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Technology & news for radio decision makers radioworld.com | March 1 2025 | $5.00

“A new
opportunity
to tell our
stories” An interview with NAB leader
Curtis LeGeyt about the new administration
and the outlook for radio policy issues.

NAB Show for managers

A look at radio themes in the convention’s
Broadcast Management track.

Will your station be

there when it counts?
Valerie Geller shares tips from experts
on preparing for disasters.

Catch your drift

Tips to keep a PC network “on the clock.”
Kent Nishimura/Getty Images
 Newsmaker

THIS
ISSUE
NEWS
Broadcasters
3
have “a new
opportunity to
tell our stories”

Newswatch
11

FEATURES
Catch my drift
12
(and yours,
too)

NAB Show
16
2025:
Broadcast
Management
Track

How to be
18
there when it
Kent Nishimura/Getty Images counts the
most

Broadcasters have
Writer 24
NRSC studies
RF noise on
various 3

“a new opportunity
roadway types

Leighton
26
makes a move

to tell our stories”

OPINION
A structure is
29
gone, its
Randy J. memories
Stine remain

The author
Regulatory modernization and the AM bill
wrote about
the BEACON
are among LeGeyt’s priorities

T
initiative in
Florida last here is hot change these Your predecessor was a
issue. days in Washington. As former Republican senator. Correction
broadcasters watch all You were once a counsel to a Our profile of
the political and policy Democratic committee chair. Both Megan Amoss
in the Feb. 1
developments, nobody of you charted courses for the NAB issue identified
is doing so more closely that were pragmatic and mostly her as a chief
that Curtis LeGeyt. apolitical. How are you going to engineer; her
title is assistant
With the spring NAB Show preview maintain that approach under the chief engineer.
season underway, the president/ second Trump administration, with
CEO of the National Association of Republicans controlling both
Above Broadcasters spoke with Radio World houses and so much partisanship
Curtis LeGeyt
during a Senate Editor in Chief Paul McLane and in the air?
Judiciary contributor Randy Stine about the Curtis LeGeyt: It’s really important
subcommittee second Trump administration, the AM in Washington to know who you are
hearing about AI
and the future of Radio for Every Vehicle Act, artificial and whom you represent. Whether
journalism in 2024. intelligence and more. it’s a Republican or a Democratic

radioworld.com | March 1 2025

 Newsmaker

administration, irrespective of who this president and the new media is doing. As a result, I’m very
holds the gavels, the policymakers chairman have been very critical of optimistic about our ability to work
in Washington are supportive of how many media covered the productively with Chairman Carr.
broadcasters because of the work Trump and Harris campaigns, and The broadcast industry is in dire
broadcasters do in local communities. there have been threatening need of modernization of any number
That work is non-partisan. It doesn’t comments about broadcast of regulations, most importantly the
register Democrat or Republican. It licenses and networks. You ownership restrictions on local radio
registers free and local. We’re going responded to the Trump lawsuit and television. That’s something we
to continue to double down on that, against CBS News and talked about see eye to eye with Chairman Carr on;
especially in light of the way the attacks on the First Amendment. It We look forward to working closely
media landscape has continued to feels like there could be a lot of with him and this FCC on an agenda
fragment. contention between NAB members that will allow broadcasters to better
There’s an awareness on both sides and this administration. What compete and innovate.
of the need for trusted, fact-based should we expect? How do you
information. That’s what we do best. navigate that? But wouldn’t you agree that
We bring communities together LeGeyt: We have a long history of the FCC is not supposed to
rather than divide them. work with Chairman Carr, and over mess with content? Doesn’t it feel
In this moment, we have a new the course of his time at the FCC, he like they’re starting to talk
opportunity to tell our stories, to has consistently shown an awareness about that?
remind the new administration of our of the role that local broadcasters LeGeyt: There is certainly a lot of
enduring value. play in the current ecosystem — the political rhetoric around the content
need to level the playing field to allow of any number of media outlets,
You recently complimented broadcasters to better compete with including broadcasters. And we
Brendan Carr about his the tech platforms and the unique certainly feel very strongly as an
stance on “holding Big Tech value of what we provide in local industry about the ability of our
accountable,” in your words. But communities that no one else in newsrooms to report the truth, and

