FMedia

By Kimberly Misson

Like my sisters, I remember the games Dad used to play and the bike rides he loved. I also remember my sisters locking me out of the play room because they didn’t want their baby sister bugging them. Dad would lift me over the baby gate and tell them they had to include me. And when my sisters were too old for Barbies, I’d carry my dolls upstairs to Dad’s office and ask him to play. He’d sit on the floor and play with me—but he was a horrible Barbie doll player. He always made them say the wrong things and do the wrong things, until I’d get fed up with his manner of playing and go back downstairs. (Pretty tricky evasive measure, huh?)

My dad was a one-of-a-kind character. He saw the world differently than most people and marched to his own drumbeat. When I was a kid, I was sometimes embarrassed by his radio obsession and the huge words he insisted on using, but as an adult I came to appreciate his unique style. How many people can turn their zany little hobby into a full-time career that supports a family of five? He was a champion to the “underdog” and accepting of people who sometimes had trouble fitting in. He was supportive to me when I became a young mother, and he had a special relationship with my daughter. He had lots of interests, and right up until the end he was active physically and involved in the community. (Even in California, he wasted no time acquainting himself with the community, meeting people, and finding ways to get involved.)

It’s fun to think about childhood games and family stories from years ago, but my fondest memories of my dad came in my adult years. He enjoyed the anniversary party we threw for him and Mom last year & he laughed heartily four years ago when we surprised both of them with a surprise birthday party for my mom. This summer while my parents were in California, Kyleigh and I went to visit them for several days. My dad told me he was trying to make sure they did everything Mom wanted because he knew this trip was mostly for him, and he wanted to make it the best experience possible for her. (Mom also told me she wanted to join him in all of his activities because she didn’t want to feel as though she were holding him back.) I came home from that visit with a sunburn, a few souvenirs, and happy memories of swimming in the ocean with Dad, exploring the mountains, and driving on insanely busy highways. The happiest thing I saw in California, though, was the peace that my parents had together. I remember telling my friend afterwards that I saw an example in my parents of what I want in my future: love, mutual concern, and self-sacrifice.

Radio lovers everywhere will agree with me when I say that a small corner of the world is a better place because my dad was here.

And I am who I am because my dad was here.

Tribute to Bruce Elving

2011-08-20T23:42:00.000-05:00

By Karin Clements

Some of my earliest memories of my father involve playing games such as “rubber baby buggy bumpers," “log and an airplane,” and “swinging on daddy.” He would hold us, and we would put our arms out pretending to zoom around the room like an airplane. Then he would get close to a bed or couch, at which time we would turn into a “log,” and he would drop us down. "Swinging on Daddy" involved him holding us and swinging us while singing, “Swinging on Daddy, We shall go rejoicing, swinging on Daddy,” similar to the “Bringing in the Sheaves” tune. He seemed to always have time to play with us. As we got older, he played “pig in the middle” with a bouncy ball with us as well as went on bike rides with us.

Since he worked at home, I would go to his office sometimes while he worked and pretend to read his customers' letters (before I could read). He would always be amused by that. We used to awaken (too early usually for our liking) often to the sound of his radio DXing, which involved a lot of static-filled music, and the sound of him jumping around singing, “All the joy!” He was a morning person but didn’t seem to go to bed too early either.

I remember holding his hand and going to the library with him, where he would make me go ask the questions I had to the librarian instead of doing it for me. Being a shy child, it was helpful to me to be pushed like that.

I remember him reading the newspaper on the couch, and when bored he would read the encyclopedia for fun. We would play a game with the atlas where we would try to guess and learn the colors of different countries’ flags. We really enjoyed that for some reason. He would read children's books to us, too, with
great gusto. Our favorites were Winter Hut and The Princess Who Never Laughed. When he was visiting
me in 2009, he read the latter to my kids. At night we would run to him for “Daddy time,” which would spare us a few minutes before the dreaded bedtime. Sometimes he would ask me to tell him about cartoons I saw to bore him to sleep. It seems I could go on and on about The Flintstones for quite awhile.

When I started playing the flute at 12 years of age, he always took an interest in my concerts and activities.

When I got back from Bolivia, he was so excited that I could speak Spanish that he would go up to random strangers that looked Hispanic and try to get me to speak Spanish to them.

He was unpredictable, quirky, and unconventional, and I wouldn’t have wanted any other father.

SCA: FM Radio's Alter-Ego—The Radio the FCC Doesn't Want You to Own

2011-08-13T15:28:00.010-05:00

By Bruce F. Elving, Ph.D.

Originally published in Monitoring Times, March 1989

It has been ignored by the consumer press. The high fidelity and stereo industry doesn't talk about it. Certainly, few FM listeners are aware of it. "It" is a medium of communication available free for the taking in almost all parts of North America—namely, FM subcarrier broadcasting.

First demonstrated in 1953 by FM's inventor, the late Edwin H. Armstrong, multiplexing of more than one program on a single station's carrier was authorized to begin in the United States by the Federal Communications Commission in 1955. Long since eclipsed in the public eye by another multiplexing development, FM stereo, subcarrier FM has been largely the province of special interest groups, instead of the public.

FM-SCA listening has enjoyed a steady growth in the last 30 years, thanks largely to magazine articles showing how to assemble FM subcarrier construction kits and to companies supplying the components and radios to make such listening possible.

Indeed, the distinction between FM-SCA and FM stereo, both of which can take place on the same FM station, is blurring. Both are "multiplexed" transmissions, and both can be enjoyed by the public in large numbers, the difference being that stereo FM is identical to the regular FM program, while SCA FM is (almost always) different from the regular FM station's programming.

Not all FM stations make use of an SCA, but I am sure more would, if the owners had personal access to SCA radios in order to explore the fascinating and often money-making things that can be done with this wonderful medium. SCA can be received as clearly and reliably in the local service area as the regular FM station.

My FM Atlas and Station Directory has publicized the existence and nature of SCA programming, and this led to curiosity as to how SCA-FM can be received. This caused us in 1977 to explore the business, legal, and technical aspects of SCA tuning-in. In the years since, we've offered SCAdapter devices to the public, as well as conversions of radios to pick up SCA transmissions.

