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INSIDE INFOCUS The New TV Company 1 As 2018 nears, two broadcast TV companies are seeking to fill a void in LOCAL: BROADCAST TV’S PRESENT, daytime TV programming by producing their own shows. What does this mean AND FUTURE, KEY FOR SUCCESS for the industry’s long-term growth? By Editor-in-Chief Adam R. Jacobson These are challenging times for the television industry. 8 Technology and Radio Say what? Most consumers may say “radio” is Based on all media reports, we are living in a golden age of television. But what they listen to while driving, or these stories focus primarily on the content one presently enjoys. Think about when waking up in the morning and where this content is being viewed, and via what source. hitting the snooze bar on a clock radio. A few minutes before reading these words, you could have been watching an epi- With technology’s march forward with sode of The Americans, the riveting 1980s-set drama featuring spies of the Soviet new devices and platforms, should Union posing as everyday Americans with families. The acclaimed FX series could radio be wary or welcoming? have been viewed on cable Channel 44. Or it could have been viewed via an app on your smartphone or tablet while cozy in bed. Furthermore, it could have been viewed on your TV, but through a Roku device that has FXNOW. The Return of TV Trades Meanwhile, there are shows including The Man in the High Castle, through 11 The great post-spectrum-auction thaw Amazon Video; Stranger Things and House of Cards, on Netflix; and The Good is upon us. Will the dealmakers be Fight, on the recently launched CBS All Access, driving “over-the-top” viewing. Then there is the unique programming on traditional premium cable channels, talking about sizzling new transactions such as HBO and Showtime. in Las Vegas, or will the deals be Oh, and there’s also this thing called “broadcast television,” featuring free finalized in the suites at the Encore and over-the-air channels with a plethora of local and network programming. Yes, Wynn resorts? there are a ton of video entertainment sources offering long-form programming (we won’t mention the short-form video that’s exploding on the internet). An ‘Over The Top’ Friend? With more ways than ever to consume what was once “TV,” Perry Sook, 13 executive chairman and president/CEO of Nexstar Media Group and newly An Orlando-based entrepreneur wants elected chairman of the Television Advertising Bureau (TVB), is confident in his to partner with every local TV station in belief that broadcast television has a bright future. the U.S., and bring their unique content In a wide-ranging interview with the Radio + Television Business Report, to a global audience. Learn why Sook repeatedly used the word “local” while offering heartfelt thoughts about Spincast may be an OTT entry worth where broadcast TV is headed. With the former Media General stations being noticing. integrated into Nexstar and new investments focusing on news delivery, Sook is creating a strong blueprint for the continued health of broadcast TV — and its long-term consumer need. Top Trends in Media Tech 14 Curious as to what NAB Show vendors AN IMPORTANCE TO GAIN SCALE you may wish to connect with, even if In January 2017, after a lengthy delay connected to the FCC’s ongoing spec- you’re not in Las Vegas? Here’s a quick trum auction, Nexstar closed on its roughly $4.6 billion stock and cash acquisi- review of some of the companies that tion of Media General. could benefit your bottom line. Few questioned the logic of the deal. Yet it does raise the question of why Nexstar believes so strongly in broadcast TV’s coming years that it would invest billions in more UHF and VHF properties. “I am very excited about the future of local media, which is the core area of the industry we play in,” Sook says. “We are about local content, and we are in the communities where our stations are. We play to our advertisers and our consumers there every day.”

SPRING 2017 · RBR.COM · 1 MVP_NAB2017_RadioInk_MVP 3/31/17 10:04 AM Page 1

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MVP Capital is proud to be handling the station divestitures, and we look forward to the combination of these two fine companies providing a huge boost to the entire industry.

Since 1987, MVP Capital has advised over $20 billion worth of transactions in the media, telecom, technology and renewable energy sectors.

