Radio+Television Business Report

Its merger with Gray Television is on track to close within a matter of weeks. But, that hasn’t stopped Meredith Corporation from signing a new deal for local TV ratings from the nation’s dominant source of audience measurement and consumption data.

A multi-year deal is in place that will keep Nielsen Local TV ratings in place at all Meredith Local Media stations.

The agreement includes a range of audience measurement and analytical services across all of Meredith’s broadcast TV stations, including Nielsen Scarborough. The contracts will be passed on to Gray following the closing of the Meredith Local Media spin-off from the media company dedicated to reaching women through lifestyle brands including People.

“We are pleased to continue our relationship with Nielsen as a trusted business collaborator,” said Doug Lowe, EVP of Meredith Corp.’s Broadcast Group.

Radio imaging, voiceover, programming, podcasting and jingles company Benztown has entered into an agreement with Tracy Johnson Media Group to market and distribute a new streamlined and intuitive audiologging app to U.S. radio stations.

Introducing AudioLogger, which Benztown says speeds the process for stations to repurpose audio for other uses.

AudioLogger was developed by Belgian radio broadcaster Alain Claise and is currently used on over 250 stations worldwide. The app is now available to stations from Benztown.

“With AudioLogger, all station staff can instantly access, manage, and share audio for
any station in the world,” Benztown notes. “Broadcasters can access audio for airchecks. The sales team can send proof of performance audio and live reads to advertisers without filling out a production request. And stations can even convert any audio segment into attention-getting videos to post online with just a couple of clicks.”

Benztown President Dave “Chachi” Denes comments, “AudioLogger transforms station
operations by empowering every member of the staff to do more with their audio content
– whether they’re in production, sales, marketing or digital. The system is fast and easy
to use, and audio is available to edit, export and manage within a couple of seconds of
being broadcast. Plus, it works on any platform and device, including tablets and cell
phones. AudioLogger is a game-changer for stations and Benztown is proud and
excited to partner with Tracy Johnson Media Group to bring this smart and affordable
technology to U.S. radio.”

GatesAir, known for its wireless, over-the-air content delivery products used by radio and TV stations across the U.S., has joined forces with Pearl TV and Howard University to bring NEXTGEN TV service to Washington, D.C.

GatesAir will ship a Maxiva ULXTE-50 UHF transmitter to Howard University’s WHUT-TV in preparation for an October launch, forming the nucleus of the public broadcaster’s new ATSC 3.0 transmission facility. WHUT, the market’s secondary PBS member station, will serve as the host station for the collaborative effort — using the liquid-cooled GatesAir transmitter to carry NEXTGEN TV signals from WHUT and four local commercial broadcast network affiliates.

WHUT brings several compelling advantages as a lighthouse station, including a prime location in the city that will maximize market reach. Howard University’s academic resources and educational initiatives will add value to the cooperative effort taking shape in DC. These include a Media Technology Innovation Learning Lab that, in cooperation with NAB, was formed to drive industry collaboration and develop new NEXTGEN TV services. Working closely with NAB, Howard University is also the only learning institution in the United States to offer a dedicated NEXTGEN TV seminar series, which is an educational platform for next-gen eration engineering talent. This important initiative gives students a chance to be on the ground level of NEXTGEN TV development for the Washington DC service.

Local commercial stations WJLA (ABC), WUSA (CBS), WTTG (FOX) and WRC (NBC) will join WHUT in the delivery of HD programming and standard-definition sub-channels (including the PBS Kids service) from the GatesAir transmitter. The transmitter will also carry new digital and multimedia services supported through the ATSC 3.0 standard.

“WHUT is testing many of the datacasting concepts that come with NEXTGEN TV, and all four commercial stations are sharing innovative ideas,” said Sean Plater, Acting General Manager of WHUT. “WHUT will look to provide internet access to those without broadband internet service, particularly in the Ward 7 and 8 neighborhoods of Washington DC. All five stations are looking at emergency alerts and interactive services that weren’t before possible with local television. A Howard University student is interning with Pearl TV this summer to help develop a new application, and we hope to involve more students in these development processes over time.”