In our early days we fought off several threats of lawsuits from entrenched SCA interests who would like to keep SCA private and out of the public's radios. More recently, the FCC deregulated SCA, allowing more uses of the SCA signal, including data services, and freeing stations from having to get specific advance approval before embracing an SCA (Subsidiary Communications Authorization). That term was changed to SCS (Subcarrier Communications Service), with this article using the letters SCS or SCA interchangeably. Canada has a similar service called SCMO.

In deregulating the medium, the FCC utilized our data showing the degree of SCA utilization nationally by broadcasters. In so doing, the FCC announced its intent to encourage broadcasters to make greater use of SCA, and it created a new SCS channel, 92 kHz, which enabled broadcasters to make greater use of their station bandwidth.

The two common subcarrier frequencies are thus 67 kHz (the granddaddy of them all), and 92 kHz. One FM station can send out all three programs simultaneously—a stereo program to its regular audience and two separate programs on SCA, such as a radio reading service to the blind at 67 kHz and foreground music on 92 kHz.

Another channel—57 kHz—is in use exclusively for data. Data includes highway-condition alerts in many metro areas and digital paging. It is a channel not favored by at-home listeners, because it is devoid of talk or music programming.

Legalities

Because FM-SCA is a technology which is multiplexed and "readily available" to large numbers of the public, tuning in its transmission is no more sinister than owning and using a police radio, public service band scanner, radar detector, listening to FM stereo, or watching color television. Virtually all laws prohibiting the use of such devices have been struck down by the courts as being in violation of the First Amendment to the Constitution.

Apparently, however, government can control where you can use these devices, such as forbidding the use of scanners in private automobiles. Similarly, you should be able to listen to background music on SCA in the privacy of your home but not in a business that you own if it might deprive the music company of rental income for equipment to play the music in the store.

You enjoy further legal protection if the radio, even though modified with an SCA circuit, is a radio designed primarily to tune in other transmissions (like regular FM and AM), rather than designed solely for subcarrier reception. Anybody questioning the legality of tuning in SCA should contact local broadcasters for a letter of permission authorizing tuning in their subcarriers for noncommercial, hobby purposes.

All FM stations known to have an SCA are listed in the latest edition of the FM Atlas. The very distinction between who is an "authorized user" and who is a "pirate" is a fine one, and one that even the courts would probably shy away from.

Although at this writing the FCC is unwilling to encourage the use of tunable SCA radios, the FCC noted that the frequencies received by many electronics devices, including scanners, can be used for unprotected communications as well. "Thus, the suggestion that the Commission require that reception of certain frequencies be blocked or filtered is not a practical one." The FCC pointed out that it is not a guarantor of any electronics privacy protections. It is even legal to eavesdrop on cellular telephones, using commonly-available UHF TV sets in the channels 79-83 range.

SCA or SCS is a valuable and relatively unexploited resource available to the public and to the FM broadcaster alike. Despite the use of better transmitting equipment, some broadcasters still entertain prejudice against SCA, thinking that subcarrier use will somehow compromise the quality of their main channel signal. The FCC has helped by allowing stations to increase their overall modulation to compensate for having an SCA, and there is no evidence that having an SCS will decrease a station's ratings.

The needs of a growing population to be better informed about specialized matters will dictate more uses of SCA, rebounding to the benefit of FM stations and the public alike. By taking SCA "out of the closet," our efforts could result in SCAs being included in every FM radio sold in the United States in the future.

Programming

SCA's programming has considerably broadened since 1977, when most of the use of the medium was background music to stores. Radio reading services to the blind were just getting underway; they are now found in most metropolitan areas, or across entire states, usually on the subcarriers of public stations. Overlapping reading services can be tuned in in such areas as Wichita, Kansas, and along the Minnesota-Wisconsin borders.

It is a pity that most SCA radios are fixed tuned, getting only one station, and not allowing blind citizens who travel or who live in areas having overlapping signals to tune in all that they could. There is ethnic programming in many major markets, at either 67 or 92 kHz. Foreground or light rock music predominate on 92 kHz. Many stations have an easy-listening SCA at 67 kHz. With the demise of easy-listening from many commercial FM stations, SCA remains the only way for millions of people to hear that format on radio.

In certain areas of the country, you can tune in religion, medical news, relaying of sports and special events, or even AM stations on SCS. With many AM stations having financial troubles, it might make sense for them to direct their efforts to being on the SCA of a nearby FM station than face the prospect of ultimately closing down.

Listeners with radios so equipped could hear the regular FM program and then, flipping a switch, hear an SCA containing their favorite AM station. SCA has a monaural signal with a bandwidth up to 7,000 Hz, or about as good as the best AM stations send out. Its benefits include coverage range similar to the main station stereo signal, and the ability to broadcast a whole new program without having to create new transmitters, build new towers, or pay the power bills necessary for running a complete radio station. SCS is truly a piggyback service.

With the FCC concerned about "deregulation," and removing artificial restrictions in broadcasting, the time is ripe for broadcasters and the public alike to turn to FM-SCA. Let its crystal-clear signal peal out with music and information in clear voice—content that can inform, uplift, extoll, or even upbraid.

To computer activists, SCA offers a world of data, whose unencryption can challenge the most technically adept. Broadcasters, however, know the world of sound, and it is talk and music services which they should consider when addressing SCA opportunities. By offering alternative programming, whether for profit or not, they can complement what they are doing with their main channels.

A public station could provide music on its SCA while carrying news-magazine programs on the main channel. A commercial station could offer its regular music format while broadcasting sports on SCA, or vice versa. A rock station could offer its easy-listening or talk formatted AM signal via SCA, especially if the AM has coverage problems, or if located in areas having high concentrations of high-rise buildings with steel construction, making for poor AM reception (but unimpaired FM-SCA reception).

The fact that hundreds of thousands of folks are out there with tunable SCA radios, as is the case in the New York city area alone, should be of little concern to the stations or the SCServices. The public at large may have some curiosity about hearing the reading service station, ethnic programming, medical news, or background music, but this is a transitory interest, far eclipsed by the tunings-in of those to whom such broadcasts are intended. Indeed, this large audience is something that could be programmed to and nurtured.

