Industry News

Few outside of the region may be familiar with North Central West Virginia, home to such communities as Bridgeport, Clarksburg, Fairmont and Weston. It’s connected loosely to Morgantown, which is a part of the Pittsburgh DMA.

As such, Clarksburg-Weston and Elkins comprise a TV market that’s of importance to Gray Television. It owns a CBS affiliate there. And, it wants better coverage of the mountainous market.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The four Commissioners of the FCC will be congregating at an oversight hearing convened by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by New Jersey Democrat Frank Pallone Jr., on the final day of March.

Don’t expect to hear much on the subject of broadcast media regulation.

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This story is adapted from the ebook “Radio’s Call to Action.: DTS AutoStage.”

NAB PILOT, Xperi and several major radio companies are part of a group that has been working to ensure that radio is integrated into Google’s open-source Android Automotive operating system for connected cars. John Clark, executive director of PILOT, says they are ready to pitch Google executives to make the case for broadcast radio to be supported properly in that system.

The Android Automotive OS will be a standalone system with user apps installed directly to the car’s system — no smartphone required. (“Android Automotive” is distinct from “Android Auto,” where the system runs on the user’s phone.)

Android Automotive OS is expected to be available in about 50% of new cars in the next seven years. General Motors, Ford, Audi and Stellantis are among those with plans to integrate the platform.

Clark says the goal of PILOT’s initiative is to help define what radio will look like in these dashboards and ensure that radio can benefit from the rollout.

He said Xperi is doing much of the development work. Also involved are Beasley Media Group, iHeartMedia, Audacy, Salem Media Group, NPR and BBC. The group also took input from Ford and Audi.

Google itself is a member of NAB PILOT, and Clark said the group has had conversations with the company throughout the process.

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“An extensive amount of work has been done. This round of work is finished, so now it’s time to reach back out to Google,” Clark said in late 2021. He didn’t specify a timeframe but hoped the presentation could be done early this year.

The group’s work includes a recommendations document. Though specifics have not been made public, Clark says it outlines vendor extensions and other parameters that the group would want Google to incorporate into Android Automotive.

Clark says it has defined standards in broadcast radio that should be supported, like RDS, dynamic text, station logos, slide show images and multicast channels.

“I would describe this process as making sure all the services radio broadcasters have put in place are fully functional in the (Android) system itself.”

Clark says it is vital that the broadcast be a part of Android Automotive with full functionality, which in turn will help leverage a truly hybrid experience, as envisioned by a platform like Xperi’s DTS AutoStage.

“Then folks like Xperi can begin layering in things coming over the IP connection. But to get to hybrid we have to make sure the radio broadcast piece is there.”

How long might it take for this work to bear fruit?

“Google is probably working on a two-year implementation cycle for release in an open source software environment — I’d say more than one year but less than three, to get things vetted, tested and hardened. You have to remember we are talking about the entire operating system for the dashboard. So they are working through a lot of things not related to radio. Think about voice control and the impact of that alone.”

But Clark emphasizes that time is short for radio to “bend the ear” of the big tech company. For instance, Ford says it will turn over its operating vehicle systems to Google beginning in 2023. The automaker’s deep integration of the Android system will include voice-activated Assistant, Google Maps and other automotive approved Android apps, according to an announcement from Ford.

Clark said it is possible that NAB will be able to demonstrate what broadcast radio in an Android Automotive OS environment could look like at the NAB Show in April.

“We hope to showcase a radio interface on Android Automotive that takes advantage of all features of broadcast radio.”

Randy J. Stine has spent the past 40 years working in audio production and broadcast radio news. He joined Radio World in 1997 and covers new technology and regulatory issues. He has a B.A. in journalism from Michigan State University.

The post Android Automotive Project Completes First Phase appeared first on Radio World.

According to a tech note sent to its affiliates, a swap of satellite receivers will be necessary to continue to receive Westwood One programming.

The radio network told affiliates on Monday it has selected the Wegener iPump 8640 receiver as the new satellite delivery platform for Westwood One formats and shows, including all talk and music programming.

Radio World confirmed the letter is in the hands of at least several Westwood One affiliates even though the radio network did not immediately reply to questions about how many affiliates might be affected by the change.

Westwood One stated the new Wegener i8640 receivers will be shipped to affiliates, but did not indicate in the notice when the transition will take place.

“[The] Wegener receiver includes many improvements with the primary advantage of standardized relays,” Westwood One stated in the notice to affiliates. “This is a big advantage as you no longer have to map different relays for the same function such as local breaks or liners. For example, relay 1 will always be the local break for all Westwood One programming.”

