolling out new product offerings designed to diversify our audience.”

The multimedia company is heavy in TV station ownership but also owns WGN Radio in Chicago.

Moriarty has held roles at Gannett/USA Today Network, JPiMedia and the Boston Globe.

Send People News to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post Nexstar Names Moriarty to Digital Post appeared first on Radio World.

Doug Harvill will retire from Cumulus Media this spring.

The company said his last day will be May 14. Harvill is vice president and general manager of Cumulus San Francisco, including KSAN(FM), KGO(AM), KNBR(FM/AM) and KSFO(AM).

“For the past 24 years, Harvill led successful radio station groups in San Francisco and Sacramento, Calif.,” it stated in a press release.

“Prior to joining Cumulus Media, he was senior vice president/market manager, CBS Radio/San Francisco from 2005 through late 2017, following nearly nine years as senior vice president/market manager for CBS Radio/Sacramento.

“As vice president and national program director for EZ Communications in Fairfax, Va., Harvill was part of the corporate team that led the station group through significant acquisitions and duopolies, more than doubling the size of the company, and through its 1993 public offering on NASDAQ.”

A company spokeswoman said a successor has yet to be named.

Send People News to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post Harvill Will Retire From Cumulus appeared first on Radio World.

“Radio hosts on FM still matter, but DJs must work harder appealing to younger audiences.”

So concludes NuVoodoo Media Services, citing its survey of people who are likely to wear a Nielsen meter or fill out a ratings diary. The company has a webinar coming up and has released some of the survey results as a teaser.

[Read: Reports Offer Insights on the Podcast Listener]

“With so many changes in audio listening through the COVID-19 pandemic, NuVoodoo took at fresh look at the relationship listeners have with DJs and hosts on FM music stations,” it stated.

The survey had about 3,500 respondents age 14 to 54; they were interviewed in early January

“Overall, it’s more positive than negative,” said NuVoodoo EVP, Research Leigh Jacobs, who was quoted in a press release.

“But there is a sharp generational shift. Gen Xers — raised on radio and now 40-plus — are largely positive, with a 43% plurality giving DJs a thumb’s up. Millennials, though somewhat less enthusiastic, are overall net positive, as well. Meanwhile, nearly three-fourths of Gen Z listeners give radio air talent no better than thumbs sideways,” he said.

EVP, Marketing Mike O’Connor said past studies have highlighted differences between those who’d say “yes” to Nielsen and those who would never participate in radio ratings, with the former group showing greater proportional enthusiasm for the role of air talent.

“But the data about DJs from listeners giving radio its report card was really surprising to us, and it looked quite a bit different than other findings from likely panelists and diary-keepers.”

Its webinar series starts Feb. 11. The company promised “to dive deeper and show the differences in DJ perceptions across demos, ethnic groups and format preferences.”

The post Gen Z Says “Meh” to FM DJs appeared first on Radio World.

The author of this commentary is general counsel of the Society of Broadcast Engineers.

I am moved to write about a matter now before the Media Bureau at the FCC. The subject is the ethical obligations of broadcast engineers.

Having served as SBE general counsel for 40 years now, I can count on one hand the number of times that the SBE board of directors has found it necessary to revoke an engineer’s SBE membership, and still have some fingers left over.

This, I think, speaks highly of the overall integrity and dedication to ethical principles of the SBE’s membership, and of broadcast engineers overall.

In that same amount of time, I can honestly say that I have never had occasion to question the ethical integrity of any of the engineers that work at the commission.

Sure, we have disagreed, often actively, on policy matters, but on technical matters, I can always count on the accuracy and truth of technical findings by FCC staff. This speaks very well of the high level of integrity of the commission’s engineers.

The only times during my tenure that an SBE member has had that membership revoked were those few cases when an engineer was found as a matter of fact to have violated the SBE Canons of Ethics.

The SBE puts a lot of stock in the Canons of Ethics, and rightly so. The SBE’s Bylaws, at Section 3(a), say that “(a)ny Member may be suspended for a period or expelled for cause, such as violation of any of the By-Laws or Canons of Ethics of the Society or for conduct prejudicial to the best interests of the Society.”

The Canons of Ethics have not been revised or amended in a very long time, largely because they don’t need to be; they state principles of conduct for engineers that simply don’t change.

The preamble to the SBE Canons of Ethics reads as follows: “Honesty, justice and courtesy form a moral philosophy when associated with mutual interest between human beings. This constitutes the foundation of ethics. Broadcast engineers should recognize such a standard of behavior not in passive observance, but as dynamic principles guiding their conduct and way of life. It is the duty of all broadcast engineers to practice their profession according to this Canon of Ethics.

