Radio World

Radio Simba started broadcasting in November and covers western Kenya as well as the greater Rift valley region. The broadcaster chose Lawo equipment for its new facilities.

In the main studio, Lawo’s crystal mixing console and Compact Engine mixing platform connect to a standards-based AES67/Ravenna AoIP network. In addition, the Lawo VisTool GUI Builder software powers a graphical interface that displays onscreen control of source selection, EQ and other options.

For Radio Simba’s second studio, the station makes use of Lawo RƎLAY VRX software with a multitouch-enabled graphical interface.

“RƎLAY VRX software, installed on the same PC that hosts the playout system, software codecs, streaming encoder and other studio tools, is the equivalent of an entire broadcast studio on a single touchscreen PC,” pointed out Lawo in a press release.

The Lawo crystal mixing console

Byce Broadcast, Lawo’s Nairobi-based distributor and systems integration partner, managed the project planning, installation and commissioning of Radio Simba’s studios.

According to Lawo, Byce carefully reviewed the IT and broadcast technologies before fitting the studios to ensure Radio Simba would fully benefit from an IP-based studio environment.

“We are extremely proud of what we’ve achieved,” says station owner Joshua Kisiang’ani. “Our new studios are both very functional, and very beautiful!”

The post Kenya’s Radio Simba Choses Lawo appeared first on Radio World.

The author is membership program director of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters. NFCB commentaries are featured regularly at www.radioworld.com.

Are you thinking about your community radio station’s digital security? It’s a more serious matter than you may realize.

This month, Google announced open enrollment for its new Advanced Protection Program. “The Advanced Protection Program helps high-risk users — like members of political campaign teams, journalists, activists, executives, employees in regulated industries such as finance or government — shield themselves from targeted, sophisticated attacks on their Google Accounts,” the release notes. “We’ve helped protect these types of people for many years.” Media is presumably a part of this group.

[Read: Community Broadcaster: Community Radio Relevant as Ever]

The new program relies on built-in security keys. It offers a layer of protection out of reach for most people for years.

Google’s effort is the latest salvo in the war against phishing, ransomware and other digital malware impacting both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Malware alone is estimated to cost industry over $100 billion annually.

The most pernicious of these baddies is ransomware. In a ransomware attack, hackers encrypt data until a fee is paid. Ransomware attacks have impacted community radio on numerous occasions, including at KBOO and WNCU. The cost of ransomware lockdowns can be enormous.

How does your station avoid becoming a victim of ransomware, phishing schemes or other unseemly online assaults?

As cliché as it sounds, prevention is the best medicine for these problems. Online security in the form of virus protection, safe web surfing browser plugins from trusted providers, and regular operating system updates, especially of security patches, should be mandatory at your station. Your station should also be doing regular backups, which are then taken off-site and offline. In addition, there is a training component. If your station relies on volunteers, everyone should be taught not to open links that look suspicious. Don’t forget to give examples!

The proliferation of viruses through Facebook Messenger bots sending provocative links labeled things like “IS THIS YOUR PICTURE” are a dead giveaway. Still, you would be surprised how many people fall for these tricks daily.

Your station may consider going the extra mile and restricting web browsers’ activities to prevent people from going to websites with questionable content, like illegal music downloading pages or pornography. Such websites are often littered with popups and automated downloads of malicious software that can drag your systems down. In isolated cases, malware and other tools can await an unsuspecting user who clicks a file open.

The longtime leader in computer security IDG recommends several ways to avoid malware and ransomware. On the top of the list? Never give links administrative privileges unless you know exactly what the software in question is and what it does.

Once you’re the victim of malware or ransomware, the fixes could be easy to almost impossible. Many virus companies offer resources for saving data, but this work can come at a premium. The virus prevention company Malwarebytes suggests that your station should consult with information technology specialists before using software to try decrypting data sequestered by ransomware.

Digital security is not as complicated as it once was. For community radio, which sometimes can be avoidant to spending, that $100 you spend on basic protection could prove priceless later.

 

The post Community Broadcaster: Shutdown appeared first on Radio World.

Radio World is providing an ongoing sampler of what people are telling the FCC about the current proposal to allow U.S. stations on the AM band to switch to all-digital transmission if they wish.

This comment was filed by Mark E. and Arlene D. Bohach, licensees of WLOH(AM) in Lancaster, Ohio.

We are commenting to express our complete support of 19-311 and urge the FCC to adopt this proceeding as quickly as possible.

We are the licensees of WLOH(AM) in Lancaster, Ohio. Since the initial rulemaking allowing AM stations to operate FM fill-in translators, WLOH has been able to secure and operate three FM translators that effectively serve our AM listening area.

WLOH is the ideal candidate to convert our AM signal into an MA3-All Digital signal. Virtually all our listeners have migrated to our FM signals. Our AM signal serves no useful purpose anymore.

