DMCA Opens for Comments

Beeler Golf Benefit Planned forNAB2003

15 Stations Approved for DAB inOttawa

Ottawa, ON - Nov 14, 2002 - The CRTC has approved 15 Ottawa area digital license applications, completing the groundwork for the launch of digital audio broadcasting (DAB) in the nation's capital, expected in early in 2003. All of the major broadcasters currently active in the market received approvals. The list of successful applicants includes Astral Radio, CBC/Radio Canada, CHUM, Rogers Media and Standard Radio.

The stations receiving approval are listed below. The links will take you to the CRTC page listing the ruling.

Congress Approves Royalty Dealfor Web

Washington DC - Nov 15, 2002 - Congress has approved a deal that allows small Internet-based radio stations to pay lower royalty rates to the musicians and record labels whose songs they use. The House of Representatives and the Senate passed a bill that would give copyright holders and webcasters, who stream radio-style broadcasts over the Internet, authority to set royalty rates, depending on whether the operator was a large commercial operation, a hobbyist or a noncommercial station.

Small Webcasters had protested that a flat per-song rate set by the Library of Congress in June would force many of them to shut down because it would require them to pay more than they took in from advertising or other sources. Originally, the House approved the deal, but it stalled in the Senate after religious broadcasters objected. The approved revised bill removes any mention of specific rates, instead giving webcasters and copyright holders the authority to set rates on their own.

Sources involved in the negotiations said the bill would not affect large webcasters, such as Yahoo or America Online, which will continue to make payments based on the established rate of roughly 1 cent per hour for each listener. Smaller webcasters who cannot afford such payments will be able to pay an annual fee of no more than $2,500, or a percentage of their revenues. Noncommercial broadcasters, such as college or religious stations, will have six months to work out a payment plan of their own with copyright holders.

FCC Amends Part 74 BAS Rules forDigital

Washington - Nov 13, 2002 - The FCC adopted a Report and Order updating the Broadcast Auxiliary Service (BAS) rules to enable BAS licensees to take advantage of the latest digital technology, something in which broadcasters have shown a great interest.

The order conforms certain technical rules, such as transmitter power and emission limits, for the BAS, Cable Television Relay Service (CARS) and Fixed Microwave Services (FS), and allows certain additional users of wireless-assist video devices on unused TV channels. The Commission further adopted rule changes designed to increase spectrum efficiency by ensuring that similar services operating on shared spectrum are regulated in a consistent manner. The BAS, CARS and FS share several frequency bands, but in some cases have operated under different technical rules.

This action also adopts modifications to simplify and streamline the BAS rules. These include extending to all BAS licenses the ability to operate under temporary conditional authority, implementing common coordination procedures for BAS bands, and ensuring that BAS licensees can take full advantage of the Commission’s Universal Licensing System. These rule changes will expedite the time it takes for an applicant to begin providing service.

The action was made under ET Docket No. 01-75.

FCC Establishes New EEORules

Washington, DC - Nov 7, 2002 - In a Second Report and Order, the FCC established new equal employment opportunity (EEO) rules and policies for broadcasters, and revised its EEO rules for multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs), such as cable and satellite TV operators. The rules prohibit discrimination by broadcasters and MVPDs. They also require these entities to provide notice of job vacancies and to undertake additional outreach measures, such as job fairs and scholarship programs, while at the same time affording them enough flexibility to create the programs most effective for their communities.

Specifically, the Second Report and Order adopts the following three-pronged outreach recruitment requirements, as they relate to broadcasters:

• Prong 1

  : widely disseminate information concerning each full-time (30 hours or more) job vacancy, except for vacancies filled in exigent circumstances;

• Prong 2

  :provide notice of each full-time job vacancy to recruitment organizations that have requested such notice; and

• Prong 3

  : complete two (for broadcast employment units with five to 10 full-time employees or that are located in smaller markets) or four (for employment units with more than 10 full-time employees located in larger markets) longer-term recruitment initiatives within a two-year period. These include, for example, job fairs, scholarship and internship programs, and other community events designed to inform the public as to employment opportunities in broadcasting.
  
