Radio+Television Business Report

BOCA RATON, FLA. — Independent Prague-headquartered automation systems producer Aveco has unveiled a media asset management (MAM) tool designed for cloud, hybrid-cloud and on-premises use.

Called GEMINI, the product manages media and AI-enriched metadata, plus timeline annotations describing any frame or segment of an asset, utilizing speech-to-text transcription, subtitles, or markers (e.g., soccer goals) utilizing secure HTML5. Assets are under control across all types of storage — in the cloud, NAS and SAN, video servers, as well as LTO and non-spinning disk archives.

“The introduction of the GEMINI MAM brings powerful tools that are easy to use, so people can concentrate on the task at hand, anywhere in the world and on any browser,” Aveco CEO Pavel Potuzak said.

The architecture of GEMINI scales from thousands to millions of media assets, from tens to hundreds of users, from out-of-the-box workflows to the most complex operations involving third-party media appliances. An integrated frame-accurate proxy video editor works together with popular NLEs and online rendering services to optimize news and production workflows.

GEMINI works with all internet browsers and all operating systems, as well as tablets running Android and iOS without the need for any plugins.

For redundancy, GEMINI MAM server components use a multi-node architecture. This means that if a node goes down, the remaining nodes continue to provide all services without interruption. Additionally, performance can be easily scaled up by simply adding more nodes.

Despite its San Fernando Valley contact number, AVECO maintains a U.S. operational center in Doral, Fla. It can be reached at 1-818-292-1489.

Telestream has released new enhancements to its IQ family of monitoring products and systems, a move the company says answers the need for enhanced VOD and Live monitoring capabilities for content owners, aggregators, CDN operators and subscription service providers.

“These enhancements provide users with increased visibility, reporting and analytics within their VOD networks,” the Nevada City, Calif.-based company says. “They empower users to drill down for additional proofs of performance, availability, and validation of live and on-demand offerings, providing more granular ways to find and fix faults fast.”

Telestream’s IQ VOD monitoring solution provides lightweight analysis focused on speed to determine content accessibility, ABR packaging, and quick audio and video checks, with results available in a single consolidated report. Long term analysis and diagnostics reporting is also available.

The solution is strategically positioned for validating large VOD content libraries, keeping pace with new content as it becomes available. “By taking advantage of the different monitoring methods and scheduling inherent within the Telestream solution, users can harness resources efficiently to make the most of their monitoring investment while limiting the impact on streaming services,” the company notes.

With the VOD monitoring platform, it is a straightforward task to automate the entire process using the open API, reviewing results in a consolidated report that takes no integration effort or additional data processing.

For live applications, the latest enhancements include expanded codec monitoring, including support for HEVC 4:2:2 profile. Enhancements also include additional pre-compression rapid pixel analysis of I-Frames. Should a closer analysis be required, clicking the MOS Level 2 option allows analysis of I, B and P frames without disrupting hundreds of other sources that may be running concurrently. This assures there aren’t issues that will be harder to identify once compressed.

Post-compression, spatial and other compression introduced issues can be analyzed and dealt with prior to moving the content on, where jitter, buffer, timing, and other factors can continue to be monitored and diagnosed.

Ability to check and validate the integrity of the content through multiple packagers, CDNs and distributors, enables a provider to better see what the customer experience will be and provides peace of mind, protection of revenue and proofs of performance.

“The recent announcement of AT&T’s WarnerMedia and Discovery merger accelerates global plans for direct-to-consumer products,” said Matthew Driscoll, Director of Product Management at Telestream. “Media giants are creating deep content libraries and establishing their brands across programming categories. The volume of content and complex distribution networks required to reach consumers drives the need for new tools. Tools that can assist operators in this massive transition and ensure a high-quality user experience in a wildly competitive landscape. Market and technology shifts like these are the driving force behind this VOD and live monitoring initiative at Telestream.”

Orban Labs, the maker of audio processing systems for AM, FM, DAB+, HD Radio, television and Internet broadcasting, is “reorganizing” sales of its PCn1600 audio processing software.

