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In a recent letter, Ira Wilner wrote to say that people should be using W-Fi streaming rather than Part 15 transmissions for outdoor events.

Were latency not a considerable issue, he would be right. However, using Wi-FI streaming systems can give as much as two seconds latency, which is very disconcerting when you are watching someone speak.

There are some streaming systems out there that claim to reduce this latency but they are not inexpensive and they can still do nothing about the receiving half of the system.

There is, sadly, still a need for leaky coax AM systems taped to parking lot surfaces today.

Scott Dorsey

Read more opinions about Part 15 and unlicensed radio broadcasts.

The post Letter: Part 15 Options appeared first on Radio World.

In a recent letter, Ira Wilner wrote to say that people should be using W-Fi streaming rather than Part 15 transmissions for outdoor events.

Were latency not a considerable issue, he would be right. However, using Wi-FI streaming systems can give as much as two seconds latency, which is very disconcerting when you are watching someone speak.

There are some streaming systems out there that claim to reduce this latency but they are not inexpensive and they can still do nothing about the receiving half of the system.

There is, sadly, still a need for leaky coax AM systems taped to parking lot surfaces today.

Scott Dorsey

Read more opinions about Part 15 and unlicensed radio broadcasts.

The post Letter: Part 15 Options appeared first on Radio World.

WKNC’s Jamie Lynn Gilbert and WXAV’s Peter Kreten

 

Author Rob Quicke is founder of the College Radio Foundation and College Radio Day, and a professor at William Paterson University, New Jersey.

Across the United States, and indeed the world, college stations have been coming to terms with the start of the new academic year, and how that would impact their operations.

Earlier this year the Federal Communications Commission recognized the challenging operational situations for many college radio stations and made allowances.

Attorney David Oxenford wrote: “The FCC in March allowed noncommercial radio stations licensed to educational institutions to consider periods when schools were closed for in-person instruction as school breaks or ‘recess’ periods when the minimum operating schedule for these stations did not apply.”

For stations that are still online, that guidance still applies, but “If your school has welcomed students back to campus and is operating other student activities, then the question gets murkier.”

Oxenford suggests that in “situations where schools are open or partially open to students, if the station cannot meet the minimum operating requirements … the FCC will likely be willing to grant a station temporary authority to remain silent.”

For many radio stations, studios have been physically off-limits for months, as college administrators shut down facilities awaiting hopeful developments in the fight against the global pandemic. Recently that window has been closing, with many colleges electing to bring back some students to campus in a limited fashion.

Some stations never ceased broadcasting operations but found ingenious technological ways to harness the students’ talents remotely and kept programming going throughout the summer. Now college radio enters a time where great hopes are matched by equally great fears.

“Quarantine Takeover”

A resurgence of the virus is the primary worry for many in college radio.

“Our fear, like everyone else, is that we will have a failure of social distancing and common sense that leads to a second bad wave of illnesses and a return to limited access or closures on campus. We are planning for that unfortunate potential,” said John Devecka, operations manager at WLOY, Loyola University in Maryland, in late summer.

The impact of the pandemic earlier did not affect WLOY’s ability to continue producing radio.

“Over the course of the closed spring semester we were able to send microphones and/or headsets to a number of key regular DJs and staff to make sure that people had the ability to produce a solid show from home,” he said.

Recently, WLOY has gone further. “We started a special series of ‘Quarantine Takeover’ shows based on our normal in-station ‘Studio Seizure’ shows where musicians become the DJs for an hour. The Takeover shows are created by the musicians in their home studios for us and have been rolling in from all over the world,” said Devecka.

Many college radio stations also took similar actions and have been able to continue to produce content remotely.

But the prospect of continuing like this, operating remotely indefinitely, is concerning for many. There are ongoing consequences that being online only or limiting the amount of time spent in the radio station studios will have on the training and experience that the students will now receive.

Lance Liguez is faculty advisor for UTA Radio.com at the University of Texas at Arlington.

“My hope is that students will be able to return for a sustained period of time and receive hands-on training in board operation and on-air performance.” When he spoke, the plan was to come back in late August with social distancing mandates in the studio, cleaning protocols, and disposable mic covers.

He acknowledged that running a board virtually is possible but said expense is an obstacle. “My university, like many others, is in cost-cutting mode. Getting back into the studio means a chance to further hone on-air and production skills for our advanced students, who conduct shows ranging from sports talk to R&B hits,” he says. “Then there’s the students new to broadcasting. We typically have around 40 every fall semester, all of whom need to be physically in front of the board.”

Not being able to have access to real, hands-on experience will affect the students’ development and knowledge, and is a fear shared by many in college radio.

Loss of revenue

It’s not just the loss of valuable hands-on experience that causes concern, but also the loss of underwriting revenue coming into the station.

At WKNC 88.1 FM HD-1/HD-2 at North Carolina State University, there has already been a real economic cost to the pandemic. Jamie Lynn Gilbert, associate director of student media, can measure the impact of COVID-19.

“We get a sizable chunk of revenue from airing Wolfpack women’s basketball and baseball games each year. We lost several thousand dollars when the season was cut short and we won’t see any revenue if the seasons aren’t able to start safely,” she said.

“We also rely on money earned during a two-night benefit concert every February. While we are brainstorming ways to make this happen, I don’t expect to earn $5,000 from ticket sales in just a few months. Some of our major underwriting clients — local music venues — still haven’t reopened, so there is a loss there as well.”

