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RADIOWORLD.COM Photo courtesy of NRG
DECEMBER 2018
INSIDE STRATEGY
• Stadsradio Vlaanderen and Radio Contact embrace telecommuting — Page 4
COMMENTARY
NRG Radio’s visual studio during a live show. The engineering room is in the foreground. •D iscover how operators are minimizing future operating costs in designing large broadcast facilities — Page 12
BUYER’S GUIDE
NRG Radio Pioneers Digital Convergence in Kenya
Tech-minded company launches a new, youthtargeting radio station backed up by a bright vision BY DAVIDE MORO • Streaming radio, podcasting and online content delivery solutions offer broadcasters flexibility — Page 16
NAIROBI, Kenya — In March 2018
NRG Radio went on air in the metropolitan area of Nairobi. At the same time
its audio and visual radio feed became available through the internet. The new station was launched with the claim “we’re gonna change the way you listen to music.”
Bionic in every sense. The smartest audience engagement and content production radio has ever seen.
Targeting youths from the ages of 16 and 26, NRG Radio is a daughter company of the MoSound Group, which has nearly 15 years of experience in the business of customized live events, marketing and event management. A DIFFERENT WAY According to NRG Radio’s Commercial Director and MoSound’s Creative Director Denis Ndavi, the founders of MoSound were thinking of launching a radio station long before they entered their original business. Unfortunately, at (continued on page 6)
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INTERNATIONAL EDITION December 2018
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www.twitter.com/radioworld_news www.facebook.com/RadioWorldMagazine CONTENT Managing Director, Content Paul J. McLane, paul.mclane@futurenet.com Content Director Marguerite Clark, marguerite.clark@futurenet.com Senior Content Producer — Technology Brett Moss, brett.moss@futurenet.com Content Manager Emily Reigart, emily.reigart@futurenet.com Technical Advisers Thomas R. McGinley, Doug Irwin Technical Editor, RWEE W.C. “Cris” Alexander Contributors: Africa: Gregory Lagat, Lameck Masina, John Masuku; Asia: Md. Azizul Alam Al-Amin, Martyn Green, Frederick Noronha, Mark Timpany; Australia: James Cridland; Europe: Andy Bantock, Kevin Branigan, Giuseppe Camonita, Nuno de Sousa, Charles Flores, Blazo Guzina, Lawrie Hallett, Will Jackson, Hans K. Kristjansson, Drew Leifheit, Raúl Llarull, Urmas Loit, Marc Maes, Davide Moro, Emmanuelle Pautler, Panos Polyzoidis, Bernd Trutenau, Andreas Tzanakos, Thomas Völkner; Latin America: Jorge J. Basilago, Carlos Eduardo Behrensdorf, Juan G. Buenaventura; Eduardo Curuchet, Arturo Valentino; New Zealand: Nick Gerritsen; North America: John Bisset, James Careless, Scott Fybush, Randy J. Stine Production Manager Caroline Freeland Managing Design Director Nicole Cobban Senior Design Director Karen Lee ADVERTISING SALES VP/Media Technology Group Carmel King, carmel.king@futurenet.com, 703-852-4602 Publisher, Radio World International 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 About Us, email futureplc@computerfulfillment.com, call +1-888-266-5828, or write P.O. Box 282, Lowell, MA 01853. ARCHIVES This magazine is available for research and retrieval of select archived articles from leading electronic database and search services, including ProQuest. Back issues are available. For more information, contact www.proquest.com. REPRINTS/PERMISSIONS This magazine may not be reproduced or quoted in whole or in part by printed or electronic means without written permission from Future. To obtain permissions, contact Wright’s Media, +1-877-652-5295. MANAGEMENT Managing Director/Senior Vice President Christine Shaw Chief Revenue Officer Luke Edson Chief Content Officer Joe Territo Chief Marketing Officer Wendy Lissau Head of Production US & UK Mark Constance FUTURE US, INC. 11 West 42nd Street,15th Floor, New York, NY 10036
All contents ©Future US, Inc. or published under licence. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 02008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any other changes or updates to them. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein. If you submit material to us, you warrant that you own the material and/or have the necessary rights/permissions to supply the material and you automatically grant Future and its licensees a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in any/all issues and/or editions of publications, in any format published worldwide and on associated websites, social media channels and associated products. Any material you submit is sent at your own risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, agents, subcontractors or licensees shall be liable for loss or damage. We assume all unsolicited material is for publication unless otherwise stated, and reserve the right to edit, amend, adapt all submissions.
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◗NEWSWATCH NENT LAUNCHES DAB+ NETWORK IN SWEDEN NENT Nordic Entertainment Group will start broadcasting via DAB+ digital radio in Sweden on Jan 1, 2019. Smaller broadcasters DB Media and Skärgårdsradion will also join the digital network. In total, 15 digital stations will broadcast on DAB+ from January. According to Swedish Press, Radio and Television Authority’s license conditions, which run from 2014 to Sept. 20, 2022, the new digital network must reach 35 percent of the population by April 2019, 50 percent by 2020 and 70 percent the following year. NENT has 11 national DAB+ licenses, while DB Media has one national and one regional license. Skärgårdsradion will broadcast DAB+ in Stockholm and on Gotland island. “We can see that digital listening is increasing, while space is limited in FM technology,” said Daniel Bengtzzon, CEO and sales manager at DB Media. “We think it’s time to invest in digital, to avoid issues in 2022. The listeners will not turn to digital unless we offer it.” According to Bengtzzon, they plan on rolling out channels in the metropolitan areas first, with the goal of reaching national coverage. “We are pleased that the commercial digital broadcasting will now start,” commented Charlotte IngvarNilsson, director general, MPRT. Bauer Media AB, NRJ Sweden AB and Norrköping Radio & Co AB, on the other hand, have requested further suspension with the launch. MPRT has granted them deferral until Jan. 1, 2020. In 2015, Riksdagen, the Swedish parliament, rejected the proposal to replace FM with DAB+. Thinkstock/tintin75
Vol. 42 No. 12
◗MARKETPLACE SEP for EMF Control: Aldena’s new compact Selective Electric Isotropic Triaxial Antenna Probe (SEP) is specifically designed to measure the electrical component of the electromagnetic field in the 100 kHz to 3.6 GHz frequency range. The spectrum analyzer and three-axis antenna (with an integrated RF switch) are fitted inside one unit. This facilitates the operator’s work in the field, who thus only has to calibrate just one instrument instead of three (analyzer, cable and antenna). Aldena explains that SEP’s three-dipole antennas are directly connected to the receiver, which minimizes isotropy error. In addition, users can connect SEP to a PC via a fiber-optic cable to control several functions via dedicated software including channel power, multichannel power, settable markers, maximum hold, RMS and average in a selectable time. SEP weights 370 grams and can be mounted on drones. Info: www.aldena.it GDPR Compliance: Software developer NeoGroupe has released GDPR-compliant versions of its entire line of software solutions. The company has enhanced its NeoWinners promotions and winners management software as well as its NeoScreener call screening application with GDPR/PDPA/SOX-compliant features, in order to protect personal data contained in databases. The company says data encryption, user logins, the logging of changes and automatic deletion of old data, in addition to other features, ensure that NeoGroupe solutions operate in accordance to the regulations, thus allowing users to interact with their audience within the new set of rules. Info: www.neogroupe.com
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Belgium Radio Stations Adopt Teleworking The studio furthermore includes three Neumann TLM 103 mics, four Genelec 8340A studio monitors and three telephone hybrids — two Sonifex DHY-04HD voice hybrids, one EELAAudio Digital Hybrid EA915X. Wells is using the station’s standard playout system, Radiohost Broadcast 5.404. “As for signal transmission to the main on-air studio, I have installed the EdCast v3 320 kbps (44.1 kHz)
Stadsradio Vlaanderen and Radio Contact begin producing programs from home BRUSSELS — In Belgium, working from home, whether to avoid traffic jams or cut on transport expenses, is rapidly gaining favor. Figures published in September 2018 revealed that about one-third of the country’s active population is adopting telecommuting. The 14-station strong Flemish station Stadsradio Vlaanderen premiered the new formula of remote radio production and presentation on Sept. 3. That was followed by Radio Contact, with 41 frequencies in the French-speaking part of Belgium, a few days later. The common element in both “home-production” onair studios is the implementation of a Lawo crystalCLEAR virtual mixing console.