Translation: years of exclusivity have ended for two entities that had exclusive sales licenses.

For several years, Modulation Index and StreamS had an exclusive license to sell PCn1600 processing; that exclusivity ended last week.

“All Orban dealers worldwide can now add our PCn1600 to their Orban product portfolio,” said Orban President David Day. “PCn1600 users have enjoyed the clarity and intelligibility that only Orban can provide, and we want them to continue offering this high quality to their listeners.”

It is Orban’s understanding that Modulation Index and StreamS will continue to support their existing PCn1600 users, Day added.

PCn1600 was developed by Bob Orban to bring the company’s audio processing technology to audio streaming operating natively on Windows PC platforms.

Orban has used variants of the PCn1600 in its XPN-AM processor and in the Linux-based Ross RSAP.

PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA — Global codec manufacturer Tieline has released new firmware v3.02.06 — supporting a range of new features in Gateway and Gateway 4 codecs.

Major features in this release include:

• Support for NMOS IS-04 and IS-05 (Networked Media Open Specifications).
• Support for up to 8 channels of digital phase-locked multichannel audio, including 6 channel (5.1 or 6.0) or 8 channel (7.1 or 8.0) surround sound streams in Gateway, or 4 channel phase-locked streams in Gateway and Gateway 4.
• Dynamic range Compressor and EQ on all inputs.
• SmartStream PLUS redundant streaming support for multi-unicast streams.
• Support for Euro ISDN connections.

“This is a significant release which supports features like NMOS, and up to 8 channels of phase-locked multi-channel IP audio, which will excite broadcast engineers,” said Charlie Gawley, VP of Sales for the APAC/EMEA regions. “Processing features like input compression and EQ, that can be adjusted from anywhere online using the Toolbox web-GUI interface, also take remote control to another level.”

Support for NMOS IS-04 and IS-05 in the Gateway platform ensures that components of a networked media system can find each other and delivers connection management and audio channel mapping to device I/O channels. Combined with support for 16 AES67/ST 2110-30 AoIP streams, NMOS brings networked equipment capabilities.

Support of phase-locked AoIP streaming allows broadcasters to stream live events like concerts and major sports in stereo and surround sound simultaneously, or distribute live phase-locked audio between studios or network affiliates. A 16 channel Gateway codec supports sending 2 x 6 + 2 channels of phase-locked streams, or 2 x 8 channels of phase-locked streams, or 4 x 4 channels of phase-locked streams.

The new release is a free upgrade for existing customers.

• For USA, Canada & Latin America contact: sales@tieline.com 

KAISERSLAUTERN, GERMANY — Media and entertainment technology company Evertz has turned on the lights for the first time at its newly equipped DreamCatcher Training Center (DCTC) in Bavaria’s chief metropolitan area, Munich.

As a provider of hardware and software-based live production workflow tools, Evertz says this will assist the company in offering broadcasters and content providers a new resource to assist in the creation of “high quality content at unprecedented speeds.”

“We understand that moving to a new live production platform not only requires technical excellence, but is also based on operators who know the platform inside and out and feel confident to operate it in a very fast and efficient way,” said Sebastian Ruchti, Sales
Engineer at DACH. “Therefore we decided to set up a DreamCatcher ecosystem here in Munich that can host multiple operators, that not only allows operators to come in and familiarize with the system locally, but also allow customers to discover our award-winning
BRAVO Studio workflow remotely from anywhere.”

DreamCatcher is located in Munich’s SpaceNet Building, in the heart of a burgeoning north Schwabing tech center that includes Amazon and Microsoft offices some 25 minutes north of Marienplatz via the U6. “The DCTC has connectivity to perform full remote production
workflow-based demonstrations of Evertz’ XPS RealTime UHD/3G/HD Streaming Platform and BRAVO Studio platforms,” the company says.

