The Broadcasters' Desktop Resource

Greetings from your broadcast friends out on the Desert…

This is BDR Newsletter 798, Volume 16, #18 for December 4, 2024

Here are some things you might want to know about:

NO FEMA RWT
This week, the FEMA RWT did not get sent. Stations will wish to simply log the test “failed” this week, and the FEMA indicates all will be back to normal next Monday.

FCC WINDOW OPEN
As of yesterday, the FCC has frozen most TV applications while the NCE-TV Window is open for station applications in AL, AK, CA, ID, IA, NM, OR, TX, and VA. The Window ends on December 11th.

RADIO WITHOUT HARDWARE?
Can you run a radio station without any hardware?

Well, no. Not really. At this point in time, you need a tower, antenna, and transmitter. No one has yet found a way to bypass them.  But from the microphone in to the transmitter in, are we nearly to the point that we no longer need any hardware? Are Virtual Racks the future? What about EAS? How close are we to that time?

That is our theme for discussion this week. Join us at the usual time and place – 2 PM Eastern / 11 AM Pacific. We should learn some things together.

TURKEY FUN
By the way, we did have a smaller than usual but still a nice group on Thanksgiving Day. A lot of Turkey jokes, WKRP and other trivia, and more were shared. Jeff Adams made off with the WKRP DVD.

REAL RADIO HISTORY
Every so often a book comes along from someone who recounts their career. Russ Jackson, who went from a disc jockey to a college educator, goes a bit further, detailing what was going in the industry – the who and the what – giving a narrative that helps readers to understand how we got here! (Even though there is a picture of your editor, the book is an enjoyable read.) To order the book – just $20 post paid – or ask for information, contact Russ at editrail@aol.com