Feed aggregator

.

.

.

Ameca

Daniel Anstandig will give the welcome session keynote of the NAB Show in April, and he’ll be joined on stage by a humanoid robot that uses artificial intelligence technology.

This is being described as the world’s first keynote speech co-presented by a human and an advanced AI robot.

Anstandig is the CEO of Futuri, which jolted the radio industry with the introduction a year ago of an AI-based platform called RadioGPT, later renamed as Futuri AudioAI.

The National Association of Broadcasters announced that the welcome session will be Monday April 15 at 9:30 a.m. on the Main Stage of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

NAB President/CEO Curtis LeGeyt will take part in an interview with journalist Adrienne Bankert of Nexstar Media Group’s NewsNation.

Daniel Anstandig

Then Anstandig will speak, joined on stage by Ameca, “an autonomously AI-powered humanoid robot” developed by Engineered Arts, to discuss a study on audience perspectives on AI’s use in broadcast media. [Read about Ameca.]

“This impressive keynote event will feature collaboration between Anstandig and Ameca as they deliver study findings pivotal to the industry’s future,” NAB said in the announcement.

Artificial intelligence technologies will be a major theme of sessions and exhibit displays at the convention.

Anstandig said he plans to talk about audience perceptions of AI and “the delicate balance of innovation and user expectations.”

The post An AI Robot Will Help Anstandig Keynote the NAB Welcome Session appeared first on Radio World.

CINCINNATI — The E.W. Scripps Company has selected Kate O’Brian to fill the newly created role of President/News.

With this promotion, O’Brian is now responsible for all news operations across Scripps’ local media stations, Scripps News and Court TV.

The change in responsibilities, says Scripps, allows the company’s local and national news operations “to align more closely in editorial strategy,” something seen across Scripps’ local newscasts across various markets in recent months as part of an extensive restructuring effort carried out by the company.

Commenting on the new role for O’Brian, Scripps President/CEO Adam Symson said, “Kate O’Brian is a skilled executive and journalist who embodies our responsibility to serve American audiences nationally and locally. This new structure puts oversight for the entire company’s news and editorial strategy under her leadership. Scripps will maintain locally run, locally focused newsrooms serving each of our local markets, and at the same time we will coordinate our local and national reporting for the benefit of all our audiences, including for Scripps News’ network.”

O’Brian joined Scripps in 2021 to lead Newsy and Court TV and serve as the architect for Scripps News, merging the company’s local and national news resources into a national news division.

“Over the past few years, Scripps’ local and national news operations have demonstrated the powerful impact of combining deep community expertise with national context and reach,” O’Brian said. “This structure will allow our local news and Scripps News teams to harness their combined strengths to deliver even more high-impact political reporting, severe weather, breaking news coverage and other stories important to our audiences in any market.”

With O’Brian now serving as News President, the following leaders will report to her as follows:

• Christina Hartman, VP and head of Scripps News, will lead the network. She has been serving as head of news standards for Scripps News and Court TV. Previously, she was VP of network predecessor Newsy.
• Ethan Nelson, VP and head of Court TV, will continue in her role
• The VP and head of Local News is a new, open role. This individual will oversee Scripps’ local news content strategy alongside O’Brian and work closely with SVP/Local Media Dean Littleton to execute the content strategy along with the news initiative for our local news teams.

Prior to joining Scripps, O’Brian was a longtime ABC news executive who, among many other roles, served as head of affiliate news services and worked closely with 200 local stations. O’Brian also was the first woman to run a 24/7 cable news organization when she was appointed president at Al Jazeera America.

Sinclair Inc. executives were poised to discuss the company’s fourth quarter 2023 fiscal results in a conference call for analysts and investors scheduled to begin at RBR+TVBR‘s daily deadline of 4:30pm Eastern.

But, with 20 minutes to go before the call’s commencement, only an informal earnings presentation was available for view. In it, consolidated fourth quarter results compared to guidance was offered. It perhaps offers the right perspective when looking at the full results, which show a swing to a net loss for Sinclair.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

A Class B AM radio station and its FM translator, serving a Texas city to the south of Fort Worth, are being sold to a non-profit corporation that will likely target evangelical Hispanics with the placement of Spanish-language religious programming on the broadcast facilities.

