Radio World 1303 - Sept 10th, 2025

Welcome to the

September 10th 2025 issue of Radio World

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Technology & news for radio decision makers

radioworld.com | September 10 2025 | $5.00

Storytellers & dealmakers

NAB Show New York explores the business of media and the creator economy HD by the numbers

How widely is HD Radio being used in the United States, and by which broadcasters?

Goodbye, 635A You have been a good friend!

Metadata case study

How KUT in Austin, Texas, has enhanced the experience of its listeners.

Vol. 49 No. 19| September 10 2025 www.radioworld.com FOLLOW US www.twitter.com/radioworld_news www.facebook.com/RadioWorldMagazine www.linkedin.com/company/radio-world-futureplc CONTENT Managing Director, Content & Editor in Chief Paul J. McLane, paul.mclane@futurenet.com, 845-414-6105 Assistant Editor & SmartBrief Editor Elle Kehres, elle.kehres@futurenet.com Content Producer Nick Langan, nicholas.langan@futurenet.com Technical Advisors W.C. “Cris” Alexander, Thomas R. McGinley, Doug Irwin

Acuff signs off His work at Sutro Tower capped a five-decade career

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Contributors: David Bialik, John Bisset, Edwin Bukont, James Careless, Ken Deutsch, Mark Durenberger, Charles Fitch, Donna Halper, Alan Jurison, Paul Kaminski, John Kean, Larry Langford, Mark Lapidus, Michael LeClair, Frank McCoy, Jim Peck, Mark Persons, Stephen M. Poole, James O’Neal, T. Carter Ross, John Schneider, Gregg Skall, Dan Slentz, Dennis Sloatman, Randy Stine, Tom Vernon, Jennifer Waits, Steve Walker, Chris Wygal

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Production Manager Nicole Schilling Senior Design Director Lisa McIntosh Senior Art Editor Will Shum ADVERTISING SALES Senior Business Director & Publisher, Radio World John Casey, john.casey@futurenet.com, 845-678-3839 Advertising EMEA Raffaella Calabrese, raffaella.calabrese@futurenet.com, +39-320-891-1938 SUBSCRIBER CUSTOMER SERVICE To subscribe, change your address, or check on your current account status, go to www.radioworld.com and click on Subscribe, email futureplc@computerfulfillment.com, call 888-266-5828, or write P.O. Box 1051, Lowell, MA 01853.

LICENSING/REPRINTS/PERMISSIONS Radio World is available for licensing. Contact the Licensing team to discuss partnership opportunities. Head of Print Licensing Rachel Shaw licensing@futurenet.com MANAGEMENT SVP, MD, B2B Amanda Darman-Allen VP, Global Head of Content, B2B Carmel King MD, Content, Broadcast Tech Paul J. McLane Global Head of Sales, Future B2B Tom Sikes Managing VP of Sales, B2B Tech Adam Goldstein VP, Global Head of Strategy & Ops, B2B Allison Markert VP, Product & Marketing, B2B Andrew Buchholz Head of Production US & UK Mark Constance Head of Design, B2B Nicole Cobban

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Paul McLane Editor in Chief

y first experience on-air was a train wreck.”

That’s how Marty Acuff recalls starting his radio career. Industry veterans will know Marty as an engineer, but at age 19 he gave on-air

work a try.

“The station manager politely suggested that I get my chops up,” he said. “I enrolled in the broadcast program at the College of San Mateo, Radio Studio Techniques. Later, I took the Commercial Licenses course at CSM, studying for the First Class Radiotelephone

Operator License.”

Marty spoke to Radio World’s Elle Kehres this summer to discuss his retirement and share recollections of a career that has spanned almost 50 years.

Those memories include engineering work for stations in California, Nevada and Massachusetts.

Marty Acuff But he may be best known to Radio World readers for his 16 years at Orban as a product manager and senior technical support engineer, where he saw many trends in audio processing come and go, including the change from analog processing to DSP-based digital processing. He discussed those with Elle in her profile article.

In more recent years Acuff began work at the famous Sutro Tower. He tells Elle about his work installing infrastructure there, managing a network of IP video multicast cameras, building a system to monitor Sutro’s power status and the adoption of a network monitoring platform using SNMP, in cooperation with WorldCast Systems.

The Sutro technical images he shared with Elle add extra interest to the story.

After announcing his retirement, Acuff said he’s focusing on doing what he never had time to do while working: rebuilding old tube amplifiers, working on projects involving Arduino and Raspberry Pi, woodworking and, yes, possibly consulting “if the need arises.”

He shared some pearls of wisdom for people who may be entering the engineering workforce now.

“Make customer service a priority,” he said. Start any new project by understanding the problem at hand. Also keep studying to stay current on new technologies and trends. And build the habit of creating good documentation, not only to help yourself but the next engineer who comes along.

You can find the profile article “Longtime Engineer Marty Acuff Retires” at http://radioworld.com, keyword Acuff.

And watch for a special story about Sutro Tower coming up soon in Radio World.

THIS ISSUE NEWS 3

From the Editor

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Newswatch

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Show highlights “storytellers and dealmakers”

FEATURES 10

Ten steps to choosing a new generator

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Found in translation at iHeartMedia

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LeGeyt reiterates need for FCC rule reform

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U.S. HD Radio by the numbers

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The EV635A heads into the sunset

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The rules for tower site fencing

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People News

OPINION 28

How KUT adopted hybrid radio

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Newswatch Geotargeting

SBE Kevin Trueblood, above, will be the next president of the Society of Broadcast Engineers.

A member of Chapter 90 Southwest Florida, he was elected to a one-year term. He currently is vice president. Trueblood replaces Ted Hand, who is finishing his second term.

Geary Morrill was elected vice president, Shane Toven returns as secretary and Charles “Ched” Keiler will be treasurer.

Elected or reelected to the board are Terry Douds, Kirk Harnack, Brad Humphries, Zhulieta Ibisheva, John Mackey and Jeff Welton.

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The first commercial FM geotargeting installation in the United States is on the air.

Broadcast Electronics said in a press release that GeoBroadcast Solutions and its client Radio Activo Broadcasting worked with BE to implement GBS ZoneCasting technology for station KADD(FM) “La Mejor 93.5” using several BE ETX transmitters.

