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Radio World

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Workbench: Get Funky with Adafruit Audio FX

Posted: 12 Mar 2022 02:00 AM PST https://www.radioworld.com/columns-and-views/workbench/get-funky-with-the-adafruit-audio-fx

Adafruit Audio FX Sound Board + 2x2W Amp — WAV/OGG trigger.

Some of the most fun I’ve had as an engineer was coming up with gadgets to help radio jocks better execute their shows.

Our internet forager Dan Slentz writes in with something for your crazy DJ. It’s a neat little board that resembles an Arduino “computer” circuit, but
it’s self-contained and meant for only one thing: to play audio.

No other micro-controller is required, only 3 to 5 VDC. There’s 16 MB of storage on board, so not even an SD card is needed.

The length of stored audio depends on whether the audio is mono/stereo and
the sample rate, but audio is stored on the Adafruit FX Sound Board itself;
no external drive is necessary.

If you plug in a USB cable to connect your Windows computer, you can drag
and drop audio files onto the board as if it were a USB key. Dan and I are
sure that readers will find some cool and clever uses, like a sound effects
box for the crazy DJ.

Dan likes that the Adafruit Audio FX Sound Board is a cheap solution to
playing audio with decent quality, where you might need something repeated.
In addition to a sound effects box, add a relay, and the board, which
measures 2 inches by 1 inch, can be used to play short messages on a
telephone.

Dan adds that an engineer could throw this in a little “jiffy box,” add a few AA batteries and turn it into a line identifier/repeater for tracing
audio circuits.

Another idea is a remote audio “bumper box” for sports events. The remote announcers could use this for bumpers leading in and out of local spots.

The Adafruit Audio FX Sound Board can be found on Amazon. The device is in stock and costs about $20–$30 at this writing. If you buy one, please share your application with your fellow engineers. Email me at
johnpbisset@gmail.com and let me know what you did.
Mounting the EAS AM receive antenna on the station’s roof.

Get loopy!

Last issue I clarified an earlier discussion about the physical
construction of Ken Beckwith’s EAS loop antenna. Ken is a field engineer
with Educational Media Foundation. His antenna, which we described in a
2019 column, was made using PVC pipe.

Lance Coon of Carroll Broadcasting built Ken’s design and sent us a couple
of pictures of his finished product, shown here.

The loop antenna is clustered with an FM receive antenna on the building’s roof. Notice the weather-sealing tape that Lance used to wrap the RF
connectors of both antennas. No chance of corrosion or water ingress
ruining the connectors or cables.

Lance reports that the antenna works great and says the construction is
solid. The antenna has already lasted a night of sustained 50 mph winds,
with gusts of 70 mph.
Note that the RF connectors are weatherproofed.

If you are having trouble picking up an AM’s EAS signal, try it. Details
are in our Workbench column of Sept. 24, 2019.

A real buzz kill

Ben Dawson, P.E., has been following our discussions about mic cabling.

He commented on John Schmidt’s observations in the Dec. 8, 2021 column. It discussed the use of three-wire-and-shield cables, with the ground carried through on the third wire and the shield tied only at the end that connects
to whatever active device is in use.

Ben is a principal at Hatfield and Dawson Consulting Engineers. His
experience has been that in high RF and other electrically noisy
environments, this technique is commonly employed. At Seattle Center, for example, which was downhill from three analog TV stations, this was the
method employed by staff and visiting A/V users to eliminate persistent television sync buzz. Many rock ’n’ roll and county/western roadies also seemed to be aware of this technique.

Back in the 1940s and ’50s, audio users of Cannon “P” connectors — ancestors of XL and UA connectors — sometimes used Pin 2 as the ground. Ben still has a short cable with two P connectors wired for transition to Pin 1 ground from Pin 2 ground. And then there’s the dichotomy as to whether Pin
2 or Pin 3 should be the positive source.

For more interesting reading, check out “A History of Audio Connectors” by Ray A. Rayburn.

(Before even Cannon “O” and “P” connectors, Hubbell twist-lock connectors
were used for microphones!)
Ryobi USB Lithium 2AH lithium-ion rechargeable battery

Useful connection

It goes without saying — but we’ll say it anyway — that lithium-ion batteries used in power tools are some of the most compact and dense
batteries manufactured.