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Of course, the Nexstar-Media General deal local and national content offerings are con- was also consummated to create additional scale. cerned.” “It was important to get to scale, because of the At the same time, Sook says “thoughtful other issues with our business.” long-term discussions” are necessary, so they Among those issues are negotiating with make good business sense for Nexstar. multichannel video programming distributors As far as the distribution of Nexstar’s chan- (MVPDs) — a subject that has placed a dark cloud nels and its own content, Sook says, “I’m rela- over some TV owner groups. Sook saved that tively ambivalent as to what screen we use.” conversation for later. That’s because the key Yes, Nexstar does allow for the distribution reason, he believes, that consumers will con- of its content through TV station apps. But, he tinue to choose local TV is content. believes, “This is more of a transitional tech- “We have 100 local markets where we do nology. Do I think this is where the industry business, and when it comes to the content will be in five years? No.” we deliver, it’s about school closings [due to For Sook, the content will continue to need weather] or that ‘bus stop forecast’ for the some kind of pipeline, whether it is wireless, morning,” Sook says. “In medium-sized to larger markets, we are connected or fiber. It is the middle-ware that will change, he the purveyor of the local content in the market.” believes. That could come as a shock to some radio station operators, Meanwhile, there is much monetization and a bevy of benefits to who have yielded considerable air time to nationally syndicated come following the anticipated rollout later this year of ATSC 3.0, air talent but may have fallen short with the content offered dur- the new broadcast TV standard that aligns everything digitally. As ing local breaks. RBR + TVBR reported March 15, Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Sook’s primary audience-conversion target isn’t AM or FM radio, Broadcast Group entered into a memorandum of understanding however; he says, “To be the originator of locally produced content is regarding the establishment of the consortium, which will be jointly something we take seriously, with the diminution of the newspaper.” owned and controlled on a 50/50 basis by the companies. This has seen the doubling of the Nexstar’s Washington, D.C. news “We are big believers in the potential of ATSC 3.0, and we founded Our heartfelt congratulations to David Field and the bureau, which is being headed by Bill Mondora — most recently the the consortium to aggregate and monetize and create a single point Entercom/CBS teams on the CBS Radio merger. VP/news director for Fox’s Los Angeles duo of KTTV-11 and KCOP-13. of contact for broadcast spectrum, as necessary,” Sook explains. “We did this to better serve our bigger station footprint,” Sook says. Simply put, Sook says ATSC 3.0 brings improved picture quality, in “But it is also an opportunity to build greater local MVP Capital is proud to be handling the station divestitures, context to people back home, whether they be in and we look forward to the combination of these two fine companies Fresno or in Rochester, N.Y.” Sook was asked to describe the integration “We need to stop regulating over-the-air providing a huge boost to the entire industry. progress at the former Media General stations. Coincidentally, he had just come from one of the two-hour integration task force meetings he television as its own marketplace. We Since 1987, MVP Capital has advised over $20 billion chairs once a month. At these meetings, every worth of transactions in the media, telecom, discipline from IT to HR to digital reviews where definitely compete against more than just the technology and renewable energy sectors. things stand, and the initiatives designed to make the transition as smooth as possible. other local TV stations.” This transition meeting included a closed- — Perry Sook What can we do for you? circuit telecast for all employees, which Sook hosted, that outlined the integration initiatives for the first 120 days. “I think we have been very clear in terms addition to an IP-based schema to connect seamlessly to all inter- of our communications in how things will evolve,” Sook says. net-connected gadgets. He also thinks that the measurement poten- “Regardless of what uniform or shirt [they] are wearing, [they] are tial of broadcast TV improves greatly with ATSC 3.0, and that there all a part of the same team.” are ancillary benefits, such as more efficient use of the spectrum. At this point, Sook says Nexstar is ahead of schedule on some “With ATSC 3.0, we can build 20 houses on the same piece of spec- things, such as employee payroll. Traffic is now in the process of trum as we did for five houses,” Sook says of the ability to greatly being consolidated. One of the byproducts and benefits of the expand the number of broadcast TV channels available in a market. consolidation, Sook notes, is being able to amortize costs. That’s because upside potential was seen in every market. POSITIVE TALK WITH PAI He says, “We have very good people that are running these stations. With new leadership in the White House, what would Sook want 415.391.4877 • www.mvpcapital.com Now, there is one company, one direction and one momentum. Our FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and Commissioners Michael O’Rielly and pace is probably a little more intense than other companies in our Mignon Clyburn to focus on in the weeks and months ahead? industry, but the employees are getting excited about it.” Sook has already sat down with Chairman Pai to share his Why? It all comes down to what the viewer sees. “Our value thoughts. He says of Pai, “I think he will be a very mindful leader proposition is that we offer marquee network programming along — mindful of technology and mindful of the free market, without with quality local programming, and it is a unique value proposi- the government’s hand on the till.” tion,” Sook says. Sook also advocated for the reinstatement of the “UHF dis- We’ll be at NAB, at the Encore. Please call for a confidential discussion. count,” joining others including CBS Corp. EVP/Government A SOLID SHIFT TO ATSC 3.0 Affairs John Orlando who have met with FCC staffers on bringing As digital platforms and OTT entrants continue to nibble away at back the discount, which permitted the FCC to count 50% of a broadcast TV, Sook is certainly keeping his eye on the contenders and UHF station’s audience when determining the commission’s 39% pretenders, with respect to distribution and business partnerships. national ownership limit for television broadcasters. What will this mean for Nexstar in the next three to five years? Why does Sook want the UHF discount restored? “The entire “Technology may change how we do what we do, but I don’t ownership cap is a relic of a bygone era,” Sook argues. Thus, with think human nature has changed that much,” Sook says. “We want the discount rule restored, the entire ownership-limit rules can be to watch the big show and talk about it the next day, and we want reviewed and adjusted accordingly. to know what the weather will be the next day. We are in discus- For Sook, it’s about revenue percentages in a local market, sions with all of these new entrants as far as ways to expand our more than anything else. “In local marketplaces, BIA/Kelsey

Securities offered through Financial Telesis Inc., Member SIPC/FINRA. SPRING 2017 · RBR.COM · 3 looked at local revenue across all DMAs — and TV accounts for with no disruption to the cable subscriber since 2005. 14% of all local revenue,” he notes. “We need to stop regulating He also points out that some 15% of total viewers watch over-the-air television as its own marketplace. We definitely com- Nexstar TV stations with “rabbit ears” — that good ol’ antenna pete against more than just the other local TV stations when it connected to a TV. comes to consumers and advertisers.” With pacings for 2017 showing core revenue (national and local) Among the other things Sook is actively advocating is the abol- growth at 1%-3% in any given year, distribution revenue remains ishment of the “eight-voice test.” He says, “When we compete strong. At the end of the day, Nexstar’s financial success comes with cable interconnects that own 30-40 channels, it seems to be down to one thing: delivery on local content, and keeping the a rule that happens to be of a bygone era.” local consumer happy. Sook also seeks the elimination of a rule that prohibits a televi- This means fighting back against new local competitors — sion station owner from possessing two TV stations that place in including Facebook. “Digital revenue is 95% local,” Sook says. “We the top 4 of a Nielsen ratings survey. did an exercise with local GMs where we asked our advertisers if When will changes take place? “I think the FCC will take their they buy Facebook ads locally. Approximately half of our existing time, take my input along with others, and whatever decisions advertisers do so. The point of this was to raise everyone’s aware- they make will be on their own timetable,” Sook says. ness. If you don’t think they are taking dollars from everyone’s advertising budget, think again.” NO DELIVERY DISRUPTION He points to TEGNA-owned Cars.com as one example of how As cable systems adjust their bundles and pricing, and OTT ser- digital platforms have been taking ad dollars from Nexstar’s local vices continue to spring up, has there been any material impact advertisers for years. “We offer similar products that say you can yet on broadcast companies such as Nexstar? do business with someone you see at church, or while golfing or “I am old enough to have grown up when cable started in the at your civic club, and who else can do that?” Sook says. 1960s,” Sook says. “The original cable systems brought customers This fundamental focus on the community is perhaps one key rea- only broadcast TV channels. These channels are still the founda- son why Sook in 1996 founded Nexstar by acquiring its first station — tion of the skinniest of skinny bundles. If I am thoughtful with my a Scranton, Pa.-based property with the call letters WYOU. Aside from agreements, I am going to be ambivalent as far as if it is an MVPD radio, “There is no other medium that has that great local connection,” or an OTT. The advantage of a skinny bundle is that I am compet- Sook says. “We all live in a local market somewhere. It’s like the last ing against fewer channels.” mile in the TV business. We are the ones that deliver the message into Again, it comes down to how Nexstar’s channels get to the the local consumers’ home, and people are very mindful that their consumer, and any way that makes sense for Sook is up for local TV stations provide them with the local information. And you discussion. That being said, retransmission fee agreements have don’t hear much about local news being ‘fake news.’” been a hot-button topic since January 1, with companies such as Sook concludes, “We live in the community, and that means Frontier Communications and Sinclair fighting for weeks over a we need to respond to the things that mean the most to the com- deal that saw the ABC affiliates in Portland, Ore., and Seattle get munity. We have the ability to tailor the message, and to be with yanked from local cable systems. someone at the point of purchase. It’s the only thing we’ve known Sook is proud of his company’s ability to get retrans deals done for the last 21 years.” The New TV Company: Content Producer, Affiliate Owner

