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Issued an Erratum correcting a Fourth Report and Order, Order on Reconsideration, and Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 24-18, released on February 22, 2024

LAS VEGAS — It has become a tradition for many NAB Show attendees to conclude the annual conference and expo with an early morning breakfast gathering in the Brahms Roomn of the Encore Resort. This year was no different, as the 2024 NAB Show began its final day with a Broadcasters Foundation of America event that saw a radio industry icon receive an “Excellence in Broadcasting Award.”

Erica Farber, who is exiting the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) after 12 years, was saluted for her many contributions to the radio industry. Before joining RAB as its CEO, she led the former beloved industry trade publication Radio & Records. She has also held leadership roles at Interep, and for RKO Radio. Farber even auditioned for the role of Laurie Partridge in the original ABC television series The Partridge Family. Susan Dey got the role; the radio industry got Farber, who rose to lead RKO’s WXLO “99X” in New York in the mid-1970s when actor and comedian Jay Thomas was the station’s morning host.

In addition to Farber’s recognition, several other prominent industry figures in broadcasting have been named this year’s BFoA Leadership Award recipients.

These include Mike McVay, President of McVay Media; Don Bouloukos, a former executive at CBS and ABC Radio; and Traug Keller of ABC Radio Network and ESPN Radio.

On the television front, recipients were Frank Comerford, NBCU Local CRO and President of Commercial Operations; and John Rouse, EVP of ABC Affiliate Relations at Disney Platform Distribution.

Kathleen Kirby, a Partner at Wiley Law, is also among the 2024 honorees.

For over seventy years, the Broadcasters Foundation of America has served as a crucial support network, providing confidential financial assistance to over 1,000 radio and television broadcasters and their families across the United States who face severe financial difficulties. The foundation, supported by its Board of Directors, numerous volunteers, and many contributors, continues to offer aid to those in the broadcasting community in need.

RBR+TVBR OBSERVATION by Adam R Jacobson: On December 11, 1995, after a few training days at the Washington, D.C., bureau led by Randall Bloomquist, a wide-eyed, cocky, poorly dressed cub reporter with a journalism degree and a passion for the radio business showed up for his first day of work at Radio & Records‘ Los Angeles office at precisely 8:55am. Twenty-five minutes later, when most of the editorial team rolled in, as is typical in L.A., he settled in for what would turn out to be a 10 1/2-year career at R&R. While there was plenty of immature stupidity that led to meetings with Ron Rodrigues and Cyndee Maxwell and lapses of judgment galore, the woman who ran R&R — Erica Farber — was struck by my quick ability to settle in to Southern California just four days after frantically packing and flying out west for the most exciting opportunity one could have dreamed of. I shared with Erica how I found a furnished apartment, mastered the local bus schedules as I had no money for a car (in 1995 this was absurd, compared to today), and had even entertained distant cousins one day after securing a lease. “Would you like to consider a role in our sales team?” she asked. I was flattered … but I was a journalist, and brought to R&R to cover Radio. I stuck with that. And, I made lifelong friends, a few enemies, and met a slew of rock ‘n’ roll celebrities. With the sale of R&R to VNU and its August 8, 2006, merger with Billboard Radio Monitor, I was moving on — and away from Radio. It was a great run; I was done … until August 8, 2016, when Eric Rhoads and Deborah Parenti gave the keys to a publication that was barely on the radar during my R&R days. Fast-forward to the 2024 NAB Show, and somehow, someway, I’m one of two people tied to my time at R&R that are still covering the industry today. Kevin Carter continues the “Street Talk” legacy, as I offer broadcast media business, legal and financial news with skills carved at R&R. While Gail Mitchell was a marvelous mentor, and Julie Gidlow was the News Editor extraordinaire who deserves tremendous accolades for translating Pig Latin and Stream of Consciousness Essays into intelligent, insight-filled columns, I must congratulate Erica on her retirement and for all she has done for this industry, and for me. Without Erica agreeing to create a position for me, who knows where I’d be right now. Over the years we’ve always figured out how to say hello. Alas, this year I didn’t get the chance, even as we were steps away from each other at the ENCO booth, or at the ever-popular Encore Lobby Bar. So, here’s to you Erica. Thank you. Mille Grazie. Gracias. I can’t say it in enough ways.

LAS VEGAS — The government-funded BBC has been honored with the 2024 Broadcaster of the Year Award, one of the biggest accolades to be revealed at a New York Festivals (NYF) Storytellers Gala where 2024 Radio Awards winning entries were shared as part of the NAB Show.

