[Radio World] FCC Will Consider Franken FMs in June

[Radio World via rec.radio.info Admin]

Radio World

///////////////////////////////////////////
FCC Will Consider Franken FMs in June

Posted: 17 May 2022 01:49 PM PDT
https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/headlines/fcc-will-consider-franken-fms-in-june


Franken FM is on the agenda at the FCC.

Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has released a list of topics for the
commission’s June meeting and FM6 is on it.

“We’re asking about preserving established local programming for radio
audiences,” she wrote.

“For years, some low-power television stations licensed on Channel 6 have
provided listeners local radio programming that was picked up on the FM
dial, so-called FM6 stations. These stations sought to maintain this
service to their existing audiences after the LPTV digital transition by
seeking commission approval to provide their analog radio service as
‘ancillary or supplementary services.’”

Rosenworcel said the commission will consider a proposal to allow these
broadcasters to continue their existing FM6 radio service, “provided that
they meet certain conditions, including interference protection and the
provision of a synchronous TV service to consumers.”

The Educational Media Foundation has been among those pressing the FCC for
approval and clarification on policies around FM6 stations.

Radio World contributor James ONeal has an ongoing series of articles on
these stations; the first provided an overview, the second focuses on the
tech behind the stations in the era of ATSC 3.0.

The post FCC Will Consider Franken FMs in June appeared first on Radio
World.


///////////////////////////////////////////
Letters: Shortwave, NextGen TV and the Value of Encouragement

Posted: 17 May 2022 10:05 AM PDT
https://www.radioworld.com/columns-and-views/readers-forum/letters-shortwave-nextgen-tv-and-the-value-of-encouragement


Below is a sampling of recent letters to the editor of Radio World. Find
more on the Reader’s Forum page. Letters are invited by email to
radio...@futurenet.com.

Failings of Shortwave Today

Regarding “Shortwave Radios Keep Up With Tech” by James Careless,
originally published in late 2021:

If I were to spend money on a radio receiver — and expected more than just
Reverend Send More Money and WWV — I wouldn’t buy any of the receivers
suggested by the author, nor would I expect them to receive anything
reliably without a good antenna.

The Laws of Physics are written in stone.

Most commercial Chinese-made products — high-voltage neon transformers,
automatic meter readers, plasma televisions, switch mode power supplies —
make noise in all parts of the spectrum. This makes it almost impossible to
listen to most of the content still available.

The cheapest entry-level option is to use an online remote receiver such as
WebSDR.

Most new shortwave listeners tire of the lack of content, and the radio
becomes a novelty. 

Amateur radio may appeal to anyone in broadcasting, since you can both talk
and listen, exchanging your opinions and your knowledge with people all
over the world. There is no code, the exam is cheap or free (e.g. The
Laurel VEC), and it gives you free bandwidth to experiment with radio and
antenna designs.

Jerry Bosak, W3DO



Why Bother With NextGen TV? 

I think Fred Baumgartner’s article “NextGen TV Is Tapping Us on the
Shoulder” misses a very important point: Why bother?

While he argues that ancient modulation on the MW band and even FM on the
VHF band cannot compete with ATSC 3.0 on the UHF band for OTA distribution
for most of the global audience, he forgets that wireless transmission in
general is passe except for time spent in motion, commuting, etc. Fiber to
the home is rapidly replacing copper circuits of all types and is far more
reliable than any OTA signal.

Do we need ATSC 3.0 to reach commuters? Nope. Sure, we could use its data
formats with 5G OTA, but that’s really optional. Once you have an IP
connection, any data format will work. ATSC 3.0 TV transmission, even
synchronous repeaters, pales in comparison with cellular carriers, who will
be providing thousands of cell sites in any one community.

If you look at rural areas, especially those with very hilly or mountainous
terrain, OTA remains highly challenged. And that includes 5G cellular
service. But many of these same areas are being rewired with fiber.

So, for that magnificent 8K TV screen, fiber will likely rule. Do the kids
in the family van really need 8K for the 24-inch screen built into the
backrests of the seats in front of them?

In the world of Internet of Things, will traditional TV license holders
matter? Nope. These devices require two-way connectivity. Only the wireless
carriers are in a position to expand and prosper. And at home, the bits can
be uplinked more efficiently with wireless modems connected to the world
via fiber than 5G.

Ira Wilner

The author is chief engineer of Monadnock Broadcasting Group and Saga
Communications. Opinions are his own.

 

Early Encouragement Matters

Thanks for the article “John Warner Dies, Was Respected AM Engineer.” 

From the replies I saw, he was well respected in the radio industry.

I am amazed that as a youngster he received a telephone pole for his
birthday to receive radio signals, and that he experimented with curtain
array antennas, stuff that international shortwave broadcasters used to
target their audiences overseas. 

