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Requests the allotment of channel 26 to Eagle River, Wisconsin as the community's second local service

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Requests the substitution of channel 20 for channel 9 at Boise, Idaho, in the DTV Table of Allotments

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Spotify Car Thing

The in-car media experience is clearly no longer broadcast radio’s sanctuary, and it looks as if competition in the dashboard will further intensify with Spotify announcing a new aftermarket streaming device called Car Thing.

The rollout of the gadget will allow Spotify diehards to more easily find their fave playlists and podcasts, and stunningly Spotify says the new streaming device will help accelerate its push into live audio, including a feature that will allow podcast hosts to have interactions with listeners.

Spotify, which says Car Thing can be controlled by voice, touchscreen or physical controls, says it seized upon the idea of the dedicated smartplayer to promote a “seamless and personalized in-car listening experience.” Interestingly, the company says the release of Car Thing is not meant to compete with in-car infotainment systems.

[Read: Amazon’s Alexa Gets in the Car]

“Instead, it’s another step in our larger ubiquity strategy to create a frictionless audio experience for our users,” Spotify says in a promotional statement for Car Thing. Despite the development of the new streaming device, the company says it remains focused on “developing its catalogue of music and podcasts and not on creating hardware.”

From promotional photos, Car Thing appears to be about the size of an average cellphone with a display screen and large round dial that navigates user functions. The case appears to feature four push buttons for pre-sets. The photos show the streaming device clipped to air vents in the center console of a vehicle.

Spotify’s push to “interactivity” with users was fortified with the recent acquisition of Betty Labs, creators of Locker Room, a sports-intensive live audio app. The acquisition last month foreshadowed Spotify’s seemingly new interest in live audio. In fact, Spotify promotes the Car Thing as a “new listening device with live audio experiences” all from “a smartplayer that fills the car with music, news, entertainment, talk and more.”

Some radio industry followers say that description sounds surprisingly very similar to broadcast radio. In addition, Spotify’s moves come at a time when many radio broadcasters are rebranding themselves as “audio” companies. Jerry Del Colliano observed the irony in his Inside Music Media newsletter this week and theorized Spotify might even someday develop personality music shows in order to compete more directly with radio.

Del Colliano pondered: “The more important issue for radio is since they can’t compete with streaming playlists, and the sheer volume of available music discovery and no commercials, [will Spotify] reinvent the morning personality and add one for afternoon drive as well?”

The Spotify-only Car Thing is currently available on an invite-only basis in the United States so most will have to wait. However, Spotify users can join a waiting list, the company says. The device requires a paid Spotify Premium subscription and a smartphone with Wi-Fi or aux cable to connect to the vehicle. Its anticipated retail price is $79.99 plus monthly Premium subscription for ad-free music playlists, according to Spotify.

 

The post Spotify Aims for More In-Car Listening appeared first on Radio World.

A Senior VP at Xperi has been selected to lead a NAB Show Premiere session scheduled for Monday (4/19) on the application of radio broadcasting in IoT and smart cities.

Ashruf El-Dinary, Xperi’s senior vice president, Digital Platforms, will join NAB Show Premiere on Monday, April 19 at 3:00 p.m. ET to outline a vision of how digital radio broadcasting can play a role in developing secure, low-cost communication services to millions of devices.

The session, “HD Radio Data Services: Radio Broadcasting Applications in IoT and Smart Cities,” and NAB Show Premiere are available exclusively on NAB Amplify. An NAB Amplify account is required to access the session.

El-Dinary will explore how HD radio broadcasting can:

• Create cost-effective one-to-many data applications with a digital broadcast system for AM and FM radio stations;
• Expand stations beyond a single audio program;
• Provide multiple program services through multicasting;
• Compete as a more accessible alternative to 5G.

El-Dinary will additionally lead an audience discussion after the session.

 

CORAL GABLES, FLA. — In a crowded television market that includes flagship properties from NBCUniversal’s Telemundo, Spanish Broadcasting System’s MegaTV and Univision Communications, in addition to Estrella Media’s owned-and-operated home for EstrellaTV, a pair of television stations have carved a niche of late as a local news source — en español — with a Conservative lean.

That programming tilt will soon be expanding to an AM radio station that has been offering a more balanced Spanish-language spoken word format for several years, thanks to a transaction that sees the executive of a “Put” agreement.

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An image from a recent online meeting of the seventh CSRIC.

The acting chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission plans to “refocus and revitalize” the group that advises the FCC on improving the security, reliability and interoperability of U.S. communications systems. And she wants it to focus on 5G.

The group is called the Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council or CSRIC. It is re-chartered every couple of years; the one that’s expected to start in September will be the eighth iteration.

