Greetings from your broadcast friends out on the Desert…
This is BDR Newsletter 877, Volume 17, #44 for June 3, 2026

YES, THE FCC IS SERIOUS ABOUT PUBLIC SERVICE
Last week we mentioned the uptick in NoV and NALF’s served on stations that were late or missed deadlines entirely for filings required on the FCC’s OPIF site. We really did not know it was coming so soon but it was only hours before a Public Notice was issued – were they listening to us? Bottom line: The FCC is serious about the federal law that requires broadcasters to comply with the basic and fundamental obligation – to operate in the public interest.

PLEASE SHARE WITH A FRIEND
We usually mention this at the end of the newsletter, but as we see over time, that some email addresses do migrate and, yes, we do have some new folks in the industry. Each week we get notes from new subscribers who appreciate the BDR content. You help us all when you let them know about the BDR, and share the newsletter address: www.theBR.net/newsletter/

FRONT PAGE
By the way, occasionally we get a note from someone asking about what we are doing – they had not seen the Front Page. If you have not seen it in a while, stop by from time to time: www.theBDR.net
                                                                        
GOOD MAINTENANCE REQUIRES PROPER DOCUMENTATION
Now that the weather is (mostly) good, it is time to check out the transmitter site and buildings, clearing fauna and checking the transmitter and RF and air systems. Among the things you should have on site is the right manual for the gear on hand. Sometimes, there are a half dozen or more manuals for a particular model, depending upon when it built. Getting the right manual is not so hard, as our friend Jeff Welton, from Nautel, will help us see.

As always, we are getting together at 2PM on Thursday (tomorrow). The link request – and list of older videos – is available at www.theBDR.net/TLG/ We hope to see you this week!

Join us Thursday at 2 PM Eastern /11 AM Pacific, and let us learn things. The link request is, as usual, at www.theBDR.net/TLG/ Yes, you can see us on YouTube live – but joining us on zoom makes it easier to ask questions and discuss issues.

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

NCE FM TRANSLATOR WINDOW INFO
The Public Notice from the FCC has set out the policies for the upcoming NCE FM translator window. Among the key points, applicants  must be the licensee (or permittee) of a non-comm AM or FM station, or an LPFM station. Limits include a 10-application cap (nationwide) and LPFM caps of two, or four for Native American Tribal applicants, and a four-year holding period before any change in primary station can be had.

REGULATORY FEES TO RISE
Each year the FCC sets the regulatory fees stations need to pay. The past year, it seemed to include some modest reductions, but this year a couple of issues are portending a large increase for some stations. For example, a number of smaller stations have been exempt from fees under $1000, but a couple of fees that are being considered are just about the cap, and could mean a kilobuck or more fee. Some fees are considering a raise of as much as 46%. The NAB is lobbying hard, and nothing is yet set in stone for the September deadline.

MERGER TALKS OFF FOR NOW
The merger talks iHeart and SiriusXM have been discussing have been set aside for a bit. As both entities are interested in the digital opportunities, suddenly the question arises: what to do with all those station licenses? In the wake, at least for the moment, their stock prices eased a bit.

STATION SUFFERS COAX CUTS
WDGG in Huntington, WV is in the process of replacing some coax that was cut, knocking them off the air.  In fact, several cables, including the air-coax for the main transmission line were cut between the coax bridge and the tower. However, the 63-year-old vandal was caught fairly quickly, with some sections of coax in his home. This points out that ground systems are not the only vulnerable asset at a transmission site; the small about of money the thief could have made is far outweighed by the estimated 470k to $100k repair costs.

FCC INSPECTION NETS NOV FOR ILLINOIS BROADCASTER
While the number of inspections has dropped in recent years for several reasons, they still occur. Field agents issued an NOV to Stratemeyer Media and Sun Industries after noting several issues dealing with antenna tower compliance. issues tied to two southern Illinois radio stations.