For years, any broadcast TV station not spinning off its newspa- owned by one of the “big four” networks per division in 2015. was often looked at as a distribution chan- At Baltimore-based nel for marquee programming in prime- Sinclair, Vice Chairman time, late-nights, and morning drive, and David Amy has come a for a wide range of syndicated daytime long way since serving programming. as business manager At NATPE 2017 in Miami Beach earlier for then-WPTT-22 in this year, something disrupted this widely Pittsburgh back in the held assumption. A dearth of new syndie 1980s. Today, he’s leading programming was available, and the overall Sinclair into the world of vibe suggested the marketplace was drying original programming, up. Concurrently, two major broadcast TV and it’s being seen on station groups made headlines by revealing both linear and digital David Amy Bob Sullivan plans to address their programming holes. platforms. As 2018 nears, the evolution of the Is this the future broadcast TV company is unfolding in, of all formula for a broadcast TV company’s suc- “You’re asking one hell of a question places, the Baltimore-Washington corridor. cess? After all, with the rise of “OTT” and when it comes to how we are going to Following in the footsteps of Tribune Media, network apps from NBC and ABC, content manage the future of the industry,” Amy but in a much more calculated fashion, are created and owned by an affiliate group remarks. “We’re going to be more than Sinclair Broadcast Group and TEGNA, the gives a broadcaster something no one else just broadcasters, when it comes to people company formerly known as Gannett before has. and how they consume content. We need

4 · RBR.COM · SPRING 2017

to take advantage of our platform, and as a look at those opportunities with the syn- partnership boasts more than 2,000 movie we move into the new technology of ATSC dicators out there, and look at the type of titles, such as Dances with Wolves and 3.0, it becomes all the more powerful.” influence we can have with them.” Platoon, and such TV series as In the Heat Amy was at NATPE 2017. He agrees with One show Sinclair is seeing success with of the Night and The Magnificent Seven. the assessment that there was not a whole at its stations is Full Measure with Sharyl Some 50 affiliates launched Charge! in lot of new programming. But he noticed Attkisson, a weekly Sunday news program February and early March. that short-form programming and the type focusing on investigative, original and of video being created for digital distribu- accountability reporting. AFFILIATE OWNER, PROGRAMMER tion was gaining interest. “The only drawback is expanding distribu- As broadcast television companies seek tion beyond our own channels,” Amy says. to retain their wide reach among con- A ‘TBD’ DATE WITH DIGITAL DELIVERY Thus, while Full Measure appears in 79 sumers, while keeping the all-important Short-form programming is of such Sinclair markets, it still has a way to go advertising client happy through strong interest to Amy and his team at Sinclair to reach a fully national audience. “At ROI, a new paradigm has taken shape at that it’s set to get a home on a new multi- the moment, we are looking for ways to Northern Virginia-based TEGNA. cast channel, bearing the name TBD. Amy expand the distribution,” Amy notes. “If While multiple syndication agreements calls TBD a curated showcase of content Nexstar called and said, ‘We want to put it continue to play a key role in filling the day- created expressly for the digital environ- on our station in Memphis,’ we would be time programming grid, TEGNA is aggres- ment, with a broadcast delivery method happy to have that discussion.” sively building a slate of its own programs. powering its distribution. Meanwhile, Sinclair’s 5-year-old Circa Bob Sullivan serves as TEGNA’s Phoenix- “We call it that because it just doesn’t fit — an online news and entertainment ser- based SVP/programming. The fact that any of the linear, standard :30 or :60 pro- vice — is where Amy sees Sinclair moving TEGNA has such a position speaks volumes grams,” Amy notes. “It’s just a continuous in terms of news coverage and content on how serious it is about development of streaming of video content.” creation. “It’s not just news,” he says. “It is its own shows. TBD was given a demonstration run at news and entertainment and a number of Having such a job at a broadcast TV NATPE. Amy recalls, “Other presenters have verticals that fall under the Circa heading.” company best known as an affiliate owner a lot of scaling issues. To be as creative as It’s very young, but is “making noise in was a largely foreign concept to Sullivan they want to be requires a lot of creative terms of what a great job it is doing uncov- for much of his early career. talent and the people to put it together, and “It didn’t cross my mind until 2010,” he that is very expensive. At the end of the day, says. That’s when he got a call from The actual consumption — and the ability to reach E.W. Scripps Company, which wanted to people — is very limited.” “It’s fascinating to see the develop its own shows. Furthermore, Amy believes internet stars “My first thought was that they were who capture the viewer’s attention and cre- interested in programming for weekends, ate a sizable audience are “just so few and direction of where things or on a weekly basis,” Sullivan recalls. far between.” He says, “It’s fascinating to “Then, they said, ‘We’re thinking of replac- see the direction of where things are going. are going.” ing Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!” It’s no longer just the half-hour show. TBD — David Amy So the journey began for Sullivan. “Only just adds to our ability to reach the audi- Tribune had been doing that.” ences that are out there. Look at the view- At TEGNA, Sullivan says he’s raised the ing levels — some channels aren’t nearly as ering different headline stories that no one bar on that initial challenge presented to popular as the traditional four networks.” else has,” Amy notes. “We’re able to lever- him while at Scripps. “It has accelerated Sinclair is also actively developing non- age that on our local stations as well.” rapidly,” he notes. “We have all of these scripted programming for the broadcast TV stations, and all of these time periods, TV daytime skein at its stations. This is DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH and all of this beachfront property. But, in being done on two fronts, so to speak, with MULTIPLE MULTICASTS essence, we were leasing all of our spaces Amy ensuring that OTT products are in Digital multicasts are also a way for for daytime, early fringe and other key place as ATSC 3.0 brings new over-the-air broadcast TV companies to gain a bigger time frames.” opportunities for Sinclair’s stations. foothold in a universe where televised With the emergence of other video deliv- With respect to ATSC 3.0, the question programming can come via a multitude ery platforms, TEGNA started looking holis- becomes how the original programming of sources. Sinclair in late 2015 launched tically at other forms of content. Sullivan can become complementary to the OTT Comet TV as a science fiction and horror sees it as a necessity in the ever-changing products that Sinclair is working on. network through a partnership with MGM. paradigm for broadcast TV owners. One thing is clear about where Sinclair “It’s been on for a little more than a “If we had not gotten into this endeavor, is heading with respect to its content year, and it’s doing very good,” Amy says. under the old model the only option that my creation. “We’re not a production house,” Distribution has been primarily on Sinclair 30-something station group would have to Amy says. At the same time, he sees ATSC stations, with select partners also taking replace T.D. Jakes are reruns of Dateline NBC,” 3.0 as a way to prove that TV is one of the the offering. “It’s a surprisingly good offer- he says. “Not to be disparaging to that show, first wireless media, along with radio. ing. It has a niche, but it is offering quality but old reruns would be the only thing that Amy notes, “From a channel standpoint, programming, and we continue to hear would be offered as a replacement. We are we have to program our stations 24 hours a lot of positive comments about it. It’s trying to control our real estate and trying a day. Networks don’t provide 24 hours doing better than expected.” to control our destiny.” That means ensur- of programming. So, from a distribution That success is one of the reasons Comet ing that TEGNA’s stations have multiple standpoint, we have to ask how we ensure can now be viewed by way of a brand-new avenues for content and for monetization. we have a pipeline of product coming our app for Apple TV and Roku. Furthermore, way that is essential to our channels.” the positive viewer and advertiser reac- TRANSITIONING FROM T.D. Sinclair is the largest affiliate group for tion from Comet led Sinclair to expand Pastor, author and filmmaker T.D. Jakes’ both The CW network and MyTV. Thus, that business model with the development show is presently in wind-down mode. The judge shows, game shows, and reality of Charge!, a digital network focused on end of Jakes’ program is a perfect tale of shows are big daytime draws. Examining action-adventure programming. where broadcast TV finds itself economi- Sinclair’s stations, Amy says, “We will take The second network to come via its MGM cally in mid-2017.