  The Commission also adopted the following record keeping and reporting requirements:
  (a) collect, but not routinely submit to the Commission:

(i) listings of all full-time job vacancies filled by the station employment unit, identified by job title;
(ii) for each such vacancy, the recruitment sources used to fill the vacancy (including, if applicable, organization entitled to notification, which should be separately identified), identified by name, address, contact person and telephone number;
(iii) dated copies of all advertisements, bulletins, letters, faxes, e-mails or other communications announcing vacancies; and
(iv) documentation necessary to demonstrate performance of the Prong 3 menu options, e.g., job fairs, mentoring programs;
(v) the total number of interviewees for each vacancy and the referral source for each interviewee; and (vi) the date each job was filled and the recruitment source that referred the hiree.

(b) place in the station public file annually a report including the following:

(i) a list of all full-time vacancies filled during the preceding year, identified by job title;
(ii) recruitment source(s) used to fill those vacancies (including organizations entitled to notification of vacancies pursuant to Prong 2), including the address, contact person and telephone number of each source;
(iii) a list of the recruitment sources that referred the people hired for each full-time vacancy;
(iv) data reflecting the total number of persons interviewed for full-time vacancies during the preceding year and the total number of interviewees referred by each recruitment source; and
(v) a list and brief description of Prong 3 menu options implemented during the preceding year.

(c) submit the station's EEO public file report to the Commission as part of the renewal application and midway through the license term for the Commission's mid-term review for those stations subject to mid-term review (TV stations with five or more full-time employees and radio stations with more than 10 full-time employees). EEO public file reports for the preceding two year period will be required because broadcasters have two years in which to complete the Prong 3 menu options. Broadcasters must also post the current EEO public file report on their web site, if they have one.

Although the Commission declined to change the small business size exemption, the new rules provide limited relief for entities in smaller markets. Such entities will be required to implement fewer Prong 3 menu options than stations in larger markets, based on the fact that smaller markets might lack the resources to support some of the activities contemplated in Prong 3.

The EEO rules will be enforced through review at renewal time, at mid-term for larger broadcasters, and through random audits and targeted investigations resulting from information received as to possible violations.

The Commission noted that the broadcast and MVPD EEO rule and policies adopted are consistent with the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit Court in MD/DC/DE Broadcasters Association v. FCC (2001). The court struck down the EEO program requirements for broadcasters adopted by the Commission in 2000. The court had found that Option B of the 2000 rule was subject to, and could not withstand, strict scrutiny because those broadcasters that elected to design their own programs under Option B were required to report the race and gender of each job applicant. The court found no constitutional defect in Option A of the 2000 rules. Finding that Option B could not be severed from the rest of the rule, however, the court vacated the entire rule. The new program requirements adopted today are substantially similar to the Option A requirements upheld by the D.C. Circuit.

The Commission deferred action on the collection of data concerning the race/ethnicity and gender of the workforce of broadcast and MVPD employment units. Such data would not be used to determine compliance with the EEO rules adopted. The Commission said it expects to act on these forms before the next filing deadline, Sept. 30, 2003.

The Commission also issued a Third Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on whether and how to apply the EEO rule to part-time positions. The Commission said that the current record was insufficient to provide a basis for making that determination now.

Commissioners Powell, Abernathy, Copps and Martin all issued separate statements that showed their support of the new Report and Order and how pleased they were with their own work.

FCC Spectrum Policy Task ForcePresents Recommendations

Washington - Nov 7, 2002 - The FCC's Spectrum Policy Task Force presented its recommendations to modernize the rules that guide how the nation’s spectrum is managed and utilized, and to evolve from a traditional government "command-and-control" model to a more flexible, consumer-oriented approach. The Task Force delivered its recommendations in a report presented to the full Commission. The Task Force’s report will provide a starting point for a long-term review of spectrum policy approaches that could be implemented by the Commission.

The Task Force, created by FCC Chairman Michael Powell in June 2002, has conducted a comprehensive review of spectrum policy at the FCC. Based on its research and extensive public input, the Task Force concluded:

"[T]he time is ripe for spectrum policy reform. Increasing demand for spectrum-based services and devices are straining longstanding, and outmoded, spectrum policies. While the Commission has recently made some major strides in how spectrum is allocated and assigned in some bands...spectrum policy is not keeping pace with the relentless spectrum demands of the market."

Key findings of the Task Force

• Access.

  Based on preliminary research and review conducted by the FCC staff and the Task Force, some spectrum bands are heavily used, but many are not in use in all geographic areas or are used only part of the time. Thus, there may be opportunities for spectrum-based services or devices to operate in the resulting "white spaces" -including those that result from variability in the operations of existing spectrum users over time, and those that result from the geographic separation of existing spectrum users.

