XPost: alt.radio.broadcasting

Radio World

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Skyview Networks Promotes Condo

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 07:34 AM PDT https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/people-news/skyview-networks-promotes-condo


Skyview Networks promoted Jeanne-Marie Condo to the newly created position
of president of network partnerships and chief revenue officer.

Condo has been with the company since soon after its founding by Ken
Thiele, executive chairman of the board.

CEO/President Steve Jones called her “the architect of our sales strategy, carefully integrating business partners to create unrivaled value for our advertising clients while driving significant return for the audio brands
we steward.”  

She leads the company’s national team of sales executives and staff,
covering network audio sales business.
Jeanne-Marie Condo, president of network partnerships and chief revenue officer.

Skyview Networks is an audio technology, syndication and network audio
sales solution company. It provides services to ABC Audio, CBS Audio, Local Radio Networks, Alpha Media USA, JackFM, The Weather Channel, The
Associated Press, Hubbard Broadcasting, professional and collegiate sports organizations and two state news networks. 

[Visit Radio World’s People News Page]

The post Skyview Networks Promotes Condo appeared first on Radio World.


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FCC Admonishes Two LPFMs Over Late Filings with $1,500 Forfeiture

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 07:26 AM PDT https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/business-and-law/fcc-admonishes-two-lpfms-over-late-filings-with-1500-forfeiture


The Federal Communications Commission is continuing to remind low-power FM stations that they must file their license renewal applications on time —
or a forfeiture notification may also be on the way.

On April 20, the Media Bureau sent notifications to two stations in the Northwest — one in Brookings, Ore., the other in Wenatchee, Wash. — and according to the bureau, both allegedly failed to file their license
renewals on time, which would have been the first day of the fourth full calendar month prior to the expiration of their license. 

For both licensees, the situations were similar. Wenatchee Youth Radio, licensee of station KWEW(LP), was to file a renewal application by Oct. 1, 2021, which is four months ahead of the station’s license expiration date
of Feb. 1, 2022. Anchor Network, licensee of station KSEP(LP), also should
have filed its application by Oct. 1, 2021, prior to the Feb. 1, 2022
license expiration date.  

According to the Media Bureau, Wenatchee’s application was not filed until Jan. 26, 2022. When the application was submitted, Wenatchee provided no explanation for its late filing, the bureau said. Similarly, Anchor Network provided no explanation for its own late filing of the application when it
was submitted on Jan. 28, 2022.

As a result, the bureau issued separate notice of apparent liability notifications to both Wenatchee and Anchor Network for willfully failing to comply with a provision of the Communications Act or any rule issued by the commission. The commission’s forfeiture policy statement and the FCC Rules establish a base forfeiture amount of $3,000 for failing to file a required form. To determine the appropriate forfeiture amount, the commission can
adjust the base amount upward or downward as needed, based on the nature, circumstances and gravity of the violation. 

[See Our Business and Law Page]

In the case of Wenatchee, the bureau found that while the licensee failed
to file the form on time and did not provide an explanation for the filing, Wenatchee did file the application before the station’s license expired. Taking all those factors into consideration, the bureau reduced the
forfeiture amount to $1,500 because, as LPFMs, they are providing a
secondary service.

In the case of Anchor Network, the particulars were the same. Anchor also failed to file an application on time and did not offer an explanation.
Anchor did, however, file the application before the station’s license expired. The bureau also decided to reduce the licensee’s forfeiture to $1,500.

In both cases, the bureau found that the violations committed by Wenatchee
and Anchor Network did not present a serious violation warranting
designation for an evidentiary hearing. The bureau also did not see any
pattern of abuse. 

Both of the stations have 30 days to pay the full amount or file a written statement seeking reduction or cancellation of the forfeiture.


Susan Ashworth is the former editor of TV Technology and a long-time contributor to Radio World. She has served as editor-in-chief of two
housing finance magazines and written about topics as varied as
broadcasting, education, chess, music, sports and the connected home environment.

The post FCC Admonishes Two LPFMs Over Late Filings with $1,500 Forfeiture appeared first on Radio World.


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Tribal Consortium Gets Nod for New CP

Posted: 22 Apr 2022 02:00 AM PDT https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/business-and-law/tribal-consortium-gets-nod-for-new-cp


A consortium of Native American tribes is the tentative winner of a construction permit for a new noncommercial FM station in Warner Springs, Calif. That community is in San Diego County, about a 40-mile drive
southeast of Temecula.

The Federal Communications Commission announced the choice from among
mutually exclusive applications made during its recent NCE window. It based
the choice on a “threshold Tribal Priority analysis,” including a requested waiver from the Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association.

