Radio World

The author is co-founder of Telos Alliance and Syndicate of Sounds.

A number of years ago, 2003 or so, Steve Church and I had an idea to enhance HD Radio for FM. To our ears, the HD system for FM lacked a “wow” factor, as the conventional HD signal sounded very similar to the FM-Stereo counterpart.

Just as HDTV offered an incredible advance in visual resolution, we felt the listener needed to experience something similar, with HD broadcast audio. Basically, provide a significant reason why HD Radio was the next step beyond FM-Stereo.

At that time, the record label/audio industry was in the midst of promoting a couple of newer audiophile formats: SACD (Super Audio CD) and DVD-A (DVD Audio). Both of them allowed higher sampling rates, as well as offering discrete, linear 5.1 surround sound.

Record labels began reissuing older catalog material in newly produced 5.1 surround sound. Most were of the rock and classical genre, along with some box sets of complete album catalogs of well-known artists.

We found this exciting for a few reasons, as we were able to hear incredible recordings, by favorite artists, in a whole new light. Also, we got an idea of how to enable this on FM radio.

The new HD Radio platform was still fairly new, and looking for a means to attract consumers of the new tech. As mentioned we felt there was not a significant sonic reason why a consumer would be drawn to this — until we heard music in surround.

We’ve been very fortunate to have maintained a strong business and collegial relationship with the crew at the Frauhofer Institute (FhG), in Germany. On account of this, we learned they had recently developed a new method to transport 5.1 surround within a coded audio environment. This is known as MPEG-Surround.

A simple description explains the usage of the left/right stereo channels for audio transport coding, and at the same time data reducing the surround cues, which are transported alongside the main stereo audio. Then, during the decoding process, the surround cues will properly assign and derive each of the surround channels accordingly. This method provides discrete 5.1 surround and operates within a coded environment platform. The surround cues require very little data, normally around 5 kbps.

Given the data rate of the HD Radio system, MPEG-Surround was the perfect fit for FM broadcast. Automotive listening is the perfect experience for this, and it would surely add the needed “wow” factor to HD Radio, or so we thought.

Telos, along with FhG, built an operating prototype of this system, complete with demonstrations inside a BMW automobile at a couple of NAB Shows in Las Vegas. Anyone who heard the demo was blown away.

So, what happened?
Two mitigating circumstances negatively impacted this innovative idea: the record labels were too quick to pull the plug on producing more surround content, and broadcasters were reluctant to invest in the infrastructure changed needed to add this transmission method to their facilities — even though the Telos Alliance made this all easy and affordable via their AoIP tech, which allows 5.1 surround to easily coexist with stereo signals.

The lack of content was quite possibly the biggest challenge. It would have been very confusing to consumers as to whether their reception was stereo of surround.

Given all that has been expressed here, there has always been a concept that intrigued me. Would it be possible to render discrete 5.1 surround from existing stereo material?

Relevance to radio
This idea is not new, and there have been various upmixing applications available, which will output a “surround” signal.

Most, if not all, of these render surround using some form of simulation, or trickery to generate the added sound field. Most of them employ time delay, phase manipulation, reverb or switching to derive surround.

My goal was to develop an upmixer algorithm that operates in real time, without any of the aforementioned gimmicks — find a linear method that preserves original production integrity and creates discrete surround.

After much research into managing sound fields, I was able to develop a method that creates discrete surround, as it expands the original stereo stage into discrete Left, Right, Center, Left-Surround, Right-Surround, and LFE (Low Frequency Enhancement) or sub-woofer for short.

[Read More Guest Commentaries Here]

This method is now known as Déjà Vu and is marketed through Syndicate of Sounds. The accompanying image is a basic illustration.

The system has been vetted out by some of the biggest names in the recording industry: Gary Katz, Hugh Padgham, Frank Filipetti, Giles Martin and Jean-Michel Jarre to name a few. Each of them has provided the proverbial “thumbs up” to the tech.

So, how does this apply for streaming? Well, after all that background information provided here, it’s really very simple. All of the work done for the HD Radio application ports over 100% to streaming! After all, HD Radio is basically another streaming platform, except we’re not dealing with transmitters and receivers.

Instead of the need to rely on discrete produced 5.1 material, all we need is a great-sounding discrete upmixer for 5.1, and a transport mechanism, like MPEG-Surround, and we are good to go! For the consumer, just about any player app will automatically provide 5.1 surround if an MPEG-Surround signal is present. The players default to this now.

For the streaming installation, all that is needed is a transport codec that both employs the Déjà Vu upmixer and contains MPEG-Surround as a streaming selection. Basically, a stereo audio connection in, and the output is both stereo and surround, all neatly packaged in a standard streaming format.

For broadcasters who stream, this is an excellent way to add a truly amazing wow factor to your online signal, and it does not require any change to your existing infrastructure. Now all content can be presented in true discrete 5.1 surround.

As of early February, the Telos Alliance is finalizing a software update that will enable their streaming product to offer both the Déjà Vu upmixing function, coupled with MPEG-Surround for the transport stream.

Find out more about this topic at syndicateofsounds.com.

The post Déjà Vu: The Streaming “Wow” Factor appeared first on Radio World.

iHeartMedia faces a possible $20,000 fine in a contest rules violation case. The Federal Communications Commission said the company’s history of contest rule violations played a factor in the amount of the penalty.

