Industry News

Believe it or not, we are just two months away from the 2021-2022 Upfronts. But, what’s different this year are presentations that reflect an internal reorganization that blends together sales, operations, content and distribution.

This single organization approach has very much changed the selling process, and we’re wondering what the biggest change for TV as we prep for the next season.

Providing the answer, and more, in this podcast, presented by DOT.fm: Jay Prasad, Chief Strategy Officer at LiveRamp TV.

Listen to “The InFOCUS Podcast: Jay Prasad, LiveRamp TV” on Spreaker.

A new webinar focused on the features of The Telos Alliance‘s Axia iQs is planned for St. Patrick’s Day. The online event will offer broadcasters a learning opportunity on how to control their mix anywhere, on any device, for optimum remote broadcast and virtual workflows.

The webinar, “Virtual Mixing with Axia iQs Console Software,” will be held at 1pm Eastern on March 17.

It serves as a coming-out party, if you will, for the Axia iQs AES67 Mixing Console Software.

According to Telos, it the first soft console controlled via HTML-5, allowing users to control a mix from anywhere and across devices and operating systems.

In this webinar, Telos Alliance’s Kirk Harnack and iQs developer Milos Nemcik demonstrate how the Axia iQs “delivers virtualization’s promise of added scalability, adaptability, cost efficiencies, simple deployment, and reliability, with demos, examples of how to deploy iQs” in a way that best fits your company’s needs.

Those interested in attending the webinar can sign up here.

For those that are unable to attend, Telos Alliance recommends signing up anyways, and a recording of the webinar will be sent via email.

It’s business focus is the same. But, the technology infrastructure company founded in May 2019 as Public Media Group has rebranded.

PMG is now Signal Infrastructure Group (SIG) while it recommits to delivering ATSC 3.0-focused products to public and commercial broadcasters.

“As a company, we serve the entire broadcast industry,” said SIG CEO Joe Chinnici, who believes the company’s old name limited its potential consumer reach. “We feel it is important that our name reflects our mission to serve both commercial and public
broadcasters with our physical and digital infrastructure.”

Having recently launched a new software platform, SIG’s products now include those designed to improve facilitating market transitions; designing, building and operating Single Frequency Networks to enhance signal density; workflow orchestration software to manage and configure the flow of information; and products designed to allow broadcasters to launch new interactive, NextGen applications.

Users of the FreeWheel Strata ad management platform now have access to a single source of insights, giving them greater knowledge of how to budget for a cross-media campaign from the Comcast Company-owned system.

Introducing the Strata platform Data Warehouse, which Comcast says is interoperable with agencies’ existing business intelligence solutions.

“Advertisers have historically faced several challenges when accessing and analyzing insights into their advertising campaigns,” Comcast says. “They often pull insights from multiple locations and platforms, which provide a fragmented look at their media performance. The process of multiple data interfaces can also be cumbersome and time consuming even for the most seasoned data analysts.”

Strata Data Warehouse users are promised a simple, consolidated multimarket cross-media report, something FreeWheel Chief Revenue Officer Mark McKee says is a “must” in today’s ad environment.

“This is valuable time that can be used to put these new insights to work to power the planning, execution, and optimization of their media campaigns,” he says.

Data Warehouse will be available to all Strata users in April and is currently being used in beta phase by five Strata agencies, including Harmelin.

Cooper-Smith, a full-service media agency headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, has also been using Data Warehouse to access and analyze campaign data.

Later this quarter, FreeWheel will be launching the next phase of Data Warehouse that will include deeper analytic tools. These capabilities, says Comcast, will provide “extensive functionality to all agency users – from buying and planning to finance teams. The tool will provide visual reporting options, drag and drop functionality and customization based on users’ needs.”

German converter manufacturer Ferrofish has added the new +24dBu I/O model to its Pulse16 Series of AD/DA converters. The new modification increases the maximum input and output level from +20dBu to +24dBu, an important upgrade for American broadcasters requiring proper headroom.

“One of the core components at Ferrofish is providing end-users with cost-effective, high-performing converting solutions,” said Derek Badala, Director of Sales for the Americas for Synthax, the regiona distributor of Ferrofish products. “This new modification is no different, offering US broadcasters with the tool they need to help them get the best possible audio experience.”

