Radio+Television Business Report

Broadcast industry audio processing pioneer Robert Orban has been named as the recipient of the inaugural Audio Engineering Society President’s Award.

Orban and fellow collaborators were honored for technical achievement in drafting TC Document TD1008: “Recommendations for Loudness of Internet Audio Streaming and On-Demand Distribution.”

The award recognizes contributions to the goals of AES that are made collaboratively in groups; Orban shares this award with David Bialik, Rob Byers, Jim Coursey, Eelco Grimm, Bob Katz, John Kean, Scott Norcross, Shawn Singh, Jim Starzynski and Alessandro Travaglini.

“Bob’s work with his fellow industry luminaries will go a long way toward improving the user experience for billions of internet listeners,” said Orban President David Day. “His leadership and expertise in the processing arena are second to none. We are honored to work with Bob on a daily basis.”

Mr. Orban commented, “The process took nearly two years with weekly Zoom meetings. Our group was quite large and brought a wealth of ideas to the table, but it did take some time to sort out everyone’s thoughts and present a comprehensive recommendation to the AES. I enjoyed working with this prestigious group of audio engineering experts.”

The AES President’s Award was presented in an online ceremony in mid-December along with technical, fellowship and Board of Governors’ Awards.

The last seven-day period of 2021 has been measured by Media Monitors, the iHeartMedia-owned ad tracking service that covers broadcast and cable television and national radio activity.

The big takeaway once again? Walmart is, by far, the most active user of spot television, but not so much a big user of spot radio.

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In the late 2000s, he was an active buyer of radio stations. Among the stations acquired by Sima Birach and his Birach Broadcasting Corp. in that era is a Class B AM serving Little Rock with 5kw during daylight hours from 1 tower and 240 watts after dark from 2 towers.

Birach acquired the station in October 2007 along with a Tulsa AM in a $1.5 million deal brokered by John Pierce & Co. Now, that AM, which today has a FM translator bringing its Spanish-language programming some FM revitalization, is in the news. Why? An unauthorized period of silence and a OPIF filing deadline miss are set to cost Birach tens of thousands of dollars in FCC fines.

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MILPITAS, CALIF. — A deal involving a FM translator has just been consummated that will bring, pending FCC approval, another South Asian voice to the San Jose radio market.

The programming will originate from the HD3 signal of KUFX-FM, a Bonneville International-owned radio station.

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On December 24, 2020, the husband that shares ownership with his wife of a Class A noncommercial FM radio station serving the island of Nantucket in Massachusetts passed away.

Now, the requisite paperwork is being filed that will give the woman full ownership of “Quahog Country.”

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In September 2019, Monte Miller had his fill of repeated requests to delay the closing of a March 2019 transaction that would see the transfer of six full-power stations and two FM translators by Miller’s Rocking M Media to Allied Media Partners (AMP). “I took the stations off today,” he told RBR+TVBR at the time — a move that would negate a $6.2 million deal.

More than two years later, all but one of the two FM translators involved in that imploded deal are back in the news, as their license renewal applications were under Media Bureau review at the FCC. The Chief of the Audio Division has signed off on the renewals, along with the sale of one of the full-powered FM properties. However, in order for it to happen, Rocking M entered into a Consent Decree and is making a contribution to the U.S. Treasury.

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A select group of Americans may be familiar with the name John Peel, thanks to the late air personality’s time at BBC Radio 1, where he brought progressive rock, punk acts, dub reggae and electronic acts their first national airplay in Great Britain.

Few Americans, if anyone, may be familiar with the name Janice Long. In the United Kingdom, Long is perhaps as equally iconic as Peel, thanks in very large part to their on-air chemistry as the hosts of BBC Television’s “Top of the Pops” program.

Today, anyone who has ever watched TOTP or was raised on Radio 1 is mourning her death, which came on Christmas Day following “a short illness.” Long was 66 years old.

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The largest convention and expo to be staged in two years is scheduled to take place in one week. And, it will be held without the full-scale participation of such companies as Google and Microsoft, each of which confirmed over the Christmas holiday weekend that they will not be engaging in in-person events during the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

With in-person event cancellations at CES 2022, including that of iHeartMedia, growing, what does that bode for attendance at the second most-important event of the season — NATPE Miami?

“NATPE Safe” protocols have been updated. This means that on-site virus testing will be available at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, the sprawling casino-style with no gaming resort adjacent to the Nobu Eden Roc, home to the much smaller (but perhaps more important to broadcasters) Matrix Media Ad Sales Summit.

The “NATPE Safe” protocol already includes proof of vaccination, and the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) believes the on-site testing of vaccinated attendees will ensure that its global programming marketplace and TV industry conference will be a successful event, starting January 18 and ending January 20.

How will it work? Optional Rapid Antigen COVID-19 Testing for all attendees on the main dates of the event will be available via an appointment; sign-up information was still forthcoming at the time of this writing.

“Guests that take advantage of the daily testing will receive identification (i.e. wrist badge) of their negative COVID test,” NATPE said. “Individual exhibitors and sponsors may choose to require testing in order to meet with their staff.”