Despite these disruptions, college radio stations are adapting to the precautions needed to continue producing in-person radio during this time, and this is true at WKNC.

“We have mask and cleaning requirements, along with a one-hour break between live DJs,” Gilbert said. “We had 15 DJs come back and added another 20 with the start of the new semester on Aug. 10. That’s less than half what we normally see in a semester, but it’s not surprising.”

Despite these effects, there is hope. Adapting to these challenging circumstances means that there has been a necessary refocusing for some college radio stations, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Hannah Copeland is general manager of 90.5 KCSU at Colorado State University. “My hope is that more virtual school time will reinvigorate an interest in producing work besides radio, because most of the jobs out there are in audio production, writing, journalism, and online content creation,” she said.

“There just are not that many jobs for regular radio DJs unless a student is incredibly gifted and in the top 1% of talent. Plus, many of those radio jobs, especially in commercial, don’t seem to be very stable or full time. So, I’m hoping our podcasts, videos, social media and articles grow.”

Despite the uncertainty over the future impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, college stations were busy this summer formulating plans and ideas of how to operate in a variety of circumstances as the academic year now gets underway.

“Smart young people”

Similarly, college media conferences and events have been affected, with many of them becoming online-only in response to the current circumstances.

College Broadcasters Inc. was planning its National Student Electronic Media Convention to take place in Baltimore in late October, but that will now take place entirely online. In a statement to its members, CBI explained its board “has decided, after extensive research and discussion, that this is best for the safety of CBI members and guests.”

Oct. 2 is College Radio Day, an event that typically sees hundreds of college radio stations participate across the country. Recognizing that it is not business as usual for many college stations, College Radio Day is encouraging participating stations to plan on virtual participation and engagement through social media. As organizations embrace new operating models and ideas, college radio stations are doing the same.

At WLOY, John Devecka says that even though they are not on campus, where there’s a will, there’s a way.

“We are closed for the fall officially now, so our student exec team has been working hard to plan new ways of engagement with our scattered staff, DJs and student body. It’s going to be a challenge, but we’ve got smart young people who will make it work.”

This optimism is echoed by Peter Kreten, director of student media at Saint Xavier University in Chicago and general manager of WXAV 88.3 FM. Kreten finds reasons for optimism in the face of an uncertain future. Because of COVID-19, there has been an acceleration towards embracing technologies and practices that were already underway.

“I see hope. Over the last few years, college radio has begun an evolution. This evolution is seeing students, faculty, and advisors embracing new technologies and practices, while providing students with an educational experience like none other. It is truly an exciting time.”

Despite serious concerns, it’s possible that there might be unexpected benefits to a situation that a few months ago no one could have imagined. Many involved with college radio believe that they are more than capable of rising to the challenge of this moment.

Comment on this or any story. Email radioworld@futurenet.com with “Letter to the Editor” in the subject field.

The post College Radio: Great Hopes, Great Fears appeared first on Radio World.

WKNC’s Jamie Lynn Gilbert and WXAV’s Peter Kreten

 

Author Rob Quicke is founder of the College Radio Foundation and College Radio Day, and a professor at William Paterson University, New Jersey.

Across the United States, and indeed the world, college stations have been coming to terms with the start of the new academic year, and how that would impact their operations.

Earlier this year the Federal Communications Commission recognized the challenging operational situations for many college radio stations and made allowances.

Attorney David Oxenford wrote: “The FCC in March allowed noncommercial radio stations licensed to educational institutions to consider periods when schools were closed for in-person instruction as school breaks or ‘recess’ periods when the minimum operating schedule for these stations did not apply.”

For stations that are still online, that guidance still applies, but “If your school has welcomed students back to campus and is operating other student activities, then the question gets murkier.”

Oxenford suggests that in “situations where schools are open or partially open to students, if the station cannot meet the minimum operating requirements … the FCC will likely be willing to grant a station temporary authority to remain silent.”

For many radio stations, studios have been physically off-limits for months, as college administrators shut down facilities awaiting hopeful developments in the fight against the global pandemic. Recently that window has been closing, with many colleges electing to bring back some students to campus in a limited fashion.

Some stations never ceased broadcasting operations but found ingenious technological ways to harness the students’ talents remotely and kept programming going throughout the summer. Now college radio enters a time where great hopes are matched by equally great fears.

“Quarantine Takeover”

A resurgence of the virus is the primary worry for many in college radio.

“Our fear, like everyone else, is that we will have a failure of social distancing and common sense that leads to a second bad wave of illnesses and a return to limited access or closures on campus. We are planning for that unfortunate potential,” said John Devecka, operations manager at WLOY, Loyola University in Maryland, in late summer.

The impact of the pandemic earlier did not affect WLOY’s ability to continue producing radio.

“Over the course of the closed spring semester we were able to send microphones and/or headsets to a number of key regular DJs and staff to make sure that people had the ability to produce a solid show from home,” he said.

Recently, WLOY has gone further. “We started a special series of ‘Quarantine Takeover’ shows based on our normal in-station ‘Studio Seizure’ shows where musicians become the DJs for an hour. The Takeover shows are created by the musicians in their home studios for us and have been rolling in from all over the world,” said Devecka.

Many college radio stations also took similar actions and have been able to continue to produce content remotely.