Now power tool companies Ryobi and DeWalt are exploring USB-C battery
options. Specifically, Ryobi is the first manufacturer to add a USB-C
charging port on the battery, permitting the same charger and battery to be used to recharge your computer, tablet or phone.

John Bisset, CPBE, has more than 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: Get Funky with Adafruit Audio FX appeared first on
Radio World.


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New Zealand to Merge Public Radio, TV

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 12:45 PM PST https://www.radioworld.com/global/new-zealand-to-merge-public-radio-tv


To help adapt to a changing media landscape, the New Zealand government announced on Mar. 10 plans to create a new public service media entity.

The new entity would combine the currently independent Radio New Zealand
and Television New Zealand into a single organization that future-proofs
New Zealand’s public media, said Minister for Broadcasting and Media Kris Faafoi in a speech announcing the plan.

In 2020, Faafoi and the New Zealand government began considering the
question of how to ensure public media “was strong, sustainable and structured in a way to move with audience, technology and market trends,”
he said.

At that time, television and radio had the first- and second-highest daily audiences in the country, but two years later television is second-highest behind video on demand and radio is fourth-highest behind subscription
video services.

[See Our Business and Law Page]

“RNZ and TVNZ are each trying to adjust to the challenges, but our current public media system, and the legislation it’s based on, does limit their focus to radio and television,” said Faafoi.

“The establishment of the new entity will allow better use of a range of platforms, including current radio and linear TV and those of third
parties, to reach audiences when, where and how audiences choose.”

The new entity, which is expected to be operational by July 2023 will be an Autonomous Crown Entity with editorial and operational independence under a public media charter.

Faafoi stressed that current non-commercial RNZ and TVNZ programming would continue, including the Radio NZ National and Concert FM services. He also
said the new entity would continue to meet treaty obligations to provide
Māori voices and perspectives.

A board is being established to begin the process of defining the scope and structure of the new entity, and Faafoi said that as part of that process
the government would seek public feedback, including on the new charter.

Comment on this or any article. Email radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post New Zealand to Merge Public Radio, TV appeared first on Radio
World.


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FCC Continues Consent Decree Initiative

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 11:11 AM PST https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/business-and-law/fcc-continues-consent-decree-initiative


While the rules surrounding public files must be followed, the Federal Communications Commission staff says it recognizes the extraordinary stress
and uncertainty that the pandemic placed on U.S. radio stations. 

As a result, as we’ve reported, the commission has entered into a
significant number of consent decrees with licensees — many without
attached monetary forfeitures — to resolve lapses in public file requirements.

The commission has adopted approximately 230 such agreements since 2020
when it began the process due to online political file deficiencies, an FCC spokesperson told Radio World.

“The consent decrees are intended to ensure that broadcasters understand
and comply with their online political file obligations while acknowledging
the financial difficulties that the radio industry has experienced due to
the COVID-19 pandemic,” the spokesperson said.

This is the first license renewal cycle since radio stations began using
the online public file, the spokesperson noted.

It’s especially important to comply with the rules surrounding political files, the FCC said. Updating these files keeps the public informed about requests for broadcast time by a candidate for public office.

“It is crucial that stations maintain political files that are complete and up to date because the information in them directly affects, among other things, the statutory rights of opposing candidates to request equal opportunities … and present their positions to the public prior to an election,” the Media Bureau wrote in a recent consent decree.

Specifically, FCC rules state that candidates for political office have one week from an opponent’s use of the airways to request an equal-use opportunity. A station that fails to promptly upload information about each request, the commission says, denies another candidate the notice they need
to request equal access.

[Read more about the background of these decrees.]

These lapses in a station’s public file often become evident when the
station applies for a license renewal.

That was the case with One Putt Broadcasting and its stations KJWL(FM) in
San Joaquin, Calif., and KJFX(FM) in Fresno, Calif. The FCC Audio Division suspended processing of One Putt’s application because of its alleged
failure to certify that it had complied with its public file obligations.

The situation was similar for Alexandra Communications, licensee of station KTIL(FM) in Bay City, Ore., when it filed a license renewal application.