Meanwhile, NATPE Miami, which traditionally has a diverse global attendance, will offer a PCR COVID-19 Test for international attendees that require a negative test result 72 hours or less before entering back to their country of origin. The cost: $150. It is reserved for those who are attending NATPE Miami from outside the U.S.

Among the high-profile sponsors of NATPE Miami are Univision Communications, AP, A + E Networks, The CW, Horowitz Research, Lionsgate, WB, and Tubi, the FOX Corporation over-the-top offering.

“With the health and safety of exhibitors, buyers, sponsors, honorees, partners and all attendees as top priority, NATPE will be following the highest standards and COVID-related protocols,” the organization said.

Furthermore, NATPE has created a daily health survey which will be filled out by attendees on everyone’s mobile phones. Complimentary face masks will be available on-site. Temperature checks will be taken before entering certain parts of the NATPE event, such as the mainstage conference session or the exhibition floor.

There will also be a NATPE Networking Tent, which will provide an outdoor option for networking.

While masks are “highly recommended” for all attendees, even as the event requires vaccination, face masks will be mandatory for all NATPE staff, service providers and vendors as cleaning will be reinforced in all exhibition spaces and high-contact areas will be frequently disinfected.

The Fontainebleau is also doing its part to segregate hotel guests who are not attending NATPE Miami from those who are.

As such, things will not be back to normal for NATPE Miami attendees, with outdoor tents for sessions and meetings and designated NATPE Safe zones fully controlled by the event production team planned for the entire resort, where in years past it was perfectly expected to see Byron Allen walking the corridors of the Tresor towers as Kalil & Co. representatives met with current and prospective clients in a suite with a near-perfect view of South Beach.

RBR+TVBR has confirmed that Kalil & Co. will again have a suite at NATPE Miami.

— Adam R Jacobson, in Delray Beach, Fla.

RBR+TVBR will be offering selected NATPE Miami coverage, based on COVID-19 safety protocols and updated guidance. It will be present January 20 at the Matrix Media Ad Sales Summit, where Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson will be moderating a panel discussion on ATSC 3.0 and OTT opportunities for television.

The Univision network affiliates serving two of the nation’s biggest emerging Hispanic markets — Kansas City and Minneapolis-St. Paul — has a new VP/Station Group Manager.

He takes the expanded role at Media Vista Group after seven years of experience overseeing the Twin Cities operations.

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In the Florida Keys, there’s a station called WKIZ. It’s a digital low-power TV facility, and is a sibling to a Class A digital TV facility also serving the Conch Republic. Paul Garber has been the Manager of the stations’ licensee.

Thanks to a deal finalized just before Christmas, a reorganization in the stations’ ownership is moving forward. This puts David and Penny Drucker in the driver’s seat.

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On December 21, RBR+TVBR was first to share the news that Gray Television had agreed to purchase a low-power TV construction permit and five fully built LPTVs from the licensee led by Jeff Winemiller.

Now, Gray has struck again — this time grabbing a half-dozen LPTV CPs across the South.

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Nielsen on Thursday morning announced that it plans to move forward with its introduction of Broadband-Only (BBO) Homes in its local television market measurements, beginning in January 2022.

The Media Rating Council (MRC) recently completed an audit of the BBO Homes. And, just after the Closing Bell on Wall Street, shared several “perspectives” on the matter.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Copyright Royalty Judges on December 23 announced that they have adopted existing rates and terms for the retransmission of over-the-air television and radio broadcast stations by cable television systems to their subscribers.

Here’s what that means.

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Corpus Christi, Tex.-based Mako Communications found itself with a group of low-power TV stations with a unique trait: the deadline to build them isn’t until 2023.

It decided to sell them, attracting a variety of buyers and prices. Now, it has a buyer for a facility serving the home of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

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It bills itself as a Chicago-based multimedia company that offers extensive radio programming offerings including mix show syndication, production and imaging.

Now, the entity majority-controlled by Robert Jamrog is poised to become the licensee of a FM translator licensed to serve Monterey-Salinas, Calif.

The seller? One of the biggest acquirers of radio stations in the last decade.

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For Nashville radio listeners, there’s been a longtime presence of a unique Classic Hits station targeted to those that may very well been labeled a “hippie” some 50+ years ago.

Class A WHPY-FM is Hippie Radio, and together with an AM/FM combo in Gallatin, Tenn., and a group of stations in Warsaw, Ind., comprise Kensington Digital Media.

Now, its founder has selected the GM of the Warsaw stations to serve as the company’s COO.

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For listeners of SiriusXM’s “80s on 8” Channel, every weekend “The Big 40 Countdown” features three of the original MTV VJs, Alan Hunter, Nina Blackwell and Mark Goodman. With JJ Jackson deceased, there’s been an inconspicuous absence on the satellite radio broadcaster’s lineup.