FROM HOME “The main reason for ‘teleworking’ is that both employers and employees want to avoid transport expenses and time loss,” explained Joe Wells, Stadsradio Vlaanderen morning drive presenter. “Our main on-air studios are located in Mechelen, Leuven and Ghent (the near-
Joe Wells presents the morning drive show from his home-based studio.
est, Mechelen being 35 kilometers/22 miles away) but traveling there may take several hours.” Wells added that during weekdays, the station’s morning show, and daily programs like the “The best of the top 40,” hosted by Serge Hadermann, the “Lunch Break,” presented by Guy Van Antwerpen and DJ Marcel’s “Flanders is Flashing,” are produced in the respective presenters’ home studios. With a beautiful view on the Antwerp skyline and plenty of daylight, Joe Wells has a fully-fledged broadcast studio to present his daily morning show (“Jojo in the morning”). “The core of the studio is a Lawo crystalCLEAR console with VisTool MK2 software serving two touchscreen displays adding up to a total of 24 channels — a virtual mixing desk without mechanical faders,” he said. “The console is equipped with full processing for radio with limiters, expanders, de-esser, a compressor and, of course, an equalizer. As far as I know, this was the first ever Lawo crystalCLEAR in the country, and worth every euro of the investment.”
FLEXIBILITY With its “16–20” evening drive program, leading French-language commercial broadcaster, Radio Contact premiered radio-teleworking for the first time on Sept. 7. David Antoine hosts the four-hour long live show. “Teleworking is encouraged as a more
Radio Contact Engineer Thibaut Fassuleto, Co-Host Lucie Rochelet and Presenter David Antoine work from Antoine’s living room studio.
Courtesy JW
BY MARC MAES
streaming software as well as the DEVA DB9000-TX AoIP encoder,” said Wells.
Courtesy Radio Contact
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efficient way to do business, and by launching telework on Radio Contact, we want to adapt the principle,” said Michel Pachen, director of radio production for Radio Contact, BelRTL and Mint. “And I guess that in the future, people will be doing their programs from anywhere,” he added, referring to a scene in the 1997 Luc Besson movie “The Fifth Element” where a radio DJ runs through the corridors of a venue holding what could be a microphone. Antoine presents his “16–20” show live and direct from his living room on Fridays. And like his radio colleagues north of the language border, he’s using a Lawo crystalCLEAR virtual mixing console. “The big advantage of this console, is that the presenter needn’t worry about microphone levels,” continued Pachen. “Thanks to the incorporated AutoMix function, microphones can be used without technical assistance, while manual control remains possible via the console’s touchscreen display.” Pachen echoed the advantage of microphone processing at this stage where it is controlled by the console’s digital signal processing software. “This is quite handy and the system works great — very accurate and without any (continued on page 5)
December 2018
radioworld.com | RADIOWORLD
Have Ethiopia’s Airwaves Found Peace? Exile programs return to the country as new prime minister modifies political stance
in August. “Radio Xoriyo” is a program supporting the ONLF. It also remains on the air and its transmissions are no longer jammed. Patriotic Ginbot 7 is the third rebel group. They recently suspended resis-
Ethiopia is no longer jamming any opposition groups. The same is also true of Western broadcasters. Ethiopia also transmitted a number of programs via its own radio facilities directed at Eritrea. These transmissions are difficult to monitor as there are frequent transmitter breakdowns. They were once active on both AM and short-
Simon Davis, DFID
A number of exile radio programs are beamed to Ethiopia on shortwave.
A street scene in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.
BY HANS JOHNSON ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Ethiopia’s
new prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, has been on a whirlwind peace offensive since taking office in April. He’s just signed a peace agreement with Eritrea, a long-time enemy of Ethiopia. In late June, Ahmed removed three rebel movements from Ethiopia’s list of terrorist groups. A number of exile radio programs are beamed to Ethiopia on shortwave. The programmers purchase airtime on various transmitters in Europe. Ethiopia not only jammed these transmissions, but also jammed some Western broadcasters such as Voice of America and Deutsche Welle. Ethiopia used its own AM and shortwave transmitters to carry opposition group programs beamed to Eritrea. (continued from page 4)
latency.” In the main Radio Contact facility, the fully mixed audio signal is processed to fit the station’s sound image. Antoine and his co-host Lucie Rochelet use BeyerDynamic DT 790 headsets. “You cannot compare a living room with a broadcast studio in terms of acoustics,” added Pachen. “By using headsets, we limit problems like reverberation.” The setup is completed with Netia Quick-Player software for manual starting of jingles during the broadcast. A Prodys Quantum IP codec routes the program signal to Radio Contact’s on-air studio where a Netia Radio Assist 8.0.8.0810 playout sys-
Given Prime Minister Ahmed’s political overtures, has anything changed in the broadcasting scene? SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE The Oromo Liberation Front is one of the rebel movements formerly considered to be a terrorist group. Its leaders returned from exile in Eritrea to Ethiopia on Sept. 15. Two shortwave programs supporting the Oromos cause are beamed to Ethiopia. Voice of Oromo Liberation has been on the air for more than 30 years and was jammed by Ethiopia. It remains on the air, but is no longer interfered with. The situation is the same with the other program, Radio Voice of Independent Oromia. The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) is another rebel movement once listed as terrorist. It declared a ceasefire tem takes on the management of music content and commercials. With two mobile radio studios and a K-SAT vehicle with room for four presenters, Radio Contact, Bel RTL and Mint have the equipment for handling remote broadcasts. Pachen looks forward. “But this is different, and I strongly believe this is the future — David’s apartment is a laboratory. The next step will be ‘teleworking project 2.0’ where we relocate a complete studio. In addition, tomorrow’s presenters will move around with their gear in a backpack. We are already implementing this in Bel RTL’s ‘Le Morning’ daily show where a presenter broadcasts from his car using a Prodys Quantum Lite handheld codec.”
tance against the government and its leaders returned to Ethiopia from exile in Eritrea. They once had an AM and shortwave radio program via Eritrean transmitters that is no longer heard. It is hard to ascertain exactly when the program ended, but Ethiopia jamming against the shortwave frequency ended in July.
wave, but have not been heard as of late. Prime Minister Ahmed’s peace efforts have clearly manifested themselves on the radio dial. These recent developments are just a few in what will — hopefully — be a long string of positive changes for the radio broadcasting landscape in a region where turmoil has been the norm for far too long.