But the prospect of continuing like this, operating remotely indefinitely, is concerning for many. There are ongoing consequences that being online only or limiting the amount of time spent in the radio station studios will have on the training and experience that the students will now receive.

Lance Liguez is faculty advisor for UTA Radio.com at the University of Texas at Arlington.

“My hope is that students will be able to return for a sustained period of time and receive hands-on training in board operation and on-air performance.” When he spoke, the plan was to come back in late August with social distancing mandates in the studio, cleaning protocols, and disposable mic covers.

He acknowledged that running a board virtually is possible but said expense is an obstacle. “My university, like many others, is in cost-cutting mode. Getting back into the studio means a chance to further hone on-air and production skills for our advanced students, who conduct shows ranging from sports talk to R&B hits,” he says. “Then there’s the students new to broadcasting. We typically have around 40 every fall semester, all of whom need to be physically in front of the board.”

Not being able to have access to real, hands-on experience will affect the students’ development and knowledge, and is a fear shared by many in college radio.

Loss of revenue

It’s not just the loss of valuable hands-on experience that causes concern, but also the loss of underwriting revenue coming into the station.

At WKNC 88.1 FM HD-1/HD-2 at North Carolina State University, there has already been a real economic cost to the pandemic. Jamie Lynn Gilbert, associate director of student media, can measure the impact of COVID-19.

“We get a sizable chunk of revenue from airing Wolfpack women’s basketball and baseball games each year. We lost several thousand dollars when the season was cut short and we won’t see any revenue if the seasons aren’t able to start safely,” she said.

“We also rely on money earned during a two-night benefit concert every February. While we are brainstorming ways to make this happen, I don’t expect to earn $5,000 from ticket sales in just a few months. Some of our major underwriting clients — local music venues — still haven’t reopened, so there is a loss there as well.”

Despite these disruptions, college radio stations are adapting to the precautions needed to continue producing in-person radio during this time, and this is true at WKNC.

“We have mask and cleaning requirements, along with a one-hour break between live DJs,” Gilbert said. “We had 15 DJs come back and added another 20 with the start of the new semester on Aug. 10. That’s less than half what we normally see in a semester, but it’s not surprising.”

Despite these effects, there is hope. Adapting to these challenging circumstances means that there has been a necessary refocusing for some college radio stations, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Hannah Copeland is general manager of 90.5 KCSU at Colorado State University. “My hope is that more virtual school time will reinvigorate an interest in producing work besides radio, because most of the jobs out there are in audio production, writing, journalism, and online content creation,” she said.

“There just are not that many jobs for regular radio DJs unless a student is incredibly gifted and in the top 1% of talent. Plus, many of those radio jobs, especially in commercial, don’t seem to be very stable or full time. So, I’m hoping our podcasts, videos, social media and articles grow.”

Despite the uncertainty over the future impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, college stations were busy this summer formulating plans and ideas of how to operate in a variety of circumstances as the academic year now gets underway.

“Smart young people”

Similarly, college media conferences and events have been affected, with many of them becoming online-only in response to the current circumstances.

College Broadcasters Inc. was planning its National Student Electronic Media Convention to take place in Baltimore in late October, but that will now take place entirely online. In a statement to its members, CBI explained its board “has decided, after extensive research and discussion, that this is best for the safety of CBI members and guests.”

Oct. 2 is College Radio Day, an event that typically sees hundreds of college radio stations participate across the country. Recognizing that it is not business as usual for many college stations, College Radio Day is encouraging participating stations to plan on virtual participation and engagement through social media. As organizations embrace new operating models and ideas, college radio stations are doing the same.

At WLOY, John Devecka says that even though they are not on campus, where there’s a will, there’s a way.

“We are closed for the fall officially now, so our student exec team has been working hard to plan new ways of engagement with our scattered staff, DJs and student body. It’s going to be a challenge, but we’ve got smart young people who will make it work.”

This optimism is echoed by Peter Kreten, director of student media at Saint Xavier University in Chicago and general manager of WXAV 88.3 FM. Kreten finds reasons for optimism in the face of an uncertain future. Because of COVID-19, there has been an acceleration towards embracing technologies and practices that were already underway.

“I see hope. Over the last few years, college radio has begun an evolution. This evolution is seeing students, faculty, and advisors embracing new technologies and practices, while providing students with an educational experience like none other. It is truly an exciting time.”

Despite serious concerns, it’s possible that there might be unexpected benefits to a situation that a few months ago no one could have imagined. Many involved with college radio believe that they are more than capable of rising to the challenge of this moment.

Comment on this or any story. Email radioworld@futurenet.com with “Letter to the Editor” in the subject field.

The post College Radio: Great Hopes, Great Fears appeared first on Radio World.

The Federal Communications Commission has been hearing from the National Association of Broadcasters and other interested parties about whether to allow AM band stations to turn on all-digital transmission, and under what parameters.

In addition to publicly filed comments, the NAB, which supports the idea, has made presentations to FCC staff about certain specifics — including whether the FCC should allow Digital Radio Mondiale to be tested in this country. NAB says it should not.

Background

It was in November 2019 that the commission announced its proposal to allow AM stations to broadcast an all-digital signal using the HD in-band on-channel (IBOC) mode known as MA3. This came after a petition from Bryan Broadcasting.

As part of its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the FCC concluded that a voluntary transition to all-digital broadcasting has the potential to benefit AM stations as well as provide improved AM service to the public.