Martha Quinn is the other VJ who first entertained a generation of cable TV viewers. And, chances are she won’t be joining her former MTV air personalities anytime soon. That’s because she’s just inked a major deal with iHeartMedia that puts her in middays across more than 35 markets where it owns radio stations.

On January 10, Quinn will begin hosting The Martha Quinn Show on radio stations known for playing today much of the songs that were new when Quinn was on MTV in the 1980s.

Quinn’s program will air in middays, regardless of market. Stations include KOSF-FM in San Francisco, the station branded as “103.7 FM 80s+.” Quinn has been associated with KOSF as its morning show host for five years.

Other confirmed markets where Quinn’s show will be heard include Seattle, Milwaukee, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and St. Louis. While iHeart operates Classic Hits stations in each of these markets, a roster of stations was not provided by the company.

“Martha has such a genuine and uplifting personality and she constantly brings excitement and positivity to listeners,” said Tom Poleman, Chief Programming Officer and President of the National Programming Group for iHeartMedia. “She has an unmatched ability to connect with her audience, not to mention an amazing playlist filled with the songs she helped make famous through the years. We know that listeners across the country will fall in love with Martha Quinn, just as audiences everywhere have for decades.”

Quinn’s time at MTV began in July 1981, following her graduation from New York University. The man in charge of MTV at the time? iHeartMedia CEO Bob Pittman, largely known at the time for programming WNBC-AM 660 in New York in September 1977 — at age 23.

An individual who most recently served as Chief Revenue Officer of Distributed Media Lab has accepted the role of SVP/Digital at audio content creation and distribution company Cumulus Media.

He reports directly to CEO Mary Berner, and begins his new job on January 18.

As SVP of Digital, Merves will be tasked to lead and further shape Cumulus’ digital strategy, with a focus on generating revenue across multiple Cumulus Media platforms and channels.
Merves is considered by Cumulus to be “a proven leader in digital revenue growth strategies, audience monetization, and branded content.”

Merves ended up at Distributed Media Lab after it acquired the company he founded, Wundervue. There, he dedicated his efforts on supporting media companies and advertising agencies “in their digital transformation, operations, product development and growth opportunities.”

Before starting up Wundervue, Merves was Chief Digital Officer of Belo Corp., working from Dallas. He’s also been Director of Digital Sales at TEGNA, from December 2013-May 2015, and before that held positions of increasing importance at Cars.com.

“Jared has been at the forefront of digital media throughout his career and has helped many companies propel their businesses forward through innovation,” Berner said. “Digital has been a critical and successful pillar of our business strategy, and Jared brings the experience, creativity and technical expertise to build on that foundation and catapult
us to the next level.”

He has been with radio station owner Connoisseur Media since he was hired as Chief Financial Officer in 1996, when the company was known as Connoisseur Communications.

Now, this longtime partner and colleague of CEO Jeffrey Warshaw is relinquishing his role as EVP/CFO, effective December 31.

As a result, the day-to-day duties held by Michael Driscoll will be handed to Oliver “Olly” Price. He will hold the title of SVP/CFO for Connoisseur Media. Price came to the company in 2012, and presently serves as its VP of Finance and Accounting.

Driscoll won’t be stepping aside, however, as he will still be involved in some aspects of Connoisseur Media as the company’s EVP. Driscoll is a co-founder, with Warshaw, of Connoisseur Media, a new incarnation of the original company formed in 2004.

Warshaw commented, “Mike and I have worked together for a long time. In the years working with him, we have occasionally had different opinions, but never harsh words or arguments. I am glad in this new role he will get a chance to take some more time for travel and things he had wanted to do, but I look forward to still working together. He will always be my partner.”

Driscoll added, “I have really enjoyed the nuts and bolts of helping build a Company and focused on building teams, working on processes and getting the trains to run on time. I could not have had a more fulfilling time, looking forward to coming in each day, and have had a lot of fun working alongside Jeff for this quarter century. I will miss being involved in every decision, and having daily contact with the friends and great colleagues we have in our operations as well as here in the corporate office. I am happy to still be a part of the company, and also an investor in it, and want to watch things grow. This is just a part of a plan Jeff and I have had for a few years, and I have every confidence that our Company will reach new heights as Jeff works with Olly Price as the new CFO.”

Connoisseur Media today owns radio stations in the Nassau-Suffolk, N.Y. and Metro Fairfield County, Conn., Nielsen Audio markets embedded within the New York DMA. It also owns stations in nearby New Haven, Conn., and in Frederick, Md.

By Carl Marcucci and Adam R Jacobson

STAHLSTOWN, PA. — For drivers heading west on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, exiting the Allegheny Mountain Tunnel signifies two things. First, they are close to Shanksville, and the Flight 93 memorial site. Second, they are 90 minutes from Pittsburgh’s city center and the Golden Triangle.

For radio listeners, most Pittsburgh stations can be heard loud and clear. So can a 630-watt Class A FM licensed to Meyersdale, Pa., whose owner could soon lose his license, as he is a convicted felon. Listeners are aware of this, and a pastor who appears on the station each Sunday is now advocating on the owner’s behalf.

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