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that time, it was nearly impossible to get an FM license in Kenya. Due to recent developments however, MoSound Group applied for and received a license and the frequencies required to launch a new station. “When this became an option, we said let’s do radio, but we have to do it differently,” Ndavi explained. “We said, ‘Let’s disrupt the industry’ and that’s how NRG Radio was born.” After studying what was already on the market the company came to the conclusion that a station, even a new one,
December 2018
faster than in most African countries, so the station believes it’s in a promising position to deploy a digital convergence strategy. NRG Radio features three IP-based studios with visual integration, capable of streaming live video from the studio to any CDN [content distribution network], social media and other platforms. FOUR MONTHS TO AIR The Nairobi-based systems integrator BYCE Broadcast set up the entire air chain, which includes three IP-based studios, a production room, a CTA [central technical area] and the transmission system.
Photos courtesy of NRG
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Denis Ndavi is commercial director at NRG Radio and creative director at MoSound.
NRG Radio’s Visual Feed
following an established, traditional path, won’t succeed. “To survive we had to plan for the future and adopt the future today,” Ndavi added. “Trends are becoming increasingly digital. Technology is embracing convergence in audio, video and social media platforms.” Ndavi said the idea was to design and launch the first radio station in Kenya to offer digital convergence for music and everyday entertainment. Through this, NRG Radio aims to set the trend and attract tech-savvy listeners. In Kenya more than 90 percent of the population listens to radio at a national level and radio has been the strongest medium in the country for the last three decades. In addition, almost every smartphone and standard mobile phone in the nation features an active FM tuner, which leads many people to listen to FM through their mobiles. He added that internet adoption in Kenya has grown
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Studio One is equipped with a 12-fader Lawo crystal mixing console with integrated router and the Lawo VisTool Virtual Radio Studio software. It also features AVRA radio automation software with HD video playout capability (720p) and six-channel video mixing software with digital graphics generation to add the station’s logo, news crawls, weather info and customized legends. After completing Studio One, NRG Radio went on air through a microwave point-to-point link to its Limuru broadcasting site, where an eight-bay omnidirectional RVR ACP-1 antenna provides a broadcast range of about 100 kilometers/60 miles. The second studio is equipped with a 12-fader Lawo sapphire console with Autogain and Automix features that enable the console to take control of the entire studio. The third studio is a “virtual studio,” which is configured around Lawo’s R3LAY virtual console. The portability of the R3LAY virtual mixing console allows the station to use it for traditional in-studio shows as well as in OB vans and remote events. In less than four months, NRG Radio was running as a visual-radio FM channel with an online audio and video stream. In their first day of operation, the station says it scored 1 million hits on their website. Today, NRG Radio broad-
NRG Studio One is equipped with a 12-fader Lawo crystal mixer with Lawo VisTool software, AVRA automation software and a Neumann condenser mic.
casts from transmitting sites in Nairobi, Eldoret, Nakuru, Kisumu and Mombasa. Social media is also key within NRG Radio’s communication cycle. “First we attract potential listeners within our digital experience through the radio,” explains Ndavi. “The nrg.radio website is populated with discussions and conversations happening on social media platforms.” Since NRG Radio targets youth, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter, together with some chat groups on WhatsApp, are the most popular platforms for the station. When a listener delivers content to NRG Radio’s accounts, the broadcaster gives this content extra life by injecting it through its social media platforms. It also employs dedicated social media officers to keep the conversation trendy. THE COOLEST AGE “Sixteen is the coolest age ever, you are at the peak of your coolness. After that, you’ll be trying to be as cool as
you were then,” Ndavi said. “If we can capture this feeling of freedom, coolness, happiness, that feeling of ‘nothing can stop me now’ with our programming, then we will succeed in the youth market.” When MoSound Group decided to launch NRG Radio, it aimed to differentiate its radio business from its entertainment business. “We decided to establish a radio station with a new concept, instead of taking on a different business because radio is magical,” explained Ndavi. “It is one of the only mediums that gives you the license to create exponentially.” In his opinion, everyone who has ever been a student of sound is fully aware of the different emotions a sound engineer can deliver to listeners by just changing the sound they are creating. “Once you discover this, you can make them feel happy or angry, or you can make them feel love, all just by tweaking the parameters of sound,” he concluded. “Those who control sound can control the universe.”
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◗MARKETPLACE Enhanced Visual Radio: ChyronHego’s Visual Radio provides the audience with a unique opportunity to experience radio moments as they happen, turning radio listeners into viewers. The solution is a fully or semi-automated software solution that switches cameras and plays graphics by analyzing audio signals and XML data from the radio station’s automation system.
DB7012 Checks DAB Signal: DEVA Broadcast’s DB7012 DAB monitoring tool is fitted with a DSP-based tuner and supports AAC, AAC+, MP3 and RTP. The unit is compatible with various media platforms, including Icecast and Shoutcast. It also offers support for Program Associated Data (PAD), as well as all standard bitrates and VBR, and automatically displays live metadata.
