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Cablecast Community Media will preview its new Social Streaming and Control Rooms features, which simplify direct streaming and simulcasting to social media platforms from Cablecast Automation software, at NAB Show 2024 in Las Vegas (April 14-17).

Building on the ability to playout and record unlimited network stream sources, the new Social Streaming feature for Cablecast VIO video servers provides “a reliable, straightforward way” to stream live events directly from their Cablecast video and automation server to social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch.

Designed specifically for events televised from the TV studio or city council chamber, social streams can be scheduled directly into the playout schedule the same way all live events are scheduled in Cablecast, or as a user-initiated switch in the virtual switcher.

“Social Streaming is a vital tool that empowers our clients to schedule live events to be streamed directly to their audience’s favorite social media platforms. With Cablecast, simulcasting to social media is now a simple and seamless part of your public communication strategy,” said Steve Israelsky, President, Cablecast Community Media.

The new Control Rooms feature will simplify broadcast and streaming event workflows for Cablecast operators by giving them customizable views for live switching. As organizations add more network sources and digital distribution platforms to their channel operations, a single Cablecast system may include several live sources, network encoders, multiple channels, and live streams.

“We see so many PEG operations supporting multiple channels, it can become difficult to navigate the manual controls, even in our streamlined interface,” added Israelsky. “Control Rooms lets you configure a separate, simplified set of devices and outputs – just the ones you need for that particular production – to streamline the live event process.”

With Control Rooms, a station covering council meetings for several cities can create a control room for each municipality that displays only the specific channel, source locations, and outputs needed for each city.

Combined with the Social Streaming feature, the Control Rooms user interface also gives users a shortcut to start an RTMP stream and begin streaming directly to social media platforms like YouTube. Additional tools in the event bar include a countdown, controls for starting and stopping the live event, and testing the live streams.

Cablecast exhibits at the Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel, Suite 839, next to the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Sencore, the provider of professional content delivery solutions, has scored a partnership with Showfer, known for its content management platforms, just in time for the NAB Show.

The pact is aimed to provide the broadcast industry with better content transport, monitoring, playout, and workflow scheduling opportunities.

At the heart of this collaboration lies Showfer’s innovative “ProVision” platform, a content management product for content playout, workflow scheduling, and content distribution.

Paired with Sencore’s Centra Gateway, this, says Sencore, “takes content transport and monitoring to new heights.” The video transport and monitoring platform is capable of transporting content over open internet connections and cloud-based systems. “This
pairing enables cost-effective contribution and distribution of content from the camera to the viewer, giving broadcasters the resources they need to succeed in an increasingly competitive market,” Sencore notes.

Telos Alliance has introduced the the latest member of the Forza family of software processors, just in time for the 2024 NAB Show.

Like the original Omnia Forza product for HD, DAB, and streaming audio – now branded as Forza HDS – Forza FM will be delivered as a container that can run on an on-premises COTS server or on a cloud-hosted platform such as AWS.

Forza FM maintains the same five-band architecture, but its wideband and multiband processing stages have been optimized to meet the unique demands of FM radio. It features the same Frank Foti-designed “Silvio” clipper used in Omnia.11 and includes processing for HD-1 with a built-in diversity delay. The FM stereo generator will feed both µMPX and linear MPX over IP outputs.

Forza FM maintains the HTML5 UI introduced with Forza HDS, making use of “smart controls” to adjust multiple parameters with a single control, ensuring less-experienced users can easily deliver a stellar on-air sound to their listeners while still providing the individual controls processing pros expect to fine-tune their audio, Telos Alliance notes.

“As soon as we released Forza HDS at last year’s NAB, it was an instant hit for broadcasters who were looking for a way to make their audio streams stand out,” said Frank Foti, Omnia Founder and Chairman of the Board of Telos Alliance. “Ever since then, the excitement for a full FM version of Forza has been building, and I am pleased to make the official announcement of Forza FM to our loyal Omnia customers.”

Omnia Forza FM is expected to be available in May 2024 through the Telos Alliance’s worldwide network of Omnia partners.

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Partial County Alerting allows broadcasters to tailor the dissemination of EAS messages to affected areas. It will be the subject of a panel discussion in the Broadcast Engineering & IT Conference on Monday of the NAB Show.

Adrienne Abbott is chair of the Nevada State Emergency Communications Committee. Tim Schott is a meteorologist at the Analyze, Forecast and Support Office of NOAA, while Dan Berc is warning coordination meteorologist with the Las Vegas Weather Forecast Office of NOAA and the National Weather Service.

