Industry News

Audacity, the long-running open source, cross-platform audio editor, has been acquired by Muse Group. Founded in 1999, the free software program has been downloaded more than 100 million times to date.

In partnership with Audacity’s online open-source community, the new owners will be looking to expand the software’s feature set and update its ease of use. Dedicated designers and developers will be tasked to work on the software, but Audacity will remain free and open source, the new owner says.

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Shepherding Audacity will be Martin Keary, recruited based on his efforts running MuseScore, an open-source music notation software that is also owned by Muse Group; Keary will oversee both brands. In a wide-ranging YouTube video detailing the history of Audacity, Keary noted that he will be interviewing users and creating online spaces to interact with those users in an effort to determine priorities and approaches to the program’s development going forward. Keary noted that the company will prepublish designs and updates so users can comment before widespread implementation, taking advantage of open source’s transparency.

Some early priorities as Audacity moves forward will be the addition of nondestructive, stackable VST effects, as well as user-experience updates with the aim of making features easier to find and use. In the video, other, more experimental ideas are suggested and teased, such as a 3D spectral editing prototype that, if developed, could possibly offer haptic spectral editing via a haptic glove. With these and other additions in mind, Muse Group will be looking to hire a number of senior developers and designers with experience in audio and music technology.

Audacity’s new parent company, Muse Group, is relatively new itself, having only opened its doors last week on April 26. Muse Group owns the brands Ultimate Guitar, MuseClass, ToneBridge and MuseScore, which together reach more than 350 million users in more than 60 countries. The company is led by chairman Eugeny Naidenov and CEO Michael Trutnev; Naidenov founded Ultimate Guitar in 1998. In total, Muse Group has more than 100 employees in a fully remote-working oriented workforce; the company is privately held with no investors or external shareholders.

The post Audacity Acquired by Muse Group appeared first on Radio World.

Many high-power broadcast stations have few options for staying on the air while replacing a transmitter. Acrodyne Services, focused on transmitter installation and service, has developed the Mobile Acrodyne Transmitter (MAT) — a self-contained UHF transmitter housed in an enclosed trailer.

As an external system, MAT maintains broadcasting without interfering with the removal of the old transmission system, room prep, electrical modifications, and new transmitter installation inside the facility. MAT can broadcast ATSC 1.0 or ATSC 3.0 signals.

“Stations and TV groups are continuing to upgrade their broadcast infrastructures by replacing old transmitters,” Acrodyne GM Andy Whiteside said. “There are low-power solutions and other workarounds, but none of them are ideal, especially for stations that have limited space or run into unexpected delays because of logistic and structural issues. MAT provides a clean, external, and high-power solution that allows broadcasters to conduct business as usual.”

Whiteside added that the UHF version has been deployed successfully several times, and a VHF version is currently being prepared for deployment later in 2021.

Dale Scherbring, Director of Engineering for RF transmission at Sinclair Broadcast Group, described MAT as a “full-power transmitter on wheels that was designed by Acrodyne engineers who get their hands dirty.”

The climate-controlled trailer features a one-rack, liquid-cooled Rohde & Schwarz THU9evo UHF19kW transmitter with 12 amplifiers, Dielectric tunable mask filter, patch-panel, test load plus pumps, and separate heat exchangers for the transmitter and test load. Stations only need to provide AC power and an input signal from master control. Acrodyne provides a run of coaxial flex line to connect MAT’s output to the antenna to maintain regular broadcasting.

Sinclair Broadcast Group Manager of TV Transmission Engineering Rusty Mooney was part of MAT’s initial deployment in June 2020 at the company’s two stations serving Raleigh: WLFL-TV and WRDC-TV. Both transmitters were in the same room and both needed to be replaced. Plus, a new filter for WRDC needed to be installed. “There just wasn’t enough room for all of that work,” Mooney recalled. “You’d run out of wall space trying to keep one transmitter running while trying to build a new transmitter.”

With MAT parked outside the facility and transmitting, the old WRDC transmitter was removed – and when the new WRDC transmitter was commissioned, MAT was quickly reconfigured to broadcast for WLFL while its transmitter was replaced. “MAT allows you to offload your signal to the trailer,” Mooney said. “Then you can gut the room and start with a clean slate for the new install.”

MAT’s next stop was KDNL-TV, a Sinclair station serving St. Louis, in early January 2021. According to Mooney, the small RF facility required extensive renovations in addition to a new transmitter. The station stayed on the air until late March with MAT while it replaced its two-cabinet IOT transmitter.

