A new report released by Audacy looks to convey just how passionate sports-talk radio listeners are. Titled 2026 State of Audio: Sports Fandom, the report explores the evolution of the sports fan’s attention.

Its bottom line: In a packed sports calendar year like 2026, sports fans are craving places for discussion beyond a three-hour game, and they consistently seem to be seeking out audio.

The report cites several studies as sources, including the “State of Sports Media” from Crowd React Media, Edison Research’s “Share of Ear” and Nielsen-Scarborough’s USA+ study.

Audacy operates some of the highest-profile sports-talk radio outlets in the U.S., including New York’s WFAN (AM/FM), Chicago’s WSCR(AM) and its newly added Chicago 104.3 FM signal, Philadelphia’s WIP(FM) and Washington, D.C.’s WJFK(FM).

In fact, eight of the top 10 most sports-obsessed markets are Audacy markets, according to a Nielsen-Scarborough study from 2025 cited in the report. In order of “avid fan index,” those markets are Kansas City, Buffalo, Atlanta, Austin, Des Moines/Ames, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Columbus and Denver.

“These are the markets where fandom shows up everywhere,” Audacy said in the report. You can read its entire findings here.

The report coincides with a massive year in the sports calendar, which includes the World Cup, Winter Olympics and World Baseball Classic, not to mention coverage of the four major U.S. sports.

Study findings

As sports viewing scatters across multiple platforms, the most devoted fans are concentrating their daily habits on audio, Audacy said.

“Audacy now ranks #1 in sports talk reach across radio and TV, surpassing ESPN and FS1,” the company said in a release, citing the Nielsen-Scarborough study.

Passionate fans engage long after the final whistle, according to the report. During the offseason, 72% of fans monitor trades and deals, according to the Crowd React Media study. Diehard fans are also 1.4 times more likely to tune into pre- and post-game shows on radio than TV, according to a Vision Insights study from this past August through October.

Podcasts, naturally, have played a significant role. According to Edison Research’s Share of Ear from Q3 2025, the share of listening to podcasts for sports content has increased by 71% in the last five years.

Approximately 79% of fans said that sports make them feel part of a community. The study cited fans who mute national broadcasts to capture their own city’s emotion and history via local radio.

Gen-Z fans are just as passionate, Audacy said, but consume content differently. They are more likely to watch clips or analysis on Twitch and participate in daily fantasy leagues or sports betting, according to the Vision Insights study.

That’s where Audacy said sports radio has been ahead of the curve.

“Long before video podcasts became a headline, sports radio shows were already streaming live on YouTube, Twitch and social platforms,” the report said.

It may not be a drastic surprise that NFL fandom is the highest among audio listeners. According to the study, 81% of avid NFL fans are sports talk radio listeners.

Audacy said the passion transfers digitally, too.

“Sports audio drives measurable results beyond traditional categories, with web traffic lifts on air days vs. off-air days: +105% for financial services, +42% home improvement, +22% grocery, +10% automotive,” the report said.

[Do you receive the Radio World SmartBrief newsletter each weekday morning? We invite you to sign up here.]

The post Audacy: The Most Devoted Sports Fans Are Flocking to Audio appeared first on Radio World.

The NRB International Christian Media Convention takes place at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville from Feb. 17–20.

Organizers expect approximately 6,000 visitors this year, following last year’s attendance of roughly 5,800 people representing 52 countries. The show’s core mission is to serve as a relationship-building hub for Christian media professionals.

Some of the most successful movies, TV shows and other Christian media projects have debuted at the convention, organizers told Radio World.

“If you have a program or product for the faith audience, the NRB Convention is the place to start,” organizers said.

Radio World readers will recognize both session presenters and exhibitors, and we asked the organization to give us a feel of what attendees with radio-related interests might expect next week in the Music City.

Regulatory and behind the mic

There will be approximately 230 exhibits across the 55,000-square foot space at the Gaylord Opryland. The convention will feature several sessions focused on the radio industry, from getting the most out of your station’s faith-based programming, to understanding the current tenor of the FCC’s regulatory shifts.

On Wednesday, Juan Galdamez, senior director of broadcast strategy at Xperi, will discuss radio’s position in connected cars in “Current Technology Trends for Broadcasters.”

Attorneys David Oxenford and Joseph Chautin will lead a session regarding the FCC’s recent regulatory changes and their implications for broadcasters in “FCC Regulatory Reset.”

In a session titled “Why Listen,” Chuck Finney of Finney Media will present findings from a study his company conducted last year on what makes Christian radio listeners tune in and out of programming.

Other sessions include a Thursday workshop by Fred Jacobs of Jacobs Media on the role and importance of local radio, and a presentation by Matt Harper of Connecticut’s 104.9 WIHS(FM) on community outreach through working with local houses of worship.

The NRB radio advisory council will hold a standing committee meeting on Thursday that is open to radio professionals.

Suppliers and networks

Among exhibitors that will be familiar to Radio World readers are names such as Aiir, American Amplifier Technologies, Avid, B&H, Broadcasters General Store, BSW, Christian FM Media Group, Encompass Digital Media, LinkUp Communications, Live365, RCS, Rohde & Schwarz and SCMS. (Here’s the full list.)

Broadcast networks such as iHeartMedia, American Family Association, CSN Radio, Faith Radio and K-Love/Air1 will also have booths inside the Gaylord Opryland.