Abbott answered our questions by email:

Radio World: What is Partial County Alerting and why does it matter?

Adrienne Abbott: PCA is a National Weather Service programming capability that provides broadcasters with EAS weather activations targeted specifically to the area covered by the broadcaster’s signal. At the same time, PCA also targets warning dissemination on NOAA Weather Radio (NWR). 

Broadcast signals don’t stop at county lines and they may not cover an entire county. PCA works by dividing the county into subdivisions based on microclimates, weather patterns, broadcast footprints and other geographic factors. 

PCA is addressed in the FCC Part 11 Rules detailing the EAS Protocol, 11.31(c), which states that a county may be defined by one or more “subdivisions” and there may be as many as nine subdivisions. For maximum communications clarity, the NWS and its broadcaster partners are using the phrase “county partitions” instead of “county subdivisions.” The broadcaster chooses which partitions apply to their broadcast area and very easily programs that information into their EAS equipment. 

By utilizing county partitions, the EAS equipment will receive and rebroadcast only the EAS weather activations for the selected partitions. This increases the credibility of EAS weather activations because the broadcast audience doesn’t hear warnings that don’t apply to them. 

RW: How does it work, technically?

Abbott:  PCA works well in Clark County, Nev., because the county is very large, larger than several East Coast states, and no radio or TV station has a signal that covers the entire county. 

The most heavily populated area, and the one with the most broadcast signals, is the Las Vegas Valley. Before PCA, the Las Vegas broadcasters would receive EAS weather activations for storms which were outside the valley and confined to the rural areas of Clark County. With PCA, broadcasters covering the outlying communities such as Mesquite, Indian Springs or Laughlin receive and rebroadcast EAS weather activations for those areas, while Las Vegas radio and TV stations do not activate EAS, allowing their audiences to enjoy their usual sunny skies with no broadcast interruptions.

PCA zones allow officials to focus alerts on a selected portion of Clark County, Nev. From the National Weather Service page: www.weather.gov/vef/ClarkCountyPCA.

RW: Are there other particular parts of the country where PCA would be helpful?

Abbott: PCA is helpful anywhere a county has various ecologies and microclimates, geographic features like mountains, plains, valleys, canyons, lakes and seashores, and broadcast signals that don’t cover the entire area. 

We have also found it helpful for counties with discrete population centers, which is exactly the case in Clark County. It’s particularly helpful for very large counties; in fact, the 29 largest counties in the continental United States lie west of the Mississippi River. While many of the large counties of the western states can certainly benefit from PCA, other areas of the country can benefit as well.

RW: How does the National Weather Service use PCA and what are its plans to expand it?

Abbott: The 122 Weather Forecast Offices, or WFOs, operate on a national software baseline. Six offices are currently employing PCA using local applications. However, PCA will be included in an upcoming software baseline deployment from NWS headquarters. We expect additional WFOs will on-board PCA for one or more of their counties in the first half of 2025. 

A stock photo of weather patterns on a computer display. PCA provides stations with EAS weather activations targeted to specific areas. Credit: Getty Images/spxchrome

RW: What has the experience in Clark County taught you?

Abbott: What we’ve learned in Las Vegas is that it can take time to see the benefit of PCA. The first year it was implemented, there was a very mild monsoon season with relatively few weather events that necessitated EAS activations. However, those activations were issued with PCA and we were able to see the benefit of this improvement.

RW: Which organizations in a given area need to be involved for PCA to be put to work in a given area?

Abbott: The FCC rules address this when they state, “Any subdivisions must be defined and agreed to by the local officials prior to use.” And that’s exactly what we have done.  Planning for PCA implementation involves the Weather Forecast Office (WFO), the State Emergency Communications Committee chair and members, the state or local broadcaster association and state and local emergency managers. The Las Vegas WFO even conducted a public comment period. It’s a team effort to obtain input and implement this alerting improvement. 

RW: What else should we know?

Abbott: If someone complains that there are “too many EAS activations” from the Weather Service, they should know that there are some options available to make those activations more applicable to their station. The place to begin this discussion is with the warning coordination meteorologist, or WCM, at their local WFO. They should work with their EAS SECC and their NWS offices to implement a solution that can improve their situation.

[For More News on the NAB Show See Our NAB Show News Page]

The post Partial County Alerting Will Be in Spotlight at NAB Show appeared first on Radio World.

Photo of the Morgan County Library from the county’s website.