A similar requirement tripped up KERU(FM) in Blythe, Calif. The Audio
Division froze the processing of the license renewal after finding that the station had allegedly not complied with its overall public file (not simply political) obligations.

Station KTAI(FM) in Kingsville, Texas, is licensed by Texas A&M University
and similarly saw its application held up.

In each case, the Media Bureau and the licensee negotiated a consent decree
in which the licensee admits it violated the public file rules. The consent decree also requires that the station implement a compliance plan to ensure that they meet future online public inspection file rules.

Each licensee has 30 days from receiving notice from the FCC to name a compliance officer from its management team. That person must develop, implement and administer a compliance plan that includes a manual and
training program for staff members. The licensee is also required to report
any instances of noncompliance to the FCC’s political programming staff within 10 days after discovering it.

In the case of KERU and Texas A&M, the stations must submit a compliance
report to the Audio Division one year from now. For One Putt and Alexandra, compliance reports must be sent to the Media Bureau periodically.

If all aspects of the consent decree are met, the arrangement will end
after a compliance report is filed — but that’s only if the bureau is satisfied that all the requirements have been met.

The post FCC Continues Consent Decree Initiative appeared first on Radio
World.


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Digital Radio UK to Merge with Radioplayer

Posted: 11 Mar 2022 05:52 AM PST https://www.radioworld.com/global/digital-radio-uk-to-merge-with-radioplayer


Radioplayer, the partnership between the BBC and U.K. commercial radio responsible for ensuring easy access to radio via IP platforms, is adding digital radio to its remit.

Following the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport’s October 2021 Digital Radio and Audio Review report, Radioplayer and Digital Radio UK saw significant benefits in merging operations.

The restructuring and merger was agreed to by the BBC, the U.K. commercial radio organization Radiocentre, and the national broadcast groups Global
and Bauer Media.

The merger will, according to a statement from the organizations,
strengthen partnerships and cooperation among U.K. broadcasters, as well as partnerships with European radio broadcasters, audio device manufacturers
and with retailers. The goal is “to promote the benefits of radio and
audio, and the increased choice of services available.”

[Related: “Radioplayer Expands in Europe”]

In the joint statement, the BBC, Bauer, Global and Radiocentre said: “We
know there are further significant changes taking place in the audio market
and in how audiences are accessing our content, as the recent Digital Radio
and Audio Review highlighted. The newly structured Radioplayer, combined
with increased investment and continued collaboration, will allow us to
embrace every digital opportunity available to us and successfully deliver
the next phase of innovation and transformation for the radio industry.”

While the U.K. has committed to continue FM broadcasting until at least
2030, the industry sees the future of radio as both digital and
multiplatform, according to the statement, with online platforms playing an increasingly important role alongside DAB/DAB+ — particularly in cars.

As part of the restructuring, Ford Ennals will step down as CEO of Digital Radio UK. Ennals was appointed as Digital Radio UK’s first CEO in 2009, following his work as head of the British digital television switchover
body, Digital UK. The statement thanked Ennals “for his services to digital listening, which is now the way most people listen to radio.”

With the restructuring, the BBC, Global and Bauer are expected to increase their investment in Radioplayer and to seek further international
collaboration for the benefit of the radio industry as a whole.

The post Digital Radio UK to Merge with Radioplayer appeared first on Radio World.


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Former Iowa Broadcaster Bill Sanders Dies

Posted: 10 Mar 2022 02:11 PM PST https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/people-news/former-iowa-broadcaster-bill-sanders-dies


Bill Sanders, a second-generation Iowa broadcaster and a former chair of
the NAB Radio Board, has died. He was 77.

According to his obituary, “His work life started and ended in the world of radio broadcasting.”

Sanders grew up around KICD in Spencer, Iowa, which was owned by his father Ben. Sanders eventually purchased the station and served as general manager until retiring in 2000.
Bill Sanders (photo via Warner Funeral Homes & Crematory)

KICD, now owed by Saga Communications, posted an appreciation that includes audio clips of Sanders. It noted that the station was owned by the Sanders family for 54 years.

Sanders was also a former board member and president of the Iowa
Broadcasters Association and was inducted into the Iowa Broadcasting Hall
of Fame. He served on the NAB Radio Board in the late 1980s and was
chairman of the board from 1989–90.