The opening session features music from Michael W. Smith and Nicole C. Mullen, with remarks by H.B. Charles Jr.,  pastor-teacher at the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Fla.

On Thursday evening, Feb. 19, NRB will host an event with the White House to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States, featuring speakers from the White House’s Task Force 250.

AM radio and local ownership

NRB included its legislative and regulatory priorities on protecting local and faith-based broadcasters as one of its core NRB Show messages. That includes through the organization’s advocation of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act.

“NRB is pursuing multiple legislative pathways to move the AM bill forward, including surface transportation reauthorization, the FY 2027 appropriations process and potential end-of-year legislative packages,” the organization said.

The organization is also opposed to “harmful ownership consolidation,” saying that it opposes changes to local and national television ownership rules. NRB believes further consolidation would reduce faith-based programming and viewpoint diversity.

It also continues to oppose new music performance royalties, fees or taxes on local radio and supports the Local Radio Freedom Act in both chambers.

[Related: “NRB Would Drop AM Caps But Keep FM Limits”]

The post NRB Show in Nashville Nurtures a Hub for Christian Media appeared first on Radio World.

While radio license holders should make every effort to keep their contact information registered with the FCC up to date, they are not under threat of a $1,000-per-day penalty for failing to do so.

That is according to a public notice the commission issued Friday. The confusion stems from a robocall mitigation database proceeding it released the day prior.

In that proceeding, the commission announced that it had received approval to require every holder of an FCC Registration Number (FRN) to update their contact information within 10 business days of a change or face a $1,000-per-day fine.

This announcement alarmed broadcasters, as all corporate and individual owners of station licenses in the FCC’s LMS database are tied to FRNs.

The panic led to a surge in traffic on Friday that overwhelmed the FCC’s website as licensees rushed to verify their information, according to Scott Flick of Pillsbury’s Comm Law Center, who has been following the FRN-related developments.

Some licensees even interpreted the notice to mean that if they didn’t log in to update their FRN within 10 days of the FCC’s notice, regardless of whether or not any underlying change occurred to their contact information, they would face the forfeiture.

The FCC’s late Friday public notice walked back this interpretation. The commission clarified that the new, steeper base forfeitures — $10,000 for false information and $1,000 per day for failure to update — apply only to RMD filers, such as voice service providers.

“The robocall mitigation database report and order did not address or change any forfeiture amounts that may be associated with failures to update the CORES information by non-RMD filers,” the update read.

Flick called the update a “win.”

No bouncing emails

But despite the relief, the underlying requirement is still in effect. All entities with an FRN — including radio stations — must update their CORES contact information within 10 business days of any change, such as a change in address, email or contact person.

John Broomall of Christian Community Broadcasters told us that, while he always advises for his clients to keep contact information up to date, this is the first time he can recall such a focus on it from the commission.

But for Broomall, it’s a necessary practice.

“When a consultant such as myself emails clients to ‘keep their info current,’ and the emails bounce, that is a conundrum,” he surmised.

While broadcasters are safe from the new “robocall” penalties, maintaining accurate FRN data remains a regulatory necessity. As Flick noted, if these penalties can be levied against telecom providers for data lapses, it creates a potential pathway for broadcaster fines in the future.

[Do you receive the Radio World SmartBrief newsletter each weekday morning? We invite you to sign up here.]

The post FCC Issues Clarification on FRN Update Procedures appeared first on Radio World.

The State of the Net Conference annually focuses on internet-related policy. But for FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, the potential rapid consolidation of media ownership was a topic too important to ignore.

In her speech, Gomez acknowledged the financial realities that affect broadcasters today, almost 30 years to the date of the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

But she argued that easing or removing ownership limits for broadcasters should not be considered as the only solution, and in fact, she believes it would end up exacerbating some of the same problems proponents claim it solves.

Most of the commissioner’s comments were geared toward the local TV ownership rules, but the FCC is currently reviewing all of its local ownership rules — including for radio, as we have covered. The National Association of Broadcasters, and other radio groups, support a total removal or easing of current caps, believing that such reform is needed to merely keep radio afloat against big tech.

Gomez argued that ownership concentration ends up hurting consumers the most.

“If the FCC continues down its current path, it risks repeating the same mistake that hollowed out local newspapers, only this time in broadcast television,” she warned.

Blurred lines

Speaking at the event today, the lone Democratic commissioner explained that because the lines once separating communications markets no longer exist, preserving local journalism is more important than ever.

“Even when people get their news through social media, search engines or streaming platforms, much of the original reporting still comes from local journalists,” Gomez said.

Using the newspaper industry as an example, she said there is clear evidence of what happens when local journalism weakens.

“Newspapers were not eliminated because people stopped caring about the news,” Gomez said. “They were hollowed out through consolidation, cost cutting and the loss of advertising revenue to digital platforms, as ownership decisions were increasingly made far from the communities they affected.”

Gomez worked at the FCC three decades ago when Congress passed the Telecommunications Act of 1996. She said that back then, even with the easing of limits the act allowed, part of its implementation was ensuring that no single voice, company or interest could dominate what communities see, hear and rely on for information.

She acknowledged that broadcasters today are dealing with declining revenues from advertising, digital platform competition and changing consumer habits.

But when consolidation becomes the default solution, Gomez said, it often accelerates “the very decline it is supposed to address.”

“Fewer owners does not just mean fewer balance sheets,” Gomez explained. “It means fewer independent editorial decisions and fewer local perspectives.”