6 · RBR.COM · SPRING 2017 “Daytime talk is an extremely challenging those shows, not only are you locking ing landscape, but it all starts with talent, “The landscape is tight up real estate, but they come to you — and and he’s an extremely good communica- want you to lock up those shows until 2020. tor,” Sullivan says. In fall 2016, the results You don’t even know how it’s performing from the show were “very positive,” he – some of this has to do in 2017, let alone 2018. And they aren’t the notes. “Obviously our first play was a big only ones that do it. It’s a big land grab.” swing, and we did it.” with the long-standing As more broadcasters do their own Looking back at the daytime TV land- shows, that locks up real estate as well. “Our scape, since 2016, some 94 shows of all for- behemoth studios, like feeling is that quality wins, and the viewer mats have been launched. Only 11 of those decides what shows make it and what shows shows are still in production, Sullivan says. don’t,” Sullivan reasons. With Jakes, “We realized in summer 2016 CBS.” TEGNA President Dave Lougee’s vision is that this guy was the real deal,” he says. — Bob Sullivan that the biggest chunk of the programming “We thought that we had the right guy.” Sullivan oversees is linear, and “ideation” Yet there will be no second season for should come out of that dynamic. That T.D. Jakes. “Everything to do with the eco- trending social media content in real time means more product designed for TEGNA nomics of daytime,” Sullivan explains. “We across multiple screens. station apps. “We haven’t gone there yet, needed a wider footprint, and the land- The Daily Best Live will be produced but we have to start to put our toe in the scape was not allowing it.” uniquely for each time zone. “Each live water,” Sullivan says. A second season of the NBCUniversal- 30-minute episode will be distinct and able The same can be said for putting TEGNA syndicated Harry, hosted by Harry Connick to capture the stories people are talking shows on an OTT platform. Sullivan Jr., further complicated the growth possibili- about at that exact moment,” TEGNA said says, “The industry is changing so much. ties for Jakes’ show. “It had nothing to do in January, upon announcing the show’s Platforms are exploding. My team and I with the quality [of T.D. Jakes],” Sullivan says. fall arrival at TEGNA stations. It will air spend as much time on who the right people It also had little to do with Nielsen ratings. across TEGNA stations. are we should be talking to and what we “We were beating or at parity with shows Sullivan comments, “Electing barter sta- should commit to. that had been on for a long time.” tus in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles is “The concept from the day I walked in the The shift from T.D. Jakes will see the roll- not part of the business model. Our model door and met with Dave Lougee is that every out this autumn of “a live, interactive, multi- is getting the widest distribution in season show has to be live ... and multiplatform. platform topical entertainment program,” one and then seeing if we can grow the We started working on this concept, and the originally bearing the name BOLD and now distribution in season two. The landscape is basis is simple: to be on multiple screens taking the title The Daily Beast Live. The tight — some of this has to do with the long- you consume and control your content on. program seeks to be the industry’s first live standing behemoth studios, like CBS. This includes cell phones, desktops, TVs — multi-daypart2017 syndicated NAB copy.pdf show, 1 3/30/2017 spotlighting 3:04:55 PM “It’s all a real estate grab. They have so and the two-way communication process the day’s essential stories, information and much product out there. When you’re clear- not part of that yet is TV.”

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Gary Hess Vice President Broadcast Leasing (772) 215 - 1634 www.verticalbridge.com TECHNOLOGY AND RADIO: BRETHREN OR BATTLE FOES?