I am a little jealous, as my father didn’t encourage my interest of
electronics and radio when I was growing up. It shows that the father
believed in his son and his possible future, hence his success in AM radio
engineering. I got along fine in my career in telecom, but wish I’d gotten
that extra attention when I was younger and curious. Good for Mr. Warner.
He made it.

Dan Ramos

[Check Out More Letters at Radio World’s Reader’s Forum Section]

The post Letters: Shortwave, NextGen TV and the Value of Encouragement
appeared first on Radio World.


///////////////////////////////////////////
Stingray Will Deploy MaxxCasting

Posted: 17 May 2022 08:41 AM PDT
https://www.radioworld.com/global/stingray-will-deploy-maxxcasting


From our Who’s Buying What page: Canadian broadcaster Stingray plans to use
MaxxCasting systems from GeoBroadcast Solutions to reach listeners in
outlying suburbs of its radio markets.

These will be the first Canadian deployments for MaxxCasting.

Stingray operates approximately 100 radio stations in that country. GBS
quoted Stingray Engineering Director Chris Maclaurin saying, “Our biggest
challenge has been broadcasting into areas within the predicted contour
that the signal wasn’t covering.”
A few logos of Stingray stations

He said engineering consultants Octave Communications proposed that the
company use the MaxxCasting solution.

MaxxCasting uses a combination radio and cellular technology to enable FM
stations to enhance their signals with the deployment of a cluster of low,
directionalized synchronized booster sites. 

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

The post Stingray Will Deploy MaxxCasting appeared first on Radio World.


///////////////////////////////////////////
Tieline, MaxxKonnect Will Partner in U.S.

Posted: 17 May 2022 08:20 AM PDT
https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/tieline-maxxkonnect-will-partner-in-u-s


Codec manufacturer Tieline has named the MaxxKonnect Group as a new
distribution partner in the United States.

Tieline’s codecs are used for remote broadcast, STL and audio distribution.

Doug Ferber, VP Sales Americas for Tieline, said, “There are obvious
synergies between Tieline codecs and the prioritized, high-speed LTE
internet service MaxxKonnect provides for broadcast applications.”

Josh Bohn is president and CEO of MaxxKonnect, which offers broadcast
equipment integration and turnkey services, prioritized cellular
connectivity solutions and equipment sales.


Tieline and MaxxKonnect team members are shown at the recent NAB Show.

The companies said the announcement means MaxxKonnect can provide
integrated solutions for engineers requiring Tieline codecs with QoS
cellular connectivity in a range of remote broadcast and transmitter site
applications.

[Visit Radio World’s News and Business Page]

The post Tieline, MaxxKonnect Will Partner in U.S. appeared first on Radio
World.


///////////////////////////////////////////
Saelig Has New Aim-TTi Handheld RF Analyzers

Posted: 17 May 2022 08:03 AM PDT
https://www.radioworld.com/tech-and-gear/products/saelig-has-new-aim-tti-handheld-rf-analyzers


Saelig Company is offering U.S. customers a fresh line of handheld RF
spectrum analyzers, the Aim-TTi PSA Series 3.

It highlights them as versatile and easy to use, with touchscreen functions
and long battery life. They come in a rugged case with removable
sunscreen/screen protector.

“Available in 1.3 GHz and 2.7 GHz versions, these new instruments are
small, portable and have long battery life with improvements over the
previous Series 2 instruments, even rivalling more expensive handheld RF
products,” the company says.

Prices range from $1,425 to $1,925.

“Improvements include a lower noise floor for increased sensitivity, a new
frequency counter, additional RMS, Sample and Average detector modes, and
RBW selectable down to 300 Hz,” Saelig says.

The PSA Series 3 PSA1303 has a frequency range of 1 MHz to 133 GHz, while
the PSA2703 operates up to 2.7 GHz, both offering a noise floor as low as –
115 dBm and a dynamic range of 84 dB. 

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

Features include sweep modes (continuous, single, peak hold and sweep
average), AM/FM audio demodulation with built-in speaker, and data logging
for traces, data points or screen images. Plus, storage for 10,000 entries
per file triggered from a key press, internal timer, external trigger or
the limits comparator. 

Traces or complete screen images can be saved to file and compensation
tables for antennae or other external transducers can be created and
loaded. USB host and device connectors allow the use of USB Flash drives or
direct connection to a PC. Control is by touch-screen soft keys in a
hierarchical menu system that gives access to menu functions. Additional
hard keys are provided for marker movement and short cuts to all major
functions.

The manufacturer Aim-TTi is based in Europe; Saelig Company is the U.S.
technical distributor.

The post Saelig Has New Aim-TTi Handheld RF Analyzers appeared first on
Radio World.


