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Radio World

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SMPTE Leadership Condemns Russias Invasion of Ukraine

Posted: 15 Mar 2022 11:31 AM PDT https://www.radioworld.com/global/smpte-leadership-condemns-russias-invasion-of-ukraine


Members of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) leadership team issued a resolution Tuesday condemning Russias assault on Ukraine.

We, the members of the SMPTE Board of Governors, issue this resolution condemning the unprovoked invasion by Russia of the sovereign country of Ukraine, the slaughter of innocent Ukrainian citizens, the destruction of Ukrainian infrastructure, and the suppression of individual rights of
Russian citizens to speak and associate freely, the resolution read. We
support and defend the individual human rights of our members in Russia and Ukraine as well as those of all our members.

In its resolution, the board of governors called for the Russian government
to immediately cease its invasion and withdraw all troops from Ukrainian territory. Further, it called on its partner associations across the television, motion picture, social media, and related industries to join
its resolve against the actions of the Russian government.

The organization also announced the suspension of activities of the SMPTE Russian Section as well as its members individual participation in the
SMPTE Board of Governors until further notice.

SMPTE is the global society of media professionals, technologists, and engineers working in the digital entertainment industry. As an
international standards organization, SMPTE also provides a technical
framework of engineering standards and guidelines that allow for the
creation, management, and delivery of media worldwide.

The post SMPTE Leadership Condemns Russias Invasion of Ukraine appeared
first on Radio World.


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NAB Show: Third Times the Charm

Posted: 15 Mar 2022 09:13 AM PDT https://www.radioworld.com/show-news/nab-show/nab-show-third-times-the-charm

The new West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, shown in an artist’s rendition, is now open. (photo courtesy of tvsdesign)

Show Dates: Saturday April 23 to Wednesday April 27

Exhibit Schedule: Sunday, 10–6, Monday and Tuesday, 9–6, Wednesday, 9–2

After postponements and cancellations that wiped out the 2020 and 2021 conventions, the NAB Show is set to return IRL — in real life.

This story provides a sampling of themes and sessions about broadcast
business and management. In an upcoming story we’ll preview the technical conference and provide a radio exhibitor list.

Content at the April show will be arranged across four verticals: Create, Connect, Capitalize and Intelligent Content. The first three align with broadcasting’s content “life cycle.”

“This reimagination of the NAB Show experience is designed to better curate the attendee journey. In addition to making information more relevant and easier for you to consume, the new 2022 NAB Show model will enable closer connections to the people and solutions involved in modern media
workflows,” the association states on its website.

“As you take in Create, for example, you’ll see that the focus is no longer on broadcast, cinema or radio — nor on podcasts, webcasting or any other narrow category. Create will be the home of creation, a single place you
can find all the tools you need to do your work, whether you’re a broadcaster, videographer, streamer or other industry professional. If
you’re more focused on content distribution and delivery, you’ll find those tools in Connect. And if content monetization is your thing, you’ll
discover applicable tools and workflows in Capitalize.”
Content will be arranged across four verticals that are also reflected in
the layout of the exhibit floor.

Nevertheless, most of the radio business and management sessions will be
found under Capitalize, while radio tech and engineering will be in
Connect, and most podcasting content in Create.

“Intelligent Content” is a new showcase that explores “the transformative impact of data, artificial intelligence and automation on the media and entertainment industry.”

A new look

This will be the first NAB Show since the new West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center opened.

“Those returning to the LVCC for the 2022 NAB Show will find some big
changes — some REALLY big changes — in store,” wrote Dave Arland, executive
director of the Indiana Broadcasters Association in RW’s sister publication TVTech.

“The biggest one is the billion-dollar (with a ‘b’) expansion of the convention center itself. The new West Hall now stand s where the Landmark Hotel was felled for the movie ‘Mars Attacks.’ In place of the parking lots just across Paradise Road from North Hall rises the mammoth West Hall,
itself looking like a UFO from another planet. It’s a beautiful expansion
of the already-enormous LVCC, linked by both a pedestrian walkway and a space-age underground transportation network.”

The NAB Show will use the West, North and Central Halls.

This also will be the first time exhibits open on Sunday and close on Wednesday.

The Bellagio Resort & Casino is designed as radio’s hotel for the show.

Day by day

Conference presentations this year will be spread around several locations including the Main Stage in the North Hall, conference rooms, exhibit floor presentation areas, the NAB Member Lounge and the Networking Lounge.