Previous uses of ZoneCasting were test cases that began in 2010 and included installations in Utah, Florida and Wisconsin. Those were under experimental authority.

“Previously, KADD and sister stations KXLI increased their market reach by nearly 400,000 people using GBS’s MaxxCasting system. Now, they are expanding their footprint to St. George, Utah,” BE stated.

The technology uses single-frequency network transmitters. BE said ZoneCasting will allow KADD to target Las Vegas as one zone, encompassing the main signal and three boosters that deliver content specific to the Las Vegas area. “St. George forms another distinct zone, with multiple boosters broadcasting customized content without relying on the main Las Vegas signal.”

GBS believes geotargeting can “revolutionize the broadcasting landscape” by allowing FM stations to offer “hyper-local content delivery,” with content such as ads, traffic and news.

Critics including the NAB said it may cause interference and listener confusion and that it may drive radio ad revenue down.

The FCC last year changed its rules to allow limited unique programming on FM boosters.

Several broadcasters subsequently began the process of planning installations. This year the commission gave the go-ahead for stations to apply to begin targeted broadcasts for up to three minutes per hour, after the rules were published in the Federal Register.

Activity in the B&H booth last year.

Courtesy NAB Show New York

Writer Paul McLane Editor in Chief

Show highlights “storytellers and dealmakers” Themes include the business of media and the future of content

How to Go Where: Jacob Javits Convention Center, New York City When: Oct. 22–23 How www.nabshow. com/new-york

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he Javits Center again will welcome the NAB Show New York in October.

Organizers expect about 13,000 “creators, technologists and decision-makers” who work in media, entertainment and technology pros.

Notably this year, the AES Show will not be co-located as in the recent past. That convention will take place on the West Coast this year.

Here’s a sample of events of interest to Radio World readers.

Honors for McVay

Mike McVay will receive the National Radio Award from the National Association of Broadcasters.

McVay, president of McVay Media, will be saluted as “a media strategist, programmer, talent coach and industry leader,” as NAB described him.

This has been a big year or two for him. He will be inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame soon; and in 2024 he was named a Giant of Broadcasting by the Library of American Broadcasting Foundation as well as a recipient of the Leadership Award from the Broadcasters Foundation of America.

McVay consults in broadcast, podcasting, streaming and entertainment. He’s a former executive vice president of content and programming for Cumulus Media and the Westwood One radio network.

NAB said he has programming, management, ownership and on-air experience in markets “from Los Angeles to Wheeling, West Virginia.”

McVay also has helped develop and launch nationally syndicated programs. He co-created the syndicated show “Delilah” and helped launch “The John Tesh Show” as a daily program, which he continues to consult.

radioworld.com | September 10 2025

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Courtesy NAB Show New York

Courtesy NAB Show New York

The award will be presented during NAB’s Marconi Radio Awards event described below.

Marconi Awards

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Winners of the 2025 Marconi Radio Awards will be announced during a dinner program on Oct. 21 at the Edison Ballroom, the evening before the convention.

Since 1989 the awards, named after inventor Guglielmo Marconi, have recognized stations and individuals for excellence and performance in radio.

Finalists for Major-Market Personality of the Year are “The Roula & Ryan Show with Eric” of KRBE(FM) in Houston; Mark “Hawkeye” Louis and Michelle Rodriguez of KSCS(FM), Dallas; “The Greg Hill Show” on WEEI-FM, Boston; Preston Elliot and Steve Morrison on WMMR(FM) Philadelphia; and Karson & Kennedy on WWBX(FM) in Boston.

Nominees for Legendary Station of the Year are WABC(AM) in New York; WCBS(FM) in New York; WHLI(AM) on Long Island; WLW(AM) in Cincinnati; and WMMR(FM) in Philadelphia.

On-floor theaters

Four stages on the exhibit floor will host conversations about key show themes.

Wednesday’s sessions focus on the business of broadcast, streaming, audio and live events. For example, engineers Bud Williamson and Andy Gladding of SBE

Mike McVay

Alessandra Catanese

Chapter 15 will discuss “How to Attract New Broadcast Engineering Talent.”

Williamson then moderates a talk about “Modern Methods for Transport of Media.” It focuses on ways to accomplish transport, “not just from studio to transmitter but also from remote locations enabled by IP audio systems and virtualization of traditional radio studio and broadcast signal processing functionality.” Andy Gladding, Jim Stagnitto and Sam Wallington will join him.

Other Wednesday sessions cover the use of AI and automation in newsrooms, trends in sports viewing and issues around news credibility.

Thursday’s theme in the theaters is the future of content.

Alessandra Catanese, CEO of comedy brand Smosh, will talk about “how creators can diversify revenue by going

Four stages on the exhibit floor will host conversations about key show themes. radioworld.com | September 10 2025

Courtesy NAB Show New York

Courtesy NAB Show New York

direct to consumer” and foster communities that can be monetized “through exclusive content, live streams and direct interaction.”

Also, Sadaf Kazmi of Audible will discuss creative issues in the session “Mic Check: Creators, AI and the Future of Podcasting.”

Thursday talks also cover the state of the content creator economy as well as the business side of being a creator.

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Radio + Podcast Interactive Forum

This is a paid conference on Wednesday Oct. 22. Non-NAB members pay $399 for a pass that includes exhibits.

The session “Evolution of AI in Radio + Podcasting” will explore the use of AI-driven analytics to generate audience insights and influence targeted ad strategies.

The next session in the forum is “Niche to Noteworthy: Winning Strategies for Niche Content Monetization & Gen Z Engagement.” It delves into how brands with specialized content such as true crime or sports betting grow audiences and revenue. It promises “proven approaches for engaging Gen Z, leveraging sponsorships, crafting impactful host reads and creating events that turn listeners into loyal fans.”

That’s followed by “From Insights to Income: Turning Data into Revenue.” This session is about how to data analytics to boost audience engagement and turn listener insights into revenue streams.

The forum concludes with “The Impact of Video and Social Media on Broadcasting & Podcasting.” Topics include ideas to create short-form video content, the use of AI-driven social media tools to schedule posts, and how listeners use YouTube to find video podcasts.

More sessions

In addition to the above, there are separate paid specialty conferences about local TV strategies and post-production.

Also, a symposium will explore AI in production, automated

Courtesy NAB Show New York

Above Images from the 2024 fall show.

reporting, hybrid funding models and niche journalism.