SCTCA is a non-profit established in 1972 for a consortium of 25 federally recognized Native American tribes in southern California. Its purpose is to “serve the health, welfare, safety, education, cultural, economic and employment needs of its tribal members and descendants in the San Diego
County urban areas.”

The other, mutually exclusive hopeful for a station is the Center for
Economic Justice, which wanted to build in Ramona, Calif.

SCTCA argued that its application qualifies for a tribal priority, and
asked the commission for a waiver of an FCC requirement that at least 50%
of the proposed 60 dBµ contour be comprised of the applicant’s tribal
lands, or that the proposed 60 dBµ contour cover 50% or more of the applicant’s tribal lands and that it meet population coverage requirements.

[See Our Business and Law Page]

According to SCTCA, there are more than 30 tribal reservations in San Diego
and Riverside Counties, “more than in any state in the United States,” yet even assuming the most restrictive signal, it said, none of the California reservations could meet the population standards owing to “small size and native population dilution within surrounding areas.”

The association laid out several reasons in support of its argument, which
the FCC found persuasive. The commission wrote: “We believe that, given the circumstances, it would be extremely difficult for a tribe or tribal
consortium to claim a tribal priority in this area without a waiver of the tribal coverage criterion.”

It said the proposed station would serve six tribes’ reservations in its 60 dBµ contour, and according to the maps submitted, another six reservations
lie just outside the proposed contour. “The station proposed by the SCTCA consortium would thus serve from a half-dozen to a dozen tribal lands
directly, not counting any potential future FM translators rebroadcasting
the proposed station’s signal.”

There is only one tribal-owned station in Southern California, the service contour of which does not overlap the proposed Warner Springs station, it
said. “The proposed station represents the only current opportunity for tribal-owned NCE service to an area of the country that is home to many different Native Nations.”

The FCC also will allow the proposed community of license to be adjacent to
the Los Coyotes Reservation, not on it.

Here’s a link to the FCC order with details on its rationale. Petitions to deny must be filed within 30 days.


Paul McLane is editor in chief of Radio World, which he joined in 1996, directing the editorial content of 32 annual print issues, almost 100
ebooks, daily newsletters, and webcasts and special projects. He has interviewed directors of engineering, FCC chairs, national radio
personalities and corporate executives about digital radio, connected cars, industry standards and other topics. Prior to RW he was an award-winning broadcast journalist and technology sales/marketing executive.

The post Tribal Consortium Gets Nod for New CP appeared first on Radio
World.


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FCC Addresses Wireless Emergency Alerts

Posted: 21 Apr 2022 01:53 PM PDT https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/business-and-law/fcc-addresses-wireless-emergency-alerts


The Federal Communications Commission proposed several measures at its
monthly meeting on Thursday to bolster the effectiveness of Wireless
Emergency Alerts (WEA) throughout the United States.   

Wireless alerts have been around for a decade and the service has proven successful, according to the FCC, but use of smartphones and our reliance
upon such devices has mushroomed since then.   

However, there is no formal mechanism for the commission to collect
reliable and consistent data about the system’s performance, according to
the FCC. While wireless providers are not mandated to carry wireless
alerts, the FCC is proposing that wireless carriers do report on key
aspects of the performance of the alert service. 

The Warning Alert and Response Network Act (WARN) was passed by the United States Congress in 2008 and was meant to compliment traditional emergency alerts from radio and television. The WARN Act created the framework of a similar system for wireless devices.

Specifically, the FCC’s Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) to amend its rules seeks comment on: 

How the reliability, speed, and accuracy of Wireless Emergency Alerts
should be defined and whether these are the most pertinent performance
measures for the service;
How participating wireless providers should measure the performance of
Wireless Emergency Alerts for the purpose of generating performance reports; When and how these performance reports should be provided to the
Commission; 
Whether and how these performance reports should include information
collected at the consumer’s device.


At the meeting on Thursday, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said while reliance on Wireless Emergency Alerts has grown, the commission’s own rules have not kept pace.

“Right now, there’s still a big disparity when it comes to the information we collect about how the nation’s two emergency alerting platforms perform, she said. For radio and television systems, we require participating broadcasters to file detailed reports after each nationwide test disclosing specifics about performance. But for Wireless Emergency Alerts, we don’t
have any standard reporting.”

The FCC chairwoman noted Thursday’s proposals are based in part on data collected after the Nationwide Test of the Emergency Alert System and
Wireless Emergency Alerts on August 11, 2021. The national test, which was conducted by FEMA, provided valuable insights into Wireless Emergency
Alerts, according to the FCC.

“We learned that while most respondents received the test message, some
went undelivered. There were also reports of duplicate messages, which
could be confusing in a real emergency. So the proposals in the rulemaking
we adopt here build on what we learned and provide a pathway for better
data and monitoring in the future,” Rosenworcel said. 