“Engaging audio entries submitted from storytellers around the world mesmerized listeners and were recognized with trophies by the 2024 Radio Award Grand Jury,” New York Festivals notes. Winning entries include entertainment and music specials, podcasts and audiobooks, dramas, and documentaries, and up to the minute news coverage.

Captivating audio entries submitted by the BBC that informed, educated, and entertained  were recognized with Gold trophies. including “The Shamima Begum Story- S2” of I’m Not A Monster and Believe in Magic (a BBC Studios Productions Limited production). Silver trophy winners include “The Global Jigsaw” (BBC World Service), “Shiny Bob: The Devil’s Advocate,” and “Crossing the Cuillin Mountains.” Those two programs are produced by BBC Scotland.

Boutique production company Almost Tangible was recognized with the 2024 Radio Production Company of the Year Award. Award-winning entries include their Grand and multiple Gold-winning “Hamlet Noir.”

2024 Grand Awards

The Beatles’ Legacy: Red and Blue by Howlett Media Productions Ltd – Documentary: Music earned the Grand Trophy. Written, narrated, and produced by Kevin Howlett, The Beatles’ Legacy: Red and Blue two-part series reveals the story behind ‘Now And Then’ and examines the power of the most enduring catalogue in popular music, as represented by the two historic double LPs. Since their release in 1973, the Red and Blue albums have acted as an introduction to The Beatles for generation after generation of young music fans.

Hamlet Noir from Almost Tangible – Entertainment: Drama Program was honored with the Grand Award. Hamet Noir is an innovative mashup of Danish and British creativity: fusing the original words of Shakespeare with a modern detective narrative to create a gripping Nordic Noir crime drama, anchored in Shakespeare’s iconic play. Hamlet Noir was awarded 4 Gold trophies.

Bloodlines by CBC Podcasts, BBC Asian Network, BBC Sounds – Podcasts: Narrative/Documentary Podcast tells the story of a generation of children, who In the aftermath of Islamic State, were forced into a reality they never chose. “Bloodlines,” a profound and poignant podcast from BBC Sounds and CBC, delves into the lives of these children, born under the shadow of Islamic State’s so-called Caliphate or taken there by radicalized parents.

Murder in Boston: The untold story of the Charles and Carol Stuart Shooting Produced by the Boston Globe, presented by the Boston Globe and HBO Documentary Films – Podcast: Investigative Journalism Podcast was recognized by New York Festivals with the 2024 National Press Club Award. The National Press Award honors the highest scoring news program across the Breaking News Story Coverage, Continuing News Story Coverage, Nonfiction Series and News Podcast categories.

The New York Festivals Radio Awards 66-year legacy provides a showcase to celebrate world-class storytellers from around the globe. It is noteworthy that the vast majority of honors did not feature U.S.-based content.

Starting Monday, the owner of broadcast TV stations in Jacksonville, Houston, Roanoke-Lynchburg, San Antonio, Orlando and its home market of Detroit will have a new VP of News.

Taking the role is the former SVP of Local News at The E.W. Scripps Co.

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LAS VEGAS — The NAB has recognized and celebrated what it considers “the most significant and promising new products being exhibited” at the 2024 NAB Show, which concludes Wednesday (4 /17) at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Among the honorees are Super Hi-Fi, Telos Alliance and Dielectric.

For Super Hi-Fi, an award for Audio Production, Processing and Networking in the “Create” category was given for its Voicetrack Fusion product. In the Streaming subcategory, it also won honors for its HLS+ product.

Additionally, a joint award went to Super Hi-Fi and Orban for the sleek Orban OPTIMOD 5950: Super Hi-Fi Edition, which RBR+TVBR saw a live demonstration of during a Monday meeting with Super Hi-Fi executives at the Encore Las Vegas resort.

In the “Radio” category, Telos Alliance was honored for its Omnia Forza FM product while its ip-studio took an award for the Studio Zero offering.

In the “Connect” category, a Cloud Computing and Storage award was handed to SwXtch.io for its CloudSwXtch Intelligent Media Network, as MultiDyne was honored for its MDoG Series products.

For the Monitoring and Measuring Tools subcategory, Dielectric won an award for its OptiLoad RF Load Solution.

In the “Capitalize” category, ENCO took an award for its enCaption Sierra product, while Futuri Media‘s SpotOn also earned a Product of the Year nod. So did Veritone‘s “Ask Veri” tool.