Pearl TV Managing Director Anne Schelle added that the Washington DC model exemplifies the spirit of public and commercial broadcasters working together to advance the future of local television. “The commercial stations recognized the challenges that Howard University would have as a lighthouse station and, along with GatesAir and other partnering technology suppliers, played important roles in funding this project,” she said.

GatesAir is one of many suppliers supporting the initiative. The Maxiva ULXTE-50 transmitter, built at GatesAir’s Quincy, Ill., manufacturing center, will provide interoperability with the encoders, schedulers, and other key technologies within WHUT’s transmission headend. GatesAir will provide installation and commissioning services for its transmitter, which integrates an ATSC 3.0-ready GatesAir Maxiva XTE exciter.

— Brian Galante

CP Communications-owned Red House Streaming has completed upgrades to one of the two studios at its St. Petersburg, Fla.-based professional and network operations center (NOC).

The result is the creation of an enhanced chromakey space.

Known as Studio B, the new area can accommodate a four-person interview set and produce a full 16:9 chromakey shot.

Red House Steaming completed the renovations to Studio B in about three weeks and began using the chromakey set in mid-July.

Originally, Red House Streaming had a small chromakey area in Studio B to accommodate single-person standups. “When we were approached by a client that wanted to produce a pilot for a TV series, we decided we needed something larger,” said Red House Streaming GM Lowell Beckner.

That pilot, for a young adult news series, was the first project produced in the new space. The studio continues to be used for regular programming for other clients. Studio B now features a cyc wall that measures 17 feet across and 12 feet high, as well as soundproofing to accommodate musical acts. Three new Neewer globe lantern softbox diffusers help create even lighting across the set for clean chromakey effects, and additional fixtures are used for lighting talent. Studio B features all LED lighting that is controlled via DMX.

The new chromakey area features four of Red House Streaming’s RHS CamSTREAM PTZ camera units, three on tripods and one mounted high on a vertical truss for wide shots. All four cameras are controlled using a Panasonic AW-RP150 touchscreen remote camera controller in the control room, so there are no camera operators in the studio. The Red House Streaming control room, which is shared by both studios, also features a Yamaha TF1 digital audio mixer, CasparCG graphics, and a vMix production switcher.

The chromakey studio is the first major upgrade for Red House Streaming studios, which launched its first production in January 2021. The facility already has several regular clients using its production studios as well as its NOC for content management and delivery. Red House Streaming also offers mobile production and streaming packages.

— Brian Galante

WideOrbit, known for its widely used broadcast TV and radio inventory and revenue workflow management products, has brought to market the latest release of its flagship ad sales and commercial operations platform.

Providing a foundation from which 90+% of US local TV and 50+% of US radio broadcasters manage, execute, and scale ad sales, the WO Traffic v21.0 release includes new features and enhancements to help stations and station groups generate new revenue, reduce costs, and improve efficiency.

WideOrbit says the newest release of WO Traffic “marks a significant milestone in the industry” with the introduction of the Electronic Material Instructions module, an automated tool designed to address the need to simplify and streamline the material instructions process.

The Electronic Material Instructions licensed module integrates with several leading material instructions providers, including ECN, PremiumMedia360, ITN Networks, and SpotGenie. More integrations are coming soon, including Warren Lamb and vCreative. These integrations simplify the exchange of new and revised material instructions, helping broadcasters reduce errors (and costly makegoods) while increasing staff productivity.

WO Traffic v21.0 also introduces additional enhancements to improve efficiency, including easier, more intuitive log editing functionality; a new, customizable Inventory Analysis Report; improved New Orders navigation with easier property location and selection, and more.

“WideOrbit has always been committed to continuous innovation and investment in our core products and we’re proud to continue that tradition,” says Will Offeman, WideOrbit Chief Product Officer. “Our 21.0 release of WO Traffic includes the Electronic Material Instructions module, a significant step forward in automation for what was previously a highly manual process, and just one of several new features designed to help our broadcast TV and radio customers maximize revenue, reduce costs, and improve efficiency.”

Software-defined network and cloud platform Masergy’s private network and cloud platform is now playing a key role in enabling Azzurro HD’s AzzurroCam to deliver high-quality broadcast signals required for live, on-air interviews created outside of a professional studio.

Thanks to Masergy, AzzurroCam systems in the field can transmit high-definition signals backed by industry-leading service level agreements, including 100% in-sequence packet delivery and less than 1 millisecond of jitter.

