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The author is executive director of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters. NFCB commentaries are featured regularly at www.radioworld.com.

The Federal Emergency Management has confirmed a date for the next national test of the Emergency Alert System, this summer. For the last month or so, there has been chattering about a 2021 EAS test. FEMA says this year’s test will happen on Wednesday, Aug. 11, at 2:20 p.m., Eastern. A backup date on Wednesday, Aug. 25, has also been rolled out.

For radio stations, it is time to prepare, and even catch up on things you may have forgotten about during the pandemic.

[Read: Community Broadcaster: Reopening Radio]

Blanked on the EAS test? You’re likely not alone. With remote work taking over radio everywhere, surely some of you may have wistful memories of that old EAS gear. Consider the next few months as your time to get reacquainted.

What do stations need to do in the months leading up to this summer’s test?

Updating firmware for your EAS equipment is a top priority. Sage and other manufacturers have posted firmware updates over the last 12–18 months. In a few instances, getting the newest version may require your station to be current with its support subscription. However, no one can blame you if those subscriptions lapsed during the shutdowns brought on by the pandemic. So, it would be prudent to skim your email archive and office mail bin to ensure your relationship with your equipment provider is current.

Your next step will be to dust off and review your EAS processes and policies. For some stations, EAS tests are automated, but others prefer, or have by circumstance, manual runs of weekly tests. Does your staff need a refresher of how to run its test? Or has your studio setup changed, as many stations did in tweaking their facilities during COVID-19? Especially as stations are welcoming back staff and volunteers, you may want to update your operations guidance.

[Read: Aug. 11 Is the Next National EAS Test]

Finally, and most importantly, proper education and messaging with staff and volunteers about the upcoming EAS test is critical. The test is more than tones over your broadcast. The national EAS effort is a chance for radio stations to remind audiences about our valued role in the nation’s media infrastructure. Where internet access remains spotty, radio is there. Where communities search for trust, radio is present. The national EAS test is our time to remind listeners of our place in their lives.

No matter who you are in radio, the EAS is your obligation. Community radio stations, low-power FM stations, everyone is required to participate and complete the appropriate reporting once the EAS test is over. You have a few months to resolve any issues before you.

Don’t wait until August.

The post Community Broadcaster: Urgent Action appeared first on Radio World.

Swiss hearing care equipment manufacturer Sonova has acquired Sennheiser’s Consumer Electronics business. The move comes three months after Sennheiser announced it was searching for a new corporate partner that would take over the consumer division — a move that would allow Sennheiser to focus on its Neumann, pro audio and business communications business units.

Sonova Holding AG, headquartered in Stäfa, Switzerland, is a global provider of medical hearing solutions with three core businesses — hearing instruments, audiological care and cochlear implants. Founded in 1947, it has a workforce of more than 14,000 employees and generated sales of ₣2.92 billion [Swiss francs] (US$3.27 billion) in the financial year 2019/20 as well as a net profit of ₣490 million (US$543.2 million).

[Read: Sennheiser Plans a “Repositioning”]

As part of the partnership, a complete transfer of the consumer electronics business’ operations is expected to be completed by the end of 2021. Roughly 600 Sennheiser employees work for the Sennheiser consumer business.

With the takeover of the Sennheiser consumer business, Sonova is adding headphones and soundbars to its product, which includes hearing aids and cochlear implants, among other hearing solutions. A “permanent cooperation” is planned under the joint Sennheiser brand umbrella in order to continue offering Sennheiser customers first-class audio solutions in the future, and a license agreement for future use of the Sennheiser brand has been made.

Sennheiser co-CEOs Daniel (left) and Andreas Sennheiser.

The move to partner with another company for the consumer business was not a rushed decision, co-CEO Daniel Sennheiser told Pro Sound News in February: “Looking at [our] different business units in more detail, we realized we need different strategies to make them successful. How we can develop all four business segments at the same time with the necessary power, so all markets that we’re in have great growth opportunities? We saw that the consumer part can be really driven to the full extent if we can find a partner and focus on the pro part.”