The commission then asked for comment on proposed operating standards and the impact on existing analog stations and listeners. We’ve reported on many of the comments it received.

FCC Audio Division Chief Al Shuldiner told Radio World in September, “Commenters in that proceeding expressed strong industry support for the commission’s proposals to allow AM stations to convert to all-digital operation and we hope to move forward in that proceeding by the end of the year.”

Focusing on specifics, NAB representatives spoke in early September with members of the FCC Media Bureau’s Audio Division about the proposed transition, according to an ex parte filing.

David Layer, NAB’s vice president of advanced engineering, gave technical input on four specific topics: operating rules on power limits, all-digital AM RF mask requirements, potential interference issues, and proposed frequency tolerance standards.

He expressed NAB support for using average power measurements for establishing station operating power for all-digital service. He said this is the method that has been used in the NAB’s PILOT testing as well as by Hubbard station WWFD(AM), which operates under experimental authority.

Layer cited coverage maps created by PILOT and WWFD that showed that these stations have sufficient all-digital coverage without causing objectionable interference.

He also urged the commission not to impose a 1 Hz frequency tolerance on all AM stations, but agreed that it may be appropriate to impose this tolerance on all-digital AM stations. The NAB supports the use of all-digital AM RF masks as proposed by HD Radio parent company Xperi.

Allow Digital Radio Mondiale

Meanwhile another issue raised NAB’s concerns.

In June the DRM Consortium participated in a conference call with members of the FCC Media Bureau’s Audio Division to tell them about DRM’s role as a “superior, flexible and advanced technology solution,” according to Ruxandra Obreja, chair of the DRM Consortium, in a followup letter to the commission.

DRM should have the opportunity to be tested for U.S. domestic use in the AM bands, Obreja argued.

[Read a commentary by Obreja: “Can Digital Radio Standards Coexist?”]

“Such a test would allow for a proper comparison with HD in all-digital AM broadcast and open the possibility of including DRM, either alone or together with HD in the proposed regulation, as a full-digital transmission standard for the AM bands — with the option for simulcast operation alongside analog AM signals from the same transmitter if required,” Obreja said.

“This would also answer the question on the benefits and its attractiveness when compared to and introduced alongside HD Radio.”

She highlighted DRM’s spectral efficiency; its ability to carry multiple audio services including text, emergency warning information and metadata within a 10 kHz signal bandwidth; and its capability to transmit parallel channels in different languages.

DRM also described the benefits of having a receiver able to receive both DRM and HD Radio, as well as analog AM and FM transmissions for the transition period.

“[The] USA would not be the only country in the world envisaging the use of more than one digital radio standard,” Obreja said. “The technical solutions exist; for the listener what matters is that they can listen to all the digital broadcasts available in their country through a common user interface.”

Noting that AM in the U.S. covers large rural areas, she said the fast development of in-car adaptors for DRM would offer easy access to digital radio for owners of legacy cars with only analog AM or HD Radio reception. Letting AM stations have access to both DRM and HD Radio services could provide significant benefits to those broadcasters.

Don’t allow DRM

The NAB had a sharp response to the DRM Consortium’s request, calling it ill-advised and contrary to the FCC’s intent.

The NAB said the commission already selected HD Radio IBOC as the exclusive digital technology approved for AM radio, and that making a change now be extremely disruptive.

“Although HD Radio is a mature and proven technology, there will be important considerations that will enter into a broadcaster’s decision to transition such as the equipment costs to convert, the potential loss of listeners who do not obtain an HD Radio receiver, and perhaps most importantly, regulatory certainty,” wrote NAB Associate General Counsel Larry Walke in a letter to the commission.

“Before pulling the trigger on such a fundamental change to one’s operation, AM broadcasters need every confidence that HD Radio technology will remain the exclusive technical solution for all-digital transmission.”

Any moves to test or otherwise consider DRM as an alternative technology would undercut such confidence, discourage greater adoption of HD Radio and jeopardize the viability of all-digital AM, Walke said, adding that consideration of a second digital radio technology at this juncture could only be harmful to transitions by AM stations.

Regulatory certainty is vital, Walke concluded, and the FCC’s goals to revitalize AM radio can only be furthered if it stays the course.

The NAB urged the commission to wrap up the deal by finally incorporating the NRSC-5 in-band/on-channel Digital Radio System standard into its rules. “This will make it clear that [this] is one and only digital radio system approved for use in the U.S.,” Walke said.

Other public comments on all-digital for AM can be found in the FCC’s ECFS database using Media Bureau docket numbers 19-311 and 13-249.

Related:

Small-Market Owners Caution Against “AM Stereo Situation”

NPR Supports All-Digital, With Caveats

Xperi Urges FCC to Allow All-Digital on AM

 

The post NAB, DRM Spar Over AM Digital for U.S. appeared first on Radio World.

The Federal Communications Commission has been hearing from the National Association of Broadcasters and other interested parties about whether to allow AM band stations to turn on all-digital transmission, and under what parameters.

In addition to publicly filed comments, the NAB, which supports the idea, has made presentations to FCC staff about certain specifics — including whether the FCC should allow Digital Radio Mondiale to be tested in this country. NAB says it should not.

Background

It was in November 2019 that the commission announced its proposal to allow AM stations to broadcast an all-digital signal using the HD in-band on-channel (IBOC) mode known as MA3. This came after a petition from Bryan Broadcasting.

