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New data reinforce the strength of AM/FM radio as the leading “mass reach” medium in the United States.

The numbers are from Nielsen’s Total Audience Report. Pierre Bouvard of Cumulus/Westwood One, who advocates for radio advertising to media buyers, has blogged about them.

“Among persons 18+, AM/FM radio out-reaches social media, online video, TV/internet-connected devices, and TV,” he wrote.

He said that among persons 18–49, “AM/FM radio has pulled away from TV with a +12% average audience advantage” and that it reaches +40% more persons in that demographic than TV.

“Daily time spent with TV and AM/FM radio are now virtually tied.”

Bouvard continues his efforts to counter what he calls a myth among advertisers, that more than half of all AM/FM radio listening happens at “drive times.”

“The reality is only 41% of AM/FM radio time spent occurs during drive times,” he wrote. “Middays are number one at 26% of total AM/FM radio time spent. Weekend listening is greater than suspected and has as much listening (20%) as morning and afternoon drive.”

Bouvard said smart media planners will allocate their advertising weight across all days and time periods to grow reach.

Read his post here. Below you can watch as he digs into the numbers.

The post Bouvard Says Latest Data “Smashes AM/FM Radio’s Drive Time Myth” appeared first on Radio World.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Washington Nationals Park may normally play host to Major League Baseball players, but on Tuesday it served as the gathering place for more than 550 broadcast media representatives who have traveled to the Nation’s Capital to learn how the NAB is working inside the Beltway on their behalf.

The association’s annual State Leadership Conference (SLC) saw WJLA-7 in Washington, D.C. reporter and journalist Michelle Marsh emcee the event, which featured remarks from policymakers, panel discussions and briefings ahead of meetings with legislators on Wednesday (3/6).

In his remarks to attendees, NAB President/CEO Curtis LeGeyt welcomed the audience and thanked them for their participation. He underscored the critical role local stations play in their communities, particularly in an election year. LeGeyt also addressed critical issues for broadcasters, including the need for the passage of the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA) and the overwhelming bipartisan support for the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act.

Both pieces of legislation await full votes.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) was in attendance, and participated in a fireside chat with LeGeyt. He provided an update on the House’s legislative activity and noted the importance of broadcasters being in Washington to personally meet with their legislators.

Johnson, a former broadcaster and co-sponsor of both the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act and the Local Radio Freedom Act, also discussed the importance of broadcasters delivering local content and sharing life-saving information during natural disasters.

Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N. Mex.), a leader on both the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act and the Local Radio Freedom Act, also spoke at the conference. Luján acknowledged the power of local broadcasters’ reach in vast geographical landscapes like New Mexico, and noted the important role AM radio played during the state’s recent devastating wildfires. Luján also spoke about the crucial role broadcasters play in delivering trusted information to their viewers and listeners, especially with the increased spread of disinformation and misinformation on social media.

Other highlights included a salute outgoing NASBA President Dewey Bruce, President/CEO of the Montana Broadcasters Association; recognizing incoming NASBA President Wendy Paulson, Executive Director of the Minnesota Broadcasters Association; and a panel on the challenges and opportunities of AI content in broadcasting.

Representing the FCC at the event was Anna Gómez, the newest Commissioner and the decisive third Democratic vote. Gómez joined NAB Chief Legal Officer and EVP/Legal and Regulatory Affairs Rick Kaplan in a Q&A session.

Rick Kaplan RBR+TVBR readers can enjoy an exclusive conversation with the NAB’s lead counsel on Capitol Hill and at the FCC, Rick Kaplan, in the Spring 2024 magazine. Members will receive a digital copy of this publication on April 8. General distribution of our print edition will be seen during the NAB Show in Las Vegas. Look for the RBR+TVBR kiosk at the main entrance of the Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall.