 

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

The attorney representing the host of a Salem Radio Network Sunday night syndicated talk show and podcast focused on Second Amendment rights has asked a federal appeals court to remand a case against OpenAI LLC to a Georgia Superior Court — a move that would give legal fees to the air personality who says he’s the victim of a ChatGPT “hallucination.”

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

A Massachusetts federal district court judge has denied a motion to dismiss a key claim in a nearly three-year old lawsuit tied to misdirected retransmission consent fees, a request that was filed by attorneys representing the former licensee of a Nexstar Media Group-run TV station.

This keeps a counterclaim from Verizon alive in the case, which centers on “FOX Providence,” owned by Mission Broadcasting, and its previous owner, associated with “Super Towers.”

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

Commissioner Anna Gomez in a photo posted on X by the Media Institute.

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez says it’s important that the FCC adapt to how consumers access news and develop initiatives to prevent the spread of misinformation. And she urged people working in media to help consumers develop discernment skills.

Gomez, five months into her term as the newest member of the commission, spoke at The Media Institute’s 2024 Communications Forum in Washington on Feb. 20.

“When I was young, I got my news by listening to the radio and watching TV,” she said according to text provided by the commission.

She framed MTV’s Kurt Loder as the Walter Cronkite to her millennial generation. Younger people are consuming more news and media through digital platforms such as Instagram reels and TikToks, seeking to be both entertained and informed.

Regardless of platform, Gomez said, addressing misinformation in news is a serious issue. “I know I’m not breaking news when I say there is a lack of trust in journalism today.”

Gomez cited changes in technology, including artificial intelligence and its products such as deepfakes and voice cloning, as widening the reach of misinformation, including a recent example that impersonated President Biden as an attempt to influence a federal election primary.

“Misinformation in this form poses a threat to our democracy,” she said. She also mentioned fears spread on social media about a 1-in-1,000-year atmospheric river event headed for California, a story with public safety implications that had no meteorological basis.

Gomez emphasized that the commission is not to regulate content. “Let me say this again to make sure I am crystal clear: I have zero interest in regulating what goes on in a newsroom.” But she called for efforts to meet consumers where they are getting their news and work on education. “I think giving consumers tools for understanding and consuming media is both powerful and necessary.”

Gomez outlined three initiatives to help people discern whether content they are consuming is reliable.

First, she mentioned watermarks to label AI-altered content, citing Adobe as a leader in this area. She also highlighted the Content Authenticity Initiative, aimed at giving consumers a traceable history of content alterations. Third, she discussed the importance of misinformation education.

“In the same way that taking an art appreciation class can help people better engage with the art they consume, I believe that media literacy education efforts will help people better engage with the online media that they consume.”

Gomez highlighted a course that MediaWise and Noticias Telemundo developed in partnership with Poynter, a nonprofit media institute and newsroom, to educate consumers about radio misinformation and media biases. Their resources are also available to Spanish speakers and through a course on WhatsApp.

“At the end of the day, real discernment skills should transcend the type of media being consumed,” Gomez said.

[Read the text of her remarks.]

The post Gomez Outlines Strategy to Prevent Misinformation appeared first on Radio World.

NORTHVILLE, MICH. —  A new media partnership aimed at elevating local news coverage in the Metro Detroit region has been forged between the television station known as “LOCAL 4” and the leading African American news organization in the Mitten State.

 

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Reach. Trust. Public Safety. Localism. Marketplace realities.

These are some of the key themes reflecting the NAB Broadcasters’ Policy Agenda for the 118th Congress, shared by the organization at time when the fight for AM radio has become a major endeavour and ensuring no new performance tax on Radio remains a key battle that, for now, is being won.

Rick Kaplan COMING IN RBR+TVBR’S SPRING 2024 MAGAZINE: Rick Kaplan, the NAB’s Chief Legal Officer and EVP/Legal and Regulatory Affairs, speaks exclusively with Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson about the priorities on Capitol Hill for broadcast radio and TV, and if the FCC is proving to be more challenging than under previous Chairs. Look for it at the 2024 NAB Show in print! RBR+TVBR Members will get an advanced digital copy in their e-mail!