As part of its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the FCC concluded that a voluntary transition to all-digital broadcasting has the potential to benefit AM stations as well as provide improved AM service to the public.

The commission then asked for comment on proposed operating standards and the impact on existing analog stations and listeners. We’ve reported on many of the comments it received.

FCC Audio Division Chief Al Shuldiner told Radio World in September, “Commenters in that proceeding expressed strong industry support for the commission’s proposals to allow AM stations to convert to all-digital operation and we hope to move forward in that proceeding by the end of the year.”

Focusing on specifics, NAB representatives spoke in early September with members of the FCC Media Bureau’s Audio Division about the proposed transition, according to an ex parte filing.

David Layer, NAB’s vice president of advanced engineering, gave technical input on four specific topics: operating rules on power limits, all-digital AM RF mask requirements, potential interference issues, and proposed frequency tolerance standards.

He expressed NAB support for using average power measurements for establishing station operating power for all-digital service. He said this is the method that has been used in the NAB’s PILOT testing as well as by Hubbard station WWFD(AM), which operates under experimental authority.

Layer cited coverage maps created by PILOT and WWFD that showed that these stations have sufficient all-digital coverage without causing objectionable interference.

He also urged the commission not to impose a 1 Hz frequency tolerance on all AM stations, but agreed that it may be appropriate to impose this tolerance on all-digital AM stations. The NAB supports the use of all-digital AM RF masks as proposed by HD Radio parent company Xperi.

Allow Digital Radio Mondiale

Meanwhile another issue raised NAB’s concerns.

In June the DRM Consortium participated in a conference call with members of the FCC Media Bureau’s Audio Division to tell them about DRM’s role as a “superior, flexible and advanced technology solution,” according to Ruxandra Obreja, chair of the DRM Consortium, in a followup letter to the commission.

DRM should have the opportunity to be tested for U.S. domestic use in the AM bands, Obreja argued.

[Read a commentary by Obreja: “Can Digital Radio Standards Coexist?”]

“Such a test would allow for a proper comparison with HD in all-digital AM broadcast and open the possibility of including DRM, either alone or together with HD in the proposed regulation, as a full-digital transmission standard for the AM bands — with the option for simulcast operation alongside analog AM signals from the same transmitter if required,” Obreja said.

“This would also answer the question on the benefits and its attractiveness when compared to and introduced alongside HD Radio.”

She highlighted DRM’s spectral efficiency; its ability to carry multiple audio services including text, emergency warning information and metadata within a 10 kHz signal bandwidth; and its capability to transmit parallel channels in different languages.

DRM also described the benefits of having a receiver able to receive both DRM and HD Radio, as well as analog AM and FM transmissions for the transition period.

“[The] USA would not be the only country in the world envisaging the use of more than one digital radio standard,” Obreja said. “The technical solutions exist; for the listener what matters is that they can listen to all the digital broadcasts available in their country through a common user interface.”

Noting that AM in the U.S. covers large rural areas, she said the fast development of in-car adaptors for DRM would offer easy access to digital radio for owners of legacy cars with only analog AM or HD Radio reception. Letting AM stations have access to both DRM and HD Radio services could provide significant benefits to those broadcasters.

Don’t allow DRM

The NAB had a sharp response to the DRM Consortium’s request, calling it ill-advised and contrary to the FCC’s intent.

The NAB said the commission already selected HD Radio IBOC as the exclusive digital technology approved for AM radio, and that making a change now be extremely disruptive.

“Although HD Radio is a mature and proven technology, there will be important considerations that will enter into a broadcaster’s decision to transition such as the equipment costs to convert, the potential loss of listeners who do not obtain an HD Radio receiver, and perhaps most importantly, regulatory certainty,” wrote NAB Associate General Counsel Larry Walke in a letter to the commission.

“Before pulling the trigger on such a fundamental change to one’s operation, AM broadcasters need every confidence that HD Radio technology will remain the exclusive technical solution for all-digital transmission.”

Any moves to test or otherwise consider DRM as an alternative technology would undercut such confidence, discourage greater adoption of HD Radio and jeopardize the viability of all-digital AM, Walke said, adding that consideration of a second digital radio technology at this juncture could only be harmful to transitions by AM stations.

Regulatory certainty is vital, Walke concluded, and the FCC’s goals to revitalize AM radio can only be furthered if it stays the course.

The NAB urged the commission to wrap up the deal by finally incorporating the NRSC-5 in-band/on-channel Digital Radio System standard into its rules. “This will make it clear that [this] is one and only digital radio system approved for use in the U.S.,” Walke said.

Other public comments on all-digital for AM can be found in the FCC’s ECFS database using Media Bureau docket numbers 19-311 and 13-249.

Related:

Small-Market Owners Caution Against “AM Stereo Situation”

NPR Supports All-Digital, With Caveats

Xperi Urges FCC to Allow All-Digital on AM

 

The post NAB, DRM Spar Over AM Digital for U.S. appeared first on Radio World.

When The Infinite Dial’s P1 survey respondents were quizzed about which audio brands they listened to the most, their use of YouTube for music, and whether they subscribed to SiriusXM satellite radio, most of the results varied considerably by their chosen radio format, as expected.

When asked which radio format P1s over-index (index higher than the total online population) in using audio brands over the past month, Spotify was named by listeners of sports, alternative rock, hip-hop/rap, top 40, R&B and hard rock/heavy metal. Those who prefer to listen to hip-hop/rap, top 40, alternative rock, R&B, contemporary Christian and news/talk also prefer iTunes.