Sennheiser co-CEO Dr. Andreas Sennheiser noted, “The combination of our strengths provides a very good starting point for future growth. We are convinced that Sonova will strengthen the Sennheiser consumer business in the long term and capture the major growth opportunities.” Both partners see potential for speech-enhanced hearables and for true wireless and audiophile headphones.

Arnd Kaldowski, CEO of Sonova, says: “I am very pleased that Sennheiser has chosen Sonova to further develop the well-renowned consumer division. We look forward to welcoming our new colleagues and to building on the combined strengths of both organizations to successfully shape our joint future. The fast-growing market for personal audio devices is rapidly evolving. Combining our audiological expertise with Sennheiser’s know-how in sound delivery, their great reputation as well as their high-quality products will allow us to expand our offering and to create important touchpoints with consumers earlier in their hearing journey.”

 

The post Sonova Acquires Sennheiser’s Consumer Division appeared first on Radio World.

Three companies with radio stations among their holdings released their third quarter earnings reports following Thursday’s Closing Bell on Wall Street. One enjoyed exceptionally strong digital growth, Entravision. Another saw digital prowess while its recovery across its streaming and broadcast radio assets came in ahead of expectations.

That would be iHeartMedia, and its stock soared on Friday. In contrast, the closest peer it has in the audio media world, Audacy, saw its stock decline on a disappointing Q1 report.

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While the “whip antenna” on two General Motors truck lines gets attention for the one and only reason the automotive company kept it there for its newest models, GM is also attracting eyeballs for something that could eventually impact in-car audio consumption.

Self-driving vehicles are coming.

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A blog devoted to General Motors trucks this week anwered a most intriguing question: Why do the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks still use a “whip antenna”?

The answer was simple: AM and FM radio reception in rural areas demands it.

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Earnings reports from major radio broadcast groups this week show the damage to the bottom line caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is easing a bit as the economy recovers and advertisers return.

iHeartMedia in its financial report on Thursday said consolidated revenue clocked in at $707 million for the first quarter of 2021, which is better than it expected but still down 9.5% compared to Q1 of 2020. Take out political and revenue dipped 7.2% in the quarter, according to the broadcasters filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Those numbers appear to be a little better than several of iHeartMedia’s major competitors. Audacy (formerly Entercom) said today its net revenues for the first quarter were $240.8 million, which is down 19% year-over-year. Audacy’s broadcast radio revenue was down approximately 24% in the quarter. Meanwhile, Cumulus reported overall revenues declined 11.5% in the first quarter of this year, but its radio revenue declined 23.8% compared to Q1 last year.

[Read: iHeart Launches “Private Marketplace” for Podcasts]

iHeart Media recently realigned its reporting segments and for the first time broke out three specific sectors of its business on its first quarter balance sheet. The company’s Multiplatform Group, which includes its 860 broadcast radio stations and Premiere Networks, reported Q1 revenue was down 20.9% compared to the same quarter in 2021. Specifically, broadcast revenue was down 22.3% year-over-year while network revenue declined 6% YoY, according to the company.

The largest radio broadcaster in the United States said operating expenses for the Multiplatform Group decreased 17.8% in Q1 compared to the same period in 2020 primarily due to lower employee compensation and other cost-reduction initiatives in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. That included staffing cuts in iHeartMedia’s engineering department earlier this year. Observers at the time noted the company appears to be relying on a more regional approach to engineering staffing.

The iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group, which includes all digital assets like podcasting, grew revenue by 69.8% year-over-year. iHeartMedia says the digital audio business encompasses approximately 22% of the company’s consolidated revenue. The sector was led by continued growth in podcasting, which increased by 141.9% YoY, according to the investor report.

iHeartMedia Chairman and CEO Bob Pittman said during Thursday’s call the Digital Audio Group is “well on its way to becoming our most profitable segment.”