• Technology.

  While technological advances are contributing to the increased diversity of spectrum-based consumer applications and greater consumer demand for spectrum-based services, technological advances such as the increased use of digital technologies and the development of software-defined radios are providing some potential answers to current spectrum policy challenges. These technological advances enable spectrum rights to be parceled as a function of time, in addition to the currently-used parameters of frequency and geographic area. Also, they allow systems to be much more tolerant of interference than in the past.

• Rights and Responsibilities.

  Spectrum rights and responsibilities are not always clearly defined - users need more certainty. In addition, the rights and responsibilities that are defined need to better reflect more market-based models and policies.
  
  Task Force key recommendations
  Migrate toward more flexible, consumer-oriented policies. The Task Force recommends that the Commission evolve its spectrum policy toward more flexible and market-oriented spectrum policies that will provide incentives for users to migrate to more technologically innovative and economically efficient uses of spectrum. Specific recommendations include:

• Provide incentives for efficient spectrum use by licensed and unlicensed users through flexible rules and facilitating secondary markets. This would enable spectrum users to make fundamental choices about how they use spectrum, taking into account market factors such as consumer demand, availability of technology and competition.

• Clearly and exhaustively define spectrum users’ rights and responsibilities.
• Investigate rule changes that promote more flexible power limits in rural or less congested areas.
  
  Adopt quantitative standards to provide interference protection: interference temperature.

  The Task Force recommends the creation of a quantitative standard for acceptable interference that provides greater certainty for licensees, and greater access to unused spectrum for unlicensed operators.
  
  Specifically, the Task Force recommends that, on a going forward basis, the Commission adopt a new metric—the "interference temperature"—to quantify and manage interference. The Commission could use the interference temperature metric to establish maximum permissible levels of interference on a band-by-band basis, thus placing a limit on the noise environment in which receivers would be required to operate. To the extent, however, that the interference temperature in a particular band is not reached, users who emit energy below that temperature could operate more flexibly—with the interference temperature serving as the maximum cap on the potential RF energy they could introduce into the band.
  
  Improve access through the time dimension. The Task Force found that new technological developments now permit the Commission to increasingly consider the use of time, in addition to frequency, power and space, as an added dimension permitting more dynamic allocation and assignment of spectrum usage rights. This would provide access to unused or underused spectrum through time-sharing of spectrum between multiple users and lead to more efficient use of the spectrum resource.
  
  Shift from "command and control" model to exclusive and commons models. The Task Force recommends that the Commission base its spectrum policy on a balance of three spectrum rights models: an exclusive use approach, a commons approach and, to a more limited degree, a command-and-control approach. While the command-and-control model currently dominates today’s policy, the Task Force recommends altering the balance to provide greater use of the exclusive use and commons models throughout the radio spectrum and limiting the use of the command-and-control model to those instances where there are compelling public policy reasons, such as some public safety applications. To the extent feasible, more spectrum should be identified for licensed and unlicensed uses under flexible rules and existing spectrum that is subject to more restrictive command-and-control regulation should over time be transitioned to these models.

What's Behind Dorrough's AMS?

Lots of discussions about the next step in radio transmission have been heard lately. The method garnering the most attention has been IBOC; a discussion that has increased in regularity with the beginning of the HD Radio rollout.

In September, Motorola announced that it was working on a new chipset that would enhance radio reception without any change to the broadcaster. The Symphony Digital Radio uses the power of digital signal processing to more accurately demodulate an RF signal, removing the unwanted effects of the transmission medium.

The latest addition to the discussion holds promise for improving the performance of AM. The Advanced Modulation System (AMS), a project currently under patent review, is headed by Mike Dorrough, president of Dorrough Electronics. Dorrough has been involved in audio and broadcasting for many years and is recognized as an innovator in his field. He is currently making rounds to various SBE chapters to talk about his proposed improvement for AM service.

In an interview with Radio magazine technical editor John Battison, Dorrough stated that he could not comment on the specifics of the hardware involved until the patent process was finalized. He is, however, able to talk about the enabling scientific principles and intended results.

