Radio World

On Friday March 13 Pakistan Broadcasting Corp. completed a five-day training course on digital radio migration.

The PBC organized the event at the Pakistan Broadcasting Academy in Islamabad for 30 engineering professionals. The broadcaster described the students as “torch bearers for implementation of the digitization project.”

Radio Pakistan’s Director of Engineering Kamran Saeed addressed attendees during the inaugural ceremony. He said PBC has “taken effective initiatives to digitize its transmission.”

In addition, he added that the government’s digital radio migration policy, which PBC board of directors has approved, recommends use of the Digital Radio Mondiale standard.

The technology, he pointed out, is suitable for Pakistan’s topology and also because it offers “audio quality and energy efficiency.”

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Saeed said the the digitization plan would cost an estimated Rs4,129.882 million and take place over the next five to seven years.

The post Pakistan Begins Digitization Process appeared first on Radio World.

The author is engineering manager for Southern Cross Austereo, Melbourne

MELBOURNE, Victoria — At SCA in Melbourne I lead a team of very talented engineers in one of the head-end markets that service the HIT, Triple M and PodcastOne networks around Australia.

The engineering team in Melbourne is part of the wider Technology Services division and is responsible for ensuring reliable broadcast of local and networked programs, design and layout of studios, IT equipment servicing, outside broadcasts, maintenance and testing.

Kate’s Remote Studio in Bologna, Italy.

The “Hughesy and Kate Show” has been on-air for 17 years and is one of the flagship national shows for the Hit Network. It is broadcast over 48 stations in metro and regional markets, with a reach of more than 2.6 million listeners. Based in Melbourne, since 2017 the program has consistently been one of the top rated shows in the drive time slot. The longevity of the show, the chemistry between Hughesy and Kate, and the quality of the content produced, makes it very important to the Hit Network.

BROADCASTING FROM ITALY

Co-host Kate Langbroek had always planned to have a year away in Italy with her family. Kate and her husband decided that if they were to make the move it would need to be in 2019. After making the decision, management at Southern Cross Austereo put forward the idea of Kate broadcasting remotely from Italy, rather than losing her from the show.

The Team Visiting Kate in Italy; Executive Producer Sacha French (rear), announcers Kate Langbroek and Dave Hughes, with Jack Lawrence, anchor of the show (front).

Initially we expected to be hiring a studio at a local radio station in Bologna. However, it soon became apparent that Italian stations operated very differently. There were very different standards to what we were used to, plus a huge language barrier between our team and their management. Therefore, we decided to set up a studio ourselves.

Whenever we approach outside broadcasts, particularly for large shows, reliability is at the forefront of our decision-making. For the Hughesy and Kate Show we needed to implement IP streaming technology that was compact and simple to use, with the flexibility of redundant IP streaming, remote access and uninterrupted power.

SCA owns versions of almost every Tieline codec available and in Melbourne we primarily use the Tieline Merlin and ViA codecs. After using the ViA for multiple projects in the lead up to the Italy project, we knew without any doubt that it was the right fit for the application.

Andrea Cole from our engineering team went to Italy to set up the studio in an office space. We hired an office space from an American-Italian documentary filmmaker. Room acoustics were a challenge, however Andrea worked with the owner to build acoustic panels and make the broadcast area more useable. We decided that Ethernet LAN connections would be the most reliable option, so our world-class networking team designed a solution allowing Hughesy and Kate to feel as if they were in the same room.

SOFTWARE-DEFINDED NETWORKING

To get the remote studio onto our WAN, we installed an SD-WAN appliance attached to the fiber-connected internet router. This allowed all the devices in the room to be visible on our network and accessible like a studio in our building. Once everything was set up, we could easily access the codec remotely. Software defined networking has come a long way in recent years, and we are using it more than ever to connect our facilities over long distances. In this case it proved an absolute winner.

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Our primary fiber connection was paired with a Netgear Nighthawk LTE modem using the TIM network in Italy to provide SmartStream Plus redundant streaming over Ethernet to the ViA.

Our studios can combine multiple return mixes with talkback and IFB functionality on a single mono audio source. Each day the team would do a combined segment with the “Carrie & Tommy Show.” One day we had Kate in Italy, Dave Hughes in Maroochydore, Carrie at her home studio and Tommy in Darwin.

Four locations, four ViA codecs, and all sounding like they were in the same room. Days like this are pretty normal for our drive shows. We love the challenge and without the ViA or Merlin, we couldn’t deliver such flexibility.

We used the Toolbox web-GUI for 90% of our configuration, which gives us great control. We can remotely adjust Kate’s send/return mix, mic and headphone levels. With the ViA’s built in audio processing we can deliver a clear-sounding broadcast-quality line paired with a Neumann KMS 105 microphone, which is the same mic we use in our studios. In my opinion no other mic matches its sound and with the ViA it ensured Kate’s audio quality matched that of our studio.

The show has been on air seamlessly for nearly a year now. From the start Kate felt at home with the setup and was extremely happy with the result. She would continuously praise the reliability of the technology. Dave Hughes back in Melbourne said it was: “Incredible! The technology worked better than when we’re in different studios around Australia.”

In terms of the codec itself, there were no issues. The ViA is portable, simple to use, robust, flexible (with its multiple ways of connecting), sounds great, and has everything built into it that you need to make OBs reliable. We have used them in cars, busses, bikes, boats, beaches, bars. Doesn’t matter where you are, it does the job.

There has been discussion now that we use so many ViAs in the field as to whether we even need to build studios anymore! I’m sure that would never eventuate, but we often laugh about where the future is headed with such great technology becoming available.

For information, contact Charlie Gawley at Tieline in Australia at +61-8-9413-2000 or visit www.tieline.com.

The post Tieline Drives Ratings for Southern Cross Austereo appeared first on Radio World.

Steinberg has introduced its new UR24C, the latest model in its line of UR-C USB 3.0 interfaces.

The interface itself sports two balanced Neutrik combo inputs, D-PRE microphone preamps, two TRS main outputs, four RCA line outputs, MIDI in and out, and USB Type-C (USB 3.1 Gen 1 SuperSpeed) connectivity, making it compatible with PCs, Macs and iOS devices. It features 32-bit/192 kHz audio resolution, MIDI and numerous DSP effects that can reportedly be used when monitoring audio without latency.