Meanwhile, the company’s Audio and Media Services Group, which includes Katz Media Group and RCS, saw revenue decrease 8.5% comparative to the same quarter last year. Katz specifically was hard hit in Q1as a result of the presidential election in the year prior. Excluding the impact of political, revenues in the sector were actually up 0.7%, according to the company’s balance sheet.

Pittman told investors the company continues to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and expects to see a full recovery to 2019 levels by the end of this year.

Watchers of iHeartMedia stock saw positive signs in the past month when a bullish analyst report raised its rating on the audio company. BofA Securities media analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich bumped her rating up to Buy from Underperform. The company’s stock price immediately jumped about 13% and has held relatively steady since mid-April. It opened Friday at $19.86. The stock returned to the public markets in July 2019 following its emergence from bankruptcy.

Despite the positive stock news the audio company is still loaded down with debt, according to its SEC report. iHeartMedia had total debt of just over $6 billion at the end of March. iHeartMedia President and COO Rich Bressler said Thursday the company’s “interest expense will be approximately $335 million to $345 million” for 2021.

Bressler also discussed cap-ex spending by the broadcast giant: “Due to the significant real estate reductions we are working on to drive meaningful savings, our capital expenditures in 2021 will be $165 million to $185 million and then return to normal levels in 2022. Due to the timing of the real estate consolidation, capital expenditures will be heavily weighted to the second half of (2021).”

You could pardon iHeartMedia executives if they wanted to present investors the abridged version of the company’s Q1 results on Thursday and quickly move on to discuss their projections for the second quarter. The company says April 2021 revenues were up approximately 85% year over year. Keep in mind the company says that April 2020 was the month hardest hit by COVID. Company leadership expects second quarter revenues overall this year to be up around 65% YoY.

iHeartMedia also completed its acquisition of Triton Digital, a digital audio publishing, advertising and audience measurement business, during the first quarter. The company says the move will help tie together its various lines in the digital infrastructure space.

 

The post iHeartMedia Continues in Recovery Mode appeared first on Radio World.

In fall 2017, a subsidiary of New Directions Broadcast Group agreed to convert an LMA of a group of radio stations in the Branson, Mo., area into an outright purchase. The buyer? A licensee 51% owned by the corporate director of sales for Earls Family Broadcasting from 2004-2010. The other 49% was held by a former U.S. presidential candidate and syndicated talk show host.

Now, that former Earls sales pro is exiting the partnership, handing all of his stake in the company to Mike Huckabee.

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On Wednesday, the judicial body responsible for the prosecution of all crimes that occur in the city of Baltimore moved forward with an action designed to bring a bit of justice, in its view, to a matter it claims involves “biased, inflammatory coverage” of Maryland’s biggest municipality.

The Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office moved forward with sending a formal complaint letter to FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel against Sinclair Broadcast Group’s flagship broadcast TV station. Specifically, it seeks an investigation into the broadcasting practices and media content distributed by the station, WBFF-45.

The FOX affiliate sees it much differently, and responded with a fresh news report that assails the SAO’s lead prosecutor, State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby, for attacking a media source for its reporting on her.

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As a significant shareholder in TEGNA, Soohyung Kim and his Standard General has, for more than a year, sought to convince those holding company stock that it is on the wrong growth path. Thus, board of directors nominees it presented warranted shareholder approval.

Those efforts have failed to gain the support of TEGNA investors once again.

TEGNA announced Friday that, based on a preliminary vote count by its proxy solicitor, shareholders have “overwhelmingly re-elected” all 12 of its “highly qualified nominees” — verbage that’s clearly a swipe at Kim — as directors to serve for another term ending at the 2022 Annual Meeting.

They are Gina Bianchini, Howard Elias, Stuart Epstein, Lidia Fonseca, Karen Grimes, TEGNA President/CEO Dave Lougee, Scott McCune, Henry McGee, Susan Ness, Bruce Nolop, Neal Shapiro and Melinda Witmer.

