TFT Granted Certification onFirst Decode-only EAS Unit

San Jose, CA - Jul 25, 2002 - TFT has received a grant of Equipment Authorization Certification for the first decode-only unit for the Emergency Alert System (EAS). The TFT EAS911D will provide a less expensive option for LPFM, LPTV and cable operators who are eligible to use this type of device as per the FCC Rules, but have not previously had the opportunity to do so because a product did not exist.

The EAS 911D Decoder Only is based on the TFT EAS 911, which is one of several EAS units in use. Like the EAS 911, the decoder will only operate automatically or manually. It has two self-contained, frequency-agile receivers for FCC-mandated monitoring assignments. These built-in receivers can be configured for AM or FM operation.

Arbitron Expands Portable People MeterMarket Trial

New York - Jul 24, 2002 - Arbitron will expand its Portable People Market trial in the United States. The company plans to equip a new and separate panel of approximately 1,000 consumers in the Philadelphia Radio Metro Survey Area that will allow direct comparisons to the radio station audience estimates being produced by the existing panel of consumers in the current PPM market trial.

Arbitron also announced that it agrees in principle with the radio industry's request for a second Portable People Meter market trial in one of the Top 25 Hispanic markets. The company noted that fielding this second PPM trial market would be contingent on the formation of the proposed joint venture with Nielsen Media Research.

Nielsen Media Research is providing financial support as well as its television survey research expertise in the U.S. market trial of the Portable People Meter. Nielsen also has an option to join Arbitron in the commercial deployment of the Arbitron Portable People Meter in the United States.

Ennes Trust Awards EducationalScholarships

Indianapolis - Jul 22, 2002 - The Ennes Educational Foundation Trust, an educational organization affiliated with the Society of Broadcast Engineers, has awarded three educational scholarships. The Ennes Trust awards scholarships each year to individuals who wish to further their broadcast engineering careers or aspire to a career in broadcast engineering.

The recipient of the Harold E. Ennes Scholarship is Penny K. Hicks of Eatonville, WA. Hicks is a member of SBE and a sophomore at Bates Technical College in Tacoma, WA. She is working to fulfill her childhood goal to work in broadcasting, specifically as a broadcast engineer.

Receiving the Robert D. Greenberg Scholarship is Phillip Vaughn of Cathedral City, CA. Vaughn is studying Electronics Technology Engineering with the Cleveland Institute of Electronics while working as a staff engineer at a local radio station. His goal is to become a video engineer.

The recipient of the Ennes Youth Scholarship is Ian Dunbar-Hall of San Rafael, CA. This past June, Dunbar-Hall graduated from Marin Catholic High School in Kentfield, CA, and will enter the University of California, Santa Cruz in the fall, majoring in Broadcast Communications.

The Ennes Educational Foundation Trust is a non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to the education of current and future broadcast engineers. It provides scholarships, offers workshops and supports other projects that meet the Trust objectives of training broadcast engineers as well as preparing a new generation for the field.

Softwright HoldsEngineering Seminars

APW Completes Recapitalization

St. Michael, Barbados - Jul 31, 2002 - APW has completed its plan of reorganization and has emerged from its voluntary prepackaged Chapter 11 proceeding. APW’s plan of reorganization, which was accepted by the holders of the company’s senior credit facilities, was confirmed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York on July 23, 2002, clearing the way for this emergence. APW’s balance sheet has been recapitalized through the conversion of approximately $585 million, or 85 percent, of its debt into equity. In addition, the company has obtained a new $110 million working capital facility, providing it with substantial liquidity.

The new equity ownership of APW is led by Oaktree Capital Management, a Los Angeles-based investment management and buyout firm with about $25 billion of assets under management, and West Register (Investments) Limited, which together now own about 66 percent of the fully diluted shares. The new equity owners endorse APW’s business strategy and have supported the efforts of APW’s management team throughout the reorganization process.

Throughout the reorganization process, APW’s business results have improved as sales and cash flow increased sequentially during the most recent quarter ended May 31, 2002.