[Check Out More Products at Radio World’s Products Section]

Onboard DSP effects, e.g. REV-X reverb, Channel Strip and Guitar Amp Classics, are accessed by the unit’s dspMixFx mixer. Those looking for more effects can pore through the software bundle that comes with the UR24C; the bundle includes Cubase AI music production software; Basic FX Suite, consisting of effects and sound processing tools; native versions of the DSP effects (both VST 3 and AU compatible); and the Cubasis LE music production app for the iPad.

Intended for use by musicians, producers and DJs, the UR24C provides switchable monitor modes for headphones: DAW mode is used for producing music with a DAW, where the signal from Output 1 or Output 2 is chosen as the headphone source while allowing the user to adjust the balance of the signals from the DAW and from the UR24C’s inputs. Meanwhile, DJ mode is expected to be used for performances with DJ software and backing tracks, where the signal is split so the mono master sound is output to the right side of the headphones and the mono cue sound to the left, also letting the user adjust the balance of both signals.

Steinberg’s Senior Marketing Manager Stefan Schreiber commented: “With its build quality, first-class components and 32-bit/192 kHz resolution, the whole UR-C range of interfaces sets a very high standard. The UR24C includes all these competitive advantages, but also comes with a unique and flexible concept of monitoring that works both in the studio and on stage.”

Currently shipping and available, the UR24C runs $319.

Info: www.steinberg.net

 

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Lectrosonics has introduced its new MTCR — Miniature Time Code Recorder. Small enough to be hidden in garments, the MTCR can be placed on a subject to capture audio, synchronized with timecode, when using a wireless mic is not practical.

The MTCR, sized at 2.3 × 2.1 x 0.7 inches and weighing 2.5 oz., with battery, records in 24-bit/48 kHz digital onto a microSD card (HC type, Class 10) in the industry-standard BWAV (Broadcast Wave File) format. The unit can be jammed to external time code via the standard 5-pin Lemo connector. A headphone output jack allows for monitoring the signal input or listening to previously recorded files, but cannot be used to send live audio to another device while recording.

[Check Out More Products at Radio World’s Products Section]

The input connector is a TA5M jack that accepts any mic or line level signal and provides bias voltage to power electret lavaliere microphones. The input connection and wiring are compatible with microphones prewired for use with Lectrosonics wireless transmitters with servo bias type inputs.

Setup and adjustment are made through an interface provided by the keypad and LCD. The housing is manufactured from aluminum alloy, then hard anodized. The MTCR runs for more than six hours on a single lithium AAA battery.

The MTCR, shipping now with an MSRP of $990, comes with an M152/5P low-noise omnidirectional lavalier microphone, microSD memory card, belt clip, and AAA lithium battery.

Info: www.lectrosonics.com

 

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Cassette tapes sales are back in fashion, with sales reportedly at their highest in more than 15 years, with annual growth outpacing even vinyl’s resurgence. To celebrate, tape manufacturer RecordingTheMasters is launching a Kickstarter campaign for a new portable cassette player, Mystik.

As all analog music formats continue to rise in popularity, cassette tapes now outpace all other formats — including vinyl — in consumer-market growth, more than quadrupling since 2011. Artists including Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Eminem, Jack White, Taylor Swift, Jay-Z and others have all released recent albums on cassette. This year’s recent Cassette Store Day saw RecordingTheMasters partner with New York-based Dala Records for a limited-edition mixtape.

[Check Out More Products at Radio World’s Products Section]

With the rise in demand for analog music cassettes, RecordingTheMasters states its new compact analog cassette tape is the first newly produced cassette on the market to offer high-quality audio in analog format. The cassette tape is manufactured using legendary chemical formulas from AGFA and BASF at the Mulann facility in Normandy, France.

RecordingTheMasters’ new Mystik portable cassette player will feature a revamped electronic board designed with former Thomson/RCA audio engineers with an emphasis on audio playback, Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity and a rechargeable battery. It will also feature a built-in microphone for quick start recording, a 3.5 mm-1/8-inch line jack for higher fidelity recording, a 3.5 mm-1/8-inch headphone jack and a transparent window showing the spinning wheels of the listener’s favorite cassette tape.

Expected to retail at $110 when brought to market, the Mystik portable cassette player is now available to a limited number of early backers for $78, bundled with a blank FOX C-60 high-quality audio cassette tape, during the Kickstarter fundraising period.

Info: www.recordingthemasters.com

 

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Røde’s new NT-USB Mini is a compact USB microphone intended for recording directly to a computer or tablet; the new offering is intended for podcasters, musicians, streamers, gamers and others.

[Check Out More Products at Radio World’s Products Section]

Built around a condenser capsule with RF shielding, the NT-USB Mini — which is 89 mm wide and 141 mm high —sports a directional cardioid pickup pattern to reduce room sound and other extraneous noise. A built-in pop filter aids reducing plosives and the mic also comes with a magnetic desk stand that attaches to an integrated 360-degree swing mount within the mic.

Besides the NT-USB Mini’s USB output, it also has an internal headphone amplifier with precision level control and switchable zero-latency monitoring via a 3.5 mm-1/8-inch headphone output, all encased in steel and reinforced nylon resin construction, finished in matte black.

It ships with a USB cable.

Info: www.rode.com

 

The post Røde Rolls Out NT-USB Mini Microphone appeared first on Radio World.

In response to concerns surrounding COVID-19, as well as recommendations from health organizations, radio groups and broadcast organizations have begun to cancel and postpone events. We will update this article as we learn about changes.

Please refer to our events calendar for information about other events, and email radioworld@futurenet.com if you have any announcements of your own.

March 13: Minnesota Public Radio has canceled all events March 14 through April 24. MPR says it will offer refunds and exchanges and will contact ticketholders about changes.

The Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters has cancelled its annual convention. The association says they will announce 2021 dates for the OAB Convention.

March 12: Spanish Broadcasting System Puerto Rico says it’s cancelled upcoming concerts and special events.

March 11: The National Association of Broadcasters called off its April NAB Show plans and announced it is considering its options. Colocated events, including the SBE Ennes workshop and the Association of Public Radio Engineer’s PREC 2020 have also been cancelled.