Acrodyne’s “transmitter on wheels” concept was first developed during the recent FCC Repack, when hundreds of UHF stations across the country transitioned to new channels. Last September, WHKY, an independent station owned by Long Communications that serves part of the Charlotte market, rented an earlier version of MAT while renovating its facility and replacing its old transmitter.

Between the four-cabinet transmitter and two very large filters for the channel 14 UHF station, the building did not have room to accommodate a second transmitter. “I had to get the old transmitter out of the building,” said Tom Long, one of the station owners. “MAT makes it a lot easier. It got everything out of my way and it’s self-contained.”

Once all its Repack projects are complete, Sinclair is expected to replace the remaining IOT transmitters in about 20 of its stations with solid-state transmitters. Scherbring expects to use MAT at those locations and at the VHF-to-UHF conversions currently being considered. However, he said MAT can also be deployed for emergency or disaster situations, and the system can be operational within a day. Both VHF and UHF versions of MAT will be available for use by all broadcasters, subject to demand.

At first glance, the 2021 first quarter results for the nation’s largest owner of broadcast TV stations seems super: Net income rose by 26.3%. Adjusted EBITDA improved by 2.4% against tough comps tied to roughly $50 million fewer political ad dollars.

But, the big reveal for Nexstar Media Group is that its “Distribution Fee Revenue,” a.k.a. retransmission consent dollars, are far and away the greatest revenue driver — significantly surpassing core ad revenue, which slipped in Q1.

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Sinclair Broadcast Group-owned broadcast antenna and RF system subsidiary Dielectric has selected the individual who will succeed Steven Moreen.

He’s retiring, and will soon conclude a 52-year career in the broadcast industry.

Taking the job of Western Region Sales Manager is Dan Glavin.

He now has responsibility for all U.S. TV and FM sales and customer service west of the Mississippi River and reports to Jay Martin, Dielectric’s Vice President of Sales.

Glavin joined Dielectric in 2018 as an Electrical Engineer, with an emphasis on system
design, data analysis and antenna testing. He has since led technical development
initiatives and field installations for RFHAWKEYE, the broadcast industry’s first IP-based
RF monitoring system.

“The ability to identify product requirements and respond in a technical capacity is key to
this position, and Dan’s level of problem-solving expertise is rare among field sales,”
Martin said. “Dan is an extrovert and extremely technical, and will be a strong mediator who can communicate complex technical requirements between our customers and internal
Dielectric engineers. His fluency in Spanish will benefit the Hispanic communities we serve,
and his experience across site logistics, off-air challenges and other common over-the-air
issues will benefit all customers.”

Glavin added, “The expansion and integration of ATSC 3.0 broadcast systems, single-frequency networks, and investment in public television and radio all represent exciting opportunities for business development throughout the western U.S. region. Steve has set the bar high, but I look forward to building on his example in working closely with customers to help them solve problems, and explore the next-generation of over-the-air opportunities. Every opportunity comes down to helping broadcasters achieve their goals through cost-effective and efficient implementation, while delivering robust designs and products that offer long-term value.”

PromoSuite has revealed who its new VP of Product Design & Development is. It is someone who joined PromoSuite in 2018 to lead the design and development of the new PromoSuitePlus platform.

That would be Rey Mena, who PromoSuite says will ontinue fulfilling his current role, in addition to new responsibilities including strategic oversight to PromoSuite’s entire product line.

Mena’s media career spans over three decades and includes key leadership roles including LSM, NSM, GSM and Marketing Director at Emmis Communications’ former Chicago properties and as Co-President of Emmis Interactive.

Mena left the radio industry in 2014 to launch branding and consulting firm Menagery Inc.

“There’s no one more qualified, capable and forward thinking in the media technology space to propel PromoSuite to the next level than Rey,” said PromoSuite CEO Rocco Macri. “I’ve known him for over 20 years and have watched in awe of the advancements he’s made for brands, radio stations and in technology. He’s an innovator that dreams big and knows how to execute. We are proud to have him on our team.”

Technical Services Group (TSG), a broadcast engineering and commercial AV solutions provider, has been awarded the bid to upgrade the statewide microwave distribution system for Alabama Public Television (APT) to support ATSC 3.0 transmission.

Valued at approximately $2.8 million, the project will require an upgrade of 30 locations with bi-directional, high-speed IP components from Vislink Inc., which focuses on the collection, delivery, and management of high-quality live video and associated data.

“Before we could upgrade to an ATSC 3.0 on our transmitters, we had to have an IP network over the microwave system designed to handle an ATSC 3.0 signal,” said Windell Wood, Director of Engineering and COO for APT.