Following is an excerpt from the discussion between Dorrough and Battison:

Dorrough: We know that inter-modulation-prone asymmetrical processing schemes are capable of substantial increases in apparent loudness, but the penalty in fidelity can be quite jarring to the listener. Digital technology allows the manipulation of time and phase relationships to unleash the full potential of the AM carrier as a natural platform to support fully modulated, "interlaced" sidebands. AMS circuitry allows full, 200% sinusoidal undistorted modulation of the AM carrier without the need for negative peak clipping or hard processing. With AMS, far greater loudness is achieved than possible with even the most aggressive negative peak clipping without distorting the audio wave. The system is fully backward- and forward-compatible.

Dorrough sees AMS as having an enormous benefit to normal, stereo and IBOC broadcasting modes.

With the increased modulation, the carrier level does not change because the additional modulation power is provided by the new side bands. As might be expected, the power supply to the final has to be able to handle the increased load of the new side bands. The transmitter will require a 20kHz passband. Although the peak power increases, current FCC rules are based on carrier power, so there is no conflict.

Intermodulation-prone asymmetrical processing schemes achieve great apparent loudness, but at a cost in fidelity that is manifestly jarring to the human ear. With AMS, Dorrough feels that far greater loudness can be achieved, surpassing the loudness obtained with the hardest negative peak clipping. In addition, there is no distortion of the audio signal.

NFCB Moves to New Offices

San Francisco - Nov 12, 2002 - The National Federation of Community Broadcasters is moving to its new headquarters on Dec. 1, which will be in Oakland. Contact information for the organization after Dec. 1 will be:

1970 Broadway, Suite 1000
Oakland, CA 94612
phone 510-451-8200
fax 510-451-8208

The National Federation of Community Broadcasters advocates for public policy, recognition and resources on behalf of its membership, and provides services to empower and strengthen community broadcasters with a commitment to localism, diversity and public service. The NFCB membership consists of more than 200 noncommercial public radio stations, related organizations and individuals.

NFCB publishes The Public Radio Legal Handbook and several other publications, produces the Annual Community Radio Conference, the National Youth in Radio Training Project, the Rural Programming Initiative, the Low Power FM Project and provides consulting services to member stations on technical, legal, management, programming and development issues. NFCB also puts together group buys for members.

Times Square TV Transmission Centerin the Works

New York - Nov 8, 2002 - A 358-foot multiple master-antenna transmission tower and an emergency power back-up system is planned for construction in New York City’s Times Square.

To be located on the roof of the 4 Times Square office building, the facility is being targeted to New York TV broadcasters as a backup antenna site in the aftermath of the loss of transmission facilities at the World Trade Center.

Drawing of 4 Times Square. Partial West Elevation: Proposed Antenna Scheme

AOL Launches Broadband RadioService

Dulles, VA - Nov 18, 2002 - America Online has launched a version of its online radio service for users with a high-speed Internet connection. AOL is expected to announce plans about the company's broadband plans in the coming weeks.

The AOL dial-up subscriber has been shrinking, and AOL CEP Jon Miller has been developing a strategy to grow its broadband offerings. The new service, called Broadband Radio@AOL, will be available to users of AOL 8.0. The programming will feature commercial-free stations.

Sanyo Licenses IbiquityTechnology

Columbia, MD - Nov 19, 2002 - SANYO Electric is the latest company to license the HD Radio AM and FM digital broadcast technology from Ibiquity Digital. Sanyo will integrate HD Radio technology into a new line of digital aftermarket mobile, OEM products and home receivers scheduled for launch from 2004.

Spectrasite HoldingsFiles Chapter 11 Reorganization

Cary, NC - Nov 15, 2002 - Spectrasite Holdings, one of the largest wireless tower operators in the United States, announced that it has filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Raleigh Division. The filing is intended to implement a restructuring plan negotiated with certain bondholders and announced Nov. 6. The company expects to file additional information, including a Plan of Reorganization, next week.

The Chapter 11 Plan involves a restructuring of only the debt and equity securities of Spectrasite Holdings, which is a holding company without any business operations of its own. Spectrasite Communications, the operating subsidiary, is an independent legal entity that generates its own cash flow and has access to its own credit facility. Spectrasite Communications will continue to operate normally and without interruption, and its customers and creditors will be unaffected. The company expects that the Chapter 11 case will be completed in 90 days.

In addition, Spectrasite has amended the agreements previously announced on May 16, 2002, with Cingular and SBC. Under the amended agreements, the company will, subject to certain conditions including completion of the Chapter 11 case, 1) transfer the company's interest in 545 SBC towers to Cingular, 2) reduce its future sublease commitment with SBC by 294 towers and, 3) extend the closings for the remaining SBC towers through the third quarter of 2004. The company will receive $73.5 million, which it will use to repay a portion of the indebtedness outstanding under Spectrasite Communications' senior credit facility.