March 9: The 2020 edition of Radiodays Europe has been indefinitely postponed, according to an emailed statement from General Manager Peter Niegel.

Also, CABSAT has been rescheduled for Oct. 26–28.

 

 

 

The post Coronavirus Cancellations Announced by Broadcasters appeared first on Radio World.

The author is membership program director of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters. NFCB commentaries are featured regularly at www.radioworld.com.

Coronavirus, or COVID-19, has become a focal point of the nation. Travel, education, sports and public events have all been impacted by fears of the virus’ spread. And with the World Health Organization declaring COVID-19 a global pandemic, one can guess this situation is prompting a great deal of caution.

What is a radio station to do in the midst of a coronavirus outbreak?

For many outlets, automation and federal policy changes on studios have meant business as usual continues. For many others that welcome and interact with the community, the spread of coronavirus has prompted deeper questions about safety, service and trust.

The National Federation of Community Broadcasters issued a directive this week on COVID-19 response for radio stations. We address some of the key decisions before community radio stations in particular. The biggest issues boil down to relevance, engagement and your internal base.

[Read: Community Broadcaster: Four Top Fund Drive Fumbles]

What is a community radio station without trust? How can we say we are community oriented if we are not relevant to the lives of the listeners, donors and wider region to which we broadcast? As much as we at community radio stations may worry about our canceled events and hand sanitizer supplies, these questions are the major ones, because they speak to who we are and why we do this work.

While I have written many columns on this subject, the emergence of COVID-19 should push every community radio station to be in touch with and actively involved with local first responders. Every state, county and city has an emergency preparedness team, often composed of area leadership, police, firefighters and media. These teams want broadcasters at the table. In addition, they have the most accurate and up to date information available to share with audiences.

Being connected with your station’s state and county first responders will help you cut through the misinformation and outright falsehoods that circulate on social media and elsewhere. If you are a mixed-format, news, or music station, you’ll have to decide how you distribute information with your audience. If you don’t do a lot of news, perhaps this is a time to test fly, or maybe you will want to stick with public service announcements and website updates. The choices you make will be determined by your resources and availability of support to pull it off. Be realistic with what you can do, and don’t be afraid to rely on whatever emergency response infrastructure may be available to you locally.

Last but surely not least, your station will have to take a thorough but measured approach to your obligations related to staff and volunteers. Proper care for staff and volunteers includes all the stuff we have heard about: having hygiene and cleaning protocols in place; educating volunteers about not coming in sick or if they’ve been exposed to sick people; and being able to respond if and when absences come up. However, stations will also have to contend with more complex matters like sick leave, remote delivery of programming and having a team in place to help your station address an emergency as needed. You may also have to shift culture. Community radio tends to attract people who want to help and to be there in a pinch, but safety is paramount.

For community radio stations that have eschewed automation systems, COVID-19 may impress upon you to have contingencies. The reality is people will get ill or feel unsafe to come in, and finding a live substitute DJ may prove challenging. While there are free and open source packages like Rivendell, at the moment they may be out of the question given their learning curve as well as the immediate need a station has. How you handle this at your station is a priority.

Despite the wave of universities closing up, most college and community radio stations are doing their best to stay open. If your station has not been seriously impacted by COVID-19, today is the day to act.

The post Community Broadcaster: COVID-19 Concerns appeared first on Radio World.

One in a series of articles reporting on what the radio industry is telling the FCC about all-digital on the AM band.

Hubbard Radio has been test driving all-digital AM broadcasting on its WWFD(AM) just outside Washington, D.C., since July 2018. According to the broadcaster, the ride has been mostly a smooth one.

The company told the FCC it is fully supportive of a proposal to permit AM licensees — on a voluntary individual basis  — to operate in an all-digital format 24/7.

Hubbard says the MA3 signal of WWFD, which operates in full-time all-digital under special temporary authority from the FCC, has proven to be much more robust than the hybrid mode of HD AM broadcasting, and with improved signal coverage. The company says it has received positive feedback from listeners about the fidelity and reliability of their all-digital signal.

“In Hubbard’s experience, the data conclusively confirm that all-digital MA3 operation provides an improved, consistently high-quality listener experience, in terms of audio fidelity and signal robustness,” according to the group’s filing.

[Hear directly from Hubbard’s Joel Oxley in the recent RW webinar “Digital Sunrise for AM.”]

The station, which broadcasts at 820 kHz and is licensed to Frederick, Md., has seen ratings gains since launching the all-digital signal, according to Hubbard.

“WWFD broadcasts an adult album alternative music format. The station had no ratings in its home market of Frederick, Md., for the five years it was an analog station with that format, but now that it is operating in MA3, the station is ranked by Nielsen in the market,” it wrote.

Hubbard is using the MA3 technology to transmit auxiliary data and metadata to listeners of WWFD, it says. “The secondary and tertiary carriers of WWFD can provide stereo audio information, data services such as station logo, album artwork, and other artist experience information, as well as multicast channels.”

[Read: NPR Supports All-Digital on AM, With Caveats]

In addition, earlier reliability issues with the secondary and tertiary carriers on WWFD have since been resolved, Hubbard said. The station fixed the issues by “installing a replacement transmitter, a Nautel NX5, with a pulse duration modulator that runs at a sufficiently high rate to pass the secondary and tertiary carriers, allowing the full MA3 waveform to be transmitted.”

Hubbard says their solutions to the issue will be documented in detail in a forthcoming technical paper.

WWFD in December tested an HD2 multicast channel, according to Hubbard, transmitting musical track data and a station logo image as well. Future versions of enhanced EAS alerting will use the secondary and tertiary carriers to supplement the data transmitted on the Primary IBOC Data Service Logical Channel (“PIDS”) carriers.

“Hubbard believes that these continued improvements in the MA3 delivery system will mitigate any concerns about secondary and tertiary carrier issues, and that these technologies will continue to be expanded to better serve listeners,” it stated.

[Related: NPR Supports All-Digital on AM, With Caveats]

Hubbard also believes all-digital AM technology will help WWFD compete in the dashboard of the connected car.

