Radio World

Frank Foti is executive chairman of The Telos Alliance and founder of Omnia Audio. We spoke with him for the recent Radio World ebook about audio processing?

Radio World: Frank, what would you say is the most important recent or pending development in the design or use of processors?
Frank Foti: The recipe for audio processing is never finished.

Aside from ongoing development to subjectively improve sonic performance, the function of processing has crossed over into the virtual realm. This concept was first fostered by Steve Church, and myself back about 1994, as our early efforts began on Livewire, our audio over IP platform then under development.

Today, we have the tools to provide processing in the software-as-a-service (SaaS) format, as well as a container. Yet we also know that there are those in the marketplace whose comfort level remains having their processing running in a dedicated appliance. Our work will always support that platform as well.

RW: What should we know about differences in processing needs for analog over the air, digital OTA, podcasts and streaming?
Foti: Telos Systems was first to introduce data-reduced audio more than 25 years ago. Steve Church and I were also the first to recognize the need of dedicated processing for conventional broadcasting, and audio streams.

In reality, digital OTA, podcasts and streaming are all basically one form or another of the data-reduced technology. Thus, all conventional analog OTA transmissions for FM or AM need to employ a processor for that function, and digital OTA, podcasts, streaming, need to use processing designed for data reduced audio.

The main difference between conventional and data-reduced audio transmissions is the final limiter function. Suffice it to say, a processor designed for one system will not “play” well with the other type of system.

[Read: WorldCast Products Reflect New Service Models]

RW: How will cloud, virtualization and SaaS affect our processing marketplace?
Foti: It already has! The pandemic of 2020 escalated efforts that were already in place regarding this topic. If anything, now we’ll observe refinements to what’s already in place.

The concepts of the cloud and virtualization present flexibility to the broadcaster that was never possible before. Processing can be installed, adjusted, modified as a system, moved, updated and a host of other utilities from basically anywhere in the world. We even have the ability to transport monitor audio back to remote locations that might be outside of the listening coverage.

RW: Six years ago we had an ebook where we wondered how processors could advance much more, given how powerful their hardware and algorithms were. What about today?
Foti: This question gets asked fairly often. The Achilles Heel of broadcast audio processing has always been the final limiting system. As much as we’d all love a free lunch, it does not apply here, and there is a breaking point.

I’m constantly evaluating our own efforts, as well as those from others. Using choice content, which is challenging for any algorithm, it is easy to discern a good limiter design from another. Sadly, there are some current designs that leave a lot to be desired in this area.

Recent ongoing development from my own workstation has produced a new final limiting system that further reduces and in some cases eliminates sonic annoyances. Those being harmonic and intermodulation distortion components that are audible.

RW: Has radio reached a point of “hypercompression,” with little further change in how loud we can make over-the-air audio? How do we break out of that plateau?
Foti: Loudness is really only a problem if it’s accomplished in an annoying fashion. That’s not being said to promote loudness. It is possible to create a “standout” loud on-air signal that is not annoying.

It comes down to the processor involved, as well as who sets it up. The term “hypercompression” can be defined differently based on interpretation.

I know there are some who absolutely love the sound of “deep compression” and the effect the added intermod it creates, whereas there are others who use less dynamic compression and rely on the final limiting system for their end result. Both are capable of generating large levels of RMS modulation, yet result in dramatically different effected signatures.

Is one better than the other? It’s all very subjective, as well as what is truly to be defined as hypercompression.

RW: As John Kean told us in another article, AES loudness metrics are moving to a lower target level for content, streams, podcasts and on-demand file transfer, like existing metrics for online and over-the-top video. If radio stays with its current environment — modulation limiting, reception noise, loudness wars — could radio see loss of audience due to listener fatigue?
Foti: Any broadcast facility that has lost audience due to listener fatigue needs to realize this occurred due to their approach to audio processing.

Loudness is not the issue. It’s how one achieves a loud signature that determines the listenability of a signal. There is a difference between the perception of a good clean loud signal, and another which sounds like your head is squashed within the jaws of a vice. Both are loud, but both are not bad.

It really comes down to choices made by the broadcaster. Analogy: A car that goes fast is not necessarily a reckless auto. It comes down on the driver of the car. Same applies here.

RW: We read that processing can mitigate multipath distortion and reduce clipping distortion in content. How can users evaluate such claims?
Foti: Great question! I’ve done significant work in this area, and have recently created a method to test, and observe the effects of induced multipath, based on audio processing. Surely, it could be further developed, as a tool for broadcasters.

As of this writing, there is nothing on the market, but there are technical papers that address it. Suffice it to say, I’d be very weary of those who make ad hoc statements about multipath, exaggerated by processing, that were done without any technical evidence or test criteria or employed good engineering practice.

RW: Nautel and Telos recently did a joint demo aimed at eliminating alignment issues by locking the FM and HD1 outputs from the processor through the HD air chain to the transmitter. What’s your take?
Foti: Having been in some of the discussions about this method, this is a solid design that negates outside/ancillary devices to monitor and adjust the time alignment. This is the first systemic approach, which further solidifies the digital transmission infrastructure. It’s very straightforward in design, and reduces the level of complexity within the digital transmission system.

We need to remember that as HD Radio evolved and refined itself, the overall system and infrastructure has had to change. Now that the tech has become mature, it’s possible to create a method that efficiently and reliably creates the broadcast signals for conventional and digital transmission.

 

The post The Recipe for Processing Is Never Finished appeared first on Radio World.

Don Elliot with his Sennheiser MKH 416 and Hook Studios screen.

June is Microphone Month here at Radio World. This is one in a series of interviews with people who work in and around radio about the kinds of mics they love and why.