///////////////////////////////////////////
FCC Releases April Call Sign Actions

Posted: 17 May 2022 07:42 AM PDT
https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/business-and-law/fcc-releases-april-call-sign-actions


In Seattle in April, iHeartMedia moved the call letters KJR-FM to its 93.3
FM frequency. The station at that dial position formerly had been called
KUBE(FM), while the station that had been using the KJR-FM call sign has
changed to KJEB(FM). 

In Oil City, Pa., the EMF station that had been WKQW-FM is now WLOQ(FM). 

In Newport, Wash., station KZIU-FM, licensed to Growing Christian
Foundation, is now KJYR(FM).

These are a few samples from the latest FCC Media Bureau Call Sign Actions
report. It is available for your perusal online.

[See Our Business and Law Page]

The post FCC Releases April Call Sign Actions appeared first on Radio World.


///////////////////////////////////////////
Audacy Trumpets "AudioX Super Listeners"

Posted: 16 May 2022 02:21 PM PDT
https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/programming-and-sales/audacy-trumpets-audiox-super-listeners


What is an AudioX super listener? Someone who consumes audio “ravenously”
across broadcast and podcasting platforms. 

So says Audacy, which believes it is outperforming other audio media
companies with that group of listeners.

Audacy released its second “State of Audio” e-book, featuring “insights
relevant to the listeners, creators and advertisers revolutionizing audio.”

Under the header “Move over, P1s,” the report states: “Listeners who jump
from radio to podcasts and back throughout the day are blossoming into a
valuable super-listener audience: the AudioX Listener. These listeners come
for the connection and the content (every bit of it, even listening fully
through ads). They tune in for more hours per week. Their trust is
sky-high. And they are ready for brand messages.”

Audacy says these folks skew younger, are financially comfortable and are
well educated. And the company says it outperforms Spotify, iHeart and
Pandora on an index of AudioX listeners to average U.S. adults.

The Audacy audio ebooks aim to raise awareness about audio in general and
soften the ground for Audacy’s sales pitch as an audio platform provider in
particular. The content will be of interest to anyone involved in managing
or selling OTA or online audio.

Among data points in the report:

Audio revenue outpaced video in 2021. Audacy cited the IAB Advertising
Revenue Report showing that audio streaming revenue is up +59% year over
year, while audio streaming growth is outpacing investments in video,
social and search.
Audio usage has eclipsed TV, including CTV, it said.
“Audio reaches everyone, with 99% of U.S. adults reporting using audio
monthly,” Audacy wrote, citing Nielsen data, “and thats more than the total
use of TV, including connected devices.”
Gen Z and Millennials are more likely to stream audio than video, it said,
based on MRI Simmons data.
Time spent listening on AM/FM streaming and podcast content has increased
+64% from 2015 to Q1 2022, it said, based on Edison Research data.


The ebook is free to download.

The post Audacy Trumpets “AudioX Super Listeners” appeared first on Radio
World.


///////////////////////////////////////////
LoCurto Named to NPR Programming Role

Posted: 16 May 2022 02:07 PM PDT
https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/people-news/locurto-named-to-npr-programming-role


Sal LoCurto will join NPR in June as its new senior director, broadcast
programming strategy.

LoCurto, who will be based in Los Angeles, will work with NPR divisions on
broadcast initiatives and support partnerships with external broadcast and
podcast producers; he also will lead a team devoted to supporting NPR
Network initiatives.

“He will also help to build clear and systematic communication channels
with our partners, in collaboration with our Member Partnership team,”
wrote Senior Vice President for Programming and Audience Development Anya
Grundmann.

He succeeds Steve Nelson, senior director of programming, who left NPR last
year.

[Visit Radio World’s People News Page]

In a memo to staff, Grundmann said LoCurto was chosen after a national
search. She described him as “an experienced media professional … [who
will] help drive the strategic direction of our broadcast programming
(beyond the newsmagazines) and to oversee our relationship with external
program producers.”

LoCurto most recently was program director for KPCC in Pasadena, Calif. 

“Over his career, Sal has demonstrated a keen eye for strategy in broadcast
and for developing content for Black and Latino audiences,” Grundmann
continued. 

“As senior vice president for program development and original series at
fuse TV, Sal created a strategic roadmap for the networks content
development targeting younger demographics, oversaw the production of
pilots and series across many genres, and supported noteworthy series such
as The Hustle and Big Freedia: Queen of Bounce.”

He has been a media consultant and vice president of programming for Rave
HD at the network and held positions at Universal Studios, Warner Bros. and
MTV Networks.

The post LoCurto Named to NPR Programming Role appeared first on Radio
World.