Third parties can get into the SCAct by approaching the manager of a local FM station with ideas as to how its SCS could be providing a profitable or meritorious service in exchange for a nominal monthly rental to the station. SCStations are free of such FCC restrictions as the equal time requirement in political broadcasting, although ultimately the FM station licensee is responsible to the FCC for the contracts it has with the people to whom it leases an SCA, and for having a general knowledge of the nature of the SCA emanations, including foreign language or what type of data is being sent out to computers, pagers, and similar instruments.

Reading services on SCA get away with audio pornography that would not be tolerated by most stations if it were on a main carrier, and you can pick up private point-to-point messages on SCStations having tone-and-voice paging services.

To the casual listener or would-be SCA broadcaster, the opportunity is there for a new form of electromagnetic discovery. Not only are the programs different, but the reception characteristics differ. Some stations run their SCA only part of the time. Others run different services on the same channel at different times, while still others experiment with it, sometimes turning the signal on seemingly only for the engineer's amusement.

Even trying to find out information from some SCA stations can be far from routine. Not everybody employed at the station knows that an SCA exists or what it is used for—and, even if they know, they may be paranoid about it and not tell you. Yet it behooves those employed at an FM station to find out about its subcarriers. The SCA may be helping to make the station more profitable, and make possible the paying of your salary.

Listeners should be aware, too, that many a public or religious FM station that may be begging you for funds could be raking in the dollars by offering for-profit data, music, paging or other services—something they're not very likely to mention, but nevertheless a significant source of income or potential income.

Being able to tune in SCA at home, on a portable, or on a car radio is the absolute elitism in radio listening. You are in a class unlike 99 percent of your neighbors. Considering that SCS is sent out with only 10 percent of the energy that the main FM station uses, reception of SCS under most conditions is surprisingly good and uncritical when the receiving equipment is properly installed and used, although it does suffer from multipath distortion and crosstalk problems. To get good reception, place your radio in a spot getting a clear signal from the FM station with no multipath interference.

Until the day comes that you can visit your favorite store and buy an FM-SCA radio, you may have to use some ingenuity in tuning in SCA. It should be well worth the effort to familiarize yourself with this medium—and the best way to do so is with your own FM-SCS radio or adapter unit.

FM Atlas, 21st Edition, Still Available

2011-08-12T22:53:00.004-05:00

In response to inquiries regarding the 21st edition of FM Atlas, it is still available for purchase. My mom, Carol Elving, will continue fulfilling orders. You may order via Paypal by remitting payment to fmatlas@aol.com. The price is $19.95 plus $2.05 shipping ($22 total). Canadians, please send funds in U.S. dollars.

Radio World: Bruce Elving, DXer, Publisher

2011-08-12T11:47:00.000-05:00

Radio World: Bruce Elving, DXer, Publisher

Doc Searls on Bruce Elving

2011-08-12T11:33:00.003-05:00

In his blog, Doc Searls fittingly described my dad as a champion of the underdog. That applied not only to FM radio when AM was more popular and to DXing in the Internet age but also to people.

Scott Fybush on Bruce Elving

2011-08-12T11:18:00.001-05:00

In NorthEast Radio Watch, Scott Fybush commented on his friendship with my dad:

So it was a blow to the DX hobby, and to the FM radio industry, to learn of Dr. Elving's death in late July, of a heart attack suffered while he was in southern California for cancer treatment. . . .

He was also a longtime friend of this column and your editor, frequently quoting NERW items in FMedia! and supplying information we used in NERW as well - and we had the pleasure of visiting him at his "Publishing Estate" outside of Duluth during our 2005 Big Trip.

Comments about Bruce Elving

2011-08-12T11:06:00.000-05:00

I appreciate the things that people are saying about my dad in blogs and online forums. Here is a link to a thread on the WTFDA forums: Bruce Elving Passes.

In Memory of Bruce Elving

2011-08-12T11:00:00.001-05:00

By Kristine Stuart
July 25, 2011

Before my husband proposed to me, he decided to take the old-fashioned approach and ask my father for permission to marry his daughter. My father was not a conventional sort of guy, however. When Dave called him on the phone (because we lived too far away for him to visit in person), he wasn't sure what to think when my dad asked him, “What radio stations do your parents listen to?”

That was a typical question from my dad, even as a criterion for accepting a prospective son-in-law. FM radio was one of his greatest passions for most of his life. He had even translated his enthusiasm for FM into a business, publishing a directory (beginning the year that I was born) of all the FM stations in North America and later publishing a supplemental monthly newsletter between editions of his book, as well as selling radios that he had modified to receive subcarrier signals. He also had a hobby of DXing--tuning in distant stations, which to the rest of the family usually sounded like just static. When I was very young, I loved turning the knob that rotated his outdoor antenna. We would say that we were giving rides to the birds that were sitting on the antenna.

Some of my earliest memories are of holding out my arms and pretending to be an airplane while my dad zoomed me around, and then I would put my arms against my sides and turn into a log, and he would roll me onto the couch. Sometimes he would sing silly songs like “Yellow Submarine.” Sometimes he would read to me; one of our favorite books was Winter Hut. Before I learned to read, we played a game that he called “Book Identification,” and, of course, he included his book, FM Atlas, in the game. When I was a little older, our favorite activity together was riding our bikes. By the time I was nine, I was going on 15-mile bike trips with him.

My dad was not always easy to get along with. In fact, he used to declare, “I thrive on conflict,” and he wasn't joking. But when I think of him, I'll remember the simple pleasures that we shared and the funny things that he said. I'll remember collaborating with him on his newsletter while I edited it for a couple of years during his semi-retirement. I'll remember the articles that he wrote for a local publication, reminiscing about sledding down the city streets of Duluth, Minnesota, during his childhood and sharing his more recent ice-walking experiences on Lake Superior. I'll remember the kids' fond nickname for him--Grandpa Brucey. And I'll remember his concern and caring for my mom during his last years.

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

I look forward to that time when death and sorrow will pass away. Until then, rest in peace, Dad. I love you.

Obituary: Bruce Elving

2011-08-11T00:51:00.002-05:00

Bruce F. Elving, Ph.D., 76, of Esko, Minnesota, died Sunday, July 24, 2011, in Loma Linda, California.