“The keystone of professional conduct is integrity. Broadcast engineers will discharge their duties with fidelity to the public and to their employers, and with impartiality to all. Broadcast engineers must uphold the dignity of their profession and avoid association with any enterprise of questionable character. Broadcast engineers will strive to be fair, tolerant, and open minded.”

To me, the key element of this is the obligation of impartiality. It is what gives broadcast engineers the reputation for the highest levels of integrity.

Indeed, Section 5 of the SBE Canons of Ethics states: “The Broadcast Engineer will express an opinion when it is founded on adequate knowledge and honest conviction while he or she is serving as a witness before a court, commission or other tribunal.”

The SBE is not alone in its strong dedication to the highest level of integrity of its engineer members.

Article V, Section 3 of the Bylaws of the Association of Federal Communications Consulting Engineers (AFCCE) establishes as a standing committee the “Professional Ethics and Grievances Committee” whose job it is to “consider and report on all efforts to improve the professional conduct and ethics of engineering practitioners in the communication field, make such investigations of professional conduct and of abuses in connection with engineering practice by members and furnish information and make recommendations on the foregoing subjects to the Board of Directors and the Association.”

Ethics is obviously a principal focus of AFCCE, which is laudable.

So when the integrity and impartiality of a consulting engineer is drawn into question by the FCC, we tend to sit up and take notice.

In a proceeding now ongoing in the Media Bureau, a low-power FM station has been accused by a second adjacent full-power FM station of causing interference to listeners of the full-power FM at various points near the transmitter site of the LPFM. In such cases, the accused LPFM is entitled to show that the alleged interference either does not exist or that the LPFM station is not the cause of the interference.

The licensee of the LPFM therefore retained a well-respected consulting engineer (and SBE-certified CPBE) who is located in a different state from the LPFM, to investigate the interference. The engineer did so using accepted methodologies, at all sites where the interference was claimed to have been experienced, and the engineer submitted a written report to the Audio Division, Media Bureau, concluding that no interference was found at the locations where the listeners of the full power FM station reported interference, or even at the transmitter site of the LPFM, where second-adjacent interference potential would be the worst. There was no rebuttal of the engineer’s showing by the full-power FM station.

There are a lot of other facts involved in the case, but the Audio Division’s response to the interference study submitted by the LPFM as a part of its response was this: “We also decline to consider [the consulting engineer’s] interference test results because [the consulting engineer] was retained by [the LPFM] and thus is not an independent party.”

It is difficult to understand why the Audio Division concluded, as it did, that all consulting engineers are biased in favor of their client to the point that their work is summarily deemed unreliable.

If a licensee is precluded from engaging an independent consulting engineer to conduct a technical analysis and to fairly present the engineer’s technical conclusions, simply because the licensee is paying for the engineering work, how, precisely, is the licensee supposed to address the technical issue presented?

This case is now on administrative appeal. It is hoped that the commission doesn’t really have this low an impression of the ethics, impartiality and integrity of broadcast engineers.

This article originally appeared in SBE’s newsletter “The Signal.” Learn about SBE membership at sbe.org.

The post The Integrity and Ethics of Broadcast Engineers appeared first on Radio World.

NPR and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting want to help stations do local investigative work. To that end NPR has created a “Station Investigations Team” with CPB backing.

Its purpose is to work with public radio regional newsrooms and topic teams. It is led by Cheryl W. Thompson, an investigative reporter who came to NPR in 2019 and worked at the Washington Post for many years. She is also president of Investigative Reporters and Editors, an organization that seeks to improve investigative journalism.

[Read: NPR to Modify “Consider This” to Include Local Content]

“The team, funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, will include a producer and a data editor who will advise reporters who’d like technical help with skills such as data collection and analysis and freedom of information requests,” NPR announced.

“The team will also help facilitate stations’ opportunities to localize NPR investigations through webinars and open-source data.”

The announcement was made by Tamar Charney, acting senior director of collaborative journalism, and Kathy Merritt, CPB senior vice president, Radio, Journalism and CSG Services.

Charney said the investigative unit will support station-based reporters with resources to help them cover local issues “from the safety of the water where we live to the ability of our local health systems to respond to the pandemic.”

The initiative is a component of the Collaborative Journalism Network.

The post NPR Creates Station Investigation Team appeared first on Radio World.

New microphones come on the market thanks to the podcasting boom … Rosemary Harold says the FCC is without funds to enforce the new anti-pirate radio law. …

Bernhard Borghei discusses Vertical Bridge’s tower acquisition strategy … Tom Lawler talks about trends in audio processing …

The founder of AdTonos explains why he’s excited about audio interactivity … Kevin Curran offers an appreciation of the EV 635A.

