Industry News

It’s official. And, a formal announcement was released minutes ago.

A COVID-19 pandemic-influenced plan to co-locate the Radio Show, co-produced by the NAB and the Radio Advertising Bureau, at the now cancelled 2021 NAB Show will be extended to 2022 — and beyond.

There will no longer be a stand-alone Radio Show. 

“In today’s world where radio companies are essentially multimedia companies, the value in attending NAB Show cannot be overstated,” said Dave Santrella, president of Broadcast Media at Salem Media Group and NAB joint board chair. “We are now streaming and podcasting and even producing video. NAB Show provides unparalleled access to the critical tools, knowledge and connections we need to grow and thrive in today’s media business.”

For the last two decades, the Radio Show has faded with respect to its size and must-attend status in a consolidated industry. As a co-production of the NAB and RAB the Radio Show enjoyed renewed vigor in the last five years, with the 2016 Radio Show in Nashville particularly memorable, followed by the 2017 Radio in Austin. At the Austin event, Audacy CEO David Field delivered an impassioned speech in support of Radio industry leaders still recall.

With attendance of 2,130 people, the 2018 Radio Show was staged in Orlando. In 2019, it shifted to Dallas.

Then came COVID-19 and the pandemic. The 2020 Radio Show, scheduled for Sept. 13-16 of last year in Nashville, was scrubbed. A decision to co-locate in October 2021 in Las Vegas was then made, with a definitive plan to return to Music City USA from October 5-7, 2022.

That Nashville event is now a permanent COVID-19 scar.

With April 2022 now set for a redo of what was supposed to have concluded today (10/14), the 2022 NAB Show, which will precede the Radio Show, will feature “signature awards, networking events and a comprehensive conference program, including popular sales and marketing sessions” the RAB will present.

RAB President/CEO and former Radio & Records Publisher Erica Farber said, “It’s important that we continue to bring radio professionals together to network, celebrate audio and engage in meaningful discussions around the future of our industry.”

The RAB and NAB also note that the permanent change will benefit radio industry leaders by gaining access to the NAB Show floor and sessions, should they choose to attend those co-located events.

While the newest FCC Commissioner, Nathan Simington, is widely known as an advocate for Section 230 reform, it’s unlikely he’ll agree with newly crafted legislation introduced by Democrats on the House Energy & Commerce Committee.

Introducing “The Justice Against Malicious Algorithms Act,” which Democrats say erases the liability shield when a digital platform “knowingly or recklessly promotes harmful content.”

This FCC Commissioner Wants To Hear From You FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington As he demonstrated at the recent Hispanic Radio Conference, FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington is eager to learn about the broadcast media industry’s input and concerns. You can share your thoughts and desires with Simington in-person, with your registration to Forecast 2022 at the prestigious Harvard Club in New York.

 

 

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The 2020 Census is complete. The topline data is out. And … are marketers doing anything yet to better reflect in their advertising campaigns the consumers that define the U.S.A. today?

It’s a tricky question. As Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts have swept through Corporate America and many media companies, some in the marketing and advertising world wonder if D&I has inadvertently become synonymous with marketing.

In this fresh InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, Ana Ceppi, a senior advisor on the U.S. Hispanic market at Edelman, shares how one can easily distinguish DEI from multicultural marketing and what broadcast TV and radio station management and ownership may wish to consider if the goal is connecting brands with all consumers — including key multicultural segments.

Listen to “The InFOCUS Podcast: Ana Ceppi, Edelman” on Spreaker.