The FCC Enforcement Bureau said the case involves a contest — ironically called “You Can’t Win” — that was held by WBGG(FM) in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

(via @CastronovoShow Twitter)

A person who attempted to participate on May 30, 2019, had won a separate station contest, the “Southwest Flyaway Fridays,” on March 1, so the station call screener didn’t allow him to participate. The listener then argued that the station wasn’t following its own contest rules.

When the FCC inquired, the company replied that an employee had applied a past exclusion rule incorrectly but it also said this wasn’t relevant because the listener would have been ineligible anyway. But the commission ruled that the “plain language” of the contest rules indicated otherwise.

Even if there was an ambiguity, it continued, FCC precedent is that ambiguous rules are to be “construed against the interests of the promoter of the contest.”

The commission also didn’t accept the station’s argument that the person raising the complaint didn’t have “standing” in the case. (Readers who are involved in creating radio station contest rules may wish to read the FCC NAL for specifics of why the commission didn’t accept iHeart’s various arguments.)

The base forfeiture in contest cases is $4,000 for each violation; the FCC opted to increase the proposed penalty to $20,000 in part because the station also failed to maintain the contest rules on its website for at least 30 days after the end of the contest, as required.

But another factor in raising the amount, the FCC said, is that “the licensee is the pro forma assignee of an affiliate with a history of violating the Contest Rule.” The commission listed several examples of contest cases 2000 to 2012 involving stations owned by what was then called Clear Channel.

The station has 30 days to pay the fine or to reply with any counter argument.

This was the second time in as many days that the FCC has mentioned problems of past rule compliance by a major broadcast group; in an unrelated case we reported earlier, the commission took Cumulus to task for various past EEO and other infractions.

The post No, Really, You Can’t Win appeared first on Radio World.

ASCAP reported record revenue for 2021, collecting $1.335 billion.

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers said, “Increases in collections from the audio streaming and audio-visual sectors pushed ASCAP’s domestic revenue to $1.011 billion in 2021, up 4.4%, an increase of $42.5 million over 2020. This was the first year that ASCAP domestic revenues from U.S.-licensed performances surpassed $1 billion.”

It said the strategic growth plan it launched in 2015 has driven revenues to grow at a 5% compound annual growth rate since then.

“ASCAP’s identification, matching and processing of trillions of musical performances drove record-setting distributions that exceeded $1 billion for the fifth year in a row and increased $41 million over the previous year, for a total oaf $1.254 billion available for distribution to its more than 850,000 songwriter, composer and publisher members in 2021.”

It said the total available for domestic distributions of licensed and administered performances was $912.6 million, a 2.4% increase over 2020. It said strong domestic performance offset a drop in revenue from foreign societies of 9.7% “due largely to business closures and the lack of vaccinations.” But its international distributions were up 5.9%.

Its annual report is posted at www.ascap.com/annualreport.

 

The post ASCAP Reports Record Revenue appeared first on Radio World.

From the People News page: Guntermann & Drunck announced two new sales roles in North America.

“To better serve the many western U.S. customers, and particularly to drive further market success, GDNA is continuing their North American expansion,” it said in an announcement. “Carlos Mira was appointed  director of sales for Mid America, Florida and Latin America, and Silvia van Lieshout joined GDNA North America Inc. as director of federal sales.

The sales team is joined by Andy Cooper, field application engineer.

G&D makes professional KVM extenders, switches and matrix switches; it is headquartered in Germany and has a North American sales and support subsidiary in California.

Send announcements for People News to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post G&D Beefs Up North American Sales Presence appeared first on Radio World.

There’s a new feature in the iHeartRadio app that lets listeners send voice messages to air talent on participating iHeart radio stations.

“Engage with your favorite on-air hosts and DJs in on-air conversations by tapping, recording, and sending your voice directly from within the iHeart app for iOS and Android,” the company tells listeners on its website.

The user navigates to a participating live station, taps the mic button and records a voice message up to 30 seconds, and hits Send. The voice recording is sent to the station.

The feature only works on participating iHeartRadio live radio stations. The user has to have the latest iOS or Android app.

TechCrunch reports that the feature also will roll out to interested iHeartRadio podcasters who opt in come April.

“What makes this offering unique,” TechCrunch reports, “is that the recordings aren’t just going to some inbox somewhere — Talk Back is integrated with the proprietary iHeartRadio content management system, so the voice recordings are available to use, live on air, within about 10 seconds after sending.”

The post iHeart Adds Talk Back Feature to App appeared first on Radio World.

The National Association of Broadcasters today, Mar. 1, urged broadcasters to refrain from carrying and state-sponsored programming associated with the Russian government or its agents. The call came in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) is a fierce defender of the First Amendment and the critical importance of the ability to freely express views, both popular and unpopular,” stated NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt. “While the First Amendment protects freedom of speech, however, it does not prevent private actors from exercising sound, moral judgment.”

LeGeyt’s statement continued: “To that end, given the unprovoked aggression exhibited by Russia against the free and sovereign people of Ukraine, NAB calls on broadcasters to cease carrying any state-sponsored programming with ties to the Russian government or its agents.”

[Related: “Russian Broadcasters Leave EBU”]

The statement ended noting that NAB knows that such programs are extremely limited on U.S. airwaves, but “we believe that our nation must stand fully united against misinformation and for freedom and democracy across the globe.”