///////////////////////////////////////////
TechSurvey 2022: Pandemic Drives Down Radio Listening

Posted: 16 May 2022 01:50 PM PDT
https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/programming-and-sales/techsurvey-2022-pandemic-drives-down-radio-listening


COVID could have a lasting impact on radio listening habits. The latest
TechSurvey from Jacobs Media offers a glimpse at how shifting radio
listening patterns developed during the pandemic have affected radio
broadcasters.

A key finding from TechSurvey 2022 shows that 12% of core radio users say
they are listening to broadcast radio less in the last year, mostly because
they spend less time in the car. 

TechSurvey respondents typically list items like “too many commercials” and
“repetitive music” as top reasons they listen less to the radio, but things
have changed the past several years, according to the latest survey’s
results.

“Since COVID, listening less in the car and lifestyle changes are the top
reasons people are listening less to the radio,” said Fred Jacobs,
president of Jacobs Media.

Jacobs appeared on the TS 2022 webinar last week and said those lifestyle
changes range from working from home − certainly a new option for many −
and quitting a job to changing work habits and evolving family obligations.
All can impact the amount of time spent listening to the radio, he said.

The highest percent of survey respondents saying they are spending less
time in the car are women, Millennials and Baby Boomers, Jacobs said.


The good news is the number of those surveyed who said they listen to less
radio because they are in the car less often dipped in the most recent
TechSurvey to 50% from a high of 71% in 2021, Jacobs said. 

Those core 31,000 radio listeners that participated in TS 2022 mostly agree
they have a stronger connection to their P1 station since COVID. About 37%
say they strongly agree with that assertion, while 39% agree and 18%
remained neutral.

“In a strange sort of way, some radio stations have actually benefitted
from COVID in terms of making that closer connection to their audience when
they needed it most,” Jacobs said. 

The Jacobs’ survey data shows the number those who strongly agree remained
at 37% for a second year and more women than men have that opinion.


Perhaps even more intriguing is radio’s hold on those core listeners who
connect to radio’s “local orientation” during the pandemic. Except for Gen
Z, radio’s local edge grew or maintained its edge when it comes to the
question of local.    

“Overall, the local piece turns out to be a very important factor here,”
Jacobs says. 

The “agree or disagree question” ranked a high of 49% of those who
“strongly agree” the past two surveys. The male/female breakdown is about a
wash, Jacobs says, but the strong numbers for Millennials, Gen X and
Boomers are noteworthy.  


Jacobs goes on to explain the TS 2022’s Net Promoter scores, which measure
whether a person would be likely to recommend a particular station to a
friend or family member. A snapshot of the data since the very first
TechSurvey in 2005 seems to reflect a slowly growing positive trend. In
fact, the two best Net Promoter scores for commercial radio have come the
past two years, he said.  

“Radio’s word-of-mouth numbers are holding strong,” Jacobs said, “led by
Christian radio and Public radio formatted stations.” 



This is the third in a series of stories examining the results from
TechSurvey 2022. Click here to read part two.


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 TechSurvey 2022: Pandemic Drives Down Radio Listening appeared
first on Radio World.


///////////////////////////////////////////
Inside the May 11, 2022 Issue of Radio World

Posted: 16 May 2022 01:17 PM PDT
https://www.radioworld.com/resource-center/digital-editions/inside-the-may-11-2022-issue-of-radio-world


For 45 years, Radio World has been a companion and career resource for
radio engineers and managers who deploy technology to advance their
organizational goals. Here’s your latest issue.

What one attendee smilingly called “NAB Lite” marked a return to in-person
spring shows. The mood was upbeat, as seen in our photo coverage.

Also, Buyers Guide looks at tools for visual radio, with offerings from
Broadcast Pix, WinMedia, MultiCAM Systems, Sprite Media, Comrex, Broadcast
Bionics, OmniPlayer, NewTek and AEQ.

Read it here.

The post Inside the May 11, 2022 Issue of Radio World appeared first on
Radio World.


///////////////////////////////////////////
Philadelphia Public Safety Department Turns Off Its 5 LPFMs

Posted: 16 May 2022 11:53 AM PDT
https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/philadelphia-public-safety-department-cancels-its-5-lpfms


The Montgomery County Department of Public Safety has permanently turned
off its five low-power FM radio stations in Philadelphia. According to
reports from WHYY, these LPFMs were turned off March 7 after the county
submitted a request to the Federal Communications Commission relinquishing
its licenses.

Included are the county’s licenses for WRDY, WEMA, WEMZ, WEMK and WEMQ.

WHYY reported that, while the county applied for these licenses in 2013
with the intent of using the stations for in-time emergency preparedness
alerts, instead, those stations ended up running 12-minute loops of 24/7
public service announcements.