These stories and more are explored in the Feb. 3 issue.

Read it here.

The post Inside the Feb. 3 2021 Issue of Radio World appeared first on Radio World.

A new 60-second feature of Ronald Reagan quotes is available, tied to the 40th anniversary of his inauguration as president.

The “Ronald Reagan Quote of the Day” was announced by the Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, which is leading a year-long celebration called “40 at 40.” Reagan was the 40th president and he was inaugurated 40 years ago, on Jan. 20, 1981.

The president — a former actor, movie star, union leader and governor — had numerous connections to radio during his career.

Early on he was a sportscaster for several stations, and he famously recreated Cubs games based on telegraph and wire reports. In the 1970s he used a daily radio commentary to help cement his political profile and his reputation as “The Great Communicator.” Once president, harking back to Pres. Franklin Roosevelt’s “Fireside Chats,” he started the tradition of Saturday radio addresses from the White House in 1982 that continued until they sputtered out under Donald Trump.

The clips are free, with the restriction that they may only be broadcast as part of the “Ronald Reagan Quote of the Day” feature; they aren’t to be used for other commercial or political purposes. And although not required, the foundation asks that each station air the “Quote of the Day” at least twice each weekday during daytime hours.

“We are granting geographic exclusivity, based on a first-come first-serve availability,” said Chief Marketing Officer Melissa Giller. “Stations must let us know they want to use these clips so we can ensure no other station in their market is already using them.”

Each month’s batch of audio clips will be available at least a week prior to the beginning of each new month at a Dropbox.

For information email mgiller@reaganfoundation.org.

The post Daily Clip Features Ronald Reagan Quotes appeared first on Radio World.

Technology experts David Layer and John Clark from the National Association of Broadcasters will keynote the radio track sessions of the Pro Audio & Radio Tech Summit on April 1.

The summit, announced this week, is a free one-day virtual trade show where radio and pro audio professionals can learn about new products and technology and network with colleagues and manufacturers. It is produced jointly by Mix magazine, Pro Sound News and Radio World.

The radio keynote session “Hybrid Radio & Android Automotive” will provide a look at two technology topics that affect how your radio station is heard in the car, said Radio World Editor in Chief Paul McLane.

Hybrid radio combines one-way OTA radio reception with two-way online connectivity and streaming, to create a new kind of platform in connected cars.

Meanwhile, the Android Automotive OS is expected to create more powerful, modern infotainment systems. Over the next couple of years, Android Automotive will be in vehicles from Ford, GM, Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi.

David Layer is vice president, advanced engineering for the NAB. John Clark is executive director of NAB’s PILOT technology development initiative.

“We’re honored to have David and John headlining our radio track,” McLane said. “The changes that are happening in the car environment will have crucial implications for radio and other audio media. And we’ll be announcing panelists for the rest of our radio track sessions soon; those will explore trends in AoIP, virtualization, transmitter design and streaming for radio.”

The Pro Audio & Radio Tech Summit will also feature a virtual exhibition floor, live chat and a separate track of presentations showcasing technologies and trends in pro audio.

Registration for the event is open.

The post Summit to Explore Hybrid Radio, Android Automotive appeared first on Radio World.

I’ve heard from plenty of folks who think the boat has left the dock not only for digital on AM but for the entire AM band. Business and technical challenges facing America’s AM broadcasters have been well documented here and elsewhere.

You certainly won’t hear CEOs of big broadcast companies proclaiming their excitement around AM radio strategies unless it’s to count the cash they got from selling tower sites.

Yet when you talk with the handful of people who have real experience with the MA3 mode of HD Radio, their enthusiasm is notable. They say the signal sounds great, that coverage is strong and that they love how station metadata displays on modern dashboard displays.

Our latest Radio World ebook explores the question of what’s next.

One of the people I interviewed is Neal Ardman, who activated the MA3 mode on WMGG in Florida in January, the first station to take the step since the commission approved the option. 

“The MA3 is the great equalizer in terms of audio quality,” Ardman told me. “When we flipped the switch, the sound is incredible. The station sounds like an FM.”

He pointed out that about 30% of cars in his area have HD Radio receivers, then echoed a comment we’ve heard from Dave Kolesar of Hubbard’s WWFD: “Our thinking is, would we rather be in a third of the cars sounding phenomenal, or in all of the cars sounding sketchy and marginal? We chose to be in the cars sounding great,” Ardman said.