 

 

The NAB opens its Policy Agenda, which outlines its key policy priorities for the 118th Congress, with a review of what radio station owners bring to their local communities, providing essential news, information, and entertainment to audiences nationwide. With a focus on delivering verified news against the spread of misinformation online, broadcasters are trusted sources, committed to keeping citizens informed and engaged, the NAB shares.

The NAB also reminds us how Radio acts as a first informer during times of crisis, utilizing the strength of broadcast infrastructure to disseminate critical updates to listeners and viewers, especially when other communication channels falter.

Then, there is the AM For Every Vehicle Act, which emerged in 2023 as one of the NAB’s key legislative priorities; iHeartMedia, a key NAB Member, owns a host of AM radio stations with no FM translator companion. With electric vehicle manufacturers signaling they would discontinue AM radio availability, the NAB went into hyperdrive on behalf of its members to ensure that kHz-band broadcasters remain accessible to drivers of all vehicles.

This led to bipartisan legislation in both houses of Congress that would mandate the preservation to access of AM radio in all vehicles sold in the U.S. With both versions of the bill nearing critical majorities, the NAB vows to see the AM Act through to the end.

Second, the NAB turned its attention to defending local journalism against Big Tech dominance. Local operators face challenges in sustaining journalism operations against an onslaught from companies like Facebook and Google. The NAB is calling for legislative action to address unfair practices by big tech companies, safeguarding the viability of local news publishers and promoting fair compensation for their content.

Over the last year and three months, the impact of Artificial Intelligence on local journalism has become a major concern. As broadcasters embrace technological advancements, concerns arise regarding the potential misuse of AI in broadcasting. The NAB is urging Congress to assess the implications of AI on journalism integrity and intellectual property rights, ensuring that new technologies uphold the standards of trusted local journalism that have existed for decades.

Finally, an old, unsolved issue for radio returns with the NAB continuing to oppose a new performance tax on local radio. Even as support for the American Music Fairness Act has all but died out, the NAB will continue to advocate for policies that protect local radio listeners and support the industry’s ability to promote new artists and provide diverse music content like the Local Radio Freedom Act.

As the political landscape continues to go through upheaval in a hotly contested Presidential election year, the NAB is using its Congressional policy agenda to underscore the critical role of radio in serving communities and uphold the integrity, accessibility, and sustainability of local journalism and broadcasting.

— With reporting by Cameron Coats, in Nashville

The WNBA franchise that calls Atlanta home has forged a partnership with a locally headquarters broadcast television company with a national presence — a move that brings more sports to its fledgling Peachtree Sports Network enterprise.

Starting on May 15, the Atlanta Dream‘s non-national exclusive games will air locally on WPCH-17 “Peachtree TV” and across the region on the network.

The 2024 Women’s National Basketball Association season runs from May through September.

Peachtree TV is also available on YouTube TV and Hulu Live, in addition to over-the-air and MVPD distibution.

Peachtree Sports Network is available to viewers via Gray-owned stations in the Georgia cities of Albany, Augusta, Columbus, Macon, and Savannah.

“We are thrilled to partner with Gray Television to get the Atlanta Dream into even more households across our state and the Southeast region,” Dream President and Chief Operating Officer Morgan Shaw Parker said. “We believe that 2024 is going to be the most exciting season yet for the Dream. The atmosphere inside our arena is the best in the WNBA, and we are excited to have a television partner who can help us bring that experience to an even bigger audience.”

The Dream adds to Gray’s list of broadcast partnerships with the WNBA, with the team joining the Las Vegas Aces and Phoenix Mercury.

WANF-TV & WPCH-TV VP/GM Erik Schrader commented, “Across the nation, interest in women’s basketball has exploded over the past few years due largely to the amazing talent on the court. We are excited to be the Dream’s official broadcast partner on Peachtree TV this season. It’s another incredible opportunity to grow new fans, on the best platform to reach them, with the top broadcasting company in local television.”

On April 26, 2012, The Walt Disney Company and the company founded by Jeff Smulyan, Emmis Communications, agreed to a 12-year-lease of a radio station that over the years had been known to New Yorkers as “98.7 KISS FM,” “99X,” and “WOR-FM.”

That agreement, which has been profitable for Emmis and in December 2021 was assumed by Craig Karmazin’s Good Karma Brands, is nearing its end. A National Football League team’s shift to a new radio broadcast partner has renewed questions as to what is WEPN-FM’s next chapter.

