AU & NZ

90 fabulous years of radio: Happy Birthday 5MU

They’re breaking out the birthday cake (and one heck of a lot of candles) today at South Australia’s second oldest radio station, as 5MU Murray Bridge turns 90 years old.It was on this day in 1934 that 5MU’s transmitters were switched on for the very first time.Pioneering radio engineer Frank Miller made this moment possible… Read More
The post 90 fabulous years of radio: Happy Birthday 5MU by Sarah Patterson appeared first on Radio Today. […]

ASIA

India’s BIG FM announces AI-enabled platform

BIG FM, one of India’s leading radio networks, announced the launch of its distinctive AI-driven initiative – BIG Dhun: a custom song generation platform.The interactive platform will enable users to input different prompts to generate a unique song in seconds. It invites listeners to share specific details reflecting their mood, preferred genre, language, gender, personal story or any chosen theme.BIG Dhun anticipates high user interactions, fostering a vibrant and active community.Abraham Thomas, CEO, BIG FM, said: “We’re leveraging AI to transform our content strategy, enhance engagement and set new benchmarks in consumer experience. It allows us to deliver real-time, data-driven content and interactions, ensuring that our offerings are always relevant, engaging and tailored to individual preferences. We have an impressive lineup of offerings in this space which we are sure to get all our stakeholders excited.”Sunil Kumaran, COO, BIG FM sao: “Through BIG World, our endeavour has always been to provide end-to-end solutions to all our stakeholders. With the introduction of AI, we were leveraging it as a tool to create personalised content and gain deeper consumer insights, but now we are applying it in a more analytical direction. In the age of digital media and entertainment, interactive campaigns that engage users creatively are at the forefront of innovations. Our new platform BIG Dhun aims to harness the power of artificial intelligence to create a unique experience where users can generate personalized songs. It embodies the philosophy of innovation, connectivity and personalized engagement, underscoring our dedication to delivering a holistic experience.” […]

ASIA

DAB Radio re-energised and innovating #IBC2024

WorldDAB President Jacqueline Bierhorst spoke at IBC Amsterdam this week to update broadcasters and technology suppliers on latest advances and innovations in DAB+ broadcasting in Europe and around the world.“UK DAB share of listening is 67% in cars,” said Bierhorst. Radio is the most listened to audio platform in UK cars. “Car buyers expect broadcast radio to be standard in their next new car,” she said, quoting research conducted by WorldDAB.“Some unregulated IT tech giants think they can do radio, but then they find it is more complicated than they first imagined,” said Bierhorst, showing a picture of Elon Musk and Donald Trump trying to do a radio style interview via online streaming… it crashed. “Online radio doesn’t always work.”The Netherlands has “50 great DAB radio stations… France has 60% population coverage, penetration in Germany is 70%,” she said.Spain is also revitalising its DAB coverage due to increased commitment from the public broadcaster and also the mandatory inclusion of DAB in European cars.In Africa and the Middle East there is also significant movement taking place with a series of trials.DAB has also improved its alert functionality for emergencies. “Radio will work even when phones and internet go down during emergencies. ..Lives will be saved as a result of this work,” said Bierhorst […]

US

FCC Report 9/15: Multiple Frequency Moves Proposed In Arkansas

FCC Actions

After releasing their regulatory fee schedule for FY 2024 that was to see the annual fees drop for the second straight year, a number of broadcasters who attempted to pay their fees ahead of the September 26 deadline saw substantial increases or licenses placed in incorrect classes. The FCC released a notice on Friday in its CORES system noting, “The FCC is continuing to do its due diligence to reevaluate the population count information for AM and FM broadcasters for FY 2024 regulatory fees. We expect to have this situation resolved early next week. In the meantime, we request that AM and FM broadcasters do not make any payments in CORES. Thank you for your patience.”

Max Media has agreed to a Consent Decree with a $15,000 civil penalty to settle an investigation into transfers of control that took place between 2009 and the company filing a an application in December 2020. The commission notes that the changes included the abandonment of interests by certain outside investors, the redistribution of those interests to previously attributable shareholders, and
the conversion of certain companies in the ownership structure from limited liability companies to
corporations for a variety of business and tax reasons.

Ted Austin’s 1490 KJNT Jackson WY and Austin’s Jackson Hole Media LLC’s 100.1 KCHQ Soda Springs ID have entered Consent Decrees for failing to maintain their online public files.

Licence Cancellations

KYAH LLC has surrendered the license of 540 KNAK Delta UT. KNAK has been mostly silent since its tower collapsed in April 2023.

FM Changes

Jay and Teresa Bunyard’s multiple holding companies propose three contingent frequency changes in Arkansas. […]