Industry News

Earthworks Audio has introduced its Icon USB and Icon Pro XLR microphones, both intended for use in podcasting, remote working, streaming and home recording.

The condenser-type Icon USB offers a frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz, used a cardioid polar pattern, and can take on up to 132 dB. Meanwhile, the phantom-powered Icon Pro expands on those specs with a frequency response of 20 Hz to 30 kHz and a maximum acoustic input of 139 dB. Both versions weigh 1.5 pounds.

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

Designed with an eye towards providing visual flair for those who appear on camera with their mics, the Icon series mics are stainless-steel constructed. Earthworks partnered with Triad-Orbit to design and build a custom desktop microphone stand that ships with the Icon microphones. The integrated M-2R swivel ball joint can be disconnected and remounted on any studio mic stand or boom arm.

Icon Pro looks and feels similar, but is hand-tuned with an extended frequency response; the capsule has a faster rise time speed of 11.67 microseconds. Because it is an XLR broadcast microphone requiring 48 V of phantom power, it offers extended headroom and dynamics. The mic ships with an integrated Triad-Orbit M-2R adapter as well.

Both microphones are currently shipping. Since all components are machined and hand-assembled in Wilton, N.H., the initial launch will cater to U.S. distribution. Icon retails for $349 and Icon Pro sells for $499.

Info: https://earthworksaudio.com

The post Earthworks Audio Debuts Icon Microphones appeared first on Radio World.

Emmis Communications will promote company veteran Taja Graham to become president of its important Indianapolis radio market on March 1.

She’ll succeed Bob Richards.

Graham is currently VP of sales. The company said Richards recommended Graham for the role and that he will pursue other career interests after a transition period.

In the market, Emmis owns news/talk WIBC(FM), adult contemporary WYXB(FM) “B105,” country WLHK(FM) “Hank FM,” the multi-signal sports/talk “The Fan,” and Network Indiana.

Graham has been with Emmis for 22 years in a variety of radio sales and promotions leadership roles. She is a graduate of the Radio Advertising Bureau’s Mentoring and Inspiring Woman in Radio (MIW) Rising Through the Ranks program.

The change was announced by Chairman and CEO Jeff Smulyan.

Bob Richards has also been an executive with Cumulus and Susquehanna. Smulyan commended him for his successes with revenue and ratings at Emmis Indianapolis.

The post Emmis Tabs Graham for Indy Market appeared first on Radio World.

Three petitioners are firing back at the National Association of Broadcasters in their debate about the radio duplication rule and whether the Federal Communications Commission allowed a last-minute “switcheroo” before voting to kill it.

The petitioners are REC Networks, musicFIRST Coalition and Future of Music Coalition. At issue is whether the FCC acted properly last year when it ended the rule for commercial FM stations as well as AMs.

The three groups want to overturn the inclusion of FMs. Their petition, filed in November, has been the subject of strongly worded back-and-forth comments filed with the FCC.

The former rule prohibited commercial AM and FM stations from duplicating more than 25 percent of an average week’s programming on commonly-owned stations in the same service (AM or FM), in the same geographic market.

The FCC last August killed it by a 3–2 vote in part to “help struggling stations stay on the air” and help with a potential voluntary digital transition in AM. It also called the change part of its effort to streamline and modernize its media rules.

But the draft order that the FCC had published ahead of that meeting explicitly said the rule was to be changed only for commercial AM stations. Shortly before the day of the vote, FM stations were added to the proposal.

The critics, which believe this change will inevitably lead to less program diversity, said the FCC added FM after the NAB lobbied Republican commissioners “on the literal eve of the applicable Sunshine Agenda Period.” They said this timing effectively prevented others from further advocating prior to the vote.

So in November they asked the FCC to revoke the FM part of the decision. They believe the FCC violated due process in allowing a “180 degree switcheroo” after NAB had made a critical last-minute presentation without due public discussion.

NAB countered with a vigorous filing this month, as we’ve reported. It said the FCC vote was justified, that the critics didn’t understand the business fundamentals of radio, and that musicFirst and FMC were being “retaliatory” because of the separate issue of performance royalties. [Read more on NAB’s filing.]

Now the three groups are criticizing the NAB for making an “ad hominem attack.” They say in their reply comments that the NAB didn’t even try to address their complaint that the FCC failed to follow proper procedures.

“Instead, NAB asks the commission to simply accept its unsupported assertion that there is so little demand by broadcasters for program duplication on commonly-owned FM stations, that the commission shouldn’t worry about radio owners actually taking advantage of the rule change,” they wrote.