It commented: “Trends in vehicle entertainment system receiver designs are converging on ‘tuning by visual metadata,’ where listeners select an audio program by pressing a thumbnail image of the desired program. MA3 allows AM broadcasters to have both aural and visual parity with other broadcast services in the automobile dashboard.”

In conclusion, Hubbard told the FCC the MA3 mode of HD Radio provides “far more manageable solutions” to any unintended interference with neighboring analog AM stations in the band when compared to the MA1 mode. In fact, WWFD “has never received any interference complaints from co-channel or adjacent channel stations,” it reported.

 

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People enter the Federal Communications Commission building in Washington. 

The FCC is shuttering its doors to visitors, effective immediately, as a response to the coronavirus, which was officially labeled a global pandemic by the World Health Organization.

The FCC said that for the foreseeable future, no visitors will be allowed into its facilities, with the exception of those receiving special permission from the Office of Managing Director. However, the FCC said that such permission will be restricted unless there is a clear operational necessity.

FCC employees have also been instructed to telework unless they cannot otherwise accomplish their work.

It will remain business as usual, however, as the commission plans to conduct its regular and ongoing work. It encourages those with business before the FCC to schedule necessary meetings by teleconference.

Consulting with the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, the Office of Managing Director and Office of General Counsel, the FCC will monitor developments regarding the coronavirus and implement new or ease precautions should circumstances change.

The post FCC Bars Visitors from Facilities Due to Coronavirus appeared first on Radio World.

One in a series of articles this week reporting on what the radio industry is telling the FCC about all-digital on the AM band.

National Public Radio “generally supports” allowing stations to transition, if they wish, to all-digital AM transmission using HD Radio in the United States. But it believes the commission needs to go further on how it would handle interference complaints from neighboring analog stations in the band.

About 80 AM public radio stations are affiliated with NPR or receive operational funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, including WNYC(AM) in New York City.

[Read: Small-Market Owners Caution Against “AM Stereo Situation” With Digital]

NPR says it has significant interest in any measures to help AM broadcasters better serve the public by improving the listening experience.

“Facilitating the expansion of HD Radio and its additional functionality for program and public safety information and services would serve the public interest, provided the transition to all-digital HD Radio operation does not cause harmful interference,” NPR wrote in comments filed with the FCC this week.

“As it has in the past, NPR supports the expansion of HD Radio, but not at the expense of current analog AM service.”

NPR goes on to note the “concerns of others in the FCC record” over the potential for interference. Discussion of all-digital on the AM band in the United States has often centered around worries over interference.

The broadcaster does suggest in its comments several ways the FCC can help mitigate the risk of harmful interference from all-digital deployment. “NPR urges it to collaborate with industry to monitor both the progress of stations that adopt all-digital AM and the effects of such deployment on all-digital stations’ analog neighbors,” it wrote.

[Read: NAB Is All-In on All-Digital AM]

“Second, NPR suggests that the commission consider periodically disclosing general information about the number of stations transmitting all-digital AM signals, the number and type of interference complaints it receives, and how such complaints were resolved to help stakeholders understand the full landscape.”

NPR acknowledges certain FCC policies might prevent it from disclosing specific facts about complaints it receives.

“Finally, NPR encourages the commission to issue a public notice on or about the first and second anniversaries of the effective date of any rules it adopts here, seeking comment on the positive and/or negative effects of any all-digital AM deployments.”

NPR, which produces, acquires and distributes programming to nearly 1,200 public radio stations nationwide , also agrees that adopting the NRSC-5-D standard for all digital audio broadcast operations in the United States is appropriate.

 

The post NPR Supports All-Digital on AM, With Caveats appeared first on Radio World.

Paul McLane is editor in chief of Radio World. Marguerite Clark is editor in chief of Radio World International.

The necessary and prudent decision by the NAB to move or cancel its big spring show obviously causes a lot of understandable questions and short-term uncertainty in our industry. We’d like to take a moment to explain what Radio World readers and advertisers can expect from us in coming weeks.

Our core ongoing mission is to bring together buyers and sellers of specialized broadcast technology, and to help radio industry engineers and managers advance in their jobs and careers by exploring key technical and business trends.

Those goals usually converge at the annual convention, which we’ve covered in depth for 43 years; that’s why so many of our stories and ads are created during the spring show season.

Our team members were already making plans around a possible show postponement. Now we are working hard to adjust RW’s familiar offerings to these unique circumstances.

The key point for us right now is that commerce goes on. We have no doubt that the NAB Show will return vigorously next year (and possibly in some form yet this year). But meantime, radio engineers and managers need to buy new products … trends that would have been discussed during the show conferences are still newsworthy … and manufacturers need to get their word out to professional consumers.

Radio World, as the industry’s leading radio technical brand, has a crucial role to play in coming weeks. We will continue and expand our coverage under our “Spring Show @ Home” initiative.

Expect us to continue to report on new products that would have been shown at NAB, while also exploring new ways to put them before you. Our Best of Show Awards program, webinars, and Sneak Peeks and Must See newsletters all will be offered in slightly modified form as part of the Spring Show @ Home series. If anything we feel these information channels have an even more important role than ever in helping shine a spotlight on new offerings.

All of these are being created with the idea of helping you to do your job — whether you are a user of technology, or a creator of that technology.

Meanwhile we also seek to cover the ongoing impact of the coronavirus on the industry in a responsible manner. And we want to hear from our readers as well as our advertising partners about how we can best serve you.

Thanks for bearing with us as we adjust our own processes to serve you best. Let’s face it, this is an unusual business situation. But like radio itself, the broadcast technology industry is vibrant, enduring and evolving, and we’re proud to be part of it. We welcome hearing from you on this or any matter.

Paul McLane
Editor in Chief
Radio World

Marguerite Clark
Editor in Chief
Radio World International

 

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The National Association of Broadcasters has created an online Coronavirus Response Toolkit to help broadcasters cover COVID-19 developments accurately and effectively. 

NAB added new downloadable COVID-19 public service announcements Thursday. The PSAs are available in both English and Spanish, and scripts are available to stations who want their own talent to read the information. 

Additionally, the toolkit features editorial guidelines, including lists of trusted resources and social media accounts to ensure stations point listeners in the right direction for COVID-19 information. 