Gomez cited a recent email she received from a viewer stating that a single corporate owner controls or operates most of the major broadcast TV affiliates in their local market. While it might appear that viewers in that market have more options, many of those stations share reporters, crews, anchors and often the same stories, she explained.

She also pointed to a recent poll revealing that nearly three out of four likely voters oppose large broadcast corporations buying or merging with local TV stations.

We reported on a recent poll cited by NAB, which demonstrated the opposite.

Regulatory power

The FCC itself, Gomez said, has used its power to pressure coverage in ways that are favorable to President Trump’s administration, including a recent public notice sent to ensure “equal time” for late-night TV programming. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr later clarified the notice was not geared toward talk-radio shows.

“These billion-dollar media companies have significant business before the FCC. They need regulatory approval for transactions, and they are actively seeking to reduce regulatory guardrails so they can grow even larger,” she said.

“That reality leaves local stations trapped in the middle, as corporate owners weigh regulatory risk against editorial independence and impose their will and their values on communities they may never meaningfully engage with.”

Gomez reminded the audience that Congress established a national TV ownership cap to prevent excessive concentration that threatens competition, localism and viewpoint diversity.

“It is not a suggestion,” she explained. “It is the law.”

She noted that one of the clearest examples of the agency ignoring this is its openness to transactions that would further entrench national dominance, including a potential merger between two major broadcast groups in Tegna and Nexstar that she argued would violate Congress’s restriction.

“The FCC’s responsibility is not to manage consolidation, but to steward a media ecosystem that serves consumers and communities in the real world,” Gomez concluded. “If we keep that focus, we can meet this moment without sacrificing the voices that make our democracy work.”

Comment on this or any article. Email radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post FCC’s Gomez: Fewer Owners Means Fewer Voices appeared first on Radio World.

Inrush Broadcast Services has announced that Andy Gunn has joined the firm as its director of project management and process engineering.

He follows Rob Bertrand, fellow alum of WAMU(FM) in Washington, D.C., who joined Inrush as its CEO last year.

Gunn spent six years as director of broadcast engineering at WAMU, where he helped build and maintain its technical systems. 

In this newly created role, Inrush said Gunn will strengthen the company’s ability to deliver broadcast technology projects by bolstering the processes of its managed services and support operations.

His initial focus will be process engineering for Inrush’s managed services, including its phone-based InrushVoice, as well as its network operations center.

“Andy brings a unique combination of deep engineering credibility and an operational mindset to build repeatable processes,” Shaun Dolan, Inrush’s SVP of emerging technologies, said in a release. 

[Visit Radio World’s People News Page]

The post Inrush Adds Andy Gunn to Direct Its Projects and Process appeared first on Radio World.

Resilient cybersecurity comes in multiple forms for radio stations these days.

The Federal Communications Commission sent out a notice on Jan. 29 urging communication providers, including broadcasters, to safeguard their infrastructure against ransomware, citing multiple attacks suffered by small- and medium-sized communication companies last year.

Meanwhile, transmitter manufacturer GatesAir urged its customers to never operate its network-capable equipment on networks directly exposed to the internet, as a result of multiple “confirmed radio cyber-intrusions” this week.

We’ve also reported on the multiple audio chain compromises as a result of malicious access to station IP-based STLs, of which the commission sent an advisory notice about back in November.

Never, ever over the internet

The Alabama Broadcasters Association sent out a notice to its members of WKXM(FM) in Winfield, Ala., of an RBDS-based display text compromise on Thursday, as we noted.

Then, GatesAir shared a security advisory on its social media accounts Friday morning regarding multiple “confirmed radio cyber-intrusions” within the last day of its posting.

“Never expose transmitters and control systems to the public internet,” the manufacturer wrote. It’s unclear if these mentions were about the same incident.

A separate posting we saw on social media indicated that a broadcaster’s Flexiva transmitter control was accessed over the internet by a malicious actor.

That actor was able to switch the transmitter’s RDS setting from an external encoder to the Flexiva’s built-in encoder, and it was used to project a racial slur over its scrolling program service data.

GatesAir pointed to a service bulletin it released on Dec. 19 for guidance.

The manufacturer underscored that its transmitters should only be internet-reachable only when access is mediated by security controls, such as through a VPN, a firewall with default-deny rules, an isolated management network or VLAN or a centralized NOC system behind protected infrastructure.

In all of those situations, the transmitter would not have a public IP, no ports are open to the internet and its access should be authenticated, logged and controlled.

Even if passwords are set, HTTP is enabled and access “seems to work,” if the internet can initiate a session directly to the transmitter, GatesAir said, the transmitter is internet-facing, and that configuration is not supported by the manufacturer.

Ransomware

In the FCC’s Jan. 29 public notice, meanwhile, its Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau emphasized the ramifications of a ransomware attack, including time and service disruption, as well as any financial ransom needed to regain compromised files.

Depending on their effects, ransomware attacks may also require reporting the attack to the FCC or federal law enforcement, the commission said.

If the attack results in the unauthorized transmission of Emergency Alert System codes or attention signals, it must be reported to the FCC Operations Center within 24 hours.

The commission recommended that, regardless, ransomware attacks be reported to the FCC and federal law enforcement for their situational awareness and assistance.

The commission cited a Cyble threat landscape report that noted a four-fold increase in ransomware attacks against communications providers since 2021. Ransomware attacks are not limited to major carriers, the report noted, but also affect regional operators and vendors.