The question of how a broadcaster can tell the source of any given programming is timely. The NAB and other broadcast organizations have sued the FCC, opposing a new rule that requires stations to determine the source of foreign-based content. The association has argued that the requirement puts undue burdens on radio and TV stations, that that the rule is unconstitutional and that the problem the FCC is trying to solve is a “phantom harm.”

The post NAB Opposes Airing Russia-Sponsored Programming appeared first on Radio World.

How can Radio World do better?

It’s my goal to make our content as helpful and interesting to you as possible. Today I’m asking you to tell me how we can improve it.

I want RW stories to help you with your career. Do they?

I want our articles to help you understand changes in technology and how they might affect you or the organization you work for. Do they?

I aim to meet Radio World’s goal of bringing buyers and sellers together, to promote a vigorous marketplace for radio and audio technology. How are we doing?

I love to celebrate the history and personalities of radio, especially radio technology, while balancing that with an embrace of today’s tools and tomorrow’s important trends. Do we meet that goal?

Do our print and digital editions meet your needs? Do you read Radio World’s daily SmartBrief newsletter? Are we reaching you on the right social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter? Should we be using different outlets instead?

Do our ebooks cover the right topics, do you find our online events informative?

Is your experience of Radio World everything you’d like it to be?

Tell me at radioworld@futurenet.com.

Thanks as always for being part of the Radio World family.

The post What Could Be Better? appeared first on Radio World.

The College Radio Foundation said more than 50 stations around the world took part in a hastily organized audio event to show support for students and others in Ukraine.

Rob Quicke, founder of the foundation, invited messages of support that were then combined into a produced piece to be sent to the Ukrainians the next day.

“It was a truly international coalition of love and support,” Quicke said in an announcement.

The piece has been posted to SoundCloud.

 

He contacted OstRadio in Ostroh and STUD Radio in Lviv with the material.

OstRadio journalist Diana Khokhonik replied, “The only thing left for us is to remain calm and not to panic, to pray to God, to believe in the army that protects us, to protect our health and life. Ukraine wants a peaceful sky over its head!”

Roman Zajac, head of STUD Radio, said the station shared the audio with other universities.

“Zajac then coordinated a response from his students involved with student radio who live across Ukraine, including Lviv, Chornobyl, Donetsk, and the capital city Kyiv,” Quicke wrote. “The students sent audio recorded on their cell phones as they were sheltering from the war. The result was a piece that Zajac put together and asked Quicke to help finish produce, as Zajac could not access his radio studios.”

That message was also posted to SoundCloud.

 

“I am very moved by the bravery of the students in Ukraine to keep going and to make the effort to send a message to the world in such difficult circumstances. College radio stands with Ukraine. We must not forget them,” says Quicke.

The post College Stations Send Audio Support to Ukraine appeared first on Radio World.

The next time someone tells you that radio is just background noise for most people, point them to this study.

Cumulus Media is calling attention to a report that explores consumer attentiveness and ad skipping tendencies.

The company says the report demonstrates that AM/FM radio leads all media in advertising attentiveness, with the lowest levels of ad skipping.

It also found that consumers devote very high levels of concentration to podcasts “since listeners actively seek them out to learn something new, which justifies premium CPMs for podcasts.”

The report is from Cumulus Media/Westwood One’s Audio Active Group.

Cumulus summarized key findings:

“Attention grows in importance among marketers and agencies,” it wrote. “Nearly half of advertisers have discussed consumer attentiveness as a metric. Two out of three say it is important for measuring media investments.”

Also, traditional media ads have greater engagement compared to digital ads. “AM/FM radio, print, and podcast ads lead in attentiveness. Consumers skip social and digital ads the most.”

Further, it said, agencies and marketers tend to “overestimate consumer concentration of social media. Two consumer studies reveal social media has the lowest attentiveness of media platforms.”

AM/FM radio CPMs should be a premium to Pandora and Spotify, Cumulus said. “Pandora/Spotify audio impressions are not the same as AM/FM radio impressions. The greater proportion of spoken word content on AM/FM radio generates much higher levels of concentration and attentiveness. The information and personalities of AM/FM radio satisfy consumer need states for information and connection.”

Also, “Audio platforms satisfy unique need states. AM/FM radio is associated with information, connection, and entertainment. Podcasts are a source of information, learning, and entertainment. Music streaming entertains, relaxes, and lifts moods.”

The Media Attentiveness and Ad Skipping Report is aimed at marketers, agency media planners and buyers.

The post Radio Leads in Advertising Attentiveness, Study Finds appeared first on Radio World.

Cumulus Media is getting a tongue-lashing from the Federal Communications Commission.

The company faces a $32,000 penalty in a case in Georgia that involves EEO rules. But to explain why it chose to raise what might have been a smaller fine, the FCC criticized Cumulus more broadly about its habits in following commission rules.

In the notice of apparent liability, it pointed to past EEO rules cases in 2008 and 2017. But the commission then went on to talk about the company’s “prior history of non-EEO rule violations” and it posted a footnote that listed a string of Cumulus FCC cases over the past 19 years involving political files, public inspection files, broadcasting phone conversations, tower fencing, antenna painting and false certification in a renewal application.

“Indeed, the commission recently sanctioned Cumulus for its repeated violations of the commission’s sponsorship identification rules,” the commission wrote in the notice of apparently liability. “In that forfeiture order, the commission emphasized that repeated violations of the commission’s rules warranted upward adjustment — even if the prior violations do not relate to the type of violations at issue in the current matter.”