Here’s a sampler of radio highlights for each day:

The “Small and Medium Market Radio Forum” gets things going for radio managers on Saturday afternoon. It features a forum covering issues chosen
for their impact on smaller radio members of the association. Topics may include compensation, recruitment, perceptions of the industry, digital competition and growth, automotive advertising, smart speaker strategies
and attracting the next generation of listeners and clients. The closing reception is a networking opportunity. RSVPs are required to membership@nab.org.
A Sunday afternoon highlight is the NAB Achievement in Broadcasting Awards
on the Main Stage, located in the North Hall.
David Field, chairman, president and CEO of Audacy

This event will honor recipients for both 2021 and 2022. “All Things Considered,” the flagship news program of NPR, will be inducted into the
NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame as the 2021 radio recipient. The 2022 radio inductee is Jim Bohannon, host of Westwood One’s nationally syndicated talk show that bears his name. Jeremy Sinon, vice president of digital strategy
for Hubbard Radio, will receive the 2022 Digital Leadership Award. It
honors a person who “has had a significant role in transforming a
traditional broadcast business to succeed on digital media platforms in a measurable way.”
Sunday radio-related sessions also include insights on dashboard
technologies and initiatives that radio companies are deploying beyond
their terrestrial signals.
Curtis LeGeyt will give his first “state of the broadcast industry” speech as president/CEO of the NAB on Monday morning, the official show welcome.
Also during that session, the association will present the NAB
Distinguished Service Award, given to broadcasters who have made
significant and lasting contributions to America’s broadcasting industry.
The recipient is LeGeyt’s NAB predecessor Gordon Smith, who stepped down
this winter.

Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia
A radio headliner event is “Transforming Radio in the Audio Renaissance” Monday afternoon. This features David Field, chairman, president and CEO of Audacy, formerly called Entercom, and Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia. They’ll engage in a conversation with Curtis LeGeyt about the evolution of radio and how these companies are building “diversified asset portfolios.”
Monday’s radio/audio session themes also include protecting your content
and battling inauthentic content across platforms; a media ownership discussion; and audience measurement for audio.
Tuesday morning sees the presentations of the Crystal Radio Awards, which salute excellence in community service by radio stations. And radio session topics that day include a small- and medium-market radio idea exchange; a
look at how to create business partnerships to expand revenue
opportunities; and how leaders are embracing change.
Midday Tuesday, Radio World Editor in Chief Paul McLane moderates “2022 and Beyond — Hybrid Station Operations,” discussing workflow solutions that have emerged since the pandemic upset standing assumptions across the
industry. Guests include George Molnar and Brian Oliger, the senior
director of technology and the technology manager, respectively, of WTOP
and Federal News Network in Washington, and Sarah Foss, CIO of Audacy. Wednesday features a closing keynote on the Main Stage featuring “Freakonomics” co-authors Stephen Dubner and Dr. Steven Levitt. Conference sessions include discussions of regulatory issues, local sales strategies, research, diversity and the metaverse


And remember to check out the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop, created by
Elon Musk’s Boring Company, as the beginning of an ambitious underground travel network. It connects the new West Hall with the existing campus,
using three passenger stations.

The post NAB Show: Third Time’s the Charm appeared first on Radio World.


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IABM Members Stand With Ukraine

Posted: 15 Mar 2022 08:48 AM PDT https://www.radioworld.com/global/iabm-members-stand-with-ukraine


IABM, the international trade association for broadcast and media
technology suppliers, has launched Stand With Ukraine, a platform to
highlight members’ efforts to support Ukraine and oppose Russia’s invasion of the country.

“We have already taken what steps we can and most importantly, at the
request of a number of our members, we are creating a platform for our members who are like minded in their damnation of this illegal act,” said Peter White, CEO, IABM.

The Stand With Ukraine website highlights companies’ signing on to a pledge to stop shipment and support of media technology equipment to Russia, as
well as to highlight companies donating to humanitarian relief efforts to support people in Ukraine and those displaced by the invasion.

The site also includes link to news reports of actions taken by
broadcasters and media companies, as well copies of statements by IABM
members on the invasion. A list of humanitarian support organizations is
also included on the site.

[See Our Business and Law Page]

When suggesting IABM create this platform, Ross Video CEO David Ross said, “I’m confident that many companies would like to take a public stand in the face of true tyranny that is openly threatening Europe and a regime that is
now likely guilty of crimes against humanity. This is especially true since
our equipment and software is enabling the Russian propaganda machine, and
IABM is the best organization to coordinate those who want to make a
statement similar to what Ross Video has made.”