County officials told WHYY that the five stations only reached about 80% of
the community, and that it proved difficult to update each station every
time they needed to send an emergency alert. Advertising five different
stations to Montgomery County’s residents also proved difficult, which is
why the county opted for generic PSAs, according to WHYY.

These PSAs included everything from messages on fire and severe weather
safety to COVID-19 information. All this in addition to the county’s other
in-time emergency messaging systems.

[Related: A Look at the Strange, Unique and Compelling World of LPFMs]

WHYY said it’s not clear what the cancellation means for other community
members waiting to apply for a LPFM radio station license. You can read its
full report here.

If those LPFMs do become available for other groups or organizations to
claim, applicants will need to abide by stringent FCC requirements.

The post Philadelphia Public Safety Department Turns Off Its 5 LPFMs
appeared first on Radio World.


///////////////////////////////////////////
Red Apple Media Hires Frank MacKay

Posted: 16 May 2022 08:54 AM PDT
https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/people-news/red-apple-media-hires-frank-mackay


To help grow its business in Long Island, broadcaster Red Apple Media has
hired Frank MacKay.

John Catsimatidis, chairman/CEO of Red Apple Media and 77 WABC Radio, said
MacKay began his role as president of its Long Island Division last week.

Catsimatidis purchased WLIR(FM) in 2020 to expand the reach of WABC(AM) to
the east. WLIR is heard on 107.1.

MacKay is known as a radio and TV interviewer and former longtime chairman
of the Independence Party in the state of New York, a role that grew out of
his involvement in the presidential candidacy of Ross Perot in 1992. He has
written eight books and holds a master’s degree from SUNY Stony Brook.

“Frank MacKay has longstanding knowledge of Long Island media, government,
and politics, which will be an asset to this station,” Catsimatidis said in
the announcement.

[Visit Radio World’s People News Page]

The post Red Apple Media Hires Frank MacKay appeared first on Radio World.


///////////////////////////////////////////
Germanys ARD Joins DTS AutoStage

Posted: 16 May 2022 08:39 AM PDT
https://www.radioworld.com/global/germanys-ard-joins-dts-autostage


Xperi has landed another big-name broadcast partner for its DTS AutoStage
platform.

ARD, the association of regional public service broadcasters in Germany,
will participate in DTS AutoStage, the company’s in-vehicle hybrid radio
platform.

“ARD’s public broadcasting stations, which reach more than 52 million
people and represent more than 74% of all radio listening in Germany, will
be integrated, free of charge, in the DTS AutoStage ecosystem,” the
organizations announced.

The announcement means DTS AutoStage will provide delivery of ARD
broadcaster metadata to vehicle dashboards. Vehicles supporting the
platform in Germany include Mercedes-Benz S-Class and EQS.

Other DTS AutoStage content partnerships include the BBC, Bauer, Cumulus,
Global Radio, NPO, Audacy, Beasley, Cox Media, radiko, Radio Maria and FM
World.

The announcement was made by Alexander Sasse, head of ARD Partner
Management Audio and Voice, and Gereon Joachim, vice president, automotive
sales and strategy for EMEA at Xperi, along with Joe D’Angelo, senior vice
president, broadcast at Xperi. 

Sasse was quoted saying, “Editorial control and user-simplification are
important for us and we are happy that DTS AutoStage offers broadcasters
those features while enabling a broad and consistent content delivery.”

Xperi is promoting DTS AutoStage as a global solution for broadcasters who
want to stay “front and center” in the dashboard. 

[Related: “Radio’s Call to Action: DTS AutoStage”]

The post Germany’s ARD Joins DTS AutoStage appeared first on Radio World.


///////////////////////////////////////////
Violations Lead to Limited License Renewal for Texas FM Station and
Translator

Posted: 16 May 2022 08:19 AM PDT
https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/business-and-law/violations-lead-to-limited-license-renewal-for-texas-fm-station-and-translator


The Federal Communications Commission moved to renew the application for a
Texas FM station and translator — but only for one year, instead of the
typical eight-year-term — after the station went silent for 248 days and
failed to meet its online public inspection file requirements.

When Elohim Group Corp., which is licensee of station KPYM(FM) in Matagorda
and FM translator K286BW in Midland, applied to renew its broadcast
license, it admitted that it had been silent since Aug. 10, 2020. It was
also revealed that the licensee failed to comply with the FCC’s online
public inspection file requirements as laid out by FCC Rules. 

An informal objection was filed soon after by an individual named Albert
Adam David, arguing that the station’s license automatically should have
expired on Aug. 11, 2021, because the license never filed a request for
extension of the station’s silent STA, nor did it file a notice of
resumption of operations. 

