Industry News

The U.K. government has authorized broadcast regulator Ofcom to renew two national commercial radio multiplex licenses until December 2035. Previously, the Digital One Ltd. multiplex was set to expire in 2023 and the Sound Digital Ltd. multiplex in 2028.

“Radio’s distinctive and much-loved format means it continues to be at the heart of people’s lives,” stated Media Minister Julia Lopez. “Today we are confirming plans to extend radio multiplex licenses until 2035 so our hugely popular stations can continue to reach audiences through digital radio networks and we can give broadcasters the certainty they need to invest in their future services.”

Arqiva owns Digital One, while Sound Digital is co-owned by Arqiva, Bauer Media Group, and Wireless Group Ltd.; both multiplexes are operated by Arqiva. Some 45 stations are carried between the two multiplexes, including on Digital One Absolute Radio, Capital and talkSPORT and on Sound Digital Jazz FM and Virgin Radio.

The government stated that renewing the multiplex licenses via a Legislative Reform Order will provide long-term continuity for national commercial stations to broadcast via DAB.

The post U.K. DAB Multiplexes Renewed to 2035 appeared first on Radio World.

On Wednesday, December 29, Max Media‘s WVHT-FM “HOT 100” in Norfolk was cheerfully promoting on Twitter its syndicated nighttime program, on until midnight. A day later, the host took to Twitter to note he was “just sitting in my radio studio taking phone calls.”

Today, the host is no longer available to take calls, and he’s no longer heard on HOT 100 or any affiliates. Westwood One, the national radio arm of Cumulus Media, has killed The Zach Sang Show.

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Comscore has brought to market what it’s heralding as “a true single-source unified cross-platform measurement solution.”

Once one wades through the marketing language in the company’s announcement, the goal from Comscore is for the new product to become the unified way people use Comscore (similar to audience measurement giant and rival Nielsen’s approach with ONE) to get holistic audience measurement.

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Happy New Year!

In this issue, Gary Stigall reports on the test of a hybrid FM radio/Next Gen TV signal in San Diego.

Alan Jurison comments on where virtualization may take our industry.

Fred Jacobs warns against complacency about radio’s position in the dashboard.

And Dan Slentz puts a streamer’s product to good use.

Read it here.

The post Read the Jan. 5, 2022 Issue of Radio World appeared first on Radio World.

About the Broadcasters Foundation of America
The mission of the Broadcasters Foundation of America foundation is to improve the quality of life and maintain the personal dignity of men and women in the radio and television broadcast profession who find themselves in acute need. For more than 70 years, the Foundation has provided financial support to those broadcast industry professionals who have faced life-altering circumstances. We reach out across the country to provide an anonymous safety net in cases of critical illness, advanced age, death of a spouse, accident, natural disaster, or other serious misfortune. The Broadcasters Foundation of America is a 501(c)(3) public charity based in New York City, and it is the only charity devotedly exclusively to helping broadcasters in dire need. The staff consists of four full time employees and one part-time employee. The Board of Directors of the foundation is made up of high-level Broadcast professionals who have achieved tremendous success in radio and television and want to give back to the Broadcast community.

Expectations (report to the Co-Presidents)
• Commit to 3 days a week, ideally in office, some flexibility open for discussion
• Oversee cash flow for grants, general ledger activities, insurance, and payroll functions
• Provide monthly income statements, balance sheets, and other financial reports, for monthly Executive Committee and quarterly Board of Directors meetings
• Review and approve event contracts throughout the year
• Preparation of monthly and annual budgets
• Provide appropriate information to external auditors and assist in final preparation of year-end financial statements

Qualifications:
• Minimum of 4 years of general business accounting
• Understanding of SAGE accounting system strongly preferred
• Not-for-profit background preferred
• Proficiency in payroll processing (ADP) and financial statements
• Ability to converse with management M-F, 9a-5p EST (flexibility to be discussed)
• Ability to communicate with high profile board members

Salary is negotiable.
References will be checked, and a background check completed prior to hire.