[Visit Radio World’s People News Page]

He was also former chairman of the National Association of Farm
Broadcasters, which honored the longtime broadcaster with a special
achievement award, and a former member of the advisory board of the
Associated Press.

The obituary said Sanders was diagnosed over time with several rare
cancers, starting in 1984.

“He was the most optimistic person on earth and he oozed positivity every single day, the obituary read. The man never had a bad day. Even when the cancers took away his ability to smile/laugh/eat/drink and talk he
continued to look forward. He was not going to let the disfigurations stop
him from living life to its fullest.” [Read the obituary.]

The post Former Iowa Broadcaster Bill Sanders Dies appeared first on Radio World.


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Marconi Awards Move to NAB Show New York

Posted: 10 Mar 2022 12:20 PM PST https://www.radioworld.com/show-news/radio-show/marconi-awards-move-to-nab-show-new-york


There are no more fall Radio Shows, but the NAB Marconi Radio Awards will
still be held in the autumn.

The National Association of Broadcasters says its 2022 Marconi presentation will take place during NAB Show New York in October.

April Carty-Sipp, executive vice president of industry affairs at NAB, said
the move makes sense given the “prime location and ideal timing in the fall when the Marconis have traditionally been presented.”

“We look forward to celebrating the best in radio in October.”

The awards honor radio stations and on-air personalities for excellence in radio broadcasting. The nomination window will open in May. NAB Show New
York will take place at the Jacob Javits Convention Center.

The post Marconi Awards Move to NAB Show New York appeared first on Radio World.


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USSI Global Preps for Phase II for Intelsat

Posted: 10 Mar 2022 11:02 AM PST https://www.radioworld.com/industry/fcc/ussi-global-preps-for-phase-ii-for-intelsat


USSI Global says it has completed the first phase of its project management services for Intelsat’s C-band clearing and relocation activities.

“Completed in October 2021, USSI Global provided logistics and field
services that were essential in supporting Intelsat’s customer service transitions, technology upgrades and earth station filtering required to
meet the aggressive Phase I schedule as mandated by the FCC’s Report and Order,” the company said in a press release.

It is working with Intelsat and other satellite companies to relocate
radio, TV and other contribution and distribution services to a different
part of the C-band spectrum. The FCC’s initiative is opening 300 MHz of the C-band for 5G mobile services by the end of 2023.

[Related: USSI Global Supports SES in C-Band Transition]

Intelsat hired USSI Global as one of its vendors to manage the transition.
The vendor said it started with contacting the owners of 2,500 sites to inventory their antennas and assess the needed transition work.
A closeup of an Intelsat satellite dish.

“USSI Global’s program management and logistics team subsequently handled all equipment procurement and logistics for these sites, the press release read, ensuring that systems were delivered in alignment with transitional deadlines.”

Its technical staff installed 5G passband filters and antennas at about 300 sites. New satellite IRDs were installed at some programmer affiliate sites
to facilitate an upgrade in compression technology.

Phase II will start shortly and require about three times as many sites and antennas to be transitioned, the company added.

The post USSI Global Preps for Phase II for Intelsat appeared first on
Radio World.


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NUG@NAB Ready to Roll in Las Vegas in April

Posted: 10 Mar 2022 06:44 AM PST https://www.radioworld.com/show-news/nab-show/nugnab-ready-to-roll-in-las-vegas-in-april


The NUG@NAB Radio Technology Forum will be back for 2022.

Prior to the start of each spring NAB show, Nautel hosts the Nautel User
Group (NUG), a technology forum that brings together notable industry
speakers and company personnel to discuss broadcast transmission best practices, challenges and trends in technology.

In years past, the event has included guest speakers, updates on important industry milestones, tips and tricks, and a Q&A session. Radio World Editor
in Chief Paul McLane is among the speakers.

The event wraps up with a networking lunch.

Starting this year, attendance at the NUG@NAB event qualifies for a 0.5
credit toward SBE recertification in Category H (attendance at a factory
school or in-station learning environment). After the event, an optional session will offer an in-depth introduction to Natuel’s new HTML5 Advanced User Interface.