Studio Technology to Open West CoastFacility

Malvern, PA - Jul 30, 2002 - Studio furniture manufacturer Studio Technology is expanding its operation and opening a West Coast production facility. The new facility, which will be located in Reno, NV, will offer West Coast stations an opportunity to consider Studio Technology products as a local source instead of a cross-country one. Reno was selected because of its convenient location to all the large California markets as well as a central location for the western region. The new location may also provide Studio Technology the opportunity to offer additional wood choices that are not available on the East Coast.

The new facility will be headed by Thomas Adams, a former Studio Technology employee who has returned to the company. Final negotiations on a 6,000 square-foot work space are underway, and the office will officially open Sept. 1. Production will begin shortly thereafter. Studio Technology plans to have a staff of six people within the next 18 months. The company's main facility is in Malvern, PA, a suburb of Philadelphia.

Studio Technology has already been working on several projects for the West Coast, including the new NPR facility in Los Angeles and a another large project in Sacremento.

Comrex Opens New Facility

Devens, MA - Jul 26, 2002 - Comrex has completed construction of its new facility in Devens, MA, and has moved into the building. Devens, once known as Fort Devens when it was used as a U.S. Army base until 1993, is a community that is combining a mix of industry, commerce, and residential uses. The Comrex facility is part of the newly emerging Jackson Technology Park. The new building has twice the space of Comrex’s previous facility in Acton, MA.

To commemorate the event, Comrex held an open house on July 26, where dealers, distributors and local broadcasters had a chance to tour the new facility. A steel drum band provided the entertainment for the evening, and all the guests were given a Comrex product-patterned shirt to wear, which added to the festive feel of the occasion.

Comrex’s new contact information is:

19 Pine Road
Devens, MA 01432
telephone 800-237-1776 or 978-784-1776
fax 978 784 1717
Web www.comrex.com
e-mail info@comrex.com

The new building in Devens.


The Atlantic Clarion Steel Drum Band played during the open house.

Studio Projects and Stephen PaulPartner

Torrance, CA - Jul 24, 2002 - At the Summer NAMM convention Stephen Paul and Alan Hyatt of Studio Projects Microphones reached an agreement for the two firms to collaborate on bringing the new Stephen Paul Audio microphone line to market.

Studio Projects will show the first Paul products at AES convention in Los Angeles later this year. Paul microphones will ship by next January. The distribution will be handled worldwide by PMI Audio Group.

Amek, DAR and Soundcraft MergeStrengths

Potters Bar, England - Jul 24, 2002 - Console manufacturers Amek, DAR and Soundcraft have merged their UK operations to form a stronger console group with a wide-ranging portfolio. Soundcraft sales director Adrian Curtis takes overall responsibility for sales of Amek and DAR with his existing team of Jon Ridel (Middle East and Asia), Karl Chapman (Europe) and Trevor Coley (UK and Ireland) heading up regional sales for the three brands. Inder Biant joins the team as product specialist and plans are in place to strengthen the team further with new market and product specialists. All marketing activities for the group come under David Neal.

Manufacturing and production of the current line-up of Amek and DAR products is being integrated into the Potters Bar facilities that already house Soundcraft and BSS Audio. In the United States, Amek has already shared a distribution facility (HPNA) with Soundcraft and BSS Audio for several years.

Soundcraft, DAR and Amek are divisions of Harman International.

Nichols Appointed SalesDirector For Allen&Heath

Agoura Hills, CA - Aug 1, 2002 - Allan Nichols has been appointed sales director for Allen&Heath USA. Based in Nashville, Nichols will manage all Allen&Heath USA sales staff and the company's domestic rep firms.

Nichols brings with him experience in the pro audio industry and a thorough working knowledge of Allen&Heath consoles. Nichols joined Allen&Heath as director of sales in January 2001 from Crest Audio, where he was director of sales and marketing. Previously, Nichols was vice president of sales and marketing for Soundcraft USA and Amek USA for three years. Prior to that, he spent six years as national sales manager for Klark-Teknik and Midas.