[Related: “FCC Takes Your Questions on All-Digital on AM”]

The idea of creating a viable all-digital signal that rivals the best FM sound quality and provides the metadata services that are expected today are strong inducements for us to make the investment. It would also create a powerful marketing tool for our operation and you can be sure that we would promote is heavily.

The only issue I foresee is what to call this new service. The term “AM” has a stigma among many people as a static-prone and inferior-sounding service. And since this would not be amplitude modulation, a new name would be needed that connotes the superior nature of the signal. But what a great problem that would be.

Our tower site lease is due for renewal this year and our transmitter is 15 years old. This would give us a compelling reason to maintain and even upgrade our AM equipment. The bottom line is this- WLOH would have a compelling reason to promote its 1320 kHz signal again. We want this to happen. Thank you for your consideration.

File comments in Docket 19-311. Comments are due March 9, 2020. Replies are due April 6.

[Related: Read the RW ebook “What’s Ahead for All-Digital AM” from March 2019]

 

The post “WLOH Would Have a Compelling Reason to Promote Its Signal Again” appeared first on Radio World.

The Audio Engineering Society will receive a Technical & Engineering Emmy Award for its work with audio over IP, sharing the award with six partners who were involved in developing the AES67 standard: ALC NetworX, Audinate, Kevin Gross, QSC, The Telos Alliance and Wheatstone.

The award is for “Development of synchronized multichannel uncompressed audio transport over IP networks,” and will be given in a ceremony at the NAB Show at the Wynn Encore on Sunday, April 19.

AES67 is a protocol that established a standardized language for audio transport. Although AoIP plays a huge role in radio, the Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards actually are given for developments or standardization in engineering technologies that affect television.

[Related: “AES Publishes AoIP Interoperability Standard,” Sept. 2013]

AES noted that its AES67 standard for high-performance streaming audio-over-IP interoperability was introduced in 2013. It stated: “AES67 compliance allows audio content interoperability between the proprietary IP-based audio networking protocols developed by the Emmy co-winners: Ravenna, Dante, Q-Sys, Livewire+ and WheatNet-IP.”

AES Fellow Kevin Gross led the AES67 Standards effort and is the chair of the AES Technical Committee on Network Audio Systems.

In the AES announcement, Gross was quoted: “The improvement from audio networking born in the mid-1990s to new IP-based solutions emerged as a simultaneous invention from the honored companies. While collectively this represented a technical improvement, interoperability was not addressed until the AES initiated the X192 project on audio interoperability.”

He thanked the late Steve Church, Rich Zwiebel, Philip Lawo and Andreas Hildebrand as leaders of companies who “understood the potential for a standard to take audio networking to the next level,” and thanked then AES Standards Manager Mark Yonge for mentoring the process.

AES Executive Director Colleen Harper said AES67 “fundamentally changed the broadcast audio landscape and paved the way for recent similar developments for video.”

[Read the Radio World ebook “AoIP for 2020”]

 

The post AoIP Advocates Snag Technical Emmy appeared first on Radio World.

Wheatstone is pumping up its Audioarts Engineering brand by adding DMX digital console technology, bringing in WheatNet-IP audio network compatibility.

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

Coining a term, Wheatstone Director of Sales Jay Tyler said, “WheatNet-IP’ing this console effectively brings Wheatstone’s Intelligent Network routing and control to stations on a budget, allowing them to automate functions they couldn’t approach before. This enables them to run leaner, more efficient operations overall, and opens a pathway to the new world of AES67 interoperability.”

The DMX’s rackmount engine carries a WheatNet-IP network hub, providing the building block for an IP audio network for users without the need for an external or separate hub.

 

The post Wheatstone Moves PR&E DMX to Audioarts appeared first on Radio World.

In an effort to support students that are seeking careers in telecommunications and broadcast engineering, the Association of Federal Communications Consulting Engineers, the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society and the National Translator Association have selected nine students across the country to receive their spring 2020 scholarships.

Here are the nine recipients:

• Maurice Compton, University of Dallas
• Nathan Ellsworth, University of Texas at Dallas
• Andrew Heller, University of Minnesota
• Md. Tajul Islam, University of Missouri at Kansas City
• Daniel Klawson, University of Maryland at College Park
• Obagaeli Ngene-Igwe, University of Cincinnati
• Prosanta Paul, Old Dominion University
• Dylan Stewart, Old Dominion University
• Rafida Zaman, University of Missouri at Kansas City

The scholarships all range between $1,000 and $5,000, with $29,000 being awarded in total between the nine students.

Andrew Heller is the inaugural recipient of NTA’s Byron W. St. Clair Memorial Scholarship, which is given to promising students that plan to pursue a career in broadcast engineering.

“NTA congratulates Mr. Heller,” said John Terrill, president of NTA. “This scholarship is a good first step in the tradition of Byron St. Clair to enlighten young minds and encourage more interest in broadcast engineering, especially in the areas of translator and low power television.”