AM. FM. SiriusXM. For a good period of time, this was “radio.” Now, one must ask the question: What constitutes “radio”? Most people may say “radio” is what they listen to while driving. Or it could be that audio programming coming out of the clock radio when the alarm goes off. A growing number of consumers may say “radio” is what they listen to via a smartphone app such as iHeartRadio or Townsquare Media’s radioPup. Or they may not call this “radio,” as it is simply more audio entertainment that, to them, may be no different from that offered by Pandora, or Spotify, or Amazon, or Tidal, or… You get the picture. Audio entertainment choices today are infinite, and readily accessible. Is this the era of radio’s last stand? “I think two or three years ago, technology did present a challenge to radio,” says Bob Proffitt, the Portland, Ore.-based president and CEO of Alpha Media, a pure- Proffitt offers centers on popular KTSA-AM nection is vital. Alpha is just one of the play radio company founded by Larry San Antonio morning host Trey Ware. “He radio companies that has responded. Wilson some eight years after Wilson exited does a lot of endorsements, and we love “It used to be about just :30s and :60s the business through the sale of Citadel talent endorsements,” Proffitt says. “The and remotes and concerts,” Proffitt says. Communications to Forstmann Little & Co., intent we have is to utilize our social media “Now, we have a lot of different things to which ultimately merged the company with to further enhance the social relationship.” sell you.” Cumulus Media. Some of the newer Alpha Media markets In some markets, contest and promotion Proffitt recalls, “A lot of old-time pro- have shown some hesitation in embrac- company Aptivada has been brought into grammers had been told to keep the audi- ing this philosophy, but there’s progress. the fold, with social media and online con- ence as much as possible, or to recycle That’s integral to the growth of local digital testing tools able and ready to aid a radio them. As digital came along, we started marketing solutions, a key area for radio’s station in the digital universe. hearing again about the death of radio.” sales executives to capitalize on. At Alpha Media, Orange County, Calif.- But is digital radio’s Grim Reaper, or is it “Right now, everything we are trying to based Stefan Brock — a former lead pro- the industry’s savior? do is serve that local advertiser,” Proffitt ducer for the Disney Interactive Media This is where radio and TV broadcasters says. Group — was brought on in June 2015 as VP have something in common: Digital can Dual-line reporting in Nielsen Audio local of interactive. Under Brock, unity is hap- bring radio into locales it hasn’t had a pres- market reports brings added value to radio, pening across Alpha’s stations. “We had all ence in for years. he notes. “This way we can monetize the sorts of different contracts and different “We want to be everywhere the listener stream. We decided to simulcast, with geo- deals,” Proffitt says, with the Digity sta- is going to be,” Proffitt says. “We want our targeting, our stations, and that is one of the tions particularly challenging. “Now, for content to be very easy to consume, and hotter things we can offer the advertiser.” instance, all of the Country guys are shar- we want to utilize social media to talk to This, again, points to radio’s core ing with those other Country stations.” the consumer when they leave us on-air.” strengths as a local-first medium. In It’s all tied to Proffitt’s commitment This is especially important for Alpha Portland, Adult Alternative KINK-FM tried to having Alpha become a digitally savvy some 13 months after it officially took over to monetize its audio stream some eight company. “It’s about having great content, a group of stations it acquired from the years ago by introducing ad-insertion tech- and pulling on-air, online and social all Dean Goodman-led Digity. This includes nology. Today, bringing all over-the-air ads together.” such “beachfront” property as a cluster to streaming audio consumers in the area of stations in West Palm Beach, including is smarter — and more profitable. THE ‘NEXT’ STEP FOR RADIO’S a market-leading FM with a signal that As of now, out-of-town streamers get a DIGITAL GROWTH reaches most of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale barrage of PSAs. Eventually, Alpha will see At Emmis Communications, founder and market. its way to put a national metric to advertis- Chairman/CEO Jeff Smulyan has been per- “As we roll these people in [from Digity ers and monetize this group of listeners. haps the industry’s highest-profile cham- to Alpha] and as we see what other compa- That’s less of a priority, however, than pion of bringing AM and FM into the realm nies are doing, we have tried to make the appealing to the consumer who has gone of new and ever-changing technology. pivot while not getting too focused on the to an Alpha Media/Portland station website “We have always tried to embrace next shiny bright object that will take lis- who also happens to be a Facebook fan of change, and I think that was the genesis of teners’ attention,” Proffitt says. client Mercedes-Benz of Wilsonville. NextRadio,” he says of an app available for This “pivot” is loosely defined as bring- In a world where Google AdWords are most Android smartphones that activates ing radio’s hosts into the digital realm, and being purchased by local advertisers and an FM radio chip in the phone, bringing making them social media stars. One exam- a big regional advertiser is buying ads on data-free local radio to consumers. ple of this dual-media brand expansion Pandora, making that FM-to-handset con- For Smulyan, one of the biggest questions

8 · RBR.COM · SPRING 2017 he and his peers must answer is this: “How cial to how the industry will continue to can we employ technology to improve the attract an audience, Smulyan believes. industry?” “When we first got involved, it wasn’t He says, “You are never going to stop enough to just turn the radio on,” he says. an idea whose time has come, and there “This is especially true in the interactive is a pretty strong opportunity for this world. The consumer of today is used to industry to transition.” visualization, and our aim is to replicate This requires an embrace of technology every part of the radio station.” and digital opportunities, and it starts in Advertisers have responded positively to the C-suite and flows down to the indi- the possibilities that come with NextRadio, vidual stations. even as Apple’s iOS devices remain a hold- “All changes come internally,” Smulyan out regarding an app that even some gov- says. “You have to first embrace change, ernment officials have deemed essential in and then figure out what you don’t know. cases of emergencies. There has to be a willingness internally.” “I think they have said that this is a At Emmis, that started a long time game-playing call to action,” Smulyan ago, with the development of HD Radio. says of key radio clients. “We have been “We looked at the digital spectrum and astounded at the fervor for this. The feed- thought it may not be so compelling,” back has been great. The Home Depot, Smulyan says. At first, a low-cost pay ser- Allstate, Burger King and Comcast are vice was in the mix, perhaps to challenge Jeff Smulyan a few of the companies behind this that Sirius or XM Satellite Radio, once com- come to mind right away.” petitors and now the lone satellite radio Alpha Media’s Proffitt has all of his sta- company as SiriusXM. tions fully tied in to the NextRadio platform. With WiFi and internet audio streaming “We are all hooked up, and I’d love to growing, the logical step for Smulyan was see Apple get involved with it,” Proffitt to weave broadcast radio into the mix. says. “Jeff has done a wonderful job for “The marriage of the internet and over- the industry. As much as anything else, the-air radio is what we have exemplified it’s public service and it doesn’t draw data with NextRadio,” Smulyan says. down. The antenna is a bit of an issue, as For those unfamiliar with NextRadio, the headphones are the antenna and wire- the concept is simple: Download the app, less headphones are becoming the norm. and it turns your compatible smartphone But it’s just another place where radio can into the Sony Walkman of 2017, giving be a tool, when used properly, that can your phone a local FM radio receiver enhance the listener experience.” while pairing over-the-air content with a That alone may be the way radio visual accompaniment. remains relevant in 2020, and beyond. “The idea with NextRadio is to make Smulyan says, “I was never one that felt that device more interactive, and to we are in an industry that was regulated increase the distribution of over-the-air to death. We love our reach, and we love radio that is compelling in different loca- the fact that there is an idea that some of tions,” Smulyan says. the digital allocation of dollars will come to radio. We are excited. We feel like there A VISION FOR AUDIO’S FUTURE Bob Proffitt are significant opportunities in the years Bringing visual aspects to radio is cru- ahead.”