The Michigan Association of Broadcasters summarized several of the best practices the commission recommended to safeguard operations against ransomware.

They include:

• Turn on Multi-Factor Authentication for email, remote access, VPN and cloud services.
• Verify offline backups and test that you can restore from them.
• Update and patch operating systems, automation and remote access tools.
• Train staff to recognize phishing and social engineering emails.
• Limit access privileges and segment office networks from on-air systems.

[Related: “Your Station’s Cybersecurity Matters Most Now”]

The post GatesAir: Never Expose Transmitters to the Public Internet appeared first on Radio World.

From our Who’s Buying What page: The Public Relations Department of Thai Government Radio has updated its radio transmission equipment with Orban Labs’ Optimod 5950 Digital Audio processor.

The PRD operates Radio Thailand, its public broadcasting arm.

The network includes six FM national sations, which Orban noted in a release as receiving a processing upgrade. They are A.S. Radio in King Palace and Bangkok, PRD Chonburi, PRD Panga, PRD Yasothon, PRD Lampang and PRD Nakhon Sri Thumrat.

JAA Systems, based in Malaysia, as well as the Bangkok-based Broadcast and Studio Co., Ltd., assisted with the Optimod installations.

[Related: “Orban Names JAA Systems a Master Distributor”]

According to the release, the six stations are now using the audio processing technology for improved loudness and clarity while maintaining full compliance with broadcast standards in their respective coverage areas.

“It is a highly reliable processor that gives broadcasters confidence in maintaining premium audio quality, especially for high-power FM operations like A.S. Radio Station (King Palace Radio Station) and other PRD stations,” said Pairoj Veeraondh, CEO of Broadcast and Studio Co.

Submit announcements for Who’s Buying What to radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post Thailand’s Public Radio Picks Orban for Processing appeared first on Radio World.

With thousands of people descending on the Bay Area for the Super Bowl, two vendors are highlighting the use of radio to deliver “hyperlocal” messages onto automotive screens.

Lazer Spots, in partnership with Audacy and GeoBroadcast Solutions, will debut RDS-based visual geotargeting for automotive screens this Friday through Sunday, during the weekend of the big game.

A GBS release said it marks the first time a radio station has used over the air visual content, via RDS, through its MaxxCasting technology.

Audacy’s all-sports 95.7 KGMZ(FM), “95.7 The Game,” licensed to San Francisco, will use the technology for visual offerings in a five- to six-mile radius surrounding Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

Atop the Hyatt Regency hotel, the RDS will run through GBS’ MaxxCasting 1.75 kW ERP booster node, which, as Radio World reported last month, Audacy recently added.

That hotel happens to be less than 3,000 feet away from Levi’s Stadium, where the festivities between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks will be held this weekend.

“This activation allows us to deliver timely, location-specific information directly to the dashboard and enhance the event experience for thousands of football fans in a way that’s never been done before,” Audacy San Francisco SVP and Market Manager Kieran Geffert said.

The release said that Audacy will use the technology to produce traffic conditions, weather updates, parking guidance, stadium information and other localized messages. Audio will not be interrupted.

GBS’ MaxxCasting is a technology that allows FM stations to boost their signals with the deployment of a cluster of low-to-the-ground, directionalized and synchronized booster sites.

We’ve also reported on audio-based geotargeting through ZoneCasting, the recently FCC-approved technology that allows stations to split their over-the-air signal into disparate zones.

[Subscribe to Radio World]

The post Audacy FM Deploys “Visual Geotargeting” in Bay Area appeared first on Radio World.

This is one in a series of interviews about best practices in streaming.

Jeff McGinley is the vice president of engineering at SummitMedia. His career includes work at Entercom and the Telos Alliance.

Radio World: How important is streaming to SummitMedia’s operations?

Jeff McGinley: It’s incredibly important. I’d say it’s almost on the same level as keeping the transmitters on the air. There’s a big focus on digital, especially with sales, as it’s a part of our packaging. We pay close attention, to make sure all of our streams are constantly on and constantly getting the correct metadata. 

At this point, streaming is as important as the terrestrial broadcast, and it will only get more so as newer automobiles have more internet and Wi-Fi capabilities.

RW: Can you share what streaming solution SummitMedia has adopted?

McGinley: We made a big shift at the start of 2024, when we flipped every single station in our company over to the Telos Forza with its Z/IPStream platform. We send that new stream out to RCS Revma. The combination has been great for us. The Forza portion — the audio processing part — sounds amazing. 

RW: Why is the processing aspect so important? 

McGinley: Everything’s different now. You’ve got Bluetooth speaker setups in every office, and making the stream sound great has become much more of a thing. The fact that Telos integrated the Forza processing into the Z/IPStream software is really cool. This integration helps a lot with level matching, which used to be a big problem with inserted ads on streams.

RW: You mentioned metadata. Is sales taking advantage of it for streaming too?

McGinley: We also helped develop the RCS AudioDisplay tool, and we have since adopted it. It allows text and image advertising content delivered in sync with audio onto our streams. In our Wichita market, in particular, that has been a significant boon with an area law firm. 

RW: Speaking of best practices, what do you think is the biggest, overarching trend in streaming evolution over the last few years?

McGinley: I think it’s the shift towards built-in processing and loudness control. The big players have latched on, and it’s built into their offerings. If you look at any radio station’s marketing material today, you’re going to have “stream us online.” For smaller, “mom-and-pop” stations, they still have to have a stream — probably more so now than anything else.

