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Pat Bryson reports from the 2024 NAB Show in Las Vegas for radioinfo.I attended the National Association of Broadcasters’ convention last week. The 5 days were filled with sessions on a multitude of topics: engineering, programming, sales, podcasting, the future of radio and, of course, AI.Artificial Intelligence has been a leading topic for the last couple of years. Daniel Anstandig of Futuri Media did the opening keynote with Ameca, an AI-powered humanoid robot as his co-host.They “talked” about a new study that examined AI’s role in media. Guess what? It seems the public is ready to accept AI used to give them better content. They also think that AI is currently being used in more stations than it actually is. Maybe that’s because they can’t readily distinguish between AI and human content.I spoke at the Broadcast Educator’s Association session for students who are looking to join our industry. I was pleased to see the room filled with eager young people. These students are the future of radio and television.The Broadcast Leadership Training alumni held their reception Sunday evening. I was honored to be a graduate of that program in 2005. The program will celebrate its 25th year in 2025. It boasts over 400 graduates, many of whom have gone on to start their own companies, to manages groups. The program was the brainchild of Diane Sutter and was created to help minorities progress in their dreams. It certainly helped me with mine. I started BBI the next year.Mentoring and Inspiring Women held their annual dinner on Monday evening. It was a sold-out crowd of 120 high-powered women in our industry. The “buzz” was deafening. These women mentor other women in broadcasting, helping them to progress in their careers.Vendor rooms were full of innovative technology. For engineers, it was like kids in a candy store. Old ways are being replaced with better and better options for delivering and creating our programming.But this article isn’t about a listing of sessions or offerings. It’s about the spirit that filled the hallways of the Las Vegas Convention Center, the restaurants and bars of hotels where broadcasters gathered to share ideas, do deals, and meet colleagues.EXCITEMENT is a good word for the spirit I felt.There was a current of electricity surrounding the group (no pun intended). Over 61,000 broadcasters assembled from 163 countries. Over half were first-time attendees. They came to learn, to look at new technology, to meet people, to do deals. In our business, it’s as important whom you know as what you know. The NAB provided a good space to increase your network.Not since 2019 have I felt this level of optimism. Weaving through the halls (there were so many people that “weaving” is what you had to do), I noticed smiles on faces. And I could see the smiles because there were very few masks. Old friends were greeted with handshakes and hugs. Forget the elbow bump! Fear was replaced with confidence.I remember my first NAB years ago when I was a newly promoted sales manager. My GM took me to Vegas. Wow! My first look at the tens of thousands of broadcasters assembled there sparked this thought: “If this many broadcasters are here, the rest of their staffs are back home manning the stations. How BIG IS this industry?” I realized for the first time how powerful broadcasting is. How vital we are to business. How important we are to our listeners. And I felt proud to be a part of it.I felt that same pride at the NAB this year.Someone described radio as the cockroach of media. I’m not sure how pleased I am to be compared to the big black bugs I regularly try to squash, but I must admit they are persistent, fast and you can’t get rid of them! They’ve been around 320 million years. So, maybe the comparison is solid. Radio continues to survive, to evolve and to grow.NAB 2025 will be April 5-9. Do yourselves a favor and add it to your calendar.See you there!About: Pat BrysonPat Bryson has worked in the radio industry for over 30 years. During that time, she was one of the highest billing sales people in the radio industry in her market. Her career advanced to General Manager, where Pat created a culture of over-achievement for her stations. Since founding BBI, Pat has worked with broadcasters around the world and has been a featured speaker at many conferences.Pat is a regular contributor to radioinfo (see here at the Brisbane ACRAs with Peter Saxon and Wendy Whalley)
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According to a report by the Afghanistan Journalist Center (AFJC), Habib-ur-Rahman Taseer, a local journalist associated with Radio Azadi/Radio Free Europe in southeastern Ghazni province in has been detained by the Taliban intelligence since April 6 and has now been transferred to the regime’s prison.Taseer was reportedly detained for preparing local reports for Radio Azadi. His smartphone was seized by the authorities and its contents were checked without his consent.Another source in Ghazni provincne told AFJC that Taseer had faced pressure before his arrest, including being removed from a joint WhatsApp group of journalists and local officials.Radio Azadi/Radio Free Europe and the Taliban have not issued any comments regarding this incident so far.Radio Azadi is based in Prague, the capital of Czech Republic, and produces and broadcasts programs for Afghanistan.In December 2022, the FM frequency of Radio Azadi and Voice of America, both US government-supported outlets, were suspended by the Taliban.Two months later, the regime shut down the websites of these two media outlets, saying that they had repeatedly “failed to adhere” to the regime’s press laws and “violated journalistic principles.”The AFJC expressed serious concern about Taseer’s continued detention and demanded his immediate and unconditional release.AFJC data shows that at least 59 journalists and media workers were arrested in the last solar year alone. The majority of these cases involved violations of Taliban media directives, which contradict the country’s media laws.Photo: AFJC […]