An Indiana county that will experience totality during the April 8 solar eclipse is cranking up the power on its Travelers’ Information Station to help visitors.

Morgan County operates TIS station WQSI562 on 1700 AM from the county seat of Martinsville. The entire county lies within the path of totality. Martinsville will see more than four minutes of darkness, among the longest in the Hoosier State, and the county website is providing extensive information for the expected rush of visitors.

As required under Part 90 of FCC rules, the TIS station normally runs at 10 watts. For the period April 1–15, the county requested special temporary authority to increase transmit power to 100 watts and raise the antenna to 72 feet. The normal maximum is 49 feet.

The commission granted the STA. It said a total solar eclipse meets the criteria for a temporary, non-recurring service where regular authorization is not appropriate.

“The station will provide a locations and details of free events and viewing sites throughout Morgan County,” said Abigail Worth, Morgan County EMA director.

Worth said the announcements on the TIS will also include eclipse viewing safety tips, traffic and travel reminders and information on other methods for receiving updates pertaining to the county. They’ll also have the ability to update the station’s announcements in real time.

[Related: “TIS Is a Stalwart of Our Radio Landscape” ]

The county anticipates hundreds of thousands of motorists traveling through on April 8. It said the existing TIS would not be able to cover all of the stretch of Interstate 69 that traverses the county as well as State Route 67.

Information Station Specialists is Morgan County’s supplier of the electronics, antenna and transmitter; the company also helped prepare the STA application.

ISS is providing an ASPiSYS ASM100-100 AM transmitter and producing the eclipse announcements that will be heard on the station.

With the gridlock that occurred not far from the region during the 2017 solar eclipse, including in neighboring Kentucky, the county sees the value in having a TIS station for an event like the eclipse.

“This method of informing has been around for a long time and is available in virtually every vehicle and a well-known as a method of finding information on local news when traveling,” Worth said.

[Related: “Special Glasses Won’t Help During an Internet Eclipse”]

The post Indiana County Will Supercharge Its TIS Station for the Eclipse appeared first on Radio World.

Until yesterday, the nation’s 11th-largest radio market was home to a lone “Wolf,” if you will. Audacy’s KKWF “100.7 The Wolf” commanded all of the attention of country music fans seeking a local radio station in Seattle-Tacoma to tune to.

Now, The Wolf has two new competitors, including one that disappeared one year ago. Neither Lotus Communications nor Hubbard Broadcasting are foolin’.

In a somewhat surprising move, Hubbard early Monday (4/1) abandoned KPNW-FM‘s Adult Alternative format and returned the station to Country, bringing back its prior branding as “98.9 The Bull.”

Hubbard even aired an on-air apology to former listeners of the Bull, as KPNW failed to gain audience against noncomm KEXP and Alternative KNDD “107.7 The End.”

Country radio personality Fitz, the voice behind the nationally syndicated Country Top 40, will take on the morning drive slot on the revived “Bull.”

Speaking for Hubbard, Seattle Market Manager Trip Reeb said, “We understand the disappointment that our listeners felt when we made the switch from ‘98.9 The Bull’ to adult alternative. We want to make things right so we are bringing in Fitz, a long-time advocate for country music. He understands the deep connection our audience has with country radio.”

However, Reeb may have been motivated by market chatter regarding a crosstown FM’s decision to go against The Wolf.

At 2pm Pacific on April 1, KPLZ-FM‘s “Star 101.5” identity was to give way to “Real Country … Real Variety” as “HANK FM.”

KPLZ, as such, has said goodbye to a contemporary music format that dates back several decades.

According to Lotus Communications President Jim Kalmenson, the launch of “HANK FM” — presumably a Classic Country format compared to the Bull and the Wolf — sees Alan
Jackson’s “It’s Five O’clock Somewhere” as the debut song.

Kalmenson referenced the switch of KNUC-FM in February 2023 from “The Bull” to KPNW in its decision making — even as the Bull has returned. As “HANK FM,” KPLZ sees to offer Seattle-Tacoma “a diverse playlist that celebrates the rich heritage of country music while also embracing its contemporary evolution.

Kalmenson added that KPLZ will feature a customized version of the “HANK FM” format created by Howard Kroeger.

The greater Seattle-Tacoma market’s other Country radio sources include Olympia-focused KYYO-FM 96.9, which reaches Tacoma; and KKXA-AM “Classic Country KXA,” serving Everett and communities north of Seattle.

It’s gaining a reputation across the Pacific Northwest’s biggest market as a technology systems and solutions provider serving the broadcast sector that’s actively building out new offices and studios for KNKX-FM in Seattle.