“We are deeply gratified by this clear vote of confidence from our shareholders, and we continue to benefit from the input we received from the many shareholders we engaged with,” said Howard D. Elias, TEGNA’s Chairman of the Board. “Receiving even greater support in this year’s election than last year is a powerful endorsement of the board’s oversight of TEGNA’s financial performance, management’s execution of our strategy, and our continued progress in making TEGNA even more diverse, equitable and inclusive.”

Lougee added, “We are pleased that our shareholders recognize the successful execution of our value-creation strategy, which is delivering record results. We value the productive partnership we have with our investors as we drive TEGNA forward for the benefit of all stakeholders. Beyond our financial performance, we are pleased that our shareholders support the company’s ongoing work to advance diversity, equity and inclusion. As demonstrated by our extensive actions to date and the quantitative goals we’ve set, we are fully committed to continue improving in these important areas so that TEGNA effectively represents all of the communities we serve. I also want to thank our employees for all their efforts and their focus during this time – the work they do has never been more important.”

In addition to re-electing all of TEGNA’s directors, shareholders also approved the company’s proposals concerning the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers as the company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the current year; an advisory vote on the compensation of TEGNA’s named executive officers; and the elimination of  supermajority voting provisions in the TEGNA Charter.

The preliminary vote count is subject to certification by the Independent Inspector of Elections.

But, it puts to rest a second effort for Kim to gain more sway at TEGNA. This included the planting of one Adonis Hoffman as a board nominee in a move that exposed conduct judged by Hoffman to be racist by Lougee — all because of a case of mistaken identity at a valet stand several years ago. Rather than spark a D&I initiative and investigation leading to Lougee’s removal, which likely would have pleased Kim, the story quietly faded away.

Standard General is the third-largest institutional shareholder of TEGNA stock, at a reported 7.7% as of the end of 2020. Blackrock Inc. holds 11.2% interest; The Vanguard Group owns 9.4% of TEGNA stock.

As of 11:14am Eastern, TEGNA shares were up 1.2% to $20.35; TGNA goes ex-Dividend on June 3.

It’s been quite the 12 months for The E.W. Scripps Co. Its reborn Court TV attracted a huge segment of viewers seeking gavel-to-gavel coverage of the Derek Chauvin trial. It completed its merger with West Palm Beach-based ION Media, consolidating the companies’ digital multicast networks. On the final day of Q1 2021, it completed the sale of Triton to iHeartMedia.

These actions were just some of the catalysts that helped Scripps meet or exceed its guidance “by every measure,” President/CEO Adam Symson said as he opened the company’s first quarter earnings call on Friday.

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As the first quarter of 2021 neared its conclusion, the audio media company that for more than 50 years was known as Entercom changed its name, and that of the Radio.com platform it acquired via its CBS Radio merger and largely rebuilt.

Now Audacy, the Philadelphia-based company led by David Field is seeking to build on its momentum as a podcast and streaming audio leader. Still, its chief revenue driver is Radio. And, in its final quarter as Entercom, that reality is a punishing one. The company’s revenue missed Wall Street estimates, while its earnings per share fell short of expectations by 2 cents.

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Dave Kolesar shares this photo to update us on field testing at all-digital AM station WWFD.

In the background is the Xperi test van and Xperi’s Mike Raide. They’re at the transmitter site in Frederick, Md., where they’ve started another round of HD2 testing on the station at 820 AM.

Kolesar is senior broadcast engineer at WTOP/WFED and program director of the format “The Gamut.” He and Raide have worked together extensively on the digital project at WWFD, as we’ve reported.

[Read: Real-World Tests Make Business Case for MA3]

“The testing is being done to determine coverage of an HD2 MA3 signal, as it’s not quite the same as a main channel, unlike FM HD,” Kolesar told us.

“It involves driving along selected radials and noting where the HD2 audio fails, taking field strength readings at those points. Test gear includes the calibrated loop antenna on the roof, a FIM-4100 field strength meter, a spectrum analyzer, and an Xperi test receiver capable of receiving the HD2 signal.”