WHAT BROADCASTERS NEED TO KNOW ON ADVERTISING’S NEW COURSE Brands are paying attention to the multicultural consumer like never before. Consumers are watching and listening to see how brands are reacting. Creative directors and media buyers are shifting greater focus and budget to better reach a more diverse audience and engage the same in marketing partnerships. At Forecast 2022 on November 16 in New York, General Motors Global CMO Deborah will chat with with American Urban Radio Networks CEO Chesley Maddox-Dorsey (pictured, at left) for an exclusive conversation on GM’s commitment to increased minority media expenditures along with her thoughts on how broadcast media fits into GM’s marketing strategy. They will be joined by Doug Ray, Chief Product Officer, Global Media & dentsu Americas, who has been instrumental in the creation and launch of Project Booker, an initiative focused on African American-developed and -owned content that is being distributed on African American-owned radio and is leading the way in how the global media agency community is doing business with African American-owned media. DON’T HESITATE. SECURE YOUR SEAT FOR FORECAST 2022 TODAY!

In August, RBR+TVBR shared with readers the details of two “unique” low-power TV station permits that had just been sold by Mako Communications.

These LPTV permits don’t need to be constructed until 2023, giving the buyer a big window for getting the stations on the air.

The transaction involving this LPTV-to-be pair just closed.

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For an article in our latest Buyer’s Guide section, software supplier RCS asked its customer Brett Patram of Hubbard Radio in Cincinnati about his experience with its software.

RCS: Tell us a little bit about your position.

Brett Patram: I am the director of engineering for the Hubbard Radio Cincinnati market.

I originally came on to handle their local IT/network infrastructure needs. But I was also handling all the RF needs at the same time. My background is pretty heavy in both RF and IT. Eventually I took over as director of engineering, which made the most sense for everyone.

RCS: What products have you installed from RCS?

Patram: GSelector and Zetta primarily but now we are also using Revma to carry some of the point to multiple DR [disaster recovery] streams to our transmitter sites

RCS: Why did you choose to install Zetta and GSelector?

Patram: As a previous NexGen facility we were used to, let’s say, certain luxuries that NexGen offered. When it was time to review our automation choices we were a bit surprised to find that the other vendors were still playing catchup to NexGen. Zetta in comparison was years ahead, and was a mature product with years of development behind it.

The choice to also migrate from Selector to GSelector was one that made the most sense based on the full integration the two products shared with each other. We have a very particular staff that are passionate about the tools they use to program and run their stations. We saw several workflow improvements that they couldn’t do without the Zetta and GSelector integration existing.

RCS: You have added Zetta Disaster Recovery, can you elaborate on this feature and why is helpful for Hubbard?

Patram: Zetta Disaster Recovery was another draw to the overall offering. I needed a backup solution that was multifaceted.

It helps us in several ways. We are always sending a current backup snapshot of our database and audio assets into the cloud. We don’t have to be directly responsible to maintain this environment.

Our logs are also being synced and played out in the cloud environment. This creates the ultimate backup audio solution for us. When we need it, it’s always available and it’s actually going to be what we programmed and scheduled — not some canned fill audio. At our transmitter sites and even in the studios the streamed feed of the Zetta Cloud DR instance is made available to switch into. Because all our logs and assets are backed up into this environment, all our spots would continue to play if we needed to use it for any length of time.

On top of that, being able to control these sequencers from a very familiar looking interface makes it that much easier in a true DR scenario to take control and “run” the station from that environment.

For info: Contact RCS at 1-914-428-4600 or visit www.rcsworks.com. 

The post User Q&A: WKRQ Chooses RCS appeared first on Radio World.

It’s time to file your station’s 2021 biennial ownership report.

Every odd-numbered year — we’re looking at you, 2021 — AM and FM radio stations and TV stations are required to file biennial ownership reports with the Federal Communications Commission. The filing window for 2021 opened on Oct. 1 and will run until Dec. 1. All reports must be submitted by that date.

[Read: FCC Could Recommence Race and Gender Reporting for Broadcasters]

In a public notice, the FCC reminded stations that reporting ownership information is a fundamental obligation of broadcast licensees. “The accurate and timely filing of such information is critical to ensuring that the commission and the public know who owns, operates and controls broadcast stations,” the commission said in a webinar about the filing window. Such ownership information is crucial to understanding the broadcast industry as a whole, the commission said, including tracking the diversity makeup of a station and identifying owners with an ownership stake in multiple stations.