4
 Newsmaker Vol. 49 No. 5 | March 1 2025
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CONTENT
the First Amendment. passed, and we’re very, very confident Managing Director, Content & Editor in Chief Paul J. McLane,
paul.mclane@futurenet.com, 845-414-6105
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But within the four corners of where House co-sponsors and 63 Senate Contributors: David Bialik, John Bisset, Edwin Bukont,
the FCC has clear legal authority, co-sponsors, and strong votes James Careless, Ken Deutsch, Mark Durenberger, Charles Fitch,
Donna Halper, Alan Jurison, Paul Kaminski, John Kean, Larry Langford,
modernizing regulations that are out of both the House Energy and Mark Lapidus, Michael LeClair, Frank McCoy, Jim Peck, Mark Persons,
Stephen M. Poole, James O’Neal, T. Carter Ross, John Schneider,
impeding broadcasters’ ability to Commerce Committee and the Gregg Skall, Dan Slentz, Dennis Sloatman, Randy Stine, Tom Vernon,
do that journalistic work is my Senate Commerce Committee. The Jennifer Waits, Steve Walker, Chris Wygal
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bill? What went wrong at the Commerce Committees, that the
end of last session? AM for Every Vehicle Act is going to
LeGeyt: Obviously we’re disappointed be a significant priority at the start
that the bill didn’t get over the finish of this Congress. I expect them to

radioworld.com | March 1 2025

 Newsmaker

6
Samuel Corum/Getty Images

Above move through consider committee legislation allowed Washington to differently in a few months.” They
LeGeyt, center, consideration quickly; then we help supplement that voice, and it seem clearly in line with your
testified last June
before a House will work to continue to increase coalesced our industry around a thinking that broadcasting’s
subcommittee the bipartisan support for the bill cause. Make no mistake, every auto marketplace is broader than it has
about performance and get it over the finish. [In early executive knows the importance been defined in the past.
royalties. He is
flanked by Eddie February the 2025 version passed the of AM radio to legislators in LeGeyt: There’s no doubt that the
Harrell Jr. of Senate Commerce Committee again.] Washington and to consumers in a marketplace is very different, certainly
Radio One and way they didn’t 24 months ago. As than how the 2018 quadrennial order
Michael Huppe of
SoundExchange. The AM bill shined a light on we’re looking at the long game and reflected it.
how much broadcasters are ensuring radio’s prominent place If I were to sit down at my dinner
valued by members of Congress, in the dashboard of the future, this and have a conversation with my
but carmakers have a huge voice, legislative activity is going to be family about the various ways in
too. We don’t imagine it’s going to helpful, not just for AM radio, but for which they’re consuming audio,
be easier to slide across. FM as well. I wouldn’t have to do a whole lot
LeGeyt: I don’t think it’ll be easy, but of technical work to convince my
let’s also talk about the silver lining, As one of the final acts under parents or my kids that there’s a lot
which is that we have been working Chairwoman Rosenworcel, of competition for audio attention,
to engage the automakers on the the FCC released its latest beyond just local radio broadcast.
importance of radio in their business communications marketplace Yet the FCC seems stuck in the
decisions over the course of the last assessment. I imagine you are past on the way that they have
several years. encouraged by comments from examined the marketplace. We’ve
The biggest challenge that radio Chairman Carr and Commissioner been extremely encouraged by
has is that we are a fragmented Symington, who basically scoffed the openness of Chairman Carr
industry. Speaking with one voice at it and said, “Yeah, we’ll have an and Commissioner Simington to
on the business side is difficult. This opportunity to look at this looking at the marketplace more

radioworld.com | March 1 2025

 Newsmaker

holistically. But we’ve also had great

conversations over the years with
Commissioner Starks and Gomez.
This is a rapidly evolving
marketplace, and we look
forward to working with all four
commissioners to talk about
modernization of regulations that
can help our stations better serve
their communities and compete,
especially with tech platforms
that aren’t confined by the same
restrictions on scale.