Broadcasters Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Interested in learning more? Contact Tim McCarthy tim@thebfoa.org

Royal Media Services, based in Nairobi, Kenya, recently upgraded the broadcast studio infrastructure for its Radio Citizen station with a new 12-fader Lawo crystal console.

The move follows successful installations of Lawo mixing consoles and IP infrastructure at other RMS radio stations. Project management and installation were handled by Lawo system integrator Byce Broadcast.

[See Our Who’s Buying What Page]

RMS, Lawo and Byce Broadcast began their relationship in 2017 with the installation of their first Lawo mixing console; crystal consoles are now in service at Radio Citizen’s sister stations Ramogi FM, Inooro FM and HOT96, all also headquartered in Nairobi.

“It is exciting to watch as Royal Media Services sets the pace for the adoption of broadcast IP technology in Kenya,” says Cynthia Odari, head of business development for Byce Broadcast. “RMS were our very first client in Kenya, and we thank them for their continuing trust in us and in Lawo.”

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

The post Royal Media Services Upgrades Fourth Station to AoIP appeared first on Radio World.

Český Rozhlas set Dec. 31, 2021, as the “end of broadcasting on medium wave AM.”

Czech public service broadcaster Český Rozhlas shuttered three long- and medium-wave services as the calendar turned from 2021 to 2022.

Until midnight on Dec. 31, 2021, the broadcaster’s Dvojka channel was heard on 639, 954 and 1332 kHz, and the ČRo Plus station was heard on 1071 kHz. The ČRo news channel Radiožurnál was previously heard on 270 kHz.

The Oxford Shortwave Log posted to YouTube audio from the last minutes of Radiožurnál’s longwave broadcast, which had originated from Topolná, Czechia, since 1951.

Český Rozhlas has been working towards shuttering the AM services for several years by increasing the reach of the stations on FM and DAB+ nationwide, as well as via the internet.

According to the broadcaster, about 95 percent of the country can now receive the stations via DAB+.

The post Medium-Wave Transmitters Go Dark for Czech Public Service appeared first on Radio World.

In mid-December, Audacy Inc. shares earned an upgrade from Wall Street financial house B. Riley. The firm’s Daniel Day saw bad news for the audio media company “more than priced in” ahead of an earnings inflection for the coming year.

A better-known Wall Street analyst now shares that he sees things differently for the owner of Cadence13 and Pineapple Street, BetQL, the Audacy streaming app and AM and FM radio stations including KROQ/Los Angeles, WFAN/New York and WXRT/Chicago.

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USSI Global promoted Amanda Flynn to vice president of customer relations and business development.

The company is a turnkey provider of network, broadcast and digital signage systems and services.

[Related: “USSI Global Supports SES in C-Band Transition”]

“Flynn will focus on expanding the manufacturer client base for installation and repair services within the company’s Digital Signage and Electronic Business and Consumer Solutions,” it stated.

She is currently director of business development and customer relations.

The announcement was made by CEO David Christiano. Flynn is based at the company headquarters in Melbourne, Fla.

Send announcements for People News, especially roles involving radio engineering, technology and executive management, to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post USSI Global Promotes Amanda Flynn appeared first on Radio World.

Audacy and Samsung have a new content distribution partnership, making Audacy’s podcast library available on Samsung platforms.

“Listeners will be able to hear favorites from Audacy’s market-leading podcast studios including Cadence13, Pineapple Street Studios and 2400Sports, along with hundreds of other Audacy podcast titles from across its large and rapidly-growing network on the Samsung Free platform and any other Samsung customized or developed apps,” according to the press release.

 [Related: “APM, Audacy Create a Podcast Partnership”]

Samsung Free is a content aggregator introduced in 2020, a successor to its Samsung Daily and Bixby Home platforms.

The announcement was made by Tim Murphy, executive vice president of strategy and corporate business development at Audacy.

The post Audacy Podcasts Now on Samsung Platforms appeared first on Radio World.