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Radio World

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10 Reps Write to Rosenworcel on Geo-Targeting

Posted: 28 Jun 2022 12:07 PM PDT https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/business-and-law/10-reps-write-to-rosenworcel-on-geo-targeting


Ten congressional Democrats have written to the FCC to support the idea of allowing geo-targeting on FM.

In a letter to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, the representatives said
“the inability to use boosters to geo-target specific ZIP codes further exacerbates inequities for minorities in broadcast radio.”

The commission recently took another round of comments on the longstanding proposal from GeoBroadcast Solutions to allow FM stations to use a few
minutes of each broadcast hour to air unique programming on booster signals within certain areas of their main signal footprints.

Many large broadcast companies oppose this notion, led by the National Association of Broadcasters. They cite concerns about interference;
disruption to the existing broadcast business model, which is already challenged by other factors; and the possibility of “red-lining” of broadcast content.

Supporters of the idea include minority broadcaster advocates and
progressive media groups. In their letter, the representatives reiterated a number of arguments that those supports have advanced.

“With the ability to geo-target, minority owned radio stations could
benefit from more advertisements sold, lower costs for small business advertisements and more curated cultural content,” wrote the 10 members of Congress.

“Minority-owned broadcasters are the standard bearers in their communities — the trusted voices for information and news for our constituents. For the declining number of minority-owned broadcasters to do more than survive and
to truly thrive, they must have a fair and equitable opportunity to acquire technology to better serve, educate and inform their communities.”

[Related: ZoneCasting Generates More Contention]

They said that permitting FM stations to geo-target content “will not only help minority broadcasters, but the proposed rule will also relieve the frustration of minority small businesses by allowing them the option to purchase affordable, targeted advertising to reach their neighbors. This
would be a significant opportunity for African American, Native American
and Hispanic American small businesses that have been historically unable
to afford the exorbitant prices associated with saturating an entire market with advertising.”

They also said the ability of stations to define specific areas and content “allow for a more diverse and personalized listener experience, including second-language content, useful communications during public health emergencies, weather advisories, traffic alerts, news updates and even
local sports scores. Geo-targeted content to communities of color through culturally competent messaging will give radio stations an opportunity to provide listeners with a more personalized experience, including
multilingual news. As our country continues to welcome refugees and
immigrants from all over the world, we must be sure they have access to
news and resources from their easily accessible local FM radio stations.”

The 10 Democrats ended by calling the pending decision “a historic opportunity to balance the scales and ensure technological advancements
benefit those broadcasters wishing to utilize the option to serve minority communities.”

Signing the letter were Reps. Hank Johnson of Georgia, Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, Barbara Lee and Eric Swalwell of California, Anthony Brown of Maryland, Joyce Beatty of Ohio, Troy Carter of Louisiana, Danny Davis of Illinois, Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri and Bobby Scott of Virginia.

The post 10 Reps Write to Rosenworcel on Geo-Targeting appeared first on
Radio World.


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Slammed by Storms, a Cumulus Cluster Rebuilds

Posted: 28 Jun 2022 10:52 AM PDT https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/slammed-by-storms-a-cumulus-cluster-rebuilds


One in a series of articles from the Radio World ebook “Spectacular Radio Studios.”

In 2020, less than two months apart, Hurricane Laura and Hurricane Delta
hit the studios of Cumulus Media in Lake Charles, La.

Its building was left unusable. 

“After the structural issues were addressed, including replacing the roof
and repairing every wall, floor and ceiling, we completely rewired the
entire building, and rebuilt studios for each station,” said Greg Davis, chief engineer for Cumulus in Lake Charles and in Beaumont, Texas, an hour
to the west.

The Lake Charles stations include KYKZ 96.1, KKGB(FM) Rock 101, KBIU(FM)
Hot 103.3, KQLK(FM) Nash Icon 97.9, KAOK(AM) SuperTalk 1400 and KXZZ(AM)
Sports Radio 1580. 

“The combination of a city in disaster recovery, coupled with a global pandemic, created issues that were unforeseeable,” Davis said.

“First, finding a construction crew was difficult, as everyone in town was looking for one, and the large majority of people had left town because
their homes were destroyed. Then the crews would get sick, which would
cause delays. And finally, supply chain issues caused additional delays
waiting on materials and supplies.”

The project included seven studios and two production rooms. 

