Aggregator

.

Discussion of all-digital on the AM band has moved from the theoretical to the real with the recent announcement that the FCC tentatively plans to allow U.S. AM band stations to turn off their analog and broadcast in all-digital HD Radio.

Radio World is hosting a webcast Feb. 19 to explore the potential benefits, challenges and costs of such a transition. 

Whether you’ve been following developments closely or you are new to the idea, “Digital Sunrise for AM Radio” will help prepare attendees for what’s next. The content is intended not just for engineers, but also for owners and managers.

Editor in Chief Paul McLane interviewed Hubbard Radio’s Joel Oxley and Dave Kolesar, NAB’s David Layer, Xperi’s Mike Raide, DRM’s Ruxandra Obreja and Bryan Broadcasting’s Ben Downs. 

[Dates Set for Comments on Digital AM Proposal]

He asked: What would it cost to convert a station? What are the interference implications? What kind of user experience will listeners have? What important lessons can be learned from the only station so far to operate in all-digital full-time? What are the coverage and interference considerations that experts are exploring? How many stations might switch, and when? 

Learn more about the webinar and the featured speakers via the registration page.

The post Radio World Webcast to Explore “Digital Sunrise for AM Radio”  appeared first on Radio World.

From Radio World’s Who’s Buying What page:

The Minnesota Twins have drafted Skyview Networks’ AdView inventory management and live read capture software for a multi-year contract effective in March. 

The Minneapolis-based Major League Baseball team will deploy the customized software in order to schedule and report ads via its broadcast team and front office.

According to Minnesota Twins Senior Broadcast Manager Andrew Halverson, quoted in a press release, the new system will create “efficiencies in our reporting processes.”

Among other features, AdView’s Player Controller enables the Twins’ board operator to pair audio files with the current game scenario, even as the software can be used to schedule ads for the season. It also provides assurance that inventory is maximized and offers live read capture for proof of performance. AdView’s online catalog sorts ads by advertiser, date and time for quick downloads and simplified billing, according to Skyview.

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

The post Twins Pair Up With Skyview Networks appeared first on Radio World.

Ten startups have been tapped as the first batch of companies that will participate in Sprockit’s program at the 2020 NAB Show.

Sprockit is a global marketplace that aims to help connect top startups and Fortune 500 companies in media, entertainment and technology. As part of the 2020 edition of Sprockit, the selected companies will exhibit at the 2020 NAB Show in the Sprockit Pavilion, located in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Here are the first 10 announced startups:

• Bellwethr – Automates the ideal customer experience throughout the customer lifecycle (Kansas City, MO)
• Bixy – Improves monetization for publishers by leveraging consumer-controlled, opt-in data to power ad campaigns, email marketing, eCommerce and more (Kansas City, MO)
• Chartbeat – Empowers content creators to build loyal audiences with real-time and historical analytics across desktop, mobile, and social platforms (New York)
• Cross Screen Media – Offers marketing analytics and software solutions to build the next generation convergent TV platform (Alexandria, Va.)
• Envision – Analyzes image and video content to automatize video curation and editing (Montreal, Canada)
• ignifai – Provides a video analysis platform that uses AI technology to maximize content exposure, increase monetization and optimize production workflows (Paris)
• nēdl – Solves the content discovery problem for audio creators with Real-Time Transcription Search and a unique end-to-end distribution platform (Santa Monica, Calif.)
• Never.no – Makes TV interactive and advertising dynamic, helping broadcasters, advertisers and producers personalize content, increase audiences, engage viewers and grow revenues (Manchester, England)
• Tetavi – Perfects volumetric capture for immersive media enabling faster, accurate and portable XR, film and gaming productions (Tel Aviv, Israel)
• ZenSports – Allows anyone to create and accept sports bets with anyone else in the world, without the need for a centralized bookmaker (San Francisco)

In addition to presenting at the NAB Show, Sprockit participants are able to join in Sprockit Sync private network meetings that take place throughout the year. These Sync meetings include industry executives and Sprockit corporate partners, like Comcast, Fox, Google, Hearst Television, Public Media Venture Group, Samsung NEXT, Univision and Verizon.

Since its founding in 2013, Sprockit says that it has helped raise more than $1 billion in funding for its startups.

The application window for interested startups is still open, with the deadline to apply to participate in the 2020 NAB Show set for March 1. Applications can be completed online.

The 2020 NAB Show takes place from April 18-22 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. For more information, visit www.nabshow.com.

The post Sprockit Reveals First Group of Startups for 2020 NAB Show appeared first on Radio World.