A separate programming track promises to bring together broadcasters, leagues, athletes, technology providers and influencers to discuss live sports content production and delivery.

Exhibits

The show floor is open on Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 22–23. The booths this year have moved to Hall 3E of the Javits Center, which is to the left as you enter via the “Crystal Palace” lobby entrance.

As of late August, there were about 225 companies listed with booths, and NAB expected up to 300. They include radio-relevant companies like Calrec, CloudJuncxion, ENCO Systems, GatesAir, Lawo, Nautel, Orban, Radio.Cloud, Telos Alliance, Waymark, Wheatstone, WideOrbit and WorldCast Systems.

radioworld.com | September 10 2025

Workbench

John Bisset CPBE The author is in his 34th year of writing Workbench.

He handles western U.S. radio sales for the Telos Alliance and is a past recipient of the SBE’s Educator of the Year Award.

Send your tips

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Workbench submissions are encouraged and qualify for SBE recertification credit. Email johnpbisset@ gmail.com..

Ten steps to choosing a new generator Safety, access and future needs are just a few of your considerations

Above When planning your installation, leave ample access to all sides of the generator for maintenance. The generators shown in these photos are by Generac (www.generac.com).

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ollowing on our generator maintenance tips in the Aug. 1 issue, consulting engineer Charles “Buc” Fitch, P.E., offers 10 important points to keep in mind when planning to purchase a new one. This is not a comprehensive primer but rather a list of factors to consider or help you ask intelligent questions of your generator supplier.

Point (1) is to choose the proper power sizing for the task and character of the load. Then (2) determine the best choice for fuel. Local ordinances may restrict certain types.

Also (3) consider the operating noise level, which in some instances may be regulated by local ordinance. When it

comes to the engine muffler system, Buc says, “more quiet” tends to mean “more cost.”

Consider ease of access (4) for maintenance. Others will probably install and maintain your system, but you don’t want to create a situation where they need you to remove a wall to change the oil or rearrange cars in the parking lot to access the equipment.

For your operating budget (5), determine the true cost of operation. The price is what you pay for something but your true cost is the total you pay to obtain and use it. This includes the generator’s price along with cost of installation, a maintenance contract, fuel, required fencing, pilasters,

radioworld.com | September 10 2025

Workbench

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etc. For comparing models and scenarios, you can divide total cost by the anticipated number of life hours.

It’s also important (6) to figure in the cost of alleviating damage or vandalism once the generator is installed.

Consider how to protect the unit from damage and vandalism as well as its overall hygiene. Since every generator purchase is a capital investment, prudence dictates that you have the proper fencing, locked cabinets and maybe a security camera.

Fire safety (7) is another consideration. All powergenerating systems have fire safety issues. Each fossil fuel has its own risk level, and depending on that fuel, you may be required to provide containment, suppression or detection systems to match the risk.

Another consideration (8) is run-time cycling. This depends on the character, frequency and duration of your outages. The choice of fuel and engine speed will be a function of these factors.

Explore available options (9). As when buying a new car, you’ll be presented with a list of optional choices, and many can be useful. This may include remote monitoring and control through the internet; a fuel level sensor that can summon the fuel company; an excessive run indicator; an engine hours meter; and an alarm to warn of failure to start on exercise. It probably will be cheaper and easier to buy these with the unit than adding them later.

Finally, consider what your needs might be in the future (10). Within reason, look somewhat ahead. For example, the possible future addition of an N+1 FM backup transmitter on your studio STL tower might dictate the need for an extra 10 kW of power. Ditto at the transmitter site, where a few extra kW of capacity might be needed for future tower clients.

This is a big project so don’t go it alone. Reach out to your peers for their experiences and recommendations.

A few phone calls or chat at an SBE meeting can often save you from serious errors or omissions. Part of our job description as radio engineering managers is to make not just good decisions, but the BEST decisions.

Any tips of your own to share about choosing and installing a generator? Email me at johnpbisset@gmail.com.

Above An industrial generator will stand ready to provide you with emergency backup power. Lockable access panels enhance security.

Below Inside a switchedmode power supply, the black cylindrical capacitors may be at fault. This image is from www. electronicsforu.com, a useful resource.

And in closing, Buc adds: “Don’t forget to mail in the warranty card.”

Not all capacitors are equal

Longtime Workbench contributor Paul Sagi reminds us that when we are repairing gear, we should use capacitors with low ESR, or equivalent series resistance. A lower ESR results in higher deliverable current levels along with a lower voltage drop, which improves the circuit performance.

They are worth a slightly higher price, especially when used in digital circuits or switched-mode power supplies.

Paul has repaired a SMPS from a server of a major computer manufacturer that “blew up” because ordinary capacitors had been substituted for the main filter capacitors, after the rectifier bridge. He suspects that an inexperienced engineer thought the ripple would be only 50 or 60 Hz, not realizing that a major ripple component in an SMPS would be the 100 kHz switching frequency. The main filter caps overheated, shorted and ruptured, blowing the input fuse.

Fortunately the fix was simple: Clean out the cap innards gunk, install low-ESR capacitors and replace the fuse.

The EMI filter and rectifier bridge tested fine — those components had been saved by the fuse.

radioworld.com | September 10 2025

AI in Radio Writer

Paul McLane Editor in Chief

Found in Translation at iHeartMedia The company is using SpeechLab to amplify its reach

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Below Read more case studies about the use of AI in radio at http:// radioworld.com/ ebooks.

or your latest Radio World ebook about applications of AI in radio, we went looking for examples of how AI is being deployed by radio and audio companies more than two years after ChatGPT rolled out and changed everything.

We discovered AI tools being used by broadcasters, large and small, for purposes such as language translation; commercial and spec-spot creation; on-air voice imaging; creation of text, audio and video; audio processing; and yes, for on-air hosting.

Here is one example. iHeartMedia — the largest podcast publisher, according to Podtrac — is using AI to bring podcasts to a global audience by streaming them in new languages, accessible on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts and other platforms.

Translated episodes began rolling out in June and will be available in Spanish, French, Arabic, Portuguese, Hindi and Mandarin, with plans to expand to more shows and languages. Shows include titles like “Revisionist History with Malcolm Gladwell,” “Stuff They Don’t Want You to Know,” “Betrayal,” “The Girlfriends” and “Murder 101.”