RW: What about the issue of latency between the terrestrial signal and the stream?

McGinley: I don’t think the latency makes a difference for most music formats. The one exception is live sports broadcasts. That is probably the only real scenario where you’d notice it. However, we as broadcasters have little control over that. We can get low latency until we give it to our provider, but after that, we have zero control over what happens.

RW: Does SummitMedia use cloud-based solutions, and how does that affect streaming?

McGinley: Absolutely. We use RCS’ disaster recovery solution called Zetta Cloud DR, which is hosted through AWS. It syncs up with our local Zetta databases, and, if needed, I can hit “start” and it plays out of the cloud to a Barix, which then goes directly into our final processor. This is essentially a stream coming out of the cloud. 

While we don’t use it for streaming specifically, you absolutely could host the processing, like Forza, and do the Z/IPStream all within the same AWS client to send to your streaming provider.

RW: Alright, then what’s holding you back from moving to a full cloud-based air chain?

McGinley: Right now, it’s the cost of bandwidth. AWS is expensive. Once that price per megabyte streamed comes down, we’ll probably see more reliance on the cloud. Companies are trying to decrease their physical square footage, and as hosting fees go down, it becomes more cost-effective than paying for a large rack room in an office lease.

RW: What is one of the most common technical mistakes you still see with streaming?

McGinley: I think it goes back to where we started: audio fidelity. A lot of engineers are still in the mindset that people are listening on a laptop speaker and won’t hear a difference. As the stream becomes as important as the terrestrial signal, you cannot sleep on that. You can’t just pull out an old Aphex 320A Compellor or an Orban 8100 out of the closet and say “That’s good enough.” It’s not. People really need to pay attention to sound quality for their streams now.

Read more on this topic in the Radio World ebook “Streaming Best Practices.”

The post The Stream Is as Important as the Transmitter appeared first on Radio World.

The legal battle between Nielsen and Cumulus Media has escalated, with the ratings giant filing a countersuit that accuses Cumulus of handing over ratings data to one of its main competitors.

In a filing Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Nielsen alleged that Cumulus engaged in an “illicit pressure campaign” designed to extract favorable contract terms.

The countersuit claims that while Cumulus was “stringing Nielsen along” during renewal negotiations for this year, it was secretly acting in bad faith by handing over what it calls “Nielsen’s crown jewels” — its radio ratings data — to Eastlan Ratings.

The filing comes as a Nielsen spokesperson told Radio World that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has granted a request to stay the preliminary injunction Cumulus had recently won, as our Randy Stine previously covered.

That injunction would have prevented Nielsen from canceling services or enforcing certain pricing policies while the lawsuit proceeded.

Email to Eastlan

The countersuit specifically names Pierre Bouvard, chief insights officer for Cumulus and Westwood One. Nielsen alleges that Bouvard sent an email to Eastlan CEO Michael Gould attaching Nielsen’s proprietary ratings data.

Gould’s testimony on Dec. 11 “attested to this fact,” Nielsen said in the filing.

According to Nielsen, this data allowed Eastlan to “benchmark” against Nielsen’s metrics and “optimize” its own products without incurring the costs of independent research.

Nielsen claimed this was an attempt to manufacture a competitor to force the ratings company to lower its prices. “Without Cumulus sharing this information with Eastlan, Eastlan would not have had access to this Nielsen Information,” the filing states.

Procompetitive

In its answer to the original antitrust complaint, Nielsen denied it is a monopolist and defended its network policy and subscriber first policy.

Nielsen argued those policies are “procompetitive” because they protect intellectual property and ensure the company is fairly compensated.

The company said that the alleged data leak to Eastlan proves exactly why such strict policies are necessary to prevent the “unauthorized use” of its data.

Nielsen is seeking monetary damages, a declaratory judgment that Cumulus breached the 2023 services agreement and a permanent injunction to stop further data sharing.

An initial pre-trial conference, according to Radio Ink, is scheduled for March 17.

[Do you receive the Radio World SmartBrief newsletter each weekday morning? We invite you to sign up here.]

The post Nielsen Countersues, Accuses Cumulus of Leaking Data to Eastlan appeared first on Radio World.

Two radio technology companies are teaming up for a solution designed for stations to move content from “production to playout” more smoothly.

vCreative and Radio.Cloud have announced the completion of an integration that allows delivery of audio from vCreative’s production suite into Radio.Cloud’s cloud-based playout platform.

Through the elimination of manual file transfers and redundant steps, radio stations can move content to on air faster and with greater accuracy and visibility, the companies said.

The integration uses vCreative’s AutoDub standard, which brings audio and metadata from vCreative to different automation systems. New for this integration, however, is that it adapts vCreative for a cloud-based environment, such as Radio.Cloud’s platform.

“So many groups and stations I talk to about our platform are already using vCreative,” said Andrew Scaglione, account director at Radio.Cloud, in a release.

Stations already using both platforms can take advantage of the new workflow, the companies said.

Radio.Cloud’s Radio Playout Studio and Programming Suite is used for automation and playout by more than 100 stations nationwide, according to the company.

vCreative and PromoSuite support content production, sales, traffic, trade management and promotions and are used by approximately 9,000 stations and teams across radio, TV and digital.

[Do you receive the Radio World SmartBrief newsletter each weekday morning? We invite you to sign up here.]

The post vCreative and Radio.Cloud Join Forces for Audio to Playout appeared first on Radio World.