In addition, the DB7012 features local alarm options and online notifications via rear-panel alarm GPOs, email and SNMP in the case of audio loss or change in the DAB signal. Thus maintenance staff can quickly respond and prevent prolonged signal loss. Users can program the DB7012 through the front-panel menu or remotely through a PC, tablet or smart phone via a standard web browser. iOS and Android devices are also supported. Info: www.devabroadcast.com
Designed for web, mobile and TV platforms, Visual Radio is an add-on to a radio production and does not require extra staff. The product adds a video component to radio broadcasters and combine audio, video, images, text, and social media into an interactive user experience. The company’s latest enhancement to Visual Radio includes full integration with Live Assist Panels to enable customers to run all operations from within a browser environment. Info: www.chyronhego.com
Type R IP-Based Radio System: Calrec Audio’s Type R is a new modular, expandable, IP-based radio system that makes use of standard networking technology and combines it with configurable soft panels that can be tailored to operator needs. Type R’s physical control system consists of three slimline panels: a fader panel, a large soft panel and a small soft panel. Each is compatible with COTS hardware and powered over Ethernet to keep cabling to a minimum. At the heart of Type R is a 2U core with integrated I/O resources to get customers up and running immediately. A single core can power up to three independent mixing environments, with no sharing of DSP resources. Calrec says that the ability to use multiple mixing engines combined with the flexibility of an AES67-compatible network enables users to keep pace with radio’s changing requirements. Info: www.calrec.com WinMedia Software Solutions: Winmedia Group has released the latest advances to its WinMedia radio and TV automation platform, which the firm says, unifies the content chain by managing all aspects of media from acquisition and production, through to distribution, marketing, planning and dissemination. WinMedia promotes the software as a “complete solution,” which allows users to ingest and produce content for radio, TV, web and mobile in a single system. In addition, WinMedia will be showcasing the WinMam integrated newsroom computer system, which is designed to let users manage library, logger, voice track or playlist functions via internet and WinSales, a web-based CRM to manage all the sales activities of our customers. WinSales is a scalable solution that promises to streamline booking and billing operations by providing real-time online booking, tailor-made customer relationship management and a wide range of planning, management, billing and reporting options. Info: http://winmedia.org
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December 2018
BBC Loses Pride of Place as Top UK Radio Platform Defections of star announcers to private radio signal changing times BY JAMES CARELESS LONDON — The defections of top-rated
Virgin Radio Twitter feed
BBC Two radio morning show host Chris Evans and BBC Radio 4 news host Eddie Mair to privately-owned Virgin Radio and LBC respectively, signals that the BBC is losing its status as the United Kingdom’s top radio platform. Thomas Falconer, radio industry researcher at IBISWorld UK, a market research firm with offices around the globe, attributes the BBC’s declining status to changes within the U.K.’s radio industry; both outside of and within the public broadcaster. LBC
Chris Evans, top-rated BBC Radio 2 host, is now back at Virgin Radio in London.
Eddie Mair, formerly of BBC Radio 4, is now doing the LBC afternoon drivetime show.
IBISWorld UK
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Thomas Falconer, radio industry researcher at IBISWorld UK.
According to Falconer, BBC Radio’s greatest undoing has been the U.K.’s transition to digital radio and the wealth of new content options the medium is offering U.K. listeners. “Since the digital switchover, it is no longer axiomatic that the best platform for radio broadcasting is the BBC,” he said. “For instance, the opportunities presented by the ubiquity of DAB radio in cars and a sharp uptake of voice-activated and connected household devices have made listening to commercial radio easier than ever, resulting in year-on-year growth in listenership.” Falconer also points to the BBC’s ongoing budget cuts as affecting its ability to engage U.K. listeners, at a time when digital radio is making non-BBC options more available to this audience. “BBC Radio has not been immune to BBC budget cuts in recent years,” said Falconer. “Relative to commercial radio,
NXSeries 3 kW – 2,000 kW MW Digital/Analog AM
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promising audience numbers; extensive transmission coverage; record advertising revenues; and further growth prospects offered by new-age commercial platforms have encouraged a degree of defection from public broadcasting.” The impact of government funding cuts on the BBC’s ability to retain its audience was cited by BBC Director General Tony Hall during a speech to the Royal Television Society (RTS) conference in London. “We do not believe what we currently do is sustainable with the resources we have,” Hall told the RTS audience on
Since the digital switchover, it is no longer axiomatic that the best platform for radio broadcasting is the BBC. — Thomas Falconer
Sept. 18. “For the BBC to do the most for Britain and the most good for the British public, Britain needs to support the BBC.” Whether the U.K. government listens to Hall’s plea for more money remains to be seen. In the interim, the fact that BBC Radio stars like Evans and Mair are moving to commercial radio “could be indicative of deeper issues within the BBC,” said Falconer; as well as to their desire for bigger paychecks in commercial radio. “Media pundits have speculated that the likes of Chris Evans and company leaving the BBC are pre-empting inevitable discussions regarding the widely publicized salaries of big-name BBC presenters, which came under intense scrutiny in early 2018,” he explained. “However, more generally, money and growing listener numbers seems to be the main drivers of this trend for the time being.”
◗NEWSWATCH AEQ NAMES IVÁN OLMEDA AS GENERAL MANAGER AEQ has appointed Ivan Olmeda as its new general manager and CEO. Olmeda takes over the role from Rogelio de la Fuente, who led the Spanish firm for more than 35 years. With over 20 years of experience in the broadcast industry, Omelda most recently was responsible for AEQ’s business development division. He joined the the company’s management team in 2014 after its acquisition of Kroma Telecom, where he was managing director. “This is a very well thought out decision and an important step for the growth of AEQ,” commented Rogelio de la Fuente. “With Iván’s profile and experience, it is an investment for the future — I am leaving AEQ in good hands and with great expectations,” he said. De la Fuente will act as advisor to the new CEO until the end of this year, and will remain as a member of the board thereafter. “It is an honor for me to take over the direction of AEQ, which is a key player in the broadcast sector and for international sporting events,” said Olmeda. “After four years here, it is clear to me that AEQ has a great human and technological foundation and enormous potential. In recent years we took an important leap toward IP technology, which puts us in a strategic place to provide our customers with optimal products and services.” AEQ, headquartered in the Leganés Technology Park in Madrid, is active in more than 90 countries. Since its foundation in 1979, the company has operated as a manufacturer of audio and communications equipment for the broadcast industry. When the company acquired Kroma Telecom in 2014, it also began offering intercom and video processing solutions. AEQ also has offices in the United States, Mexico and Portugal.
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December 2018
Medium Wave Transmission Goes Big How operators are minimizing future operating costs through large broadcast facilities
◗COMMENTARY BY WENDELL LONERG AN Photos and graphics courtesy of Nautel
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The author is head of broadcast sales for Nautel. Nautel was recently closely involved in the creation of two of the largest medium wave transmitting facilities in their respective regions. The first is a 400 kW broadcast site on Bonaire, a Caribbean island municipality of Netherlands, operating a Nautel NX400 transmitter; the second is a 2 MW site in Solt, Hungary, a small community about an hour south of Budapest, operating five NX400 transmitters through a sophisticated combiner.
Wendell Lonergan, head of broadcast sales for Nautel, stands beside a Nautel NX400 transformer.
A CLOSER LOOK So, why operate such large broadcast facilities? And how do they minimize future operating costs? The Bonaire site is owned by Trans World Radio and broadcasts Christian programming, which has a strong listenership in the Caribbean region, Central America and northern countries in South America.