The awards, which recognize and celebrate the most significant and promising new products being exhibited at the NAB Show, included dozens of other winners, which were selected by a panel of industry experts in 19 categories. To be eligible, nominated products must be from companies exhibiting at the 2024 NAB Show and available for delivery within the 2024 calendar year.

“These winners represent the most cutting-edge advancements and technologies shaping the future of content creation, distribution and monetization,” said Eric Trabb, SVP/Chief Customer Success Officer at NAB Global Connections and Events. “They are driving the industry forward, and we are excited to recognize them as they break through with a remarkable range of solutions that push the boundaries of what’s possible in our industry. We’re excited to see how these advancements will empower storytellers and connect audiences in entirely new ways.”

 

 

 

Radio World announced the recipients of the Radio World “Best of Show” Award at the 2024 NAB Show in Las Vegas.

• Aiir Scheduler
• Angry Audio Rave
• Aqua Broadcast Cobalt FM Transmitter Series
• Broadcast Bionics ConTEXT
• EAS at the Edge: Digital Alert Systems, Nautel & Telos Alliance
• ENCO SPECai Spec Ad Creation
• Inovonics 677 EAS Triple Tuner
• Marketron NXT
• Nautel Digital Radio Test Drive
• Orban Optimod 5950: Super Hi-Fi Edition
• Radio.Cloud Voicetrack.ai
• RCS AudioDisplay
• Super HiFi HLS+
• Telos Alliance Omnia Forza FM
• Telos Alliance 25-Seven PDMX Audio Program Delay
• Tieline Bridge-IT II
• Wheatstone Audioarts Plug-in Ready Digital Consoles
• Wheatstone Infinite Studio
• WorldCast Systems’ APT IP Silver MPX
• Xperi AIM Player

Recipients are chosen by a panel of engineers and editors. Companies pay a fee to enter. Not all entrants are winners. All nominees and winners will be featured in a digital guide that will be published after the convention.

The awards celebrate companies leading the way in media and technology, as exhibited at the convention. The Future publications that participated in the awards program this year also include TV Tech, TVB Europe, Broadcasting+Cable, Next TV, Sound & Video Contractor, Mix and ITPro.

The post Here Are the “Best of Show” Award Winners at NAB 2024 appeared first on Radio World.

NEW YORK — An independent converged TV advertising specialist is teaming up with a provider of data-driven marketing tools that will see cross-product integrations designed to bring targeting across linear, addressable, digital and connected TV platforms.

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New accessibility to children and/or parents who are deaf or hard of hearing has come to a slate of programs under the PBS KIDS umbrella, thanks to the integration of American Sign Language interpretations into multiple series.

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The media and advertising landscape is, in the minds of many, in its next phase of its evolution as global media leaders now look to data, AI and a more collaborative client-agency approach to navigate an era of rapid change and drive efficiencies in transformation.

Transformation is progressing, creating stronger, more strategic partnerships with brands and their agencies. But what is the largest obstacle to transformation?

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A 33-year veteran of Kansas City radio who most recently served as the afternoon host of top-rated Cumulus Media Classic Rocker KCFX “101 The FOX” in Kansas City has lost his battle with blood cancer.

Brian “Slacker” Adams was 59. Adams was a mainstay at The FOX, spending 16 years at the station, including as its morning host — a role he earned in January 2008. Before that, he spent 17 years in afternoons at KYYS “KY102,” once a major Album-Oriented Rock station serving Kansas City.

In a statement released by KCFX midday Wednesday, KCFX shared the cause of Adams’ death as Acute Myeloid Leukemia, one of the more common forms of the blood cancer. He is survived by his wife, Jennifer, and daughter, Brianna. “Slacker had two great passions — his family, and his time on the air in Kansas City,” the station said. “For over 33 years, the last 16 at 101 The Fox, Slacker loved to entertain his radio audience. He helped Veterans with Cars 4 Heroes and many other charities. He pointed out the little absurdities we all deal with, making us laugh at him and ourselves. Named ‘Radio Legend’ by his peers, Slacker was a voice of, and for, Kansas City. Sadly, that voice is now silent. If you choose, Slacker asked that you pray for his family, and all who are affected by cancer. And pick up the phone and talk to that friend you haven’t gotten around to talking to, today. Slacker would like that.”

Adams is a Southwest Missouri State University graduate of the Class of 1985 and also operated Slacker Enterprises as a radio advertising agent.

In memoriam, KCFX will air an hourlong Slacker Special tonight at 6pm Central. It can be listened to via the station’s webstream: https://www.101thefox.net/.