He said it takes about a half-day to drive a typical radial, so testing will be going on over several days.

“When we’re done, what we learn will incorporated into WWFD’s report to the FCC under its experimental authorization, as well as being submitted for publication at this year’s BEIT conference at NAB.”

Radio World welcomes images of your own radio technical projects. Email us at radioworld@futurenet.com.

 

The post WWFD Conducts More HD2 Testing appeared first on Radio World.

JW Marriott Downtown Austin

The Texas Association of Broadcasters announced in an email that its exhibits for the TAB Show in Austin in August have sold out, with 100 vendors booking space.

We took it as our prompt to check in with the TAB on its plans for holding a physical trade show on Aug. 3 and 4. It would be one of the first events in the U.S. radio industry to “go back live” since the pandemic began early last year.

Oscar Rodriguez is TAB’s president.

Radio World: It looks like TAB is moving firmly ahead with plans to hold a physical event. I’m sure you have a sense that you will be one of the first. What factors led you to decide to proceed in physical form?

Oscar Rodriguez: Our members. They’ve been hunting down vaccines since they first became available and now there’s an ample supply in Texas, so that was our primary consideration. But ultimately, they’re ready to meet and do business.

They want to explore new gear and revenue building strategies that’ll make them more efficient and profitable … lessons learned during this long-running disaster. They want to reconnect with friends across the state. And they know they’ll get a big bang out of the very few bucks it all costs.

RW: Will there be a virtual component as well?

Rodriguez: We definitely considered a virtual component or hosting a hybrid event. After much discussion, we decided to move forward and dedicate our resources to bringing in some top-notch presenters/panels and encouraging folks to join us — safely — in-person in Austin.

After more than 18 months of virtual events, most folks are burnt out on virtual gatherings.

RW: Describe the precautions show planners are taking, and how the attendee experience will be different. 

Rodriguez: Our team has been working diligently with the JW Marriott (our host venue) since last year to make sure all safety precautions are in place. Believe me, this has been no easy task with everything changing so quickly.

The JW currently requires wearing of face masks in all indoor public areas, and we will enforce that or whatever requirements are in place at the time of the event.

[Related: “IBC Show Set to Go Ahead in September”]

We also are asking all registrants to agree to our health and wellness waiver before they are allowed to enter the show. Of course, we are setting the events/meetings and including floor decals to allow for social distancing, providing many hand sanitizer stations, and working with the JW to stay on top of frequently sanitizing common areas, etc.

We’ve also redesigned our big meal events to ensure safety and comfort, while making sure everyone has the sustenance they need for the non-stop schedule we always present.

RW: What will the experience of visiting a booth be like, and are there rules or guidance for those interactions?

Rodriguez: Initially, we’d planned to have 166 booths in the Trade Show. In order to respect social distancing rules, and best use our contracted space, we had to widen aisles and leave more open space, forcing us to reduce the exhibits to 100 8-by-8-foot booths.

Booth sales opened at the beginning of March (our latest start date ever) and sold out May 4, and we already have a waiting list.

In terms of the experience of visiting a booth, to be honest, we don’t know. Every exhibiting company will have their different level of comfort, and we will work with them to make sure we make that happens.

We’ll have our lead retrieval system in place so there won’t need to be any need to exchange business cards. But a lot of our exhibitors have hands-on equipment that they want to demo. And we are leaving it up to the individual exhibiting companies to decide how they want to handle their one-on-one interactions.

We’ve heard from some attendees/exhibitors who just don’t feel comfortable traveling yet, or their companies won’t allow it. We completely understand that and know that we’ll see them back in Austin in 2022.

For the most part, however, we’ve been hearing from both our exhibitors and broadcast attendees that they are ready to travel and reconnect in person with industry clients and friends who they haven’t seen in close to two years. They are excited — and we are too!

We’re expecting exhibitors to send fewer reps to work the show. And where a broadcast station might have sent five or six people in the past, they’ll most likely be sending fewer … though we’ve had some register more team members than ever before, so it may balance out.