The commission didn’t stop there:

“While Cumulus’ history of repeatedly violating the commission’s rules would be problematic under any circumstances, its apparent disregard of the commission’s EEO rules is particularly troubling. Cumulus, in its own words, is ‘an audio-first media company delivering premium content to over a quarter billion people every month…’ Cumulus owns and operates several hundred radio stations in dozens of markets across the nation. In short, it is a highly sophisticated broadcaster with extensive operations that employs thousands of people and routinely fills scores of job openings annually. The commission’s EEO rules ensure that broadcasters take concrete and thoughtful steps to seek and attract diverse employees.  Repeated disregard of these rules by a broadcaster of Cumulus’ size and scope is contrary to the public interest.”

Radio World invited comment from Cumulus and will report any response.

In the case at hand, the FCC found that Cumulus Licensing LLC apparently violated the equal employment opportunity rules in regards to five of its former stations in Georgia: WEGC(FM) Sasser: WJAD(FM) Leesburg; and WKAK(FM), WQVE(FM) and WALG(AM), all in Albany. (The stations subsequently were sold to First Media Services, according to news reports.)

The commission said the company failed to upload its annual EEO public file report in the online public inspection files, failed to upload its annual report to the stations’ websites and failed to analyze its EEO program.

This came to light in the stations’ license renewal applications. According to the FCC, Cumulus indicated that it had not uploaded the EEO files  when required. When the Enforcement Bureau wrote asking why, Cumulus told it that the 2018 annual report had not been added to the public inspection files and websites until more than nine months after the deadline, because its business manager had “simply overlooked this requirement.” It blamed a routine administrative change and the loss of a former employee who had helped with this task in the past.

The commission said those facts don’t mitigate the violation.

The rules set a base forfeiture of $10,000 for each public file violation but the FCC has discretion to change the penalty. Here, the commission cited “Cumulus’ prior history of rule violations, including violations of the EEO rules,” as well as the longer list of past incidents mentioned above.

Cumulus argued that the forfeiture penalty should be decreased because its parent emerged from bankruptcy in 2018 and because the pandemic had hurt its ad revenue; but the commission rejected those arguments, quoting statements on the Cumulus website that the company had reduced its debt and increased its cash since emerging from bankruptcy.

The company has 30 days to pay the fine in the specific case or to reply seeking a different outcome.

 

The post FCC Has Harsh Words for Cumulus appeared first on Radio World.

Edison Research’s second look at South Africa through its Infinite Dial methodology finds online audio use has exploded over the past four years.

In the 2019 Infinite Dial South Africa report, 39% of respondents 15+ in major metro areas reported using online audio. In the 2022 report, that number increased to 61% of respondents.

Weekly radio listening held steady from 2019 to 2022 with 69% of respondents reporting having listened to the radio in the past week, up one percentage point from 68% in 2019. Ninety-four percent of respondents reported having at least one radio in their home, although 64% of respondents said they used a mobile phone, computer or television for in-home radio listening too, which was a significant (44%) increase from 2019.

Comparison of 2019 to 2022 reported radio listening in the past week among those 15+ (Edison Research)

In terms of in-car listening, 80% of respondents 18+ reported having tuned to AM/FM radio while driving or as a passenger within the past month.

Ninety percent of respondents 15+ reported owning a smartphone in 2022, and 32% said they owned a smart speaker. More than a third (36%) of people in 2022 reported having ever downloaded an AM/FM radio station’s smartphone app.

Podcasting also saw substantial gains with 26% of respondents 15+ listening to podcasts at least monthly in 2022 compared to 10% in 2019. Fourth-eight percent of respondents said they were aware of podcasts even if they didn’t listen to them.

Podcast listeners were slightly more likely to be male than female (53% to 47%) and aged 15–34 (51%), compared to 35–54 (38%) or 55+ (11%). Of the 20% of people who reported listening to podcasts weekly, they listened to four episodes on average each week.

Comparison of radio ownership in South Africa and the U.S. (Edison Research)

When it comes to streaming audio services, YouTube Music had the greatest brand awareness with 69% of those 15+ being aware of the service. Spotify followed at 36% and Joox, an Asia-based streamer that launched in South Africa in 2017, at 27%.

The Infinite Dial 2022 South Africa survey was conducted by Edison Research in November/December 2021 with in-person interviews of 1,500 people living in eight major metropolitan municipalities in South Africa: Nelson Mandela Bay, Mangaung, Johannesburg, eThekwini, Cape Town, Buffalo City, Tshwane, and Ekurhuleni. The data was weighted to reflect the gender, age, and race of the population. No margin of error was reported.

The National Association of Broadcasters South Africa commissioned the survey, which was sponsored by Triton Digital, and produced in association with The Broadcast Research Council of South Africa.

Larry Rosin, President of Edison Research, shared findings from the study in an online presentation today. Rosin added, “The increase in online audio consumption and podcast listening among those we surveyed in South Africa points to a space that can accommodate many audio platforms while radio stays strong. We hope this data that shows robust growth in audio consumption motivates advertisers to consider all of these various audiences.”

The post Radio Holds Steady in Infinite Dial 2022 South Africa appeared first on Radio World.

In light of Russia’s attack on the Ukraine, FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel has proposed action to help protect America’s communications networks guard against cyberattacks. Earlier in the week, the Department of Homeland Security warned U.S. organizations at all levels that they could face cyber threats stemming from the Russia–Ukraine conflict; the FCC said Rosenworcel’s proposal would begin an inquiry into the vulnerabilities of the internet’s global routing system.