Radio station Wave 89.1 FM, Philippines, announced that it was signing off in a statement on its Facebook page on Monday night.The station first started broadcasting in 1975 as DMZ 89.1, or the Dance Music Zone station playing R&B, hip-hop and rhythmic contemporary music. Wave 89.1 began airing in 2001 with a selection of easy listening and R&B tracks, but has since concentrated on airing urban contemporary playlists.The radio station thanked its fans and listeners over the past years on the air.“While our hearts are pinched, we want to announce that Wave 89.1 has made its final broadcast. So many memories. Good times and bad. Laughter and tears. We changed the game. No one can say otherwise,” it said.It had also thanked former DJ’s, managers, directors, technical staff, guests, and everyone else who had visited their studios.“We did a lot of great things together! It’s a sad day for all of us, but we’re gonna remember all the amazing people and music that came through our airwaves,” it wrote.Wave has since deleted the photo of its statement on Facebook, replacing it with a photo of a map, and has locked its X account.The Adventist World Radio (AWR) has started broadcasting on the frequency and has branded itself as AWR 89.1 FM.“AWR 89.1 FM is a Christian radio station that aims to inspire, uplift, and educate listeners through its diverse range of content,” the website of the new station described.“We recognize the importance of holistic well-being, including physical, mental, and spiritual health. The station features programs on healthy living, nutrition, fitness, mental health, and other topics related to overall wellness,” it added. […]

Masti Media Network, which runs Radio Masti 24×7, the only live Bollywood radio broadcasting across SEA region, have launched a new venture supported by the National Integration Council.Montage Of Singapore Season 2, an initiative aimed at fostering national integration and unity, unveiled its 6 episodes providing a vital platform for open, respectful dialogue on topics central to Singapore’s diverse cultural landscape.Present for the event were Renuka Bhagat Arora, Masti Media Network, Desmond Tan CCMC Chair, QueenTown, Biren Desai, Singapore Gujarati Society; David Soh, Chair Harmony Circle, Prantik Mazumdar, President TiE Singapore, Dr Alicia Altorfer-Ong, Deputy General Manager, Ray of Hope, to name a few.Montage of Singapore Season 1 was celebrated by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) in their newsletter as one of the top three shows showcasing Singapore’s diverse tapestry. The series’ primary objective is to unite residents and build a cohesive nation.The episodes of Montage of Singapore Season 2 are set to debut on digital platforms – Masti Media Network’s LinkedIn, Facebook and Youtube handle from April 15th-20th, 2024, daily 6pm.Conceived in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), Montage of Singapore Season 2 has solidified its position as a beacon of harmony and inclusivity within the nation. The series embodies a collective effort to celebrate Singapore’s rich multicultural fabric and promote social cohesion.Renuka Bhagat Arora, Founder, Masti Media Network said: “Montage of Singapore Season 2 reaffirms our unwavering commitment to fostering inclusivity, empathy, and unity within our diverse community. Through ongoing engagement and meaningful dialogue, we aspire to cultivate a future where the richness of diversity is embraced, and a harmonious spirit of unity thrives.” […]

At the hotly anticipated NAB Show 2024, Futuri’s CEO Daniel Anstandig, alongside co-presenter Ameca, the AI-powered humanoid robot, shared findings from the most comprehensive study ever conducted on AI’s role in media.Futuri’s AI in Media Study surveyed nearly 5,200 media consumers across the United States, including 2,624 radio listeners, revealing powerful insights into audience perceptions, expectations, and the future of AI-powered media content. The study was conducted by CMGCustom Research, which is best known as the in-house research team for CMG radio and television stations, responsible for the insights that power their high performing radio brands and hundreds of advertiser campaigns each year.The findings challenge the traditional approach of radio and audio content production, suggesting a shift towards openness to human-AI collaboration: “Futuri’s study shows that audiences are open to media’s adoption of AI for content creation. In fact, 1 in 5 listenersbelieve they already listen to a radio station that is using AI. Listeners also believe that AI will assist media in creating more relevant and engaging content. They just want to be informed of its use, and for it to be used in the right scenarios,” Anstandig noted, highlighting the need for balance between human creativity and AI efficiency.Anstandig added: “This study reveals an industry at the dawn of an AI revolution. The demand for content in general, is at an all-time high, and AI promises to make broadcast teams capable of generating the sheer volume of audio content across multiple platforms that audiences demand.”Key Insights from the Study:● Familiarity with AI:○ 88% of respondents are aware of AI.