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‘Chiquibaby’ Stays With Nueva Network

Radio+Television Business Report - Wed, 02/07/2024 - 15:27

Stephanie Himonidis Sedano will be staying around the Spanish-language media company founded and led by CEO and Chief Revenue Officer José Villafañe for the forseeable future.

Nueva Network has renewed its affiliation and sales agreement with the “Chiquibaby Show,” helmed by “Chiquibaby” Himonidis.

The nationally syndicated show airs on upward of 100 U.S. radio stations across the U.S. In addition, she offers a podcast version of the “Chiquibaby Show” under her agreement with Nueva Network.

Outside of her audio work, Himonidis is the host of Siéntese Quien Pueda, a celebrity entertainment news show airing weekday afternoons on Univision. There’s also a weekly YouTube show with co-host Adamari López.

“We are excited to extend our partnership with Stephanie and the ‘Chiquibaby Show’ and continue to bring our brands this one-of-a-kind content that provides a top Hispanic female talent such as Stephanie as the number one network show led by a Latina regardless of format or language,” Villafañe said.

“Chiquibaby Show” airs Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. across the Nueva Network on-air radio stations.

Categories: Industry News

BBC Seeks To Steal Commercial Radio Listeners With Brand Extensions

Radio+Television Business Report - Wed, 02/07/2024 - 14:47

According to the government-supported British Broadcasting Corp., “new, distinctive digital music stations” that will serve as “extensions” of BBC Radio 1, Radio 2 and Radio 3 are in the works.

While the BBC says these new offerings “look to delve deeper into specific genres and periods of music with context, curation and storytelling done in a way only the BBC can do,” they clearly are designed to compete directly with some of the UK’s most-listened-to commercial radio brands.

As BBC Director of Music Lorna Clarke sees it, “Our extensions for Radio 1, Radio 2 and Radio 3 will allow listeners to deep-dive into more pop and classical genres and periods of music they love the most, uniquely created by the BBC. They’ll get a deeper listening experience than what’s available elsewhere, hear brilliant storytelling through our extensive archive, and discover more music to love whatever their mood.”

The four unique stations will be on DAB+, which has become a successful digital radio hub in the UK as an option that was created not as an in-band, on-channel digital solution, which is HD Radio in the U.S.

The proliferation of DAB+ led Bauer, one of the nation’s key commercial broadcasters, to shift its Absolute Radio main Adult Rock channel away from its longtime 1215 MW signal, making it digital-only. Now, Absolute is seemingly under attack from the BBC. So are Global’s No. 1-rated Hot Adult Contemporary Heart and Bauer-owned rhythmic top 40 Kiss brands.

How so? The BBC outlined its proposal on Wednesday.

  • A new Radio 1 extension would focus on Radio 1 music played in the 2000s and 2010s. This is largely a musical focus of Heart.
  • An “expanded BBC Sounds Radio 1 Dance stream” — a sign that Kiss is in its sights
  • A new Radio 2 extension providing a distinctive take on pop nostalgia, curating the story of pop music primarily from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s by some of the people who shaped the cultural landscape at the time. This is seemingly designed to serve as a competitor to both the Gold and GHR (Greatest Hits Radio) brands.
  • A new Radio 3 extension providing a classical music experience that helps listeners unwind, destress and escape the pressures of daily life. The Classic FM brand would seemingly be the commercial radio competitor.

There’s more. Future plans call for a retooling of BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.

In order for the BBC to move forward, it must receive the relevant regulatory approvals from the government, including a Public Interest Test (PIT) for the proposal to launch the DAB+ stations. This is a process which the BBC will start in the coming weeks and is expected to run until the end of 2024. The BBC will also launch a PIT on the content offer of BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra. The plan is to allow existing sports related content from the BBC to be played on the station instead of a short marketing trail on constant loop when there are no live sports being broadcast.

Radiocentre, which represents commercial radio in the UK, called the BBC’s proposals “an attempt to directly imitate the recent success of commercial stations that already provide these genre stations following years of significant investment made by our sector.”