The company now has a new SVP of Sales for North America.

Taking the post at ZTransform is Bob Hawkanson.

“With two decades of technical operations and sales management experience in the media and technology space, Hawkanson brings with him a deep knowledge of unique production environments,” the company says.

Hawkanson will lead the sales team, spearheading the company’s growth strategy for new and existing industry sectors while expanding its geographical footprint. Located in Florida, Hawkanson, will increase ZTransform’s presence in the Southeastern U.S.

Prior to joining ZTransform, Hawkanson held the position of Solution Sales Manager at Panasonic Connect, working on both ST-2110 and Cloud-based projects. His previous role, as Director of Broadcast Sales for PRG/VER, saw Hawkanson manage large scale remote production facilities for events such as the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open tennis championships, The Masters golf tournament, as well as League of Legends and Dota 2 eSports tournaments.

Hawkanson has also worked extensively in the gaming industry as Director of technical operations for many televised events, including the World Series of Poker, Poker After Dark and High Stakes Poker, during his time at Poker Productions and Show Partners.

 

COMING APRIL 8: RBR+TVBR’s SPRING 2024 SPECIAL REPORT Our 48-page, full-color magazine will be distributed to all RBR+TVBR Premium Subscribers via digital download as a special “preview” ahead of the 2024 NAB Show, where you can find print copies of our all-new Spring 2024 magazine in the main entrance of the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Look for our branded kiosk! In this edition: A Transformative Opportunity for Broadcasters In March 2023, a Seattle-headquartered broadcast and AV system integration company specializing in facility design, installation, and project management rebranded. With a new name, ZTransform didn’t miss a beat, with the construction of new studios and implementation of updated broadcast technology for a local radio station perhaps emblematic of what’s next for company founder Erik Utter and his team. Look for our coverage exclusively in our Spring magazine!

It airs a classic Oldies format and features the voicework of John Tesh via syndication in the midday hour. Until now, it has aired on a 5kw daytime/500 watt nighttime AM radio station feeding two FM translators.

This is likely about to change, as the AM and one of the translator, which serves Chesapeake City, Md., and parts of Delaware, have been sold to an entity led by Christy Andrulonis.

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By Brian Galante
Special to RBR+TVBR

Macnica’s leadership in SMPTE ST 2110 innovation takes another step forward with the release of the MEP100, a new 100Gb SmartNIC solution targeted for hardware and software product developers in the broadcast and ProAV industries.

Macnica will demonstrate the MEP100’s high-performance media processing, stream protection, and bandwidth benefits in an on-booth exhibit of an end-to-end ST 2110 4K/HD networking ecosystem at NAB Show 2024. Macnica exhibits at C1726.

 

Macnica has equipped the MEP100 SmartNIC card with powerful resources to optimize performance and reliability of uncompressed media transport over ST 2110 IP networks. That begins with an FPGA hardware acceleration engine that offers product developers significant advantages over software-based alternatives. For example, ST 2110 IP packets are processed within the MEP100’s FPGA IP core architecture, freeing valuable CPU resources for the intended application.

The above means that the MEP100’s full ST 2110 stack can transfer video, audio and data directly to and from the host CPU and GPU memory and the SmartNIC card, instead of using CPU resources within the operating system. That full ST 2110 stack can include performance-focused IP networking applications including PTP timing (for synchronization), network path redundancy, and on-board JPEG-XS compression. The latter, available soon, will support visually lossless, low-latency media transport for greater channel density through the card.

The FPGA-driven architecture also ensures the lowest possible latency and maximizes network bandwidth efficiency for uncompressed ST 2110 transport, with robust stream protection afforded through SMPTE ST 2202-7 hitless merge. The ST 2202-7 specification supports reliable network path redundancy, with parallel streams borrowing lost packets from each other as they move through the network. Transport streams are fully reassembled upon reaching their destinations to maintaining optimal signal integrity.

The MEP100 is built using Altera Agilex 7 FPGAs to withstand the most bandwidth- and compute-intensive applications. It ships with Macnica’s M2S SDK, a flexible media streaming software development kit that works with all major network hardware. The M2S SDK provides a simple and intuitive API for sending and receiving media data on more generalized PC and software platforms, which also positions the MEP100 as valuable for IPMX product development. IPMX is a suite of standards based on ST 2110 but with more flexible parameters that open product development opportunities that involve asynchronous devices.