“NAB’s argument fails to take into account that larger corporate owners of FM radio stations could engage in widespread local duplication of FM programming in the wake of this needlessly drastic rule change … Such widespread duplication of programming would necessarily harm the public interest in program diversity at local market levels.”

The groups pointed out that another critic, Common Frequency, said the FCC broke its own rules by failing to issue a public notice about NAB’s ex parte meeting until after the vote. Common Frequency also said the NAB and FCC both publicly misidentified the recipients of NAB’s presentation as the Media Bureau, not the majority commissioners who had the authority to vote on the matter.

The three groups concluded by again calling for the FCC to reinstate the FM portion of the rule. Instead they want the commission to monitor waiver applications for local FM duplication of programming “in order to determine how often, and under what types of circumstances, owners seek relief from the rule designed to protect the public interest in programming diversity on local FM airwaves.”

The post Duplication Rule Vote Lacked Due Process, Critics Say appeared first on Radio World.

NAPLES, FLA. —Beasley Broadcast Group wholly owned subsidiary Beasley Mezzanine Holdings has announced that it intends to offer $280 million in aggregate principal amount of senior secured notes, subject to market and other conditions.

It can do so to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and outside the United States in compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act.

Beasley says the notes are expected to be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the company and each of Beasley’s existing domestic majority owned subsidiaries and certain future material domestic majority owned subsidiaries on a senior secured first-priority basis, subject to certain exceptions, limitations and permitted liens.

It’s a new debt for old debt swap.

Beasley Mezzanine Holdings expects to use the net proceeds of this offering to repay in full existing indebtedness under the company’s senior secured credit facilities and certain other indebtedness, with remaining proceeds to be added to BMH’s balance sheet and used for general corporate purposes.

The Notes and related guarantees will not be registered under the Securities Act, or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.

— GlobeNewswire

Over the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, word surfaced that The E.W. Scripps Co. was enjoying strong after-hours trading for its stock because of a report offered by a Smarter Analyst Wall Street observer that took note of a Securities and Exchange Commission disclosure from noted investor Warren Buffett.

While Smart Analyst’s Ben Mahaney said Buffett’s “Berkshire Hathaway” has snagged “a 24.9% passive stake” in Scripps, that’s not what’s happening.

According to Scripps, Buffett is helping Scripps out with its ION Media purchase.

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Earthworks Audio has introduced its Icon USB and Icon Pro XLR microphones, both intended for use in podcasting, remote working, streaming and home recording.

The condenser-type Icon USB offers a frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz, used a cardioid polar pattern, and can take on up to 132 dB. Meanwhile, the phantom-powered Icon Pro expands on those specs with a frequency response of 20 Hz to 30 kHz and a maximum acoustic input of 139 dB. Both versions weigh 1.5 pounds.

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

Designed with an eye towards providing visual flair for those who appear on camera with their mics, the Icon series mics are stainless-steel constructed. Earthworks partnered with Triad-Orbit to design and build a custom desktop microphone stand that ships with the Icon microphones. The integrated M-2R swivel ball joint can be disconnected and re-mounted on any studio mic stand or boom arm.

Icon Pro looks and feels similar, but is hand tuned with an extended frequency response; the capsule has a faster rise time speed of 11.67 microseconds. Because it is an XLR broadcast microphone requiring 48 V of phantom power, it offers extended headroom and dynamics. The mic ships with an integrated Triad-Orbit M-2R adapter as well.

Both microphones are currently shipping. Since all components are machined and hand-assembled in Wilton, N.H., the initial launch will cater to U.S. distribution. Icon retails for $349 and Icon Pro sells for $499.

Info: https://earthworksaudio.com

The post Earthworks Audio Debuts Icon Microphones appeared first on Radio World.

Four years ago, the American Enterprise Institute played a key role in establishing a policy and regulatory path for an FCC under Republican Party control, led by Chairman Ajit Pai.

As AEI visiting scholar Mark Jamison looks back on the Commission’s Trump-era actions, as it concludes January 20, he believes Pai will be remembered “as one of the most consequential Federal Communications Commission chairmen in history.”

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Digigram announced three directors to a new management team.

The French audio manufacturer named CFO Florence Marchal to be director of finance, human resources and legal affairs. She joined the company in 2000.

Nancy Diaz Curiel was appointed director of sales, marketing and communications. Based in Singapore, she has overseen Asian and Pacific operations including products distribution.

Xavier Allanic, who has been VP Sales EMEA and Americas since 2018, becomes director of operations.