Elohim responded that operations did resume — on April 25, 2021 — and that
it filed a notice to say that it has resumed broadcasting. According to
Elohim, the failure to file a resumption notice earlier was an oversight
and, technically, the station was not required to file for an extension of
the silent STA because it resumed operations within 180 days of the STA
letter it received from the Audio Division at the FCC. Elohim said that
David offered no evidence to show that the station is not operating and so
there is no basis for finding that its license would have automatically
expired per the FCC Rules. 

David replied to say that the STA letter sent by the FCC required Elohim to
notify the commission when the station resumed operations. But no such
resumption notice was filed until 43 days after the one-year anniversary of
the station’s silence. David also argued that the licensee’s oversight was
a willful violation and that Elohim’s defense is not valid because the
station’s license should have been cancelled and the renewal application
dismissed.

But upon review of the facts, the commission found that David did not meet
a proper burden of proof — by providing properly supported allegations of
fact — that would give the commission cause to approve his opposition. 

The FCC Rules do state that a broadcast station license will automatically
expire if it is silent for a consecutive 12-month period. And David does
not dispute that the station did resume operations prior to the expiration
deadline. But he argued that the failure to file a resumption notice should
be efficient to trigger the expiration of the license nonetheless. 

But no such authority exists, the commission said. As a result, the
commission denied his objection. 

[See Our Business and Law Page]

The commission did point out that failing to operate for long stretches of
time is a fundamental failure to serve a station’s community of license.
Renewal applications will be granted if the station has properly served the
public interest and if there are no serious violations that would
constitute a pattern of abuse. But if the licensee fails to meet that
standard, the commission may deny the application or grant it with certain
terms and conditions. 

That is what happened to Elohim. In this case, the “licensee’s conduct
falls short of that which would warrant routine license renewal,” the
commission said. The station was silent for 248 days during the license
term, a lapse that fails to meet the public service commitment that
licensees are expected to provide. This is in addition to the failure to
comply with online public file requirements.

As a result, the commission found that a short-term license renewal for the
station was the appropriate sanction. “We cannot find that the station
served the public interest, convenience and necessity during the license
term due to the extended period of non-operation,” the commission said. The
commission decided to grant the station a short-term license renewal of one
year, which will give the commission the opportunity to review the
station’s public service performance as well as its compliance with FCC
Rules and the Communications Act. 

As part of the consent decree, the station must also put together a
comprehensive compliance plan to ensure compliance with online public file
rules and, after one year, submit a compliance report to the Audio Division.


Susan Ashworth is the former editor of TV Technology and a long-time
contributor to Radio World. She has served as editor-in-chief of two
housing finance magazines and written about topics as varied as
broadcasting, education, chess, music, sports and the connected home
environment.

The post Violations Lead to Limited License Renewal for Texas FM Station
and Translator appeared first on Radio World.


///////////////////////////////////////////
Ennals Ready for Australian Radio

Posted: 16 May 2022 07:21 AM PDT
https://www.radioworld.com/global/ennals-ready-for-australian-radio


At the beginning of April 2022, Ford Ennals took up the leadership of
Commercial Radio Australia, the trade group representing Australia’s
commercial radio broadcasters. He previously oversaw digital television and
radio rollouts in the United Kingdom.

As CEO of CRA, Ford is responsible for managing industry codes and
standards, regulatory matters, radio audience measurement surveys, consumer
research, revenue reporting and industry innovation, including RadioApp,
the Australian Podcast Ranker, smart speaker integration, the strategy for
the regional rollout of DAB and the automated buying platform RadioMatrix.
He also oversees industry brand marketing campaigns, events, and trainings.

Radio World recently interviewed Ennals via email to learn about his
priorities for Australian radio, as well as his thoughts on broadcasting in
the country.

Radio World: What are the first priorities you are focusing on as CEO of
the CRA?

Ford Ennals: The Australian radio sector is one of the most dynamic and
advanced markets in the world. I am looking forward to building on the
excellent work CRA has done supporting the commercial radio sector. Our
primary focus is supporting our members grow commercial revenue from
existing markets, as well as the expanding digital and audio markets.

RW: Can you help our readers understand the Australian radio market? What
are the challenges for radio and what are its strengths?

Ennals: Radio listening is very strong in Australia — ahead of the U.S. in
terms of listening to radio and listening to audio online. It is also
proving resilient in the face of digital competition from global music
streaming and digital platforms. This is due to the power of Australian
radio personalities and the importance of local and live content in the
vast distances that separate Australian states, cities and towns.

The challenges to Australian radio are similar to all global markets as we
see the shift [among consumers] from owned to streamed music and listening
on smart speakers where global platforms act as gatekeepers.

[Read more Radio World News Maker Q&As]

RW: Australia’s an interesting market for digital radio. You have well
established DAB services in some metros, but in much of the country, even
well-populated places, radio remains solely analog. How do you see things
developing?