“As COVID-19 impacts everyday life, it is important for broadcasters to communicate credible news and information to keep people safe and informed,” NAB President/CEO Gordon Smith said in an announcement about the coronavirus toolkit. “I encourage all broadcasters to utilize resources in the toolkit to help their local communities during this critical time.”

The toolkit also includes information to help stations mitigate coronavirus–related staffing concerns and to create internal plans to cope with disruptions related to the pandemic. 

The NAB also aborted plans for the April NAB Show Wednesday due to the coronavirus spread. The association has not yet announced whether it will reschedule the event. Some groups who had planned colocated events, such as Nautel’s NUG@NAB and PBS’ TechCon have cancelled their events, while others are formulating their own responses and deciding whether or not to postpone.

Visit the Centers for Disease Control’s coronavirus page for more information and the latest updates on the U.S.’ mitigation strategy. Learn more about social distancing and how it can help stop and/or slow the spread of diseases, per CDC recommendations.

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The author is sales and marketing manager at 2wcom.

The way people consume media content is changing significantly. Like the expansion of IP, this greatly influences the convergence of media production and distribution units for radio, video and the internet.

Anke Schneider

Broadcasters therefore have the chance to adapt to the transitioning media-consumption behavior and use it to their advantage.

• Target group orientation: Keep in mind that besides the attractive younger audience, it‘s crucial to offer each target group the content they want, whether mobile or stationary.
• Cost and time efficiency: By treating a contribution as a cross-media project, the video, radio and internet units are no longer separated.
• Expand the value chain and encourage interaction: Cross-media content production and distribution means all playout sources can refer to each other. This leads to significantly higher coverage. Moreover, by integration on social networks, the opportunities of interaction with the audience increase. Both aspects include the chance of deploying new marketing formats.

TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES

Results of these developments include international projects such as 3GPP and 5G-Xcast. The latter is designed to build a universal and multidirectional IP network for efficient large-scale media distribution via 5G-Xcast. The project focuses on the dynamic switching between unicast, multicast and broadcast and also enables spectrum-efficient distribution of program content to a large number of simultaneous users with only one stream.

End users can receive reliable live and linear high-quality content without burdening their mobile data contingent. With a view toward the future, 5G-Xcast will allow national and private broadcasters to launch new on-demand formats or offer interacting facilities, besides classical linear content.

The transformation to cross-media production can only be achieved with a solid technical foundation. It’s important to carefully consider which approach best meets system requirements and the associated applications. For example, the best-of-breed approach is focused on using only those components per device that best meet the technical requirements. This method can be expensive and each eligible solution must be evaluated in regards to e.g. compatibility aspects or its compliance with the IT security guidelines.

A diagram of a cross-medial studio setup. The audio description contribution, Facebook commentary and radio contribution are produced in parallel, but separated from the video. A multimedia over IP network server enables for hybrid distribution of audio/radio content. Credit: 2wcom Systems.

Here are a few significant points focusing on interoperability and flexibility:

• Choose standards and protocols that optimally support respective use cases. The SMPTE ST 2110 standard is designed for cross-media production. In its structure, audio, video and ancillary data are separated, which allows for the ability of handling each one individually depending on the playout source. This is very practical, as SMPTE ST 2110 can receive all AES67 streams at a 48 kHz sample rate. It is interoperable with all common standards supporting pure audio/radio productions, such as Ravenna (distribution networks), Livewire+ (studio) or Dante (concert halls, conferences or studio). A specific application could be, for example, the audio description in a video, which helps blind and visually handicapped people aurally better follow the story. For this purpose, it’s sufficient to produce the audio content with one of the previously mentioned standards. Due to the structure of SMPTE ST 2110, the respective audio can be added to the stream, already including the video signal and ancillary data. Besides the flexible handling of different stream sources, an uncomplicated negotiation and management of all connections is possible for unicast and multicast streams because all relevant protocols are supported (SIP for unicast and RTSP/SDP for multicast). Unicast, for instance, makes sense in case of permanent point-to-point connections between studios. In order to be able to deal with advertising and discovery, connection management and network control in environments based on SMPTE ST 2110 and AES67, the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) has published the NMOS standard. Recently launched, this standard is constantly being refined based on technical real live requirements.
• Compatibility of audio algorithms can’t be taken for granted. Especially AAC profiles and Opus are implemented in different ways, which leads to incompatibility in regards of frame sizes. It is therefore important to put every manufacturer through its paces to ensure all possible variants of an audio algorithm are supported.
• Conversion of audio formats, protocols and standards according to the use case. That is, considered in terms of bandwidth economy, it makes sense to convert an audio stream for publication on a website from the high-quality PCM format to the compressed AAC xHE format. Or, to provide a stream not only for audio over IP networks but also for DAB+, it must be possible to transform from Ravenna standard to AES67.
• An intelligent content management of streams is essential, amongst others because the number of audio streams for a production is significantly higher compared to the number of video streams. It enables the combination of the appropriate elementary streams into logical groups. For example, Facebook comments mostly differ, so the “normal audio comment stream” is replaced with the “Facebook comment stream.” Hence, for further processing, you can select the relevant ones.
• Virtualization counts on scalability and maintenance. Most broadcasters want to be able to expand their networks as easy as possible, add new services with just a mouse click or mirror the configuration of one device to another. Scalability can be notably improved by using virtualization strategies. The possibilities that have been introduced by Docker or VMware to copy instances, take snapshots or run them across multiple hardware devices is a great improvement for scaling and maintaining networks.
• That has also a major impact on needed rack space. Thanks to virtualization, applications can share the same hardware or even run as a swarm across multiple hardware units with different hardware configurations. That reduces the number of devices needed, because server hardware has, in most cases, a lot more processing power than the specialized hardware of codec manufacturers. Thanks to AES67 and other audio over IP standards the requirements for real hardware interfaces are slowly disappearing and that is opening the door for virtualized solutions that are depending on an all-IP infrastructure.  With high bandwidth and robust IP lines audio processing in the cloud becomes possible. In consequence manufacturers have to pick up the pace and offer their solutions as virtualized software.