Allen&Heath USA is a newly-established organization that has been set up by North American Pro Audio (NAPA) to provide U.S. distribution for the British audio mixing console manufacturer. NAPA will represent Allen&Heath effective Aug. 1, 2002, ending the U.K. company's business relationship with the Utah-based Harman Music Group.

Digidesign Names Lebolt as VP andGM

Daly City, CA - Jul 31, 2002 - Digidesign has promoted Dave Lebolt to vice president and general manager of the company. Lebolt has served in various capacities at Digidesign since joining the company in 1994. Most recently, his role was vice president of product strategy. Prior to that, he served as director of product strategy for four years, and as a Pro Tools product line manager when he first joined the company.

Prior to joining Digidesign, Lebolt was a professional keyboardist, producer, arranger and composer. He toured and/or recorded with many well-known recording artists including David Bowie, Billy Joel and Laurie Anderson. Between 1988 and 1994, Lebolt worked in advertising music in New York City, was a principle partner in a music production house, and received Clio and Emmy awards for various productions.

Villegas Joins Harris asRegional Sales Director

Cincinnati - Jul 22, 2002 - Nahuel P. Villegas has joined Harris Corporation's Broadcast Communications Division (BCD) as regional director, Latin America sales. Villegas will be responsible for directing all sales activities and sales representatives in Caribbean and Central and South America.

Most recently, Villegas was sales director for Lucent Technologies' Service Provider Networks in Argentina where he was responsible for such global accounts a BellSouth International, AT&T Latin America, France Telecom and Telecom Italia, among others, generating more than $150 million in orders. In his eight year tenure with Lucent Technologies, a United States-based, $9 billion telecommunications and research corporation and former AT&T subsidiary, Villegas served in many different capacities including market sales manager for its Wireless Division, senior RF engineer, Bell Laboratories, USA, and RF engineer and customer service operations engineer for AT&T, Argentina.

Villegas holds BSEE and MSEE degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Buenos Aires and an MBA from the Columbia University's Graduate School of Business.

Artemis Records to Waive InternetRadio Fees

New York - Jul 29, 2002 - Artemis Records has agreed to issue licenses to Internet radio stations for one year for the master use of songs by all Artemis recording artists. During this period, beginning Aug. 1, 2002, Artemis will waive the royalty payments that would otherwise be due them. Exact details and restrictions can be found on the licensing agreement available for viewing at www.artemisrecords.com.

Currently, non-interactive streaming radio or Internet radio stations must pay a royalty rate to the record companies. The company hopes to stimulate the net play of its artists. Artemis Records is a New York-based independent record label with a roster that includes Steve Earle, Josh Joplin Group, Boston, Rickie Lee Jones, The Reverend Horton Heat, Jimmie Vaughn and Graham Nash.

Sennheiser LaunchesEvolutionmics.com

Old Lyme, CT - Jul 26, 2002 - Sennheiser USA has launched the evolutionmics.com website to make it easier for Evolution users to discuss the popular microphone series. At the heart of the new website is a Bulletin Board System (BBS), a threaded discussion forum that allows users to freely discuss the applications and uses of the products, from technical advice to application stories to hot gossip. The BBS enables Evolution devotees to quickly share pointers, swap stories, ask questions, debate and discuss Evolution mics.

The remainder of the new website will include a refocused links section: redesigned product pages featuring microphones, headphones and wireless systems; an online database of artists using Evolution mics and a dealer locator.

The site will be launched in August.

Blue Falcon Networks Receives NewFinancing

Los Angeles - Jul 23, 2002 - Blue Falcon Networks, a digital media delivery provider, announced an $8.5 million third round of financing led by Sprout Group, bringing the total capital raised by the company to $20 million. Existing investors Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Zone Ventures and Wasatch Ventures participated in the financing with Sprout Group, the proceeds of which will be used for product development and operations.

Josh Goldman of the Sprout Group will join Blue Falcon as CEO. Prior to joining Sprout, Goldman was president and CEO of Mysimon, a Sprout investment since 1999. Goldman oversaw the growth of Mysimon into a success comparison-shopping system on the Web, culminating in the sale of the company for $730 million to Cnet Networks. After the acquisition, Goldman continued as president of Mysimon and also assumed the leadership of Cnet's consumer division. Jay Haynes, the company's former CEO will assume the position of president and chief operating officer.