Bruce was born in Two Harbors, Minnesota, April 19, 1935, to Fred and Mildred Elving. He graduated from Duluth Central High School in 1953 and the University of Minnesota-Duluth in 1957, earned his M.A. From Iowa State University in 1962, and earned his Ph.D. from Syracuse University in 1970. He was a college professor, FM-radio enthusiast, and publisher of FM Atlas since 1971.

He was a member of the Duluth Seventh-day Adventist Church, Arrowhead Stamp Club, Duluth Coin Club, Swedish Cultural Society, and Mended Hearts Chapter 104.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Bruce is survived by his wife of 41 years, Carol; daughters Kristine (David) Stuart, Karin (Daniel) Clements, and Kimberly Misson; and six grandchildren.

Kansas City Radio Legend Mike Murphy Dies - Kansas City News Story - KMBC Kansas City

2011-03-09T22:27:00.000-06:00

Kansas City Radio Legend Mike Murphy Dies - Kansas City News Story - KMBC Kansas City

Death Knell or Minor Setback?

2011-02-12T02:22:00.004-06:00

An online petition from MoveOn.org is circulating on Facebook, urging fans of NPR and PBS to save public broadcasting by protesting the proposed budget of Republicans in the House of Representatives. On Friday, GOP leaders unveiled their new budget proposal, which, among other things, seeks to cut funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. However, according to the Los Angeles Times, the plan "is unlikely to pass the Senate or be enacted into law, casting it as more of a statement of GOP intentions and priorities, rather than an actual fiscal plan."

Even if Republicans were able to carry out their proposal, I'm not convinced that it would make as much of a difference as many of the opinions that I've seen are predicting. NPR's website indicates that it gets only a small percentage of its funding from the federal government:

"While NPR does not receive any direct federal funding, it does receive a small number of competitive grants from CPB and federal agencies like the Department of Education and the Department of Commerce. This funding amounts to approximately 2% of NPR’s overall revenues. The largest share of NPR's revenue comes from program fees and station dues paid by member stations that broadcast NPR programs."

Those member stations also get a small percentage of their fiscal support from the federal government, in turn indirectly passing some of it on to NPR. Still, it remains a minority of both NPR's and other public broadcasting outlets' total revenues. Sure, it would probably cause some hardship if NPR lost all federal funding, but it wouldn't be the death knell that many people are interpreting this budget proposal as. NPR would survive, especially if all those Facebook fans and MoveOn.org petitioners translated their verbal support into financial support.

‘Granddad’ is about to sign off radio role - KansasCity.com

2011-02-08T11:48:00.000-06:00

‘Granddad’ is about to sign off radio role - KansasCity.com

Juan Williams: Firing from NPR "is a chilling assault on free speech"

2010-10-22T17:31:00.018-05:00

Many years ago when my husband and I were renting a house, we were told, “You can paint the walls any color you want as long as it's off-white.” That struck me as an odd way to tell us not to redecorate. Why not just say that instead of making a pretense of giving us a choice?

I remembered those words when I heard yesterday that National Public Radio had fired longtime news analyst Juan Williams because of his controversial remarks during his Monday-night appearance on Fox News Channel's The O'Reilly Factor. (View the video clip of that segment here.) Does freedom of speech apply to journalists, or does Williams' termination send the message, “You can say anything you want as long as you agree with us”?

Williams said to host Bill O'Reilly on that program, “I mean, look, Bill, I’m not a bigot. You know the kind of books I’ve written about the civil rights movement in this country. But when I get on the plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous.”

He was describing his own knee-jerk feelings in that situation to make a point, and his words were taken out of context. The rest of his comments in that interview emphasized that despite people's personal reactions and fears, they should distinguish between moderate and extremist Muslims, and they should not violate anyone's rights because of religious affiliation.

In an opinion piece published on the Fox News website yesterday, Williams further clarified his remarks:

Yesterday NPR fired me for telling the truth. The truth is that I worry when I am getting on an airplane and see people dressed in garb that identifies them first and foremost as Muslims.

This is not a bigoted statement. It is a statement of my feelings, my fears after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 by radical Muslims. In a debate with Bill O’Reilly I revealed my fears to set up the case for not making rash judgments about people of any faith. . . .

And I made it clear that all Americans have to be careful not to let fears lead to the violation of anyone’s constitutional rights, be it to build a mosque, carry the Koran or drive a New York cab without the fear of having your throat slashed.

He also recounted his conversation with his boss at NPR, Ellen Weiss, in which she informed him that he "had violated NPR’s values for editorial commentary” even though his comments were not made on NPR. He wrote:

I asked why she would fire me without speaking to me face to face and she said there was nothing I could say to change her mind, the decision had been confirmed above her, and there was no point to meeting in person. To say the least this is a chilling assault on free speech. The critical importance of honest journalism and a free flowing, respectful national conversation needs to be had in our country. But it is being buried as collateral damage in a war whose battles include political correctness and ideological orthodoxy.

NPR had already distanced itself from Williams by changing his status from “senior correspondent” to “analyst,” and in Feb. 2009 they requested that he stop identifying himself with NPR in his Fox News appearances. In a statement issued on Wednesday night, NPR said, “His remarks on The O'Reilly Factor this past Monday were inconsistent with our editorial standards and practices, and undermined his credibility as a news analyst with NPR.” Vivian Schiller, CEO of NPR, said on Thursday that “Williams should have kept his feelings about Muslims between himself, 'his psychiatrist or his publicist'—a comment she later said she regretted. 'I spoke hastily and I apologize to Juan and others for my thoughtless remark,' Schiller said in a statement released by NPR.”

How interesting that Schiller is allowed the freedom to make an unprofessional, unkind remark like that and is let off the hook with an apology, while Williams is fired for stating an opinion that was taken out of context.

Some Republicans, including former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, are calling for an end to federal funding for NPR. Already there is proposed legislation in Congressional committee, introduced by Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO) in June, which would cut funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting after fiscal year 2012. According to NPR, it receives about one percent of its budget each year from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and another one percent from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional federal funds are received indirectly through fees paid to NPR by affiliated public radio stations that buy its programming. NPR posted charts showing its sources of financial support and those of member stations. Whether or not NPR should continue to receive federal funding, I am not convinced that cutting it would hurt NPR financially that much although I do believe that the government should protect Americans' freedoms and should hold recipients of federal funds accountable if they violate those freedoms.