But Jessica Rosenworcel clearly wants a fresh start. She said the commission will “reestablish” the group with an emphasis on 5G network security. Also, in the wake of security breaches that affected the communications sector, she will ask it to review software and cloud service vulnerabilities and to develop mitigation strategies.

And she wants to diversify the group’s membership “to include a broad variety of stakeholders, including representation from the FCC’s federal partners with similar interests.”

[Read: FCC Will Explore EAS on the Internet]

She said her goal is “refocusing and revitalizing” the CSRIC “for the challenges of today and tomorrow.”

“The damage from recent supply chain attacks, like the SolarWinds software breach, demonstrates our need for a coordinated, multifaceted and strategic approach to protecting our networks from all threats,” she said in an announcement.

Among topics that prior CSRICs have explored are emergency alerting, national security preparedness, duplication in National Weather Service alerts, security challenges in Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and Next Generation 911.

Members of the most recent group included agencies like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, FEMA and the National Weather Service; local police, fire and emergency management officials; media entities like iHeartMedia, Cox Communications and the Florida Association of Broadcasters; alerting entities including the AWARN Alliance; telecom companies like AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon; and internet and security companies like Verisign and SecuLore Solutions.

That group concluded its work in March. The next one will be chartered for two years. The FCC is inviting nominations for membership and a chairperson.

The agency said it is particularly interested in getting nominations from government agencies that have expertise in communications, public safety, emergency management and/or homeland security matters; communications service providers, including broadcasters; developers of software apps and systems for mobile and desktop computing; developers of mobile devices and new technologies; users of communications systems in business, health care, finance and other sectors; and consumer and community organizations including those representing groups with special communications needs.

Details are laid out in the public notice (PDF). Nominations are due by June 1 and will be taken by email, but if you are interested, be sure to read the details and requirements in the public notice first.

 

The post Rosenworcel Wants to “Revitalize” CSRIC appeared first on Radio World.

MIAMI — The latest results from Kantar‘s report focused on “Entertainment On Demand” service in the U.S. is out, and it only further illustrates just how many consumers are paying for a SVOD service.

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LAKEWOOD RANCH, FLA. — The California Public Utilities Commission has unanimously voted to approve a MVPD engaged in a “Good Faith” complaint with Gray Television to emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The decision comes three months after the FCC gave its blessings.

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The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) Scholarship Program is now accepting applications for the 2021 fall semester.

In partnership with the Ford Motor Company Fund, The Loreen Arbus Foundation, and NCTA – The Internet and Television Association, AWMF recognizes and supports future generations of women in media with over $20,000 in scholarships awarded annually.

“For years, these generous partners have stood with AWMF to support, encourage, and promote women in the media industry at every level, and we are proud to continue that tradition of advancing women in media,” said Heather Cohen, Chair of the AWMF Board of Directors. “Now, more than ever, we are proud to provide deserving young women the opportunity to complete their education and meet their full potential.”

The AWMF Scholarship Program opportunities include:

Ford Emerging Voices Scholarship

In partnership with the Ford Motor Company Fund, the “Emerging Voices” Scholarship consists of one $5,000 scholarship for a student pursuing a media career as a producer, writer, director or on the business side of media companies in areas such as television, radio, digital media, streaming, publishing, advertising, and production, made payable directly to the student’s educational institute in the name of Ford Motor Company Fund for the 2021 fall academic semester. The selected winner will be given the opportunity to be mentored by an Alliance for Women in Media Board member. Winning submissions will be featured on AWM’s website and social networks. The mission of the Ford Motor Company fund is to strengthen communities and help make people’s lives better. Education is the foundation for success. It is key to making lives better, creating social change and building sustainable communities. That’s why Ford Fund invests more than $16 million annually to support educational initiatives that empower people to envision and lead change in their communities or in their own lives.

 

Ford Empowering America Scholarship

In partnership with the Ford Motor Company Fund, the “Empowering America” Scholarship program consists of one $5,000 scholarship for a winning student pursuing a media career as talent in front of the camera or microphone in an area such as television, radio, or digital media, made payable directly to the student’s educational institute in the name of Ford Motor Company Fund for the 2021 fall academic semester. The selected winner will be given the opportunity to work with the Ford Motor Company Fund to conduct interviews as part of the Faces of Ford Fund program. Winning submissions will be featured on AWM’s website and social networks.