WCPE Website Wins Honor

Wake Forest, NC - Jul 19, 2002 - TheClassicalStation.org, the website for WCPE-FM, has earned national honors in the Silver Microphone Awards for 2002. The website won in the category of Radio Station Web Site. The station has placed as a finalist for the two previous years.

The annual competition is designed to select the best audio programs, websites and local and regional radio commercials created by advertising agencies, production companies and radio stations in the United States. Judging criteria include creativity, quality and overall effectiveness.

A panel of judges representing all aspects of the broadcasting and advertising industries rated each entry. Four finalists from each category entered a second round of judging to determine national winners.

TheClassicalStation.org is designed and maintained by Christa Wessel, WCPE's director of Web services. Wessel oversees WCPE's online audio services, which involve streaming classical music continuously. In addition, she is host of WCPE's afternoon concert "As You Like It."

Orban Offers ExtendedWarranties

San Leandro, CA - Aug 1, 2002 - In an effort to increase its service to its product owners, Orban is offering an extended warranty contract. The warranty extension increases the standard warranty from one year to five years. The warranty can also be purchased after the original sale. Service contracts can be renewed over the life of the Orban product.

The extended warranty cost is priced to be less than the typical repair cost for Orban products. Each product has it own warranty rate. The costs for some of the leading Orban products are $1,070 for the 8400, $749 for the 8200 and $395 for the 2200.

Owners need the product information including date of purchase, model number and serial number. Orban will then determine if a product is eligible for the warranty coverage.

Terrasonde Offers New WarrantyProgram

Transaudiodirect To Distribute PaulySuperscreens

Las Vegas - Jul 26, 2002 - Transamerica Audio Group is exclusively selling premium-quality, German-made Pauly Superscreen Pop Filters on its new e-commerce site, www.transaudiodirect.com. Pauly Superscreens pop filters use a special material to allow increased high end and exceptional wind rejection.

Designed by German Tonmeister Hilmar Pauly and widely used in Germany, Pauly Superscreens measure 4-5/8" diameter and 3/8" deep, and have an adjustable clamp for easy mounting directly to the microphone body without scratching the surface.

ProTools Adds Multiport MIDIInterface

Daly City, CA - Jul 25, 2002 - Digidesign is now shipping the MIDI I/O multiport MIDI peripheral. MIDI I/O includes 10 MIDI inputs and outputs for a total of 160 channels, and it features a programmable hardware through mode, allowing users to simultaneously patch any input to any combination of outputs without the need to access the computer. MIDI I/O connects to the computer via a USB connection and includes support for the upcoming Digidesign Time-Stamping feature.

Although MIDI I/O is shipping specifically for Macintosh-based Pro Tools systems, the interface is also an option for any OMS-compatible sequencing application.

Up to four MIDI I/O peripherals can be connected to a Pro Tools system simultaneously for a total of 40 I/O ports, providing access to a total of 640 MIDI channels.

AKG Produces Comparative CD

Nashville, TN - Jul 19, 2002 - AKG Acoustics USA has almost completed a project that will enable potential AKG mic users to compare and contrast AKG microphones based on their various features and prices. This free, enhanced-audio CD can be played in a standard CD player or as a CD-ROM and will include more than 86 dynamic tracks. The CD is currently being mastered and AKG plans to make it available in the fall of this year in time for the upcoming AES Convention.

The enhanced-audio CD has been in the works for the past six months. Recording took place during three sessions at Masterlink Studios, Nashville, and in Chicago at the Pipertoonz and Perfect Sound Studios. In each case, multiple microphones were used to record professional musicians playing various instruments. Listening to each track in relation to one another will give the listener a chance to make an informed decision on the sound qualities of each microphone. Everything was recorded flat, without any compressors or equalization.

When inserted into a CD-ROM drive, the enhanced-audio CD will provide audio tracks and commentary from the producers and engineers, as well as details on the AKG products used on each track.