Ennals: In Australia, digital listening is growing strongly both from DAB
and online radio streaming. The level of online streaming in Australia is
comparable to the U.K. and is an important priority for broadcasters as it
provides enhanced data and opportunities to target listeners more
specifically.

DAB broadcasting has achieved critical mass and provides a key enhancement
of the radio listener proposition across the Metro markets. DAB is also now
available in five regional markets, with Australia’s sixth largest city,
the Gold Coast, rolling out in April. We would envisage that we will
sustain a multiplatform listening ecology for the foreseeable future.

RW: In the U.K., the BBC and private broadcasters worked together on the
rollout of DAB, while in Australia commercial radio seems to be moving
faster than the public-service Australian Broadcasting Corp. with DAB+. Is
there more the ABC can or should be doing with digital radio?

Ennals: It’s not for CRA to comment on the focus or progress of ABC Radio.
Commercial radio and ABC have collaborated on key cross-sector
developments, and ABC has been an excellent partner in terms of the
development of RadioApp and the new Radio360 measurement methodology. In
the U.K., there was similar and healthy cross-industry collaboration, as
well as out and out competition for listeners.

RW: What do you see as the potential for alternative digital radio
platforms, such as DRM30, for expanding digital radio to more of Australia?

Ennals: The Australian market is well served by digital platforms and
technology and we are all working together to optimize implementation in
home and in cars. There seems to be a limited opportunity for alternative
digital platforms in Australia.

RW: Can you talk about your personal connections to Australia?

Ennals: My mother is Australian and was born and raised in a country town,
Armidale, New South Wales, before attending university in Sydney then going
to work in Geneva for the United Nations. As a child, I did spend some time
at school in Armidale and still fondly think of those days running free in
the bush and watching sheep being sheared. It’s great to be back in
Australia — it’s a stunningly beautiful country, and I have been made very
welcome here.

The post Ennals Ready for Australian Radio appeared first on Radio World.


///////////////////////////////////////////
The Tech Behind Franken FMs Version 2.0

Posted: 15 May 2022 04:00 AM PDT
https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/business-and-law/the-tech-behind-franken-fms-version-2-0


In a recent issue of Radio World we described the recent development of a
“new breed” of Channel 6 “Franken FM” TV/radio operations. Several members
of the ATSC 3.0 television standards group voiced their opinions as to the
validity and usefulness of these hybrid facilities that began popping up
last year.

This time, we look at the engineering side of this “May/December”
broadcasting marriage, one that weds an ATSC 3.0 digital television signal
with an analog FM audio transmission. The first station to try out the
technology was Venture Technologies’ San Jose, Calif. Station, KBKF-LD,
which began airing “second-gen” Franken signals last spring via an FCC
Special Temporary Authority (STA) arrangement. 

This initial hybrid configuration was the creation of two RF technology
companies, SYES (System Engineering Solutions) and Com-Tech.

“We worked together on this low VHF TV/FM combiner, beginning back in the
late spring of 2020,” said SYES Vice President of Sales for the Americas
Alessandro Annoni. “We designed a low-V transmitter working with a specific
modulation/bandwidth and distortion, and a hybrid filter to avoid any type
of interference or intermodulation. The amazing tech team of Venture
Technologies, Daniel Bisset and Will Brownlie, helped us to get this new
system working in San Jose, back in February 2021.”

Jampro Antennas has also been working with LPTV Ch. 6 licensees to move to
this new digital/analog broadcasting platform. President Alex Perchevitch
said that while some amount of engineering effort was necessary to get the
technology to the point where it could serve as a “proof of concept,” his
company already had assisted analog Ch. 6 stations in delivering
“standalone” FM radio services on 87.75 MHz.

“We were approached by a well-known consulting group on how to combine the
FM audio with the Ch. 6, and used modified diplexers similar to those we
have produced since the 1960s for analog TV stations of various power
levels,” he said.

Jampro’s recent grafting of 3.0 DTV with analog FM required the use of a
modified Jampro VHF mask filter and some reworking the FM side of the
operation to achieve a happy marriage. However, his company had a lot of
experience working with installations involving the combining of multiple
FM signals into a common antenna.

“This was not a new endeavor for us or one that required development of a
new product group,” said Perchevitch. “We often supply FM combiners for
frequency spacings as close as 400 kHz and this experience and product
group provided the [expertise] and product to use for this hybrid TV/FM
application.”

Even so, the initial assembly of a hybrid 3.0 DTV/analog FM Ch. 6 station
did not exactly follow a “plug and play” script.

“We spent several months re-developing the filter technology to meet the
requirements,” said Perchevitch. “Certainly, anytime you are trying to
combine frequencies which are so closely spaced and achieve high isolation
with low insertion loss, it is a challenge.”
Transmission gear used by WNYZ(LD) for its Ch. 6 ATSC 3.0 television and
87.75 MHz analog FM broadcasting.