If adopted by a vote of the full commission, the Notice of Inquiry would seek public comment on vulnerabilities threatening the security and integrity of the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), which the FCC says is central to the internet’s global routing system. The inquiry would also examine the impact these vulnerabilities would have on the transmission of data through email, e-commerce, bank transactions, interconnected voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP), and 911 calls — and how best to address these challenges.

BGP is the routing protocol used to exchange reachability information among independently managed networks on the Internet. BGP’s initial design, which remains widely deployed today, does not include explicit security features to ensure trust in this exchanged information.

As a result, the FCC said, a bad network actor may deliberately falsify BGP reachability information to redirect traffic. Russian network operators have been suspected of exploiting BGP’s vulnerability to hijacking in the past. “BGP hijacks” can expose Americans’ personal information, enable theft, extortion, and state-level espionage, and disrupt otherwise-secure transactions.

Working with its federal partners, the commission has urged the communications sector to defend against cyber threats, while also taking measures to reinforce the nation’s readiness and to strengthen the cybersecurity of vital communications services and infrastructure, especially in light of Russia’s actions inside of Ukraine.

Rosenworcel also recently shared with her colleagues a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would begin the process of strengthening the commission’s rules for notifying customers and federal law enforcement of breaches of customer proprietary network information (CPNI). The inquiry under consideration would build on those efforts, the FCC said.

The post FCC Takes Steps to Protect Against Cyberattacks From Russia and its Agents appeared first on Radio World.

Fig. 1: A simple fixture to lift grounds and swap conductors as you correct for Pin 1 problems.

San Francisco Projects Engineer Bill Ruck and I have been conversing via email about the Pin 1 grounding issue discussed in Workbench in December and January, especially the problem encountered when interfacing gear to an outside source, such as an event sound contractor.

Bill built up a variety of XLR adaptors that he keeps organized in one of those black cotton bags found at Harbor Freight. The first photo shows his male and female XLRs brought out to a barrier strip.

This adaptor makes lifting grounds or switching “HOT” pins on the XLR easier than disassembling and resoldering connector pins. Now Bill can try different configurations with only a screwdriver and see what works best. He can also change from balanced to unbalanced by moving the lugs on the barrier strip.

Fig. 2: The same idea, but bringing the conductors out to alligator clips.

The rig in the second photo can be used in a similar fashion, as it brings the terminals out to alligator clips. Bill made up two other adaptors, seen in the third image. On the left, this jumper has Pins 2 and 3 reversed. The assembly on the right lifts the ground, Pin 1.

You’ll note that Bill took advantage of his labeling machine to identify all the adaptors and to include his name — less of a chance of something “walking off.”

Bill also provided a link to an interesting series of papers about the “Pin 1 problem” should you want further information. The URL, appropriately enough, is www.pin1problem.com.

Gotta run for shade
Alan Peterson, national production director and weekend program coordinator for the Radio America Network in Arlington, Va., and former Radio World columnist, has been following our Pin 1 discussion too. He offered a simple mnemonic to remember the order of XLR connections: “2 is Hot, 3 is Not.”

Fig. 3: Additional adaptors that reverse Pins 2 and 3, and lift the Pin 1 ground.

Likewise, Alan reminded me that Kool & The Gang permanently cemented the standard in 1979 when they rolled out the song, “Too (2) Hot.” Hum that to yourself and you will never forget!

He adds that he wished XLR plug manufacturers would emboss larger numbers on those connectors. Yes, Alan, my eyesight is failing, too.

Alan then surprised me with news that he’ll be retiring in March from Radio America. Congratulations!

Man Cave
I’ve gotten a number of great comments about our description of Harry Simons’ living room studio, which he built in retirement. More than one engineer wanted to know what Harry’s wife had to say about turning the living room into a studio. No problem there, Harry’s single!

Slippery when cold
When it snows and sleets down in the Carolinas and Georgia like it did recently, you know it’s winter. And that means keeping something handy to keep your locks working.

We’ve written about the many great applications of WD-40 Multi-Use Product. Educational Media Foundation Field Tech Scott Todd writes that when it comes to spray lubricants, especially for locks, you may also want to try a couple of other options, both available from Amazon.

The reviews for PB B’laster Penetrant note that it stinks. Also, that it’s a great penetrating oil but not a silicon lubricant. PB B’laster Silicon Lubricant, on the other hand, contains a higher concentration of silicone than other brands, which means longer-lasting lubrication. It’s formulated with a Teflon polymer. This compound is a clear, non-evaporating formula that can lubricate and protect not only metal, but also plastic, wood, rubber, vinyl and leather products.

[Check Out More of Workbench Here]

Scott says that in his opinion, the gold standard in lock lubricants, bar none, is Kano Laboratories’ Penephite Graphited Penetrating Oil. On Amazon, this spray has a 78% five-star review. It consists of a combination of oils, solvents and micron-sized graphite in a suspension. The oils and solvents carry the graphite into infinitely small spaces to loosen frozen parts. Once deposited, the graphite provides long-lasting lubrication.

Strong not silent
Back in September 2019, we published a Workbench tip from EMF’s Ken Beckwith about constructing an EAS Loop antenna out of PVC. Carroll Broadcasting’s Lance Coon wrote in recently to say he was looking to build this antenna for his stations but needed clarification on one point.