“For several years now, promoting female and minority ownership has been an important goal of the commission,” said Bill Durdach, attorney/advisor for the Media Bureau, in a recent webinar about the filing requirement.  “Like any other goal, you can’t advance it if you don’t have accurate data to inform your decisions. This is why [these filings] are so important.”

There are a few important things stations should keep in mind. One, the filing should be a snapshot of what station ownership looked like on Oct. 1 of this year. Two, there are a different forms for commercial and noncommercial stations. Form 323 should be used by commercial stations; Form 323-E should be used by noncommercial stations. Third, AM and FM stations are required to submit an $85 fee.

Keep in mind that two main sets of data should be listed on the form. First, the report must list all stations and licenses to which the ownership report relates. Second, each report must provide key information on the entity and all individual owners, including details like call sign, FRN number, address and a listing of what role an owner has within the station, such as director, limited partner or stockholder.

The webinar created by the commission offers guidance and notes common filing errors that individuals should look out for — such as using an FRN number consistently and remembering to report what the station ownership looked like on Oct. 1, not after that date.

Necessary forms, instructions and other resources can be found on the FCC’s Media Ownership webpage. Stations can also reach out to the commission through a dedicated email address: form323@fcc.gov.

The post Window Open for Filing Biennial Ownership Report appeared first on Radio World.

By Brad Altfest

Imagine until now, the broadcast and OTT viewing experience has been one way, one to many – the lean-back experience, as we call it. And how many lean-back experiences can we really have? At this point, key players in the industry are struggling to play catch up to having their own OTT channels. But the reality is that there’s so much more that is technically possible than is being technically exploited industry-wide. The ongoing pandemic has only accelerated the trend toward trying something new of when, where and how we can watch.

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He’s largely known as one of the nation’s top media brokers. But, Eddie Esserman of Media Services Group is also the head of Golden Isles Broadcasting, the licensee of three FM radio stations serving the Brunswick, Ga., region.

And, like other radio station licensees, Golden Isles has something to say to the FCC regarding its 2018 Quadrennial Regulatory Review of Commission broadcast media ownership rules.

That said, Esserman tells RBR+TVBR he believes his Reply Comments in M.B. Docket No 18-349 raise a new question.

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A new era in leadership at Jacksonville’s most-watched television station will take place next month.

Graham Media Group has named the next Vice President and General Manager of unaffiliated WJXT, branded as “News4Jax,” and The CW Network affiliate serving Jacksonville, WCWJ-TV.

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New York Festivals Radio Awards announced the 2021 Storytellers Gala award-winners.  World-class audio work created by global storytellers from 30+ countries was honored at the October 12 Storytellers Gala virtual event.

The 2021 Radio Awards Grand Jury panel honored riveting podcasts and audiobooks, dramas, documentaries, breaking news coverage, entertainment and music specials created by masterful audio storytellers from around the globe.

The BBC was honored with the 2021 Broadcaster of the Year Award. Award-winning entries captivated listeners with exceptional storytelling in News, Podcasts, and Dramas. Exceptional entries honored with the NYF Radio Awards Gold trophy include: “I’m Not A Monster” and “Where Is George Gibney?”.

TBI Media UK earned the title of Production Company of the Year. Known for award-winning programs and live events created for TV, Radio, online, and brands, the London based company earned multiple Gold trophies for their work for high profile clients including the BBC.

2021 Grand Awards

I’m Not A Monster – from BBC Panorama & FRONTLINE PBS – News Programs: Best Nonfiction Series (BBC) The 10-part series explores journalist Josh Baker’s four-year odyssey to uncover the complex truth about an American family’s journey from Indiana to the Islamic State’s caliphate and back again to the US.

The Hobbit, By J.R.R. Tolkien, Read by Andy Serkis – Audio Books: Best Narration – Solo (HarperCollins Publishers) The new Hobbit recording was inspired by an extraordinary charity effort that raised over £300k for Coronavirus charities. This led to actor Andy Serkis narrating this newest recording of The Hobbit. Serkis, who voiced “Gollum” in the film recorded this magical performance of the classic text with affinity for the Tolkien world.