Daytime propagation from Solt
than 90 percent from AC input to RF output. This significantly reduces operating costs relative to the previous transmitters, which used vacuum tube technology. The new transmitters are configured to operate from the local medium voltage 11 kV, eliminating the need for an intermediate step-down transformer to 400 VAC that would have 1 percent to 2 percent losses. Both Bonaire and Solt transmissions employ a form of Modulation Dependent Carrier Level (MDCL), which dynamically adjusts the transmitter carrier level according to the modulation requirements for the transmitter. As indicated in the graph below, the carrier level is reduced as the modulation increases. This yields an efficiency improvement in the order of 30 percent but varies depending of the density of the program source. Research continues in an effort to further optimize MDCL to increase efficiency of medium-wave transmissions. Earlier this year, Orban completed a theoretical study on the effect of program processing/ compression that indicates a fairly dramatic improvement in operating efficiency in transmissions using MDCL. The BBC — original developers of Amplitude Modulation Companding (AMC) — has also completed a research project indicating further significant savings could be achieved using new values for attack times and compression levels. The BBC White Paper titled “WHP 333 AM Companding: Reducing the Power Consumption of LF and MF Transmitters,” is available here (https://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/publications/whitepaper333) for those who wish to gather further insight in the techniques used In the case of the Bonaire installation, the efficiency and built-in 10 percent overhead in the NX400 enabled the station to come close to its original licensed power without the need for additional transmitter units and combiners. In Solt, the five NX400 transmitters are incorporated with a large, versatile combiner. The NXC2000 combiner can be easily reconfigured if one or more transmitters are shut down, which ensures that (continued on page 14)
Evening sky over the Trans World Radio site in Bonaire.
TWR originally went on the air in 1963 at a 500 kW level but operating costs forced the broadcaster to cutback to 100 kW in 1998. The station had long desired to go back to the higher power level. Recent advances in transmitter technology, most notably high-efficiency solid-state designs, led TWR to upgrade its transmitter to the Nautel NX400. Updates were also made to the antenna system, with a new array enabling multipattern directional coverage that allows the station to target specific audiences at different times of the day. Antenna Hungaria operates the Solt site and broadcasts local content in Hungarian throughout the country from a single transmission site. The transmission is also strong enough to cover parts of Slovakia, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Romania and Ukraine. Maximum on-air at minimum cost is achieved through a properly engineered solution for the whole facility. The NX400 transmitter selected as the basic building block for each site has an efficiency of greater
A graph showing reduced carrier level as the modulation increases, which yields an efficiency improvement of around 30 percent but varies depending of the density of the program source.
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MEDIUM WAVE TRANSMISSION
Photos and graphics courtesy of Nautel
14
(continued from page 12)
maximum power is delivered to the antenna in all cases. The antenna system in Solt is a legacy system installed in 1977 that employs a 304-meter mast ( .55 l) — optimum for ground wave propagation. Impedance matching from the open line feeder (with a characteristic impedance of 60 Ω) to the tower (with a base impedance of 85 -j239.2 at 540 kHz) is achieved using stub sections at the tower base as opposed to the frequently used antenna tuning assembly (ATU).
Screenshot of the combiner’s monitoring software showing 2 MW average DRM power or 11.2 MW peak being broadcast during site commissioning.
FUTURE-PROOFING There is a global vision for digitization in broadcasting as we move forward. Antenna Hungaria has proactively ensured that the transmission equipment purchased for Solt is compatible with the Digital Radio Mondiale digital radio standard. Due to the current lack of DRM receivers in the listening area, the broadcaster is only broadcasting in analog for the moment. The Solt 2 MW project including installation and commissioning went live Nov. 27, 2017.
Solt tower base showing the connection of the main feeder line to the antenna as well as the stub sections.
Pristine transmitter hall at Solt showing the 2 MW transmitter system.
◗MARKETPLACE New Cloud Codec Controller: Tieline’s new Cloud Codec Controller software tool is designed to configure, connect, monitor and manage an entire fleet of Tieline codecs remotely from the studio. “Remote control is a powerful tool for engineers and the Cloud Codec Controller delivers a simple user interface to control all remote codec functions from anywhere they have an internet connection,” said Charlie Gawley, Tieline’s VP Sales APAC & EMEA. “It integrates Tieserver and the latest cloud computing technologies to deliver secure real-time monitoring and remote control of G5 IP codecs, Commander G3 rack mount codecs, and smartphones using Report-IT Enterprise.” According to Tieline, the Controller immediately detects the presence of a Tieline codec or device running the Report-IT Enterprise app when it connects to the internet and includes real time online/offline status of codecs and users logged into Report-IT Enterprise; monitoring of connection status, link quality and audio levels as well as remote adjustment of codec audio levels and remotely dial and hang-up codec connections. In addition, the Controller monitors and controls codecs, selects and loads programs, views and manage alarms; launches the HTML Toolbox web-GUI to access all codec configuration and control features; remotely connects and disconnects Report-IT, starts and stops recordings, monitors and adjusts input and record levels, locks and unlocks controls and observes link quality. Info: www.tieline.com
SmartFM AI Technology: WorldCast Systems has unveiled SmartFM technology, which applies Artificial Intelligence to FM radio broadcasting.
According to the company, it has spent three years of intensive R&D along with field testing and measurement at on-air stations on this patented technology, which is designed to enhance listening experience, lower energy costs by 10 to 40 percent, and allows broadcasters to lower CO2 emissions. With its Ecreso brand, WorldCast Systems has over 60 years of experience in designing low-, medium- and highpower FM transmitters and has equipped approximately 10,000 sites worldwide. SmartFM technology is compatible with new Ecreso transmitters and models already on the market. Info: www.worldcastsystems.com
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RADIOWORLD
Streaming Radio, Podcasting, Online Content Delivery
December 2018
StreamGuys Makes Podcasts Dynamic DNR re-creates live broadcast flavor for podcasts
◗USERREPORT BY DEREK HARTLEY AND ROMAINE PATTERSON
Co-Owners DNR Events
NEW YORK — DNR Events provides one-of-a-kind entertainment and travel experiences while fostering diversity and equality. Our mission is to offer a flexible platform for dynamic expression that engages, entertains and informs. The cornerstone of this endeavor is DNR 2.0, a live streaming digital channel and audio archive featuring “Derek and Romaine,” a two-hour daily broadcast that the two of us host. We got started as a duo in satellite radio back in 2003 and after more than 12 years, our show ended its run there in the summer of 2015. We had an established following and an audience of commuters and truckers that depended on us for entertainment every day. We just needed to find a way to keep doing our show, our way. We explored doing a podcast, but after so many years in the dynamic world of live radio, it didn’t feel like a fit for us. Our audience expects to hear us every day on their way to or from work, and the off-the-cuff nature of our show and the ability to take live phone calls are really important to us. We met with lots of great people who are creating terrific content in the world of podcasts, but none of them had the technology or business structure to help us deliver the kind of show we wanted to do. That’s when we knew we needed to strike out on our own.