In the article, we mentioned improving the “strength” of the loop by adding a piece of conduit down its middle.

Lance wanted to confirm that be “strength,” we meant the rigidity of the loop, not the strength of the signal.

Lance, you are right. To increase the signal strength or sensitivity, you’d add more turns of wire to the loop. Mounting shouldn’t be critical; just be sure the edge of the loop is pointing toward the EAS signal you want to receive. Be sure to send us a picture of your completed project, Lance!

John Bisset, CPBE, has 50 years in broadcasting and is in his 32nd year writing Workbench. He handles western U.S. radio sales for the Telos Alliance and is a past recipient of the SBE’s Educator of the Year Award.

Workbench submissions are encouraged and qualify for SBE recertification credit. Email johnpbisset@gmail.com.

The post Workbench: Adaptors Help Solve Pin 1 Problems appeared first on Radio World.

Retired broadcast engineer John Warner died Friday at age 73.

The cause of death was not announced. His daughter told Radio World that it was not related to COVID.

Warner was known widely as an expert in AM radio engineering. In 2010, when he was vice president of engineering for Clear Channel Communications, Radio World wrote: “When it comes to AM radio stations in the United States, perhaps no engineer has quite the number of sites to worry about as does John Warner.” Clear Channel’s AM properties typically numbered 250 to 300 at that time.

He later held the title of vice president of AM transmission for the company, which had been renamed iHeartMedia.

Jeff Littlejohn, executive vice president, engineering and systems for iHeartMedia Technology Operations, said this weekend, “He was truly respected for his knowledge of AM, not only from the iHeart engineering staff, but also from the consulting engineering community at large. I never saw a problem that John could not beat. John loved to teach others about his craft, so any engineer that was eager to learn would have John as a willing teacher.”

Early start

Warner became interested in radio as early as age 8 or 9, he told Radio World’s Michael LeClair in 2010.

“I owned a crystal set when I was young. My father was interested in radios, and I built a small radio as a scouting project. My mother actually taught me to solder. During World War II, she worked at Bendix Radio in Baltimore, which manufactured aircraft and tank radios for the war.”

Warner lived on a farm as a child and became interested in antennas so that he could pick up different kinds of radio signals.

“I used to listen to all the European broadcasters via shortwave, and I experimented with long-wire and curtain array antennas. My father encouraged my interest in radio, and for one of my birthdays he gave me a telephone pole, which he then helped me to put in the ground to use as a tower that I could use to make experiments.”

He attended the University of Maryland for two years in 1966 and 1967 and studied defense electronics and electrical engineering. He did not obtain a formal degree because his family did not have enough money to let him complete college, but he later went back to school and took further engineering courses at Johns Hopkins.

His first job in radio was at station WBAL in Baltimore in 1979, a a 50 kW clear-channel AM station on 1090 kHz with a high-power directional array.
Warner credited veteran engineer Harrison Brooks, who had just retired at that time, with teaching him a lot of the history of WBAL and about broadcasting in the Baltimore area.

He also credited Ron Rackley, whom he met in 1986, with influencing his career. “We were installing a new Continental 317C at WBAL, and to improve the stability of the array, we also replaced the sample system at the same time and did a full proof. Ron and I struck up an immediate friendship while working on that project and we’ve stayed in touch ever since.”

John Warner with tower-based matching and filtering equipment for a five-tower triplexed DA in Boston designed by Ron Rackley. Courtesy Tom King

Rackley gave Warner his first copy of the MiniNEC code, used to model the behavior of antennas. “In those days it ran on an 8086 class computer, and it would take hours to do a tower model. I remember that you could start a model in the morning and let the computer run all day while working, and come back to find that it had just finished around 5 p.m.,” he told Radio World in that 2020 article.

Warner came to Clear Channel when Jacor was acquired in 1999. Among his duties, he was responsible for overseeing the design and construction of new AM facilities and the maintenance and refurbishing of existing AM stations.

During his career, among other activities, Warner spoke at the NAB Show’s AM Boot Camp and was a member of the Association of Federal Communications Consulting Engineers.

“He thoroughly enjoyed his work and it gave him great purpose in life,” daughter Jenn told RW Sunday. “He loved imparting his wisdom and experience with others and formed friendships with others in the business through collaboration.”

He also enjoyed traveling, photography, gardening, amateur radio and spending time with his grandchildren.

According to his obituary, his wife Lynne Hartwell Warner passed away in 2013.

Funeral services and interment are private.

[Read Radio World’s 2010 profile of John Warner.]

The post John Warner Dies, Was Respected AM Engineer appeared first on Radio World.

GeoBroadcast Solutions is again firing back at iHeartMedia for opposing its request that FM broadcasters be allowed to geo-target content.

The FCC has a rulemaking proceeding on the idea, as we’ve reported; iHeartMedia in a series of filings has voiced concern based on what it calls unresolved technical questions and the risk of splintering the local advertising market.

GBS says its technology, which it brands as ZoneCasting, gives FM broadcasters an advantage by allowing them to air content intended for specific coverage areas for limited periods of time. It uses FM boosters to allow for hyperlocal advertising and content independent of the signals of its primary station within different portions of the primary’s protected service contour.

GBS has compared its technology to iHeartMedia’s AdBuilder website feature, saying that the latter essentially mirrors ZoneCasting in that it allows advertisers to select communities on a map to target their ads.

iHeartMedia argued back that the comparison is inapt.