“Masergy gives us the lowest possible latency you can get on the market today, and that’s one of the biggest reasons clients rely on us,” said Azzurro HD CEO Francis Luperella, explaining the criticality of service uptime. “There is very minimal delay, so you can have a long, live TV conversation in high definition. Our business is not about streaming TV shows and it’s not about video conferencing at its best. This is live, real-time TV broadcasting for big-name networks.”

In 2020, TV viewers everywhere got a glimpse into the challenges of remote broadcasting as TV networks were forced to produce shows directly from their homes. Pictures were fuzzy, and split-screen conversations were not always in sync—an experience all too familiar for those using video conferencing tools with home internet services. When it comes to high-profile, national broadcast, dips in service quality are not tolerated. AzzurroCam, released by Azzurro HD more than 10 years ago, is a self-contained camera system providing TV networks with studio-quality broadcast capabilities from anywhere.

Azzurro can monitor and manage the network service via Masergy’s online management portal. AI-powered applications in the portal provide recommendations and predictions to thwart any performance degradations. The portal also allows Azzurro to control bandwidth in an instant. Meanwhile, Masergy provides overall management of Azzurro’s solution from the network to security, including threat monitoring and response services.

“Masergy has been a part of our company since inception, and we have enjoyed a wonderful relationship with all-in-one turnkey service,” said John Bonaccorso, Vice President of Operations at Azzurro HD. Now that Azzurro is forging the future using ultra-high-definition broadcast, also known as 4K, Masergy can deliver the additional required bandwidth.

Bonaccorso commented, “We’re building camera systems that can deliver broadcast-quality 4K video directly from a home studio, so the ability to segregate network traffic on a different tier is key. When we need more throughput and bandwidth, we simply turn it up. The Masergy network is highly responsive.”

When Azzurro is supporting high-profile events, Masergy flags corresponding circuits, delaying any scheduled routine maintenance and automatically escalating issues if they arise.  Luperella said, “That’s the kind of attention you can’t find with big carriers and the reason our events air flawlessly. We will always aim to deliver the most pristine broadcasting service possible, and Masergy is our partner in making that a reality.”

State broadcast associations representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have formally written to leadership in the U.S. Senate urging passage of the Local Journalism Sustainability Act.

Will they be ignored, given the lack of support for the bill?

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Add yet another twist to the ongoing saga involving FM radio stations formerly owned by Ed Stolz and his Royce International Broadcasting.

The FCC has issued a pair of Notice of Violation warnings to Stolz’s Palm Springs, Calif., operation for problems tied to two FM translators in the market he owns.

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How have investors reacted to Audacy‘s EPS miss in the second quarter of 2021?

They weren’t kind. In heavy trading on Monday, the company formerly known as Entercom saw its stock value plummet by 11% from Friday’s closing price.

Yet, the drop in price only continues a trend that began in mid-March. Since then, Audacy shares have shed 51.4% of their value.

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A veteran journalist who joined CBS News in 2019 as Managing Editor of its weekday offering CBS This Morning has been selected to serve as the Sr. VP of Standards and Practices for ViacomCBS’s CBS News and Stations Group.

It’s a new role, in which she will help determine CBS News’ editorial standards “and ensure they are being maintained” across the news department, the over-the-air TV stations, and digital platforms.

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Since Friday’s Opening Bell on Wall Street, iHeartMedia shares are down nearly 20% in value.

Why? A diverse array of analysts’ estimates and stock target prices could be a reason for the volatility.

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Five years ago, ad buyers weren’t too impressed with radio’s digital prowess. Today, Gordon Borrell of Borrell Associates has a wholly different story to share.

“Today, radio sales reps are as apt to be considered as digitally savvy as any other.”

In fact, Borrell declares, Radio has gotten its “Digital Mojo.”

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It may have a fresh retransmission consent battle on its hands with Sinclair Broadcast Group. But, that’s nary a worry for DISH investors.

The direct broadcast satellite company making significant inroads in the cellular services and 5G world beat Q2 2021 earnings per share estimates by some 17 cents. DISH also beat Wall Street predictions on Q2 revenue.