 

Categories: Industry News

‘Blackout’ Rebate NPRM Comment Dates Affirmed

Radio+Television Business Report - Wed, 02/07/2024 - 14:18

WASHINGTON, D.C. — With the publication on Thursday in the Federal Register of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would establish a regulatory policy imposing mandatory refunds for MVPD customers unable to view broadcast TV channels due to a retransmission consent impasse, the Media Bureau of the FCC has established a comment period certainly of interest to the NAB, ACA Connects, the pro-cable TV group ATVA and broadcast TV station owners.

The FCC on January 17 released a NPRM seeking comment on “whether to require cable operators and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) providers to give their subscribers rebates when those subscribers are deprived of video programming they expect to receive during programming blackouts that result from failed retransmission consent negotiations or failed non-broadcast carriage negotiations.”

The Commission set deadlines for filing comments and reply comments in response to the NPRM at 30 and 60 days, respectively, after publication of the NPRM in the Federal Register.

With a summary appearing Thursday:

  • comments will be due on or before March 8
  • reply comments will be due on or before April 8

Commenters should follow the filing instructions provided in the NPRM.

Categories: Industry News

Grand Slam: ‘Hulu For Sports’ Plan Pummels TV Stocks

Radio+Television Business Report - Wed, 02/07/2024 - 14:01

Investors reacted to an announcement from ESPN parent The Walt Disney Co., FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery that they have reached an agreement to launch a sports-focused subscription-based streaming platform by selling off their shares in key broadcast television companies.

By mid-afternoon Wednesday, double-digit percentage dips were seen.

 

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Categories: Industry News

Iowa Public Radio Adds A Capital FM Translator

Radio+Television Business Report - Wed, 02/07/2024 - 12:59

An FM translator at 94.1 MHz with a signal contour blanketing nearly all of Iowa’s state capital is being acquired by Iowa Public Radio, in a transaction filed on Wednesday with the FCC for its regulatory approval.

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Categories: Industry News

First Amendment Award Honorees Named By RTDNA

Radio+Television Business Report - Wed, 02/07/2024 - 12:52

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Thirteen individuals and organizations have been singled out by the The RTDNA Foundation for their efforts to promote responsible journalism and preserve the constitutionally guaranteed rights to do so.

Introducing the class of 2024 First Amendment Award honorees.

All recipients will be honored March 9 at the 33rd annual First Amendment Awards at The Watergate Hotel. They will join 141 previous recipients who stood for the values of the First Amendment.

“It is our sacred duty to promote, protect and defend the First Amendment, which makes journalism the only vocation specifically protected in our Constitution,” said RTDNA Foundation President Dan Shelley. “The individuals represented in this group of recipients embody the spirit of such journalism. And, their work reminds us why it is so important to defend the First Amendment each and every day.”

In addition to recognizing responsible journalism, the First Amendment Awards is the Foundation’s biggest annual fundraiser, enabling the Foundation to ensure the broadcast and digital news profession remains a critical part of our nation’s free press for generations to come and supporting scholarships for journalism students.

“The First Amendment Awards gives us all a chance to pause and reflect on the brave and brilliant work done in the name of journalism,” said RTDNA Foundation Chair Allison McGinley. “It is a true honor to get a chance to recognize these outstanding recipients.”

The 2024 First Amendment Award winners are:

  • Gio Benitez, ABC News
  • Lauren Chooljian, New Hampshire Public Radio
  • Ingrid Ciprián-Matthews, CBS News
  • Evan Gershkovich, The Wall Street Journal
  • Dylan Lyons, Spectrum News 13 (Orlando), Citation of Courage (post-humous)
  • Joan and Eric Meyer, Marion County Record, Citation of Courage
  • ProPublica
  • Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.)
  • Jesse Walden, Spectrum News 13 (Orlando), Citation of Courage
  • Clarissa Ward, CNN
  • Kristen Welker, NBC News
A lifetime achievement award is being Phil Williams, Chief Investigative Reporter for WVTF-5 in Nashville, owned by The E.W. Scripps Co.
Categories: Industry News

Cleanup in Studio 3: All in a Day’s Work

Radio World - Wed, 02/07/2024 - 12:41

Here’s a story that captures the plight of the engineer.