Ellsworth, Islam, Klawson and Stewart, meanwhile, were awarded IEEE BTS/AFCCE’s Jules Cohen Memorial Scholarships, which awards up to $10,000 to promising undergraduate or graduate students pursuing broadcast engineering.

Also of note, Zaman was the recipient of the E. Noel Luddy Scholarship, which was sponsored by Dielectric Communications.

In total, AFCCE says that these scholarships represented the groups’ largest ever award to students that they hope “will help shape the future,” said John George, AFCCE president.

AFCCE also announced dates to submit applications for its fall 2020 scholarships, which will begin March 1 and go until April 30. More information is available through AFCCE and IEEE BTS’ websites.

 

The post AFCCE, IEEE-BTS and NTA Dole Out Spring 2020 Scholarships appeared first on Radio World.

The FCC is seeking recent or upcoming college graduates with an engineering degree to take part in its Honors Engineer Program, which is accepting applications from now until Feb. 20.

The Honors Engineer Program, which the FCC launched in 2018, is a one-year career development program that offers public sector experience for new/recent graduates and allows them to work on current issues in the communications and technology industries.

Some of the areas that participants may work on include 5G; the Internet of Things; next-gen TV broadcasting; new broadband satellite systems; facilitating the deployment of broadband services; identifying technologies to improve access to communications services, particularly those with disabilities; supporting the introduction of communications technologies designed for public safety, homeland security, health care, energy, education and more; and developing policies that will support the innovation and investment in new communication devices and services.

“Engineers play a critical and essential role in the work of the FCC, and our recent Honors Engineers, in particular, have already made an important contribution to the agency’s mission,” said Ajit Pai, FCC chairman. “Most of the high-profile issues on the FCC’s plate require the input of engineers, so there is no better time for new engineers to embark on careers here that promise to be tremendously rewarding.”

At the end of the program, participants will be eligible for consideration for continued employment with the FCC.

In reviewing potential candidates, the FCC will look at academic achievement, technical skills, engineering and extracurricular activities and whether they have a demonstrated interest in government service and/or the communications sector.

Interested applicants can apply online.

 

The post FCC Accepting Applicants for Honors Engineer Program appeared first on Radio World.

The National Association of Broadcasters will have a new chief operating officer come Feb. 1.

Chris Ornelas

Chris Ornelas, who has been with NAB for a decade, will depart to join Beasley Media Group, where he’ll oversee legal matters for the media company as its general counsel.

He will be replaced by Curtis LeGeyt, NAB’s executive vice president of government relations.

Ornelas joined NAB in 2010 as executive vice president and chief strategy officer and was promoted to COO the next year. Prior he had been the chief counsel on communications and technology for then-Senator Gordon Smith, now NAB’s president/CEO.

Curtis LeGeyt

LeGeyt has been with NAB since 2011 as senior vice president and legislative counsel, and then senior vice president, public policy before being promoted to his current role in 2015. He also is a former senior counsel to then-Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Patrick Leahy.

In the announcement, Smith saluted both men and noted LeGeyt for his “superb management skills, the victories that NAB Government Relations has delivered on Capitol Hill, and his dedication to the mission of NAB and local broadcasting.”

[Related: NAB EVP Newberry Plans Exit]

Also, NAB has promoted three senior VPs — April Carty-Sipp, Shawn Donilon and Trish Johnson — to executive vice president.

April Carty-Sipp was promoted to EVP of Industry Affairs, succeeding Steve Newberry, who had announced earlier that he will be leaving to become CEO at technology company Quu.

Shawn Donilon was promoted to EVP of Government Relations, replaces LeGeyt.

Trish Johnson becomes EVP of Finance/Chief Financial Officer.

 

The post Ornelas Leaves NAB for Beasley appeared first on Radio World.

The author is chairman of Digital Radio Mondiale.

The image of a lonely kangaroo against the orange sky of the burning Australian bush must have been seen by billions of people over the last few weeks. Yet, this is just one of the many disasters ushering in the new year. Let us not forget about the floods and earthquakes in Indonesia, the earthquakes in Puerto Rico, the first cyclones in Asia.

Ruxandra Obreja

The increasing number of these disasters can challenge governments and authorities more often and for longer everywhere not just in Asia. And when a disaster strikes communication is of the essence.

Australian public broadcaster ABC has been rightly praised for its national emergency broadcasts these last few weeks. ABC’s “excellent job” in providing emergency information (as mentioned by the Minister of Communications) raises issues many public broadcasters and some commercial station are facing the world over.

How do they maintain proper and frequent disaster warnings that are able to reach everyone, even citizens in rural and less populated areas, and sometimes over many days and nights? And how can they fund all this “extra effort”? These broadcasts seem essential during emergencies but then they quickly drop to the bottom of the priorities’ list when the rain returns or the last cameraman has packed and gone to cover another more urgent story.