ANOTHER REBROADCAST FIGHT
The E.W.Scripps stations went dark this week, just as the NHL and NBA finals were starting in yet another failure to agree on retransmission fees.

AI HELPS THE BAD GUYS, TOO
We are sure you have heard of bot networks used by hackers. But did you have any idea of their size? Recently Dutch officials took took down a botnet of more that 17 millions. Linked to a Russian group, the bots were used for DDOS (distributed-denial-of-service) attacks and other illegal activities, according to the National Cyber Security Center.

WOULD YOU CARRY LIVE AI AROUND WITH YOU?
Statistically, you are more likely to have one – or more – smart speakers listening to you all the time. While it is nice to be able to tell the speaker to play your favorite station, many wonder if it is also listening and compiling general conversation around it. But, for those who cannot get enough, Meta is developing a Bluetooth microphone in an AI pendant. Sometime next year, you can wear it, talk to it, and it will answer you. Or, you might be sure you do not want anything like that!

WANTED
One of the latest entries on our Buy/Sell page is someone looking for an AM Modulation monitor. Have you checked the listings lately? Some good gear is available.

JOB OPENING
Looking for a job in the West? The Reno Media Group is seeking an experienced Broadcast Radio Engineer to handle their six-station group. Look for “Jobs” on the Buy/Sell page.
May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

Here are some of the more recent items of interest:

• The Rise and Fall of C-Band – Chip Morgan
• Join the Lunch Gathering – Thursday 2 PM Eastern
• Enforcement Watch – $41k fine for Isue & Programs violationss
• Predicting Maintenance Needs – Rolin Lintag
• Beware of Killer Thumb Drives – Barry Mishkind
• Danger: Consumer Electronic Parts – Ron Schacht
• Coping with Overgrown Wild Vegetation – Barry Mishkind
• Talking Like An Old Hand – Clay Freinwald
• Making Nautel Customer Support Better – John Wilton

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 
MANUFACTURERS’ NEWS

StreamGuys is introducing a new AI ad tagging service to automate identifying and placing ad markers within podcasts and archived content. The AI ad tagging service will help broadcasters, podcasters and digital publishers maximize monetizable inventory while reducing the manual burden on production. The new service represents a natural evolution of the company’s AI workflow integrations, extending StreamGuys’ broader strategy around advanced advertising, ad insertion and programmatic revenue growth.

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Broadcast Electronics is boasting that their new 5 KW AMX transmitter as the most dramatic technological leap in AM radio in over 20 years.

For those that remember the 5 kW units of the past, a transmitter than can ship via UPS or FedEx is quite a sight.  The new transmitter puts 5 kW in 5 rack spaces, while supporting Analog, HD Radio, and DRM broadcasts in one platform. Using using Silicon Carbide MOSFET technology Silicon Carbide proven over nearly 10 years in electric vehicle drive systems, the AMX delivers higher voltage and current capability, reduced capacitance, and increased robustness.

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As we enter June, the summer conventions are starting, with the Michigan Associations of Broadcasters (MAB) currently under way, and others coming up, including the TAB in early August. In other words, it is time to make plans.

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

Do You Remember? This week in history:
Broadcast related items:

• 8 years ago (6/2/18) BTS became the first K-pop band to hit US Album Chart with “Love Yourself: Tear.”
• 18 years ago (6/1/08) a fire at Universal Studios destroyed some 175,000 master audio recordings.
• 20 years ago (6/2/06) Muscle Shoals Sound Studios was added to the National Historic Register.
• 31 years ago (6/7/95) Fighting his record label, Prince changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol.
• 36 years ago (6/6/90) 2 Live Crew album “As Nasty As They Wanna Be” was declared obscene by a Federal judge.
• 38 years ago (6/1/88) the NRSC-2 AM transmission mask went into effect.
• 39 years ago (6/6/87) Kim Wilde brought “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” back to #1, 21 years after the Supremes did it.
• 44 years ago (6/7/82) Elvis Presley’s Graceland mansion was opened to the public.
• 46 years ago (6/1/80) Ted Turner launched CNN.
• 51 years ago (6/6/75) “It was the dark of moon on the 6th of June” in C.W. McCall’s hit “Convoy.“
• 59 years ago (6/3/67) The Doors released a truncated “Light My Fire” (6:50 to 2:52) and hit #1.
• 62 years ago (6/6/64) “Chapel of Love,” among the first of Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound” productions hit #1.
• 63 years ago (6/1/63) Kyu Sakamoto topped the charts with “Sukiyaki.“
• 65 years ago (6/1/61) FM Stereo operations began. First up: WEFM Chicago and WGFM Schenectady, NY.
• 70 years ago (6/3/56) Rock ‘n’ Roll was banned in Santa Cruz, California.
• 92 years ago (6/1/34) Edwin Armstrong transmitted FM from the Empire State Building to a site 70 miles away.
• 94 years ago (6/2/32) the FRC issued a CP for WLW to build W8XO at 500 kW.

 … and 130 years ago (6/2/1896) Marconi received his first patent in the UK for a wireless invention.

Here are some other “Headlines of the Past.”

• 37 years ago (6/4/89) the Tiananmen Square massacre happened in China.
• 52 years ago (6/4/74) A Cleveland Indians promotional experiment went off the rails when they offered 10-cent beers.*
• 55 years ago (6/6/71) The Ed Sullivan Show ended its run.
• 58 years ago (6/5/68) Bobby Kennedy was assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.
• 59 years ago (6/5/67) The Six-Day War began between Israel and the Arab states.
• 64 years ago (6/7/62) Switzerland was the site of the first drive-through bank.
• 73 years ago (6/2/53) Queen Elizabeth II was coronated.
• 82 years ago (6/6/44) the Allies stormed ashore during DDay in France.
• 89 years ago (6/3/37) Duke of Windsor weds American socialite, having abdicated as King.
• 93 years ago (6/6/33) the First drive-in movie theater opened. **
• 93 years ago (6/5/33) President Roosevelt took the US off the Gold Standard.
• 343 years ago (6/6/1683) the first university museum opened in Oxford, England.

… and finally, 387 years ago (6/3/1539) the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto claimed Florida for Spain.

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

* The promotion led – as you might expect – to a riot. Intoxicated spectators stormed the field, resulting in violence and a game forfeiture (to the Texas Rangers). Players tried to defend themselves with bats, but the result – do you think? – led to few (no?) similar promotions.

** Originally places where folks could bring a chair to watch an outdoor movie, Richard Hollingsworth put a projector on the hood of his car and patented the term “Park-In Theaters,” the first-ever located in Camden, NJ. The first movie shown was Wives Beware. When the patent expired in 1949, the industry boomed.

A hybrid theatre de Guadalupe in Las Cruces, NM showed a film, Bags of Gold, to people in the auditorium and some adjacent cars in April 1923, but it was not strictly a drive-in facility (700 seats vs maybe 40 parking spaces).

MIDWEEK BONUS

Michael Jackson and Prince were contemporaries, rivals, and in many ways similar:

https://www.popmatters.com/prince-and-michael-jackson-the-rivalry-and-the-revolution-2495435622.html

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PLEASE INVITE A FRIEND TO JOIN US
We sure hope you are finding the BDR and the Newsletter to be of value to you. If so, there are two things that you can do to ensure the BDR keeps pulsing along:
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PLEASE TELL US WHAT’S WHAT
There are so many areas into which we would like to expand, but it is feedback from you that helps us decided where to go first. Are you interested in a certain piece of gear or technology? Let us know. Even better, would you be willing to do a user report and share your experience?

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We sure do appreciate you spending time with our Newsletter. And even more so when you recommend us to your colleagues and friends.

barry

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Now … some extra stuff .. some important … some just interesting.

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