The holiday season arrives. Today is the last day before your break — a well-deserved break, too.

But then the manager tells you something in the studio is not right. So you go down the hall … and your excitement about getting a few days off drops like a rock. Yes, the morning guy has spilled liquid into the console. Argh!

Immediately you switch all the programming to another studio, thankful to have a backup. You then power down all equipment in the studio, reminding yourself that yelling and screaming won’t do anything (though it would make you feel better). 

The morning guy is responsible for enough billing to know that you’ll have to take the bullet, go in and fix it right away without escalating the incident to management. In your most gentle voice, you ask what the liquid was. The answer comes back from this experienced talent: “I don’t know.” 

Arghh, why is this day so aggravating? Already you realize that you are not going to make the company holiday lunch.

Okay you’ve got the console open, and you see the black liquid. Chants go through your head: “I hope this is not soda.” It’s time to play Sherlock Holmes. Quickly you glance around the studio for a cup. Nothing on the table. You look in the trash can. Yes, it was coffee. 

Back to the “talent,” and you channel your best Joe Friday from “Dragnet.”

You: Just the facts. I know you were drinking coffee. Did you have it with sugar?

Talent: I don’t know what you’re talking about.

You (raising your voice): Listen, I need to know what’s on the equipment.

Talent: I don’t know what you’re talking about.

You: JUST THE FACTS. Sugar will cause more damage.

Talent (now sounding ashamed): I drank it black, no milk, no sugar.

Okay. Now you know what it is that must be cleaned up and what must be inspected. 

Most of the coffee went onto the exterior of the console but some into the faders. But you remove all the modules and look at the motherboard. You clean the edge connectors, you look and clean any remnants of anything foreign on the board. Cramolin is our friend. We are good!

Next it is time to clean the modules. Yes, all the modules! Luckily, this console has sealed P&G glass faders. You take the Windex Original Glass Cleaner (chosen because it leaves no residue) and you clean the glass rods. You make sure the board in each fader is clean. You reseal the fader. You curse when you drop a tiny screw and it takes 10 minutes to find.

The manager comes in and asks how much longer. You look up and say, “As long as it takes.” He understands and quickly scurries away.

Back to work.

You clean the faceplate. You clean the switches. Some residue (maybe not from this spill) is visible on the button caps. You scrub and whittle (memories of years in Boy Scouts) to get off everything.

Now you reassemble. You test every module and function. You are aware that the holiday is upon you. You do not want to be called back.

All is good! All programming is moved back to the main studio.

So much for your calm day. You missed the company lunch; but you can report to the program director and general manager what had happened and tell them, gladly, that it has been fixed. You feel like the conquering hero.

Then it happens. The general manager nicely asks if you are coming in during the holiday break. You say NO. And you contemplate updating your résumé.

[Check Out More of Radio World’s Tech Tips]

The post Cleanup in Studio 3: All in a Day’s Work appeared first on Radio World.

Categories: Industry News

Byron Allen To Appeal L.A. Judge’s Dismissal of Discrimination Suit

Radio+Television Business Report - Wed, 02/07/2024 - 12:29

Miller Barondess attorney who has been at the center of an ongoing legal battle pitting the founder and owner of The Weather Channel against one of the world’s biggest quick-service restaurant chains has confirmed that the fight will continue in a California state appeals court, after a Los Angeles judge moved to dismiss a $100 million lawsuit alleging racial discrimination is at play.

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Categories: Industry News

Sports Media Fragmentation: A Coming Dilemma For Advertisers

Radio+Television Business Report - Wed, 02/07/2024 - 11:58

Fragmentation. It’s a word that has permeated the television industry in the U.S., and now on a global level, in recent years. The announcement late Tuesday from The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Discovery and FOX that it is launching a joint venture described as a “Hulu for Sports” will only exacerbate the fragmentation on a domestic level.

What are the opportunities, and challenges, for brand advertisers? WARC Media has just released a report that seeks to answer that question.