“Since water penetrated all exterior walls, we also had to completely
replace the TOC,” Davis said. “This included BSI’s OpX automaton, network equipment, streaming, satellite and station monitoring equipment. We
installed a Comrex Access system for remotes. And we rebuilt all sales, business and office staff’s offices.”
The Technical Operations Center also had to be rebuilt.

[Visit Radio World’s News and Business Page

The project leader was corporate Director of Engineering Robert Combs, with studio design and organization by VP of Engineering Michael Gay. The studio construction crew was headed by VP of Technical Operations Yancy McNair and included Justin Tucker, Bryan Waters, Sam Michaels, Bobby Dotson and Josh Hartin, most of whom came in from other markets to help.

Greg Davis coordinated the local contractors, monitored their progress and advised them on the special needs of a broadcast facility, while assembling
and wiring studios along with the visiting engineers.
Stefanie Adams at work in KKGB’s control room.

Key components include Axia iQx consoles, Telos VX Broadcast VoIP phone
system, Omnirax furniture, EV RE20 mics, Wheatstone mic processors,
Yellowtec mic arms, Cisco switches, Gatesair IPLinks and Middle Atlantic racks.  

 “While the studios were unusable, we brought our BSI OpX automation system to our neighboring market in Beaumont, Texas,” he said. 

“We used GatesAir IPLink200 units to transport audio over the internet. Though internet was difficult to come by immediately after, we later
installed ViaSat satellite internet. While this was not ideal, it worked
well to provide quality audio to the site when there were no local internet providers available.”

Most of the new equipment was purchased through Broadcasters General Store. “They worked very hard to make sure we receive everything we needed, even in a time when some things were hard to come by.”

The post Slammed by Storms, a Cumulus Cluster Rebuilds appeared first on
Radio World.


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Supply Chain Constraints Rock Equipment Suppliers

Posted: 28 Jun 2022 09:33 AM PDT https://www.radioworld.com/industry-news/manufacturers/supply-chain-constraints-rock-equipment-suppliers


COVID-19 and supply chain woes have plagued broadcasters hand in hand for
the past two years. But while the pandemic ebbs and flows, parts shortages
seem to continue unabated.

Based on what Radio World has gleaned from interviews with a cross-section
of suppliers, the global shortages, particularly in chips, will not end
anytime soon. That means broadcasters will wait longer for equipment, which affects timelines for projects, replacements and repairs. 

Suppliers say fires at multiple manufacturing plants, combined with a
shortage of raw materials, disrupted chip production, which has led to interruptions of electronic equipment production. 

The shortage of components also has pushed up prices. Coupled with overall inflation, increased demand for electronic gadgets and COVID lockdowns, the price of some broadcast equipment has jumped significantly. 

Even the Suez Canal blockage last year played a role, increasing logistics problems and the cost of shipping and transportation globally.
Huge effort

Broadcast suppliers describe a stressful 26 months, with longer lead times
and price increases for products of 10 to 20% in many cases.

“Lead times are mostly affecting electrical components, such as ICs,” said an executive with a leading automation company, “but price increases are affecting everything, from paper in the instruction manuals to the metal chassis and screws.”

Equipment makers buy a variety of components — from resistors to
capacitors, chipsets to screens — from a range of suppliers around the
world. All categories have been affected, they say.
Told that Radio World was working on an article about supply chain issues,
Ben Barber, president/CEO of Inovonics, sent this photo. “Here I am with a box that cost us $30,000,” he wrote.

“Our purchasing team buys materials globally from almost 150-plus
suppliers, and the lead times from almost all suppliers have increased substantially,” said an executive with a transmitter manufacturer. 

“In some cases, the lead times have jumped from eight weeks to 54-plus
weeks. We have seen a huge increase in the prices of almost all materials, starting from small mechanical hardware parts to customized products.”  

Rafael Pérez López is an application and sales engineer for Prodys, a codec manufacturer based in Spain. He said failures of major electronic component manufacturers created a domino effect that has resulted in unaccustomed
lead times for customers. 

“This is something that we really regret. Our company is making a huge
effort to search for components in the most unlikely places and, if
necessary, implement alternatives thanks to our R&D department.”

Even Xperi in its first quarter earnings statement earlier this year cited supply chain issues for key components, contributing to a drop in revenue
for its Connected Car division, which includes HD Radio and DTS AutoStage.
The company reported revenue for Q1 2022 was $20 million compared to $23 million during the same period in 2021.
“Unheard of”

Some equipment companies say they were reasonably well insulated from
component supply issues early in the crisis but have since suffered
shipping delays. 