SCMS and radioDNA have announced a collaboration to launch a new line of video automation systems designed to help radio outlets expand their visual presence.

According to a release, the solution is intended to replace legacy coaxial wiring with a network-centric architecture that comes without the cost or complexity of traditional TV-based infrastructure.

By integrating directly with digital audio backends from manufacturers like Wheatstone and Telos’ Axia line, the system automates camera control using OBSBOT TailAir cameras. The systems integrate NDI video networking with video production software, suitable for centralized control and automation of multiple cameras.

The companies provided photos of an install at Houston Public Media, the operator of 88.7 KUHF(FM), last May.

“What radioDNA brings is a way to elevate that effort dramatically, using automation and networking to make the result look intentional, professional, and monetizable — without blowing the budget,” said Doug Tharp, vice president at SCMS, said in the release.

The proprietary software connects with existing radio automation systems to handle routine video switching and remote guest integration automatically, eliminating the need for a full production crew.

Stations can incorporate Zoom-based video feeds into live shows, bringing in guests, reporters or contributors and presenting them as part of a broadcast-quality production, the companies said.

Beyond live streaming, the platform enables automated content repurposing for social media clips and supports dynamic video ad insertion for new revenue streams.

SCMS will represent and sell radioDNA’s visual radio automation systems, according to the release, providing media outlets with solutions that include system design, equipment sourcing and deployment support, according to the release.

radioDNA is based in the Twin Cities, and has a focus on end-to-end services that includes RF system engineering, video automation, cloud-based radio and video platforms and ongoing systems maintenance.

[Do you receive the Radio World SmartBrief newsletter each weekday morning? We invite you to sign up here.]

The post SCMS and radioDNA to Team Up for Video for Radio appeared first on Radio World.

Nebraska Public Media has agreed to acquire Class C0 FM 101.9 KOOO(FM) and convert its license to noncommercial radio.

The acquisition is pending approval by the FCC. Terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed.

KOOO is licensed to La Vista and has full-market coverage of Omaha–Council Bluffs, operating with 100,000 watts ERP. The station is owned by NRG Media and runs a variety hits format as “The Keg.”

The signal will give Nebraska Public Media its first dedicated signal in the Omaha market. According to a release, it plans to run news/talk programming during the day, including Omaha news and statewide news updates.

The organization’s plans for the signal also include adult album alternative music during the evenings and overnight. “The format choice reflects Omaha’s history of supporting alternative and independent music,” the release said.

The Omaha market does have an existing full-time NPR affiliate with 91.5 KIOS(FM), which is owned by Omaha Public Schools.

NRG Media is selling its five other Omaha stations to Usher Media, according to RadioInsight.

[Do you receive the Radio World SmartBrief newsletter each weekday morning? We invite you to sign up here.]

The post Nebraska Public Media Agrees to Acquire Omaha’s KOOO(FM) appeared first on Radio World.

The Society of Broadcast Engineers has announced its agenda for the annual NAB Show in Las Vegas this April.

The SBE Ennes Workshop — often a traditional highlight of the show — will be held on the final two days of the convention, Tuesday, April 21, and Wednesday, April 22. It will feature two separate educational tracks: “RF 101 From Signals to Success: Gets You There” and “Emerging Technology.” Both will be held in the Las Vegas Convention Center North Hall.

As we noted back in December, the opening weekend of NAB coincides with “WrestleMania 42” at Allegiant Stadium. Given the conflict, SBE decided to move the workshop to the show’s final days.

The highlight of SBE activities at the convention, according to a release from the society, will be the annual membership meeting and member reception. The events will be held on Monday, April 20.

The membership meeting brings information about SBE’s activities and programs to its members. Several member accomplishments are also recognized at the meeting. The reception will immediately follow.

Both events will have prize drawings for attendees, the society said.

SBE will exhibit Sunday through Wednesday in the North Hall Lobby, booth NL2. The booth serves as a hub to meet elected leaders and staff, as well as to peruse the SBE bookstore and merchandise. The society will also hold a daily prize drawing, so bring a business card to drop off.

The SBE board of directors will meet on April 18. SBE has posted a full schedule, including a rundown of all presentations, on the society’s website.

[For More News on the NAB Show See Our NAB Show News Page]

The post SBE Sets Its 2026 NAB Show Plans appeared first on Radio World.

The FCC is proposing the deletion of a Class C FM allocation southwest of Houston. Station KJOJ, its former occupant, has been silent since its tower collapsed several years ago.

The commission’s Audio Division is considering deleting 103.3 FM, allocated to Freeport, determining it no longer complies with minimum distance separation requirements.

KJOJ operated as a “rimshotter” into the Houston market. Its nearly 2,000-foot-tall tower stood west of the San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge, about 10 miles southwest of Freeport and about 65 miles southwest of downtown Houston.

Operating with 100,000 watts ERP, it ran in tandem with 98.5 FM in Port Arthur, a Class C FM signal about 30 miles east of Houston, since 1996.

But the station went silent in 2020 after its tower collapsed. Owner Liberman Broadcasting took it silent and it never returned.

By 2022, the license had expired and was not renewed.

Following the tower collapse, 7430 Technologies petitioned the FCC to amend the table of allotments to include a Class C2 allocation in Wharton, which is about 40 miles north of where KJOJ’s tower once stood, as Radio World reported. The commission granted that request after no counter-proposals or opposition comments were filed.