THE SOLUTION Our research led us to StreamGuys’ content delivery and podcasting network and their cloud-based SGrecast live stream recording and repurposing platform. StreamGuys’ technology fit the bill perfectly, letting us recreate the experience of our previous show as much as possible while giving us the flexibility to rebroadcast our shows 24/7 and do additional programming like standard podcasts. Even small broadcasters who start streaming usually have broadcast engineers and audio professionals on staff, but we’re a mom-and-pop shop – just the two of us, and most of our experience is just being hosts. Romaine had a recording engineering background, which was essential in building a world-class studio to broadcast from, but every aspect of streaming technology was brand new to us. StreamGuys was perfect for us — their solution was turnkey enough that we were able to make it work for us really effectively, and StreamGuys’ staff walked us through every step. We had no idea what we were doing and very little time to learn it, but they were very patient and kind with us. We know we aren’t their biggest client, but from Day One, they have always made us feel like our business is important to them. Our show is streamed as a live broadcast each weekday. A Barix Exstreamer encoder sends our live audio to the StreamGuys network, where SGrecast also records it. As soon as the show is over, SGrecast rebroadcasts
Derek Hartley and Romaine Patterson
the recording in a loop until the next day’s live broadcast. We also post the recording in our online archive and podcast feeds. Our listeners love the looping replay, as they can tune to the show any time they want. We absolutely love the immediacy that SGrecast gives us. On satellite, our show was limited to our broadcast time slot and when it ended, another show would play. For our listeners who wanted to hear the show after our time slot ended, it took a while for the recording to become available within their app. Now, the second the show is over, it’s immediately available to listeners anytime, anywhere through streaming on a dedicated channel and more quickly as a download than was possible before. As a recording engineer, Romaine really loves the quality of the sound. We often get listener feedback that the sound quality we provide now is as good or better than when we were on satellite radio. That’s super-important to us, and a huge complement to how we’ve built our company and to StreamGuys’ services. We are integrating additional StreamGuys services
as we grow and expand. We recently launched an Alexa Skill, and we’re about to start using the blu Live cloudbased contribution service that StreamGuys offers in partnership with Digigram to allow ourselves and others to virtually host high-quality shows from outside our main studio. StreamGuys’ technology has also given us the flexibility to help other radio hosts recreate their shows on the Internet the way they want. Through our DNR Studios brand, we offer additional programming ranging from live streams to on-demand podcasts and hybrid models like ours — helping others relaunch their shows the way we wish someone had been there for us. For hosts wanting to bring their broadcasts to podcasts or displaced radio professionals who want to continue to do radio their own way, StreamGuys’ technology is the right way to go.
For information, contact Jonathan Speaker at StreamGuys in California at 1-707-667-9479 or visit www.streamguys.com.
December 2018
BUYER’S GUIDE
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Streaming Radio, Podcasting, Online Content Delivery
Comrex BRIC-Link II Provides Streaming Control Codec handles multiple applications
◗USERREPORT BY NICK STRAKA
Independent Engineer NS Engineering NEW YORK — I’m an engineer that
serving the area of Fitchburg, Mass. It’s a 3,000 watt nonprofit station with a limited budget. They wanted to create an avenue to stream their station online. From my experience with BRIC-Link II, I know it’s very easy to configure it as a streaming server. It didn’t take me long
has been working in the field for over 23 years. For nine years, I’ve been running my own engineering company, NS BRIC-Link II has saved me many trips to Engineering. I work with clients of all sizes. Everything from large Class B transmitter sites and makes it easier to find New York stations, to little LPFMs situproblems before they become big issues. ated almost 150 miles out of the city — I find solutions for them all. As of right now, I have more than 70 Comrex units in the field, employed as everything from STLs to remote ENG. to set-up, and they’ve been using it with configure it such that station staff and BRIC-Link II codecs make up a big porno issue for several years now. myself can listen to a private stream tion of that number. I find that they make I also use BRIC-Link II as a priand determine whether everything is for a budget-friendly reliable STL for vate streaming server for confidence working correctly. It’s saved me many stations of all sizes. monitoring. For customers who already trips to transmitter sites, and it makes it - Stream to the eXtreme.ai 1 2018-11-04 22:46:53 WQPHStreamS is aAdCatholic radio station own BRIC-Link IIs, it’s easy for me to much easier to find problems before they
become big issues. I believe the ideal user for BRICLink II as a streaming server would be someone who wanted to have complete control over their stream, and just wanted a simple, easy-to-use box that you plug in and use. There are many inexpensive streaming services, but BRIC-Link II just works. I know that once I install a BRIC-Link II, it’ll sit there and run for the foreseeable future, and I won’t have to worry about it.
For information, contact Chris Crump at Comrex in the United States at +1-978784-1776 or visit www.comrex.com.
Stream to the eXtreme! C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
Orban Optimod PCn 1600: Luxurious, Indispensable Audio Processing
StreamS HLSdirect™: Servicing the Digital Dashboard and Smart Speakers
Since 1975, broadcasters have paid over $10,000 for Orban® Optimod® audio processing hardware because it pays for itself, delivering audience-building audio with unmatched source-to-source consistency and perfect loudness balances between speech and music. Optimod-processed transmissions reach over 1 billion ears every day.
Your audio streaming audience spends serious money on player devices. Reaching them without compromise requires enterprise-grade streaming encoders that use modern hardware, segmented HLS streaming protocols, and AAC-family codecs. Your revenue depends on it.
That refined, consistent Optimod sound is now available as pure software for processing live Internet streams, digital radio, masters, podcasts and files, at a fraction of the cost of Optimod hardware and with your choice of Good, Better and Best feature sets. With dozens of formatspecific presets and easy LESS-MORE control, Optimod PCn lets you achieve your sonic goals effortlessly yet precisely. A unique blend of artistry and technology, Optimod stands alone by getting everything right. Compared to artifact-laden “throw-away” processors, Optimod is an indispensable tool for sounding big, bold, professional and indisputably competitive. For specs, audio clips, dealer info and more, visit: https://www.indexcom.com/products/optimodpcn/
Audiences expect your streams to connect quickly and easily, sound great, and play without buffering and dropouts. They expect rich, on-time metadata, also important for precise ad content insertion. Obsolete, repurposed computers using inferior encoders won’t get you there. Some of the largest content providers in the world use StreamS Encoders to serve audiences with 24/7 reliability. StreamS HLSdirect™ and xHE-AAC ensure that the StreamS Encoder’s reach and audio quality greatly exceed terrestrial and satellite delivery, allowing you to economically increase audience coverage and “Stream to the eXtreme!” For specs, audio clips, dealer info and more, visit: https://www.indexcom.com/products/encoder/hls/ 1249 S Diamond Bar Blvd #314 Diamond Bar CA 91765-4122 USA TEL +1 940 206-7702 www.indexcom.com ©2018 Modulation Index LLC
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◗TECHUPDATES FUTURI MEDIA ADDS LOGGER CAPABILITIES TO POST SEVEN HILLS, Ohio — Futuri Media’s Post is a system for instantly converting broadcast content into podcast and on-demand content and distributing across multiple platforms. The company has announced the addition of logger capabilities to its feature set.