I don't always agree with Juan Williams, but I do support his freedom of speech, and I'm not a fan of political correctness when it jeopardizes that freedom. Ironically, in Monday's interview, Williams was actually advising O'Reilly to be careful about what he says. Perhaps Williams should have been more careful himself, but at the same time, he should have the right to express his opinions without censorship. He should also be afforded the fairness that journalism is supposed to exercise, but NPR executives failed to give him that when they took his remarks out of context and fired him without even granting his request for a face-to-face meeting.

On the bright side for Williams, Fox News has signed him to a new three-year exclusive contract worth almost $2 million and has given him an expanded role at the network, with an online column and more frequent appearances. He will guest-host The O'Reilly Factor tonight. And I hope that Fox News lets him paint his office whatever color he wants.

McCoy Named GM of KFMK

2010-09-07T16:55:00.003-05:00

CRISTA Broadcasting has named Tim McCoy as general manager of KFMK 105.9, which serves the Austin, TX, market. CRISTA's acquisition of KFMK from Aloha Trust (a holding entity of Clear Channel Communications) awaits final FCC approval. Following that confirmation, KFMK will launch a new Christian Contemporary Music format on Mon., Sept. 20.

McCoy is a third-generation radio manager, joining his father and grandfather in having managed Midwestern radio stations. His extensive experience in the radio industry includes on-air work, engineering, sales, sales management, and general management. Most recently, he served as vice president and general manager of Univision Austin from 2003 to 2009. Prior to Univision, McCoy served in management roles for Pulitzer Broadcasting, Susquehanna Radio, and Hispanic Broadcasting.

“We are thrilled to bring on a high-caliber radio manager like Tim as the general manager for our Austin operation,” said Stan Mak, vice president and general manager of CRISTA Broadcasting. “His excellent background in radio management is complemented by a rich history of employees who have enjoyed being mentored by him. He will immediately begin to assemble a management team and staff for KFMK 105.9.”

McCoy said, “It is a great honor to join a highly regarded organization like CRISTA Broadcasting, where vocation and faith come together. I am excited about what we will be building here in Austin. KFMK is going to bring a unique sound and extensive community involvement to the people of this great city. I can’t wait to get started. We’re going to present a new spirit to Austin.”

In addition to KFMK, CRISTA Broadcasting owns Spirit 105.3 and KCIS AM 630, Seattle, WA; and Praise 106.5, Bellingham, WA.

FM Atlas-21 Now Available

2010-06-16T01:05:00.011-05:00

The 21st edition of FM Atlas is now available for purchase from FM Atlas Publishing. Here is some information on the new edition from the author, Bruce Elving:

For ease in ordering the 21st edition FM Atlas, call 1-800-605-2219. For some reason, we were without that service for a few weeks, maybe months, but were charged for it.

Here's what fellow WTFDA people are saying about the new FM Atlas:

It's "an incredible reference covering nearly every station in North America. . . . Every FM station is noted [on] maps and in databases sorted by frequency and location. It’s all here: antenna height, power, SCA sub-carrier info, and promotional catch-phrases. Even low powered FM translators are included. I can only say good things about your work. The amount of detail is phenomenal. . . . Consider the convenience of using your book in a car as opposed to using a computer! Each edition becomes well-loved and dog-eared and lasts nearly forever. I'm amazed how gracefully you dance with the map portrayals. So logical! What fascinates me is how adept you are at taking a huge technical group picture that is so accurate. I'm just so glad that you keep at it! Again, my congratulations on another gem” ( K.Z., ABC-TV, retired, Katonah NY).
“I have enjoyed the FM Atlas for about 30 years now!” (David B., Wyoming DE).
“Thanks again for keeping the FM Atlas alive” (R.R., London ON).
“FM Atlas-21, all 288 pages of it, arrived. . . . It made me think back to that magical time during the '70s and '80s when I would eagerly wait for each new edition, and excitedly tear open the package and then spend hours and hours examining it page by page” (N. L., Atlanta).

Remember, this is the new edition, out just in time for the skip and tropo DX seasons of 2010. Just $19.95 per copy plus $2.05 shipping from FM Atlas, PO Box 336, Esko MN 55733-0336. (Canadians kindly remit by postal money order in U.S. funds.) We accept American Express, Visa, MasterCard, or PayPal. Call 1-800-605-2219; e-mail FmAtlas@aol.com.

Format Change Antagonizes Advertiser

2010-02-26T15:34:00.013-06:00

After FM station WWMM—now WAPI-FM—100.5 in Helena, AL, announced a format change from alternative music to all talk, Jeff Tenner, owner of Soca Clothing in Homewood, AL, launched a Facebook group called "Save Live 100.5." Tenner said, "I'm an upset advertiser, and I'm also just an upset music listener." Tenner is clearly not the only upset listener; his Facebook group has grown to more than 20,000 members.

A casualty of the format change is Scott Register, whose specialty show "Reg's Coffee House" was broadcast on Live 100.5 on Sundays. He said, "I don't know if I'll be back. I do know that I'll probably be the last human voice you'll hear on Live 100.5." "Reg's Coffee House" had just celebrated its 13th anniversary in January, and its Facebook fan page credits the program with spawning Live 100.5.

Citadel said that Live 100.5, which came on the air in August 2008, had not generated the ratings or the revenue that owners needed to keep it going.

NFCB Conference

2010-02-25T03:43:00.006-06:00

The National Federation of Community Broadcasters will hold its 35th annual Community Radio Conference in St. Paul, MN, June 9-12, 2010. This is an opportunity to meet the NFCB's new president, Maxie Jackson, who will give an opening address and will drop in on workshops and sessions and talk to NFCB members. Jackson succeeded retired president Carol Pierson in Jan. 2010. The conference's host station is KFAI *90.3 Minneapolis.