ENSURING TRANSMISSION ROBUSTNESS

There are various ways to ensure transmission stability. By standard software feature and/or protocol the SMPTE ST 2202-7 standard ensures dual-streaming of a generated IP stream. In the case of packet losses of the first stream, the respective packets can be reconstructed from the second stream. Another method is to transmit the stream in up to four different audio qualities.

In case of failure, the decoder switches to the next quality available. If unicast streams are sufficient for certain scenarios, SRT [Secure Reliable Transport] can also be used. SRT was originally designed for video, but supports audio perfectly, too. It offers a much better protection against packet loss than other FECs with low latency. Moreover, SRT offers encryption of the content.

An example of KroneHit’s cross-media radio election reporting with analyses and graphics for the homepage. In addition to radio and video, the station also integrated an online editorial team. Source: KroneHit, Austria

By device, this requires a logical concept that defines exactly how encoders and decoders should be cross-connected and when to switch to the backup device. In principle, this structure is similarly adaptable for all parts of a system.

In addition, hybrid distribution comprises not only an alternative source as a backup but also to increase coverage by reaching regions still lacking of IP or certain end customer devices like DAB radios. The possibility of using several sources in parallel means the produced content can be distributed via IP, FM, satellite or DAB.

The IRT’s 5G-Xcast project allows end users to receive top-quality linear and non-linear content with their 4G/5G-capable devices. Source: IRT Institut für Rundfunktechnik

By bandwidth and stream management, it is obvious redundancy by software does not come with low bandwidth and especially video streams are real bandwidth drivers. By using a SDN [software-defined network] controller the optimal path through the network is chosen for the traffic. In addition, an orchestrator handles the high number of streams.

Finally, synchronization in IP networks, and particularly audio syncs to the video, can be achieved by PTPv2. With parallel hybrid distribution via satellite this takes place via GPS using the 1pps signal.

The post Cross-Media Adoption Unites Media Production, Distribution appeared first on Radio World.

“There’s sadness in this building today.”

NAB Executive Vice President of Communications Dennis Wharton told Radio World that the decision not to hold the NAB Show next month made for a “poignant moment” Wednesday. “It was a tough call but it was the right call.”

Whether the convention will be rescheduled or replaced with something else later this year is uncertain. NAB did not use the words cancel or postponement in its announcement, and Wharton confirmed that the association has been discussing various options.

But the sheer immensity of the annual spring event and the complexity of planning needed from exhibitors, speakers and attendees would certainly seem to limit the choices.

Some observers have speculated that NAB could hold an event in Las Vegas in the summer, or somehow modify its fall NAB Show New York. Wharton declined to comment and said it’s too early to discuss possible outcomes.

“The last few days [we] have been focused on rolling out this announcement responsibly and professionally, and assuaging some concerns of our members and exhibitor base,” he said.

He declined to estimate the potential cost to NAB of the decision or to discuss any insurance arrangements, other than saying “It’s obviously a financial hit.”

[Related: My Brief History of the NAB Show]

Wharton, who has attended every spring show for more than three decades, expressed sadness for others who have made the spring trek to Las Vegas part of their professional life.

The first of what became the NAB Show was held in 1923, in the earliest days of the modern radio industry. The only cancellation was in 1945.

 

The post Decision to Abort Makes for “Poignant Moment” at NAB appeared first on Radio World.

This is one in a series of articles about what the industry is telling the FCC about all-digital on the U.S. AM band.

A group of smaller-market AM owners want the FCC to allow voluntary all-digital transmissions; and they cautioned the commission against repeating the AM stereo situation of the 1980s.

The collection of broadcasters — in all 25 licensees — consists of groups such as East Texas Broadcasting and Georgia-Carolina Broadcasting that typically operate AM stations in smaller markets.

The comments were submitted to the FCC by their attorney John Garziglia of Womble Bond Dickinson LLP. They say broadcasters can control their own destiny by deciding whether to invest in all-digital AM technology. They cite the “significant” harm to AM listenership from interference and reception issues, and the availability of higher-fidelity alternatives.

[Related: The NAB Is All-In on All-Digital]

“The AM broadcasters believe that allowing for all-digital AM operations is one means by which this listener erosion may be stemmed in the future. The undersigned AM broadcasters ask the FCC to make the all-digital AM mode of broadcasting available to them to use at their option,” they wrote.

The group recognizes that listenership could potentially drop since people with analog radios will be unable to receive the new signals, but they argue that it is the broadcasters, not the FCC, that can best discern what mode of broadcasting is most likely to attract audiences now and in the future.

All-digital AM operation should be allowed “both day and night,” the broadcasters say. They also are asking the FCC for some flexibility to be built into the new rules: “That any decision by an AM station to operate in an all-digital mode is discretionary and reversible, so that no station is required to operate in an all-digital mode, nor is any station who chooses to do so locked into that mode of operation.”

[Related: Let “Mr. Market Decide” Best AM Digital System]

But the broadcasters said that mistakes made during the launch of AM stereo in the mid to late 1980s should be avoided this time.

“The undersigned well-remember the listener and broadcaster confusion that surrounded the failure to adopt a specific AM stereo standard some decades ago, and have no wish to foist that uncertainty once again on the public and broadcasters,” they wrote. “Therefore, the undersigned AM broadcasters fully support the FCC’s decision to reject in this proceeding any comments advocating for a different AM digital mode of broadcasting.”

Digital Radio Mondiale has asked the FCC to allow DRM to be considered for use in the United States. The FCC has stated in a footnote to the current NPRM that it declines to reconsider the choice of IBOC HD Radio

 

The post Small-Market Owners Caution Against “AM Stereo Situation” With Digital appeared first on Radio World.

The National Association of Broadcasters will not hold the NAB Show, at least in April, due to public health concerns about coronavirus.

NAB President/CEO Gordon Smith made the announcement. See the full text at bottom of this article.

“We are currently considering a number of potential alternatives to create the best possible experience for our community,” Smith said.

The show markets itself the world’s “largest and most comprehensive convention encompassing the convergence of media, entertainment and technology.” It drew approximately 91,400 people to Las Vegas in 2019, and featured some 1,600+ exhibitors.

International attendance is an important part of the event; last year about 26% of people came from abroad. Of those, about 30% were from Asia.