Voice veteran Don Elliot applied his music training to radio and jingles, working as a voice talent, PD, DJ, production guy and agent. Stops included WEAM(AM) in D.C., KCMO(AM/FM/TV) and KUDL(AM) in Kansas City, KISN(AM) in Portland and KOIL(AM) in Omaha.

In Los Angeles he worked at 1500 kHz in its various formats, then was hired to switch KIIS to top 40. At KFI(AM)/KOST(FM) he was the house voice for several years, and later broadcast taught at Fullerton and Saddleback Colleges.

Radio World: What’s your favorite microphone for radio on-air work? 

Don Elliot: I am very appreciative of this question to ignite some independent thinking as opposed to the acceptance of the ubiquitous, oversized repurposed kick drum mic, the RE20 amongst “me too” stations that rely on crowd advice. But if it works for you, that’s great. Just know that getting out of the box won’t kill you.

Every voice and every microphone is different. That’s why there is no “one-size-fits-all.” You have to try them and listen.

For me, it’s the Sennheiser MKH 416 with a Hook Studios pop screen when I must work closer than a foot. It just finds that sweet spot in my voice without any EQ, and that’s the ideal situation. Much better to spend $1,000 on a mic that works than to spend $300 on one and then $4,000 in outboard gear to make it sound like the $1,000 mic in the first place! Simple.

RW: What’s your choice for remote or specialty work?

Elliot: It puzzles me to see ENG video work being done with omnidirectional microphones, which are known for a 360-degree pick up.

I can understand the benefit for an interviewer who does not know how to move the mic back and forth between themselves and the interviewee, but it’s at the cost of inviting unwanted ambience into the audio.

Far better to use a good cardioid and learn the technique of keeping the interviewee within the polar pattern during the interview. There is much to benefit from using its known null pattern capability when you use your mic as a tool in this way. I call it “fixing it at the source” instead of having headaches back in the studio trying to rescue bad field audio.

Above all, pay attention to the quality of your interface. I use a Centrance MicPort2 with its amazing boutique-quality preamps, 48v phantom, headphone amp and built-in limiter, to get the most out of any mic on location.

RW: If you were training someone what’s a tip you might share or common misconception to dispel?

Elliot: I would bring them to the realization that radio environments are not ideal and that must be taken into consideration in finding a mic not only ideal for the voice but also for “the room.” That’s the tip.

As for the misconceptions, one must realize that “proximity effect” does not change the pitch of your voice but instead causes an artificial low-end mushiness that can lead to loss of intelligibility in a mix or overcompensation for something that is not natural. You must consider listener fatigue in the results that you are getting.

Also, learn proper placement and which polar pattern to use! When I’m singing, I like either my U 87 in a good studio environment, or my Vanguard V13 — I heard Bill Rogers doing Disney promo work on one,which prompted me to buy — which has the advantage of remote-controlling the pattern so you can hear the changes immediately. And it’s continuously variable. I like the openness of this mic in omni, knowing that all mics sound best in omni, but we are hampered by environments into which we are forced. The V13 is a problem-solver.

RW: Other thoughts?

Elliot: When I first started at KFI/KOST, I was given the studio tour, with identical microphones in every position in the production rooms because “that way we have a consistent sound.” It was an uphill battle to convince them that to get a consistent sound you needed a variety of microphones, because no two voices are the same! I would use a ribbon microphone on a female voice that tends to fill out a higher range without making it sound artificially basic. It also helps with sibilance.

Traditionally in an air studio, one step in the right direction has been a multi EQ unit, one module for each jock in order to achieve this desired goal of consistency. I have never been a fan of EQ boost. If anything before boosting, I would start to cut some frequencies if necessary. It’s always better to be able to fix it at the source.

And although it’s probably for another subject sometime, a good microphone preamp could be the most important and prized item in the chain, which reminds us all that the “chain” only as good as its weakest link!

The best takeaway is that just because you have the tool doesn’t mean you know how to use it! Learn from the pros, but don’t be afraid to deviate and experiment.

Read more of Radio World’s coverage of microphones.

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Before the FCC closes its current quadrennial review of media ownership rules, it wants more public input.

The commission also has reinstated deregulatory changes that the Supreme Court recently upheld in the “Prometheus” decision.

Regarding the first item, the commission wrote that, “Given the passage of time since the prior comment period ended, as well as the subsequent litigation culminating with the Supreme Court’s recent decision, we now seek further comment to update the record in the 2018 Quadrennial Review proceeding.”

The Telecommunications Act requires the commission to review its media ownership rules every four years to determine whether they remain “necessary in the public interest as the result of competition.” A final order in the 2018 cycle has yet to be issued.

The Local Radio Ownership Rule, or “radio subcaps,” remain subject to the FCC’s review, along with certain television ownership rules.

“Beyond reviewing the existing record in light of the passage of time, we also seek submission of new or additional information regarding the media marketplace that commenters believe is relevant to this proceeding,” it wrote in a public notice.

“Specifically, we seek information regarding the broadcast industry’s evolution since early 2019 and its current trajectory, including the effects, if any, of technological change, new entry, consolidation or changing market conditions. We seek comment in particular on the further development and impact of technological advances and industry practices.”

Among other things, the FCC also wants to hear about other relevant trends in the broadcast industry or related markets, such as the growth of online audio and video sources, “including as sources for news and information, as well as the continued strength and importance of broadcast radio and television stations in the local communities they serve.”

It asked for more info about the impact of the pandemic on its proceeding, and whether those have any bearing on ownership rules.

And it asked for input on diversity proposals, noting that the Supreme Court did not address whether the Telecom Act bars the FCC from considering minority and female ownership in its quadrennial reviews.