COVERING LARGE, TARGETED AREAS

Photo credit: Radu Obreja

Using analog broadcasting in emergencies is an old but often “alert-all” blunt instrument. If medium wave or shortwave are used in local or regional emergencies, the broadcast messages might also reach and alarm people in faraway regions who do not need to worry (yet). When disasters strike, cell towers, internet provision and FM transmitters are often immediately affected. Cell, radio or TV towers are often mounted on the highest location to give largest coverage. Electricity might be also impacted at transmission and sometimes at studio level, even if a generator is used.

A neater solution is to use a transmitter, a digital AM one, situated outside the danger area. One such AM transmitter could  have helped the Australians. A DRM AM transmitter can support long-distance Emergency Warning Functionality (EWF) coverage from outside the disaster area being received just in the concerned area.

In emergency situations an explicit alarm signal is sent to receivers indicating where to find the actual emergency program and, if the rightly equipped receiver is used, the receiver will be even “woken up” if in standby mode (but not switched off). Does this sound so fanciful? Not more than talking to your smart speaker.

Then the DRM receiver becomes a smart radio activated not by the listener’s voice but by the transmitter, which has received the right information or files from the broadcaster linked to the emergency authority along a well-established path.

It’s possible to insert the emergency message for the target area quickly, while, for other unaffected regions, the regular programs continue unchanged. In other words, the technology exists for EWF localization but the planning and setting up of the transmission chain from the first message, map, telephone number to the listener needs human intervention that links the relevant authorities to the broadcaster etc. DRM has demonstrated how this can work (e.g. India, Bangladesh etc.), showing how inserting the necessary files alongside or instead of the audio file can be quickly implemented in a normal newsroom on a laptop.

The DRM AM digital audio broadcasting standard provides flexibility and also carries extra information that can be displayed on the car radio or standalone screens without flattening batteries as quickly as with cellular phones.

A map or an address, a clear instruction in your mother tongue or in several can save lives. And what is useful for many can become vital for people with hearing impairments, for example.

How about the thousands of FM transmitters in emergencies, if they are still up? Just turning them into emergency loudspeakers (no maps, or written instructions in analog) can be quite daunting, especially if the task needs to be completed fast and by staff who might not always be available.

All major digital radio standards have some disaster warning feature provision. Using one content server, one box, to feed several DRM for FM transmitters can be a quick solution and Indonesia is imaginatively trying to implement this very solution this year.

According to the Technology and New Media director of RRI, the Indonesian public radio, Mr. R. Ginging, “RRI is currently installing five DRM-FM transmitters in five cities. The five transmitters are equipped with an early warning system. If this technology runs well, we hope that in the future Indonesia can establish DRM as the national digital broadcasting standard.”

BUDGETS FOR EMERGENCIES

Emergency broadcasting is seldom a line in any broadcaster’s annual plan and it comes out of the base funding, as is the case with ABC in Australia. And when budgets are being cut, asking for potential emergency broadcasting money can sound extravagant.

Therefore, turning to digital radio is not just about being “on trend” about more channels or pop princesses’ pictures on screen. It’s not even about getting significant electricity and spectrum savings (in DRM of up to 80%). It’s about building emergency warning capability that is always available, at no extra cost (once properly planned and installed and with the receiver industry on board). This also delivers the extra benefit of localization, whether of regular content or of emergency warnings.

The Emergency Warning Functionality is one of the great benefits of digital radio like DRM. But we need to continue to demonstrate this potential and bring it to the attention of governments and accountants — digital radio can save lives and money, leaving nobody behind.

The post The Power of Digital Radio in Emergencies appeared first on Radio World.

Codec specialist Comrex has announced a new firmware version available for its Access and BRIC-Link lines of codecs.

Version 4.5p2’s main thrust is to provide multi-instance capability to the line in the wake of the launching of the Access MultiRack codec. A release says, “This new firmware simplifies CrossLock connections between

the new Access MultiRack and legacy Comrex IP audio codecs.”

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

In addition, the new version will replace the resident Adobe Flash-based GUI with and HTML5-based user interface. Flash security has been suspect for some time.

Firmware V4.5p2 is available for Access Rackmount, Access Portable 2USB, Access NX Portable, BRIC-Link, BRIC-Link II, Access MultiRack and Access NX Rack. Comrex warns that codecs with firmware numbered 2.7.1 or earlier will need to be handled specially, requiring a call to Comrex Support.

 

The post New Firmware for Comrex Access Codecs appeared first on Radio World.

Axia iQx

The Telos Alliance has announced a new software update for its Axia iQx AoIP mixer.

Version 1.3.2 should make talk show producers and hosts happy with an automix function as a new feature. The function should balance open mics where there is more than one mic hot. Using algorithms it can prioritize microphones dominance and silence those of quiet guests to eliminate room, background and system noise along with bleed.

V1.3.2 is now available for download on the iQx product page.