○ 59% have knowingly used AI.○ Virtually all respondents use at least one AI-powered tool in a typical week, ranging from virtual assistants like Siri/Google/Alexa, traffic apps, health and fitness apps, search engines, and social media services that personalize or customize content.● People cannot easily distinguish between human and AI audio content:○ Participants were presented with paired samples of AI-generated voices created using Futuri’s AudioAI and human voices. 60% of the time, they identified the AI as human and human as AI.● Audiences have a growing desire for customizable AI hosts:○ 45% of respondents expressed interest in personalizing the personality of AI-driven radio or podcast hosts.○ 41% of respondents showed interest in tailoring the type of content delivered, indicating a strong consumer desire for customized media experiences.● Audience Readiness for AI:○ 1 out of 5 people in the US believe they already listen to a radio station that is using AI. (This is not true in practice).○ 89% of radio listeners said AI would be definitely or somewhat likely to improve the selection of songs, and 86% said it would be definitely or somewhat likely to improve introduction of songs.○ 85% of radio listeners believe that AI would be definitely or somewhat likely to improve their experience of weather reports and forecasts.○ 3 out of 4 listeners said talk show topics would be improved if AI is used behind the scenes.○ 90% expressed a desire for open disclosure of AI being used to create content or create on-air voices.○ In every format/genre, when given ‘fit’ questions, assessing whether audio consumers believed AI voices fit on their favorite radio brands, respondents consistently gave AI high ratings for its perceived compatibility and appropriateness. Asked, ‘is this voice appropriate to hear on your favorite station,’ Fit score for Futuri AudioAI voices in every music format was between 69-85% (depending on the format) and consistently performed on par or better than human voices.● AI to fill in gaps:○ 78% of respondents indicate they would listen more if AI were to ‘fill in gaps’ in broadcasting schedules. This is particularly interesting, as a study of the industry notes that less than 30% of radio stations have more than one live and local daypart.● Podcasts are more popular than ever, with 30% of audio listeners saying that AI-generated content would definitely improve their experience of podcasts.○ 63% of respondents listen to podcasts or on-demand audio for news/information. 90% of podcast users are listening to podcasts at least once per week, with 32% doing so daily, 46% a few times per week, and 12% once per week.○ Most desired types of content in podcasts and on-demand audio are humor/comedy, news and information, and hobbies/interests.Anstandig concluded: “Now is the time for radio to maximize its human talent, and use AI to enhance our ability to produce content for every daypart and every platform. The radio industry is not served by debates about whether or not AI is coming… it’s here, it’s inevitable. Content creators are using AI to grow their audience and revenue every day. Now, we in radio need to adopt practical tools and solutions to make ourselves more efficient and impactful. Radio is also not served by debates about replacing humans with AI. We need all the human ingenuity and creativity we can get, and we need to augment and extend it with AI. A strong media industry is good for democracy, and good for society. ”Futuri’s AI in Media Study revealed key insights into best practices for broadcasters across radio, TV, news production, and creators who are seeking growth in the rapidly evolving landscape of content creation and distribution in the dawn of the AI era. […]

RØDE has announced three brand-new products today at the 2024 edition of NAB in Las Vegas. Introducing the Interview PRO, a broadcast-quality wireless handheld microphone for use with RØDE wireless systems, and two premium smartphone filmmaking accessories, the Phone Cage and Magnetic Mount, which join RØDE’s industry-leading range of solutions for today’s generation of mobile content creators.“We are extremely excited to reveal these three new products at NAB today,” says RØDE CEO Damien Wilson. “RØDE has been helping creators capture incredible content with their phones since the early days of smartphone technology. We pioneered the plug-and-play smartphone mic category with innovations like the VideoMic Me and iXY, and more recently, with the VideoMic NTG and VideoMic GO II. Last year we released RØDE Capture, the first video app designed specifically for today’s creators. And we invented the world’s first wireless microphone that was universally compatible with mobile devices, the Wireless GO II, which kickstarted a revolution in smartphone content creation.”He continues: “Today, we offer a wide range of audio solutions for mobile creators, and we are thrilled to introduce two new offerings to this ecosystem with the Phone Cage and Magnetic Mount. When combined with one of our microphones, these accessories give creators all the tools they need to capture incredible content on their phone. We are also thrilled to introduce the Interview PRO to our wireless range. Not only