The Broadcasters' Desktop Resource

This Week’s Newsletter

Greetings from your broadcast friends out on the Desert…
This is BDR Newsletter 761, Volume 15, #33 for March 13, 2024

Here are some things you might want to know about:
        
ARE YOU READY FOR THE NAB SHOW?
We are just one month away from the NAB Spring Show in Las Vegas. The NAB hopes that this year will signify as full a return to “normal” as can be had after the pandemic’s effects. For many of us, it will be an introduction to the West Hall – where the Riviera Hotel used to sit. Registration is via the NAB.org page. Codes for free floor passes are below, in the Manufacturers’ News section. While Las Vegas is clearly no longer a “bargain” destination, there still are ways to get in and out at reasonable rates.

Several folks have asked if we will have an in-person BDR Lunch Gathering this year. The answer is “quite possibly,” depending upon interest. We are listening.

DST
We hope the change to Daylight Saving Time was not too much of a hassle for you. By now, you should know if any systems did not “transfer” whether automatically or via manual efforts.

As you know, there is great debate in Congress as to ending the clock changes each Spring and Fall. While some – not including drive-in theaters – like the later daylight, it wreaks havoc with Morning Drive on some stations. Others point to children going to school in the dark. BDR Comments: While some think AM might even completely die off before this issue is resolved, others think the FCC could be of help, with PSA allocations, for example.

WHAT SHOULD YOU THINK ABOUT RETIREMENT?
It has been noted that for many of us, retirement is sort of a synonym for end of life. Yet, most folks do not pay attention to things while young – hardly even thinking of putting something away – and most older folks seem to still enjoy what they are doing.

So, how should you plan for – or even want – retirement? Chuck Kelly, who has been everything from a station engineer to an SBE President, will be joining us this week to help us see why it is important to take a moment and at least acknowledge the choices we have in life.

This will be a special presentation and we do encourage you to invite friends to join us. Thursday at 2 PM Eastern / 11 AM Pacific – and now 11 AM in Arizona!

HOW MANY XDS RECEIVER DO YOU HAVE?
LinkUp Communciations is running a contest. Take a picture of your XDS receivers and you can win a $200 gift card or a $500 gift card!!! Check it out on the BDR Spotlight today. The link there goes right to the rules of the contest.

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



2025 FCC BUDGET UP ALMOST 15%
The FCC is asking for a budget for Fiscal Year 2025 of $448,075,000. It is 14.8% (almost $58 million) more than Fiscal Year 2024. The FCC is always in a balancing mode, as Congress expects it to assess fees to balance its budget. Whether, and how much, this will impact station fees, remains to be seen. Remember: broadcast is only a part of the things the FCC regulates. At the same time, the Commission is asking for more authority to auction off “unused” frequencies.

EAS MULTILINGUAL ALERTS
The FCC is ready to issue another NPRM affecting EAS – this being their plan to have multilingual alert scripts in 13 languages. Comments are due April 8th, with Reply Comments on May 8th.

DAVE KOLESAR
The NAB has announced they will give the Engineering Achievement Award for 2024 to David Kolesar for his work in putting together the first full digital AM station.

EVEN THE TOP IT GUYS GET HACKED
We are sure you notice our periodic warnings about why it is so important to have strong – but reasonable – IT policies for your entire staff. The danger is present even for the top IT guys. This past month, The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency was forced to pull two of its systems off line after a hacking incident. While they blamed the use of older technology (in English: “we need more money for newer things”), CISA noted that “any organization can be affected” … and one of the most important things is to have an “incident response plan” in place – just in case.

FOR SALE
A pair of 1 kW solid state transmitters are available, as is a 150-foot length of 7/8″ coax. Also an automation system. Perhaps you are looking for a Lawo production console with almost unlimited features? That, and more, is on the Buy/Sell Page.

BUT THEN, YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET A NEW “TOY”
We would appreciate hearing if you like the new look for Dana’s Daily Deals? Dana has some really nice buys. Now, they are easier to access. Check them out.