The chip shortage can set off unfortunate chains of events.

“For example, if we can’t get a component, we need to source a substitute and then test it, or in some cases redesign a board to allow integration of
new components,” said an executive for a major codec manufacturer.   

“As you can imagine, this creates delays and additional costs that need to
be factored into product pricing decisions.”

Another radio automation supplier reported lead times of up to 52 weeks for some parts. “Unheard of before. And even if you have parts on order, there’s a fair chance the manufacturer won’t keep the promised ship dates. It’s been painful.”

An executive with an audio processor manufacturing company described the current parts buying process as untenable. 

“There are two factors involved in purchasing components; the first is delivery and the second price. During the past two years, both have been totally unrealistic,” he said.

[Visit Radio World’s News and Business Page]

This manufacturer typically purchases the bulk of its components from
places like Digi-Key, Mouser, Arrow and Avnet, according to the executive,
but now “when we go to their websites you see zero in stock and delivery being late 2022 or even 2023. This goes for just about every semiconductor
we use.”

As an example, for microchips used in its equipment to keep accurate time,
the company usually pays 85 cents, but it recently received a shipment from
an offshore broker and paid $10.50 each. “That’s a 12 times markup. When you consider a chip that we normally pay $14 and increase that price by a factor of 12, you’re talking about $168 for a chip. It’s crazy.”

Inflated costs of components ultimately get passed along to the consumer, suppliers told Radio World.

“We have had to increase prices by 5% so far, and will likely need to do another price increase soon,” one source said. 

“It’s not just the supply issues increasing the cost of goods though. Shipping has doubled in cost over the last couple years. This is partly due
to the increase in gasoline, but also because of the increase of online shopping/home deliveries. The cost of shipping affects everything and will continue to be a problem.”
Intelligent shopping

For manufacturers, these trends have increased the importance of having managers who are dogged at researching supply sources, savvy about
inventory management and good at “smart buying.” 

For instance an equipment manufacturer may purchase parts with a
longer-term focus. “Not only has it helped us keep our products in stock,
but it has slowed down our own personal inflation,” said an antenna
component manufacturer. “We have components purchased at old prices, and
can pass those savings along to our customers.”

Passive components are easier to find, according to another equipment
maker, since they can often cross them or buy a better part that might be
in stock. However, “anything semiconductor, and especially single-sourced,
is very hard to find. That goes from small eight-pin ICs to 500+ pin BGAs.” Ball grid arrays are used in surface-mount technology manufacturing. 

Companies may feel obliged to stock up when they are able to find available parts. One manufacturing representative on the floor of the NAB Show
referenced the traditional inventory goal of buying components just in time
to ship products, but said with a smile that for today’s parts shopper, “‘Just in time’ is now ‘just in case.’”

A transmitter maker told Radio World that being proactive has helped its purchasing team mitigate the supply issues and risks. 

“We use historical trends and patterns in our forecast to order materials
in advance to stay ahead of our competition. Most importantly, improved supplier relationships have helped us in the last two years to prioritize
our deliveries from our suppliers.”

One equipment vendor said supply chain issues were a hot topic for
discussion by many at the spring convention.

“Broadcasters need to know that the supply chain crisis is very real and costs are going through the roof,” he said.

“No one I spoke with at NAB was critical of us raising prices, but they
were sympathetic to what we and the whole country are going
through. Tariffs years ago were a nuisance [but] inflation and supply chain issues will be downright debilitating if they continue.”

A prominent codec manufacturer said the company doesn’t expect supply chain constraints to ease until 2024 or 2025. 

But another observer told Radio World he and his company are more sanguine about an eventual return to a more normal marketplace.

“We are very optimistic and believe things are going to get better by early 2023. As we have been told by various sources, most semiconductor
manufacturers have increased their capital spends to ramp up capacities and
we should be able to see the investments start to pay off by at least by
mid 2023,” the executive said. 

“Capacities are going to increase in 2023 and the existing imbalance
between demand and supply is going to narrow.”

Have you been affected by parts shortages or severe price hikes? Email radioworld@futurenet.com with “Letter to the Editor” in the subject line.

The post Supply Chain Constraints Rock Equipment Suppliers appeared first
on Radio World.

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