One of the issues that radio industry people will be watching is whether the FCC takes any action on the subcaps that limit how many radio stations a given company can own in a given service (AM or FM) in one market. The NAB hopes the commission will at least ease those. But FCC watchers note that the FCC seems less likely to deregulate media ownership rules under a Democratic administration. (The current Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel had opposed the changes that the Supreme Court just upheld when she was in the Democratic minority on the commission.)

For a full list of what the commission is asking, see the public notice. Filings should refer to MB Docket No. 18-349. Comments will be due 30 days after this notice appears in the Federal Register.

Regarding the second item, the FCC Media Bureau now officially has reinstated several of the commission’s prior ownership rule changes. It did so per the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision. So the Newspaper/Broadcast Cross-Ownership Rule, the Radio/Television Cross-Ownership Rule and the Television Joint Sales Agreement Attribution Rule are eliminated.

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Hercules has launched its new DG Adaptive Series of stands intended for studio use by broadcasters, podcasters, content creators and musicians. The new line includes three new products — the Universal Podcast Mic & Camera Arm Stand, Smartphone Holder and 2-In-1 Tablet and Phone Holder.

Currently shipping, the new models all include 360-degree rotation, the TightVice locking mechanism, the ability to accommodate a variety of devices and accessories, and adaptive application for ease of mounting on any surface.

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

The Universal Mic & Camera Arm Stand ($59.99) can clamp to a flat or round surface and can hold a microphone, pop filter and a device, be it smartphone or tablet, so users can access content and record at the same time. Using Hercules’ TightVice 360-degree rotation, each component can reportedly adjust to any angle.

Akin to that, the Smartphone Holder ($39.99) can support a variety of smartphones. It sets up on a flat surface, or with round or square tubes, and supports phone sizes of 4.7 inches– 6.9 inches. Meanwhile, the 2-In-1 Tablet and Phone Holder ($49.99) expands upon the Smartphone Holder, in that it extends to fit all tablets. With support for tablet and phone sizes 6.1 inches–13 inches, it also has an option to mount directly into a tripod stand.

All DG Adaptive Models are available worldwide via licensed Hercules dealers and e-commerce partners.

Info: www.herculesstands.com

 

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DPA Microphones named Søren Høgsberg as its executive vice president of sales and marketing.

“As a former executive with many of Denmark’s leading corporations, Høgsberg will call on his global experiences to lead DPA in strengthening the coordination of its sales and marketing initiatives,” the company stated in the announcement.

[Visit Radio World’s People News Page]

Kalle Hvidt Nielsen, CEO of DPA Microphones A/S, was quoted saying the company seeks to grow its presence in the global market. “It has been our recent goal to bring sales and marketing together under one functional, joint management team.”

He will oversee global sales and marketing including product management, customer care and corporate service.

Høgsberg is former VP of international sales for Demant A/S, which makes hearing aids, audiological equipment and personal communication devices. He also worked for Vestas Wind System A/S and GN Store Nord A/S.

He has degrees from the Aarhus School of Business.

Send your people news to radioworld@futurenet.com.

 

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Jeff Welton

Regular host Jeff Welton said, “When we started these sessions in June 2020, it was a way to stay in touch with our friends in the radio community and keep ideas flowing through the pandemic lockdowns.”

Nautel says that its continuing Transmission Talk Tuesday series of webinars has reached its one-year anniversary.

He added, “We had no idea that our online gatherings would still be in place a year later, or that they would remain as popular as they have been.”

The menu for the beginning of the second year consists of:

• “How Technology has Changed our Lives,” June 8. Guests — Jim Gray, managing partner for Optimized Media Group and Matt Herdon, product manager, Nautel;
• “SNMP — How and Why,” June 15. Guests — Josh Bohn, president/CEO, MaxxKonnect Group and Shane Toven, senior engineer, Educational Media Foundation;
• “STLs — Moving Signals from Here to There,” June 22. Guests — Josh Bohn, president/CEO, MaxxKonnect Group and Alex Hartman, Nautel customer service technologist;
• “Tips and Thoughts for Contract Engineering,” June 29. Guest — Tom Ray, president of Tom Ray Broadcast Consulting.

 

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Cox Media Group, which owns 57 radio stations and over two dozen TV stations across 20 American markets, appears to have been hit by a ransomware attack, according to technology website, The Record. Technoblogger Matthew Keys had additional information.

According to reports, the attack took place early Thursday morning and is said to have hit internal networks and was all the group’s streaming capabilities. Live programming was also affected.

“This morning we were told to shut down everything and log out our emails to ensure nothing spread,” a Cox employee told The Record. “According to my friends at affiliate stations, we shut things down in time to be safe and should be back up and running soon.”

Sources told The Record that the company’s autonomous system, AS397123, has also disappeared from the internet default-free zone as the company attempted to deal with the attack.

The attack follows what was described as the “biggest-ever” attack on an Australian media company earlier this year.

In March Australian broadcaster Nine was forced to abandon its Sydney newsroom and revert to using whiteboards and moving production staff to other cities following a cyberattack.

This article is republished from TVBEurope.

 

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What’s your favorite on-air mic and why? Which models do you turn to for remote work, newsgathering, live music?

June is Microphone Month at Radio World, so we have been asking a number of radio engineers, voice talent and other professionals to share their preferences along with any tips for getting the most out of microphones.

Several are below, followed by links to more.

Josh Rogosin Josh Rogosin

Broadcast/recording technician and technical director, NPR Music

As the audio engineer for the popular “Tiny Desk” program, Rogosin says Heil’s large-diaphragm dynamic PR 40 sounds great on a kick drum, with the PR 30 for guitar amps. He  loves the Cole 4038 ribbon for brass and drum overheads.