Chris Noel’s voice on the radio not only brought hope to U.S. troops serving in Vietnam, but her nightly program titled “A Date With Chris” also served as testament to the strength of AM during times of crisis. Now, three radio professionals moved by her story have launched a petition with hopes of honoring Noel with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

As the host of “A Date With Chris” — broadcast on the Armed Forces Radio & Television Services (AFRTS) and the American Forces Vietnam Network (AFVN) — Noel was said to have inspired thousands of soldiers with her broadcasts, leading numerous visits to Vietnam amidst her rising Hollywood career.

One such solider was Harry Simons, who embarked on his radio career at age seven at WFAU(AM) in Augusta, Maine, now WMDR. After enlisting in the Marine Corps in high school, he was ultimately stationed in late 1967 in Saigon, Vietnam, where he became the chief engineer of AFVN’s Saigon AM and FM facilities, as well as the network’s nighttime rock ‘n’ roll DJ. It was there that Simons first encountered Noel’s broadcasts. “Only after the experience did I realize how much influence AFVN had on the Americans in Vietnam,” Simons said. 

Simons, now living in Pensacola, Fla., collaborated with Mike Bates, who owned WEBY(AM) in Milton, Fla. from 2000 to 2018, to produce a 10-hour radio documentary entitled AFVN: The GI’s Companion. Released in 2015, the pair interviewed many veterans from the Vietnam War — some of whom worked at AFVN facilities while others simply listened while on the warfront.

“They all spoke so highly of Chris Noel and what her nightly program meant to them,” said Bates. It really gave them a reason to live for tomorrow.”

This is the cover of Chris Noel’s memoir she released in 2011 titled “Vietnam + Me,” which detailed her experiences in Vietnam.

Noel’s reach highlighted the power of AM radio. In Saigon in particular, AFVN could be heard via a 50 kW non-directional antenna, broadcasting on 540 AM from a transmitter near Vung Tau on the South China Sea. “If you were a veteran and you served in Southeast Asia, you knew who she was,” said Simons. “She was the most famous broadcaster in the world at the time.”

But because of the nature of the AFRTS, decades before streaming, Simons said Americans going about their daily lives at home would have never known of Noel’s efforts. “You truly had to be there to understand what was going on,” he said. 

To advocate for Noel’s recognition, Simons and Bates, alongside their WFAU colleague Randy Nichols, launched the website HonorChrisNoel.com on Feb. 10. They said they have already heard from hundreds of veterans, active duty, family and friends of service members from all across the U.S., Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand, Finland and the Netherlands who were impacted in some way by “A Date With Chris.”

A snapshot of Noel with troops during one of visits to Vietnam to meet with soldiers.

Despite previous attempts, the trio said they believe Noel is exceedingly deserving of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. “It’s obviously extremely difficult to do. But we all agreed, there could be no one who more epitomizes the spirit and meaning behind this honor than Chris Noel,” said Nichols. 

The group is asking veterans and other interested parties to express support of Noel’s service through their petition. The petition will be sent to President Joe Biden to advocate that Noel be considered for the Presidential Medal of Freedom “for her selfless commitment and service to our country as a civilian, in times of war and in times of peace.”

Noel’s acting career began in 1963, leading to roles in twenty movies with MGM and Paramount. Her visit to severely wounded troops in a San Francisco hospital during Christmas 1965 inspired her to audition for an AFRTS show, leading to her becoming the first female broadcaster on Armed Forces Radio since World War II.

Chris Noel AFRTS, taken from her on-air work in Hollywood hosting “A Date With Chris”

She greeted her audience with “Hi, love,” and her charm resonated across the airwaves. Noel initially recorded “A Date With Chris” from Hollywood but, after the Pentagon noted the impact her show was having on the troops, they asked her to visit Vietnam between Christmas and New Year’s in 1966. She would go on to make many more visits to the troops, volunteering to entertain them with song or dance performances.