Now, since the two allocations are obviously short-spaced — well less than the required spacing of about 155 miles — the commission’s Audio Division is proposing that the Class C allocation in Freeport be deleted. 

While the commission typically reinstates vacant channels in the FM table to preserve future licensing opportunities, the Audio Division said it proposed deleting this allocation due to the spacing violation.

Comments on the deletion are being sought through March 13, with reply comments due March 30. Any party interested in retaining the allocation must provide evidence that it is technically feasible.

103.3 Freeport’s history dates back to a construction permit granted in 1985, originally as KGLF. It gained the KJOJ calls in 1990. In 1996, KJOJ began simulcasting the then-smooth jazz format of Port Arthur’s 98.5 KHYS.

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The post FCC Seeks to Delete Class C Allocation for Houston Rimshot appeared first on Radio World.

Orban Labs has named Josafat Guerrero Jordan its vice president of product development.

Guerrero Jordan joined Orban in 2022 as an applications developer and the audio processing manufacturer promoted him to product manager in 2024.

The company praised Guerrero Jordan’s software development background as it shifts to an agile-style project management approach. He also has experience in IT systems and custom embedded designs.

Orban President David Day credited Guerrero Jordan with managing the Super Hi-Fi HLS decoder, as well as the Nielsen, Ipsos and Kantar watermarking implementations in its 5950, 5750 and Trio product lines.

“Over the years he’s had hands-on experience with multiple customers, where his on-site support and troubleshooting have directly led to product improvements,” Day said in a release.

Guerrero Jordan holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a master’s degree in physics.

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The post Orban Labs Promotes Josafat Guerrero Jordan appeared first on Radio World.

On Thursday, Corporation for Public Broadcasting President and CEO Patricia Harrison delivered her final remarks during the organization’s last board meeting.

In remarks obtained by Radio World, Harrison said that following Congress’ rescission of federal funding for public media, CPB realized it could no longer operate in the manner the American public has come to expect.

“In a profound irony, it is precisely because public media remains so essential to American civic life that CPB’s final act must be to dissolve for the greater good,” Harrison said.

Harrison, 87, became CEO of CPB in 2005.

CPB’s board of directors voted to dissolve the organization at the beginning of the month, after 58 years of operation.

On the Senate floor Thursday, Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) honored Harrison in his remarks.

“Throughout her tenure, Harrison ensured that CPB’s investments strengthened service to local communities and delivered lasting public value,” he said.

Why?

In her remarks, Harrison attempted to address the exact reasoning behind the organization’s defunding.

 “Was it a burden to the taxpayer?” she asked. “Was this a cost-saving move? No. Unlike in other countries where citizens are heavily taxed — for example, the BBC and the NHK — American public media outlets reflect the free-enterprise and volunteer ethic of our citizens.

“For $1.65 a year in taxes — less than the cost of a cup of coffee — every American has access to content that inspires independent thinking and understanding of the rights and responsibilities of Americans living in a vibrant democracy,” she said. 

But in the wake of the federal rescission of funding for public media, CPB came to the realization that it had limited time to protect its legacy and the work it had done, Harrison said. 

“The longer CPB tried to exist without funding, the higher the prospect that our remaining funds would never reach the public media system already reeling from the defunding,” she said.

The organization was also concerned that any remaining funding could become subject to content-based restrictions and compliance demands that would “further harm stations” and erode public trust.

“After all of the political attacks and congressional defunding, we recognized a hard truth: Without funding and independence, CPB risked becoming a liability to public media rather than a protector of it — something that looked intact from the outside but was hollow at its core,” she said.

Compliance

According to Harrison, CPB was the first organization to sue the Trump administration over “attacks” on public media’s independence and the withholding of appropriated funds. She said that the organization refused to comply with executive directives that violated its mission or the editorial independence of local stations, continuing to fund PBS and NPR until the end.

“We could have survived by complying with demands for political control over news coverage, by rewriting history, by limiting the stories and information shared with the American public, by abandoning diverse talent, or by supporting content that increases divisiveness through disinformation,” Harrison said.

“But that was never going to happen on our watch, and that is less than what the American people deserve.”

Since October, Harrison said that CPB has granted approximately $170 million to the public media system. It has also invested in the American Archive of Public Broadcasting and helped to fund national distribution of locally produced programming through American Public Television, she said.

Legacy

Harrison concluded her remarks by thanking CPB’s board, PBS’ CEO Paula Kerger and then she closed with a call to action.

“The future of public media and our nation depends on each of you. It depends on our collective ability to look upon the next evolution of media and ensure it is harnessed for the purpose of educating and connecting all people,” she said.

“Together, we will prove that a nation of neighbors will survive.”

Radio World welcomes letters to the editor on this or any story. Email radioworld@futurenet.com.

The post Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s Harrison Delivers Final Remarks appeared first on Radio World.

It’s billed as the premier conference and trade show for the communications and media infrastructure industry.

NATE Unite 2026 is hosted by NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association, and it takes place Feb. 23–26 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas.

The organization expects approximately 3,000 attendees from all 50 states, along with international visitors. This year, the show includes several live tower safety demonstrations.

Radio World asked organizers which NATE Unite sessions attendees who maintain broadcast tower sites might want to block out on their conference schedule.

Up close and personal

The show offers both business and technical educational tracks. NATE launched a mobile app for attendees to map out their schedules, and the association recommends the app to navigate the more than 25 sessions available across the two tracks.