“Nothing looks like Ear Trumpet Labs’ handmade mics. Nadine sounds great on upright bass, Delphina has a nice full sound for strings and vocals with a nice low end. I love how you can angle the Chantelle wherever you need to focus it.”

Rogosin says he “adores” the ICON Pro from Earthworks for his home setup. “It’s a condenser that’s amazing at off-axis rejection, ignores table thump as good as any dynamic I’ve used but sounds so much airier than an SM7B without being such a gain hog.”

The Shure Beta 57A is the best mic he’s heard under $140 and has a nice hot output for a dynamic. “Sounds great on everything.”

Click the image to read Rogosin’s article at the NPR website about the mics he uses on “Tiny Desk.”

Rogosin says the Blue Hummingbird condenser mic is small, sounds great and the pivoting head makes it great in cramped spaces.

“The signature mic at the Tiny Desk is the Sennheiser MKH 418-S,” he concluded. “It’s crystal clear on vocals and the mid/side configuration is flexible enough to capture off-axis sources. I place it far enough away to see faces and avoid proximity effect and plosives.”

That said, he added, “Never underestimate the power of post-production to make or break a great sounding mic.”

 

David Antoine 

Chief technology officer, WBGO Jazz 88.3 FM | Newark Public Radio.

David Antoine

Antoine likes working with quality large diaphragm condenser microphones such as the Neumann TLM103, which he compliments for its “very smooth sound” when paired with right processor, especially for jazz or classical commentary.

“For a microphone that won’t break the bank I also like Audio-Technica’s AT4040. This mic works very well with female voices.”

Out in the field, he turns to the Shure SM58. “There’s a reason most of Shures wireless mic offerings have SM58 heads.”

Antoine doesn’t think you have to drop big dollars to get quality sound.

“Take some time to talk into a mic, listen to how it sounds with your voice or the voice of a good announcer. You can find its sweet spot and the settings that are right for a particular microphone.”

Also, don’t over-process or over-EQ a quality microphone. “If a mic is well designed and well-made it will faithfully reproduce the source, whether it’s voice or an instrument.

“Distance from the sound source matters a lot. Not too close, not too far. Again, take some time with the microphone and you’ll get the desired result.”

 

Randy Williams

Chief engineer, Learfield | IMG College

Working for a major sports operation like Learfield | IMG College, Williams has experience with headsets, and for live play-by-play he favors the Sennheiser HMD-26 II headset, finding it “extremely durable, repairable, with replaceable parts, and great noise reduction in loud venues.”

His choice for studio recording is the Shure SM7B, for its “warm vocal reproduction, wide frequency response and great noise reduction outside the cardioid pickup pattern.

Randy Williams with some of his favorite gear.

For home studio or podcasting setups, he recommends the Blue Yeti or Blue Snowball for their low cost, reproduction quality, multiple patterns and easy setup — “almost completely plug-and-play.”

Williams urges mic users to really know and understand the demands of a given venue or studio setup, in terms of noise, acoustics and size.

“Then have a strong understanding of the microphone capabilities and pickup patterns to maximize the quality of the vocal reproduction. Pop filters and windscreens can be lifesavers!”

Finally, he said, have a solid understanding of the difference between condenser and dynamic microphones and when to use each style.

 

Martin Stabbert 

SVP/Engineering, Townsquare Media

For studio mics, and if cost isn’t a factor within reason, the Neumann BCM104 would be near the top of his list. 

“To my ear, it offers a nice proximity boost but still maintains a pleasant spectral balance. The single-pattern design is also well-suited for most studio applications and the body doesn’t have any external switches to invite unauthorized adjustments.” It’s also easy to clean, which is more important than ever.

“That said, the real workhorse and one of the best values in the broadcast studio has to be the Heil PR-40. Its cardioid pattern and conventional, end-fire physical design and lack of switches makes it easy to use and difficult to misuse.”

He finds the frequency response of the PR-40 smooth and likes its high-end boost for a touch of brightness. “It is an excellent option for most applications and hard to beat from a cost/performance perspective.”

For remotes, basic PA or MOS interviews, the Shure SM58 and Sennheiser e835 are his staples. “Both are even available with an on/off switch for applications that might benefit from it. Simple, rugged, familiar to all and competitively priced.”

Stabbert’s favorite handheld for an interview that might end up on video is the Sennheiser MD46, with its camera-ready matte finish, low handling noise and suppression of wind and extraneous noises.  

“The pattern is officially described as cardioid, but I think it behaves a little tighter than that. The extra length and weight can become a concern when adding on a wireless transmitter, but that would be the only potential issue worth noting.”

 

Read more of our coverage:

My Favorite Mics: Joan Baker, voice talent, author and coach

My Favorite Mics: Ira Wilner, Monadnock Broadcasting Group and Saga Communications of New England

Working With Mics: Rob Byers, Minnesota Public Radio/American Public Media

 

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The Jacobs Media TechSurvey2021 is out, and as always, it reflects both consumer adoption of new media technology and the social environment it evolves in. For 2021, the survey says some areas were heavily impacted by COVID-19, while others continued on their established trajectory. Of course, there are always surprises.

The annual media- and brand-usage pyramids fall into the “business as usual” category, with little change over the past year. In usage, the leader is still TV/video, followed by smartphones and AM/FM radio. Brands are led by Facebook, down four percentage points from last year with 68%, followed by Netflix and the respondents’ home station stream, referred to in the survey as P1.