It would not be an exaggeration to say Noel risked her life on these visits, helicoptering into combat zones, once crash landing near an enemy Viet Cong Village. The Viet Cong, recognizing her influence on U.S. troop morale, placed a $10,000 bounty on her life. “What Chris did was so above and beyond the call, to go to those forward operating bases,” Bates said, “and the troops really appreciated her presence and that she was so willing to risk everything to spend time with them.” 

Today, Noel, 82, suffers from PTSD as a result of her wartime trips during the Vietnam War. However, throughout the years, service to veterans continued to be one of the driving forces in her life and, in 1993, she founded the Vetsville Cease Fire House, a shelter for homeless veterans in Boynton Beach, Fl. Noel remains dedicated to supporting veterans with mental and physical disabilities.

Read more about the effort to honor Chris Noel.

Listen to a scoped 1968 episode of “A Date With Chris.”

The post Radio Vets Look to Honor Chris Noel With Presidential Medal of Freedom appeared first on Radio World.

Entravision Communications Corp. on Tuesday released its Q4 and year-end 2023 earnings report, and in doing so also shared a “Digital Commercial Partnerships Business Update.”

The parent of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram told Entravision on Monday (3/4) that it intends to wind down its Authorized Sales Partner (ASP) program by July 1.

This could reduce the company’s EBITDA and revenue in a significant way. Entravision even cancelled its earnings call scheduled for 5pm Eastern today as it digests the news from Meta.

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It’s a Class A station that meshes the syndicated Rick and Bubba program with a mix of Country singles and Contemporary Christian Music that is the home to “Positive Country.”

Soon, this FM west of Cape Girardeau, Mo., will be the property of Fred Dockins and his Missouri-based radio broadcasting company.

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The broadcasting arm of the Milwaukee-based company helmed by Craig Karmazin has received FCC approval to modify the facilities of an AM station that years ago was home to WLUP and, before that, WCFL.

The Chicago change was granted over the objection of an individual in Berwyn, Ill.

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Don’t think for a minute that the biggest city in the Pacific Northwest is all about caffeine and beans. For more than a decade, Audacy Inc. Rocker KISW-FM in Seattle has benefited local charities by bringing its own branded liquor of choice to consumers.

Now, the station’s afternoon show is working with a new brewery partner with the launch of an IPA whose sales will benefit Fisher House Foundation across the region.

Introducing The Mens Room IPA, courtesy of Black Raven Brewing Company. The beer, branded after KISW’s afternoon show, promises “a new approach to a classic style,” featuring the hop varieties Idaho 7 and Bravo, packed with mango, pineapple, tangerine, and juicy fruit flavors. The ale has a tempered bitterness profile with 5.8% ABV.

A portion of all the proceeds from the sale of the ale will benefit Seattle-Tacoma area locations of Fisher House, a national charity serving the needs of military and veteran families whose loved ones are in the hospital.

KISW Brand Manager Ryan Castle commented, “Over the last 10-plus years, this community has helped raise north of $1 million for local Fisher House Locations by simply doing what we love to do – drinking beer.”

Mike Clark, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Black Raven, added, “Our team has had a great time working on this project and is stoked for the opportunity to bring it to life.”

KISW previously worked with Elysian Brewing, founded in Seattle and today owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev.

In September 2013, KISW partnered with Mischief Distillery for “Worker’s No. 9 Vodka,” with a portion of the proceeds supporting the Washington State Council of Fire Fighters (WSCFF) Benevolent Fund.

Meanwhile, local brand Ulis Famous Sausage has whipped up a new beer brat to pair with the new Mens Room IPA.

To celebrate the new beer launch, KISW is holding a Mens Room World Tour 2024 launch party on Friday, March 15, at the Black Raven Brewery and Taphouse in Woodinville, Wash. The Mens Room will broadcast live from 2pm-6pm from the brewery.

Radio World’s ebook “Trends in Codecs 2024” explores this important product category. 