This year the event will be held on Sunday, April 24, 2022, from 8:30 a.m.
to 1 p.m. PDT at the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. Those interested
in attending the free event — which is open to anyone interested in radio transmission — can register online.

The post NUG@NAB Ready to Roll in Las Vegas in April appeared first on
Radio World.


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Latest Share of Ear Report Indicates Radios Strengths

Posted: 10 Mar 2022 06:30 AM PST https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/programming-and-sales/latest-share-of-ear-report-indicates-radios-strengths


The latest Share of Ear report from Edison Research reveals radio continues
to dominate in several key areas.

But can one go so far as to say that AM/FM radio shares are pandemic proof?

The fourth quarter 2021 report examines American audio listenership in
several ways, including examining ad-supported audio use among key voter segments and by location and demographic.

Cumulus Media and Westwood One’s Audio Active Group recently dug into the data.

Among the conclusions is that AM/FM radio continues to grab a sizable share
of registered voters’ listening time. When calculating the share of ad-supported audio time spent among persons aged 18 and older, registered voters who were surveyed by Edison say they spend 75% of that audio time listening to AM/FM radio. Those numbers fall significantly when compared to other outlets: 11% for podcasts and into the single digits for the
ad-supported platforms Pandora, SiriusXM and Spotify.
Radios share among registered voters and by party. (Cumulus Media |
Westwood One Audio Active Group)

The report also revealed that AM/FM radio leads when tracked across major demographics. Leading the charge are those aged 35–64 who say they spend
79% of their ad-supported listening time with AM/FM radio. Persons aged 25– 54 fall in the second range with 72% of time spent with radio, followed by
ages 18–49 (66%) and ages 18–34 (59%).

In comparison, the age group spending the largest percentage of time
listening to podcasts is those 18–34s at 21% followed by 17% for those aged 18–49, 13% for those aged 25–54 and 9% for those aged 35–64.

[Read past coverage of the Share of Ear report]

But what about the charge that AM/FM radio shares are pandemic proof? An analysis of the report by Brittany Faison, insights manager for the Audio Active Group of Cumulus Media | Westwood One, found that time spent
listening to AM/FM radio changed relatively little — 79% to 76% — from 2019 to 2021. Compare that with a drop in listening to an audio service like Pandora, which saw its numbers fall from 8% in 2019 to 6% in 2021.

One area of growth? Podcasting, which almost doubled from 6% to 11%.

The report also found that in the car, AM/FM radio leads ad-supported audio across all age groups with AM/FM radio accounting for 84% and 88% of their
time spent listening to ad-supported audio. By comparison, podcasts at best
get 8% of listening and ad-supported streaming between 1% and 5%.
Ad-Supported Audio TSL by Demographic Group (Cumulus Media | Westwood One
Audio Active Group)

The analysis by Faison found that advertisers looking to reach people in
their car with advertising should seriously consider those in-car
ad-supported listening stats.

“When it comes to ad-supported audio in the car, AM/FM radio is the ‘queen of the road’ with shares in the mid to upper 80s across every buying demographic,” wrote Faison. “Looking at ad-supported audience shares in the car, even among persons 18–34, AM/FM radio’s share is a whopping 84% — 84 times larger than Spotify’s one share.”

Faison also noted the importance of considering online streaming. Over the
past six years, the proportion of AM/FM radio listening occurring via
online streaming has risen from 8% to 14%, with Nielsen finding that 10% of radio listening is to the AM dial.

“Currently, there is more radio listening occurring via the stream (14%)
than the entire AM dial,” Faison wrote. “Smart advertisers should allocate 14 cents out of every dollar spent on AM/FM radio to the station stream.” AM/FM Radio Listening: Over the Air vs. Streaming (Edison Research)

AM/FM radio also leads ad-supported listening on smart speakers with a 43% share, the report revealed. With 40% of U.S. homes now owning a smart
speaker, AM/FM has been brought back into the home.

The report also revealed other key details, such as the fact that podcasts
and certain online listening services seem to skew higher in larger markets when compared to other services.

Radio World invites industry-oriented commentaries. Send to Radio World.

The post Latest Share of Ear Report Indicates Radio’s Strengths appeared first on Radio World.

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