Translations had begun into Spanish on 11 podcasts, listed on a dedicated web page. iHeartMedia quoted Jay Shetty, the host of “On Purpose,” saying, “One of the questions I get asked most is, ‘When will the podcast be in Spanish? When will it be in Hindi?’”

The program uses SpeechLab, a platform that provides speech-tospeech translation. SpeechLab was created with incubation support from Andrew Ng’s venture studio AI Fund; it is led by entrepreneur Seamus McAteer as CEO. The platform replicates original speakers or matches native voices; the company promises “nuanced, emotionally resonant vocals that seamlessly uphold your brand’s unique integrity.”

Disclaimers in each episode and in show descriptions let the listener know the show is translated using AI technology. The podcast providers or partners participate in profits from the translated versions.

Conal Byrne, CEO of iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group, said podcast listenership continues to rise, notably in regions such as Latin America, Europe, India and other parts of Asia. The company also said this is part of its goal to make podcasting more accessible and inclusive.

Describing the development process to the website Digiday, Will Pearson, the president of iHeartPodcasts, said SpeechLab cloned host voices from snippets of their shows, then refined the audio to translate it while preserving tone and personality. Clips were reviewed by podcast teams at iHeartMedia, who worked with the podcast creators and with human teams of native speakers to review the snippets.

“The podcast network would share feedback with the SpeechLab’s team,” Digiday reported. “For example, one host who has a slight accent had some words mistranslated. iHeartMedia also tested out the translations with groups of listeners who were native speakers.”

Pearson told Digiday the technology had advanced significantly in the last 12 to 18 months. “There’s a nuance of language … you want the conversational flow to feel right — more for the chat shows than the narrative style shows. When Jay Shetty delivers his content, he has his own delivery. We want to make sure it captures that essence as much as possible.”

radioworld.com | September 10 2025

Radio Regulation Writer

LeGeyt reiterates need for FCC rule reform NAB leader also is optimistic about the AM bill

Elle Kehres Assistant Editor

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n August, Radio World checked in with Curtis LeGeyt, president/CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, to ask about the progress of various NAB priorities in Washington.

What is your prognosis for getting the AM legislation passed?

Curtis LeGeyt: In spite of all of the focus of Congress on government funding — obviously, the “Big Beautiful Bill” — we feel like we are poised for the House Energy and Commerce to take up this bill and consider it as soon as Congress is back here in D.C. in the fall. Then we’re going to be pushing to get floor time in both the House and the Senate for this bill.

The reason I feel confident we will get that floor time is because of a broad bipartisan consensus — that in spite of all of the other issues on Washington’s plate, this is one that Washington needs to deal with. I think that, unfortunately, recurring natural disasters provide a reminder to legislators — it feels like every few weeks — on the enduring power of AM. So we’re really confident about where we are right now.

What are your thoughts on the FCC’s “Delete, Delete, Delete” proceeding?

LeGeyt: Top of the list for us is modernization of the ownership restrictions that impact local radio stations. And we use the “Delete, Delete” proceeding to highlight the existential need for the FCC to modernize its rules. … [T]here is a laundry list of items that we would love to see the FCC take a look at.

But they’re all sort of moot if they don’t level the playing field for us to compete with the tech platforms.

First and foremost, we recently received a really favorable decision out of the Eighth Circuit that I think tees up the FCC to address these radio rules head on. This decision eliminated a legacy restriction on local television broadcasters, the “top-four” rule, but most importantly for radio, it also very clearly gave Chairman [Brendan] Carr clarity that he’s got the authority to address these local radio rule restrictions, and that the congressional intent of the media ownership rules — with the statute that governs these quadrennial reviews that [Carr] needs to do by law every four years

Tetra Images - Henryk Sadura/Getty Images

— is intended to be deregulatory. So we feel like the chairman has the directive he needs from the courts.

Is it appropriate for the FCC to predicate license renewals and merger approvals on whether a broadcast company has DEI policies in place?

LeGeyt: We’ve been very vocal on the necessary independence of local broadcast newsrooms from government oversight. We put a filing in place in the FCC’s “60 Minutes” news distortion proceeding. I’ve been vocal on this in speeches that I’ve given at the Media Institute and otherwise. And you know that’s a holistic principle, which is that the First Amendment is in place to ensure the editorial independence of our stations. …

You know I’m not sure I accept the premise of the question entirely, but I do think it’s important to say that the chair of the FCC … it is their prerogative to ask whatever questions they view within their purview. We are federally licensed stations, and I’m not going to opine on the nature of the questions he’s got. [It’s] within his prerogative to ask those questions, but I think it’s important to state that, to my knowledge, broadcast stations largely take their public interest obligations exceedingly seriously, and that certainly relates to their business practices.

You can read the Q&A “LeGeyt Is Optimistic About AM Bill, Reiterates Need for Rule Reform” at http://radioworld.com/, keyword LeGeyt.

radioworld.com | September 10 2025

Signal Spot Writer

U.S. HD Radio by the numbers Two decades after launch, how widely is HD Radio used in the U.S.?

Nick Langan The author wrote recently about FM DXers embracing open-source tools.

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umbers and radio stations seem to go hand in hand.

That’s what I found out when I wrote a column for the Radio World website titled “The U.S. FM Landscape by the Numbers,” which you can read at tinyurl.com/rw-fmdata. It was hard to limit myself to just 21 findings!

As proprietor of the RadioLand mobile app, I have access to a database of FM radio stations in North America. The data comes directly from the FCC’s LMS database, supplemented by the HD Radio Directory (https://hddirectory.neocities.org) for HD operation and subchannel information. That directory is far and away the most trustworthy source of such data I’ve found and I encourage you to explore it.

I heard from several readers about that column, intrigued to find out more. I promise that I’ll do an AM radio version soon!

Some also wanted to know more specifics about nationwide HD Radio usage.

I wrote earlier that approximately 9% of the U.S. FM stations run HD Radio, and I included an interesting heatmap of the technology’s deployment that you can see in the original column.

But that 9% figure felt low to me, and I think it’s because we were looking across all FM signals in the country, including translators, boosters and LPFMs. What if we only considered full-power FM stations and took a deeper dive into current HD Radio trends?