The company says that unique among podcasting and on-demand solutions, Post’s patented technology can be fully integrated into a station’s audio-chain and board. Using machine learning, Post automatically processes and parses audio from broadcast into segments that talent or producers can quickly bookmark using an in-studio touchscreen. Then, team members can edit the audio if they so choose, add a fullylicensed image from Post’s library (which drives audio consumption by using compelling visuals without expensive copyright violation fines), and push out to a station’s website, socials, and other distribution. Stations can also use Post to manage and distribute original, non-broadcast audio, like long-form interviews and custom content. With the addition of logger capabilities, Post users can now log in from anywhere to aircheck talent. Programmers and executives who oversee multiple stations, markets, and/or formats can access all their Post stations with a single login. And a streamlined admin now makes pulling sales proof of performance assets even easier. For information, contact Futuri Media in the United States at +1-877221-7979 or visit http://futurimedia. com/post.
8,000+ AUI Tx Installed nautel.com
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December 2018
Streaming Radio, Podcasting, Online Content Delivery
TRITON DIGITAL TAPS INTO ONLINE AUDIO ADS LOS ANGELES — Developed in 2014 by Triton Digital, the Triton Advertising Platform (Tap) enables radio broadcasters, podcasters, and online music services around the world to monetize their online audio content through the dynamic, server-side insertion of intelligently targeted advertisements into both live and pre-recorded audio streams and podcasts. Ads can be targeted to each listener in real-time, ensuring a relevant and engaging experience for listeners and an optimized revenue opportunity for advertisers. The Tap advertising server can insert or replace content as preroll, mid-roll, and post-roll audio ads, each of which can be targeted based on a listener’s location, gender, age, behavior propensities, and more to maintain a high quality and relevant listening experience. The company says that a key benefit of dynamic, server-side ad insertion is the ability to expose listeners to advertisements on a wide range of players, including those owned and operated by audio publishers, aggregators, embedded players, and even smart speakers. It adds that there are a number of reasons why audio publishers around the world are leveraging Tap to dynamically replace ads. First, replacing ads creates a supplemental revenue opportunity, providing new inventory for publishers to sell, either on its own or as a value-add to over-the-air advertising packages, such as synchronizing a banner to a spot. Second, in addition to paid ads, ad servers like Tap can be used to schedule filler, sweeper, promos, and music to avoid dead air and reduce ad load. In addition, dynamic ad insertion makes it possible to replace from a single spot to all spots. Spots can also be replaced outside of a radio geography or country only, providing an opportunity to earn revenue from international listenership. For information, contact Triton Digital at Solutions@TritonDigital.com or visit www.tritondigital.com.
OMNIA AUDIO AND TELOS Z/IPSTREAM PROCESSING FOR SMART SPEAKERS CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Telos Alliance says that 43 million Americans own at least one smart speaker, and first adopters of smart speakers say these devices are now their primary way of listening to audio. Therefore there should be no doubt that radio broadcasters need to be available on these devices — and they need to sound good. For streaming, audio needs to be processed to best suit the transmission medium so it needs as much consideration as the on-air sound. “As broadcasters, we’re accustomed to a maxed-out sound. Streaming audio doesn’t have to be that way. Give the audio ‘lift’ and low-level support, plus some multiband energy, but don’t lay into the look-ahead limiters. Just let them hit the loudest peaks. If you’re into the limiters all the time you’ll produce a fatiguing long-term sound. We’d like for people to listen all day!” says Cornelius Gould, chief algorithm developer at Omnia Audio. Streaming features are built-in to Omnia processors — such as input conditioning and “Undo” on the Omnia.7 and Omnia.9 — and the Perfect Declipper available in the Omnia.11 processor. All Omnia processors use intelligent look-ahead limiting for HD Radio and stream processing for loudness without any audio clipping. The new Omnia VOLT with HD Studio Pro software is another choice for a dedicated streaming audio processor. Three-band Omnia processing in the Z/IPStream encoders is also useful for both music and voice on your streams. “If your stream isn’t sounding better than your over-the-air transmission, you’re doing something wrong. Try processing a bit less, but use the great tools that Omnia processors provide. Condition and clean up the audio providing long-term consistency and loudness while giving a very dynamic feel to the audio moment by moment,” says Leif Claesson, audio processing designer at Omnia. For information, contact The Telos Alliance in the United States +1-216-241-7225 or visit www.telosalliance.com.
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Streaming Radio, Podcasting, Online Content Delivery
KNMJ Simply Streams With StreamS Newly acquired college station gets an online stream with StreamS 3111
◗USERREPORT
music (dawn of compact discs to the age of downloads) and our talk shows and play by play games. We wanted low bitrates to make the most of our listeners’ data connections, yet good sound at low bitrates. I have used HTML5 Live Streams elsewhere and feel it is the best way to deliver a stream over challenging networks. AAC+ is a remarkably good sounding codec down to the 48K rate we use. We saw John
department. We have not yet been able to overload the system, and it is cheap, cheap, cheap. It works in places where cell calls are not stable. Two examples: one hour drive from Lamesa, Texas, to Midland, Texas, has no drops at all. The 75 minute Lamesa to Hobbs run has a pair of two minute outages on Hwy 180 between Lamesa and Seminole. This contrasts with 10- or 15-minute gaps in good cell coverage. Our 3111 is an integrated processor, encoder and HLS streaming server. It uses the Orban PCn1600 processor with Greg presets. I never thought a software-
BY DAVID STEWART
Moving Target Consulting Works HOBBS, New Mexico — New Mexico Junior College is a
community college in Hobbs, NM. It is heavily involved in career paths and continuing education. While NMJC had programs in media preparation and publishing, it did not have a broadcast segment. A change in ownership of a crosstown broadcast group put them one station over the ownership limit, so they donated their Class C2 100.9 MHz FM signal to the school. This made them operators of 50,000 watt KNMJ but they had little familiarity with broadcasting — that’s where I came in as a facility designer, contractor and coach for the young staff. Format is hit songs from the ’80s, ’90s and 2000s plus locally produced talk and interview programs and signature coverage of NMJC Thunderbirds basketball. KNMJ serves a lot of rural New Mexico and west Texas. Mobile coverage is spotty in many of the square miles, sometimes even on the highways through the area. Staff, students and officials live throughout a vast area, sometime on large ranches or farms. We needed something that would hold together with iffy bitstreams. Processing needed to handle a wide range of styles of
Schaab and Greg Ogonowski at the Texas Association of Broadcasters trade show. They talked to us about their family of processors/encoders/streaming servers. They also had experience in streaming using internet “cloud” services like Microsoft Azure, Amazon AWS, etc. KNMJ equipment studio equipment includes BSI Simian automation, Axia and Livewire drivers and hardware console, Comrex Bric-Link and Access codecs. We feed the StreamS 3111 using an AES output of the Axia console and send our stream out to a simple Amazon AWS-3 account. It worked without burdening our IT
based processor was the way to be Nth degree but experience with this unit makes me rethink that. The same size unit could handle up to four stations. Our device includes digital I/O, a processor, encoder and stream server in an industrial one rack unit computer. It runs Windows, with most of the auto update routines disabled or otherwise managed. An analytics routine is in the works and expected from StreamS soon.