The conference exhibit hall is open on Tuesday and Wednesday. On a designated tower stage, there will be three different hands-on demonstrations using a real section of a tower, allowing showgoers to observe equipment, techniques and safety practices.

The National Wireless Association hosts a 30 minute session on the tower stage Tuesday, designed for anyone interested in pursuing an NWSA certification.

On Wednesday on the tower stage, “Rumble on the Tower” features John Martinez and Michael Flynn of Verità Telecommunications Corporation, where they promise to “climb their way to victory.”

Communications offerings

For attendees with radio-related interests, there are several educational sessions featuring companies that our readers might recognize.

On the first day of the conference, Monday, Feb. 23, “Tower Guy Evaluation — Inspection, Maintenance and Retirement” is hosted by Timothy Klein of WireCo and will focus on guy wire design, inspection and maintenance procedures.

“Observation to Innovation: Advancing Safety with NATE STAR and Beyond” will include Kathy Stieler from NATE and Gabriel Dahl, director of software engineering with Renexus Technologies, discussing how technology is helping to simplify compliance and safety for tower crews, contractors and companies.

On Tuesday, “Building Careers, Not Just Compliance” includes speakers Ben Bowman from Safety LMS/Comtrain, Reagan Holley from American Tower, Jonathan Lark at SBA Communications and Danielle Pineault at Crown Castle. They will discuss implementing practical training programs that align with both NATE’s and regulatory standards.

The Safety Equipment Manufacturers committee will also present insights from its rope grab testing event on Tuesday, with a focus on the proper selection and use of rope grabs on antenna supporting structures.

NATE Unite’s keynote speaker on Tuesday is James Lawrence, known as the “Iron Cowboy.” Originally a high school wrestler and later a mortgage professional, he gained attention in 2015 for setting the former world record for the most ironman-distance triathlons completed within a single calendar year. Lawrence topped that record in 2021 by completing 101 in 101 consecutive days.

Day three of the conference, Wednesday, will include a session on “Navigating the ANSI/ASSP Z359 Fall Protection Standards,” featuring Thomas Kramer, senior fall protection consultant at LJB Inc. It promises to provide actionable ideas to strengthen safety, compliance and productivity at height.

[Check Out More Events on Radio World’s Calendar]

The post NATE Unite 2026 to Include Hands-on Tower Structure Demo appeared first on Radio World.

Broadcast Radio has announced the release of its Myriad Schedule Pro software suite.

The UK-based company said that the suite represents the evolution of its music and playlist scheduling software, replacing the existing Myriad Schedule Plus.

The most significant shift, according to the company, is its functionality as a standalone scheduling solution. Though it suggests its own Myriad Playout, the scheduler is compatible with third-party playout applications such as RCS Zetta, WideOrbit, ENCO DAD, PlayoutOne, PlayIt Live and StationPlaylist.

Myriad Schedule Pro is integrated with its Myriad Anywhere platform, which allows users to manage station scheduling remotely via a web browser.

New for Myriad Schedule Pro, the application contains a live-updating window that offers a detailed history for each track, including listener voting data captured via its Broadcast.Radio web player and mobile apps.

A tool called future moves allows music directors to automate a song’s progression as it matures within a station’s rotation — for example, automatically moving a track into a recurrent category after 50 plays.

Media packets, meanwhile, allow multiple versions of a song or a high volume of tracks by a single artist to be grouped together, ensuring variety in rotation without cluttering category decks.

Also in Myriad Schedule Pro, jingles and links can now be set to follow only songs with certain attributes. The software also features a viewer that allows multiple station logs to be opened side-by-side for comparison.

All existing Myriad Schedule Plus users will receive the upgrade at no additional cost, the company said.

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The post Broadcast Radio Enhances Its Music Scheduling appeared first on Radio World.

RCS announced that President and CEO Philippe Generali will retire, effective at the end of February.

He steps down after nearly three decades with the broadcast automation software company and even more time prior to that with RCS Europe.

The company said in a release that, for the next year, Generali will act as a senior consultant to Mark Gray, CEO of Katz Media, who has had oversight of RCS for the past several years. The pair will work to transition the company until a new CEO is identified.

RCS is a subsidiary of iHeartMedia.

“Philippe has been an extraordinary visionary and leader in shaping RCS into the global powerhouse it is today,” Gray said.

Generali joined RCS USA in 1996 as product manager. He became president of RCS USA in 2000 and then president and CEO of RCS Worldwide, overseeing the growth of its playlist and automation products such as Selector and Zetta.

As his involvement grew, the company’s expansion into market research and audience metrics followed suit.

Prior to moving from France to the United States, Generali was the head of RCS Europe, where he helped the company grow its international presence.

RCS credited Generali with the creation of Media Monitors, its market research company. In 2007, he added Florical Systems for television automation, and three years later, he became president and CEO at Mediabase, broadening RCS’ role in music and audience analytics.

Generali sat down with Radio World in 2023 to discuss RCS’ Revma, a streaming package for radio groups.

“We want to be an end-to-end source for broadcasters and webcasters, a one-stop shop,” he told us.

The company also credited him with establishing relationships with organizations such as EGTA, the International Radio & Television Society and the Market Research Council.

The release indicated Generali plans to spend newfound time pursuing his passions and traveling adventures across both the U.S. and Europe.

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The post RCS President and CEO Philippe Generali to Retire appeared first on Radio World.