“In fact, the AdBuilder interface simply allows potential advertisers, including small and medium businesses, to produce and purchase spots to air strategically over iHeartMedia radio stations’ full broadcast service areas and is nothing like FM booster ZoneCasting,” iHeart said in its February 2022 filing.

iHeart continued: “Nevertheless, to support its strawman contention that iHeartMedia is seeking to reinforce and protect its AdBuilder offering, GBS fundamentally mischaracterizes AdBuilder as being essentially equivalent to ZoneCasting.”

The company noted that the NAB has expressed concern about possible undermining of the broadcast industry’s business model if advertisers could select desired target areas of a station’s broadcast signal, thus creating the ability to geo-target affluent “Gold Coast” areas of a station’s service area.

“The lack of comprehensive testing by GBS in a multitude of settings, endorsement by a government agency of a single vendor’s exclusive and proprietary technology, potential for redlining by advertisers, costs to implement and the disruption to net advertising revenues necessary for broadcasters to serve the listening public,” the media company argues.

[Related: “Large Groups Raise a Caution Flag on Geo-Targeting”]

GBS, in a letter last week to the FCC, replies that its fundamental point when comparing ZoneCasting to AdBuilder is that a prominent feature of the technologies is the same: “to enable advertisers to reach intended audience both contextually and geographically.”

The technology company disputes iHeart’s claim that ZoneCasting could burden broadcasters economically.

“That is baseless. The proposed rule would permit the use of geo-targeting technology on a voluntary basis, so it imposes costs on no one,” GBS told the FCC. “If iHeart or any other broadcaster does not want to invest in the future, then they need not. For those broadcasters who choose to adopt this technology, there are options to finance any costs.”

[GBS commentary: “ZoneCasting Will Level the Playing Field for Radio”]

GBS says iHeart’s argument that ZoneCasting could cause harmful interference is based on year-old NAB comments that did not include a technical investigation. “More problematically, iHeart’s Feb. 8, 2022, filing ignores technical demonstrations and analysis of geo-targeting submitted to the commission five months ago that provided robust evidence that geo-targeting using boosters enhances the listener experience, works well with the existing emergency alert system, and causes no interference to any other broadcaster,” GBS wrote.

GBS has said that any resulting co-channel interference or self-interference would be manageable and not detrimental to listeners.

The company goes on to say numerous supporters including stakeholders representing minority-owned broadcasters and civil rights advocates have praised the opportunity to lower the barrier to entry for small businesses seeking to advertise on radio and promote the growth of stations that benefit.

“The proposed rule change advances the public interest by also enabling broadcasters to deliver geo-targeted news, traffic, weather and other vital content to their community. That is the epitome of localism, and the commission should embrace that goal to put radio on par with all other media,” GBS concludes.

The GBS letter, prepared by Covington & Burling LLP, included the graphic below indicating terrestrial radio is the only major broadcast platform lacking the ability to geo-target content.

The post iHeartMedia, GBS Spar Again Over Geo-Targeting appeared first on Radio World.

Radio World Buyer’s Guide articles are intended to help readers understand why their colleagues chose particular products to solve various technical situations. This month’s articles focus on products for radio remotes and sports.

Kevin Leach is on location in the Yorkshire Pennines in Northern England, using a USB SIP Codec and Mediaport Sonja router.

In:Quality, a U.K.-based company that specializes in remote broadcast products and services, recently introduced the USB SIP Codec. Kevin Leach is founding director.

Radio World: What are the advantages of a SIP codec over other platforms?

Kevin Leach: The beauty of SIP is compatibility, now that so many devices support both SIP and the Opus audio format.

The person making a call from one compatible device doesn’t need to know anything about the equipment at the other end. They just dial its SIP address, and the call parameters are negotiated automatically.

RW: Can you give examples how your clients are using it creatively?

Leach: Sure. The touchscreen version of our USB SIP Codec has been extremely popular in parts of the BBC, and for Radio France. Both had to respond quickly to the first COVID lockdowns and were able to deploy our devices to their hosts and pundits, to allow them to connect to the studios from home.

The low cost and immediate availability of our devices allowed both broadcasters to purchase in bulk and at short notice. Meanwhile, the simplicity of the setup and on-screen controls allowed the hosts to install the codecs, without the help of an engineer.

RW: Are there misconceptions you’d like to dispel about the product or SIP in general?

Leach: I think some radio producers are still skeptical about SIP, and IP in general, because they have had bad experiences in the early days, especially when using bad WiFi or 3G connections.

Consumer broadband has become much more robust in recent years, especially when WiFi is eliminated. For that reason, our devices do not support WiFi, and instead are hard-wired to the router using Ethernet.

Because SIP is a telephony standard, many users are also surprised at just how clean the audio sounds with Opus, and how stable the calls are with our codecs, despite the lack of a delay.

RW: What else should we know?

Leach: Since the success of the USB SIP Codec, we’ve released a version that has built-in analog XLR connectors. These units are really versatile when hooked up to an analog board in a studio. You can send a link to guests who can connect in from a web browser, and you can even make and receive phone calls, if you subscribe to the extra functionality.

So in total our SIP codecs come in four flavors: USB SIP Codec Zero, a small device with no screen; USB SIP Codec Touch, with a 7-inch screen for use with USB mics; and the XLR versions of Zero and Touch. Separately, our ipDTL works similarly but runs in a web browser on a computer, while hybrIP is a version of ipDTL designed for talk show calls.