Spectrasite Communications owns or manages about 20,000 sites, including 7,999 towers primarily in the top 100 markets in the United States.

Hertz to Offer Sirius in Cars

New York - Nov 15, 2002 - Beginning Dec. 1, 2002, Sirius-capable radios will be available in a range of rental cars from Hertz at major airport locations in California and Florida.

Initially, Sirius and Hertz will have about 20,000 Sirius units installed in Ford Taurus, Windstar, Expedition, Explorer, Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis models. The add-on service will cost renters an additional $5 per day. Hertz cars with Sirius radios will be available on request at the rental counter in December, with the option to reserve a car with the service available on Jan. 1, 2003.

Satellite Radio Providers PostLosses in Third Quarter

Washington DC and New York - Nov 14, 2002 - XM Satellite ended the third quarter reporting 201,544 subscribers and showing a 47 percent increase in subscribers. However, XM also reported a revenue loss of $67.1 million, or $1.26 per share, on revenue of $5.6 million. When compared to the third quarter of 2001, XM reported a revenue loss of $49.8 million, and a loss of $1.14 per share.

XM is seeking substantial additional funding to close the gap through cash flow breakeven. General Motors expanded its launch of XM Radio into 25 different 2003 vehicle lines including such segment leaders as the Chevy Avalanche, GMC Yukon, Pontiac Grand Am and Cadillac CTS. XM is hoping to find relief from its cash flow problems in General Motors, but XM has not finalized any terms or reached final agreement with GM. Currently, XM is taking steps to reduce expenditures and extend its current cash through the first quarter 2003 by minimizing discretionary spending, negotiating deferrals or reductions of existing obligations and reducing its workforce and capital expenditures. XM laid off 80 employees on November 13, 2002.

Sirius Satellite's third quarter report looks similar. Sirius reported a loss of $60,078 and a $1.56 loss per share, versus an a loss of $37,529 and $1.06 loss per share, for the 2001 quarter. Sirius is also facing the need to find additional funding.

Both providers are significantly short of their needed subscription goals. XM currently reports that it has 201,500 subscribers as of Sept. 30. Sirius reports that it has has 16,136 subscribers as of Oct. 31.

Adder Technology Opens New U.S.Sales Office

Cambridge, UK and Newburyport, MA - Nov 15 2002 - Adder Technology, a developer and manufacturer of keyboard video mouse (KVM) products, has opened its first U.S. office. Based in Newburyport outside of Boston, the office and warehouse facility will service pre-sales and post-sales advice, technical support and will stock all Adder Technology KVM switch and extension products for distribution across North America. Adder's KVM switches allow users to control multiple computers from a single keyboard, monitor and mouse, saving users valuable space and energy.

The new office will be staffed with sales and support people. Adder will be able to service the entire U.S. from this location and will ship products from stock faster within North America.

The address for the new office is:

Adder Corporation
29 Water Street
Newburyport, MA 01950
Tel 888-932-3337
Fax 888-275-1117
e-mail: df@adder.com

Neutrik Finalizes CorporateRelocation Plans

Schaan, Liechtenstein - Nov 13, 2002 - Neutrik AG will relocate its corporate headquarters into larger facilities, which will provide nearly 140,000 square feet of usable space. The new facility is currently being built and the first group of Neutrik employees is scheduled to occupy the new building by the end of 2003. Ultimately, the new building will house every aspect of Neutrik AG’s operations, including production, research and development, engineering, assembly, administration and executive management.

The new building is being constructed to allow for future expansion as it is needed. The relocation will allow each division of the company to be housed in one venue. Currently, Neutrik AG’s operations are located in three multiple buildings.

WireReady Gets Clear ChannelThrough Satellite Outage

Northboro, MA - Nov 7, 2002 - Clear Channel's Kentucky Radio Network satellite channel was knocked off the air on Nov. 7 when an unknown organization apparently pirated a frequency adjacent to the one used by KNN on NPR's satellite system. To provide news, sports and agricultural programming to some 85 affiliates while a new frequency was assigned, KNN used its Wireready electronic newsroom and digital delivery systems to create a password-protected affiliate website, making all of the network's normally uplinked audio products available for immediate download.