The research suggests that Pandora has a clear lead in most groups, when respondents were asked to name the audio brand they used most often, although Spotify is number one with listeners of hip-hop/rap, top 40 and sports. iHeartRadio is a strong second for those who prefer classic rock, alternative rock and classic hits. Trailing in most groups are Amazon Music and Google Play, although Amazon Music takes second place among listeners of hard rock/heavy metal.

[Read: Infinite Dial Research Suggests a Variety of Topics Attract Podcast Listeners]

When asked about their weekly use of YouTube for music, the research said R&B listeners are in the lead with 57%. Classic rock adherents hold the middle ground with 43%, while classic hits fans bring up the rear with 25%.

Since its inception, satellite radio, now in the form of SiriusXM, has competed for listeners with AM/FM and online media. It has had varying degrees of success with different formats. The Infinite Dial’s report attempted to track the response of  AM/FM listeners in terms of  the number who subscribe to the service.

The research suggested that hard rock/heavy metal takes first place with 39% of its listeners subscribing. Country music listeners represent the median with 25%. The trailing edge is held by contemporary Christian, where just 14% are signed up for SiriusXM.

 

The post Survey Says Pandora Popular in Most Listener Groups appeared first on Radio World.

The pandemic has had a sizable impact on AM/FM car radio listening habits, according to a new survey by Strategy Analytics — including finding that the pandemic has led to a decline in AM/FM usage in-car and a steep decline in interest of radio as a must-have feature.

A new report from market researcher Strategy Analytics called “2020 Infotainment Report: COVID-19 Brings Challenges for In-Car Radio,” which surveyed 4,705 car owners across the U.S., China, France, Germany and Italy to investigate usage of in-car infotainment including AM/FM radio, streaming media and other sources.

[Read: Radio Listening Audiences Rebound Despite Pandemic Impact]

According to the report’s author Derek Viita, who is a senior analyst with Strategy Analytics, 2020 is the year that in-car AM/FM radio has hit the proverbial iceberg. Year over year, interest in radio has steadily declined relative to other sources like streaming or brought-in digital media, the survey found.

“While radio still has unique advantages, the pandemic has only worked to increase adoption of other media sources,” Viita said. “Some radio providers in the West are reporting that their ratings have nose-dived because many of those who listened on their commute have not rejoined from home.”

These findings somewhat contradict other surveys conducted earlier this year. Two separate Nielsen surveys found that radio listenership had rebounded after the initial stages of the pandemic and that despite the pandemic, radio listenership remained strong.

But what is clear about car radio listening is that after years of dominance, traditional radio has reached a turning point as streaming media continues its march onto the dashboard, Viita said. In addition, the survey revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic and its related lockdowns severely curtailed regular commuting journeys, where much of consumers’ radio-listening originates.

This has led to a marked decline in AM/FM usage in-car, and a steep decline in interest of radio as a must-have feature, the survey found. This year’s decrease was surprisingly sharp in certain Western markets, he said, where commuting and other regular shorter-distance trips have been curtailed.

“With these regular trips curtailed, are folks just ‘not missing’ their car radio?” Viita asked. “[It] remains to be seen whether this is a one-year aberration or the start of an accelerated trend.”

[Read: Amidst Stay-at-Home Orders, Radio Listenership Remains Strong]

Diving deeper into an executive summary of the report, the survey found that streaming media has had a steady year-over-year increase both in terms of daily/weekly usage. That surge has happened more quickly in China with streaming ranking number one over AM/FM radio for usage and interest among car owners.

Looking ahead, the post-pandemic future of radio is unchartered territory. As systems like Android Automotive embed media apps as standard, this will put additional pressure on radio, said Kevin Nolan, vice president of the UX Innovation Practice, a segment of Strategy Analytics.

“Provided that these systems allow quick and easy login, [heaving] direct access to streamed content without having to deal with Bluetooth or device cables will result in further adoption and consumption,” he said. “Broadcasters, product planners and UI designers must immediately reconsider how, when and why listeners consume entertainment and information and across which platforms.”

The report suggested that designers and product planners should consider a number of key issues over the coming months. What are some new ways that broadcasters can reach car owners during the pandemic? Are there unmet needs for satellite radio users or integrated screen users — like users of Apple Car Play — that broadcasting should consider? As the next-generation of automated systems come online, which infotainment sources will become more desirable and which will fade away?

What broadcasters need to do, Viita suggested, is to think about new ways to reach viewers during and after this pandemic environment.

“Clearly a large chunk of listeners — commuters who might listen to a certain program going to or from an office — have not rejoined from home,” Viita said. “Broadcasters need to find new ways to reach car owners during the pandemic, to ensure they’ll rejoin after it.”

Viita explained the discrepancy between the findings here and other surveys by clarifying that the Strategy Analytics survey only speaks to car-specific radio usage/interest. “In the car: radio’s not going anywhere,” Viita said. “Despite these year-over-year declines in usage and interest, it’s still number one in the car in the West (and top two in China).”

Radio has power: In a separate consumer survey, Strategy Analytics found that radio remains important for certain activities, such as work commutes. “It’s convenient: no need for a separate device [or] cord to connect a device; no need to spend time to actively choose a specific song or artist; no need to think about whether the commute would be long enough to hear all the content (e.g. an entire podcast),” Viita said. “It’s also utilitarian — it has all the information they need, they feel productive by catching up on news/current affairs, they can learn what’s trending, etc.”