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asantosg/ Getty Images

This is the overall percentage of U.S. FM stations that use HD Radio when we exclude translators, LPFMs and boosters.

That’s double the percentage I gave in May. The data show that there are 8,330 translators, 1,989 LPFMs and 387 boosters. If you’re curious, I find 15 translators, seven LPFMs and seven boosters that run HD Radio.

Well, I crunched the numbers in the RadioLand database, using Python-based data analysis tools, and it’s the subject of this latest Signal Spot column.

HD Radio by the numbers

First, to set the stage, my database as of Aug. 15 contains 21,980 FM stations in the United States. That includes FM commercial and educational stations, translators, boosters and LPFMs. If the station has an active license, I count it in my database, so there may be some instances where a station listed is not actually on the air.

I’m noting an HD Radio station if it is counted in the HD Radio Directory as either operating in HD or “suspected.”

There certainly may be examples of HD Radio stations not included or vice-versa.

Keep in mind, I’m just attempting to paint a picture here.

If I include “suspected” HD Radio stations in the mix — which I did not in May — the total of active HD stations in the U.S. is 2,114, up from the 1,936 I listed the first time.

After reviewing the suspected stations, I believe that for an accurate analysis, it was best to include them.

Xperi, HD Radio’s parent company, said that there are more than 2,500 stations in the U.S. broadcasting in HD Radio. It maintains a listing of stations at https://hdradio.com/stations; its count likely includes AM stations and stations that are licensed to broadcast digitally but currently are not doing so — 103.9 WPHI(FM) in Jenkintown, Pa., the FM simulcast of KYW(AM), is an example.

The percentage of commercial FM stations in the U.S. that use HD Radio, again excluding translators, LPFMs and boosters. This was determined by filtering for frequencies at 92.1 and above for commercial stations. Among noncommercial stations, that number is 14%.

Overall, there are 7,230 full-power commercial FM stations and 3,887 noncommercial stations on the air in the U.S. (The FCC’s quarterly broadcast data report gives those totals as 6,602 and 4,689, respectively, and I have not been able to identify the reason for the discrepancy but we must keep it in mind too. I do limit my count to active licenses and filter out stations that have filed for silent STAs.)

68

The percentage of U.S. HD Radio stations that use at least one subchannel (HD2, HD3 or HD4).

There are approximately 1,400 active HD2 subchannels, 630 HD3 and 140 HD4 subchannels.

radioworld.com | September 10 2025

Signal Spot

150

The number of sports-formatted HD Radio subchannels, making it the thirdmost common format.

Many of these sports subchannels are used to feed a translator. For example, in Chicago, Hubbard’s WTBC(HD2) provides a way to broadcast the signal of WMVP(AM) on FM, via an LMA with Good Karma Broadcasting.

The most common HD Radio subchannel formats are: Format

Counts

Christian Music*

217

Talk/News

195

Sports

150

Classical

117

Country

75

LGBTQ-related programming

62

Classic Country

55

Classic Hits

54

Oldies

52

Hip Hop/Rap

46

Gospel and Christian Rock

51

The percentage of full-power FM stations in the top 50 U.S. Nielsen markets that use HD Radio.

Breaking down the Nielsen markets by county, there are approximately 1,430 FM HD Radio stations in the top 200 U.S. Nielsen markets.

HD Radio penetration is high in the top 50 Nielsen markets, with about 750 stations.

In markets 51–200, this declines by half to 25% penetration.

When reached for comment by Radio World, Joe D’Angelo, Xperi’s senior vice president of global and digital audio, said that in 2025, 78% of the stations that have implemented HD Radio are outside the top 50 markets.

52

388

The number of stations owned by iHeartMedia that use HD Radio, the most among U.S. radio owners.

The owners of the most U.S. HD Radio stations are: Owner

* combining Christian Worship, Christian Contemporary, Spanish Christian,

20

(If you’re not familiar, dBc stands for decibels relative to carrier. If a station is transmitting its HD Radio digital sidebands at –10 dBc, they are operating at 10 decibels below the analog FM carrier’s ERP, or 10%. Originally, the digital power limit when HD Radio was launched was –20 dBc, which is just 1% of the analog ERP.)

This is the number of HD Radio stations in the United States running at –10 dBc. This data point should be considered with caution, as it was calculated using the FCC’s LMS database.

Digital power data is available for only 863 stations, which is less than half of the stations believed to be using HD Radio.

Fifty-two stations run their HD –10 dBc carrier at –10 dBc, or 10% of their analog transmission power.

The most common power level is –14 dBc, used by 609 stations.

Stations

iHeartMedia

388

Audacy

159

Educational Media Foundation

62

Cumulus Media

51

Saga Communications

42

For public broadcasters, Minnesota Public Radio is second, trailing only the Educational Media Foundation, with 31 stations.

5

asantosg/ Getty Images

The percentage of full-power stations in New Mexico that use HD Radio, the lowest of any state. Florida has the highest usage at 41%.

State

% in use

Top 5 Florida

41%

Utah

37%

Maryland

34%

Nevada

32%

Connecticut

32%

Bottom 5 Montana

8%

Arkansas

7%

Mississippi

7%

West Virginia

7%

New Mexico

5%

radioworld.com | September 10 2025

3

The percentage of Canadian FM stations that use HD Radio, with 51 out of 1,747 stations in the database using the technology. I excluded low-power and very low-power stations, as classified by the CRTC, Canada’s broadcast regulator.

The majority are in Toronto, which has 16 HD Radio stations, accounting for 31% of the country total. Vancouver has nine, while Montreal and Ottawa have four each.

Bell Media operates the most HD Radio stations with eight. The CBC has six, followed by Corus Radio, Rogers Media, Durham Radio and Dufferin Communications, all tied with three each.

Nick’s takeaways

I think a few of you were alarmed with the 9% figure when I did the analysis originally.

These data findings — specifically that 21% of commercial FM stations are using HD Radio — are more meaningful when assessing the technology’s adoption. If we used the FCC’s slightly lower total of commercial FM stations, that percentage would be even higher.

Xperi said that the U.S. stations that run HD Radio cover 80% of all listening across the country, meaning they are

Signal Spot significant players in the medium. They reach 90% of the U.S. population.

It’s fair to conclude, however, that the digital format has ample room to grow and that rural broadcasters in rural areas and smaller markets are not flocking nearly as fast to invest in HD Radio, compared to those in the larger markets.