Ed Huckleberry, managing editor for KNN, said that Wireready was able to create the site and make audio available in less than four hours. The automated Web publishing capability reduced KNN's work to two mouse clicks to make any audio available online.

Now that the site is up and running, KNN plans to make it a permanent service for its affiliates. It has also opened new possibilities the network may explore for leveraging its network content on the Web in the future.

APT Provides Broadcast Links toDenmark

Belfast - Nov 11, 2002 - APT has an agreement with ANR Radio Group to supply the company with an additional 80 apt-X-based codecs, to replace current MP-X circuits in Denmark in 2003.

The ANR Radio Group, based in Aalborg, Denmark, has a total of 18 commercial radio stations. The group also owns RadioNyherderne, a news agency that broadcasts news (international and national) every hour to an additional 17 commercial radio stations. Audio Processing Technology (APT) has supplied more than of 60 APT NXL384/WorldNet Rio codecs to ANR Group member stations during the past two years. These codecs have been used in studio-to-studio transmissions, studio-to-transmitter links and for simultaneous on air broadcasting.

The sales have been via system integrator and turnkey provider Avit-Systems, APT's Danish distributor and technical advisor to the ANR group. The codecs were chosen for their low latency and audio quality. In addition, ANR takes advantage of the data channel that is is available through the codecs.

Furman Sound Appoints Zygmontas NSM

Petaluma, CA - Nov 19, 2002 - Furman Sound has appointed Casey Zygmont to the position of national sales manager for its pro audio products division. Zygmont joins Furman Sound with more than 25 years of professional sales, management and marketing experience in the pro audio technology industries. From 1989 to 2002, Zygmont held positions of Northern and Southern California sales representative as well as Southern California district sales manager for Teac America’s Tascam division. During his tenure with Tascam, Zygmont introduced the Tascam DA-88 recorder into the film/= and video post production marketplace, resulting in record territory sales figures that remain unbroken today. Zygmont is also the recipient of numerous Tascam awards for outstanding sales achievements.

Prior to Tascam, Zygmont gained a wealth of pro audio industry sales experience during his 1984 to 1989 tenure with Just Noticeable Difference, a Northern California manufacturer’s rep firm handling Tascam, JBL, AKG, Crown, Aphex, Deltalab, Turbosound and TOA. Before joining JND, from 1976 to 1984, Zygmont cut his teeth in the music and pro audio industry as a drummer; a recording engineer at Bear West Studios and part-owner of Demo-Lab Recording Studios, both located in San Francisco; and as a Guitar Center Assistant Store Manager.

Hughes and Bustos Join BMIBoard

New York - Nov 18, 2002 - BMI, the performing rights organization that represents about 300,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers, has added two new people to its board of directors. Catherine L. Hughes, founder and chairman of Radio One and Amador Bustos, managing partner of Bustos Media Holdings, have been elected to the company’s board of directors. Hughes’s term will run through the fall of 2006 and Bustos’s term will run through fall 2004.

Kenneth J. Elkins, director and consultant to Hearst-Argyle, was re-elected to his third term as chairman of the BMI board. Re-elected to terms due to expire in 2006 were: N. John Douglas, Information Network Radio, San Francisco, CA.; Jerome L. Kersting, Clear Channel, Covington, KY; and Cecil L. Walker of Atlanta, GA.

Continuing in their seats on the board are: James G. Babb, Babb Communications, Charlotte, NC; Harold C. Crump, Hubbard Broadcasting, St. Paul, MN; Philip A. Jones, Mission Hills, KS; Frank E. Melton, TV-3, Jackson, MS; Frances W. Preston; David Sherman of ABC, NY; G. Neil Smith, Cosmos Broadcasting, Greenville, SC; Donald A. Thurston, Berkshire Broadcasting, N. Adams, MA; George V. Willoughby, Esq., Seattle, WA; and K. James Yager, Benedek Broadcasting, North Berrington, IL.

Senate Confirms Adelsteinfor FCC Slot

Washington - Nov 14, 2002 - The U.S. Senate gave its approval for Jonathan Adelstein, an aide to Democratic leader Tom Daschle, to serve on the FCC. By a voice vote, the Senate confirmed Adelstein to fill the fifth seat. The term he will fill expires in June 2003.

The FCC has been operating with four commissioners, three Republicans and one Democrat, since September 2001. The panel is normally composed 3-2 in favor of the political party that holds the White House. In February, President Bush announced his intention to nominate Adelstein to fill the second Democratic seat on the panel. The slot was vacated by Democrat Gloria Tristani when she left to run for the U.S. Senate in New Mexico. The nomination was held up several times because of unrelated issues, including partisan disputes involving judicial nominations.