Loreen Arbus Foundation & AWMF Scholarship

The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation engaged in a partnership with The Loreen Arbus Foundation to focus on the needs, achievements, contributions, and stories of citizens with disabilities. The Loreen Arbus Foundation and AWMF Scholarship provides a deserving female communications/media undergraduate or graduate student with a scholarship to their educational institution for $2,500 and a ticket to attend an upcoming AWM event. Winning submissions will be featured on AWM’s website and social networks.  The Loreen Arbus Foundation supports a broad scope of interests including advocacy for women and girls, scientific and medical research, minorities, people with disabilities, gender and racial equality in media, the arts, animal rights, and global peace. The Foundation has established and funds many scholarships that both enhance and elevate social consciousness around key societal issues. Loreen Arbus holds the trailblazing distinction of being the first woman to head programming for a U.S. network, a feat accomplished twice (both at Showtime and Cable Health Network/Lifetime).

NCTA & AWMF Scholarship

The NCTA – The Internet and Television Association & AWMF Scholarship allows a deserving female communications/media undergraduate or graduate student to create an original piece (essay, digital short, video, animation, multi-media or other concept chosen by the student) that will be featured in NCTA and AWMF media distribution channels. In addition, the chosen student will receive a scholarship to their educational institution for $5,000 and a ticket to attend an upcoming AWM event. This scholarship serves to fund a promising student’s education as well as to provide a unique and compelling piece for her resume. NCTA believes in a technology and entertainment future that will advance innovation, inspire creativity, unleash connectivity, and exceed consumer expectations for a wide range of high-quality services. Annually, the organization donates millions to efforts that include everything from enhancing student learning and digital literacy, to restoring and rebuilding towns after natural disasters, and much more.

The Alliance for Women in Media, celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, is the longest-established professional association dedicated to advancing women in all facets of media. The Foundation supports educational programs and scholarships and hosts the Gracie Awards, which recognize individual achievement and programing by, for, and about women at the student, local, and national level.

To learn more about the AWMF scholarship opportunities and to apply, visit https://allwomeninmedia.org/foundation/scholarships/.  

Scholarship materials are due by June 11, 2021.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)‘s Board of Directors has unanimously approved a distribution plan for the $175 million of emergency stabilization funds for public media.

These funds were included in the American Rescue Plan Act, which was signed into law on March 11.

As enacted, the American Rescue Plan Act provides $175 million “to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, including for fiscal stabilization grants to public telecommunications entities, as defined in section 397 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 397), with no deduction for administrative or other costs of the Corporation, to maintain programming and services and preserve small and rural stations threatened by declines in non-Federal revenues.”

The distribution plan reflects the consensus recommendation of an advisory group of public radio and television system representatives convened by CPB in March. The group developed a simple, equitable and impactful funding formula that divides the $175 million among television and radio grantees and ensures the preservation of small or rural stations.

Of the $175 million, $100 million will be calculated using the CARES Act formula that was developed in April 2020 in order to prioritize funding to small, rural and/or minority stations. The remaining $75 million will be distributed according to the respective television and radio Community Service Grant (CSG) formulas, which also take into account stations’ service to rural communities, as well as the number of transmitters needed to cover large geographic areas, and the amount raised in non-federal financial support (NFFS).

“Public media stations across the country are informing their local communities about the latest coronavirus vaccine and economic developments, increasing access to remote learning with innovative educational resources, and providing vital health and safety information,” CPB President/CEO Pat Harrison said. “The stabilization funding from Congress will support essential public media services and sustain the broad reach and access that keeps public media resources available online, over-the-air and in communities across the country. I want to express our deep appreciation to Congress for their strong, bipartisan support of public media. I would also like to thank the advisory group that worked so quickly to develop a thoughtful plan for equitably distributing these much-needed funds in a way that honors Congress’ intent.”

CPB will expeditiously distribute the American Rescue Plan stabilization grants to each station licensee.

A list of grantees and their grant amounts can be found on the CPB website.

Seven weeks ago, Nielsen and Roku shared details about “a new strategic alliance” that the companies believe will help shape the future of media and TV measurement.

This saw Roku purchase Nielsen’s Advanced Video Advertising business.

As of today, that transaction is now complete — as is the transition of Kelly Abcarian.

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In these challenging times, or perhaps because of them, radio continues to play an important role in the lives of consumers, and the majority of radio listeners are receptive to sponsorship messages on the platform. Around 156 million Americans 18+ — 63% of adults — listen to AM/FM radio daily, and they are attracted to it for several reasons.