The author is WorldDAB France representative

Jean-Marc Dubreuil

PARIS — Held in Paris at the end of January, the European Radio and Digital Audio Show brought together stakeholders from across the French radio industry and beyond to discuss the future of radio in France, Europe and around the world. It also served as a platform to highlight the opportunities DAB+ digital radio brings for the radio, manufacturing, retail and automotive sectors.

NEW ROADMAP

During a session dedicated to the development of DAB+ in France, Nicolas Curien from French regulator Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel joined me on stage. As did representatives from commercial and community radio, GfK and public service broadcaster Radio France.

The WorldDAB booth at the European Digital Radio and Audio Show featured a wide range of DAB+ receivers.

Together we outlined the progress of DAB+ digital radio throughout Europe and elsewhere, and touched on the EECC directive, the EU regulation that mandates digital radio in cars across Europe from Dec. 21, 2020, which has already been transposed into national legislation in a number of countries, including France.

On a national level, the CSA, published a new DAB+ roadmap highlighting DAB+ developments plans for the 2020–2023 period. According to the new roadmap, calls for applications will be launched for 50 local allotments in that period of time — these primarily concern the cities of Dijon, Lyon, Marseille, Rennes, Caen, Nancy, Paris, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Poitiers and Toulouse.

[U.K. Government Restates Support for Digital Radio]

As for France’s national multiplexes, a call for applications will be launched for the remaining spot available on Mux 1, while the last spot on Mux 2 will be dedicated to data broadcasting services such as traffic information.

The CSA’s newly launched DAB+ interactive map.

As outlined by the CSA, DAB+ experimentation and trials may take place in France’s overseas territories in coming years, though this will largely depend on interest expressed by local players.

At the show, the French media regulator also announced the launch of a new interactive map giving listeners the opportunity to see what DAB+ services are available in their respective areas. The service, available here, also includes planned DAB+ rollouts across France.

IN-DASH ADVANCES

Industry professionals also widely discussed the future of radio in the car during the three-day event, with the likes of Audi, Radioplayer, RadioDNS, Xperi, Radioline and TDF in attendance to voice their opinions on hybrid radio. The solutions to access metadata exist, and it is up to the radios and receiver manufacturers to make the most of them.

Ultimately, the goal is to access quality, reliable and affordable information in order to provide an improved experience for users, and according to Audi and other innovative players, having one single standard that is used globally will most definitely help achieve that.

The post DAB+ Progress in France and Beyond appeared first on Radio World.

.

.

.

Broadcast Applications

.

Talk radio kingpin Rush Limbaugh made a surprise announcement today to his audience — he has “advanced” lung cancer and will be stepping away for treatments.

News rapidly spread across the media.

Here is the announcement:

http://www.radioworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Rush-Cancer-Announcement.mp3

 

 

More can be found at this sampling here:

Rush Limbaugh’s Shocking Cancer Diagnosis Spurs Support, Well Wishes (Fox News)

Rush Limbaugh Says He Has Advanced Lung Cancer, Will Continue Radio Program While He Undergoes Treatment (Washington Post)

Talk-Radio Host Rush Limbaugh Says He Has Advanced Lung Cancer (Bloomberg)

 

The post Rush Limbaugh Announces Cancer Diagnosis appeared first on Radio World.

Today Rush Limbaugh announced he has cancer.

http://www.radioworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Rush-Cancer-Announcement.mp3

 

The post Audio Experiment appeared first on Radio World.

ORVIETO, Italy — Delta Meccanica has developed the Star Point combiner, which is capable of combining six medium- or high-power frequencies.

Previously the company offered combiners able to associate six frequencies for powers limited to 2 kW per transmitter.

Combining greater powers (i.e. 6 x 5 kW and 6 x 10 kW), the company says, is more challenging due to the size of the filters. “But the design flexibility of our cavities allowed us to design and create — with only slight configuration tweaks — a device capable of providing optimal RF performance in a cost effective way.”

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

The firm adds that due to the above development, it no longer needed to design a “manifold” combiner, a configuration that it considers no longer valid for FM.

Delta Meccanica is also studying the possibility of implementing a compact version of the Star Point combiner.

 For information, contact Delta Meccanica in Italy at +39-07-6331-6222 or visit www.deltameccanica.com.

The post Delta Meccanica Introduces Star Point Combiner appeared first on Radio World.

Media Bureau Seeks Comment on Proposed Rules Implementing Section 1003 of the Television Viewer Protection Act of 2019

.

.

.

.

.

FCC modernizes its rules by adopting a Report and Order approving the electronic delivery of certain written MVPD notices to broadcast television stations