Our Convention Committee has been working diligently on crafting a fantastic schedule of sessions and events and I’m confident their hard work will pay off in terms of broadcast attendees.

RW: What will the experience of attending a session be like?

Rodriguez: In the past, we set the meeting rooms to max capacity. Obviously, that’s not an option this time around. We’re setting each room to allow for social distancing and encouraging mask wearing whenever not seated.

RW: What else should we know?

Rodriguez: We’ll be celebrating 100 years of broadcasting in the Lone Star State! The 2021 TAB Show coincides with the centennial anniversary of the first broadcast signal in Texas, by WRR Dallas, on Aug. 4. That celebration, of course, will cover a lot of history. It’ll also be rooted in the present as the agenda focuses on the technology and practices powering modern radio stations, as well as the ATSC 3.0 “Next Generation” TV standard that’s already on-air in Texas.

Information including a list of exhibitors, sponsors, registration fees and schedule are at https://www.tab.org/convention-and-trade-show. Session topics and presenters for the sales, marketing and technical programs are pending.

The post TAB Is Ready for an In-Person Show in 12 Weeks appeared first on Radio World.

Three media companies discussed their first quarter earnings results at the same time Thursday afternoon, and among the trio of entities that own radio stations was Entravision Communications.

Entravision, which superserves Hispanic audiences, isn’t a radio-centric company. And, based on its revenue results for Q1, it isn’t a TV-centric company, either.

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In mid-April, a Class A FM that’s been simulcasting a Mexico-licensed Regional Mexican station operated by a Rio Grande Valley-based broadcaster on the U.S. side of the border was sold by MBM Texas Valley.

It’s now seeking FCC approval to sell a second station serving the popular beach community.

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On February 12, 2021, the Media Bureau, Video Division (Bureau) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking in response to a petition for rulemaking filed by KHGI Licensee, LLC (Licensee), the licensee of KHGI, channel 13 (ABC), Kearney, Nebraska, requesting the substitution of channel 18 for channel 13 at Kearney in the DTV Table of Allotments. For the reasons set forth in the Report and Order referenced below, the Bureau amends FCC regulations to substitute channel 18 for channel 13 at Kearney.

Reftone, the company created by engineers Dave Hampton and Lisa Chamblee, recently started shipping the LD-3B Ref-Cube. The cube-shaped monitor with a single 4-inch driver is a powered version of the company’s Ref-Cube monitors. The LD-3B is the first active model released by Reftone.

Available singly or in pairs, the LD-3B is capable of putting out 25 W at 8 Ohms. It offers two connection options: Bluetooth 4.2 or analog via a 3.5 mm input.

[Check Out More Products at Radio World’s Products Section]

The monitors are 5 x 5 inches in size, weigh 5.5 pounds each, and are housed in magnetically sealed birch-plywood enclosures. Because they have no ports, the cabinets are less prone to resonance and offer clear midrange reproduction. According to Reftone, they designed the Ref-Cubes to “allow you to hear full-range audio clearly at low volumes.”

The LD-3B provides more than just midrange, however. Thanks to its full-range driver, it boasts a frequency response of 70 Hz to 20 kHz, which is wider on both ends than similarly designed speakers from its competitors.

You can purchase the LD-3B singly mono ($399) or as a stereo pair ($599). A special white stereo pair is available at $699. For the pairs the left monitor functions as a satellite, which is connected to the right with an included speaker wire equipped with banana plugs.

According to Reftone, these powered Ref-Cubes are designed for a wide range of applications, including tracking, editing, mixing, mastering, broadcast and post-production. Due to their small dimensions, magnetic shielding and ability to connect to an audio source using Bluetooth, the LD-3Bs are easy to place in virtually any production environment.

Info: https://reftone.com

 

The post Reftone Releases LD-3B Ref-Cube Monitors appeared first on Radio World.

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The Bureau cancels the Notice of Apparent Liability issued to New Life Ministries, Inc

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