Jérémie Weber, CEO since 2017, remains chairman of Digigram Group. “This position now allows him to better focus on the group’s global strategy, oversee investment prospects, growth projects and secure relations with shareholders.”

The post Digigram Names New Management Team appeared first on Radio World.

MIAMI BEACH — Normally, a collection of some of the broadcast TV industry’s most influential figures, from Nexstar Media Group founder Perry Sook to Byron Allen, can be found walking the halls of the Fontainebleau while attending a major global conference that also regularly attracts key representatives from top media brokerage Kalil & Co.

This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NATPE Miami conference is a virtual affair. And, it kicks off Tuesday (1/19) with four days of sessions that very much includes production — in addition to content, research and investment.

Indeed, the key themes for each day include Revenue (Investment, Advertising, & Subscription), Audience (Research, Marketing & Promotion), Content (Acquisition & Distribution Sales), and Production (new content).

Additional topics include Station Groups, and Web Series.

The January 19 sessions are focused on Revenue topics. For January 20, Audience is the track of choice. Then, on Thursday and Friday, respectively, are Content and Production sessions.

“The BIG Opening,” scheduled for 9am Pacific/Noon Eastern/6pm CET, is focused on the vision of television in 2021 and features a “fireside” conversation with an industry leader. 

As RBR+TVBR previously reported, it’s a two-part affair that begins with NBCUniversal Television and Streaming Chairman Mark Lazarus participating in an interview with NBC News’ TODAY co-host Hoda Kotb.

That’s followed by an interview with Univision Communications Chief Digital Officer Sameer Deen, conducted by familiar NATPE Miami presenter Sara Fischer, the Axios journalist.

The two-part opener lasts an hour, and that’s followed by a 45-minute session those in the tech world that serve the broadcast TV industry may want to sit in on.

“A New Day for TV Stations” starts with a presentation from Nielsen VP of Audience Insights Justin LaPorte precede a panel discussion moderated by veteran Hispanic media executive Court Stroud. He’ll chat it up with Catherine Herkovic, EVP and Managing Director of Local Television for Nielsen, and the SVP for NBC’s COZI TV multicast network and newly launched millennial-focused NBCLX offering, Meredith McGinn.

And, there’s a digital session that is likely of interest to many.

For those focused on Production, a full day of sessions on Friday is likely of keen interest.

The day kicks off with a discussion on MVPDs and the “programming, packaging, and promotion of content.” Then, there is a discussion on international co-productions, followed by what could be a very lively chat on whether or not  networks and local stations creating opportunities for affordable content in 2021.

In this two-part session, a leading distributor, Ira Bernstein, discusses the push and pull of the deal. The second part sees no-longer-retired comedian and Tonight Show host Jay Leno discuss his return to broadcast TV with the remake of the classic game show “You Bet Your Life.” He’s joined by Co-Host Kevin Eubanks and Producers Tom Werner and David Hurwitz.

Other highlights include a 1pm Wednesday conversation with FOX Television Stations CEO Jack Abernethy on the best strategic practices for retaining and growing audiences. That’s followed by a discussion between Meredith Vieira, Sherri Shepherd, and FOX EVP/Programming and Development Stephen Brown on the creative side of content as an uplifting force, especially in difficult times.

— With reporting from Adam R Jacobson

To download the full agenda, please click here.

Swagger Institute, P1 Learning and the National Alliance of State Broadcasters Associations (NASBA) have teamed up to again provide a virtual sales and management training summit.

The two-day event, branded “Rising Above,” is scheduled for January 27-28.

Featured participants include Arland Communications President and founder Dave Arland, Media Staffing Network CEO Laurie Kahn, and Bonnie Hagemann, who serves as CEO of Executive Development Associates, a boutique consulting firm specializing in top-of-the-range executive development.

Rising Above will also feature live entertainment from BMI recording act LOCASH and singer/songwriter Patrick Woolam.

Registration for Rising Above is free for those with membership to some 29 participating state broadcasters associations.

“Speed and I are so excited about our January event”, said Swagger Institute founder Derron Steenbergen, whose business is expressly designed to reinvigorate a sales organization. “Rising Above says what our industry and our broadcasters must be and do. Do we have challenges? Yes. But in these stressful times comes opportunity and embracing the blessings in this storm is crucial to not only surviving this, but actually thriving in it. Our industry is strong, and our people are resilient. Simply, Rising Above is about reminding us why we have been successful and outlining a path so we continue to rise.”

For more information about Rising Above: A Virtual Sales & Management Summit, visit risingabovesummit.com