It’s worth noting that some AM owners are watching these developments to see if multicasting on the digital AM signal is viable and, if so, whether that might eventually give them another path to obtaining more analog FM translators — similar to how current FM hybrid digital stations can use an HD2 to feed an analog FM. 

I’m sure we’ll hear plenty about that possibility. Note, though, that while existing digital AM receivers can receive MA3, they are not set up to receive multicasting, so this isn’t likely to happen anytime soon.

(Urban One tried unsuccessfully last year to obtain experimental authority to feed an FM translator from a digital AM multicast. For now the FCC has said, “Because the record does not establish that an audio stream on an HD-2 subchannel is currently technically feasible, we will evaluate requests to rebroadcast multicast channels on an FM translator on a case-by-case basis until a more fully developed record is available on this subject.”)

I hope you’ll read the free ebook and let me know what you think. 

The post Ebook Explores Digital Outlook for AM appeared first on Radio World.

NATE is encouraged by the reintroduction of a bill in the Senate to promote development of a skilled telecom workforce.

NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association commented on introduction of the Telecommunications Skilled Workforce Act by Senators John Thune, Jon Tester, Roger Wicker, Gary Peters and Jerry Moran.

Those three Republicans and two Democrats are members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation; they say they want to address a shortage of trained workers needed to fill jobs in the telecommunications industry. The bill was introduced a year ago but didn’t get out of committee.

[Read: Telecom and Workforce Development: Why It Matters to Broadcast]

Though proponents of the bill speak mostly about the need to build out 5G and broadband, the bill likely would have some benefits as well to the broadcast industry, which often draws on the same telecom workforce for tower work.

NATE President/CEO Todd Schlekeway said in a statement, “It is great to see this bipartisan group of U.S. senators come out of the gate strong in the 117th Congress through the introduction of this legislation.”

The organization says that if passed the law would be a springboard to greater collaboration between the federal government, state workforce boards, the higher education sector and industry “to accomplish the ultimate goal of developing a future pipeline of skilled technicians that the country sorely needs to meet its ambitious broadband and 5G deployment objectives.”

The bill would set up an interagency group led by the Federal Communications Commission that would work with the Labor Department and other government entities to push this issue. It would also require the FCC to publish guidance on how states can address the workforce shortage by using federal resources. And it would direct the Government Accountability Office to do a study into how many skilled workers will be required to maintain broadband infrastructure in rural areas as well as build the country’s 5G wireless infrastructure.

Schlekeway told Radio World that NATE “certainly feels like there is growing momentum behind support for telecom workforce provisions in a broadband infrastructure package that could emerge from Congress.” Last year, he said, was a difficult one for standalone legislation due to COVID-19 and the elections.

NATE formerly was called the National Association of Tower Erectors, but its name and mission have evolved. The nonprofit trade organization includes more than 1,000 member companies that construct, service and maintain hundreds of thousands of communications towers for broadcast and wireless, as well as distributed antenna systems, small cell networks and broadband.

The post NATE Welcomes Telecom Workforce Bill appeared first on Radio World.

Audio startup Tula Microphones has unveiled its first product — the Tula Mic, a portable USB mic that doubles as a mobile recorder with added benefit of embedded noise reduction technology. The stylized microphone is intended for use by content creators and work-from-home professionals.

The Tula Mic includes dedicated cardioid and omnidirectional ECM capsules, Burr-Brown op amps, a Texas Instruments audio codec and a 3.5 mm headphone jack that doubles as an input for a lavalier microphone. Also, the microphone sports 8 GB of internal memory, and a rechargeable battery, enabling up to 14 hours of audio recording on the go. The Tula records in WAV file format. The mic connects to other devices such as computers via USB-C, and is also compatible with Windows, MacOS, iOS and Android.

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

While the mic is designed for portable use, that inevitably means it will be used often in less-than-ideal acoustic environments. With that mind, Tula teamed up with Swedish music software company Klevgrand to create an embedded version of that company’s noise reduction algorithm, Brusfri, which gives users the option to reduce background noise onsite while recording, reportedly without unwanted artifacts.

The Tula Mic sports a retro-modern design developed by Red Dot Award-winning industrial designers in Barcelona, and math fans may note that Tula’s form factor features an exact Golden Ratio. The Tula is available in three colors: classic black, vintage cream and a vibrant red. The built-in base is detachable and the mic includes a universal adaptor for use on mic stands and arms.