“The MEP100 delivers a special and unique stream processing solution for ST 2110 product developers that that are ready to develop today,” said Andrew Starks, Director of Product Development at Macnica. “With professional features that optimize performance for live broadcasts, large-scale production environments and much more, the MEP100 is an ideal SmartNIC solution for developers that want to bring their own high-end hardware products to market, or integrate a reliable media transport solution within PC workstations for deployment in broadcast or ProAV environments.”

Starks adds that broadcast infrastructure equipment, vision and presentation switchers, and image mapping systems represent potential high-end hardware products ripe for development using the MEP100.

Breckenridge, Colo., is globally famous for its ski slopes. Now, the local PBS Member station is ensuring over-the-air reception of its programming can be seen for those who have “cut the cord.”

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The FCC Enforcement Bureau’s New York office has sent the “pirate letter” to two property owners in Mount Vernon, an inner suburb of New York City, and another in Poughkeepsie.

In both cases the letters advised the property owners that unlicensed FM broadcast signals had been found emanating from their properties and that they faced potential financial penalties of up to $2.39 million.

In the first case, the FCC said it received a complaint of illegal broadcasts on 104.5 MHz and that in May of last year it traced them to a property on South 3rd Avenue in Mount Vernon, which is just north of the Bronx. The letter was sent to Jeromio B. Edwards, owner of the property.

In the second case, the FCC got a complaint about broadcasts on 87.9 MHz in Poughkeepsie. In September its agents traced them to a property on Albert Road owned by Keiwan F. Morrison and Shadae S. Bailey.

[Related: “FCC Finds Collecting Pirate Radio Fines a Challenge”]

The post More N.Y. State Property Owners Get the Pirate Letter appeared first on Radio World.

A Jackson, Miss. native, whose career began in 2002 at Jackson State University’s WJSU Radio has been named Director of Radio for Mississippi Public Broadcasting.

Rising to the role is Java Chatman. He will oversee MPB Radio’s eight NPR member stations covering the majority of the state.

Chatman has been with MPB since 2017, when he joined as an Executive Producer.

As the co-creator of Third Coast Radio, Chatman has also spotlighted indie music and artists across the state. Furthermore, he has produced several of MPB Think Radio’s most successful shows, including The Gestalt Gardener, Creature Comforts, Fix It 101, and Deep South Dining.

Concurrently, MPB promoted Taiwo Gaynor to the group’s Director of Television.

MPB Executive Director Royal Aills said, “MPB is home to many talented, wonderful people. Their leadership will help propel MPB to a whole new level of creativity and new ideas.”

The author is founder of Ordo Digital. He will speak at the NAB Show in two sessions related to artificial intelligence, “Using AI as a Creative Content Tool” on Sunday afternoon and “AI Strategies for Sales, Marketing and Operations” on Tuesday morning.

Jon Accarrino

As artificial intelligence continues making inroads into various industries, radio broadcasters have been contemplating if and how AI voices and DJs may supplement or even replace human talent. However, a new survey of more than 800 Americans by SmithGeiger Group indicates that radio listeners value authenticity and human connection from radio personalities over AI-generated voices. The survey results were presented at the 2024 Country Radio Seminar.

A Platform of personalities

The numbers reveal radio is still very much powered by personalities. A full 86% of respondents prefer radio hosts who “feel authentic,” rather than perfectly polished. Additionally, 73% favor DJs who go beyond just introducing songs to “share stories” and insights that bring deeper meaning to the music. And 68% like on-air talent to use a casual, relatable “everyman” communication style reminiscent of speaking with a friend, rather than a distant celebrity.

“The most successful influencers are themselves — they’re real,” said Andrew Finlayson, executive vice president of digital strategies at SmithGeiger. Finlayson presented the research at CRS.

“In a world that is going to be filled with AI content, this is an opportunity for radio,” Finlayson said. “This is a chance to connect with the audience.”

Perhaps most telling is that 47%, nearly half of those surveyed, had an outright distaste for AI radio voices, rating the concept poorly, or even hating it.

Escape through connection

Interestingly, the survey also suggested most listeners don’t want radio personalities espousing their political views (12%) or discussing international news (13%). What they desire is an escape from increasing complexity, anxiety and polarization in society. A commanding 90% of the country music fans surveyed said that it’s important for a radio personality to “keep a light mood.”

As Finlayson observed, “Escape factor is a big part of what you guys can do for the audience going forward. If you sit down at the end of the day and say, ‘I help my audience escape all the worries and fears that they have in a complex and sometimes scary world,’ you’ll have done your job.”