The 2021survey results for AM/FM radio are a mixed bag. Overall, listening is trending down, especially among younger demographics, but it was headed that way before COVID. On the plus side, localism remains a key secret of success. The number who strongly agree that a local orientation makes the difference has trended upward from 43% in TS 2017 to 49% in TS 2021.

AM/FM has, according to TS 2021, picked up some momentum this year. The number who reported listening more in 2021 increased from 15–23% over the previous year. While those listening less also increased two percentage points to 13%, that loss, according to Jacobs, is largely explained by those who later in the survey reported spending less time in their cars as a result of COVID.

High on the surprises part of TechSurvey 2021 are the reasons that respondents suggest for why they tune in. Six out of ten who answered say that personalities are a main reason they listen to radio. Of those, CHR and hot AC fans seem to value them the most. TechSurvey’s data suggests this is part of a larger trend.

Over time, the long-standing appeal of music on the radio seems to have been replaced by the popularity of its personalities as a main reason to listen. This trend began with TS 2014, music and personalities reached near parity in 2018, and since then, the trend clearly favors personalities. No reasons are posited for why this switch might be happening.

Has the music industry gone into a slump, producing fewer hit songs?

Have radio personalities become more mainstream in their presentation and delivery?

Or could it be a bit of both?

One wonders.

 

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Bohn Broadcast Services made several business announcements, most notably a name change.

The technical services company founded by Josh Bohn has rebranded as The MaxxKonnect Group (TMG).

“TMG will continue to focus on providing MaxxKonnect Wireless connectivity solutions, as well as expanding broadcast technical integration services across the U.S.,” it stated in an announcement.

MaxxKonnect is also the name of its high-speed internet service designed for transmitter sites and remote broadcasts.

“TMG will also expand our equipment sales and turnkey service offerings.”

Joe Myers joined the company as sales manager. He has worked in broadcast sales at Broadcast Electronics, Northeast Broadcast, ENCO and DJB.

Also, the company hired Emily Hager as office manager. Her background is in education and retail; she will handle inventory and logistics operations, sales support and customer interaction.

And support engineer Micah Dempsey was promoted to operations manager of TMG; Josh Bohn called him “my right hand on daily operations.”

The company was founded in 1998 and is based in Pelham, Ala. It provides technical and turnkey services, connectivity solutions and broadcast equipment sales. Its repair arm is based in Dallas.

 

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Spencer Bynes will take the reins for iHeartMedia’s Texas operations.

He was named area president to oversee the Beaumont, Bryan, Corpus Christi, McAllen and Waco markets, which include 29 radio stations. Bynes reports to Division President Nick Gnau.

[Visit Radio World’s People News Page]

This is his second stint with IHM; he was director of talent management and talent acquisition for five years before starting a consulting business.

Gnau complimented Bynes’ “contagious” energy “and his ability to develop teams and talent.”

Bynes was VP of business development for Lee Hecht Harrison’s southern region; prior he was managing partner and co-founder of Accendo International Consulting.

“He has more than 25 years of demonstrated business acumen and proven strategic and tactical success in a diverse group of industries,” the company said in the announcement.

Send news of radio engineering and executive management positions to radioworld@futurenet.com.

 

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One hundred and fifty-eight initial applications to participate in Auction 109 have been received by the Federal Communications Commission.

That auction of 136 FM and four AM construction permits is scheduled for July 27.

The FCC says 107 of the applications arrived complete, 50 more require additional information, and one was rejected.

Applicants whose information was incomplete or deficient (here’s the list) will get a letter instructing them to resubmit by June 16.

Applicants accepted for filing must make an upfront payment by the same date; if the applicant later becomes a winning bidder, it will have to fill out a longer-form application showing its qualifications to hold a CP or license and its eligibility for any bidding credit.

Many applications named only one permit, but some are pursuing numerous permits. Those include 3D Built, ColdTrain Media, Estrella Broadcasting, Mainstreet Broadcasting Co., Mekeddesh Group, Michael Radio Co. and Tracy K. Wood (here’s the list of completed initial applications).

One application, from 2820 Communications, was rejected because the FCC isn’t accepting any in this auction for a noncom educational station that is mutually exclusive with any application for a commercial station.

If multiple short-form applications pursue the same permit, the CP will be decided by competitive bidding.

The FCC expects to release the final list of applicants that are qualified to bid in early July, along with schedules for a mock auction and the first day of actual bidding.

Details are on the FCC’s info page for Auction 109.

 

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“All Things Considered” will be inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

The announcement was made by National Association of Broadcasters President/CEO Gordon Smith.

The iconic public radio program will be honored at the NAB Show in Las Vegas in October. Executive Producer Cara Tallo and host Ailsa Chang will accept the award.

“ATC made its debut broadcast 50 years ago on May 3, 1971, airing on 90 public radio stations,” NAB stated in the announcement. “Now broadcasting live every weekday for two hours and for one hour every Saturday and Sunday, ATC is the most listened-to, afternoon drive-time news radio program in the country.”

“Hosted by Chang, Audie Cornish, Mary Louise Kelly and Ari Shapiro and on weekends by Michel Martin, ATC airs coverage of the most important news of the day, reports from NPR correspondents in the U.S. and around the world, thoughtful commentaries, interviews with newsmakers and features on arts, music and entertainment.”

In this image from the NPR website, the staff of “All Things Considered” celebrate its 10th anniversary in 1981. Click the image to see an NPR timeline.

NAB noted that ATC has been honored with the George Foster Peabody Award, the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award and the Overseas Press Club Award.

Recent radio inductees include Cathy Hughes, Elvis Duran, Delilah and Mike & Mike.

[Read our profile of John Records Landecker, the 2020 radio recipient.]