He continued, “I’m fully aware that being in the media industry, our tools are always used to promote a wide range of ideas which inevitably will not align with our own personal beliefs. That’s normal, we sell typewriters,
not content as it were. This isn’t about differing ideas, this is about
doing what we can to hinder naked aggression towards a European democracy.”

IAMB noted that “some of our members may feel they cannot completely agree with this initiative,” but the association still welcomes their views and statements.

“Through this page and though all our communication channels we will consolidate actions and opinions of those organizations in our large global membership who want to stand together for Ukraine. In so doing we hope we
can harness a powerful collective voice that clearly demonstrates the
actions taken both against Russia and for Ukraine to help relieve the humanitarian crisis that is rapidly unfolding across Europe,” IABM CEO
Peter White stated.

Submit business announcements to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post IABM Members Stand With Ukraine appeared first on Radio World.


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Attention, Stations: Foreign Sponsor ID Is Now in Effect

Posted: 15 Mar 2022 07:42 AM PDT https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/business-and-law/attention-stations-foreign-sponsor-id-is-now-in-effect



Effective today — and over broadcasters’ strong objections — radio and TV stations now are required by the Federal Communications Commission to
disclose when foreign governments or their representatives lease time on
their airwaves.

“This action was adopted unanimously by the FCC in April 2021 and increases transparency, ensuring audiences are aware when a foreign government, or
its representatives, uses the airwaves to persuade the American public,”
the commission wrote in an announcement Tuesday.

“These rules are effective immediately for new leasing agreements and will need to be implemented within 6 months from the Federal Register
publication date for existing agreements.”

It quoted Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel saying it’s all about transparency on public airwaves. “It is essential that audiences know when a broadcast station has been compensated to air content coming from a foreign government.”

The rules now require on-air disclosure for broadcast programming aired
through a leased airtime agreement sponsored by any entity or individual
that is a foreign government, a foreign political party, an agent acting on behalf of such entities, or a U.S.-based foreign media outlet based on definitions drawn from the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 and the Communications Act of 1934.

In addition, if a station is airing foreign government-provided programming pursuant to a lease agreement, it is now required to include such
disclosures in its Online Public Inspection File.

Several leading U.S. media organizations have brought suit against the commission for this requirement. The National Association of Broadcasters,
the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council and the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters last summer filed a petition for
review with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. They say the FCC rule is illegal and onerous, and that the problem it seeks
to address isnt in fact a problem.

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

The post Attention, Stations: Foreign Sponsor ID Is Now in Effect appeared first on Radio World.


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Arkansas Broadcasters Association To Host Annual Convention In Person

Posted: 15 Mar 2022 07:14 AM PDT https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/arkansas-broadcasters-association-to-host-annual-convention-arkcon-in-person


After adhering to more stringent safety protocols throughout the pandemic,
the Arkansas Broadcasters Association (ABA) is set to host its annual convention “ARKCON” in person. The event will be held this May in Little Rock, Arkansas.

The association said, following encouragement from ABA members and the broadcast community, the time is right to come together.

Luke Story, president and CEO of the ABA, said the association is excited
for the opportunity to once again gather in-person at the convention.

“ABA has experienced exceptional growth and successes over the years, he said. Moving forward, our focus will remain on offering the broadcasters of Arkansas the resources and education they need to stay at the forefront of
the industry.

[Related: Arkansas Broadcasters Won’t Meet in Person]

The association’s ARKCON will convene May 12-13 at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Little Rock.

ABA began in 1949 as the trade association for broadcasters in Arkansas
focused on providing broadcasters with a lobbying voice, while also
providing them with technical and regulatory support and continuous professional enrichment opportunities. Its membership consists of radio and television broadcasters and associate members across the state.

For more information on the ABA and ARKCON this summer, email the office
here.

The post Arkansas Broadcasters Association To Host Annual Convention In
Person appeared first on Radio World.


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A DAB+ Boost Adds 6 Meters to Eiffel Tower

Posted: 15 Mar 2022 06:08 AM PDT https://www.radioworld.com/global/a-dab-boost-adds-6-meters-to-eiffel-tower


This morning (Mar. 15), a helicopter carefully maneuvered a new antenna
into place atop Paris’s iconic Eiffel Tower as part of TDF’s efforts to increase digital radio coverage in the Île de France.