For better or worse, two things are true when it comes to in-car audio trends, Viita said. One, a widening segment is adopting streaming media as their primary source in the car. On the other hand, radio remains tailor-made for the car, especially commutes, he said.

 

The post 2020 Is the Year That Radio Hits a “Proverbial Iceberg,” Survey Says appeared first on Radio World.

FTiare, iStock Getty Images Plus

COVID-19 notwithstanding, the show must go on — the 2020 Radio Show, to be precise. In a nod to pandemic realities, this year’s lineup of sessions will be presented over five days online at www.radioshowweb.com starting Oct. 5.

The show is produced by the National Association of Broadcasters and the Radio Advertising Bureau. There will be two online “channels,” with Channel B devoted to technical topics, presented from 3:30 to 4 p.m. ET each day.

Tech topics to be covered on the “B” channel include hybrid radio, all-digital transmission on the AM band, the connected car, and the evolution of broadcasting technology and workflows.

These sessions are programmed by Skip Pizzi, NAB’s vice president of technology education and outreach, and David Layer, NAB’s VP of advanced engineering.

For Pizzi, the challenge of programming online content is compounded by the fact that everyone has been going it the past several months.

“I think of it this way: When you’re the first one in the neighborhood to have a talking dog, everybody thinks it’s amazing that it talks at all,” Pizzi told Radio World. “But once everybody else’s dog starts talking, people start complaining about funny accents and bad grammar.”

What follows is a thematic summary of five Radio Show sessions focused on technology and engineering.

Monday — Hybrid Radio

The first technical session will focus on hybrid radio, a technology that allows a web-connected receiver to enhance broadcast audio with web-delivered graphics or to automatically switch between broadcast and streamed radio feeds as required so listeners never lose the station they’re tuned to. See related story.

All-Digital AM Radio (Tuesday)

Advocates of all-digital transmission on the AM band in the United States believe that the FCC should allow such operation, at broadcasters’ discretion, so AM stations could improve their station sound and take full advantage of the growing number of HD Radio receivers.

To date, only two U.S. AM stations have made the leap, which requires temporary experimental authorization from the FCC.

“This session will be a progress/update report on all-digital AM radio, which the Radio Show has been covering for a while,” said Pizzi. “We’ll hear from WWFD’s Chief Engineer Dave Kolesar [of Hubbard Radio], who’s been a real champion for this technology using Xperi’s HD Radio MA3 broadcast mode, as well as Brian Walsh from WIOE in Ft. Wayne, Ind.”

WIOE subsequently ended its experiment, at least for now, while WWFD continues in all-digital.

Radio and the Connected Car (Wednesday)

Xperi SVP Broadcast Joe D’Angelo is expected to discuss the recent Xperi/TiVo merger and the role radio can play in the web-connected car of today and tomorrow.

Xperi is familiar to Radio World readers as the parent of HD Radio and of the hybrid radio platform DTS Connected Radio. Its brands also include DTS, IMAX Enhanced, Invensas and Perceive.

[Related: “Why the Xperi/TiVo Deal Matters for Radio”]

“In a time when consumers want personalized and seamless access to entertainment anywhere, anytime and on any device, the combined company will offer consumers a digital entertainment platform featuring an end-to-end entertainment experience, from choice to consumption,” the company has said of the merger.

In a June email, an Xperi representative wrote that the merger brings TiVo’s metadata platform to Xperi’s hybrid radio platform.

“The solutions this merger is poised to bring to broadcasters, automakers and their consumers, take radio and the digital dashboard to a completely new level of discovery and engagement, offering drivers a safe, efficient, more personalized way to discover radio content, all presented with the text/image richness they demand in a digital platform,” she wrote.

“Radio broadcasters retain control of content, with increased engagement and analytical insights, and automakers have access to a turnkey global solution that is secure and will be supported around the world.”

Separately, research suggests that finding a place in web-connected vehicles matters more than ever. According to the Spring 2020 Smart Audio Report from Edison Research and NPR, 36% of U.S. adult smart speaker owners have been listening to more music/entertainment content on their streaming devices since the outbreak, with 52% of 18- to 34-year-olds saying the same thing.

When more people resume driving to work, many may continue listening to streaming in their cars rather than returning to broadcast radio.

The Evolution of Radio Broadcasting Technologies (Thursday and Friday)

The final two technical sessions will consider the evolution of radio broadcasting technologies.

Thursday’s will examine radio’s transition from a traditional hardware-based infrastructure to IP technology, software-based production/playout and working in the cloud. On Friday, the focus will be on next-generation HD Radio technology.

At press time, speakers were being finalized; Pizzi expected that the rosters would include manufacturers and broadcasters.

“The very nature of radio broadcasting is changing,” he said. “With so much going into the cloud and the virtual world, the day may soon come when most of radio’s technical investment is spent on op-ex [operating expenses on services] rather than cap-ex [capital expenses on hardware and equipment], and these sessions will discuss that transition.”

Channel “A” sessions of the Radio Show include a “CEO Townhall” with Bob Pittman of iHeartMedia, Mary Berner of Cumulus Media and David Field of Entercom Communications; the Radio Mercury Awards on Tuesday evening; and a “One-on-One With Byron Allen the founder, chairman and CEO of Allen Media Group LLC/Entertainment Studios.