Weightless – Podcasts: Drama Podcast (DMC Studio Argentina) The podcast tells the story of a character who has reached a critical moment in his life and deceives himself by telling a story that abounds with emotions, memories, and sensations. Weightless uses sound elements and song samples from different periods of the character’s life to illustrate his epic journey.

For 2021 new categories were unveiled across all genres to shine the spotlight on Social Justice. Trophy winning entries include Gold – “Birds Eye View” (StoryProjects), Silver – “Racism within” (SBS Australia), and Bronze – “Say Their Name” (DCP Entertainment), and “Bioneers Radio Series” (Bioneers Radio Series).

Compelling podcasts in a variety of categories captivated listeners. Gold winning work includes “Alligator Candy”, “The Lost Kids”, and “The Followers: House of Prayer”(USG Audio),“Dead Memory Clinic” (Welcome to Earth), “Driving the Green Book” (Alvin Hall & Macmillan Podcasts), “The Secrets in Us” (Loftus Media), “Earth Eclipsed” (The Lunar Company), “Nut Jobs: Cracking California’s Strangest $10 Million Dollar Heist” (Audible), “Dérives (Out of Control)” (Radio-Canada/CBC), “The Debrief with Major Garrett” (CBS News Radio), “The Battersea Poltergeist” (Bafflegab Productions), and “The Unthinkable” (Radio New Zealand).  For the complete list of 2021 Radio winners, visit: HERE.

Documentaries masterfully captured reality and gave voice to diverse points of view. Entries earning Gold include: “Nations United” (TBI Media),” Bob Dylan: Verbatim” (Zinc Media), “The FRONTLINE Dispatch presents: The Choice 2020: Trump vs. Biden” (FRONTLINE PBS), “Kangaroo Cuddles” (ABC Radio National), “Stuff The British Stole” (ABC Radio Australia), and “The Grief of a Nation” (RTÉ Radio 1).

Powerhouse entertainment entries recognized with Gold include “There Used To Be A Me” (Spiteful Puppet Entertainment & AUK Studios), “Stripey tales/ Randiga sagor” (Sveriges Radio), and “Musicals: The Greatest Show” and “Laura Whitmore” (TBI Media). “Q with Tom Power” (CBC) was honored with a Gold trophy in Craft: Best Interview.

Audio Books transported listeners, Gold winning entries from HarperCollins Publishers include “Girl A, By Abigail Dean, Read by Holliday Grainger” and “Imaginary Fred, By Oliver Jeffers, Read by Ciaran Hinds”.  Penguin Random House entries achieving Gold: “A Life on Our Planet” and “Beatrix Potter – The Complete Tales”.  Additional Gold entries in the spotlight: “Modigast i Världen i Barnradion” (Swedish Radio) and “The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin” (Almost Tangible).

Breaking News, features, and investigative reporting captured events as they unfolded on the world stage.  Gold winning entries include “Where Is George Gibney?” (BBC), “The Great Post Office Trial” (Whistledown), and Silver trophy winner, “How fracking could threaten Australia’s Paris target” (Australian Broadcasting Corp. Sydney).

Gold winning entries in Sound include “La foresta dei violini / The violins forest” (RSI SRG SSR and Faïdos Sonore) and “Islands with Chris Watson & Luke Clancy” (RTÉ Radio 1). “The Ballad of the Stolwijk Rescue” (RTE Lyric FM) was honored with a Silver trophy in Craft: Best Original Music.

New York Festivals Radio Awards Grand Jury honored content creators across all platforms and in all genres and awarded in total of 3 Grand Awards, 48 NYF Gold Radio trophies, 46 Silver and 49 Bronze.

This year is the eleventh year of NYF’s strategic partnership with NAB Show.

For a complete list of the New York Festivals 2021 Storytellers Gala Radio Awards winners, please visit  HERE.