In addition, the FCC  issued a Public Notice seeking more public safety
agency partnerships for additional end-to-end Wireless Emergency Alert performance testing. The tests will be designed to measure the performance
of local alerts with enhanced geo-targeting, according to Rosenworcel.

[Related: Smarter Ways to Improve Emergency Alerts]

Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said he supported refreshing the record with today’s notice to better monitor and improve the WEA system. 

“But, at the same time, I want to stress the need for interested
stakeholders to actually participate in this proceeding,” Starks said.

The FCC also has been considering upgrades for legacy EAS that would allow
for more visual aspects of emergency alerting in this country. 

Comments can be made in PS docket numbers 15-91 and 15-94. However, the
comment clock on the proposed amendments won’t begin until the FNPRM is published in the Federal Registry. 


Randy J. Stine has spent the past 40 years working in audio production and broadcast radio news. He joined Radio World in 1997 and covers new
technology and regulatory issues. He has a B.A. in journalism from Michigan State University.

The post FCC Addresses Wireless Emergency Alerts appeared first on Radio
World.


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Despite Myriad Objections, New FM Translator Gets Green Light

Posted: 21 Apr 2022 11:49 AM PDT https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/business-and-law/despite-myriad-objections-new-fm-translator-gets-green-light


The construction of a new FM translator near the California/Mexico border
is set to move ahead after the Federal Communications Commission clarifies
its rules on deleted stations, contour overlaps, tendered filings and the definition of a nullity. 

Family Stations Inc. was the winning bidder for a new cross-service
translator station in El Cajon, California, a city approximately 25 miles
from the Mexico border. The bid was part of the Federal Communication Commission’s Auction 100 in 2019, which involved bidding  for new cross-service FM translators to be paired with AM stations.  

Soon after, when it was realized that Family’s proposed facility violated contour overlap requirements set by a 1992 agreement between the
governments of Mexico and the U.S. (in regard to FM service in the 88-100
MHz band), Family filed a long-form application to change the technical proposals specified in its previously submitted short-form application.

Soon after, the commission put into place amendments to its translator interference rules that would allow a translator licensee or applicant to mitigate interference by changing channels to any available frequency.
Family followed up with a petition for reconsideration and amendment
seeking to move its station from Channel 261 to Channel 266, having
discovered that a “sizable zone of potential interference” existed within the translator’s current 25 dBu contour overlap and a neighboring station’s 45 dBu contour.

[See Our Business and Law Page]

In September 2019, a modification application was filed by Positive Hope
Inc., licensee of KVIB(LP), specifying modified facilities on Channel 266
that it said were mutually exclusive with Family’s amended translator application. That same month, the Media Bureau at the commission dismissed
the KVIB modification application because it did not comply with minimum distance separation requirements in regard to the translator.

The next month, Positive Hope filed an informal objection to Family’s
amended translator application as well as a petition for reconsideration
asking to reinstate the KVIB(LP) modification application.

The next step the bureau took was to reinstate Family’s translator application in a reconsideration after finding that Family’s amended application was due to a minor amendment — something the FCC will consider when an applicant submits a relatively minor curative amendment within 30
days of the original dismissal. 

In the objection filed by Positive Hope, the licensee said that Family’s translator application should have been dismissed for several reasons: 

The application failed to protect another station — KRSA(LP) on Channel 266 — in El Cajon (even though that station’s license would eventually be cancelled by the commission). Positive Hope said the move to Channel 266 is
not an option because the eventual cancellation of LPFM station KRSA(LP) on that channel was still under appeal and not yet final when the translator application was originally filed.
The Family petition was procedurally inadmissible under FCC Rules because
it was “tendered” three days after the Sept. 6, 2019 deadline to file a petition for reconsideration. Positive Hope said in its filing that “tendering is the act that counts” when determining the timeliness of a petition.
The bureau erred in reinstating Family’s amended translator application because Family evaded the commission’s waiver request requirements. The bureau was wrong to reinstate the application under the nunc pro tunc processing policy because Family’s reinstatement request and curative amendment were based on an interference claim rather than a typographical
or clerical error. As a result, such a request for reinstatement is
improper, Positive Hope said. 
The bureau erred in reinstating the Family application because the bureau relied on a rule that came into effect after the application was dismissed. Positive Hope cited the commission’s Translator Interference Order, which states that the new translator interference rules apply only to
“applications or complaints that have not been acted upon as of the
effective date of the rules.”
Any application that contains a no-waiver request and is dismissed as
defective becomes a “nullity” — and as a nullity, the translator creates no
interference and so how can it have any to mitigate? According to Positive Hope, Family cannot satisfy the FCC Rule criteria that says that a
non-adjacent channel change applicant must show interference to or from any other broadcast station.