Franken FMs and ATSC 1.0?

Inasmuch as the technology for combining closely spaced dissimilar RF
signals has been available for some time now, one might naturally ask why
such hybrid DTV/analog FM operations were not attempted by Ch. 6 licensees
much sooner — perhaps coincident with the start of ATSC 1.0 broadcasting.

Actually, at least one full-power Ch. 6 station experimented with such a
mixed transmission mode, but the results were less than satisfactory, and
the FCC refused to sanction it.

As explained by the Sinclair Broadcasting Group’s Senior Vice President of
Advanced Technology Mark Aitken, the reason for the failure of 1.0/FM
pairing is simple. 

“ATSC 1.0 really precluded bifurcating spectrum occupancy,” he said. “As
soon as you tried to shorten the bandwidth of the1.0 signal, you broke it;
3.0 is a different story.”
Block diagram of an ATSC 3.0/analog FM transmission system. Courtesy Jampro
Antennas

Beginning of a Tsunami?

Could the apparent success of KBKF(LD) and the other “second-gen” Frankens
now on the air lead to the adoption of this hybrid mode of broadcasting by
full power Ch. 6 operations? 

Perchevitch was asked if he saw any barriers that would preclude these Ch.
6 stations from airing dual-audience broadcasts.

“It’s certainly possible,” he said. “And we believe it’s very possible that
there will be more hybrid Channel 6 stations in the future.”

Perchevitch views this new breed of hybrid stations with optimism, as they
squeeze additional utility of their 6-MHz chunks of spectrum, and added
that he was not at all surprised at their rapid emergence.

“Lower-power broadcasters and the consultants serving that industry have
always been very creative in seeking ways to be competitive and generate
revenue,” he said. 

“The use of CPOL (circular polarization) and EPOL (elliptical polarization)
by LPTVs is a great example. Long before large numbers of full-power
stations broadcast signals with EPOL or CPOL, LPTVs often were operating
with elliptical or circular polarization. Franken FMs are all about
addressing radios and the revenue from radio listeners, something
[mainstream] TV to date has not been able to capitalize on.”
Keeping signals close in frequency from interfering with each other is
essential in creating a hybrid ATSC 3.0/analog FM signal. It’s relatively
easy to accomplish with today’s filters, combiners and computer modeling.
Courtesy Jampro Antennas

Targeting older receivers

Bill Harland, vice president of marketing at Electronics Research
Inc. (ERI), was not particularly surprised with the launching of what might
be the vanguard of a common broadcasting practice.

“There are a number of Channel 6 LPTV stations in the U.S. that have been
operating in major markets as FM stations for many years,” said Harland.
“These are established facilities with significant listenership and the FCC
rules do not specifically prohibit offering these ancillary services.”

Keith Pelletier, vice president and general manager of Dielectric, did
raise an eyebrow at the sudden arrival of “second-gen” Frankens.

“It certainly caught me off guard. The business model seems to be targeted
for older vehicle receivers. In the future, as the older receivers get
replaced it will be important to have a receiver that will go below 88 MHz,
and not just vehicle receivers. Also, it will be an all-digital world at
some point I would think, so analog services even in the FM world may go
away.”

Nonetheless, Dielectric is ready to supply Ch. 6 TV stations with the
technology needed to add analog FM if they desire to do so.

“Our sales team has been approached by multiple license holders,” said
Pelletier. “We have manufactured two antennas to date and have discussed
multiple more deployments that should happen in 2022.”

He added that while the antenna portion of such a 3.0/FM installation
wasn’t especially challenging, the combiner was a somewhat different story.

“In contrast to the antenna, the combiner needed more simulation work as
well as development in the lab,” he said. “This work was done using circuit
simulation tools, HFSS (3D electromagnetic simulation software), and
finally a prototype was manufactured to prove out the system.”

ERI’s Harland also said such combining of dissimilar signals was not
especially challenging.

“ERI manufactures filters and diplexers that could be adapted for this
application and we would design and manufacture the components required for
a transmitter supplier to build systems for this application.”

At this point, the technology is in place, as are operators and their
audiences, so it appears that only time will tell as to whether these Ch. 6
hybrid DTV/FM stations will proliferate, and whether the FCC will sanction
their operations beyond STAs by with steps to codify their existence and
operating practices.

The author is a longtime Radio World contributor and former technology
editor of TV Tech.

Read about a hybrid DTV/FM6 station in New York: “WNYZ(LD) Becomes NYC’s
First ATSC 3.0 Broadcaster”

The post The Tech Behind Franken FMs Version 2.0 appeared first on Radio
World.