 

April 21 is World AML Awareness Day. To help bring cures to those with blood cancers, please consider a donation to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Kansas City chapter. For more information please click here.

On February 8, new of a joint venture proposal forged by The Walt Disney Co. owner ESPN, FOX Corporation and Warner Bros. Discovery to create a sports-focused subscription video-on-demand platform with a reported $40 per month fee triggered a Wall Street sell-off for some broadcast TV companies.

While Gray Television and FuboTV responded with official statements in response to the “Hulu for Sports” plan, FuboTV in late February filed an antitrust lawsuit in a New York federal district court against the trio of media giants in a move designed to put a stop to its plans.

Now, two Members of Congress have chimed in to express their concerns of negative consumer impact and anti-competitive behavior as a result of their sports streaming joint venture.

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In Jacksonville, Fla., TEGNA brands its NBC and ABC affiliates serving the northeast Florida metropolis as “First Coast News,” owing to nearby St. Augustine. Both stations air shared newscasts, and have been a “duopoly” since a November 1999 decision by Allbritton Communications to sell the NBC-affiliated property to Gannett.

Today, that station is owned by TEGNA, and it is asking the Commission to give it an digital-era upgrade.

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On April 2, the FCC released a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in its proceeding to “modernize and revise its rules” by permitting limited, voluntary program origination on FM booster stations.

The FNPRM set deadlines for filing comments and reply comments at 30 and 60 days,
respectively, after publication of the FNPRM in the Federal Register. That’s now happened, putting in place firm comment dates.

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Bob Boilen (Photo via X)

After retiring from National Public Radio last year, Bob Boilen has taken on a new challenge — program director for WOWD-LP in Takoma Park, Md.

Boilen spent 35 years at NPR where he created the broadcaster’s well-received “Tiny Desk Concerts” and “All Songs Considered” programs. He also directed “All Things Considered” for 18 years.

In October 2023, speaking on “Morning Edition” after his retirement was announced, Boilen told hos Mary Louise Kelly that what he wanted to do was to make music. “I’ll have time for that. I make sort of ambient music of my own, and I make albums with my band Danger Painters, which is really fun.”

He also mentioned that he was DJing “on this little low-power FM station.”

Starting June 1, 2024, Boilen will become PD for the station, WOWD-LP Takoma Radio. Since August 2021, he has hosted “My Tiny Morning Show” Wednesday mornings on the Takoma Park, Md.-based low-power station.

“After 35 years at NPR, it’s a thrill to be a part of community radio with a spirit of commitment and imagination that this station and its volunteers offer,” Boilen stated. On X (formerly Twitter), he added “I’m thrilled to work with old and new friends, including DJs from the WGTB [Georgetown University] days and local high school hosts on this fabulous eclectic community radio station.”

Boilen succeeds Steve Hoffman, who has served as the LPFM’s program director since 2018.

“Being WOWD’s Program Director these past six and a half years has been an honor,” stated Hoffman. “This job was the culmination of my lifelong love affair with radio and my five decades DJing on community radio.”

Hoffman continues to host the weekly program “Tuesday Morning Mix.”

The post From ‘Tiny Desk’ to LPFM appeared first on Radio World.

NEW YORK — Gen Media Partners and the Ten-Minute Trainer Network are conducting a no-cost webinar designed to help stations in small and medium markets across the U.S. fully recognize their political advertising potential in the upcoming election season.

The online event is scheduled for Wednesday, April 24 at Noon Eastern.

The webinar will be hosted by Gen Media Partners’ political advertising expert Roger Rafson, SVP of Political/Issue Advocacy and Strategic Alliances; VP/Political Strategies Manager Linley Grande; and Political Broadcast Strategist Heather Karban. They will provide actionable tactics to maximize political advertising dollars while adhering to legal boundaries.

“Preparation is vital to ensure stations take full advantage of the political cycle,” said GMP Executive VP Greg Tacher. “This is a terrific opportunity for small and medium market stations to gain valuable knowledge for free that can help them generate political advertising revenue.”

“The Ten-Minute Trainer Network is excited to partner with Gen Media Partners to bring you this important and timely webinar,” said Bryan Marriott, President of Ten-Minute Trainer Network/P1 Learning. “In less than an hour, attendees will gain valuable insights from these political advertising experts.”

The Ten-Minute Trainer Network is a collaboration between P1 Learning and the Swagger Institute, providing training solutions to broadcasters nationwide.

For more information about the webinar, click here.

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