Nick Straka is co-owner, with Daniel Hyatt, of technology solutions and integration company DNAV. He has worked in radio for 30 years “in all facets, from on-air, production, programming and even a tiny bit of sales.”

Radio World: Nick what would you say is the top trend in radio codecs?

Nick Straka: Design is evolving into higher-density boxes versus a 1:1 approach, which consumes a lot of rack space. We are seeing anything from the Comrex Access Rack that contains five discrete codecs to the Digigram Iqoya Serv/Link, which can expand with software updates to 64 stereo or 128 mono codecs in 1RU with redundant power supplies. 

The remote side of codecs is relatively unchanged, due to the nature of being out in the field or at a remote site. The studio, TOC or NOC is where the change is most apparent.

It’s similar to when we eliminated racks of DAs for AoIP in how much space, power, network drops and switch capacity is reduced.

RW: How will virtualization and software-integrated air chains change how codecs are deployed?

Straka: A codec is just a software algorithm, and depending on the source code it can be as portable as needed between platforms. The greater public has been using software codecs en masse with Zoom, Teams and all the other meeting platforms. 

Nick Straka adjusts mic processing on a recently completed studio project in Denver.

RW: What improvements could yet be made in the quality of audio from the field?

Straka: The quality of the hardware that is passing along the audio to the codec itself. If a codec has a bad audio front end, that will be translated to the far end.

RW: How does the growing use of the cloud influence radio codecs and how they are deployed?

Straka: Management from a single login/page. Gone are the days where one needs to remember 137 IP addresses, ports and passwords.

RW: Have you done a recent codec installation that you think was notable? 

Straka: We have just deployed a Digigram Serv/Link as the primary STL over 6 GHz microwave for a four-station cluster in Denver. All stations are handled in a 1RU box, and should the needs increase, a simple software-based upgrade will provide more channels. All I/O is handled via Dante and routed from their SAS system.

RW: What are the implications of FM-MPX and microMPX in codec deployments?

Straka: MPX over codecs can solve some issues but also create others. Too many times we have had clients say “Let’s do this!” And then the implications of inserting EAS and backup audio become all too real. It is not a one-size-fits-all solution. 

RW: What considerations should be taken into account to allow talent to do their shows using their phones?

Straka: Use as high of a bitrate codec as possible. There are many reasons, including ratings, to use the highest possible bandwidth. A 64 kbps rate is just not acceptable in 2024.

RW: Has WebRTC had the impact that was projected for it? Why?

Straka: In some use cases, yes. When DNAV did the studio build out for CBS News Radio network, anchors were able to broadcast from home using WebRTC in Jutel RadioMan for two weeks while we did the upgrades to their SAS system. In essence, we were able to take the New York City system down with both remote anchors and steering the uplink out of the D.C. SAS facility.

RW: Is there a feature or capability that you wish codec manufacturers would make widely available? 

Straka: Real-time display and logging of RS232, PAD or IP messages on the send and receive sides.

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The post Codec Designs Get Denser and Denser appeared first on Radio World.

This is the third installment in a recurring series that looks back at developments that have shaped radio broadcasting during the past 100 years, noting advancements and historical moments month by month. Read February’s story here. 

100 Years Ago – March 1924: Following on the success of its station KDKA, Westinghouse is now testing the concept of linking stations in distant markets to carry programming from a central station. This “re-broadcasting,” as Westinghouse vice president, Harry P. Davis, explained “may be the solution” to the broadcasting problem that exists in terms of providing listeners with quality programming now that nearly 600 U.S. stations are on the air.

The testing involves the relay of programming from KDKA, located in East Pittsburgh, Penn. to Westinghouse’s KFKX in Hastings, Neb. The two broadcast-band stations operate with equal power and are linked via a “3,200 kilocycle” shortwave transmitter. (Radio’s first network, NBC, was established two years later, with Davis serving as its chairman of the board.)     