While AI promises efficiency and utility, only human beings can empathize with listeners, understand the role radio plays in their lives, and nurture that special relationship with the audience. Based on the survey results, broadcasters need to find the right balance between human personalities who authentically engage audiences and the latest tech innovations.

AI’s future in radio

At its essence, radio has always transcended mere entertainment. Unlike streaming playlists and algorithms, voices behind the mic provide community, wisdom and authentic comfort amid life’s chaos. By boldly leveraging real human voices, stories and connections, broadcasters can foster a relationship rooted in trust. One that AI simply cannot replicate.

In a followup phone call, Finlayson added, “Artificial intelligence can imitate human qualities, but it can’t be authentic. An AI can’t remember going to a concert.”

But radio broadcasters shouldn’t ignore practical opportunities for AI either. Stations may find success using AI voices for utility work, like promos, or producing weather reports.

“Hyper-local and hyper-personalization is beyond what a human can do on a daily basis,” Finlayson said. “But AI can help scale those efforts for broadcasters.”

Though AI voices may yet find useful applications in radio, the CRS study results suggest that putting more focus on fostering human connections on the airwaves is what radio listeners truly want.

For an industry facing AI disruption, that insight might just give some broadcasters a much-needed edge in their markets. But finding the right balance between how AI voices can be successfully used on-air without losing the audience still remains to be seen.

Key research takeaways from the CRS/SmithGeiger study:

• 86% prefer authentic DJs over perfectly polished talent
• 73% want DJs that share personal stories about the music
• 68% prefer a casual, relatable communication style
• 47% dislike the concept of AI radio voices
• Personalities that help audiences escape complexity have lasting value

The post Research Points to the Value of Human Talent appeared first on Radio World.

Since February 2019, he has been a familiar voice on quarterly earnings calls for such publicly traded radio industry companies as Audacy Inc., and was a panelist at Forecast 2023. Now, Dan Day is moving on from B. Riley.

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The AM for Every Vehicle Act has already gained majority support of Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. It is nearing a simple majority in the Senate. Did heavy lobbying from automakers including General Motors to prevent the bill from moving forward fall flat?

That’s the conclusion one can likely make after a review of automakers’ Q4 2023 lobbying efforts, which included discussions that included the prevention of a government mandate to make kHz-band radio broadcasts accessible across cars, trucks, vans and other vehicles from coast to coast.

As first reported by Streamline Publishing’s Radio Ink, GM raised its lobbying spend in the fourth quarter to $2.82 million, tying it for the tenth-highest-spending corporate lobbyer — with Google.

According to required lobbying disclosures, “S.1669/H.R. 3413, AM Radio” was listed among the policies a team of five, including some of GM’s senior lobbyists, pushed in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Honda was the second highest-spending lobbyer against the AM For Every Vehicle Act, with a quarter total of $681,520, spent toward the Senate, House, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the Department of Transportation.

Ford lobbying rose slightly from $578,486 to $617,979. It listed “issues related to AM radio” as the cause for lobbying both houses of Congress as well as the FCC and the DOT.

Two manufacturers producing solely electric vehicles who were among the first to remove AM radio from their cars also contributed. Tesla used a portion of its $270,000 lobbying budget, while niche EV maker Rivian spent $40,000 in Q4.

One noteworthy disappearance: Toyota cut its AM radio lobbying altogether at the end of 2023 as support grew on Capitol Hill.

Despite the efforts of these automakers, the concentrated labor of state broadcast associations during a recent trip to Washington, D.C., to discuss policy matters with lawmakers proved very fruitful, showing the power that radio maintains.

The push to maintain AM radio in cars has even spread to state legislatures, with Kansas State Representatives overwhelmingly passing a resolution calling on federal government to pass the AM For Every Vehicle Act.

At present, the legislation is awaiting action on the Senate floor, with Majority Leader Chuck Schumer yet to set a date for a formal vote.

NEW YORK — One of the largest independent “solutions providers” for converged TV advertising has reached a definitive agreement to acquire all outstanding shares of a Nasdaq-traded company known for its “machine learning” that delivers “measurable value for programmatic advertisers.”

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NEW YORK — It is a platform that began rolling out across CBS News and Stations in September and now includes CBS Media Ventures syndicated news magazines Entertainment Tonight and Inside Edition.

As of today, this venture, dubbed the “Super Desk,” has a new Managing Editor. It is a woman who has been with CBS Newspath for more than 14 years, beginning in 2009 as an associate producer.

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