As of Wednesday afternoon the show’s website proclaimed “The show is on” and continued its message that organizers were “moving forward responsibly” while taking direction from the WHO and CDC. But the World Health Organization on Wednesday declared coronavirus a pandemic, and the NAB announcement followed quickly. The number of U.S. cases surpassed 1,000 this week, according to a dashboard published by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

“This was not an easy decision. Fortunately, we did not have to make this decision alone, and are grateful to our NAB Show community for engaging with us as we grappled with the rapidly-evolving situation,” Smith said.

Recent days had seen an increasing number of exhibitor cancellations including familiar video names like Ross Video, Avid and Adobe, and some separate conferences that had timed their events to the big show pulled out, such as PBS TechCon, as other event organizers watched and worried.

Beyond broadcasting, a number of major events in cities around the United States have been cancelled or postponed. In many cases their planners say they intend to conduct virtual events or to offer other platforms for dissemination of show content and product information.

Here is the NAB statement:

NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith Announces NAB Show Off for April, Reviewing Options for Event Later This Year

Washington, D.C. – NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith today issued the following letter to the NAB Show community regarding plans for NAB Show in light of coronavirus concerns:

Dear NAB Show community,

As you know, we have been carefully monitoring coronavirus developments both domestically and globally over the past few weeks.

In the interest of addressing the health and safety concerns of our stakeholders and in consultation with partners throughout the media and entertainment industry, we have decided not to move forward with NAB Show in April. We are currently considering a number of potential alternatives to create the best possible experience for our community.

We have decided not to move forward with NAB Show in April.

This was not an easy decision. Fortunately, we did not have to make this decision alone, and are grateful to our NAB Show community for engaging with us as we grappled with the rapidly-evolving situation. This Show is as much yours as it is ours, and it is important to us that we move forward together.

For nearly 100 years, NAB Show has provided superior value and the best possible experience for exhibitors and attendees. We knew that if we could not deliver on those expectations, we would not move forward. More importantly, keeping the community safe and healthy is NAB’s highest priority; therefore, we are deferring to the developing consensus from public health authorities on the challenges posed by coronavirus.

We are deferring to the developing consensus from public health authorities on the challenges posed by coronavirus.

We are still weighing the best potential path forward, and we ask you for your patience as we do so. We are committed to exploring all possible alternatives so that we can provide a productive setting where the industry can engage with the latest technology, hear from industry thought leaders and make the game-changing connections that drive our industry forward.

I want to stress that despite our disappointment at how this year’s Show has been impacted by global public health concerns, we are more excited than ever about the future of NAB Show and our relationship with you.

We are grateful for each and every member of our Show community. It is your passion for the industry that makes NAB Show a success year after year, and it is that same passion that will drive us into the future as we look ahead to new possibilities later this year and beyond.

The post Breaking: The NAB Show Is Off, at Least for April appeared first on Radio World.

One FCC commissioner is personally asking for the Senate to be mindful of one particular part of the newly requested Federal Communications Commission budget — and it involves the money the commission needs as it attempts to tackle pirate radio activity in new ways.

FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly sent a letter to Sen. John N. Kennedy (R-LA), chairman of the subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, as the committee goes about reviewing the $339 million budget request of the commission. Specifically, O’Rielly asked Kennedy to give close consideration to the efforts the commission must now make to implement the new PIRATE Act.

[Read: It’s Official: PIRATE Act Signed Into Law]

Passage of the PIRATE act, short for Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act, in January 2020 was a welcome change, O’Rielly said, since it gives the commission new tools to combat pirate radio operators.

But those new tools come with an additional price tag. The commission has its work cut out for it, O’Rielly said, as it attempts to address the estimated 300-plus pirate operators that exist across the nation.

“With passage of the PIRATE Act, Congress has demanded that increased attention be paid to radio pirates and that enforcement action by the commission against pirate radio be as aggressive as possible,” O’Rielly said in his letter.

The act gives the commission the authority to levy fines of up to $100,000 per violation and $2 million in total. The act also streamlines the enforcement process; requires the FCC to conduct mandatory pirate radio enforcement sweeps in cities with the highest concentration of pirate radio use; and seeks to ensure more coordination among federal, state and local law enforcement.

According to O’Rielly, now that the act is in place, the FCC needs the subcommittee to appropriately prioritize pirate radio enforcement, whether that be through new funding or a reallocation of existing resources.

“Thankfully, by substantially increasing allowable penalties and requiring annual sweeps … the act provides us with potential tools at our disposal to address this issue,” O’Rielly said.

 

The post O’Rielly Seeks Funding to Implement PIRATE Act appeared first on Radio World.

The spring NAB Show is approaching. Between now and then Radio World will conduct several short Q&As with manufacturers about their plans and offerings, to help you get the most out of the big annual trade show. Jochen Richter is head of sales, Radio, while Clark Novak handles radio marketing for Lawo AG.

Radio World: How has business been for the company since last year’s NAB Show?

Clark Novak: Business has been excellent. AoIP networks have been installed by the world’s largest broadcasters, and now medium- and even small-sized radio stations are either actively planning for or investigating IP adoption. Lawo has always been a vocal proponent of standards-based networking, so the latest studies showing how AES67 has helped accelerate the AoIP transition are very encouraging. Those studies also theorize that ST2110 standards (for interoperability between audio and video systems) will spur AoIP adoption even further, which is why Lawo’s newest radio products are ST2110-30-compliant.

[Read: 2020 NAB Show: Schedule, Exhibitor Info, Updates]

RW: What are you hearing from your customers about their business outlook this year? In what areas should we expect growth or the most interesting projects?

Jochen Richter

Jochen Richter: We’ve seen more investment in AoIP technology for joint TV and radio facilities — the RadioFr MediaPARC project in Switzerland is one of the most visible, along with projects by large public broadcasters in the U.S. and Canada. Engineering managers are seeing with their own eyes the monetary benefits and economies of scale that IP networking and interoperability bring to their tables.

RW: The last year has proven rather rocky for much of the radio industry with the largest group owner making a big move to chart a new business/operational model. Stepping away from your particular segment, what is your feeling for the overall health of the radio industry?