75 Years Ago – March 1949: The Merri-Lei Corp. introduces an early version of the” ‘Walkman” in the form of a “Radio Hat.” The wearable radio is designed to cover the AM radio band and is powered by batteries (separate 1.5-Volt “A” and 22.5-Volt “B” batteries, of course, as this is a tube set) carried in the wearer’s pocket. Its single headphone may be positioned for listening via either one’s left or right ears.

The two tubes powering Merri-Lei’s ‘Radio Hat’ are seen protruding from holes in the front. The “rooster’s tail” in back is the set’s loop antenna, and the twisted cable leads to a battery pack carried in the user’s pocket.

The 12-oz. two-tube set is available in a wide range of colors, including “canary yellow,” “lipstick red,” and “blush pink,” as well as conventional tan, grey, and grey-green shades to appeal to more conservative tastes. The introductory price has been set at $7.95 (about $102 in 2024 money), with the manufacturer expecting sales to top five million, based on advance orders received from a number of NYC retailers.  

50 Years Ago – March 1974: All eyes are now focused on Houston and the upcoming NAB convention to be held there this month. A big attraction is the recent commitment by President Nixon to address broadcasters at the show. (The best that the NAB had hoped for previously was an address by Vice President Gerald Ford, or possibly, the Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger. There’s also been a changing of the guard at the FCC, with Richard Wiley replacing Dean Burch as chairman after Burch resigned to accept a cabinet rank position as counselor to President Nixon.)  

25 Years Ago – March 1999: With the FCC now considering a new class of low-power FM stations, concerns continue to be raised about the impact to existing full-power broadcasters already operating within a very crowded band. As voiced by Mullaney Engineering consultant, Alan Gearing, “No matter how low a power station you add to the mix, especially in 90 percent of the more densely populated areas, you’re going to be causing interference to somebody who’s already there.”

Stay tuned for next month’s installment! 

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The post March Highlights of Radio Tech History appeared first on Radio World.

Global advertising and marketing growth slowed to 4% in 2023, as brands trimmed their budgets on both inflation and recession fears. Now, media spend is forecast to rise at double that pace, thanks to record political and Olympics dollars, new data from PQ Media show.

 

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Every Friday in our SmartBrief newsletter, Radio World seeks out fun engagement opportunities to get to know our loyal readers! This past week, we asked to see pictures of your furry (or not so furry) friends.

Who are you coming home to after a long day in the studio or at the transmitter site? What critters crawl around your workplace? Here’s what our readers shared:

Hal Abrams, VP of programming for Animal Radio, shared this pic and the next, saying: “Here at Animal Radio we’re pretty lucky cuz you must bring your pet to work. Here is Pixel helping out in studio … ” … and here is ‘Meeps’ the Animal Radio Studio Stunt Cat overlooking a new Nicom STL delivery.” Dirk Walker, chief engineer for Cumulus Peoria/Bloomington Normal, shared this sweet snapshot of his “assistant engineers.” He said: “These are my two Dalmatians, Zeke (behind me) and Frasier (in front). Zeke is four and Frasier is one. They have such fun personalities and I love them both so much!” Longtime Radio World Contributor Buc Fitch and his wife MaryAnn shared the above photo: “This is Ben playing with water in our master bathroom sink. We have two sinks on the counter — one that Buc and I share and one that Ben and Leo share.” Melissa Freeman and her “pupper” Fizzgig work at Arrakis Systems. “He’s 10 years old and joined our family a little over three years ago. I couldn’t bear to leave him at home while at work, so I didn’t,” she told Radio World. “He instantly became our company mascot, emotional support and security team and the bane of all Amazon delivery drivers!” Radio World Assistant Editor Elle Kehres shared this pic of her adopted old man Lionel (a.k.a. Stinky). He sometimes likes to get cozy behind the monitors of her home office desk! Longtime Radio World contributor Paul Kaminski shared this pic of his black and white tomcat “Titan the Wonderkitty” and his little grey kitty “Miss Jade Wind.” Jade is a cancer survivor; she had to have her left leg amputated. “No matter, she runs and jumps like a kitten,” said Paul. Other Critters Reader Jed Wilkinson shared the following story about a not-so-cuddly “pet”: “We were just in the process of cleaning up the diesel fuel for this 250 kW generator. As we started removing the panels, we stumbled upon this adorable little creature who wasn’t exactly thrilled about us disturbing its cozy home. It kept scurrying around, going from the top to the bottom and even to the side. It took quite some effort, but eventually, we managed to coax the little fella out of the unit.”