 

The post Axia iQx AoIP Gets Automix appeared first on Radio World.

The Inovonics Sofia 568 HD Radio SiteStreamer+ digital audio stream monitor has received a Product Innovation Award, presented by Future Publishing.

Product Innovation Awards are evaluated by a panel of engineers and industry experts, and are selected based on innovation, feature set, cost efficiency and performance in serving the industry.

Winners and nominees appear in the recently released 2019 Product Innovation Awards Program Guide.

 

The post Inovonics Sofia Secures Product Innovation Award appeared first on Radio World.

iHeartMedia’s decision to reshuffle its organization and technology infrastructure has led to job losses, a major reallocation of internal duties and a new emphasis on artificial intelligence in its operations. But the announcement has had much of the industry coming up with more questions than answers.

Tuesday, iHeartMedia announced major changes nationwide, saying a new decade called for the company to make changes.

The restructuring led to a wave of job cuts. According to a media representative at iHeart, those losses would be relatively small given iHeart’s overall employee base of 12,500. Some news outlets used the term “dozens,” but the website Radio Insight has posted a list of people cut and has been updating it; as of Wednesday afternoon, there were about 130 names, mostly programmers, air talent and producers but other job titles too (see more below).

iHeart has created separate groups to better share resources and experiences. These three new divisions — the Region Division, the Metro Division and the Community Division — will be overseen by Greg Ashlock, president of the iHeartMedia Markets Group, with a separate president leading each division. Another new division that cuts across all markets, the Multi-Market Partnerships Division headed by Julie Donohue.

[Read: iHeart Taps Nashville for Digital HQ2]

Practically, the shakeout has the Region Division overseeing the company’s largest markets such as New York and Los Angeles. The Metro Division will cover mid-size markets that have multiple communities, and the Community Division will include markets that focus on the shared needs of one community/area as well as small markets that are culturally similar or geographically close. Nine senior executives will be named as division presidents of these newly minted iHeartMedia Markets Groups.

iHeart said this structure will allow it to maximize the performance of each of its markets and take better advantage of the technology investments it has made in selling advertising and expanding new businesses like its podcast platform. In a statement, iHeartMedia Chairman and CEO Bob Pittman said that “iHeart is the rare example of a major traditional media company that has made the successful transformation into a 21st century media company.”

“We are now using our considerable investments in technology to modernize our operations and infrastructure, further setting us apart from traditional media companies; improving our services to our consumers and advertising partners; and enhancing the work environment for our employees.”

Among the questions observers are asking is whether this new structure will bring new ways of managing local stations, and the role of a new Centers of Excellence venture. iHeart said in a statement that it will use new technology and this new venture to deliver products and services to market, “enabling each to take advantage of the company’s scale and shared resources across programming, marketing, digital, podcasts, sales and sales support.” iHeart noted that it has made several recent acquisitions including Jelli, a programmatic ad platform; RadioJar, a cloud audio playout company; and Stuff Media, a podcasting firm. Its RCS automation arm also has been active in cloud product development this past year.

Online reaction to the news on social media included speculation that iHeart would take advantage of the FCC’s recent elimination of the main studio rule to dramatically cut back on local physical presence in some markets.

iHeartMedia declined a Radio World request for an interview about the technology aspects of the changes and its plans for technical infrastructure management.

The publication Billboard quoted one laid-off employee saying, “Their focus is going to be on their app and podcasting and not as much on local markets and terrestrial.”

In the announcement, the company described itself as “the number one audio company in America” and emphasized its “successful transformation as a technology powered 21st century media company.” It referred to its scale, its multiple platforms, and its “expertise in consumers, monetization and data,” saying that iHeart has made recent significant technology investments “to change everything from how it sells advertising to how it utilizes data and builds new businesses like its digital platform, podcast platform and robust data platform — all of which have given it an undisputed leadership position in the audio world.”

A sampling of the job cuts:

It is being reported that radio personalities are being let go as part of the shakeup. Longtime radio personality Dave Conrad, a 27-year veteran with WBCT(FM) in Grand Rapids, Mich., was told that he was being released, according to the news outlet MLive. Conrad started at B-93 in September 1992, just after the station was launched, and said he couldn’t think of a better place to work.

“I just feel really blessed to work for the people I worked for,” he told MLive, adding that his general manager teared up when he gave him the news.

Long-term iHeart radio personality Chris Warren said he was let go from WTRY(FM) in Rotterdam, N.Y. after 18 years. “I’m saddened to report that my 18-year stint with iHeartMedia/Albany, N.Y. came to an end about an hour ago,” said the DJ, whose given name is Warren Garling, in a statement on Facebook. “I’ve counted myself lucky to have been heard for more than 50 years on some great radio stations in the great Northeast.”