A higher percentage of commercial broadcasters use HD Radio than do noncoms, though not overwhelmingly so.

A majority of HD stations seem to be using their multicast channels to their benefit, which is a good thing.

Xperi told Radio World that in total, the technology delivers an additional 2,200 audio channels in the U.S. through subchannels.

However, the number of outlets that run subchannels with programming like sports and news/talk seem to support the view that many subchannels are intended to feed FM translators rather than trying to fill a market format void or experiment with new types of programming, as advocates of multicasting have hoped. Still it is refreshing to see some lesser-heard formats, like classical and LGBTQ-related programming, find an outlet through the subchannels.

Xperi celebrated the 20-year anniversary of the HD Radio technology this year, and I’d be curious what your thoughts are on its usage and adoption. Email me at nicholas. langan@futurenet.com.

21

Radio Legacies Writer

The EV 635A heads into the sunset But given its durability, this mic will probably be around awhile yet

Kevin Curran

22

Right EV mics including 635As are visible in a 1971 photograph of John Kerry, speaking for the organization Vietnam Veterans Against the War. The image is from the U.S. News & World Report magazine photograph collection at the Library of Congress.

T

he microphone that informed generations is heading into retirement.

When the Electro-Voice 635A was introduced in 1965, it was plugged into 16 mm film news cameras. It has been connected to cassette and MiniDisc audio recorders and video cameras and is still being used with digital audio recorders.

In 2021, Radio World reviewed the remarkable history of this little microphone that could. (Find it at http://radioworld. com, search “In Appreciation of the EV 635A.”) But the final 635A models left the factory in the spring of 2024. As Electro-Voice Product Manager James Curl put it, “It had a good run.”

Given that users found the 635A virtually indestructible, those mics will likely see use for many years to come.

Steve Gregory, now with all-news KNX(AM/FM) in Los Angeles, remembers being handed a 635A and a Marantz PMD-222 cassette recorder when he started his career in Colorado.

“I dropped it; kicked it by accident; left it in the heat; and dropped it in the snow multiple times. Kind of like a Timex, the mic took a lickin’ and kept on tickin’.”

At the Cumulus cluster in Tucson, Chief Engineer Mark Simpson recalls issuing kits of a 635A and a Marantz to reporters at a New Jersey station known for its news coverage.

“It can withstand the best the news reporter could throw at it, not to mention the days where there would be a press conference without a mult box and the reporter would have to duct tape the mic to the podium. Inevitably, someone would knock one of our mics on the ground or bang theirs into ours. The 635A would almost never even get a scratch on it.”

Omnipresent omnidirectional

The 635A is a dynamic mic with an omnidirectional pickup pattern. It will likely go down as one of the most popular microphone models ever made.

An EV executive wrote in 1965, “There is increasing demand for a small, lightweight, high-output microphone for stand and handheld use.”

Now Electro-Voice’s sales team estimates that between 750,000 and 1 million 635A units were sold during the six decades it was on the market.

Making its debut in Electro-Voice’s signature fawn beige finish, the 635A

was compact, at just half a foot long. The line grew to include the 635A/B, with the “B” indicating a black finish. For customers who thought the original was too short, ElectroVoice introduced the 635L and 635L/B, adding 3-1/2 inches to the length. It also added a 635N/D and 635N/D-B with proprietary neodymium capsule.

Curl said two developments led to the decision to stop making this audio icon.

The first challenge was COVID-related supply chain difficulties. The second was market evolution. “Users want to be able to plug directly into a laptop,” he said.

As the sound industry grows into new markets, Electro-Voice has expanded its focus beyond broadcast and recording studio clients. Curl says it was all about connectors and connections. Companies in the sector now face two markets, the traditional audio customers who prefer XLR connectors and the social media consumers using USB cables.

It is also a global market. “Places like China, the last numbers that I heard for the USB microphone industry,

radioworld.com | September 10 2025

Radio Legacies

635 SERIES BROA DCAS T

they’re expecting 15% to 20% growth FIELD PRODU CTION year over year,” Curl adds.

For users seeking a sturdy, omnidirectional dynamic microphone, Curl suggests what some call the “son of the 635A.” EV is still manufacturing the RE50B and RE50L. “The capsule inside of it is basically the same as the 635A,” he said, while the RE50 design offers better shock mounting to reduce handling noise.

Electro-Voice still holds an industry standard in the studio mic category with its RE20 line, which has become a choice of podcasters as well.

“Standards are getting higher too, so people don’t want to listen to something that sounds like garbage,” Curl said.

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Electro-Voice is very flattered. According to Curl, “One of the major things that influences (podcasters’) buying decision is what they see on YouTube and television, etc. So, if you turn on ESPN, guess what? You’re going to see an Electro-Voice RE20. It’s all over the place.”

Electro-Voice as a brand will mark its 100th anniversary in 2027. It has not been a standalone company since 1998, when it was purchased by Telex, which itself was acquired

THE WORLD’S MOST POPUL AR ENG MICS

Above A 2020 promo image for the classic mic in an EV brochure.

Right The 635A as seen on the B&H website and listed as “no longer available.”

by the German conglomerate Bosch in 2006.

Last December, the German private equity firm Triton announced the purchase of Bosch’s security and communications technology business, including Electro-Voice.

In the acquisition announcement, Triton’s Sachin Jivanji said, “Our goal is to invest in the company’s brands, technology, sales force and go-tomarket strategies.”

Curl echoed the optimism, “There is a lot of renewed energy and excitement around the office these days, so look forward to many great things to come.”

One of the things to come, Curl teased, is the possibility of limitedrun centennial products. Those may include “some blasts from the past.”

Kevin Curran, Ph.D., is a veteran broadcast journalist and journalism professor. He teaches at Arizona State University and Park University.

23

Rules & Regs

24 Writer

The rules for tower site fencing

Combined image using Craig Aspen and SENEZ/Getty Images

“For safety every hour, fence up around your tower!”

Gregg P. Skall Telecommunications Law Professionals PLLC

I

have written previously about broadcasters’ responsibility to prevent dangers associated with towers and transmitters, as well as the requirements for tower site signage. (Find past columns at www.radioworld.com/columns-and-views/ gregg-skall.)