Adelstein, who is from Rapid City, SD, has worked as a legislative aide to the senator for six years handling telecommunications, technology, banking and transportation issues.

QSC Adds Two

Costa Mesa, CA - Nov 11, 2002 - QSC Audio Products has added two individuals to its sales and marketing team.

Ray van Straten has been appointed to the position of retail market development manager. Van Straten has served more than 20 years in the MI/pro audio industry in sales management, marketing, training and consultancy capacities. In his new position, he will oversee the development of all forms of marketing collateral, training programs, point-of-purchase initiatives and related activities for QSC’s MI/retail channel, spearheading the company’s sales development programs while also coordinating numerous additional endeavors for this important vertical market.

Prior to joining QSC Audio, van Straten held the positions of national accounts manager (PAC Division) for Yamaha of America, OEM business development manager for Sonic Foundry and market development manager (musical instruments) for Casio. Van Straten is also a professional musician with more than 35 years of experience. He has a recording background as well as national touring credits.

Jon Sager has been appointed to the position of contractor and consultant liaison for installed sound. Sager brings more than two decades of experience in the pro audio field to QSC’s installed sound efforts. In this new role, Sager will expand QSC’s relationships with design and build contractors and the consultant community.

Prior to joining QSC Audio, Sager held key marketing positions with Mark IV Audio and, most recently, with EAW. Prior to these appointments, he worked with Pro Media, a contracting firm in Northern California, and headed the sound department at the Concord Pavilion in Concord, CA.

Lincs FM Log With Sonifex Net-LogAudio Logger

Northants, UK - Nov 22, 2002 - Sonifex has made several significant sales of its Net-Log Audio Logger with units shipped to Auditel, the Florida State Courts, Chrysalis Radio, Heartland FM, BBC BH, Classic FM and most recently three units to Lincs FM.

The next planned firmware release in late November includes support for larger hard drives (greater than 160GB), an increased number of recorded cuts (as many as 250,000 per channel) and an increased number of recording programs (as many as 20). The software upgrade is free of charge and will be available on the Sonifex website.

The Sonifex Net-Log is a four-channel dedicated audio logger that can record weeks of programming on an internal hard disk. The current version of software supports as many as five simultaneous steams of playback, file creation for emailing, auto-archiving and recording control by remote contacts, weekly schedule or live events.

The Net-Log was recently upgraded to include a 60GB hard-drive as standard. The Net-Log is a new way to record and play audio. It overcomes the inherent unreliability of PCs for long-term recording by providing a dedicated hardware-recording platform that uses a simple network connection for audio playback. All audio created by Net-Log is Windows Media Player compatible so files can be emailed to colleagues and customers and played out on any PC with a sound system.

Harris Ships IntraplexIntraLink-IP

Cincinnati - Nov 22, 2002 - Harris Broadcast Communications Division has begun shipping the Intraplex IntraLink-IP streaming multiplexer. The streaming multiplexer provides transport over 10/100base-T circuits and is designed to leverage existing infrastructure by allowing audio transport over LAN/WAN corporate intranets and packet-switched networks such as ATM, frame relay and the Internet.

The Intraplex IntraLink-IP features include:

• As much as 22.5kHz stereo audio frequency response

• Multiple audio and data channel support in a single IP stream

• Multipoint distribution with as many as six outgoing streams to up to six locations

• Built-in forward error correction, and packet-delay jitter compensation

• Web browser interface

Orban Releases 8400 v.3.0 Software

Orban Opitcodec 7000 Bats1000 at World Series

San Leandro, CA - Nov 11, 2002 - Dean Tiernan, product manager of editing and codecs for Orban/CRL, was on hand to cover the post-game news conferences and interviews from the recent World Series games between San Francisco and Anaheim. Tiernan, who has a background in newscasting and as a talk show host, supplied this audio for on-demand listening in the Internet sports editions of The Los Angeles Times and The Orange County Register. He also sent the audio via ISDN to the producers of The Diamond Gems Baseball Show, a syndicated radio program hosted by George Castle and Red Motlow.

The Orban Opticodec 7000 was put into record and then left in the interview room. When the interviews were completed, the pieces were sent to their destination via the built-in ISDN connection.