Honors for Perry

Russell M. Perry will receive the NAB National Radio Award on Monday Oct. 5.

He is described by the National Association of Broadcasters as “a trailblazing media entrepreneur, a champion of journalism and a celebrated humanitarian in his community.”

The association noted that Perry began his radio career in 1993 with the founding of Perry Publishing & Broadcasting Co. and the purchase of an AM station in Oklahoma City, Okla.

“Since then, he has grown the company into the largest independently owned African-American broadcasting company in the nation, with 11 radio stations across the southeast United States.”

Earlier he was co-publisher of The Black Dispatch, and in 1979, became the owner and publisher of The Black Chronicle, a paid weekly newspaper serving Oklahoma.

Perry has also held high posts in Oklahoma state government as the secretary of commerce and secretary of economic development and special affairs. He’s active in efforts to promote and restore African-American-owned commerce in Oklahoma City.

Past honors include induction into the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame and American Urban Radio Network Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Radio Show organizers also have announced that their 2021 fall conference will not be held as planned in New Orleans but will instead at the rescheduled 2021 NAB Show, which has been pushed back from April to October 2021 in Las Vegas. The fall Radio Show in 2022 is scheduled for Nashville.

The full agenda of the Radio Show is at https://radioshowweb.com/.

The post Radio Show Explores What’s on the Horizon appeared first on Radio World.

The author is general manager of Radio Rioja.

LOGROÑO, Spain — On Feb. 25, 1933, the Spanish General Telecommunications Administration issued a broadcast license for the area of Logroño for a radio station with the call sign EAJ 18 and the name “Radio Rioja” to Ismael Palacio.

Today, the station is still active in Logroño, the capital of the province of “La Rioja,” and now has two sisters in other cities in the Rioja province. It is an independent broadcaster affiliated to the Cadena SER Networks, broadcasting the general programming of that group in AM and FM.

Depending on the time of day, it provides its audience with the signals from the networks of SER and SER+, Los Cuarenta Principales and Cadena Dial.

Throughout its long history, it has been committed to regional sports and politics, with a very active news operation. For decades, public figures and groups from Logroño and La Rioja have passed through the main studio to appear on programs.

Thousands of interviews and local and regional reports have been produced from its recording studio as well as national news stories in contribution to the SER Network headquarters in Madrid.

The newsroom dedicates most of its time to providing content for the regional and local slots as well as contributions for Madrid. However, apart from the conventional SER and SER+ radio programming, there are other important sources of income with low production costs for content such as musical products centrally produced at the company headquarters.

A highly automated operation along with other applications allows Radio Rioja to cover expenses and continue being the news station that Riojans demand.

Automation Needs

Radio Rioja has paid attention to its automation systems, valuing reliability, availability and good operation. When renewal of its legacy system was due, they opened up to evaluate the most common systems used in Spain.

During the presentation and evaluation of AEQ AudioPlus, we found that its performance was outstanding and easy to learn and use. We obtained references from other radio stations about compatibility with work practices and requirements for daily SER servicing along with a standard compatible scheduling and billing system.

Then Radio Rioja made one of the most difficult decisions that broadcast technicians and engineers can be faced with: installing and integrating a new and different automation system.

AEQ has been developing and installing radio automation for more than 30 years, with experience of the requirements and demands of thousands of customers. AudioPlus is its third-generation system, developed after Mar System and Mar4win. It’s designed to run on Windows operating systems and with SQL Server databases. It includes a self-installation wizard.

It is compatible with professional, low-cost, USB and virtual AoIP soundcards and provides a set of complementary editing and management tools, as well as links to all kinds of external software applications.

AudioPlus also offers a remotely controlled playout module compatible with Cadena SER commands, and a module for exchange with external management software applications, both for advertisement traffic and musical programming.

Finally, it has a file import module that is adapted to database formats used by various manufacturers. In particular, the format used by Dalet had been used by Radio Rioja and debugged in previous migrations. It worked like a charm, moving the audio files in a few hours while each file’s ancillary information was migrated to AEQ format.

Thanks to its intuitive user interface, the transition to the new system hasn’t really needed additional effort. The person who traveled there to perform the migration trained users on the system’s operation in a few days. During this period, AEQ AudioPlus scheduling was done in parallel with the earlier system’s scheduling

The system includes four recording/playout workstations: one for each control or automatic playout station, one for programming, and a high-availability server with a RAID disk system. Everything was connected over an IP network.

System preconfiguration and installation was done by AEQ personnel, as there were some specific tasks that required special treatment for this “on the fly” migration.

Raquel Cortés of AEQ Technical Assistance Service was on site; she installed the system, transferred the audio files and data, and provided a training course to Radio Rioja staff. Support was carried out by AEQ Sales Area Manager Eduardo Guerrero.

During the installation, the audio codecs for external retransmissions and program transportation were upgraded to IP technology, so four AEQ Phoenix Mercury units and an AEQ Phoenix Venus also were installed.

Radio World User Reports are testimonial articles intended to help readers understand why a colleague chose a particular product to solve a technical situation.

For information in the U.S., contact Peter Howarth at AEQ Broadcast International in Florida at 1-800-728-0536 or visit www.aeqbroadcast.com. For international queries, contact AEQ in Spain at +34-91-686-1300 or visit www.aeq.eu.

The post User Report: Radio Rioja Chooses AEQ Automation appeared first on Radio World.