Iconic radio people inducted earlier include the likes of Walter Winchell, Wolfman Jack, Ronald Reagan and Kate Smith. The Hall of Fame began in 1977.

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Jeff Keith is senior audio processing product development engineer for Wheatstone Corp. This is one in a series of interviews from the ebook “Trends in Audio Processing for Radio.”

Radio World: Jeff, what would you say the most important development in processors?

Jeff Keith: The radio broadcast medium is in the process of reinventing itself. While over-the-air radio is still important, especially with the ability of HD to simultaneously carry multiple program types, technology now makes the delivery of other information not just a fad but the soon-to-be norm.

I can see a time where those huge broadcast towers we’ve seen for many decades are all but gone, and replaced by high-speed internet or cellular technology — technology that will allow listeners to carry their favorite programs and stations not just out of the local market, but to anywhere in the world.

RW: What should readers know about the differences in processing needs for various platforms?

Keith: Each transmission medium requires different audio processing treatment in order to deliver the best quality audio to the listener.

I’ve seen many stations that are still using retired on-air processing for their internet stream, or worse yet, feeding the internet stream encoder from the output of a radio or modulation monitor. I can’t think of a better way to make a nasty sounding internet stream!

Purpose-built streaming processing will always sonically outperform any other form of processing not specifically designed for streaming codecs.

RW: How will the concepts of the cloud, virtualization and software as a service affect the processing marketplace? 

Keith: There is no question that it is possible to run anything software-based, including audio processing, on cloud servers. It’ll be awhile before we see the end of this movie, though — how broadcasters will handle redundancy, encryption and failover to an alternate when the main goes offline.

Software as a service will be the norm, and I can see a time when radio stations will no longer “own” their audio processing, at least in the form of today’s hardware box. Audio processing will be a chunk of software running on a cloud server somewhere and licensed by instance, probably annually, on a recurring schedule.

The whole game will be different.

RW: With audio originating from so many locations, what role do loudness and loudness range play?

Keith: It is my personal wish that the United States would adopt some form of over-the-air loudness regulation.

Listen to stations in countries where they need to adhere to ITU BS.412, for instance. Those stations are much more pleasant to listen to because the processing hasn’t been tuned to the singular goal of “louder than everyone else on the planet.”

I think many stations have forgotten that it isn’t loudness, it’s program content. Every radio made in the last 100 years has had a volume control …

RW: What recently introduced new features or capabilities in processors are most notable?

Keith: Nielsen’s PPM audio software encoder embedded in processing is significant because it’s a step closer to cloud and virtualization, and we’ve been working with their development team to make that happen. Our X5 FM/HD processor now has the PPM encoder inside.

It’s worth noting that broadcasters are looking for much more quality out of their processors, and this is why we recently came out with our MP-532 multipurpose audio processor that can be used for FM, AM, FM HD, or AM HD. It’s a very practical processor that has all our latest distortion canceling algorithms and lookahead limiters and I don’t mind saying it sounds amazing. I didn’t mean for this to turn into a shameless plug, but you did ask!

RW: In 2014 we wrote that processors were so powerful that it was hard to imagine further dramatic improvements. How do you answer today?

Keith: We’ve made tremendous strides since 2014 (and in the past 20 or so years), and I think algorithms will continue to improve. Over time developers have learned more about what people prefer to hear and how subtle differences can make or break the perception of what is “good” processing.

We’ve also learned more about masking distortion from the ear and what we can get away with as far as different forms of distortion. Evolution will continue, processing will continue to get smarter, and the availability of wickedly powerful hardware will enable us to do things that were only imagined five years ago.

Oops, did I say hardware? Remember … what you have “running in the cloud” is actually running on somebody’s hardware.

RW: One expert says, “My perspective is that radio processing already attained a condition of ‘hypercompression’ years ago and there has been little further change in how loud one can make over-the-air audio.” Do you accept that, and how do we break out of that plateau in the loudness wars?

Keith: My goal, and I suspect that of most audio processor designers, has been to deliver to broadcasters a new processor that can be as loud on the air as their previous processor was, but be much cleaner while generating that same loudness.

Unfortunately, what most stations do is crank the new processor up until the distortion is back to about where it was before … and now they’re 2 dB louder than before.

Don’t be a wimpy station on the air but there’s no need to blast listeners out of their car, either.

RW: We understand AES loudness metrics are moving to a lower target level for content, streams, podcasts and on-demand file transfer, like metrics already established for online and over-the-top video. If radio stays with the current environment of modulation limiting, reception noise and lingering loudness wars, could radio see loss of audience due to listening fatigue?

Keith: Loudness wars only seem to serve the egos of the individual stations, and I’m not aware of any research showing that louder wins even when the program content is poor.

I do agree, however, that a loud signal helps overcome noise. And I’ll also agree that we should carefully manage the audio so that listeners aren’t lunging for the volume control every time a new song comes along.

Listeners should get a smooth and comfortable ride with our station’s audio; and the better and more pleasant that ride is — accompanied by something worth listening to, of course — the longer they are going to listen.

As professional people who have dedicated ourselves to this industry to perform our art, we intuitively know what can turn listeners off; and yet sometimes we still do it. Puzzling.

RW: We read about how processing can mitigate FM stereo multipath distortion and reduce clipping distortion in source content. How can equipment buyers evaluate such claims, and could there be some kind of third-party scientific testing?

Keith: The problem with evaluating anything that’s not actually running in the field is that it’s not actually running in the field, i.e., lab tests can only show what things do under lab conditions.

Stereo multipath mitigation is a good example, and one must understand that it is receiver behavior that needs to be modified.