SPRING 2017 · RBR.COM · 9

The Return of TV Trades

It’s coming … the wave of new broadcast erties, and not AM and FM stations. TV transactions. Everyone’s anticipating it. Marci Ryvicker, managing director of But when is it set to start? equity research at Wells Fargo Securities, So far, a trickle of deals have been believes that — based on investors buying consummated. With the end of the FCC’s TV-industry stocks — there will be plenty Reverse Auction and millions of dollars of mergers and acquisitions over the next gained by companies such as Entravision eight months. Communications (which pocketed $264 mil- With the spectrum auction nearing its lion), Univision ($376 million) and Sinclair conclusion, the dealmakers will soon look Broadcast Group ($313 million), will NAB to the FCC to restore the UHF discount. Show attendees in Las Vegas be striking Once that’s done, the commission’s local deals — or gossiping about million-dollar ownership rules will come under the micro- station trades set to be announced as the scope and more than likely be loosened. television industry’s biggest annual confab From there, the national ownership cap will unfolds? come into review. Veteran media broker Glenn Serafin tells As Ryvicker notes, Congress has the RBR + TVBR that, as he sees it, “Once the authority to do that, and there is the pos- dust settles, even after big mergers like the sibility of the FCC’s granting an increase in Media General-Nexstar deal, I fully expect a this cap. surge in TV deals.” “There is no substantive reason for But radio deals aren’t expected to see a the UHF discount not to be reinstated,” similar ignition boost in 2017. Marci Ryvicker Ryvicker says, noting that key Republican “While I expect transactions to pick up leadership on the commission was disap- going forward, I don’t see much of a change pointed in the process of how it was elimi- in radio trading metrics from 2016 to 2017,” transaction market.” nated. says Serafin. “For radio, we’ve settled into The rest of the year also looks good “The UHF discount was born with the a range of 6X broadcast cash flow, plus or to George Reed, a media broker with national ownership cap, and they were minus 1X — depending on the size of the Media Services Group based out of the supposed to work together,” Ryvicker market, the quality of the stations and/or Jacksonville, Fla. office. explains. “As the national ownership cap clusters and the competitive nature of the “I believe that 2017 trading will be driven was not looked at, since authority sits with market the stations are in.” by deregulation, an improving economy and, Congress, a return of the discount will allow Thus, 2017 is poised to be the year of TV on the TV side, the aftermath of the spec- for a proper review of the entire package transactions. “You have to wonder when trum auction,” Reed says. “Taking the easy of limits. [FCC] Chairman [Ajit] Pai has said TV consolidation ever will end!” Serafin one first, TV will be robust. The winners in that the process was incorrect, and that a says. “TV multiples have been in the 8X the auction may have money to reinvest; the review of the discount should have been range. We’re just out of a quadrennial losers will be looking for Plan B.” done in lockstep with the national owner- year, so perhaps buyers will pull back a lit- Again, the focal point of deals expected ship cap review.” tle on value when estimating forward cash to be finalized over the next three quarters With retransmission fees fueling TV reve- flow. But TV, I think, will remain a strong will more likely involve UHF and VHF prop- nues and ATSC 3.0 on the way, there’s good

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SPRING 2017 · RBR.COM · 11 reason for investors to be buying TV stocks TEGNA, Sinclair and Tribune Media, which have as many options for video,” she notes. and the M&A market appears as though it’s have invested in content creation? “One Her words for radio operators are less ready to burst the dam constructed by the of the reasons they are developing new kind. “This is just an industry that has not spectrum auction. content is that if they are more attached to been known to be forward-thinking,” she For radio, “it’s totally different” — and viewers, cable companies can’t drop them,” says. “I don’t know how you can have a per- financial analysts who cover media- and Ryvicker reasons. ception problem for 10 years. With radio, advertising-driven businesses seem indif- Thus, she adds, while retrans margins you don’t have a clear leader.” ferent to the medium. are going down over time for broadcast TV But she believes Entercom President/CEO “I’m not sure what scale brings in radio,” companies, the dollars, fees and EBITDA David Field will be that “clear leader,” fol- Ryvicker says. “There are no retransmission percentage are still growing every year. lowing the close of Entercom’s merger with deals, and thus not the same level of lever- Interestingly, pro football plays an out- CBS Radio. aging power.” sized role in how the entire broadcast “Radio One, Salem and Beasley are doing While the Entercom tax-free merger with television business will fare in five years, their own thing,” Ryvicker says. “Radio CBS Radio is a big deal, Ryvicker reminds Ryvicker believes. is a very fragmented industry. I do like market observers that it was unique in how it She says, “What does the whole ecosys- NextRadio, but [Emmis CEO] Jeff [Smulyan]’s was structured, and how it happened. Thus, tem look like when the new NFL [agree- voice in the industry has shrunk.” radio dealers have a tougher task ahead. ment] is signed in 2020 or 2022? The great- Ryvicker does like iHeart, although she “The bid ask has always been pretty wide, est leverage the television industry has is doesn’t cover it; she says, “iHeart is making and the argument could be made that there football rights. If something happens, then radio sexier again. I watch my kids, who do could be fewer radio stations, not more.” you question the retrans model.” listen to the radio and do go to the iHeart For the record, Entercom is the only radio That’s not to assume that the broadcast app and download the songs they want to company Ryvicker is covering, mainly due rights will suddenly go away, with the NFL hear. [iHeart] just needs to get out of the to its new relationship with CBS Corp. “We moving exclusively to pay TV. However, debt burden that they and other public covered Scripps, which has radio stations,” Ryvicker says, “I think it is something to companies have. Then they might end up she notes. be cognizant of as we get to the contract looking a lot like TV.” Why not iHeartMedia, Cumulus Media, ending.” She may not realize it, but Ryvicker Beasley Broadcast Group or Saga Meanwhile, deal makers need not worry has a great model for how radio may gain Communications, among other publicly about Netflix or over-the-top players. That’s against TV. traded radio companies? because they’re not in the ecosystem. “It’s a simpler product, with less disrup- “There’s not a lot of interest in radio Ryvicker says, “What would they buy tion than TV,” she says. “Broadcast radio, equity, so our time has been better spent from the TV companies? Netflix is a library. Pandora, Sirius, iTunes — and at the end of on larger-cap companies,” Ryvicker says. It’s binge-watching. It’s a completely dif- the day it’s ‘the radio,’ and you still have a ferent model. They’re too smart to get lot of people consuming radio. I don’t think TV’S FRAGILE PROFIT MODEL involved [with broadcast television].” that’s going to go away.” While Ryvicker foresees a much higher What may be more relevant to the With such a positive sentiment for an level of activity for TV deals than for the broadcast TV operator are services such as industry being ignored by much of Wall radio sector, she is wary of TV’s ability to DirecTV Now or Hulu. Street, the future is in radio’s hands. maintain healthy revenue growth. “There’s no broad-based participation Meanwhile, some big deals may very well “Core advertising is decelerating, and because they aren’t getting paid what they come to fruition in the luxury suites of the we are looking at ‘GDP minus’ no matter get paid in the retrans,” Ryvicker says. Yet Encore and Wynn Hotels in Las Vegas in the how you slice it,” Ryvicker says. “Maybe streaming services need stations, and this is final week of April. new programming is helping it not go fur- where broadcast TV has leverage. They will likely involve TV, and the indus- ther, but it’s hard to give anything beyond Unfortunately, Ryvicker questions how TV try is watching. retransmission revenue.” advertising can grow, and calls it the indus- But what about companies such as try’s biggest challenge. “In 1997 you didn’t

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12 · RBR.COM · SPRING 2017 AN ‘OVER THE TOP’ FRIEND, OR A THREAT?