With the new Pulse16 +24dBu I/O modification, maximum input and output levels are increased from +20dBu to +24dBu (in steps of 1 dB), complying with the American SMPTE guidelines which call for +24dBu levels for the analog portion to keep all analog and digital levels uniform.

The Pulse16 is a high-density converter providing 16 x 16 balanced analog TRS I/O. Thanks to its Cirrus Logic converter chips, the Pulse16 operates with an active digital jitter elimination, which compensates shifts or jitters in the audio signal and provides audio engineers with the highest-quality audio possible. The Pulse16 family now includes the Pulse16 DX, Pulse16 MX and the original Pulse16. The new +24dBu I/O model is available for all Pulse16 versions.

In addition to the new Pulse16 +24dBu I/O model, Ferrofish also recently announced a new Pulse16 CV Out, perfect for users working with modular synths using CV/Gate technology.

For more information, visit ferrofish.com.

In American broadcasting SMPTE guidelines call for +24dBu (decibel) levels for the analog portions of audio in order to keep all analog and digital levels uniform. This new Ferrofish Pulse16 model’s input and output levels are increased from +20dBu level (what the old version was) to the new +24dBu level to comply with SMPTE’s guidelines.

Widelity describes itself as a “provider of business and network engineering consulting services for broadcasting and telecom service operators.”

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

It is pointing out a need that many broadcasters are encountering in the COVID pandemic — lack of staffing for fulfilling online public information file (OPIF) maintenance requirements. It is offering itself as a third-party contractor for such services.

The consultancy offers many FCC-related services for broadcasters such as license renewal assistance, compliance audits, EEO compliance monitoring and more.

Widelity’s Mike Lasky and Jim Glogowski specialize in helping stations maintain and keep current on filings.

Info: https://widelity.com/

 

The post Widelity Targets Public File Compliance appeared first on Radio World.

Radio and television broadcasting companies publicly trading on U.S. financial markets mostly enjoyed a strong start to the new week.

Monday’s trading saw gains of significance for Salem Media Group, Sinclair Broadcast Group, ViacomCBS, Disney and Cumulus Media.

That said, Veritone Inc. suffered another dip of significance, falling $4.29 to $28.92 to continue a retreat from a recent growth trend for the audio attribution technology company actively seeking TV and radio clients.

 

The FCC has issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture to the licensee of a low-powered FM radio station in Bryan, Ohio, for the apparent willful violation of section 73.3539 of the Rules, resulting in the willful and repeated violation of section 301 of the Communications Act — the broadcasters’ regulatory Bible.

What, exactly, went wrong? This LPFM’s license renewal application was sent in too late.

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Radioplayer said its metadata will be used starting next year in new BMW cars in Europe.

“The partnership will see BMW Group using official broadcaster metadata from Radioplayer’s Worldwide Radioplayer API (WRAPI) to help create a brilliant radio interface,” the nonprofit group said in its announcement.

Radioplayer has an existing partnership with Audi/VW Group.

“BMW Group and Radioplayer will be delivering the best possible radio experience in the car, by keeping broadcast radio at its heart, enhanced by complementary metadata delivered over the internet. This guarantees a rich digital experience in BMW Group cars, while also being easy to use, with radio station search via an A-Z list, and high-resolution station logos on the screen.”

The announcement was made by Radioplayer Managing Director Michael Hill.

He said, “Together we will be delivering the next-generation smart radio interfaces that listeners expect. The agreement with BMW Group is based on our unique Radioplayer model, collaborating through us with our thousands of international member stations to keep radio strong.”

Related:

“Radioplayer Expands in Europe”

“Radioplayer Demos Three-Way Hybrid App”

The post Radioplayer, BMW Working Together appeared first on Radio World.

On Thursday (3/4), RBR+TVBR was first to share just how Salem Media Group successfully turned its financial fortunes from shaky to sturdy. Digital and publishing revenue growth fueled the impressive Q4, which sparked investor interest.

Now, an influential Wall Street blog declares that the company focused on Conservative Talk radio programming and Christian-themed content “is possibly approaching a major achievement in its business.”

That would be a profit.

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