The technique that Wheatstone uses is something that I designed back in the ’90s for solving a different problem; mono loudness when airing ping-pong stereo recordings (oldies). It cured that problem very nicely but it also had a greater-than-expected effect on multipath on most stereo radios. Customers have reported similar findings in the field and while it doesn’t help everyone, it appears to help most.

RW: What’s your take on the demo from Nautel and Telos to eliminate alignment issues by locking the FM and HD1 outputs from the processor through the HD air chain to the transmitter?

Keith: Great idea, and extremely similar in function to the SyncLink product Wheatstone demonstrated at NAB 2017. A guaranteed way to preserve FM/HD synchronization over an IP STL is to ensure that the two audio signals always look like one signal to the link. That way, even if packets are dropped the two signals can never get out of sync.

We also recognized that not every station can afford shiny new state-of-the-art transmitters so we designed SyncLink to be compatible with every single FM transmitter and exciter ever made.

The post Listeners Deserve a Smooth, Comfortable Ride appeared first on Radio World.

An update to an earlier product announcement: Tieline said it has now begun shipping its Gateway 4 IP audio codec.

As we reported in February, it is a DSP-based 1RU IP codec for live remote broadcasting applications, as well as STL or SSL links.

The codec supports AES67 and ST 2110-30 interoperability with AoIP protocols including WheatNet, Ravenna, Dante and Livewire+. An optional WheatNet-IP card is available.

The Gateway 4 supersedes the company’s Merlin and Genie STL codecs. Its Gateway codecs replace the Merlin Plus and Genie Distribution codecs.

“Production of the Merlin and Genie families of codecs has ceased. Tieline will continue to provide support and software updates for all Merlin and Genie codecs,” the company said.

Info is at www.tieline.com/gateway-4.

 

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The radio industry is remembering Doug Wilkens, an audio engineer, business owner and manager, sales and marketing professional whose international experience along with background in managing sales networks is recognized as much as his reputation as friend, mentor and leader.

Wilkens life was one of travel and exploration. Born in Chicago, Wilkens spent his childhood in India where his parents worked for a mission organization. During his time there, he became fluent in numerous Indian dialects. He returned to the United States to finish high school and then earned his degree in Broadcast Engineering and Design at Moody Bible Institute. It was in college where he met his wife, Fran, and the two of them traveled extensively, living overseas in Monaco and in Dubai. He had an ease in understanding foreign languages, learning to speak French fluently.

It was during these travels that he put his other skill to good use: designing and managing broadcast studios across Europe in the late 1960s for Trans World Radio (TWR), an international Christian media network. He and business partner Charlie Moore founded Dimension Five Sound and the audio division of Peirce-Phelps in Philadelphia. He became the University Sound product manager at Electro-Voice, served as director of sales and marketing at Community Professional Loudspeakers and then became vice president/general manager of Inter-M Americas. Along the way he expanded his expertise to include sound system contracting, specializing in church installations. Wilkens ended his career as senior project manager at the Dubai office of Maryland-based AVI-SPL.

He served as an active member of the Audio Engineering Society, completed training programs for the organization SynAudCon, served as a volunteer for the Boy Scouts, specifically assisting scouts as they worked to achieve their Radio Merit Badge. He also volunteered as a shortwave monitor for the U.S. Navy and was a dedicated ham radio operator.

“I’ve lost my best friend who was like a brother,” said Charlie Moore, his business partner of 52 years, through an announcement from TWR. “He will be sorely missed by his family, friends and the professional audio industry where he worked in making gains in both technology and education. His work was impeccable and he was always careful to do what was right. Our prayers are with his wife and sons for the loss that they have suffered.”

Others who knew Wilkens spoke of his values, principals and strong Christian faith, calling him a dedicated friend who had mastered the art of listening. He is survived by Fran, his wife of 56 years; their two sons, John and Joel; a grandson, Kristian; a brother, Steve Wilkens; and a sister, Charlotte Gift.

“He knew the value of knowledge and encouraged others to learn,” said SynAudCon principal owner Brenda Brown. “The thing that probably amazed me the most about Doug was his ability to adapt to, understand and appreciate other cultures. His childhood, being a missionary kid instilled great values that served him well in the AV industry.”

Contributions to Wilkens’ memory can be made to Trans World Radio while memories of him can be left on the tribute page for the Donohue Funeral Home. Services will be held June 5 at Proclamation Presbyterian Church in Bryn Mawr, Pa.

 

The post Radio Industry Honors Life and Work of Doug Wilkens appeared first on Radio World.

George Beasley in a photo released and partly colorized by the company.

George Beasley has died.

The founder and patriarch of Beasley Media Group was age 89 at his passing in Naples, Fla., today.

An announcement was issued by the company, which called him a “radio industry innovator, advocate, mentor and pioneer and community philanthropist” who led his company for 60 years.

He had stepped down as CEO in 2016 but continued as executive chairman of the company’s board.

A memorial service is planned in Florida; details will be announced later. His family will hold a private burial in his home town of Ararat, Va.

“In lieu of flowers, the Beasley family requests donations be made in his name to The Broadcasters Foundation of America, 125 West 55th Street, 4th Floor New York, New York 10019. Online donations may also be made at www.broadcastersfoundation.org.”

His daughter Caroline Beasley, now the company CEO, was quoted in the announcement, “George’s unconditional love for our mother, Ann and our family, along with his passion for the radio industry, helped to guide him throughout his lifetime. A loving father, mentor, and friend, I will especially miss his incredible wisdom, keen insight and gentle smile.”