The new Wegener receiver also has an isolated relay bank associated with each audio output, Westwood One said, so no errant relays from another audio source when programming is active at the same time on multiple outputs.

“There are 4 audio/relay ports which can provide 24/7 programming for up to four separate stations at your location or simulcast two or more stations from one audio/relay output. The audio quality is also dramatically improved,” the radio network stated.

For the transition, the audio connection on current XDS receivers can be moved directly to the audio output of the Wegener receiver provided a radio station will not have non-Westwood One programming remaining on XDS.

The change also affects all affiliates currently using a Wegener i6420 receiver. “That receiver model will be upgraded to the i8640,” Westwood One told affiliates.

The radio network noted: “Your engineer will need to wire new relays to your switcher and/or automation as there is not a way to convert your XDS mappings to the Wegener standardized relay output.”

Affiliates are asked to refer to the Westwood One technical site at technology.westwoodone.com. At the site, affiliates will find show clocks for the Wegener (and XDS for comparison), audio/relay pinouts, ShowDirector instructions (for scheduling the Westwood One shows currently contracted) and other critical information.

For additional technical questions, affiliates also can contact Westwood One at 888-435-7450.

Westwood One, which is owned by Cumulus Media, says it has nearly 7,300 affiliated radio stations and media partners. It describes itself as the largest audio network in the United States.

Randy J. Stine has spent the past 40 years working in audio production and broadcast radio news. He joined Radio World in 1997 and covers new technology and regulatory issues. He has a B.A. in journalism from Michigan State University.

The post Westwood One Notifies Affiliates of Move to New Satellite Receiver appeared first on Radio World.

KETTERING, OHIO — Continue north on I-75 from the Gem City of Dayton, Ohio to Piqua and, then, to Sidney and you’ll find a 6kw Class A FM offering programming that’s “Totally. About. Music.”

It comes courtesy of Dean Miller Broadcasting, but could that change soon? The station has just been sold, and the buyer — a familiar figure in the building — plans on a return to its former branding.

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The only national distributor of Spanish-language news in public radio has signed off on a Consent Decree with the FCC’s Audio Division Chief, Al Shuldiner, that absolves the licensee of non-compliance with the Commission’s Public File Rule.

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An advanced advertising company focused on “audience-based campaigns” in television has promoted three new members to its executive team.

The leadership elevation of the trio of OpenAP leaders comes at a time of “significant growth” for the operation, which recently saw Discovery Inc. become a minority owner.

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On January 5, Westwood One, the national radio arm of Cumulus Media, officially put an end to The Zach Sang Show.

Now, the former Nickelodeon star is set to resurface — not on the radio, per se, but perhaps a “Mr. Microphone” for the YouTube era, courtesy of Amazon.

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To mark International Women’s Day, Voice of Equality launched in Erbil, Iraq, on Mar. 8, 2022, with the goal of advocating for women and adolescent girls’ well-being and empowerment.

The FM station, which broadcasts on 101.9 MHz, is run by the Kurdistan Region of Iraq’s General Directorate for Combatting Violence Against Women (GDCVAW) and UNICEF with support from the U.S. Agency for International Development.

According to a UNICEF press release, Voice for Equality “will promote participatory approaches that aim to stimulate critical reflection on power and strengthen voice and agency and also facilitate partnerships across organizations and sectors.”

The goal is to advocate for girls and women’s empowerment, as well as to address issues of gender-based violence and violence against children.

The post Voice of Equality Launches in Iraqi Kurdistan appeared first on Radio World.

ORLANDO — She’s fondly remembered for her 12 years at Interep, her 17 years as Publisher of now-defunct industry trade Radio & Records and as a 25-year-old General Manager of WXLO “99x” in New York for RKO General in the late 1970s.

For the last decade, Erica Farber has served as President/CEO of the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB). It’s a role she’ll be keeping for a couple of more years.

Farber and the RAB’s Executive Committee have agreed to a contract extension that will keep her in the association’s top role through April 2024.

Farber joined the RAB in January 2012 as an executive vice president and ascended to her current role a few months later.

The announcement comes following the RAB’s Spring Board of Directors Meeting held last week in Central Florida; WideOrbit sponsored the event.

At the meeting, held March 2-3, the RAB executive committee also reinstated and activated several new committees, including committees focused on bylaws, nominating, finance, strategy, investment, events, network, multicultural, and the “National Radio Talent System.”

The committees are overseen by the RAB board of directors with participation by RAB’s senior staff and are intended to help the organization manage its day-to-day business, while planning ahead for the future and benefit of the radio industry.

The Spring affair also saw StateNets Southeast & Midwest Region Partner Carolyn Fisher succeed Dave Martin on the board of directors.