Because this area involves serious safety implications, the FCC’s rules are specific regarding the need to notify the public as they approach a broadcast tower.

The Antenna Structure Registration or ASR number must be posted on a perimeter fence at the point of access. Since AM radio transmitters emit radiation at the tower site, it is important to warn the public of the potential danger, provide a means for identifying the specific tower and its location, and prevent unauthorized access. Accordingly, AM tower sites must be fenced off from public access.

AM towers emit electromagnetic energy transmitted from large antenna arrays, which can be harmful if humans get too close. The National Cancer Institute has noted that exposure in close proximity to the source of AM transmissions has been implicated in cases of leukemia and cancer. Maintenance workers who must operate near an AM tower and transmitter should be properly informed of these risks and must take appropriate precautionary measures to limit their exposure. The signage requirement, that the ASR number be displayed along with danger signs, enables professionals working near an AM broadcast site to identify the specific tower and contact the FCC, which can then coordinate a reduction in broadcast power during their work. The general public, however, is unlikely to have this level of awareness and must be prevented from accessing AM tower sites.

radioworld.com | September 10 2025

Rules & Regs For this reason, the FCC adopted rule § 73.49, which requires that radio towers be fenced off “to protect the general public.”

This is particularly important for AM radio towers, as the tower structure itself acts as an antenna and is typically energized with radio frequency radiation. As a result, if someone were to touch an AM tower structure, they could suffer serious burn injury. Therefore, Section 73.49 of the commission’s rules requires that antenna towers with radio frequency potential at the base, such as series-fed, folded unipole and insulated base antennas, must be enclosed by effective locked fences or other secure enclosures.

However, the rule does not require individual tower fencing if the towers are contained within a protective property fence.

The fencing rule applies only to AM stations. FM broadcast station towers, including LPFMs, are not themselves radiators; instead, the antenna mounted on the tower is the radiating element. Therefore, touching an FMonly tower structure at the base is unlikely to cause an RF

“

AM Broadcast Station Self-Inspection Checklist states that fencing must be capable of preventing access by small children or livestock and must be designed such that gaining access to the tower would require a concerted effort. (The Society of Broadcast Engineers recently released fresh self-inspection checklists, including one for AM, available on its website.)

It is also important to remember that the FCC will hold the broadcast licensee accountable even when violations of FCC tower rules are the fault of an independent tower owner. Although the tower owner is primarily responsible for compliance with the FCC’s tower rules, the specific responsibility for fencing lies with AM broadcast licenseetenants. AM broadcasters are solely responsible, under the FCC’s rules, for compliance with AM fencing and enclosure requirements.

The FCC has clearly stated that this fencing responsibility does not shift to the tower owner when the licensee and the owner are separate entities. In situations where required fencing is not installed before a tower is leased, the AM licensee-tenant must complete the fencing before

Maintenance workers who must operate near an AM tower and transmitter should be properly informed of these risks and must take appropriate precautionary measures to limit their exposure. burn. However, other safety concerns may lead a prudent FM licensee to fence the tower area.

FM antennas should be installed on towers in a manner that prevents easy access to the radiating elements via climbing. Fencing may also be appropriate if it is determined that radio frequency exposure exceeds the FCC’s limits for uncontrolled, general public environments. A tragic example occurred recently in Washington, D.C., when a man, intent on suicide, climbed halfway up the 321-foot WAMU tower and jumped to his death.

Given the danger posed by exposure to AM towers with RF potential at the base, such as series-fed, folded unipole and insulated base antennas, it is critical that broadcast licensees properly fence and maintain their towers.

A finding that even the hasp on the gate enclosing such a structure is broken, thereby allowing easy access, can result in an FCC violation and forfeiture fine. The FCC’s 2003

locating its broadcast facility on the tower. See a related Radio World article on tower rule compliance at https:// tinyurl.com/rw-compliance.

This column is provided for general information purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal advice pertaining to any specific factual situation. Legal decisions should be made only after proper consultation with a legal professional of your choosing.

”

25

People News Cumulus Media promoted Robert Combs to vice president of engineering.

He succeeds Yancy McNair, who was promoted in April to senior VP, overseeing engineering, telecom, real estate and purchasing. Combs has 26 years at the company, including the last four as director of corporate engineering. …

Red Apple Media, parent of WABC(AM) in New York and WLIR-FM on Long Island, hired Bert Goldman as chief technology officer, a newly created position.

Owner/CEO John Catsimatidis said the company plans to increase its investment in radio and said Goldman’s experience “will bolster our growth strategy as we

26

identify properties for our expansion.”

He cited Goldman’s work in improving facility coverage and value, radio station construction, and FCC rules and policies.

Goldman worked with WABC earlier at ABC/Disney. He has held corporate roles with its radio division, Nationwide Communications and Shamrock Broadcasting, among others. He also has a consulting firm, whose clients have included GeoBroadcast Solutions. …

SCMS named Kerri Spader as strategic client relations manager. She was most recently customer support manager at Kathrein Broadcast, where she spent 10 years.

Spader’s focus will be on communicating with and building relationships with broadcast clients, as well as supporting longterm growth strategies with partners and customers. She will work with both its sales

and support teams. The announcement was made by President Bob Cauthen. …

Brian Cunningham announced his retirement from Crawford Broadcasting. He had been chief engineer for its Buffalo and Rochester, N.Y., stations.

It marks the end of a 56-year radio career.

His journey began at a radio and television sales and service company run by his father.

It sponsored a radio show on WKOA(AM) in Hopkinsville, Ky., giving Cunningham the opportunity to sit in on the Saturday morning program, and as a high-schooler led to a part-time role at the station.

His broadcast engineering career started at contract firm S&B Communications.

Crawford hired Cunningham in 2002.

Send announcements for People News to radioworld@futurenet.com.

27

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...nothing!

Advertise in today.

For more information contact John Casey at 1-845-678-3839 or email john.casey@futurenet.com

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radioworld.com | September 10 2025

8/29/23 6:00 PM

Hybrid Radio

28

Writer

Rojith Thomas Technology Coordinator, KUT, Austin, Texas

How KUT adopted hybrid radio The NPR affiliate in Austin, Texas, has enhanced the listener experience across platforms

K

UT, Austin’s NPR affiliate, has taken major strides in modernizing its broadcast infrastructure by integrating with hybrid radio platforms including RadioDNS, DTS AutoStage and RadioPlayer.