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Categories: Industry News

Kalil Helps Family Spin Hawaii Towers To Everest

Radio+Television Business Report - Wed, 02/07/2024 - 11:56

HAIKU, MAUI, HAWAII — It’s a company that exists “to reach out to the lost across the globe and to provide you and your family with an alternative to viewing secular television programs.”

Until today, it has also been the owner of broadcast towers in the 50th State. That’s about to change, thanks to a deal brokered by Tucson-based Kalil & Co.

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Categories: Industry News

Key Analysts Chime In on ‘Hulu For Sports’ Plan

Radio+Television Business Report - Wed, 02/07/2024 - 10:59

On Tuesday evening, a potential game-changing initiative was announced by three longtime providers of play-by-play sports. It involves streaming, and a new joint venture that Madison and Wall’s Brian Wieser calls “Hulu for Sports.”

What does the creation of this service mean for the future of sports rights, and the potential growth of broadcast television as a home for live game-day coverage?

 

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Categories: Industry News

With Gray Swap, Marquee Shuts Down Nebraska TV Station

Radio+Television Business Report - Wed, 02/07/2024 - 09:56

As RBR+TVBR first reported on February 1, Gray Television is swapping four television stations in Wyoming and Nebraska to Brian and Patricia Lane’s Marquee Broadcasting in exchange for a future Salt Lake City TV property.

What’s now known is that one of the Nebraska stations won’t survive the deal.

 

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Categories: Industry News

SBE Posts Ennes Agenda for Las Vegas

Radio World - Wed, 02/07/2024 - 04:02

The Society of Broadcast Engineers has posted its Ennes Workshop program for the 2024 NAB Show. It includes a new track about media over IP.

The two-day workshop returns to the Las Vegas Convention Center after being held at the Westgate in 2023.

The workshop, co-chaired by Fred Willard and David Bialik, will take place April 12 and 13 as the NAB Show is getting underway. It will feature tracks on “RF101” and “Media over IP Essentials.”

Each track will start with a continental breakfast at 7:30 a.m. and last until 6 p.m. At the end of the second day, a joint 90-minute session on management skills will be presented.

The RF101 track, returning from 2023, is designed to provide someone with a predominantly IT-oriented background with foundational knowledge of transmission methods and equipment, enabling them to work effectively in these disciplines.

Among the sessions in this track are topics like electronics basics, modulation, regulation, proof of performance, site safety, antennas and single-frequency networks.

The new track on Media Over IP Essentials covers basics of IP-delivered media, including video and audio implementations. Topics include SNMP and monitoring protocols; the four types of AoIP commonly encountered in radio plants; audio loudness; and streaming basics.

The final part of Day 2 will unite the tracks for a session on management skills, focusing on how to discuss ROI, cost of acquisition and cost of ownership/operation “using language that owners, managers and financial colleagues understand, with a goal toward helping bring engineering back into the management team.”

Details are on the SBE website.

Workshop registration costs $259 and is available via the NAB Show website. An SBE member code can be used for a free NAB Show exhibits-only pass or it can be applied for a discount on the Core Education Collection registration for the BEITC sessions and exhibits.

The Ennes Workshops were established in 1991 through the Ennes Educational Foundation Trust to provide affordable education to SBE members. Regional workshops, typically one day in length, are held throughout the year.

 

The post SBE Posts Ennes Agenda for Las Vegas appeared first on Radio World.

Categories: Industry News

Concrete Truck Brings Down WNIX’s Radio Tower

Radio World - Tue, 02/06/2024 - 19:00

It’s safe to say that the last few days have been more-than-trying for a couple AM radio stations in the south. First, WJLX in Jasper, Ala., reported that someone stole the station’s 200-foot AM tower.

WNIX’s fallen AM radio tower (Photos courtesy of Larry Fuss)

Now, in Mississippi, WNIX’s 199-foot tower has been hit … but not by thieves.

On Sunday, foundation was being poured for WNIX’s new transmitter building when a concrete truck on-site backed into a guy wire, causing the tower to collapse. Located on the northeast side of Greenville, Miss., the radio tower has stood tall since 1994.

As of Tuesday afternoon, both WNIX(AM) and its FM translator — which operates from the same tower — are off the air, although the station continues to stream online.