Be sure to subscribe to our daily e-newsletter to participate in this week’s prompt!

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The post A Radio Engineer’s Best Friend appeared first on Radio World.

Making radio a more visual media has been the talk of the industry since CES 2024, and with the 2024 NAB Show coming in just weeks, that conversation continues with QUU CEO Steve Newberry.

At QUU, the focus has been on making the in-dash audio entertainment system come alive when tuned to a broadcast radio station. In this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, Newberry shares the latest on what’s in store for the “connected car,” and what he and others may be looking forward to at the NAB Show in mid-April.

Listen to “The InFOCUS Podcast: Steve Newberry” on Spreaker.

NEW YORK — With accolades from esteemed colleagues including the retired Chairman and CEO of the company he serves as Chief Operating Officer for, Jordan Wertlieb of Hearst was fêted in style on Monday evening as the Broadcasters Foundation of America awarded the executive with its Golden Mic Award at a gala event held at the Plaza Hotel.

With former Hearst head David Barrett in attendance, Wertlieb was honored by Hearst Corporation SVP Michael J. Hayes and by the retired Graham Media Group President/CEO, Emily Barr.

The event also paid homage to the legacy of the late Phil Lombardo, the former BFOA Chairman and founder of television station owner Citadel Communications. Lombardo, whose stewardship saw the Foundation’s annual financial assistance skyrocket from $60,000 to nearly $850,000, was remembered for his thirteen years of dedicated service.

Journalist Soledad O’Brien emceed the event as its host, as the BFOA also honored Inside Edition anchor Deborah Norville with the 2024 Edward F. McLaughlin Lifetime Achievement Award.

Norville has been a Broadcasters Foundation Board Member for 23 years.

Entertainment for the night was provided by singer Pete Caldera, known for his renditions of classic hits by Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.

The event was more than a night of reflection and celebration; it was also a meaningful fundraiser to support the BFOA’s crucial mission. The foundation, set to deliver approximately $1.8 million in aid in 2024, continues its commitment to providing assistance to broadcasters facing hardship.

— With reporting by Cameron Coats 

LOS ANGELES — Across the broadcast television landscape, stations have invested heavily in local news expansion, with new studios and added hours of coverage being seen in markets across the U.S.

Now, the world’s largest media company producing content in Spanish is widening the amount of local newscasts en español for viewers in four DMAs — including L.A.

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A broadcast television station serving Upstate South Carolina with no less than 10 digital multicast channels has received the FCC’s blessing to transition from a VHF facility to a more powerful UHF channel.

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A Class B1 noncommercial religious radio station serving Beckley, W. Va., within the tiny market shared with the city of Bluefield, is poised to change hands.

With the FCC’s blessing, it will no longer be the property of Slingshot Broadcasting Corp.

On February 24, the licensee agreed to donate WBWV-FM 88.7 in Beckley to New River Christian Ministries.

With this deal, WBWV will be heading to its second-ever licensee, as Slingshot debuted in 2011 after Slingshot built the facility, acting on a Construction Permit it earned three years earlier.

New River is a 50/50 partnership led by Richard and Susan Lewis; it is a nonprofit based in West Virginia.

 

By Brian Galante

RAYMOND, ME. — Sinclair subsidiary Dielectric has developed a new green, cost-reducing load solution featuring a closed-loop cooling system, a new advancement that protects RF System components from failures that can cause extensive harm to the transmission system and shelter.