In light of these issues, Positive Hope asked the commission to either
dismiss the Family petition and reinstate the KVIB modification
application, reinstate and compare both applications as mutually exclusive
or dismiss both applications for failing to protect station KRSA.

But the commission either dismissed or denied Positive Hope’s arguments on several grounds. 

In regard to moving to Channel 266, the commission explained that, although
a third party had indeed filed a petition for reconsideration concerning
the cancellation of KRSA’s license, the cancellation was effective because there was no standing “request for stay.”

In regard to the timeliness of Family’s application filing and the phrase “tendered,” the commission said that the petition was indeed filed correctly on the day it was due — Sept. 6, 2019 — in the bureau’s Consolidated Database System. The commission dismissed and denied the
argument that the Family petition was not filed on time since the “tendered date” that Positive Hope referred to is used for internal administrative processing. 

The commission also denied Positive Hope’s argument that the translator application should not have been reinstated. Rather, the commission said,
it is following the established, liberal amendment policy it applies when
it comes to auction applications. “This policy provides that an auction long-form applicant may file an amendment to cure any defect, as long as
the amendment does not constitute a major change to its originally proposed facilities,” the commission said in its order. “The non-adjacent channel change proposed in [Family’s] amended translator application is classified
as a minor change.” 

The FCC admitted to one slip in processing. Instead of dismissing the translator application, the Media Bureau should have instead issued a deficiency notice to Family and given the applicant the opportunity to file
a curative amendment. The commission confirmed the bureau’s finding that
the channel change proposed by Family resolved or reduced interference to Mexican station XHTY by eliminating a spacing violation and to a
neighboring station KKLJ(FM) by eliminating a sizable zone of potential interference within the two stations’ contour. The situation was further resolved when Mexican government notified the commission’s International Bureau that it concurred with the facilities that Family had proposed in
its amended translator application. 

As a result, the commission granted the long-form application filed by
Family and dismissed and denied Positive Hope’s objections and its application for review.


Susan Ashworth is the former editor of TV Technology and a long-time contributor to Radio World. She has served as editor-in-chief of two
housing finance magazines and written about topics as varied as
broadcasting, education, chess, music, sports and the connected home environment.

The post Despite Myriad Objections, New FM Translator Gets Green Light
appeared first on Radio World.


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Rosenworcel Is Confirmed for NAB Appearance

Posted: 21 Apr 2022 11:00 AM PDT https://www.radioworld.com/show-news/nab-show/rosenworcel-is-confirmed-for-nab-appearance


FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel is a “go” to appear at the NAB Show.

As we reported about 10 days ago, she had been home with a case of
COVID-19. But her office has confirmed to Radio World that she will make
her appearance in person in Las Vegas as scheduled.

National Association of Broadcasters President/CEO Curtis LeGeyt will have
a fireside chat with Rosenworcel on Monday April 25 at the Las Vegas
Convention Center, immediately after the show welcome session. This will
also be LeGeyt’s first NAB Show since succeeding Gordon Smith.

The post Rosenworcel Is Confirmed for NAB Appearance appeared first on
Radio World.


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TTWN Expands Partnership With Iteris

Posted: 21 Apr 2022 09:20 AM PDT https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/ttwn-expands-partnership-with-iteris


iHeartMedia’s Total Traffic & Weather Network is expanding a partnership
with Iteris Inc.

The latter provides a “technology ecosystem for smart mobility
infrastructure management.” TTWN, which launched in 2005 when iHeart was called Clear Channel, is a provider of traffic, transit and weather
information in the United States.

The companies said this partnership “coincides with the return of traffic congestion.” They said that in many cities traffic is back to pre-pandemic levels, “but peak congestion times have shifted and occur at much more variable times.” They said this results in a need for more comprehensive
data on traffic flows and incidents.

TTWN said this arrangement will help it expand into new vertical markets including transportation agencies, construction firms, insurance companies, fleet operators and delivery companies.

[Visit Radio World’s News and Business Page]

The companies said they are expanding an existing relationship “to deliver the most comprehensive mobility intelligence solutions available to public-sector and commercial enterprise customers throughout the U.S.”

TTWN will broaden its coverage of traffic incident data provided to Iteris, which is aggregated and verified by “traveler information experts.” Its traffic incident data will be integrated in Iteris’ ClearMobility Cloud, which currently captures approximately 200 sources of road closure, construction and other traffic impact data. 

The traffic incident and flow information is used by radio and TV
broadcasting partners, and automotive OEMs.

“The integration will result in the industry’s most comprehensive traffic incident data available,” they stated in a press release.

The post TTWN Expands Partnership With Iteris appeared first on Radio World.

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