The current system has been in place since 2010; it is only capable of supporting ATSC 1.0.

The APT network utilizes nine transmitters and 21 repeaters to maintain statewide coverage. The master signal originates from the network operations center at APT’s flagship station, WBIQ-TV in Birmingham. To achieve bi-directional connectivity and full redundancy across the entire network, TSG will install 120 of Vislink’s most popular transceivers, the IPLink 3.0 — four at each site.

Vislink’s all-indoor digital video microwave system, which features a touchscreen display and clean front panel design in a 2RU chassis, will allow APT to transition from traditional ASI transport to an IP-centric system architecture. The new system will also use Simple Network Management Protocols (SNMP), which will monitor and manage the overall health of the APT network.

Both TSG and Vislink have worked with APT in the past. During the recent FCC Repack, for example, TSG replaced three IOT transmitters with GatesAir solid-state transmitters for APT.

“Alabama has one of the best public television organizations in the country, with one of the most robust microwave infrastructures,” Mickey Miller, CEO of Vislink, said. “We have worked with APT for more than 20 years, and we’re proud to continue our relationship as they prepare for an ATSC 3.0 migration and move toward a total IP-centric network. TSG is an incredible company that provides great technical solutions, and we value our collaboration.”

Work on the project is expected to begin in early summer and be completed by the end of the year. With the built-in redundancy (and hot standby feed) of the system, APT should be able to minimize or avoid signal disruption during the upgrade, according to Wood.

Once ATSC 3.0 is implemented across the state, a portion of the bandwidth will be allocated to emergency services, including police and fire departments, while part will maintain distribution of the ATSC 1.0 signal. The remaining bandwidth will be allocated to the ATSC 3.0 feed.

Another key technical layer to the APT plan for ATSC 3.0 adoption is a separate fiber network, currently in the planning stage, which will connect all 30 transmission sites throughout the state. Fiber connectivity will provide additional redundancy and seamless failover for APT.

“ATSC 3.0 is the next step in the evolution of broadcast television. With their emphasis on infrastructure, Alabama Public Television is in front of the curve,” said Bo Hoover, CEO of TSG. “APT’s transition to ATSC 3.0 is going to serve as a model for other statewide networks, and we are excited to work with Vislink to deliver this solution.”

RBR+TVBR Products and Services

Lav miking options have just increased, with the release of the new LAVALIER SWITCH KIT from Point Source Audio. The new kit offers one lavalier mic that transforms into two wearing styles, and into three different color options to help audio technicians meet the ever-changing conditions of miking the talent.

At the heart of the LAVALIER SWITCH KIT is the company’s IP 57 Waterproof Omnidirectional Lavalier. The mic choice includes a low sensitivity option for live stage applications or a high sensitivity option for studio broadcast. The mic has a low profile at 4mm in diameter.

EMBRACE earmounts include beige, brown and black colors.

To further camouflage the mic, the mic element color can be changed with a selection of custom-designed color caps in beige, brown, black, white, and gray that also serve as pop filters and added protection from water and other elements.

For traditional lavalier mounting, the kit contains 8 clip-based mounting options to meet every need. The smooth SLIDER clips come as a single or a double mount, while magnetic, vampire, and alligator clip options are also included in black and white colors.

The LAVALIER SWITCH KIT can be purchased in a variety of different connector variants including Lemo-style, 5-pin mini-XLR for Lectronsonics, 4-pin mini XLR for Shure wireless, as well as 3.5mm locking ring terminations for either Sony or Sennheiser wireless. In addition to this, every kit also comes with an X-connector with TRRS termination for mobile devices and computers.

Pricing and Availability

• The new LAVALIER SWITCH KITS are available to order immediately through all Point Source Audio authorized resellers and distributors.
• Each SWITCH KIT is priced at $800 MSRP and includes the lavalier microphone in black color, 3 pre-trimmed EMBRACE earmounts, 8 mounting clips, 5 colored windscreen caps, 6 additional foam windscreens, an X-Connector for a specified wireless system, and a bonus TRRS audio X-Connector for computer and mobile phones.
• A total of 10 LAVALIER SWITCH KITS are offered based on the mic sensitivity rating and wireless compatibility:

High Sensitivity Mic Rating for Studio Broadcast
CO-8WLh-KIT-XLE-BL – 5-pin mini-XLR termination for Lectrosonics
CO-8WLh-KIT-XSK-BL – Lemo-style termination
CO-8WLh-KIT-XSE-BL – 3.5mm locking-ring termination for Sennheiser wireless
CO-8WLh-KIT-XSY-BL – 3.5mm locking-ring termination for Sony wireless
CO-8WLh-KIT-XSH-BL – 4-pin mini-XLR termination for Shure wireless