XPS is Evertz’ next-generation UHD/3G/HD streaming platform that uses SRT, RIST and Zixi for secure and reliable contribution over IP networks with ultra-low latency. XPS is a software-defined HEVC and H.264 real-time encoding/decoding platform that Evertz believes is ideal for live or cloud-based applications where secure, high quality and low-latency is essential.

— Weekly Tech Roundup European News Desk

To learn more about the DreamCatcherTM Live Production platform, visit evertz.com/applications/live-production/. 

U.S. Sales Contact: 1-877-995-3700
sales@evertz.com

BOCA RATON, FLA. — In November 2017, he ended his business partnership with John Caracciolo. This led Vic Latino — legally known as Victor Canales — to create his own media company with a Palm Beach County-based AM as its foundation.

Now, Canales is selling that AM, along with one of the two FM translators his company uses to serve the market with a unique “Quality Rock” format that’s failed to attract audiences since its debut.

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HC2 Holdings, the parent of a broadcasting company that is paring down its over-the-air TV station roster under President/CEO Wayne Barr Jr., has completed the previously announced sale of its insurance segment.

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The Office of Economics and Analytics (OEA) and the Media Bureau of the FCC have identified 114 applicants that are qualified to bid in “Auction 109,” the Commission’s plan to offer four AM construction permits that will replace deleted facilities in St. Louis and some 135 FM construction permits.

However, anyone hoping to bid on a facility in the Catskills region of New York is out of luck.

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It’s the home of “Michigan’s Positive Hits,” and today can be heard on 21 radio frequencies across the Mitten State.

Soon, a 22nd signal will be added to the mix, filling a hole that allows Smile FM to serve Huron County and the neighboring towns of Cagetown and Cass City.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — After 25 years on Capitol Hill, the Staff Director of the influential House Energy & Commerce Committee, which has oversight of the FCC, is planning his August departure from the legislative body.

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Though most broadcast media have returned to their studios, many interviews will continue to take place on Zoom. The bar has been raised for showing up looking sharp and professional.

How should you prepare for a press interview? Veteran public relations executive Rosemary Ravinal offers these tips.

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In Indiana’s biggest market, there are two big FM spoken word stations that attract listeners. One is owned by Emmis Communications. The other is an NPR Member station operated by Metropolitan Indianapolis Public Media.

The latter licensee is expanding. And, it’s thanks to Purdue University‘s decision to sell its radio stations — becoming the latest in an increasingly lengthy list of schools opting to part ways with their audio broadcast properties.

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MIAMI — It’s had a bitter history in recent years with performers union SAG-AFTRA at its two FM radio stations in Los Angeles, with accusations that the company engaged in “a series of unfair labor practices” and by November 2019 had failed to comply in part with a settlement agreement.

Now, SAG-AFTRA has been outright decertified at “La Ley 107.9,” the Chicago-market FM owned by Spanish Broadcasting System.

SBS late Thursday (7/1) announced that employees at its WLEY-FM, which airs regional Mexican programming, voted to decertify and remove the union that had previously represented them in dealing with SBS.

That union is SAG-AFTRA, voted in nearly three years to represent “certain on-air talent and production employees” in Chicago.

Since that time, SBS and SAG-AFTRA had been negotiating the terms of an initial collective bargaining agreement. However, no agreement was ever reached.

Employees voted on the decertification question by mail over the past few weeks, and the results of the vote were officially confirmed on June 28 by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the government agency that conducted the vote.

Commenting on the vote, SBS General Counsel Richard Lara said, “We greatly respect the important decision made by our employees to move forward without a union to act as intermediary between them and the company in the resolution of personnel matters at our Chicago facilities. The company looks forward to working more directly with our employees to build an even stronger presence in Chicago.”

The vote comes some 2 1/2 years after SBS sought to resolve two complaints lobbed at SBS’s KLAX and KXOL in Los Angeles on behalf of SAG-AFTRA.

“For over three years, SBS has continuously violated labor laws,” SAG-AFTRA claimed in November 2019. SBS’s alleged violations were set forth in a consolidated complaint, available here.