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On the same day that DISH released a sterling second quarter 2021 earnings report, the direct broadcast satellite company diving into the mobile phone and 5G universe isn’t playing nice with one of the nation’s biggest broadcast TV station owners.

That’s at least Sinclair Broadcast Group‘s side of the story, as it prepares to see its stations face a “blackout” on DISH’s local lineups in the absence of a new retransmission consent agreement.

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Comscore will soon begin incorporating YouTube and YouTube TV measurement into its Comscore Campaign Ratings service — a move that builds on Comscore’s partnership with Google to help build the next generation of YouTube measurement without third-party pixels.

The arrangement, Comscore notes, will also help it offer marketers a deeper understanding of how audiences are consuming content on YouTube and YouTube TV across desktop, mobile, and, with this integration, connected TV (known outside of Canada as “CTV”).

Comscore Campaign Ratings provides advertisers and agencies with a deduplicated view of reach and frequency across linear TV, OTT/CTV, PC and Mobile inventory. This includes measurement for co-viewers on OTT/CTV. The new capability announced today, Comscore believes, “will pave the way for advertisers and agencies to understand combined co-viewing for YouTube and YouTube TV across OTT/CTV as well as incremental reach to their linear TV buys, providing total cross-platform ad measurement.”

Comscore adds that the addition of YouTube and YouTube TV will enable one of the largest advertising sources for modern cross-platform measurement. As previously published by Comscore, more than 80% of CTV reach in the U.S. falls on only five streaming services — and only two are ad-supported.

“People are watching more YouTube than ever — on mobile, on laptops, and especially on our fastest growing screen, the TV, and we want to ensure advertisers can measure their reach across all devices with third-party partners like Comscore,” says Debbie Weinstein, Vice President of Global Solutions at YouTube. “We also know people are choosing to watch their favorite YouTube content on connected TVs with others, and the inclusion of co-viewing in this new integration will allow advertisers to understand the full scale of the audience they’re able to reach through YouTube CTV campaigns.”

Comscore CEO Bill Livek added, “This is a critical milestone for Comscore and for the industry. Our clients are placing a large portion of their advertising spend with YouTube, and they need a holistic view of how that spend is performing relative to the entire media mix. We’re confident that clients using Comscore Campaign Ratings will have the most complete picture of advertising performance in the market.”

In 2020, for the first time, the Radio + Television Business Report offered readers the opportunity to submit their nominations and vote for the individuals who have demonstrated leadership excellence at the local level — serving as the stewards of sales and on-air operations that deserve national recognition. Now, RBR+TVBR is pleased to accept your nomination for the Top Local Leaders of 2021. There’s limited time for your vote, however. PLEASE TAKE THREE MINUTES NOW TO SUBMIT YOUR BALLOT. Voting ends August 20, 2021 at 5PM Pacific/8PM Eastern. 

 

It owns such broadcast TV stations as WUSA-9 in Washington, D.C., the CBS affiliate serving the National Capital Region; and key NBC affiliates including KPNX-12 in Phoenix, WGRZ-2 in Buffalo, and KGW-8 in Portland, Ore. It also owns the Premion over-the-top (OTT) advertising platform.

How did TEGNA perform in Q2 2021? Its quarterly revenue beat Wall Street forecasts, as its earnings per share on an adjusted basis beat the Street by a penny.

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Come Wednesday, FEMA and the FCC will test the nation’s public alert and warning systems at 2:20pm Eastern.

Here are all of the details of what this means for your broadcast radio and/or television stations.

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Spotify’s Megaphone is launching an audience insights tool for podcasters which will be powered by Nielsen. The new reporting tool will offer publishers a real-time look at their listeners’ demographics, interests, and behaviors.

Through the dashboard, publishers will see insights about which audiences are listening and compare trends year-over-year across their entire podcast network or on an individual show-by-show basis.

Matt Turck, Head of Megaphone Publisher Solutions, will be discussing the new dashboard live at Podcast Movement today.

More details on the new product can be found HERE

The nation’s No. 1 owner of broadcast radio station late Thursday released Q2 earnings that reflect strong year-over-year improvement as it continues to dig itself out of a multi-billion financial hole.

Things are progressing. The net loss narrowed year-over-year. But, perhaps the existence of any net loss worries Wall Street. Shares of iHeartMedia stock tumbled significantly in Friday’s trading.

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