To be introduced at NAB Show 2024, OptiLoad uses programmable logic controls (PLCs) to sense rising RF power and temperature levels, awakening the system to take action.

OptiLoad’s PLCs also monitor the health of the demand-driven circulator pumps and fans that are activated to address RF flow and temperature rises.

The OptiLoad design includes a water column load that Dielectric has offered for two decades, with more than 5000 units shipped worldwide. Using the water column load as a building block, Dielectric has added a built-in heat exchanger responsive to PLC activations. The water column load can run without coolant flow or fans activated with powers up to 5kW. This ensures plenty of headroom when RF is detected and the coolant and fans start to operate prior to the load seeing 5kW.

The entire SNMP-enabled system is centralized to a compact cabinet with wheels that can be located quietly in the corner, and easily be moved to a new space in the facility as transmission systems are redesigned. The SNMP functionality will allow the transmitter to do a daily handshake. If that handshake does not occur the station will be notified to prevent failures.

“OptiLoad’s modern design is a true convergence of passive RF equipment, electronics and sensing that was brought to life by our engineering team,” Dielectric President Keith Pelletier said. “It speaks volumes to the future of the RF business. For our customers, it addresses the all-too-frequent failures in the RF chains and a peace of mind that they have a solution that they do not need to worry about. The OptiLoad was customer-driven and we listened to their concerns about reliability and required features.”

Pelletier explained the importance of the passive RF load and a closed loop system in the design of the OptiLoad.

“This will prevent the coolant from getting contaminated and causing failures within the load that would eventually cause failures in the RF plumbing to the combining system,” he said. “Once the load fails, other components will as well if not caught soon enough. Once the coolant stops working or is no longer flowing through the pipes, failures and damage are imminent. Entire systems must be replaced in some cases, and cleanup services may be required to remove coolant from the floors. It can quickly turn very expensive.”

The OptiLoad can be used in multiple scenarios. For high-power TV systems, OptiLoad assumes the role of load solution for the transmitter combining rack. In this scenario, the typical RF power moving to the load is very small or non-existent.

In traditional RF TV systems, the standalone load requires the consistent flow of coolant moving through the system to prevent catastrophic failure. OptiLoad’s logic controls only apply power to the fans, releasing coolant flows through the load as required. This makes OptiLoad a very green solution, as the load remains turned off 95 percent of the time. When a power imbalance occurs, OptiLoad protects the entire RF chain until the amplifiers can be replaced or repaired. Once repaired, OptiLoad goes dormant until called upon again.

OptiLoad is a potential RF troubleshooting tool. In this second scenario, engineers can use OptiLoad as a station load when they need to test the transmitter or isolate the transmission line and antenna to identify and solve a problem. Same as the first scenario, OptiLoad only awakens and ramps up to full power if the load is being utilized, offsetting electricity costs and reducing power bills for the broadcaster.

OptiLoad further protects the broadcaster’s RF investment through several operating modes. It will transition to standby mode without RF power present when coolant temperatures are less than 130 degrees. OptiLoad initiates flow from the high-efficiency circulator pump when temperatures land between 130 and 150 degrees; fans are activated when the temperature rises from there.

“OptiLoad turns on the moment it senses the presence of RF, and ramps up from there utilizing variable speed fans and adjusting coolant flow rates,” Pelletier said. “This is the first system of its kind to recognize the presence of RF, which simply makes it the safest choice for protection in the market. As a closed-loop system, the coolant circulates strictly within OptiLoad to keep the liquid fresh. We have also simplified the overall design, favoring a minimal number of connections to ensure the coolant lines run consistently and without failure. We have essentially eliminated all leak points and addressed all necessary activations for system protection to ensure RF shelter floors remain dry and the passive RF parts remain intact for future use.”

Find Dielectric at the NAB Show at the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center between April 14-17, 2024, at booth W3333.