The new antenna increases the height of the Eiffel Tower to 330 meters and marks the third time the tower’s height has been increased thanks to the addition of a broadcast antenna. At its original construction in 1889, the tower reached 312 meters, but the addition of a new television antenna in
1959 increased it to 318 meters, and a DTT digital television antenna added another 6 meters in 2005.

It was not announced which digital radio multiplex would make use of the
new antenna or how quickly it would go into service.

[Read More of Our Coverage of DAB+]

A report from France Bleu Paris noted that the installation was successful, despite a little rain and mist. Reporter Rachael Saadoddine captured the installation on video.




TDF Group President–Director General Olivier Huart had announced plans for the new antenna in a January video laying out TDF’s plans for 2022,
including greater investment in the infrastructure needed for DAB+.

Built originally for the 1889 Paris Exposition Universelle, the Eiffel
Tower was originally scheduled to be demolished after 20 years; however, interest in using the site for military and commercial radio applications
ended up saving the landmark.

The post A DAB+ Boost Adds 6 Meters to Eiffel Tower appeared first on Radio World.


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Barix Intros Exstreamer IP Audio Decoder/Amplifier

Posted: 15 Mar 2022 04:33 AM PDT https://www.radioworld.com/tech-and-gear/products/barix-intros-exstreamer-ip-audio-decoder-amplifier


Barix has unveiled the Exstreamer MPA400 IP audio decoders and amplifiers
for applications ranging from emergency notifications to paging and
background music.

The new hardware supports various codecs and delivers up to 40-watt audio output for two- to eight-ohm analog speakers, enabling integration of
existing speakers into audio-over-IP systems.
Barix Exstreamer MPA400 IP Audio Decoder/Amplifier

The Exstreamer MPA400 can decode audio streams delivered via HTTP or RTP protocols in codec formats including PCM, AACplus, MP3, Opus, G.711 and
G.722. Pre-recorded audio files can also be stored in the unit’s internal memory for triggered playback.

Native support for Singlewire Informacast and Intrado Revolution systems
allows Exstreamer MPA400 devices to integrate connected speakers as
endpoints for enterprise-class mass notification solutions. SIP support (including Secure SIP) enables compatibility with VoIP phone systems and
direct addressing of each MPA400 device. Multi-level source stream prioritization – configured through the device’s built-in web interface – enables emergency notifications or urgent pages to automatically override background music and other audio.

[Check Out More Product Evaluations in Our Products Section]

Alternatively, the Exstreamer MPA400 can be configured as a dedicated AES67 receiver/decoder, enabling interoperability with Dante-compatible devices
and AES67-based audio-over-IP networks.

Support for multiple Power-over-Ethernet standards enables input audio
streams and power for the Exstreamer MPA400 to be carried over a single
cable while accommodating varying speaker requirements. Up to 40W RMS
output at four ohms is available when powered by IEEE 802.3bt (PoE++ or
4PPoE) or an external power supply. 20W RMS is available with IEEE 802.3at (PoE+), or 10W RMS output with IEEE 802.3af (PoE).

The Exstreamer MPA400 is expected to begin shipping in April.

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

The post Barix Intros Exstreamer IP Audio Decoder/Amplifier appeared first
on Radio World.


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BIA Estimates Local Audio Market at $14.7B This Year

Posted: 14 Mar 2022 02:11 PM PDT https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/bia-estimates-local-audio-market-at-14-7b-this-year


Broadcast radio remains an important advertising channel for many U.S.
business verticals, but the local audio advertising marketplace continues
to become more competitive thanks to streaming and podcasts.

That’s the assessment of BIA Advisory Services, which released tidbits from its latest “Local Audio Advertising Forecast.”

“While the shares of local Radio OTA (Over-the-Air) advertising is eroding, Radio Digital is increasing, providing radio stations an avenue to still increase their sales,” it wrote.

“Overall, BIA forecasts $14.7 billion will be spent [in 2022] in
ad-supported local audio platforms including broadcast radio and digital audio.”

It projects the following revenue for 2022 from each of these local ad-supported local audio platforms:

Radio OTA (Over-the-Air): $12.7 billion. This category is revenues
generated by local radio stations for sale of time to national or local advertisers from their over-the-air broadcasts; but it does not include advertising sold by the national radio networks.

Radio Digital: $1.7 billion: This is revenues generated by local radio
stations from national, regional and local advertisers targeting a local
market from their online activities. Includes display and streaming
advertising revenue other than Pandora.