Info: https://inquality.com/contact-us/

The post SIP codecs exploit compatibility appeared first on Radio World.

PreSonus has introduced its new Revelator Dynamic USB vocal microphone and Revelator io44 audio interface.

The Revelator Dynamic uses the same custom-built, dynamic microphone capsule as the PD-70 broadcast microphone, and also offers presets intended to aid recording, live streaming, and podcasting.

Meanwhile, the Revelator io44 is a compact, four-in/two-out audio  interface that is bus-powered via aUSB-C compatible jack. The unit is intended for mobile recording as well streaming, and features a combo mic/instrument input with a XMAX-L mic preamp, as well as a ⅛-inch line-level stereo input for DJ mixers and mobile devices. A ⅛-inch stereo headphone output works with regular headphones and TRRS gaming headsets (mic in, stereo out). Balanced ¼-inch stereo main outputs are provided to connect to professional studio monitors.

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

Revelator-series USB microphones and audio interfaces provide onboard signal processing, with the same Fat Channel EQ, compressor, gate, and limiter algorithms found in PreSonus’ StudioLive Series III mixers, plus reverb and voice effects like delay, vocoder, and more. Additional presets emulate concert halls, AM radio, robotic voices, and more. PreSonus’ UC Surface software for macOS and Windows provides access to the processor settings, allowing users to create their own unique sound and save them as presets for instant access.

Each Revelator comes with PreSonus’ Studio One Artist production and recording software for macOS and Windows. The Studio Magic software suite is also included with various effects, instruments, sounds and more. The Revelator Dynamic USB microphone also includes an extendable desktop mic stand.

The Dynamic USB microphone and io44 USB audio interface are available immediately at street prices of $199.95 and $179.95, respectively.

Send your new equipment news to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post PreSonus Introduces New USB Mic, Audio Interface appeared first on Radio World.

International Datacasting Corp. said it was picked by LinkUp Communications Corp. to provide a migration path for radio networks that use legacy ABR satellite receivers originally made by ComStream, Radyne, Comtech and IDC.

“While these units enjoyed widespread industry acceptance and ran reliably for over 30 years, they reached end-of-support several years ago,” IDC said in an announcement.

It said LinkUp is providing a replacement technology package based on the IDC MAP system, as well as installation and configuration services.

MAP Pro Audio Receiver Front and Rear Panels

The distribution package features the MAP line of audio products made by IDC. It said its systems offer “a simple, flexible and cost-effective upgrade path.”

IDC is owned by Novra Technologies Inc. The announcement was made by Gary Carter, VP business development and products for Novra Group/IDC, and Mark Johnson, president of LinkUp Communications.

“For networks looking for a turnkey service to streamline and outsource their uplink operations, LinkUp offers a hosted service based on the IDC MAP system from their newly acquired teleport in Denver,” IDC noted.

Submit business announcements to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post LinkUp Chooses IDC MAP System appeared first on Radio World.

Russia’s State Television and Radio Broadcasting Co. (VGTRK), Channel One and the Ostankino radio house have pulled out of the European Broadcasting Union effective today, Feb. 26.

The move comes after the EBU Executive Board’s decision on Feb. 25 to bar Russian acts from participating in the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest. That decision was in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

According to the EBU’s statement, “The decision reflects concern that, in light of the unprecedented crisis in Ukraine, the inclusion of a Russian entry in this year’s Contest would bring the competition into disrepute.”

The recommendation to bar Russia from Eurovision came from the EBU’s Reference Group and was supported by its Television Committee.

[See Our Global News Page]

According to a report from the Russian news service TASS, the broadcasters said their exit from the EBU was “a response measure” to what “we view as an improper political sacrifice at the music forum which has always emphasized its non-political status.”

The EBU emphasized that it “consulted widely” among its membership before making the decision, and reaffirmed its apolitical goal of upholding the values of public-service broadcasting.

“We remain dedicated to protecting the values of a cultural competition which promotes international exchange and understanding, brings audiences together, celebrates diversity through music and unites Europe on one stage,” the EBU stated.

Eurovision 2022 is scheduled for May 10–14 in Turin, Italy.

VGTRK joined the EBU in 1993, followed by Channel One in 1995 and Ostankino in 1996. Russia first participated in Eurovision in 1994. In 2008, the Russian entry, “Believe” by Dima Bilan, won the contest.

The post Russian Broadcasters Leave EBU appeared first on Radio World.

Global named Ryan Ladisa as its VP of sales for Canada for its digital advertising platform DAX.

He comes over from Media.Monks, where he was SVP of growth for North America.

“A veteran in the Canadian advertising and technology business, Ladisa brings over 20 years of experience across outdoor, television, programmatic and technology,” Global wrote in the announcement.

[Visit Radio World’s People News Page]

DAX is a digital audio advertising exchange “connecting brands with audiences at scale across music, radio and podcasts.” Global launched it in the United States in 2018. Publisher brands on the platform include TuneIn, LiveXLive, AccuRadio and Beasley.

Global, headquartered in London, is a media and entertainment group and describes itself as Europe’s largest radio company; it also has a large outdoor advertising business in the U.K. and Europe.

Send your people news to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post Global Names Ladisa to DAX Sales Post appeared first on Radio World.