These efforts are designed to enhance the listener experience across FM, connected vehicles and digital platforms.

Metadata on the move

Above User dashboard for DTS AutoStage.

KUT’s RDS deployment ensures that FM listeners receive real-time metadata such as station ID, song title, artist name and weather alerts.

The station uses Media Realm MetaRadio and Broadcast Electronics Radio TRE as middleware solutions, which ingest data from the automation system, Metapub and a stationowned Radio Display Song Information Push program.

These systems work together to deliver metadata to various output sources, requiring careful synchronization between software and transmission hardware to maintain accuracy and reliability.

Bridging broadcast and IP

KUT’s hybrid radio strategy centers on RadioDNS, which links FM broadcasts to IP-based services.

The idea first sparked after a conversation with Nick Piggott, RadioDNS project director, at the 2023 NAB Show. With support from the RadioDNS team, KUT implemented the system by hosting and maintaining Service Information (SI) XML files that define its broadcast parameters and associated online resources. These files allow hybrid-capable receivers to fetch logos, program guides, and streaming links automatically.

radioworld.com | September 10 2025

Hybrid Radio The integration was completed in early 2025, with invaluable support from Juan Galdamez, senior director of broadcast strategy at Xperi. KUT used a combination of MetaRadio, Radio TRE and custom batch scripts to format and push metadata — including song information — to AutoStage’s ingestion endpoints.

This was a major step in making our station more discoverable in the car.

DTS AutoStage allows us to present our content in a visually engaging way, which is increasingly important for listener retention.

One of the standout features of AutoStage is its analytics dashboard, which provides insights into listener behavior, platform engagement and geographic reach. We’re able to see how our content performs in connected vehicles and identify trends. The analytics are incredibly useful, and we’re excited to see what future updates will bring.

Expanding reach

KUT’s SI file is publicly available at: https://kutx.org/ radiodns/spi/3.1/SI.xml.

From metadata to dashboard

In November 2024, KUT began integrating with DTS AutoStage, a global hybrid radio platform developed

by Xperi and used by major automotive manufacturers.

The goal was to ensure KUT’s content would appear in connected car dashboards with rich visuals, real-time metadata and interactive features.

Above An image from the Console Generation tab in the RadioPlayer dashboard.

KUT also registered with RadioPlayer after meeting Lawrence Galkoff at this year’s NAB Show.

RadioPlayer aggregates radio stations for mobile apps, smart speakers and infotainment systems. KUT provided stream URLs, fallback options and branding assets to ensure consistent presentation across devices.

We’re especially excited and hopeful about the expansion of RadioPlayer in the U.S. It’s a powerful platform that can help public radio stations like ours reach new audiences in a consistent and user-friendly way.

Challenges and lessons

The journey to hybrid radio wasn’t without its challenges.

One of the biggest hurdles was ensuring metadata consistency across multiple platforms, each with its own formatting requirements and ingestion protocols. radioworld.com | September 10 2025

29

Hybrid Radio

30

Below RadioDNS testing tool

One of the biggest hurdles was ensuring metadata consistency across multiple platforms, each with its own formatting requirements and ingestion protocols.

Hosting and maintaining XML files for RadioDNS demanded careful version control and uptime monitoring.

Automating metadata delivery to DTS AutoStage and RadioPlayer required scripting and rigorous testing to ensure reliability and accuracy.

The experience reinforced the importance of modular workflows, clear documentation and strong vendor relationships when navigating complex integrations.

One of the biggest challenges we faced during the hybrid radio rollout was creating the Service Information (SI) file for RadioDNS. It was a completely new concept for our team, and understanding the structure and requirements took time.

Fortunately, the RadioDNS documentation and community support were invaluable. We used the RadioDNS Testing Tools (https://radiodns.org/technical/ testing-tools) to validate our SI file and ensure it was correctly formatted and accessible.

Maintaining metadata consistency was another major hurdle, especially when playing tracks from external sources like turntables, CD players and prerecorded shows.

These sources don’t automatically generate metadata, so we had to find a way to manually inject track information into our middleware. To solve this, we developed an inhouse tool called Radio Display Song Information Push, built using Excel and VBScript.

This tool allows studio hosts to manually enter song details, which are then pushed to MetaRadio and Radio TRE, ultimately reaching RDS and hybrid platforms.

However, this solution required the host to be physically present in the studio.

For recorded shows, we took a more automated approach using Microsoft Power Automate cloud flows combined with Excel. This setup allowed us to schedule and send metadata to the middleware without manual intervention, effectively bridging the metadata gap for our music station, KUTX 98.9.

On our news station, KUT 90.5, where most content is syndicated via NPR’s Content Depot, we used Metapub (www.nprdistribution.org/metapub) as the primary metadata source. Metapub provided reliable and structured metadata for NPR programming, which integrated smoothly with our existing systems.

Sending now-playing metadata to DTS AutoStage and RadioPlayer was another challenge, especially for our music stations.

While our news stations (KUT HD1 and HD2) used middleware software that supported direct integration with both platforms, our music stations had limited options. During troubleshooting, we realized that our inhouse parser system, originally designed to convert XML output from the middleware into a format compatible with NPR Composer, could be repurposed.

Since the parser already created a local database from the XML, we wrote a script that connected to this database, extracted the song information and sent it to DTS AutoStage and RadioPlayer using their respective HTTP POST APIs. With guidance from Galdamez and Galkoff, who provided credentials and setup instructions, we refined the script through trial and error until it reliably pushed metadata to both platforms.

These experiences taught us the importance of automation, modularity and collaboration. By building flexible tools, documenting workflows and working closely with vendors and platform teams, we were able to overcome technical barriers and create a scalable metadata infrastructure that supports both live and syndicated content.

KUT’s hybrid radio rollout reflects a broader commitment to innovation in public broadcasting.

By embracing platforms like RadioDNS, DTS AutoStage and RadioPlayer, the station is not only enhancing the listener experience but also positioning itself for the future of connected audio.

With powerful analytics, growing platform support and expanding reach, KUT is excited about what’s next — and ready to help shape the next chapter of radio.

If a reader has questions or needs help, they can reach out to me at rthomas@kut.org and our team at it@kut.org.

radioworld.com | September 10 2025

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