In January 2021, a 20-year run ended when San Jose Sharks play-by-play departed the airwaves of Bonneville International-owned KUFX “98.5 KFOX.”

What did the team do? It launched digital delivery of its game-day coverage — and more. Today, a 24/7 audio network exists for the Sharks, and its fueled by a StreamGuys application.

Specifically, it is the SGrecast offering that manages all podcast automation, rebroadcasting and live streaming across multiple platforms for the Sharks Audio Network. Delivering a mix of live regular season and Stanley Cup playoff games alongside a packed schedule of on-demand content, the team produces a full program of interviews, player profiles, replays, pre-game shows, highlight packages, lifestyle programs and live news.

With a background in radio, veteran play-by-play announcer Dan Rusanowsky is also involved in all areas of audio production. Now in his 33rd year with the Sharks, he is ideally placed to keep fans across all the action from what the locals refer to as the “Shark Tank.”

“I am best known as the play-by-play commentator for the San Jose Sharks, but I also operate the Shark’s audio network and, along with our staff, coordinate everything related to audio production,” says Rusanowsky, who has been with the Sharks since the team was formed in 1991. “I was charged with setting up radio network coverage, so managing audio has always been a normal part of operations for me,” he adds. “When we went 24 hours it expanded everything we were doing.”

Having worked with StreamGuys since 2019, Rusanowsky turned to its SGrecast SaaS platform to help him convert and republish live content, expand the platform’s distribution, and monetize the Sharks’ online footprint to get a bigger bite of their overseas fanbase. With most listeners accessing its stream on the Sharks Plus SAP Center app, the San Jose Sharks website also uses the SGrecast player to provide a dedicated hookup.

“Although we still have a terrestrial radio network in Northern California, we don’t currently have a flagship radio station in the Bay Area, and we decided to push people toward our 24-hour programming on the app,” says Rusanowsky. “It gives us access to people in places we have never been able to reach before, and SGrecast makes it very easy to continue to deliver programming to the NHL and to our partners at Skyview Satellite for our terrestrial affiliates.”

SGrecast acts as a bank which manages all team programming, and automatically archives the content. “SGrecast’s record capability gives us an aircheck of a game within minutes of the program finishing,” Rusanowsky says. “It means we can edit and repackage quickly; we can upload a condensed version for reuse, remove outdated commercials, or edit out any mistakes on the live broadcast, and re-upload them wither in the same or in a different space. SGrecast makes it very easy.”

The Sharks’ approach to generating content means it now has a dedicated studio at the SAP Center that replaces the studio that they would have had at the radio station, and being in full control of content means that not only are more people getting hooked on the Sharks, but the team is also better able to monetize content for even greater return.

“Terrestrial radio still does live programming very well, but I think that that’s starting to change with the younger population,” Rusanowsky notes. “Operating across multiple channels allows us to utilize our programming for client acquisition as well as client retention, and the Sharks Audio Network is an outstanding way to make sure that our fans stay engaged with the product.”

“Dan’s production creativity has led to exciting republishing workflows where the Sharks repurpose on-demand content as live, and live as on-demand,” says StreamGuys’ Neil Carducci, its Quality Assurance Tester.

Rusanowsky adds that they are using StreamGuys’ ad insertion technology to inject commercials into non-live programming, and the analytics helps them share with advertisers how many impressions the ads are getting, who they are reaching and who is finding their product. Meanwhile, SGreports tells them who, where and when people are listening to the full stream, helping them identify regions where interest is strong, and target marketing in those areas.

“It’s like expanding transmitter coverage to an infinite area and doing it with full digital quality. I think a lot of organizations with smaller audiences would find it very valuable,” he concludes. “If you can get a signal out and get an audience, and do it in a very cost-effective way, there’s no reason why anybody wouldn’t want to do it.”

— Reporting by Brian Galante, in Boston, with additional reporting and editing by Adam R Jacobson in San Luis Obispo, Calif.

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