George Beasley is shown in 2015 with company award winners and family members: Rear, from left: AJ Lurie, Brad Beasley, Brian Beasley, Bruce Simel, Bruce Beasley, Marie Tedesco, Tom Humm, Kimberly Sonneborn, Mike Cooney, Justin Chase. Front: Caroline Beasley, George G. Beasley, Diana Beasley, Heather Monahan, Denyse Mesnik.

George Beasley built his first station, 500-watt WPYB(AM), in Benson, N.C. while working as a high school assistant principal in 1961. The company now has 62 stations in 15 markets, digital platforms and an esports arm. Four of Beasley’s five children joined the company as employees: Bruce, Brian, Caroline and Brad Beasley. The company went public in 2000.

George Beasley, right, is shown in an archival photo with Al Jones, former general manager of WGAC.

He told Radio World in 2015 that radio’s value proposition remained as solid as it was five decades earlier.

“I am proud to say that Beasley has been a pioneer in the adoption of technologies such as FM radio, which surpassed AM in the late 1970s; HD Radio and PPM in the ensuing decades; and streaming and mobile applications today. Each of these innovations enhanced the listener experience and strengthened the medium as a core buy for any brand or product seeking to reach consumers at large or consumers within distinct demographics.”

NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith issued a statement about his death: “George was a pioneer in broadcasting and a giant in his field, building Beasley into one of the premier radio station groups over the course of 60 years and serving the radio industry with distinction.”

Beasley was born in April 1932, “working in the tobacco fields in his hometown of Ararat, Virginia.”

He enlisted in the army to pursue a degree in education through the G.I. Bill. “Upon completing his B.A. and M.A. from Appalachian State University, he taught in Virginia, before moving to North Carolina in the late 50’s to become a high school principal and coach.” Even after starting his first station he only worked evenings and weekends in radio until 1969 before leaving education to focus on broadcasting.

Beasley receive the National Radio Award from the National Association of Broadcasters in 2015, and his daughter Caroline will receive it this fall.

Husband and wife: George and Ann Beasley in an undated photo.

He was a former president of the board of the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters and had been inducted into its Hall of Fame as well as those of the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters and Nevada Broadcasters Association.

He was also in the Country Radio Broadcasters Hall of Fame and received the Broadcasters Foundation of America Lifetime Achievement Award. The Library of American Broadcasting listed him as one of its “giants of broadcasting.” He received honors from the Florida Association of Broadcasters and Country Radio Broadcasters.

He remained close to his alma mater Appalachian State University, where he was a former chairman of the Appalachian State University Foundation Board of Directors as well as a member of the university board. A media complex on campus bears his name.

“The many challenges that George faced over the years, he did with humility, dignity and grace. A loving husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, his legacy serves as a reminder that anything is possible with dedication, hard work and respect for one another,” the company stated. “George is survived by his wife of 67 years Ann, five children, 16 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.”

 

The post George Beasley Dies, Age 89 appeared first on Radio World.

The late Jim Baum now has part of a Texas highway named after him.

The Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a measure honoring the owner-operator of KVMC(AM) and KAUM(FM) in Colorado City, who died in 2018. Baum was also a three-time mayor of that community.

“SB 1124 by Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, renames a stretch of Business Interstate Highway 20-J in his honor,” the Texas Association of Broadcasters noted in its newsletter.

“Baum owned and operated KVMC(AM) Colorado City, ‘the Voice of Mitchell County,’ for nearly 40 years. He signed KAUM(FM) on the air later in the 1980s.”

According to his obituary, Baum “found his lifelong love of radio” when he worked for KCRS(AM) in Midland. He later managed KBYG(AM) in Big Spring.

In an earlier post, TAB described Baum as “well remembered by those in Mitchell County and by the TAB staff as a tireless public servant, whether it was leading Colorado City through challenging times as mayor or by his dedication to reporting the day’s events in his radio newscasts. If wildfires or a tornado threatened the area, day or night, he was on the air with lifesaving information. Baum also brought Mitchell County history alive with on-air stories about the area’s past events.”

The post Texas Honors the Late Jim Baum appeared first on Radio World.

The Broadcasters Clinic returns with an in-person event in September.

The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association has announced the conference agenda.

“We are committed to making the Broadcasters Clinic safe for all. Masks and hand sanitizer will be available at the Clinic,” WBA stated on its website. “If you are not vaccinated, please wear a mask. Guidelines are subject to change based on the latest public health guidance.”

The longtime, engineering-friendly event will be held Sept. 8 to 10 at the Madison Marriott West Hotel in Middleton, Wis.

Topics relevant to radio attendees include virtualization, cloud infrastructure and ”containerization”; computer modeling of FM directional antennas; on-air processing in the cloud; SRT protocol for signal distribution; the role of metadata in radio; saving power in FM transmitters; lessons from Alternative Broadcast Inspections; cybersecurity; LED obstruction lights; and post-pandemic management strategies.

Of the three days of the conference, the first day focuses on radio topics, the third is about television, and the middle day bridges both.

David Layer of the National Association of Broadcasters is among the featured speakers. An early bird rate applies for registration until July 15.

 

The post WBA Announces Broadcasters Clinic Lineup appeared first on Radio World.

Judy Copier

iHeartMedia named Judy Copier as president of its Salt Lake City market.

She succeeds Stu Stanek, who has retired after two decades with the company. Copier will report to Division President Tom McConnell.

[Visit Radio World’s People News Page]

Joyce Wirthlin was promoted to senior VP of sales, Copier’s former position; and Jeff McCartney was recently named senior vice president of programming for the market.

McConnell thanked Stanek for his work. “Stu has been one of our strongest leaders over the past two decades, and I can’t thank him enough for all of his hard work and countless contributions.”

Send news of engineering and executive personnel changes to radioworld@futurenet.com.

 

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