Imagine going to just one place on your TV, mobile device or the internet, never having to click through 500+ channels or multiple platforms, just to find a new show you may have an interest in, or are already addicted to? Does such a place exist? Yes. Should broadcast TV be concerned, or welcome the arrival of Orlando-based Spincast? It depends on your point of view. For Spincast CEO Mario Castellanos, broadcast TV should be thrilled about the rollout of Spincast. That’s because he wants to partner with every local TV station in the U.S., and bring their unique content to a global audience. What is Spincast? The company describes it as “a new hybrid, ad-sup- ported TV network viewable through an app on any mobile device, smart TV and the internet.” Castellanos launched Spincast in September 2015, and in the months since it has enjoyed a 5% per month organic view- ership increase. At the same time, Spincast’s “The sub model causes churn,” content providers have grown from three Castellanos adds. “The customer comes to 18. “Every other OTT platform to the realization that they are paying ‘X’ As of today, Spincast has “on contract” amount of money per month for one show.” between 10,000 and 12,000 titles that are has gone the sub route, But that one show may be worth a awaiting upload. Additionally, this pre- monthly subscription, compared to an OTT funded company is seeking further investors platform that may offer little, or nothing, of so it can grow at a much quicker rate. and eventually there interest to consumers. “We’re just starting to get revenue in,” Without revealing Spincast’s newest Castellanos says. will be too many players partner, Castellanos says Spincast is “in the How? “Through advertising,” he replies. process” of contracting with “a California- The ad dollars Spincast gets may come seeking too many based major studio with a major presence from at least one method that could raise in Orlando.” This could be Universal Studios, the ire of the entire television industry, just or it could be Disney. Either one would be as Castellanos seeks to partner with broad- subscriptions.” a coup for Spincast, as it would gain access cast TV for content. — Mario Castellanos to a catalogue of titles dating back to the Spincast has a partnership with 1930s. Massachusetts-based Sports Bar Networks, Where do local TV stations come into which has made a business by contracting selling point: building a free-form stand- play? with different restaurant chains — includ- alone TV network through an app. “I want every single local newscast, ing Dave & Buster’s — to have commercial No deal with Roku presently exists, and every locally produced program, on breaks subbed out by content the bar would but Spincast is on Apple TV and on both Spincast,” Castellanos says. “This is how rather have shown. Android and iOS phones. Content includes Spincast is designed to complement local “You are seeing a different set of com- films, TV series, game shows, sporting TV, and not necessarily compete with it.” mercials because that bar is promoting events and “more to come from around the In a way, Spincast is an OTT version of something that the bar wants reflected in world.” WSBK-38, WTOG-44, WGN-9, KTLA-5 and the the TV advertising,” Castellanos says. That being said, Spincast’s success ulti- original “Superstation,” WTBS-17. “That’s How does he respond to those spending mately comes down to content — and how it exactly what we aim to be,” Castellanos millions of dollars per year on advertising obtains it. says. “We are a mass-audience, ad-sup- on the biggest of sporting events, including The other growth plan Spincast has is ported, on-demand superstation, with ads March Madness and the NBA Finals? based on the fact that, unlike Hulu Plus, that are tailored to the viewer.” “That’s business,” he says. “Their deal Amazon Video or Netflix, no subscription fee was between them and the content provider, is required to view the programming that and we are free to do what we are doing.” Castellanos seeks to provide users. Sports Bar’s spot-swap technology is just “Every other OTT platform has gone the one segment of what Spincast does, and it sub route, and eventually there will be too subcontracts this to the outfit led by CEO many players seeking too many subscrip- Rich Theriault. tions,” Castellanos says. As a result, lesser Spincast is focused on growing its main players will likely disappear.

SPRING 2017 · RBR.COM · 13 Top Trends in Media Tech Curious as to what NAB Show vendors you may wish to connect with, even if you’re not in Las Vegas? Here’s a quick review of some of the companies that could benefit your bottom line.

Closed-Captioning Option Put In NAB ENCO To Expand enCloud In Time For ENCO will demonstrate WebDAD at Show Spotlight NAB Show Booth N2024 from April 24-27 in the Las The fourth generation of ENCO’s enCap- ENCO is again expanding its enCloud Vegas Convention Center. tion closed-captioning system is getting suite, and the tech firm says 2017 NAB a full rollout at the 2017 NAB Show in Las Show attendees will have access to its Just In Time For NAB Show: Telos Vegas, and the newest version is designed WebDAD, “an even richer and fully virtual- Releases Axia IP-Tablet to distinguish between multiple speakers — ized toolset to remotely access and control A product that got its first sneak peek at further reducing the labor needed for live the studio-based ENCO DAD radio automa- IBC in 2015 as a concept will soon be ready captioning. tion systems.” for purchase from The Telos Alliance. With speech-to-text voice recognition WebDAD is the first ENCO enCloud solu- The parent company to Telos, Omnia, powering the fourth-generation enCap- tion that brings total control of a radio Axia, 25-Seven, Linear Acoustic, and tion3R4, “no re-speaking, voice training, station from any remote location, so long Minnetonka will begin offering to radio supervision, or real-time caption- stations the Axia IP-Tablet in ers” are its key selling points. April. The tablet is already scoring ENCO notes that enCaption3R4 rave reviews; it recently won the integrates a special algorithm 2017 Product of the Year Award with the intelligence to manage from Salon de la Radio. The Axia complex captioning situations IP-Tablet was designed by Livewire where multiple subjects are partner and Telos Alliance dealer speaking at once. It achieves Jérôme Gahery from IP-Studio this by isolating each speaker’s specifically for use with Telos microphone throughout the live Alliance products. program. Cam Eicher, director of sales at The system supports up to six Telos Alliance, comments, “This independent microphone feeds, product is a direct result of the and the speakers’ names can be open nature of the Livewire preconfigured based on their Partner program, where a devel- assigned microphone position. oper can create something really Multilingual support is also built cool that the entire industry can into the algorithm, and includes benefit from.” personalized and/or localized spelling as there is a network connection. With a Axia IP-Tablet is designed to simplify and capabilities to ensure greater accuracy. direct line to DAD in the studio, the broad- aggregate control of several Telos Alliance “With our new multi-speaker identifica- caster can control the complete on-air devices, Eicher notes. Broadcasters can also tion feature, hearing-impaired viewers will interface over IP via any standard web use the IP-Tablet to manage user rights for not only know what is being said, but browser. This includes the ability to man- device access, linking a user’s profile to his also who is saying it,” said ENCO GM Ken age and drive on-air presentation, playlist or her needs and access privileges. Because Frommert. manipulation, voice tracking, and other it can replace an external monitor needed While one of the audio inputs could be critical production tasks across the end-to- by an Axia Fusion or Element console, the a feed from a production truck, the sys- end workflow. IP-Tablet software also frees up space and tem treats that audio stream as a single Among other capabilities, the WebDAD sightlines in the studio. speaker, even if multiple people are speak- can enable part-time, contract, and remote The Axia IP-Tablet runs on a Windows ing. If a pre-recorded video clip is rolled workers to access the playout system. This tablet. The elements are sold as individual during a live show, the captioning of that can enhance voicetracking opportunities modules, so customers can buy those that audio automatically takes precedence over for radio stations, ENCO notes. are most relevant and beneficial to their anyone speaking on set. “While radio conjures up images of DJs installation, including modules for Telos Frommert adds, “The algorithm does its talking into mics and operating radio con- Systems, Omnia Audio, Fusion Console best to determine who ‘owns’ the conver- trol panels, the reality is that we’re now Control (a Basic version is also available), sation — such as the person that started moving in a direction where everything is Axia Pathfinder and Metadata Link. it or who dominates the discussion — and OS-agnostic and increasingly virtualized,” ignores distractions like low voices and says Frommert. “With WebDAD, the board Broadcast-Grade Integrated IPTV In brief interruptions. As soon as the conver- operator no longer needs to be physically VITEC’s Spotlight sation shifts to the next speaker, the algo- at the radio station or sitting in front of VITEC, the advanced video encoding and rithm immediately and seamlessly transi- the automation system to control and streaming solutions company, is ready to tions to focus on that speaker. Without this playout a live radio show. They can now demonstrate what it’s calling the indus- selective management process, it becomes take full control of their radio station as if try’s first broadcast-grade integrated IPTV very difficult to caption live events, such they were in the studio via a web browser and digital signage platform — EZ TV 8.0 — as roundtable or panel discussions, where on their iPad, mobile phone or other con- at the 2017 NAB Show in Las Vegas. people often compete to be heard and dis- nected device.” The EZ TV 8.0 offering is designed for rupt the flow of conversation.” WebDAD is due to ship this summer. in-house distribution of TV feeds and pri-