While the reports are still rolling in, other job losses across the country include:

• Radio personality Leland Conway from WLAP(AM) in Lexington, Ky., who said he’s “not sure what’s next but can’t wait to see what the future holds. [My time at the company has] “truly been one of the most awesome experiences in my life,” as was reported by the Lexington Harold Leader.
• Longtime host Jim Fisher with WOC(AM) in Davenport, Iowa; host Todd Alan with KUUL(FM) also in Davenport; host Ron Evans from KMXG(FM) in Clinton, Iowa; and employee Aaron Thompson, who worked at several stations. “Great people let go today including the legendary Jim Fisher,” Dan Kennedy, formerly of WOC, posted on Facebook Tuesday. “You all made radio better and you will be missed!”
• Pat McMahon, morning show host on WYYY(FM) in Syracuse, N.Y. After McMahon wrote on Facebook that Tuesday was his last day, a listener expressed frustration with iHeart, calling it “not a nice place to work for.” McMahon said he didn’t blame his station management. “The world is hard, cruel and full of setbacks. It’s also exciting, uplifting and full of opportunity. Chaos is a ladder. I plan to climb it.”

An iHeart media representative said, “During a transition like this it’s reasonable to expect that there will be some shifts in jobs — some by location and some by function,” she said. “That said, we recognize that the loss of any job is significant; we take that responsibility seriously and have been thoughtful in the process.”

As one industry insider said, there may be one silver lining: the opportunity for competitors to acquire newly available, top-level talent. Radio personality Conrad from WBCT is one who said that he’s already had conversations that could lead to new employment.

 

The post Job Losses and Questions Come in the Wake of iHeart Reshuffling appeared first on Radio World.

Companies that plan to exhibit at the NAB Show have been invited to submit their nominations in the seventh annual Best of Show Awards program.

Radio World is among the Future trade publications participating. The award program is intended to help readers become aware of new technology offerings, and help exhibitors highlight and promote outstanding their product introductions. Companies pay a fee to nominate; and winners are chosen by panels of engineers and editors for each brand. Winners are announced at the convention.

After the show, readers receive an online guide to all the nominees, which becomes a handy and deep overview of new products that were shown on the floor. (Read last year’s Guide here.)

Nominate a product or find answers to common questions here.

 

The post Best of Show Awards Are Open for Nominations appeared first on Radio World.

Allow me to express appreciation for three interesting articles on the international radio scene in Radio World’s Sept. 1 issue. 

“U.S.-Based Shortwave Broadcasters Eye Digital” [discussed] the need for an appropriately priced, mass-production digital shortwave radio. A second article drew attention to the production of a Voice of America program beamed to Asia on shortwave and medium-wave in the Rohingya language for the benefit of refugees who have fled Myanmar into Bangladesh. 

Then there was the fascinating historic article on the AFRS (American Forces Radio Service) Mosquito Network during the devastating Pacific War.  

Back during the middle of the last century, there were usually only two medium-wave stations in Australia on the air late at night, 2UW in Sydney and 3AK in Melbourne, and consequently the band was wide open for late-night listening to the American AFRS stations throughout the Pacific. Over a period of time, we as listeners in both Australia and New Zealand heard all of these exotic little radio stations. 

A photo with the story [right] shows the entrance noticeboard of an AFRS station in the Mosquito Network without location and without call sign. However, the operating frequency 670 kHz provides a valuable clue. 

It is known that only one AFRS Mosquito Network station operated on 670 kHz, and that was for only a short period of time, before a frequency change to 690 kHz. That station was located on Bougainville in the Solomon Islands, and the photo was taken before the station adopted the unofficial and irregular callsign WSSO.  

American AFRS stations in the Pacific were generally allocated four-letter call signs beginning with WV or WX. We would suggest that the photograph of the Bougainville station was taken in very late 1943 or very early 1944, before the informal call sign WSSO was adopted. This information would also agree with the other photograph in your article that promoted WSSO programming in February
1944. 

By the way, we have drawn attention to these Radio World articles in our weekly half-hour program “Wavescan,” broadcast on shortwave in the Americas and worldwide 35 times each week.The program is researched and written in Indianapolis, voiced by Jeff White (Radio Miami International WRMI) and Ray Robinson (Voice of Hope KVOH, Los Angeles). In the United States, “Wavescan” is broadcast by shortwave WRMI and KVOH, as well as by WWCR in Nashville. In Africa, the program is on the air from the Voice of Hope in Zambia, and for Europe, Asia and the Pacific via KSDA on the island of Guam, and additional shortwave relay stations. 

The post Reader Letter: Mosquito Network appeared first on Radio World.

With the installation of Lawo mixing consoles and I/O equipment, China’s Fuzhou Radio and Television has upgraded its radio channels to AES67-compliant Ravenna AoIP, per an announcement from Lawo.

Fuzhou Radio built two identical on-air studios, each equipped with a 12-fader ruby mixing console that features Lawo’s Power Core AoIP mixing engine. Power Core comes with multiple MADI and AES67 interfaces for access to up to 384 channels of stereo audio.