Pandora: $400 million. This is audio and display advertising revenue
generated by Pandora from national, regional and local advertisers
targeting a local market. BIA counts Pandora as local revenue, compared to other “new audio” platforms that are centered on nationwide models.

[See Our News and Business page]

BIA provides local audio forecast data for each of the 253 radio markets
and across 96 business verticals.

The company also broke out the verticals that do the most business with
radio.

“Overall, the Top 10 business verticals spending in local radio’s OTA and Digital platforms are shown in the chart below, led by Auto & Direct
Property Insurance and QSR/Fast Foods, each of which are the top spending
in both the broadcast and digital radio categories.”
BIAs 2022 Top 10 Audio Verticals (photo via BIA)

The post BIA Estimates Local Audio Market at $14.7B This Year appeared
first on Radio World.


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NAB Voices Concerns About Proposed EAS Changes

Posted: 14 Mar 2022 01:42 PM PDT https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/business-and-law/nab-voices-concerns-about-proposed-eas-changes


Newly proposed rules from the FCC to improve the clarity and accessibility
of the Emergency Alert System for the hearing impaired have raised
questions from NAB about the vagueness of the proposal.

The proposed changes mostly deal with visual EAS messages for video
services and addresses requiring “triggered” Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) polling, but NAB says it wants to make sure the FCC is clear when it comes
to who will be affected by the changes.

The latest move to amend Part 11 of the commission’s rules regarding EAS includes proposals for modifying text associated with national EAS tests, including pre-stored templates for NPT messages. NAB says using a
predetermined script will provide a clearer description of the test than a strict translation of header code elements.

“This approach will also allow for a uniform visual message across
different EAS devices and facilitate the ability of the national test
message originator to ensure the audio component of the message matches the visual component,” NAB wrote in comments to the FCC.

NAB also in general supports increasing the use of CAP for video services,
such as television stations, but suggests EAS participants will require sufficient lead time to implement an expanded use of CAP, which will depend
on the availability of software upgrades to allow broadcasters to
automatically poll the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS)
for a CAP version of legacy alerts.

CAP-based alerts are transmitted over Internet Protocol (IP) links and can convey more information than legacy alerts, such as picture and URL links.

In addition, NAB asks the FCC to clarify that the new obligations for broadcasters to automatically seek and fetch CAP messages will apply only
to video service EAS participants in order to alleviate confusion over the proposal. “There is no reason to burden audio service EAS participants with
a new requirement, although some audio services may follow suit voluntarily
for the sake of message consistency,” the group wrote.

[See Our Business and Law Page]

The nonprofit trade association seeks confirmation from the FCC that a
mandate for video services to check for and process CAP alerts can be effectuated through a software upgrade that is “simple and seamless” in all devices and at no cost to EAS participants. It also asks the commission not
to adopt a date when all EAS participants must implement the change.

“The more efficient approach is for the FCC to establish a long enough
runway to allow EAS participants to implement the change through a
regularly scheduled software upgrade from the device manufacturer,” NAB commented.

NAB in its comments urges the commission to confirm and clarify that none
of the latest EAS proposals will lead to reduced government commitment to legacy-based EAS alerting.

“Legacy EAS is more robust and survivable in the event of a significant national emergency, NAB continued, because, unlike CAP alerting, legacy EAS
is not dependent of Internet access or affected by the loss or congestion
of cellular and IP services during a storm.”

Lastly, the NAB seems to take a more forthright approach in addressing the vagueness of the FCC proposals and presumes the proposed obligation to poll
for CAP version of legacy alerts is not intended to apply to audio service
EAS participants, including radio stations: “There seems to be no reason to force radio stations to upgrade equipment or otherwise change their current practices, given the FCC’s purpose.”

The NAB continued: “Nonetheless, if the FCC can justify why the forced CAP polling mandate should also cover radio stations, NAB urges the FCC to
extend radio broadcasters a lengthier period for implementation, such as
two years from the effective date of a final order in this proceeding.

The NAB notes that this will allow radio broadcasters sufficient time to consider methods for compliance suitable to their specific EAS equipment
and processes.

Comments to FCC Docket 15-94 can be read here. Reply comments are due March
28.

The FCC also issued a companion Notice of Inquiry (NOI) that asked more forward-looking questions on how to improve the overall functionality of
EAS. Comments on the NOI are due April 11 and replies by May 10.

The post NAB Voices Concerns About Proposed EAS Changes appeared first on
Radio World.

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