Air America Ceases Programming, Announces Bankruptcy

2010-01-22T10:17:00.011-06:00

Air America Media, the progressive radio network that launched in 2004, shut down live programming on Thurs., Jan. 21, and announced that the company would soon file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Reruns of Air America shows will air until broadcasting ends completely on Mon., Jan. 25.

The company cited the "difficult economic environment" as the reason for its failure, calling the past year a "perfect storm" in the media industry due to falling advertising revenues. Radio-industry ad revenues have declined for 10 consecutive quarters. Other casualties of the economic storm include Citadel Broadcasting and the long-time trade publication Radio and Records, which recently filed for bankruptcy as well.

Air America said, "Those companies that remain are facing audience fragmentation as a result of new media technologies, are often saddled with crushing debt, and have generally found it difficult to obtain operating or investment capital from traditional sources of funding. In this climate, our painstaking search for new investors has come close several times right up into this week, but ultimately fell short of success." Although Air America saw some hope for increasing revenues through Internet growth, its "expanding online efforts face the same monetization and profitability challenges in the short term confronting the Web operations of most media companies."

Well-known Air America hosts included Al Franken and Rachel Maddow. The network began as a liberal alternative to conservative commentators like Rush Limbaugh, but it struggled financially throughout its history. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2006 and was sold in 2007 to New York real-estate investor Stephen Green and his brother, politician Mark Green.

Air America described itself as instrumental in building, through its approximately 100 radio outlets nationwide, "a new sense of purpose and determination among American progressives" and in inspiring a revival that it said led to the Democratic gains in the 2006 mid-term elections and to the 2008 election of President Barack Obama.

Citadel Broadcasting Prepares for Bankruptcy

2009-12-11T11:27:00.004-06:00

Citadel Broadcasting, the third-largest radio broadcasting company in the United States, is preparing a prearranged bankruptcy filing. The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times reported that Citadel's proposal was presented to lenders this week and that major lenders JPMorgan Chase and General Electric's GE Capital are already supporting the plan.

Under the terms of the deal, Citadel would reduce its debt from $2 billion to $760 million, in exchange for handing over 99.5% of the equity in the reorganized company to its creditors. Lenders have until Tuesday to agree to the proposal, and Citadel plans to file for bankruptcy by the end of the year.

Citadel's financial problems resulted in part from its acquisition of Disney's ABC Radio stations in 2006. Another contributing factor was the death of radio legend Paul Harvey in Feb. 2009. Harvey's programs, syndicated by ABC Radio Networks, provided Citadel with steady income as it struggled with its increased debt load and declining advertising revenues.

NPR Launches New Mobile Platform

2009-12-11T10:17:00.006-06:00

National Public Radio (NPR) has launched a new mobile platform powered by Conmio. The Finnish-based mobile technology company provided the software platform, design, and audio services for NPR Mobile Web. The redesigned and expanded site delivers an improved user experience, including better audio, navigation, and interactive tools.

Conmio's software, ManaGate^®, is customized and adaptable for each online service provider, offering mobile service management and device-detection frameworks. For NPR Mobile Web, this feature ensures smooth audio for all compatible web-enabled mobile devices.

The NPR Mobile Web enhancements include:

"Station Finder" feature: Users can search for stations by ZIP Code, call letters, or city and state, and can flag multiple favorite stations, an improvement over the NPR iPhone app's equivalent feature, which provides a ZIP Code search option only.
Better audio experience: Audio links can now be streamed directly within the device browser, a revolutionary change from the former “click to call” feature, providing superior audio quality as well as availability in a wider range of formats: AAC, MP3, WMA, and RM.
More station audio: Audio links to live streams, podcasts, RSS feeds, and newscasts are all available on the new service, a feature previously possible only with the NPR iPhone app.
Station newscasts: All station newscasts listed in StationConnect will be available via the relaunched service. Station newscasts added to StationConnect will propagate immediately and automatically, providing listeners with continuous access to the latest content.

“As consumers rely more and more on their mobile devices for accessing news, information and entertainment, it is critical that the technology delivers the best user experience also with rich media,” said Tero Hamalainen, CEO of Conmio. “Known for its innovative, thought-provoking programming, NPR continues to set the standard for radio. We are pleased they turned to Conmio to extend that same level of technology innovation and quality to their mobile offerings.”

Jury Finds Entercom Negligent in Jennifer Strange Trial

2009-11-03T00:42:00.020-06:00

A jury has awarded $16.57 million in damages to the family of a woman who died of water intoxication after competing in a water-drinking contest in Jan. 2007. The "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" contest was sponsored by KDND 107.9 "The End" in Sacramento.

Jennifer Strange, 28, a mother of three, finished in second place but was complaining of a headache and an upset stomach toward the end of the contest. She called in sick to her employer and went home, where her mother found her body that afternoon.

As a result of Strange's death, KDND fired 10 employees, including the three hosts of the "Morning Rave" program, which held the contest, and the show was taken off the air. No criminal charges were filed, but Strange's family filed a civil wrongful-death suit against KDND's owner, Entercom, which finally came to trial in Sept. 2009. The jury deliberated for nine days before reaching its decision on Oct. 29.

Entercom Sacramento was declared negligent because the jury found that disc jockeys and station managers ignored warnings about the hazards of the contest. Tapes of the "Morning Rave" program revealed that the hosts were joking about the contestants throwing up and about the possibility that someone could die. They continued joking even after several calls from listeners, warning them that drinking too much water was dangerous.

Entercom spokesman Charles Sipkins issued a statement saying, “Jennifer Strange’s death was a tragedy. Our hearts go out to all of her loved ones, including, in particular, her husband and children. While legal restrictions preclude us from commenting further on the verdict, we respect the jury’s decision and hope that it will assist the Strange family in coping with its loss.”

The FCC also began an investigation after the incident, to determine whether KDND violated the terms of its operating license, but no results have been announced from that investigation. Strange's family had urged them to revoke KDND's license, but the FCC typically leaves cases of negligence resulting in harm to individuals to the courts to resolve.

KDND, which broadcasts a CHR format, recently launched commercial-free programming every Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. to midnight.

Dobson Leaving Radio Program

2009-11-01T00:05:00.004-05:00

Focus on the Family announced on Oct. 30 that Dr. James Dobson is leaving the long-running Focus on the Family radio program in Feb. 2010, as well as ending his official affiliation with the organization that he founded in 1977.