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

 

Some recent articles of interest:

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

 

MANUFACTURERS’ NEWS

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The 2024 NAB Show registration is now open. You can learn about NAB Spring Show preparations at www.nab.org.
 
        If you would like a free Floor Pass:
        Nautel code is NS9564.  (And don’t forget the NUG on Sunday – www.nautel.com)
        Inovonics code is NS5268.
        Broadcast Depot’s code is NS6722.

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StreamGuys has announced a modernized version of RevenueStream will be shown at NAB 2024. RevenueStream is among the first solutions of its kind to help broadcasters and live events companies tap into the potential of audience subscription revenue.

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Digital Alert Systems
and Masterplay announced a new technology partnership. The Masterplay On-Air server now integrates with the Digital Alert Systems DASDEC emergency messaging platforms that use the Digital Alert Systems EAS-Net communication protocol. As a result, Masterplay users can now rely on EAS-Net for advanced IP-based alerting in broadcast and low-power TV environments.

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EPSON
has a new program, ReadyPrint, where they will provide a printer and ink, starting at $14.99.month.


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


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

      • 6 years ago (3/14/18) iHeart (Clear Channel) filed for bankruptcy protection
      • 9 years ago (3/10/15) a jury awarded Marvin Gaye’s estate $7.3 million from Alan Thicke *
      • 27 years ago (3/11/1997) Paul McCartney was knighted.
      • 48 years ago (3/13/76) The Four Seasons hit #1 with “December 1963 (Oh What A Night). **
      • 56 years ago (3/16/68) “Dock of The Bay,” released a month after Otis Redding dies in a plane crash, hit #1. ***
      • 60 years ago (3/14/64) Jack Ruby was convicted of murdering Lee Harvey Oswald.
      • 65 years ago (3/8/59) Groucho, Chico and Harpo Marx made their final TV appearance together.
      • 66 years ago (3/14/58) the first RIAA (Gold Record was awarded. To whom? What song? ****
      • 91 years ago (3/12/33) FDR made his first “Fireside Chat” broadcast to the nation.

      Also, how about some more regular newsy-type stuff:

      • 13 years ago (3/11/11) the largest earthquake ever recorded in Japan caused massive devastation, and the ensuing tsunami destroyed a section of northeastern Honshu, including the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, considered the second-worst nuclear disaster in history.
      • 35 years ago (3/10/1989) Tim Berners-Lee devises the World Wide Web (www). He was knighted in 2004. Want to see the original WWW? *****
      • 56 years ago (3/16/68) a platoon of American soldiers brutally killed some 500 unarmed civilians in the My Lai Massacre.
      • 63 years ago (3/12/61) Yuri Gagarin became the first manned space flight. *****
      • 74 years ago (3/14/50) The FBI debuted the  “10 Most Wanted Fugitives” list.
      • 106 years ago (3/11/1918) the first deaths from Spanish Influenza were reported in the US – eventually killing 3 times as many as WWI. (Scientists now say there is no evidence it started in Spain, but most likely in the US.)

       … and 155 years ago (3/15/1869) the Cincinnati Red Stockings become first professional baseball team.


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

       

      * Blurred lines was too similar to 1977’s “Got To Give It Up.

      ** The Four Seasons were the only act to chart #1 hits before, during and after The Beatles.

      *** Redding’s hit was the first post-humus hit in the USA.

      **** The first RIAA Gold Record was awarded to Perry Como for “Catch a Falling Star.

      ***** The original WWW – do not be shocked – is here.

      ****** The flight lasted just one hour and 48 minutes. The spacecraft was the Vostok 1, not Sputnik, which was a satellite.

      MIDWEEK BONUS
      Floppy disks? Memories? Actually, there seems to be a market for them.

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      PLEASE INVITE A FRIEND
      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:
              1. Invite a colleague or a friend to sign up for the Newsletter. Since it is only one-time-a-week, you will not be accused of flooding their in-boxes!
              2. Anytime you deal with one of our sponsors, letting them know the BDR is important to you will make them happy – and ready to keep on supporting the BDR.

      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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