is this the ultimate solution for street interviews and run-and-gun presentations, but its compatibility with all of our Series IV wireless products makes it ideal for many different content creation applications, from professional broadcast to podcasting.”Interview ProThe Interview PRO is a broadcast-quality handheld condenser microphone for use with any RØDE Series IV wireless system. This includes the Wireless PRO, Wireless ME and Wireless GO II compact wireless systems for recording pristine audio into a camera, smartphone, or even a computer. It can also be paired directly to the RØDECaster Pro II, RØDECaster Duo and Streamer X just like an XLR microphone, making it ideal for podcasting, small presentations, or streaming applications where creators need the freedom of a wireless microphone. Utilising RØDE’s state-of-the-art Series IV 2.4GHz digital transmission with 128-bit encryption, it delivers incredibly stable wireless audio with a range of up to 200m (line of sight) and is optimised for close range operation.Featuring a professional-grade condenser capsule, the Interview PRO delivers rich, detailed voice reproduction, and its omnidirectional polar pattern makes it very forgiving when it comes to mic placement, making it perfect for interviews, presentations and other voice applications. RØDE’s GainAssist technology – which utilises intelligent algorithms to automatically control the mic’s audio levels on the fly – ensures that the signal being sent to the receiver is perfectly balanced and minimises the risk of clipping. It also features 32-bit float on-board recording, allowing users to record directly on-board with no chance of the audio clipping. 32GB of internal memory offers over 40 hours of record time, with a dedicated button for stopping and starting recording. Not only does this mean users will always have a clean backup of their audio, but it also allows the Interview PRO to be used as a standalone field recorder, with no need to connect to a receiver, making it incredibly versatile.Essentially, the Interview PRO combines all of the features of the game-changing Wireless PRO with the pristine audio quality of a professional handheld microphone. Internal shock mounting of the capsule ensures minimal handling noise, with an internal pop filter for reducing plosives, plus it includes a high-quality windshield for recording outdoors. It is the ultimate microphone for conducting street interviews, presenting in the field, hosting a casual podcast or creating content on the move.The Interview PRO will be available in early May.Phone Cagehe Phone Cage is a premium magnetic smartphone mounting system for creators looking to elevate their mobile content with professional audio, lighting and mounting solutions. Offering 33 mounting threads and five cold shoe slots, the Phone Cage is incredibly versatile and allows creators to build their ultimate mobile videography rig, tailored to their exact needs.At the heart of the Phone Cage is a powerful magnetic mounting disc for attaching any MagSafe® iPhone® or MagSafe-compatible smartphone case or accessory. This is incredibly secure and allows users to instantly transform their smartphone into a professional filmmaking rig, with the option to add microphones and other accessories effortlessly. Integrated cable management slots make it easy to stay neat and tidy, with a slot in each corner for use in any configuration.By itself, the Phone Cage can be used as an ergonomic grip for handheld filming, but its wide array of attachment points also make it easy to attach additional handles or grips, or mount onto tripods or desk mounts, taking stability to the next level either on the move or in the studio. With its innovative design allowing for both portrait and landscape orientations, the Phone Cage is perfectly suited to capturing cinematic footage in traditional horizontal aspect ratios as well as vertical content for TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and other social media platforms.Constructed from high-grade aluminium, the Phone Cage is both rugged and lightweight, making it easy to carry around and durable enough to withstand the rigors of run-and-gun filmmaking.The Phone Cage will be available in late April.Magnetic MountThe Magnetic Mount is another versatile magnetic mounting system for attaching microphones, lights and other accessories to any MagSafe iPhone or MagSafe-compatible smartphone case or accessory. It features the same ultra-strong magnet as the Phone Cage for attaching to a phone with complete security, even with vigorous use, and instead of the cage, it comes with three removable arms: short and long cold shoe arms for shooting in landscape or portrait mode, plus a long arm with ¼-inch thread for mounting onto a tripod, handle or desktop arm for use in a wide range of video or content creation applications. The Magnetic Mount’s portable, modular design makes it a breeze to transport and set up on the fly, and it is super lightweight and compact, making it the perfect addition to any creator’s everyday carry.Now offering a complete ecosystem of microphones and mounting solutions for smartphones, these two new products solidify RØDE as the go-to brand for mobile content creators. With the Phone Cage and Magnetic Mount, plus any of RØDE’s best-selling wireless or shotgun microphones, it has never been easier for creators to produce exceptional looking and sounding video content with their phone.The Magnetic Mount will be available in late April. […]