“As a longtime musician and songwriter, I’ve spent countless hours in recording studios and have a great respect and appreciation for good audio.” said Tula Founder and CEO David Brown, previously of the Soyuz Microphones brand. “I’ve long dreamt of designing a microphone that would bring high-quality sound to the masses. With the rapid growth of podcasting and YouTube channels and the more recent shift to remote working, it feels like the timing couldn’t be better for a product like the Tula Mic.”

The Tula Mic is available to order at US$199.

Info: www.tulamics.com

The post Tula Microphone Debuts for Podcasting, WFH Use appeared first on Radio World.

SiriusXM posted a net loss in its most recent business quarter but the company describes its full-year financial results as strong and expressed excitement about its audio strategies as well as its satellite radio penetration in new cars.

SiriusXM lost $677 million in the fourth quarter; but for all of 2020 SiriusXM had net income of $131 million. Still, that latter number was way off of the $914 million of net income the prior year, thanks to a big “impairment charge” associated with Pandora, primarily related to royalty costs.

[Read: SiriusXM’s New Satellite Is in Orbit]

Overall in 2020 the company generated revenue of $8.04 billion, up 3% despite the pandemic.

CEO Jennifer Witz, who succeeded Jim Meyer on Jan. 1, said in a statement, “SiriusXM turned in strong operating and financial results in 2020: we grew SiriusXM self-pay subscribers, revenue, adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow despite the pandemic. Our new car penetration reached approximately 80% in the fourth quarter and is set to rise above 80% this year, and the incorporation of 360L, our next generation in-car entertainment platform, is accelerating.”

She said SiriusXM, Pandora and Stitcher, plus the company’s investment in SoundCloud, now reach an audience of more than 150 million. She said the company is “bolstering our position as North America’s leading audio entertainment company” through new shows and podcasts, streaming channels targeting younger consumers and deals with NBCUniversal News Group, The Masters, the NFL and NBA. The company also recently extended its agreement with Howard Stern.

SiriusXM added 909,000 net new self-pay subscribers for the full year, ending with 30.9 million. Total subscribers are now 34.7 million.

The company’s Pandora segment saw ad revenue decline 1% to $1.18 billion, but said this was notable in the context of significant weakness in the ad market during the pandemic. And fourth quarter Pandora ad revenue jumped 22% to $425 million compared to the prior year quarter.

The post SiriusXM Hails Its 2020 Results appeared first on Radio World.

A new online event on April 1 will provide a spring convention feel to radio and pro audio professionals who want to learn about new products and technology and network with colleagues and manufacturers.

Future plc, the parent company of Radio World, has announced the Pro Audio & Radio Tech Summit, a free one-day online show produced jointly by Mix magazine, Pro Sound News and Radio World.

The event will feature a virtual exhibition floor, panel presentations, live chat and numerous media presentations showcasing technologies and trends in both radio and pro audio, on two separate session tracks.

“It’s been a challenging year across all entertainment and technology markets, but also a transformative one,” says Paul McLane, editor in chief of Radio World.

“We’ve seen changes in workflow, changes in how we collaborate, and rapid changes in distribution of all media. But users and manufacturers have stepped up, often in creative ways, to ensure that talented people have the right tools to produce quality audio and broadcast content. We plan to explore the state of the industry and highlight some of the trends and success stories from across the country.”

The event will use the vFairs virtual events platform, which provides attendees with an impressive convention-live user interface and facilitates interaction and networking.

The Pro Audio Track will feature sessions on remote production, the multipurpose house of worship studio, the rise of immersive music, audio networking technologies, and improved audio for education.

The Radio Track will feature sessions on hybrid radio, Android Automotive, AoIP, virtualization, streaming, and trends in transmission. These topics will be of interest to any radio broadcast manager or engineer who manages technology or uses it to advance their careers and business missions.

Learn more and register here.

The post Pro Audio & Radio Tech Summit Announced appeared first on Radio World.

A dramatic new transmission tower that stands above Istanbul, Turkey, includes 100 liquid-cooled Rohde & Schwarz FM transmitters.

The manufacturer said it was picked to provide FM infrastructure at the striking Camlica Tower by transmission service provider Kule Verici Tesisleri Isletim Ve Teknolojileri A.S. “after many other companies claimed the transmission challenge was impossible to achieve.”

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R&S quoted the project management as citing transmitter efficiency and a small footprint as one of the reasons for choosing its model.

The visually striking TV/radio tower, about 1,200 feet high, is on a hill overlooking the city. According to news reports the structure replaces numerous older transmission towers, and features restaurants, observation decks looking out over the Bosporus Strait, and exhibits. It is expected to be a major tourist attraction.

See more photos of the structure.

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

The post R&S Celebrates Istanbul Tower Project appeared first on Radio World.