Jim Daly, president of FOTF, said that it was "a mutual decision between Dr. Dobson and the ministry's board of directors." Dobson stepped down from the board in Feb. 2009 and previously resigned as president of FOTF in 2003.

"The Bible tells us that to everything there is a season—and Dr. Dobson's season at Focus on the Family has been remarkable," Daly said. "He has done a superlative job in modeling the graceful transition of leadership from one generation to the next. We're excited about continuing the work he began, and following the biblical principles he's always followed, to reach today's families."

Dobson will record new radio broadcasts until the end of February and "will continue to make his voice heard in the public square," according to Daly. "Dr. Dobson is a wordsmith, but one word I don't suspect we'll hear him using is 'retirement.'"

During the next few months, FOTF will hold a series of events to honor Dobson's contributions to the ministry.

"Movin' right along . . .

2009-10-30T12:24:00.000-05:00

. . . in search of good times and good news. . . ."

That song from The Muppet Movie popped into my mind as I was thinking about updating my blog. I've finished formatting this new blog and restoring the posts from my previous site. All of my posts dated Oct. 29 were originally published earlier, and I've reposted them here for the archives. Now I'm moving on to more current material. I'm always in search of good news, and I'll be posting more soon.

Radio Shack Rebrands to “The Shack”

2009-10-29T19:30:00.001-05:00

Originally posted August 2009

The company launched the name change on Aug. 6 with a three-day live event called “Netogether,” featuring 14-foot laptops in New York City and San Francisco.

Chief marketing officer Lee Applbaum said the company is “contemporizing the way we want people to think about our brand.” Consumers often think of Radio Shack as a place to buy obscure parts for obsolete electronic devices, but Applbaum plans to emphasize the company’s role in “keeping people connected in this highly mobile world” and to focus on wireless products in its new advertisements.

WFMU Launches Free Music Archive

2009-10-29T19:28:00.001-05:00

Originally posted August 2009

WFMU *91.1 in East Orange, NJ, has launched its Free Music Archive beta, an interactive library of free legal audio downloads, under the direction of station manager Ken Freedman. The site states as its purpose the online continuation of free access to new music, which radio has always provided to the public.

The library offers pre-cleared content, hand-picked by curators. WFMU is collaborating with curators such as KEXP, dublab, KBOO, ISSUE Project Room, and CASH Music. The project combines the curatorial approach with the community-based approach of many other music sites as it seeks to appeal to artists, producers, broadcasters, podcasters, and listeners.

WAMU to Receive NAB HD Radio Multicast Award

2009-10-29T19:24:00.000-05:00

Originally posted August 2009

The National Association of Broadcasters has announced the winner of the third annual HD Radio Multicast Award. Washington DC’s WAMU-FM will receive the award for their bluegrass country station, 88.5-2.

“We are proud to present WAMU with the HD Radio Multicast Award,” said NAB Executive Vice President of Radio John David. “Their multicast channel embodies the spirit of the award through the use of their unique programming and listener interaction.”

The channel features 70 hours of content per week, including programs such as “The Katy Daley Show,” “The Ray Davis Show,” and “Stained Glass Bluegrass,” hosted by local personalities. The station communicates with listeners through their redesigned website and several social-networking sites. They also sponsor concerts, organize live broadcasts, and host a variety of events for the bluegrass community.

Winners of the NAB HD Radio Multicast Award are recognized for their ability to create innovative or groundbreaking programming on their multicast channel. To be eligible for the award, stations submitted information about the channel’s programming, on-air personalities, promotions, branding elements, and Web sites to describe the qualities that separate their multicast channel from their main station.

The award will be presented during the NAB Radio Luncheon (sponsored by ASCAP and hosted by Fox Business Network anchor Alexis Glick) on Friday, Sept. 25, at the NAB Radio Show in Philadelphia. The luncheon will also include the presentation of the National Radio Award, which will be given this year to Ed Christian, CEO of Saga Communications.

FCC Welcomes New Commissioners

2009-10-29T19:18:00.000-05:00

Originally posted August 3, 2009

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski issued a statement on Aug. 3, welcoming Mignon Clyburn to the FCC. “Mignon is a dedicated public servant with years of state-level and private-sector experience and it’s an honor to serve alongside such a talented colleague,” he wrote.

Clyburn is the first African-American woman to hold the position of FCC Commissioner. Her nomination to the FCC was confirmed by the Senate on July 24, along with Meredith Attwell Baker’s.

Baker was sworn in on July 31, and Genachowski welcomed her in a statement as well: “I am delighted to welcome Meredith Attwell Baker to the Federal Communications Commission. Meredith’s broad and deep experience will be a tremendous benefit to the FCC and it’s an honor to serve with such an extraordinarily talented colleague. At this critical moment in history, I look forward to collaborating with my fellow Commissioners on ways that the agency can improve the lives of all Americans through communications.”

Obituary: Tom Severino

2009-10-29T19:14:00.000-05:00

Originally posted July 2009

Tom Severino, 57, general manager of Emmis radio stations in Indianapolis, died Sun., July 5, after a five-month battle with lung cancer. Severino spent three decades in radio, including 15 years with Emmis in Cincinnati and Indianapolis. In 2003 and 2004, he was named No. 1 in Radio Ink magazine's list of top 50 general managers in America in the medium-market category.

Obituary: Norman Pellegrini

2009-10-29T19:08:00.000-05:00

Originally posted July 2009

Norman Pellegrini, 79, program director of Chicago classical station WFMT 98.7, died Thurs., July 2, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chicago. Pellegrini first joined WFMT in 1951, the year it signed on, when it was on 105.9 with call letters WOAK. He had worked at the station for 43 years, much of that time with general manager Ray Nordstrand, who predeceased him in 2005. Together they did the well-known Saturday-night program The Midnight Special.

JVC Wins “Best Buy” Award

2009-10-29T19:00:00.002-05:00

Originally posted July 2009

JVC Mobile Entertainment has received the Consumers Digest “Best Buy” award for its KD-HDR50 HD Radio/CD receiver. This is good news for HD Radio. “Consumer demand for HD Radio is growing, and we are thrilled to be on the cutting edge of this emerging technology,” said Bill Turner, JVC Vice President.