WNIX is a news-talk radio station licensed to Greenville, Miss., broadcasting 3.8 kW during the day and 55 watts at night. The station is owned by Delta Radio, of which Larry Fuss is the president and CEO.

Fuss told Radio World that it will take a while to repair such extensive damage.

“The [construction company] didn’t even bother to call us and let us know what happened,” said Fuss. “We didn’t discover the damage until Monday when we couldn’t get the AM transmitter to come back up remotely.”

Click on the photo to toggle through pictures of the damage. 

He said WNIX’s engineer will be on-site Wednesday, and plans to have the AM signal back on-air with help from an unused tower from the station’s old directional array.

“We have a two-bay Nicom antenna on hand we are going to use until we get the permanent tower put back up.”

The translator, however, will be going back on-air from a one-bay antenna that will be mounted on the STL tower at the studio, Fuss said.

“Ultimately, we have to put the tower back up along with a new FM antenna for the translator,” said Fuss. “That’s going to take some time.”

Fuss said he is in contact with the construction company’s insurance carrier, which should hopefully be footing the bill.

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The post Concrete Truck Brings Down WNIX’s Radio Tower appeared first on Radio World.

Categories: Industry News

Applications

FCC Media Bureau News Items - Tue, 02/06/2024 - 19:00
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Pleadings

FCC Media Bureau News Items - Tue, 02/06/2024 - 19:00
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Actions

FCC Media Bureau News Items - Tue, 02/06/2024 - 19:00
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NAB Will Induct Donnie Simpson Into Its Hall of Fame

Radio World - Tue, 02/06/2024 - 17:01

Donnie Simpson will be inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

The National Association of Broadcasters described him as a legendary media trailblazer and award-winning program director.

“Simpson began his distinguished career at age 15 when he was discovered by WJLB, a popular Detroit radio station while they were broadcasting from his mother’s record shop,” NAB stated in its announcement. “Soon after, he became a teen reporter for WJLB and was then given his own radio show.”

He moved to Washington, D.C., to work for WKYS(FM) as the morning show host and program director. “Under his leadership, the station achieved unprecedented ratings success, and Simpson was selected as the country’s number-one Program Director of the Year as well as Air Personality of the Year in 1983 by Billboard Magazine.”

[Read more NAB Show preview news.]

In 1993, Simpson went to work at WPGC-FM, leaving there in 2010. But after a hiatus he returned in 2015 to host the afternoon drive at Radio One’s WMMJ(FM).

Simpson also was backup sports anchor to George Michael on WRC(TV) in Washington before joining BET to host the flagship show “Video Soul” for 14 years. He has appeared on TV shows like “Martin” and “The Jamie Foxx Show” and movies like “Krush Groove” and “The Five Heartbeats.”

He is a member of the R&B Music Hall of Fame and the Radio Hall of Fame. NAB President/CEO Curtis LeGeyt saluted Simpson’s “life-long love of radio and music, incredible talent and commitment to his audience.”

The NAB also noted his work on behalf of causes such as relief for victims of Hurricane Katrina, AIDS research, the National Black Family Reunion and the United Negro College Fund.

The induction will take place during the NAB Show in Las Vegas in April.

Past inductees of the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame are listed here. Last year’s radio inductees were Adrian “Stretch Armstrong” Bartos and Bobbito García.

The post NAB Will Induct Donnie Simpson Into Its Hall of Fame appeared first on Radio World.

Categories: Industry News

A DIY Sampler

Radio World - Tue, 02/06/2024 - 16:21

Over the years we’ve published many do-it-yourself projects. When I look at data about our website traffic, it becomes evident that you enjoy this kind of article and that these stories remain popular for years after they are posted.

As my friend and colleague Buc Fitch once wrote of his fellow engineers: “It seems almost all of us in the profession possess that ‘maker instinct.’”

Some earlier Radio World project stories unfortunately lost their photos in a website migration years ago. If you spot a project story that needs its photos restored, let me know at radioworld@futurenet.com.

But I thought I’d share a sampling of more recent articles in this vein that you might wish to revisit or may have missed. Ideas for more are always welcome!