 

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

Los Angeles-headquartered global digital advertising specialist — and U.S. broadcast radio and TV station owner — Entravision has decided when it will release its fourth quarter and full year 2023 financial results.

What can analysts and investors expect to hear once the Closing Bell on the NYSE is rung on Tuesday?

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

Freshly released highlights of a 2023 Horowitz Research survey of African American consumers that are between the ages of 12 and 27 reaffirm decade-long trends that demonstrate how this segment of American viewers overindex on watching TV content.

And, while mobile viewing of television content is strong, it is the use of an actual TV set that is perhaps most notable — especially as NEXTGEN TV-capable sets increase in availability with the rollout of new markets across the U.S.

 

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

Can’t stay up late enough to enjoy the NBC television network’s trio of midnight-hour entertainment offerings? Roku is now an option to enjoy what’s just aired over the air, spreading the distribution of post-broadcast video clips from the three shows.

A new agreement between the OTT platform and NBCUniversal means short-form video clips from “Saturday Night Live,” “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” and “Late Night with Seth Meyers” are now available on Roku. They’ll appear regularly after airing on NBC.

Additionally, clips from NBC Sports will be launching in the coming weeks.

Roku users can find the latest short-form clips from these shows on The Roku Channel and promoted across the Roku platform. Viewers can also access each show’s regularly updated library of clips via specific landing pages, discoverable through the Roku Home Screen and Roku Search.

The initiative is part of Roku’s efforts to serve its audience with a wide variety of quality content for free within The Roku Channel, including more short-form video, it says.

Current and newly launched NBCUniversal apps and services on Roku include: Peacock: The fastest-growing streaming service in the U.S., providing audiences a singular, unmatched content destination TV Everywhere: NBC, Bravo, E!, Oxygen, SYFY, Telemundo, USA, NBC Sports, NBC News, and CNBC FAST Channels: NBC News NOW, Dateline 24/7, TODAY All Day, LX, NBC and Telemundo local owned stations, The Rotten Tomatoes Channel, Saved by The Bell, American
Crimes, Bravo Vault, E! Keeping Up, GolfPass, Historias de Amor, Lassie, Made in Chelsea, Million Dollar Listing Vault, NBC Sports, Oxygen True Crime Archives, Real Housewives Vault, SkyNews, SNL Vault, The Long Ranger, Top Chef Vault, Murder, She Wrote, Alfred
Hitchcock, Little House On The Prairie, Bad Girls Club, TNBC, Universal Action, Universal Crime, Universal Monsters, and Universal Westerns

“The power of the broadcast model and its ability to reach the largest audience of any medium with important news, sports and entertainment content is as strong as ever,” says Perry Sook, the founder and Chairman/CEO of the nation’s biggest single owner of broadcast TV stations — and NewsNation and WGN-AM in Chicago.

Nexstar Media Group is also the controlling interest holder in The CW Network. In Q4, all of those media assets couldn’t overcome the widespread challenges impacting advertiser-driven businesses as 2023 came to a close, with net revenue falling short of Wall Street analysts’ expectations.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

Bext TFLHOP

Bext Corp. has introduced a new FM broadcast antenna.

The TFLHOP is a horizontally polarized antenna featuring an omnidirectional pattern, constructed from stainless steel. It can be finely tuned to ensure a low VSWR within the 88–108 MHz FM band.

“With a robust power input of up to 5 kW per bay, the TFLHOP can be configured into a 12-bay array, capable of handling a total power output of up to 60kW,” Bext states.

The TFLHOP includes an optional mini radome to provide an additional layer of protection, designed to shield the feed point from the adverse effects of harsh icy conditions, assuring a consistently stable VSWR and optimal performance in challenging environments.

“In an effort to address the challenge of rising freight costs, Bext also employs a strategic design approach, ensuring that all of its antenna arrays are designed for compact shipping, thereby not only enhancing ease of handling and installation but also significantly reducing associated shipping expenses.”

Bext says the new antenna exceeds industry standards. Null fill, beam tilt and customized wave spacing at no additional cost. The company provides live engineer phone support for help during and after installation.

Info: www.bext.com

The post TFLHOP Is New FM Antenna From Bext appeared first on Radio World.

.