Key features of the KD-HDR50 Receiver:

iTunes Tagging function for songs playing on the radio, so they can be purchased later from the iTunes store
Front USB port for playing songs from iPod/iPhone and other USB devices
Bluetooth-ready
Two-way control for iPod/iPhone, allowing operation from either those devices or the headunit
Front auxiliary input
Simple search capability, using the menu key and volume dial
Variable-color illumination display, allowing selection from 30 colors or to customize your own color from over 30,000 variation

To learn more about this product, visit www.mobile.jvc.com.

Sirius XM Makes List of 10 Biggest Tech Failures

2009-10-29T18:55:00.002-05:00

Originally posted July 2009

Time’s list of the 10 biggest tech failures of the last decade places Sirius XM Radio alongside Microsoft Vista, HD DVD, YouTube, and Microsoft’s Zune player.

Sirius and XM ran low on money and accumulated millions in debt before finally gaining FCC approval (after the FCC spent more than a year reviewing their request) to merge in 2008. Subscriber growth slowed as the Apple iPod and multimedia cell phones gained popularity. Bruce Elving, FM Atlas publisher and FMedia! founder, commented that the sluggish auto market has not helped Sirius XM either, with car sales down and demand for satellite radio also down. Sirius XM’s subscriber base fell in the first quarter of 2009 to 18.6 million, down by 400,000 from the previous quarter.

However, the company’s financial woes haven’t hurt CEO Mel Karmazin’s salary. His five-year contract has been extended through Dec. 2012, and his base salary will increase (beginning Jan. 1, 2010) from $1.25 million to $1.5 million. He also gets options to buy up to 120 million shares of company stock at 43 cents per share. The details are listed in Sirus XM’s July 1, 2009, filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Media Consolidation Stifles Local Voices

2009-10-29T18:47:00.004-05:00

Originally posted July 2009

Dan Roberts, also known as “the voice of the Chiefs” for his long-time role as the Kansas City football team’s stadium announcer, has more than 20 years of experience in radio broadcasting. His morning show on KFKF-FM 94.1 in Kansas City ranked in first place among the adult (ages 25-54) demographic for six years, from 1990 to 1996. He had worked at KFKF since 1979.

Then, in 1996, EZ Communications, Inc., bought KFKF from Sconnix Broadcasting for $28 million. (The station was later sold to CBS and then to Wilks Broadcasting, the current owner.) EZ already owned another country station in Kansas City, KBEQ-FM 104.3, “Young Country Q104.” EZ CEO Alan Box said at the time, “We credit Sconnix Broadcasting and the Kansas City staff for the successful assimilation of these former rival country properties. We now enter the Kansas City market with a strong country duopoly.”

Unfortunately for radio personalities like Roberts, that sort of “duopoly” lessens competition and removes the incentive to keep top talent. Within six months after the sale, Roberts was fired from his job at KFKF. (Wilks Broadcasting has cut several other long-time radio hosts since acquiring ownership in 2006.)

Roberts moved on to other radio stations in the Kansas City area, including WDAF-AM 610, “61 Country,” from 1996 to 1999. (WDAF moved to 106.5 FM in 2003.) He also worked at KCMO-AM 710 from 1999 to 2003, where he hosted a popular afternoon-drive news program. The station now airs mostly syndicated talk shows and is affiliated with Fox News Radio and owned by Cumulus Media.

After leaving KCMO, Roberts worked in Omaha NE for three years, hosting programs on KEFM (now KQBW) 96.1 and on sister station KHUS (now KTWI, Bennington NE) 93.3, both currently owned by Clear Channel Communications.

When he was fired there, for the third time in 10 years, he decided that he was done with radio. He said, “I had to get out of that business and change careers. I had no choice. I had limited abilities since I’d been in radio for” so many years. He now works for an insurance company in the Kansas City area and continues to do voice-talent work, also.

Roberts pointed to several factors that have negatively affected the radio industry. One is media consolidation, beginning with the Reagan Administration’s deregulatory measures during the 1980s. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 furthered the consolidation trend; among other provisions, it allowed companies to own multiple radio stations in the same city, as long as they did not control more than 40 percent of the ad revenue in that market. The current economy hasn’t improved the radio climate, either, since ad revenues are down, and many radio stations are struggling financially.

The FCC’s 2007 rules changes mandated even more relaxed regulations, including fewer restrictions on newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership. The FCC had previously announced similar changes in 2003, many of which were later reversed by a federal appeals court.

Critics of such changes argue that they result in too much control by large media corporations and a shortchanging of audiences when those companies reduce or eliminate local talent and provide less diversity in news coverage and opinions. Commissioner Michael J. Copps commented in his dissenting statement regarding the FCC’s Dec. 2007 vote of 3-2, “Today’s decision would make George Orwell proud. We claim to be giving the news industry a shot in the arm—but the real effect is to reduce total newsgathering.” Copps continued, “Local news, local music and local groups so often get shunted aside when big media comes to town. Commissioner Adelstein [who also issued a dissenting statement] and I have heard the plaintive voices of thousands of citizens all across this land in dozens of town meetings and public forums. From newscasters fired by chain owners with corporate headquarters thousands of miles away to local musicians and artists denied airtime because of big media’s homogenization of our music and our culture. . . . From public interest advocates fighting valiantly for a return of localism and diversity to small, independent broadcasters who fight an uphill battle to preserve their independence.”

Dan Roberts’ voice is one that has been muffled in his local radio market due to media consolidation. Copps’ statement expressed the hope that Congress, the courts, and pressure from the public could repair the damage that he saw in the FCC’s rush to push through the rules changes. However, as Roberts’ experience shows, these most recent changes are just the latest acceleration in a shift that’s been going on for decades.

Dan Roberts is available for voice imaging and promos. He also has
an in-home studio. He can be contacted at kcdlroberts@yahoo.com.

Welcome

2009-10-15T16:44:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the FMedia blog. Due to technical issues, I am reconstructing the information that was previously posted and reformatting before adding new material. This site will be updated soon.