  • Michael Baldauf has been sending us delightful articles in the past year or so. In August he checked in with a project to build a sound effects “button box” around an Adafruit Audio FX Sound Board. 

“If you’re like me, a little project that’s mostly for fun can also serve as stress therapy,” he wrote. “This one is actually useful too.” You’ll find it here

  • Even casual readers know that Buc Fitch loves to share the projects on his bench. In 2022 Buc described building a home-brew composite demodulator to turn baseband into discrete left and right.

“Not only is [it] useful as a confidence check and troubleshooting aid, but in the age of FM translators for struggling AMs, the convenience of having discrete left and right at the transmitter site facilitates separate processing for the mono AM and stereo FM translator.” Check it out here.

An image from Buc’s composite demod project.
  • Two years prior, Buc provided an easy solution to an everyday engineering problem by showing us how to build an unbalanced-to-balanced adaptor. Find that one here
  • In 2014 Dana Puopolo helped readers build a simple active transformer. “Here is a circuit that will both match levels and impedances,” he wrote. “It’s very simple — just a dual opamp IC, four capacitors and seven resistors — yet versatile.” He described it here
  • The Workbench column by John Bisset often features the good ideas of Frank Hertel. In 2021 Frank laid out how to build a dimmer circuit for an LED fixture for your shop or workbench. 

“Frank decided on the ever-so-handy 555 Timer IC, which was configured as an adjustable duty cycle square wave generator,” John wrote. Read the rest here

  • During the pandemic, Curt Yengst wrote “My Vacuum Tube Headphone Amp Project,” prompted by reading a book by Merlin Blencowe about designing high-fidelity tube preamps that his wife had given him.

“Could I build a working vacuum tube headphone amp with only the parts I had on hand,” he wondered. He did, and you can read his article about it here

Curt Yengst described how he built a vacuum tube headphone amp.

Curt died less than two years later, only 52 years old. He literally was buried with a tweaker in his hand, placed there by his youngest child, age 10, who would often “borrow” his tools to replace batteries in toys.

  • And Mark Persons was thinking about this very subject in 2017, when he wrote: “Some of us still do create solutions by hand, even in this plug’n’play world.” His article was less about a particular project and more a review of his experiences at “pulling apart and putting together.” Check that out here

[Check Out More of Radio World’s Tech Tips]

The post A DIY Sampler appeared first on Radio World.

Categories: Industry News

PromoSuite Purchase Results In vCreative Merger

Radio+Television Business Report - Tue, 02/06/2024 - 16:14

ATLANTA — The David Berkhal-helmed company “focused on acquiring and growing great enterprise software businesses for life” has acquired the Rocco Macri and Chris Bungo-founded PromoSuite.

What does this mean for the 32-year old product used by radio stations to manage on-air contests, sales promotions and events? It is being merged by buyer Banyan Software with vCreative Inc.

PromoSuite, headquartered in Westchester County, N.Y., was founded in 1992.

In a statement, Banyan noted, “By combining their unique strengths, vCreative and PromoSuite form one unified entity positioned to reach new heights in broadcast and media industry innovation. Together, they’ve aligned as a collaborative solution that reflects their shared mission of empowering their clients to save time and optimize efficiency in the ever-changing multimedia world.”

Mary DelGrande, CEO of vCreative, commented, “Rocco and his team have built a suite of products that has earned them a trusted position in the radio marketplace. The collective expertise, talent, and resources will empower vCreative to push boundaries and set new standards. Our focus remains unwavering on enhancing the customer experience, driving operational excellence, and fostering a culture of collaboration and ingenuity.”

Macri, who serves as PromoSuite CEO, added, “Co-founder Chris Bungo and I have always been, and will continue to be, focused on what’s best for our clients, our partners, and our employees,. To us, this is not just a transaction, as we are handing over a legacy, a culmination of 30 years of hard work and dedication from our team. That’s why we were so excited once we got to know the folks at Banyan Software and realized that they are the perfect fit to usher PromoSuite into its next phase of growth and innovation.”

Categories: Industry News

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