Industry News

With thousands of industry executives participating online from their computers and tablets, TVB Forward Conference 2021 kicked off on Thursday morning with welcome comments from both President/CEO Steve Lanzano and the Chair of its Board of Directors, Debra OConnell.

For OConnell, who serves as President of Networks at Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution, a highly positive and encouraging tone was struck.

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Every day we hear of another ransomware attack or data breach, and it seems that the cyber adversaries are taking over companies, catching them off-guard and ill-prepared.

How are the cyber adversaries doing it? Why are people and companies in the dark when it comes to cybercrime? What should you do to protect your organization?

A Forecast 2022 session featuring the founder of Cybersecurity Ventures and Editor-in-Chief at Cybercrime Magazine is a must-attend for those who don’t want to deal with the issues many radio station owners and one big tech company serving radio just suffered through.

Cyber security expert Steve Morgan chats with WABC-AM in New York’s Juliet Huddy at Forecast 2022, November 16 at the Harvard Club in midtown Manhattan, for a provocative interview delivered free of technobabble.

Morgan has written more than 500 articles for Forbes, CSO, and others. He is co-author of the book “Women Know Cyber: 100 Fascinating Females Fighting Cybercrime” and named on numerous lists including LinkedIn’s 5 Security Influencers to Follow, Onalytica’s Who’s Who in Cybersecurity, and the Top 100 Cybersecurity Influencers at RSA Conference.

 

“The value of a business depends largely on how well it guards its data, the strength of its cybersecurity, and its level of cyber resilience,” Morgan says

Forecast 2022 explores the most critical challenge facing business and industry today — cyber security — with a session packed with information you need to know and answers to questions you have – or should have. Seating is limited. Register today for Forecast 2022 and take advantage of early bird pricing. Registration include admittance into the Broadcast Leadership Reception honoring the 2021 Top Radio and Television Leaders. Always a great networking event, this may be a one-of-a-kind opportunity this year!

 

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Who knew that the Chief Research Officer of the not-for-profit trade association representing America’s local broadcast television industry would be as hard-hitting as a 60 Minutes journalist?

Hadassa Gerber proved to be quite the moderator at a TVB Forward Conference session on “the future of measurement,” the first of a series of panelists delivered across the TVB’s virtual affair on Thursday.

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Oh, by the way, about that NAL? You can toss that …

The Federal Communications Commission has canceled a notice of apparent liability for forfeiture issued to Carlos Lopez in relation to two FM translators in Texas.

As we reported earlier, the commission was planning a $3,000 penalty because the license renewal forms for the translators in Conroe and South Padre Island were due April 1 but not received until late May.

Now, the FCC says it had “overlooked the fact that the commission first issued licenses for the stations on May 14, 2021.” Thus it was impossible for Lopez to file for renewal by April 1.

“Given this and the fact that the licensee filed the renewal applications prior to expiration of the stations’ licenses, we find that cancellation of the NAL is appropriate,” it said.

Hey, it’s not called a notice of apparent liability for nuthin…

The post FCC Cancels NAL on Texas Translators appeared first on Radio World.

On August 2, the end of an era — and the leadership of a broadcast media company — came for Ralph Oakley.

The President/CEO of Quincy Media, Inc., formally retired, as the Illinois-based owner of over-the-air TV stations completed its sale to Gray Television, with spinoff stations going to Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group.

Oakley was saluted for his accomplishments at the virtual TVB Forward Conference on Thursday, marking perhaps his final industry appearance.

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With nine weeks to go, IBC Show organizers have unveiled their plans to hold a hybrid event in December.

Following the reduction in COVID restrictions announced by the Dutch government earlier this month, organizers say they are “heading in the right direction” in terms of the physical event. “We are focusing on delivering an absolutely safe event,” CEO Mike Crimp told a media briefing.

While the rules around social distancing and wearing of masks have been relaxed, the IBC exhibition will include signs asking attendees to respect everyone’s preferences if they should want to continue with the measures.

The exhibition will also implement a “festival-style” perimeter fence, and include checks on vaccinations status, as well as recent COVID test status. Attendees from non-EU countries (such as the U.K. and U.S.) will be able to gain access to the Netherlands with a negative PCR test, but organizers suggest they check both their own government and the Dutch government’s websites in the run-up to the event.

In terms of the digital side of the event, this year’s content program will be free for everyone to access whether they are in Amsterdam or at home, the first time this has happened in the event’s history.

IBC Digital is a hybrid platform that will run in tandem with the live event, and enable users to watch content, schedule online meetings with exhibitors and other attendees, review exhibitor profiles, and invite colleagues to live meetings.

IBC 2021 takes place Dec. 3–6 at the RAI in Amsterdam.

 

The post “We Are Confident. We Are Not Complacent”: IBC Unveils Plans for Hybrid Event appeared first on Radio World.

Volkswagen Australia added DAB+ digital radio across most of its 2022 vehicle lineup.

The announcement came from industry body Commercial Radio Australia.

“All Volkswagen passenger and commercial vehicles in Australia will offer DAB+ with the exception of the base model grades of its van and ‘ute’ range,” CRA announced. It said models with DAB+ will include the Golf and T-Cross SUV.

[Read: Warner to Step Down at Commercial Radio Australia]

DAB+ is on air in five major metro markets and four other cities, and there are plans to add it to the Gold Coast.

CEO Joan Warner said the number of new vehicles in Australia with DAB+ had increased by 420,000 in the first half of 2021.

“The number of new vehicles sold with DAB+ was up by 25% in the first half of the year compared to the same period last year. This is good news for radio listeners who will benefit from the extra station choice, reliability and ease of use of digital technology,” she said in the announcement.

She added that 76% of new vehicles sold in Australia come with DAB+ from the factory and that 4.1 million new vehicles have been sold with DAB+ to June 2021.

 

The post VW Australia Expands Use of DAB+ appeared first on Radio World.

In mid-September, Sinclair Broadcast Group-owned Dielectric first shared how the company literally changed how FM broadcast antenna manufacturers validate directional pattern studies for new FM broadcast antennas.

This led Dielectric to submit a Petition for Rulemaking with the FCC. And, if the FCC moves forward with a NPRM and subsequently approves the rules, a process that could take just months, a move from physical to AI-driven simulated modeling could come to fruition.

The engineering guys may get this, but those in the C-Suite may already have eyes glazed over. In this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, Dielectric VP/GM Keith Pelleiter explains this so the only thing glazed in their office is a Krispy Kreme donut.

 

Listen to “The InFOCUS Podcast – Keith Pelletier” on Spreaker.

The Holladay family has become well-known for their ownership of radio properties across the Deep South.

Now, Bryan Holladay is signing of on an acquisition. Pending FCC approval, it will see the transfer of control of three FMs to his Meridian Media Group.

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Strengthening our Communications Networks to Meet Consumers’ Needs

That’s the key topic up for debate and conversation at an upcoming legislative hearing announced late yesterday by the Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the head of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee.

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