The Power Core also has eight I/O plug-in slots for mic, line, AES3, HD MADI and Dante expansion cards. When paired with the ruby console, Power Core can provide up to 96 DSP channels, 80 summing busses, multiple AutoMix groups and compression/expansion/de-essing tools.

The studios were also equipped with Electro-Voice RE27 and Shure MX 418 microphones, Genelec 8030 monitor speakers, Eventide BD600+ broadcast delay systems and Infomedia AOIPBox terminals.

 

 

The post China’s Fuzhou Radio Modernizes With Lawo AoIP Gear appeared first on Radio World.

Even the Federal Communications Commission makes a mistake once in a while. And in the case of a potential financial liability, that can be good news for the stations concerned.

The commission cancelled several Notices of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture that had been issued to three radio stations in North Carolina — Radio Hatteras, CTC Media Group and Pirate Media Group.

[Read: Out-of-Date Online Files Being Investigated by FCC]

In the case of Radio Hatteras, the FCC said that station WHDZ(FM) in Buxton, N.C., had failed to file a timely license renewal application for the station, which was due Aug. 1, 2019. The FCC said the license renewal application was not filed on time — the FCC said it was filed Oct. 25, 2019 — but in reality Radio Hatteras filed the application on July 30, 2019. In reality, the filing made on Oct. 25, 2019, was an amendment to the application. Since the application was timely filed, the FCC cancelled the NAL.

The same was the case for CTC Media Group, which is licensee of FM translator station W282CQ in Bridgeton, N.C., for the same alleged offense: failing to timely file a license renewal application for the station. The background is the same as it was for Radio Hatteras — the FCC said the station failed its renewal by Aug. 1, 2019. In this case, however,  the commission had actually issued the initial license for the station on Aug. 12. 2019, therefore there was no need for CTC to file a renewal application.

The commission also cancelled a Notice of Apparent Liability for a Forfeiture issued to Pirate Media Group, licensee of FM translator station W281CH in Washington, N.C., for the same alleged violations. But in this case, too, the commission had already issued a license for the station on Sept.11, 2019, so it was impossible for Pirate to file an application to renew the station’s license.

In all three cases, the FCC has cancelled all of the forfeitures.

 

The post FCC Moves to Cancel Forfeitures After Catching its Own Errors appeared first on Radio World.

Streaming service tools provider StreamGuys has reworked its native media player, SGplayer.

Version 3.0 has a new GUI along with “greater continuity between desktop and mobile experiences; and additional GDPR- and CCPA- compliance tools for media enterprises leveraging targeted advertising,” according to a release.

“SGplayer 3.0’s new interface puts the visual focus more heavily on the branding and artwork of the broadcast station or podcast while more cleanly integrating additional elements such as song metadata and advertising. Supplemental functionality such as stream or episode selection — always visible on-screen in earlier versions — has been moved into collapsible menus to minimize distractions and streamline the user experience,” a release details among a number of user experience improvements.

Content search functionality has also been improved and expanded. 

Additionally, there has been added compliance features, “Of particular interest to media companies serving; European and Californian listeners, new tools for GDPR and CCPA compliance allow SGplayer’s targeted advertising to be disabled based on user preferences.”

Other new goodies include: support for both HLS and ICY protocols for HTTP-based delivery; automatic fallback from AAC to MP3 live audio streams for compatibility with older devices; authentication of tokenized streams to ensure user entitlement; Nielsen SDK integration for enhanced online audience measurement; Google Analytics tracking; and a customer-hosted persistent player option for enterprise clients wishing to combine SGplayer even more closely with their own custom development.

SGplayer is now available.

The post StreamGuys Revamps SGplayer appeared first on Radio World.

Frequent Workbench contributor and consultant Frank Hertel of Newman-Kees is not one to brag, but he has quite a bit of experience in dealing with mice. After 50+ years of servicing some really bad transmitter sites, he has a number of tips to share with readers.

Getty/anuwat_meereewee

1. Inspect the seals of all doors and windows and cable entries to the outside world, to ensure they fit tight.
2. Screen all fan openings and air exits with 1/4-inch galvanized hardware mesh, to keep critters out.
3. Make sure to plus the main electrical service entry conduits with stainless steel wool or copper wool and caulk. (Mice will eat through caulk alone.)
4. Resist the temptation to “dress up” your site by adding dropped ceilings; they provide an ideal location for nesting of mice.
5. Never take food or soft drinks into the building. Even a few crumbs or an empty soda can and will invite mice.
6. The same is true for any food-scented wrappers or containers. Keep them out of the transmitter building. Also use a trash can with a tight seal to dispose of everything. Better yet, always take your trash with you as you leave a transmitter building.
7. Realize that food scents in the building can entice mice. They will gnaw through some types of exterior wall surfaces if they get even the slightest scent of food.
8. Don’t use rodent bait; it actually attracts mice! And although it works, many times the mice often crawl off into some secluded space to die and make the building smell. Furthermore, most rodent bait will decompose over time and turn to dust — which you end up breathing. If you ever go to a transmitter site and find they have used mouse bait, don’t ever sweep or vacuum the floor without a respirator.
9. Instead of rodent bait, use something safe like “Peppermint Oil” to repel mice. It works! Here’s a video example showing its effectiveness.
10. On visits to infested sites, be sure to take a change of clothes and a bag to put your dirty clothes in! Otherwise you are infesting your vehicle with all the nasty stuff from the transmitter building.
11. Carry a jug of water, a bar of soap, a roll of paper towels and a bottle of alcohol, and clean yourself when leaving and before getting into your vehicle. This is especially helpful if you take a break to eat.