14 · RBR.COM · SPRING 2017 vibrant images with HDR (High Dynamic Range) and 4K Ultra HDTV, immersive audio with new choices, mobile TV and broadcasts to the automobile and advanced emergency alerting to warn of danger.” The NextGen TV Hub is a collab- orative effort of the NAB, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) and the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC). Major sponsors include Pearl TV, Sinclair Broadcast Group, and LG Electronics. NAB President Gordon Smith says, vate video content and for managing IPTV developments for our video streaming “Television is evolving to give both view- streams and digital signage campaigns in solutions and appliances that continue to ers and broadcasters more of what they sports venues. set the benchmark for quality, latency, and love, and a stop at the NextGen TV Hub VITEC’s EZ TV IPTV and Digital Signage reliability.” will show you what’s coming next. The Platform gives organizations the ability VITEC will be at Booth SL6005 at the NextGen TV Hub in the Grand Lobby will to centrally manage IPTV and signage 2017 NAB Show. showcase the many ways that ATSC 3.0 will content, automate video streaming work- transform television, with new capabili- flows and signage campaigns, and deliver ATSC 3.0 Benefit Is NextGen TV’s NAB ties for broadcasters and programmers, a cutting-edge streaming experience to Show Epicenter Topic like over-the-air addressable advertising desktop users, TVs, and mobile devices in With completion of a next-generation and audience measurement. The content sports venues. broadcast TV standard now in sight, industry convenes in Las Vegas each April, Utilizing VITEC’s hardware-based IPTV broadcasters and equipment suppliers will and this year the emerging NextGen TV and signage endpoints, users benefit from be highlighting the diverse capabilities of standard will be front and center.” low-latency playback, real-time updating the ATSC 3.0 standard in the “NextGen TV of electronic program guides, video on Hub” at the 2017 NAB Show in Las Vegas. Wazee Digital Ramps Up For NAB Show demand, time-shifted TV, user-controlled Billed as the epicenter of next-genera- At the NAB Show, Wazee Digital will mosaic viewing of multiple channels in any tion television at the show, the “NextGen highlight digital asset management solution format including H.264 and HEVC up to TV Hub: Powered by ATSC 3.0” will promi- Wazee Digital Core, a cloud-based system. 4K, and real-time analytics. The integrated nently highlight the capabilities of the Core is the center of the Wazee Digital con- digital signage features offer signage forthcoming broadcast standard, with a tent management system, and manages authoring, administration and analytics. comprehensive display in the Grand Lobby video content acquisition, effective work- VITEC will also showcase the newest of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The flow, universal access, metadata manage- generation of an HEVC codec for the MGW biggest headline: A live ATSC 3.0 broadcast ment and automated delivery to any affili- Ace end-to-end 4:2:2 HEVC encoder and will originate from local station KLSV-LD ate or any screen. It integrates multiscreen decoder solution; its 4K HEVC MGW Vision on Black Mountain in Las Vegas and will video logistics with workflow intelligence encoder; and the House of Worship Multi- transmit a variety of 4K Ultra HDTV pro- to give content owners top operational effi- Site Streaming Solution at the NAB Show, gramming to NAB attendees. The broad- ciencies and control. taking place April 24-27 at the Las Vegas cast will be received on an LG Electronics At the NAB Show, Wazee Digital will dem- Convention Center. 4K Ultra HDTV set with an integrated ATSC onstrate such new features as YouTube pub- “VITEC continues to successfully lead the 3.0 tuner at the NextGen TV Hub. lishing, YouTube claiming, enhanced search HEVC revolution in sports, enterprise, fed- “Television’s next generation brings and controlled vocabulary. eral, and field contribution applications,” broadcast and broadband together with a says VITEC CEO Philippe Wetzel. “We look new, flexible, IP-based system,” says ATSC Live Event Services and Wazee Digital forward to demonstrating new technology President Mark Richer. “Viewers enjoy more Media Hub Also highlighted at the 2017 NAB Show is Wazee Digital’s Live Event Services, designed for sports and live events. Live Event Services include content capture, management, and access; highlights production and publishing; an interview and highlights newswire; sponsor activation; and dynamic ingest and licensing. Powering Live Event Services is Wazee Digital Media Hub, a centralized, web- based system enabling host broadcasters to capture live moments and make them immediately available for global highlights, publishing and syndication as the event is happening. The Digital Media Hub web portal gives broadcasters administration and permis- sioning capabilities, while stakeholders get immediate access to broadcast-quality content; enhanced, searchable metadata; preview capabilities; and accelerated, one- click downloading from a central location.

SPRING 2017 · RBR.COM · 15