In Dec. 20, 2017, SAG-AFRTA and SBS reached a settlement valued at roughly half a million dollars. All was fine until May 2019, when SAG-AFTRA called on Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS) to extend “fair contracts” to its on-air talent in two key markets.

One was Los Angeles. The other? Chicago.

Earlier in the week, it was Little Rock.

Now, Central Florida is getting “a taste of the future” as eight Orlando TV stations have banded together to launch NEXTGEN TV in the home of Tomorrowland.

As of July 1, NEXTGEN TV enables TV stations to better personalize their broadcasts with information and interactive features, making the content more relevant and engaging for viewers.

The eight stations launching the digital TV broadcast technology are Fox Television owned-and-operated WRBW-65 and FOX affiliated WOFL-35; Cox Media Group’s ABC affiliated WFTV-9 and unaffiliated WRDQ-27; Graham Media Group’s CBS affiliated WKMG-6, Hearst Television’s NBC affiliated WESH-2; and The CW Network WKCF-18, and PBS Member station WUCF-24, owned by the University of Central Florida.

“Viewers in Orlando have a lot to be excited about, as NEXTGEN TV is going to change the way they experience live broadcast television, and it will only get better as more features are added down the road by their local stations,” said John Soapes, President/GM of WESH-TV. “NEXTGEN TV ensures the future of television, where content and the experience of watching culminates, leaving viewers informed, entertained, and inspired.”

Orlando, which is the nation’s 17th largest television market, joins Tampa, Tallahassee, and Pensacola, Fla., as locales where NEXTGEN TV service is already available.

— Adam Jacobson, in Boca Raton, Fla.

The FCC has quietly released a public notice confirming that its reinstated media ownership rules — legislation that the acting chairwoman, Jessica Rosenworcel, voted against — are now effective.

The effective date? Yesterday.

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Starting tonight (7/1) at 10pm, a new entrant in the local news war that has been fiercely waging across Western New York for years will arrive.

It comes courtesy of Sinclair Broadcast Group, which is launching local news operations at its owned-and-operated FOX affiliate serving Buffalo, Niagara Falls and the Canadian province of Ontario’s most populous areas.

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MIAMI — Did you know that 82% of advertisers are looking for “direct to consumer” strategies to grow in an increasingly competitive environment? This is one of the challenges Kantar mapped out in a Media Navigator study that it has just launched.

The research endeavor sees Kantar interview 672 professionals working for advertisers in 39 different countries to understand the main challenges and trends in their data management strategy.

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TORONTO — With the TSX closed on Thursday in observance of the Canada Day holiday, the start of the second half of 2021 led financial blog Simply Wall St. to take a closer look at Corus Entertainment.

Corus is one of Canada’s biggest media companies and owns 39 radio stations and 15 broadcast television stations. Its stock price has seen a healthy 52-week rebound, with its June 30 closing price its best since May 2019.

With a 1-year price target poised to put Corus at its best stock price since the start of 2018, is the share gain “well earned”?

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As part of RAB’s Business Accelerated initiative, Provoke Insights, a full-service market research firm, will be rejoining the radio industry sales advocacy organization for a live presentation offering insights on today’s consumer.

The event, “Meet the New Retail Shopper,” sees Carly Fink, President of Provoke Insights, share insights into today’s retail shopper. Fink will provide guidance for broadcasters helping their clients plan their back-to-school and holiday campaigns.

“While most COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, consumers are not going back to the standard shopping routines of 2019,” the RAB says. “As brands prepare for the upcoming back-to-school and holiday seasons, it is important they understand the new buying behaviors.”

The session will take place at 1pm Eastern/10am Pacific on Wednesday, July 28.

Registration for the presentation is free for RAB members. The presentation will also be available for on-demand viewing.

To register, click here.

Comscore has lured the former Sales and Client Relations head at Tunity to lead its commercial relationship with Publicis Groupe.

In doing so, Comscore is selecting an individual who brings more than 20 years of business media and sales success across local television stations, networks and advertising agencies.

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