That’s according to “Radio: Live on Air and Everywhere,” a recent survey conducted by NPR and Edison Research, which also identified six segments of radio listeners, based on why they listen:

• Radio Heads (9% of radio listeners) — Listen for all audio needs; listen to the most radio;
• Connection Seekers (16% of radio listeners) — Listen for company and connection;
• Infomaniacs (18% of radio listeners) — Listen for their need to consume news and information;
• Rhythm Rockers (27% of radio listeners) — Listen for their need to consume music;
• Laidback Listeners (17% of radio listeners) — Listen to radio only in the background;
• Habitualists (13% of radio listeners) — Listen to radio when it is the only option available.

AM/FM radio listeners are more engaged with ads on radio than ads on TV or social media, according to the research, which also said that the heaviest users of radio are also the most open to its advertising messages.

The survey suggested an interesting breakdown of NPR vs. AM/FM listeners. When ranked by time spent listening, the leading three groups, Radioheads, Connection Seekers and Infomaniacs preferred NPR. On the other hand, the trailing three, Rhythm Rockers, Laidback Listeners and Habitualists, listened more to AM/FM radio.

The findings were presented in a webinar hosted by NPR VP of Sponsorship Marketing Lamar Johnson and Edison Research VP Megan Lazovick.

 

The post Survey Says U.S. Radio Listeners Engaged and Receptive to Ads appeared first on Radio World.

What’s the typical day behind the scenes at Beasley Media Group?

CEO Caroline Beasley on Friday morning (4/16) offered listeners to a live Radio Ink interview on the Clubhouse app an inside peek at life at the audio media and eSports company.

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WEST PALM BEACH — From hugely successful News/Talk KXL-FM 101.1 to Adult Alternative KINK-FM, Alpha Media’s home market station group is highly competitive. So are such stations as WDJX-FM in Louisville, and WDHT-FM “Hot 102.9” in Dayton.

Other markets are laggards for Alpha, including many that came with its $254 million purchase of Digity LLC in 2016. Alpha completed the transaction in early 2017.

It included a forlorn group of stations in West Palm Beach, including Hot Adult Contemporary blowtorch WRMF-FM 97.9, which can be heard from Indian River County south to Key Largo.

These stations, Wilson claims in the FCC filing, were crux to the Digity deal. “Alpha acquired a group of incredibly high-performing stations … The West Palm Beach Cluster had phenomenal signal clarity and reach, management, employees, and advertising revenue. Without the West Palm Beach Cluster, Alpha would not have been interested in acquiring Digity, LLC.”

Why, then, did Alpha in late September 2018 agree to spin WRMF along with Country WIRK-FM 103.1, FOX Sports Radio affiliate WMEN-AM 640, Classic Hits WEAT-FM “Sunny 107.9,” Urban AC WMBX-FM “X102.3,” Rhythmic Top 40 “Party 96.3” W242CI, which uses the WMBX HD2 signal, and Talk WFTL-AM 850?

That’s open to interpretation.

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Hands-on legislation: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer hold the signed American Rescue Plan Act in March. (Photo OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images)

Almost 400 public radio stations in the United States now know how much federal grant money they will receive related to the pandemic.

The majority of the radio grants are in the $100,000 to $300,000 range, though there are larger ones, like (for example) KVOD(FM) in Centennial, Colo., which will receive $548,000, and WBEZ(FM) in Chicago will get $740,400.

And three biggies will get between $1 million and $1.4 million each; they are WNYC(FM) in New York, KSJN(FM) in St. Paul and KQED(FM) in San Francisco.

This is part of $175 million in emergency stabilization funds for public media provided by Congress in the American Rescue Plan Act.

The money is “fiscal stabilization grants to public telecommunications entities … to maintain programming and services and preserve small and rural stations threatened by declines in non-federal revenues.”

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has the job of deciding how to distribute it, and CPB announced Thursday that its board had unanimously approved a distribution plan.

Its allocations were decided by an advisory group of public radio and TV representatives. They decided to split the $175 million pool equally between television and radio.

The amount awarded to each station was calculated by adding the sums of two formulas.

Of the $175 million, $100 million was calculated using the CARES Act formula developed earlier to prioritize small, rural and/or minority stations. The rest was calculated according to Community Service Grant formulas, which take into account various factors including service to rural communities, number of transmitters to cover large areas and the amount raised in non-federal support.

These funds are not intended to cover costs of new technology initiatives, though certain urgent replacement of equipment is provided for.

Pat Harrison, president/CEO of CPB, said in an announcement, “The stabilization funding from Congress will support essential public media services and sustain the broad reach and access that keeps public media resources available online, over-the-air and in communities across the country.” Harrison thanked Congress “for their strong, bipartisan support of public media.”

A list of grantees and their amounts is on the CPB website and at the link below.

American Rescue Act Award Recipients (PDF)

The post CPB Announces Federal Grant Amounts appeared first on Radio World.