[Don’t Let Mice Kill Your Transmitter]

Frank adds that he has a personal reason for helping you to manage your exposure to rodents. 

For a long time, he suffered from an unusual medical condition. Whenever he at something sweet or drank a sugary drink, he would get an extreme pain where his esophagus entered his stomach. He tolerated this for 25 years, and had a number of tests during those 25 years; nothing was diagnosed.

One Thanksgiving, after eating a couple of those miniature Hershey bars, Frank was in deep distress and was taken to the hospital. Initially, the doctors thought it was a heart attack. Among the tests they performed was a “bore scope” down Frank’s throat. When Frank awoke from the anesthesia, the doctor had identified the problem: five small bacterial-based ulcers. Frank asked whether exposure to mouse bacteria, from contact with urine and droppings dust, could have caused the problem. The doctor’s reply was an emphatic “YES!”  

A 20-day treatment with Amoxicillin worked. But Frank no longer views mouse-infested transmitter sites the same way. His business does not provide routine service/maintenance; he is usually called in just for an emergency, and too many facilities have not had routine cleaning. 

He now carries a face mask and respirator in his vehicle. Mice are not to be taken lightly. More than just your equipment is at risk.

* * *

Wiring maven Steve Lampen attended a recent tips webinar sponsored by Telos. From our discussion of AoIP installations and the tons of analog wiring that is usually removed, Steve suggested that engineers Google “copper scrap reclamation” for information on turning your old wire into money. 

A recent Bloomberg headline stated, “Copper Tapped as the Next Big Metals Trade of 2020.” 

* * *  Fig. 1: A compact recorder and mixer from CEntrance.

I was commiserating with an engineer about remote broadcasts of the 1960s and ’70s and how they’ve changed.  Many stations load their jocks up with a tablet or a smartphone, and it’s show time! Even the gear required for news interviews has been simplified thanks to several codec manufacturers.

Using a smartphone for an interview is fine, but there are times where you’d like to mix two signals. That’s where CEntrance comes in.  

The MixerFace R4, pictured in Fig. 1, is a high-quality mixer, recorder and USB interface. The rugged metal enclosure is about the size of a smartphone, and can record to an SD card or the phone.

Fig. 2: This is not some kind of science fiction monster; it’s two people holding a MixerFace. Identify the hands and maybe you’ll win a prize.

In addition to gain and monitor controls, each channel has a switchable high-pass filter (to reduce on-location wind noise) as well as a Hi-Z/Low-Z selector switch for each channel. Longer recording sessions are assured with an 8 hour battery.

The MixerFace R4 is available through broadcast distributor Broadcasters General Store, which is sponsoring a fun contest. Look at Fig. 2. The first person identifying the hands holding the MixerFace R4 will win a $25 coffee card. Send your entry to my email and maybe include a tip or a picture of something to share from your gallery (not required). Only one winner, and the time/date stamp on your email will be the determining factor. 

Earn recertification credit when you share a tip published in Workbench. Thank you for sharing your tips and high-resolution photos by sending them to  johnpbisset@gmail.com.

John Bisset has spent 50 years in the broadcasting industry and is still learning. He handles western U.S. radio sales for the Telos Alliance. He holds CPBE certification with the Society of Broadcast Engineers and is a past recipient of the SBE’s Educator of the Year Award.

The post Frank Hertel’s 11 Tips for Dealing With Mice appeared first on Radio World.

The Adam Hall Group has unveiled its Palmer brand’s new active studio monitor, the Studimon 5.

The Studimon 5 comes in compact bass reflex housing with wooden sidewalls. It has a 5-inch ferrite custom subwoofer, 0.75-inch neodymium silk diaphragm tweeter, and a frequency response of 70 Hz to 20 kHz.

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

The two-way monitor, with an output power of two 30 W (RMS) amplifiers is intended for home studios as well as professional audio environments.

The back of the Studimon 5 features a 1/4-inch jack and XLR inputs, and a volume controller for tuning stereo balance.

The Studiomon 5 is priced at $269 each.

Info: www.palmer-germany.com/en/

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