Low Sensitivity Mic Rating for Live Stage
CO-8WL-KIT-XLE-BL – 5-pin mini-XLR termination for Lectrosonics
CO-8WL-KIT-XSK-BL – Lemo-style termination
CO-8WL-KIT-XSE-BL – 3.5mm locking-ring termination for Sennheiser wireless
CO-8WL-KIT-XSY-BL – 3.5mm locking-ring termination for Sony wireless
CO-8WL-KIT-XSH-BL – 4-pin mini-XLR termination for Shure wireless

• Additional technical specifications and accessories are available at https://www.point-sourceaudio.com/lavalier_switch_kit/

To learn more about the LAVALIER SWITCH KIT collection and other Point Source Audio products, visit www.point-sourceaudio.com.

It’s that time of year again, and the IAB NewFronts are upon us already. Upfront presentations the week of May 17 already dotting the calendar.

Hispanic-targeted LATV is right in the thick of it, offering a platform self-described as “The Latino Voices Redefining Culture.”

Today’s LATV is quite different than what existed a decade ago. How does one define what LATV is today, and its primary value proposition? It’s a question Gisella Fu-Ripp answers, among others, in this fresh InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

Listen to “The InFOCUS Podcast: Gisella Fu-Ripp, LATV” on Spreaker.

Sue Zizza will receive the Norman Corwin Award for Excellence in Audio Theatre for 2021.

The National Audio Theatre Festivals noted that Zizza has been “producing award-winning audio theater for radio, the web and commercial release for more than 40 years.” She has been a teacher of sound for radio, television and film starting at Hofstra University and continuing at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

“Sue has worked in many ways as a promoter of the art of audio theatre, fostering connections between the radio drama world and the emerging arenas of audiobooks and podcasting,” NATF wrote. “Sound effects aficionada, director, teacher, producer, Sue’s wide-ranging talents have long qualified her for this distinction.

Zizza is also co-owner of Radio Waves Studios in New York. In 2019 she and her partner Dave Shinn produced a radio drama about Nikola Tesla in front of a live audience in the rooftop theater of a building where Tesla lived and conducted radio experiments more than a century earlier.

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NATF wrote in its email, “It is particularly meaningful to announce that this year’s award will go to someone who has contributed so much to this organization, as well as the industry itself.”

The award will be presented during the annual Hear Now Festival in June.

The post Zizza to Receive Corwin Award for Audio Theatre appeared first on Radio World.

Telestream, known for its file-based media workflow orchestration, media streaming and delivery technologies, has brought to market the latest version of its live production and streaming platform for Mac and Windows.

The new version of Wirecast adds native support for Apple Silicon (M1) hardware and includes new features that add enhance flexibility and further streamline production workflows.

In Wirecast Pro, users can now send their live outputs to a secondary display. The live program feed can be sent to a big screen or to an independent capture device without the need for specific hardware. When paired with a UVC HDMI capture device, users can capture live output for use in other applications like Zoom or Teams as an alternative to using a virtual camera/mic.

Shot Templates allow users to add a pre-configured shot layout to a document. Cameras and sources can now be assigned to Placeholders to quickly add a source to any number of shots. For example, an operator could assign a guest to a placeholder and once that guest arrives, they are automatically placed in all shots designated for them.

Additional new features and updates:

Lock Shot Icon – users can take a snapshot of a live shot and save it as an icon thumbnail. Example: PTZ cameras with multiple shots configured can display customized snapshots for each angle for quick identification during production

PTZ control for Sony X-Series IP cameras – adds direct support for Sony X-series cameras from within the Wirecast PTZ controller

Support for LinkedIn Live Auto-Captions – When streaming to LinkedIn Live, users can now enable Automatically Generated Captions in a broadcast, which will enable viewers to see captions in their player

Input Connection selector for Blackmagic devices – Adds an option to choose video/audio input connections (HDMI/SDI) for Blackmagic source devices directly from Wirecast

Clock enhancements – several updates to the clock overlay including:

• Option to automatically start the countdown clock when it gets pushed live
• Ability to display times in minutes greater than 60 minutes for sports and other applications
• Option to display day-of-the-week only
• Option to countdown to a specific date and time, for longer broadcasts and countdowns.

Wirecast 14.2 is available now and is a free update to all users with a Wirecast Access plan.