For information, contact John Schaab at StreamS in the United States at +1-940-206-7702 or visit www.streamindex.com.
◗TECHUPDATES DJB HAS INTERNET RADIO FOR RADIO PROS LAS VEGAS, Nevada — DJB Radio feels that most internet radio broadcasting software was created by computer geeks — and it shows. The program can be tinkered with and everything can be adjusted. Buttons and lights and extra widgets are everywhere — it looks like it was designed by NASA rocket scientists for going to Mars. But radio pros know that’s all a distraction. Most radio stations have two buttons the announcers use while they are live: The one that turns on the mic, and the one that starts the next song. After the break, the software needs to help you get the next song or commercial ready. Everything else just gets in the way. The DJB’s Button Box system is designed to be different — to be radio-friendly. It may look simple, but there’s a lot of power inside. Like an advanced library database that’s all drag and drop. Built in auto scheduling if you want. An autoplay system that can segue between cuts automatically so users can start it and walk away. And it’s touchscreen ready. Use your mouse, map your keyboard for keyboard start/stop or simply use a finger! The Button Box Cart Player is designed for live assist, giving users instant access to the audio library. It’s a great internet radio software starter system. Button Broadcaster Pro is the full-featured package for the internet broadcaster. It has a program scheduler, waveform editor and now voice-tracking has been added. Add a USB mic and go to work. For the iTunes plant, Button Broadcaster Pro can be taken to the next level with iBroadcaster for iTunes Pro. For information, contact DJB Radio in the United States at +1-702-487-3336 or visit https://djbradio.com.
INOVONICS 610 MONITORS THE INTERNET FELTON, C alifornia — The Inovonics 610 Internet Radio Monitor is a hardware solution providing uninterrupted monitoring for quality and performance of your online internet radio stream. Unlike a consumer-grade “Internet radio,” the 610 provides balanced analog and AES digital outputs, self-logging alarms that constantly check for audio loss, stream loss and Internet loss. A tuner decodes audio and displays live metadata for MP3, Ogg Vorbis and AAC formats. The front panel displays left and right audio metering, local LED alarms and an OLED screen with jog wheel for advanced control and editing of tuning and monitoring parameters. Rear-panel alarm tallies provide local alarms, and online notifications alert personnel with email or text messages when any of the three alarms occurs. The 610’s web interface allows setup and control of the unit from your PC, tablet or smartphone, and reliable two-way connectivity is ensured with a built-in Dynamic DNS utility. The company quotes Bill Eisenhamer, chief engineer of Lincoln Financial Media’s South Dakota operations, saying, “Any engineer or programmer who wants the ability to really monitor and be notified of an issue will like this monitor.” For information, contact Inovonics in the United States at +1-831458-0552 or visit www.inovonicsbroadcast.com.
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Streaming Radio, Podcasting, Online Content Delivery
◗TECHUPDATE WHEATSTONE OFFERS PROCESSING FOR STREAMING NEW BERN, North C arolina — Wheatstone provides several options for processing the different types of deliverables these days. Its I/O Blade-3s that make up the WheatNet-IP audio network include multiband processors useful for processing web streams — or incoming audio from callers, remotes, codecs, satellite feeds and microphones. This is a routable processor built into the AoIP itself that has a 4-band parametric equalizer, three-way crossover, three compressors, three limiters, and final lookahead limiter. Wheatstone also has a separate Blade unit, the Aura8IP-3 multimode, that can be added to
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the network for eight independent multiband stereo audio processors. Each processor includes AGC, compression and limiting functions for web streaming and podcasting streams along with standard audio or HD Radio. Each processing chain consists of a four-band parametric equalizer followed by a crossover and three bands of compression. The compressors each feed their own limiters, whose outputs are then fed to a broadband lookahead limiter for tight peak control. The Aura8IP-3 has its own local I/O, with four stereo pairs of AES digital audio and four stereo pairs of analog line level audio in and out, and can function as a standalone processing engine. Because it’s a Blade-3, it can also instantly configure itself as part of a new or existing WheatNet-IP audio network, making its processing power available throughout that network. Like all Blade-3 access units, the Aura8IP-3 is AES67-compatible. The Aura8IP-3 is configured and controlled over Ethernet using a laptop or desktop computer. Included with the unit is Wheatstone’s “Guru” GUI software, which allows easy setup of the processing using familiar, straightforward controls. Also available is a more sophisticated control interface called “GUI Pro,” which provides access to every individual processing parameter for expert-level adjustments. For information, contact Wheatstone in the United States at +1-252-638-7000 or visit www.wheatstone.com.
ADVERTISER INDEX
This listing is provided for the convenience of our readers. Radio World assumes no liability for inaccuracy.
page
advertiser
website /url
1
Broadcast Bionics
www.bionics.co.uk
Name ����������������������������������������������������������������������������
9
Comrex Corporation
www.comrex.com
Job Title ��������������������������������������������������������������������������
5
Digigram, S.A.
www.digigram.com
23
Inovonics Broadcast
www.inovonicsbroadcast.com
21
Mandozzi by Elber
www.mandozzi.ch
17
Modulation Index
www.indexcom.com
Phone ����������������������������������������������������������������������������
6, 10, 18
Nautel
www.nautel.com
Fax ������������������������������������������������������������������������������
8 NeoGroupe
www.neogroupe.com
11
www.telosalliance.com/omnia
Signature_____________________________________________ Date �������������������������
Company �������������������������������������������������������������������������� Address ��������������������������������������������������������������������������� City/State ������������������������������������������������������������������������� Postal Code___________________________________Country �������������������������������
Email ����������������������������������������������������������������������������� Type of Audio Business (please select only 1 response):
JOB FUNCTION (PLEASE SELECT ONLY 1 RESPONSE):
m A. Commercial AM Station
m A. Ownership
m B. Commercial FM Station
m B. General Management
m J. AM/FM Station
m C. Engineering/Technical
m D. Network/Group Owner
m D. Programming/Production
m C. Internet Radio Station
m E. News Operations
m E. Public Broadcaster
m G. Sales Manager
m G. Independent Engineer
m H. Consultant/Researcher
m M. Associations/Public & Private
m F. Other ______________________________
m N. Consultant/Research m I. Other ______________________________
Please fax completed form to: +1-703-852-4583 Or mail to: RADIO WORLD, Future US, 5285 Shawnee Rd, Suite 525, Alexandria, VA 22312 USA Or go to the website: www.radioworld.com/subscribe to complete this form online.
Omnia - The Telos Alliance
24 Orban
www.orban.com
1
RFE Broadcast
www.rfebroadcast.com
7
Tieline Technology
www.tieline.com
2, 13, 15
Wheatstone
www.wheatstone.com
19
Xperi
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