Novak: It’s true that the landscape has been changing in the U.S.A., but Lawo’s presence in International broadcasting has shown us changes of a different nature in other countries. Mostly, it’s for the better. We believe that, from a global perspective, radio is very much alive and very healthy.

RW: You’ve been active in the radio broadcast equipment market for many years. What’s the biggest problem or challenge facing users in this segment right now?

Richter: The biggest challenge for users will be keeping and improving efficiency in daily workflows, as radio broadcasters are increasingly called on to serve multiple platforms for linear plus on-demand services. Top management expects high efficiency, and that means all workflows have to be streamlined. Lawo is a great fit for the radio part; our software applications, like VisTool, provide collaborative platforms that easily integrate with both third-party applications and the RƎLAY family of applications for IP-streaming and virtual radio scenarios.

RW: What new goodies will your company be showing? Why should attendees visit your booth, C3012?

Novak: Radio is always looking for ways to maximize budgets, so we think people will really want to see Power Core MAX. It’s a new version of our very popular Power Core AoIP mixing engine that can power two, three or even four mixing surfaces, depending on how you size them. Very powerful, and very cost-effective.

We’ll also be showing AoIP Stream Monitor, which is the first diagnostic tool expressly designed for radio plants using AES67-compliant IP networks. You can build monitor walls with information for up to 16 critical streams, and look at detailed statistics for each one. It can even be virtualized to allow multiple screen displays with real-time status on dozens of channels. It’s an indispensable tool for modern radio.

Clark Novak

RW: AoIP and touchscreens have been technology marvels that have dazzled at the NAB Show in the last few years. Any cool stuff we should know about this year?

Richter: I think we will continue to see more touch-based mixing interfaces. They’re intuitive, easy to customize, cost-effective, and younger broadcasters love them. They’re a natural fit for AoIP applications.

RW: What do you anticipate will be the most significant technology trend at the 2020 NAB Show?

Novak: The interest in virtualization, and moving applications to cloud-based servers continues to increase. I believe more vendors will showcase products aimed at serving this interest.

RW: Will you be attending any sessions or looking forward to any events?

Richter: Lawo has already gained a lot of experience with large cloud-based infrastructure projects, so we plan to focus on sessions that center around all cloud-based production and processing workflows. We are very interested to see and be a part of shaping the next trends in software orchestration and workflow optimization.

RW: You’re a show veteran, how has the show changed since your first visit?

Richter: Since the mid-’90s, NAB has very clearly decided not to concentrate only on technology, but has changed its focus to workflow and business needs as well. The attendance by top management has definitely increased and this means decision makers are attending, which is good for the whole industry, and definitely for the business of radio. Finally, the convergence of media and the focus on user experience, including streaming services, are central points now.

 

The post NAB Exhibitor Viewpoint: Jochen Richter, Head of Sales, Radio and Clark Novak, Radio Marketing; Lawo AG appeared first on Radio World.

This is one in a series of articles about what the industry is telling the FCC about all-digital on the U.S. AM band.

The National Association of Broadcasters says the FCC should allow individual radio stations on the AM band to convert to all-digital HD Radio transmissions if they wish to do so.

The FCC has proposed allowing AM stations voluntarily to broadcast in MA3 all-digital mode of the HD Radio in-band on-channel (IBOC) digital radio. Monday was the first comment deadline.

The NAB says experimental testing has demonstrated the viability of all-digital AM and that broadcaster interest in pursuing the technology is evident. “Allowing stations to voluntarily transition to all-digital AM service will benefit listeners with enhanced AM service and improve AM broadcasters’ ability to succeed in the increasingly competitive audio marketplace,” NAB wrote.

The carriers in an HD Radio MA3 signal are shown in a slide from the NAB Technology department.

The association believes digital for AM is the way forward and cites the propagation characteristics of the AM band as one of the reasons.

“Analog AM signals are vulnerable to RF interference from fluorescent and LED light bulbs, computer monitors, flatscreen TVs and other devices. NAB has noted that some automakers are choosing to exclude AM radio from their all-electric vehicle dashboard radios because of electromagnetic noise.”

Allowing a voluntary transition to all-digital AM operation “may help reduce or even reverse these trends since digital broadcasting is generally less vulnerable to interference and provides improved audio fidelity and a wider audio bandwidth,” NAB said.

In addition to better sound quality, all-digital will provide other benefits to listeners, NAB argues. MA3 digital mode allows AM broadcasters to provide auxiliary data such as song and artist information and emergency notifications that include text and images, according to NAB.

Existing analog-only AM receivers would not be able to receive all-digital signals. But NAB says there are nearly 70 million cars on the road equipped with HD Radio reception capability, with that number growing steadily. And any loss of listeners due to all-digital operation migration would likely be mitigated by the fact that so many AM stations now employ FM translators, NAB says.

“The commission points out that more than half of all AM stations now have FM translators, potentially softening the blow of any loss of listeners and serving as an important part of an analog to all-digital transition strategy for AM broadcasters,” the association says.

It said that field and lab tests by NAB Labs (now called PILOT) have illustrated successful operation of all-digital AM radio service. “These tests showed that all-digital AM provides audio quality on par with FM stereo, and acceptable daytime coverage even out to the 0.5 mV/m analog contour of most of the tested pathways.”

[Read a commentary about all-digital by Cris Alexander.]

NAB believes the chances of all-digital AM operations causing interference with analog AM stations “is a lesser concern compared to digital hybrid operations because the former produces fewer emissions at the outer limits of the occupied bandwidth.” But it concedes: “By its nature, the all-digital signal is a stronger interferer to co-channel analog signals than are legacy analog AM signals.”

NAB included in its comments a remedy to complaints against all-digital AM stations from neighboring analog signals. “For example, the station operating in all-digital mode may reduce power or reach some other arrangement with an aggrieved co-channel station.” It adds various technical and regulatory options already exist for reducing or eliminating unacceptable interference caused by hybrid digital stations that should similarly apply to all-digital service.

In addition, NAB supports the FCC’s proposal to incorporate the NRSC-5-D standard into the digital broadcasting rules.

[Learn about all-digital for AM in depth in Radio World’s recent webinar “Digital Sunrise for AM,” available on demand.]

 

The post NAB Is All-In on All-Digital AM appeared first on Radio World.