If there is a delay in having a

fifth commissioner
confirmed, what would the impact
be? Going back a term, there was
quite a gap.
LeGeyt: I wish I had that crystal ball
that could tell me the exact timing of a
fifth commissioner. [Subsequent to this
interview, Olivia Trusty was nominated,
but the timing of a confirmation vote
was not known.]
Lacking that, there are meaningful
steps that this FCC can take to
8 modernize ownership regulations
and remove some of the obstacles
that have prevented stations from
innovating and hyper serving local Above That shouldn’t be mistaken to advertising rates as well as
communities. LeGeyt is shown mean we aren’t willing to be at the interference?
outside his
We know the FCC processes and office at the NAB table for conversations around a LeGeyt: Listen, I’m grateful for the
NPRMs can be voted on, asking headquarters. holistic solution that would enable fact that the FCC heeded our call and
questions around a lot of these The painting is a broadcasters to better innovate slowed down that proceeding, because
remembrance of
issues, without a fifth commissioner. 9/11 and is titled in a more economical fashion, as at the outset, it was moving very quickly
We’re going to make our case to “Reflect. Unite. listeners are migrating over to with a lot of unsettled questions.
the seated commissioners on Cherish.” streaming. Nothing that the FCC did mandates
the need for the FCC to move But the bills that have been the use of the technology. I’m sure
quickly to update ownership rules proposed by the music industry that there are going to be certain
in particular. It is not partisan to that are a one-sided new royalty on stations that are going to take a
acknowledge that there’s been broadcasters will stifle our ability to look at what competitive advantage
tremendous change in the media serve local communities. they might be able to find through
marketplace since these ownership geotargeting.
rules came into effect. You have fought vocally Based on what I’ve heard from
against FM geotargeting and the majority of my members, I’m not
You’ve cited support for the the idea of boosters being allowed sure there is a lot of interest in that;
Local Radio Freedom Act to have very localized content for but time will tell. We are always for
opposing any radio three minutes an hour. The FCC new technologies that will allow our
performance royalty. allowed this unanimously, which stations to innovate better serve
LeGeyt: That’s going to continue to doesn’t seem to give you a whole listeners, better serve their business
be a priority, because maintaining lot of reason to think you could partners. If geotargeting can be
that firewall in opposition to any new claw it back. Are you holding to a part of that solution … I’m not
performance royalty on broadcasters those pretty dire predictions you convinced, but if it can be, I’m eager
is existential. made, about the impact on to see it.

radioworld.com | March 1 2025

 Newsmaker

Radio and TV cannot carry that they’re using the resources at know. Our competitive advantage
cannabis advertising. There their disposal to ensure that our is the trusted relationship that
has been some congressional stations are protected. our listeners have with their local
action in the past; the Safe personalities in every community.
Advertising Act comes to mind in You put a spotlight on AI at I worry that the increased prevalence
the Senate. That would be valuable the NAB Show last year. So of deep fakes risks undermining that
dollars for radio to tap into. Could many in our industry are both competitive advantage. We’re going to
2025 see a breakthrough? fascinated and threatened by it. continue to dialogue with policymakers
Legeyt: The previous administration Where do we stand now, and are about steps to ensure we’re fairly
was focused on rescheduling we making progress toward compensated for our content.

“
cannabis, which does have some creating guardrails, if, in fact, Congress has had a hard time
impact here, on the legal implications guardrails are needed? staying on top of this constant
of advertising — in terms of federal LeGeyt: AI is going to be an area evolution in technology, but we are
legislation that addresses ancillary where you see an even more going to be at the table. There’s a
business issues [such as] banking or expanded focus at the NAB Show in bipartisan awareness of the need to
advertising. April. So many areas of every station’s put some guardrails around this. But
These laws need to be updated it’s also a narrowly divided Congress.
to provide a safe harbor. It’s too We also will be working these issues

Within the
early to tell in this Congress whether heavily in the states, some of which
there’s going to be the bipartisan may be better equipped to deal with
consensus necessary to act. These
issues are not going to be legislated four corners the challenges for the industry.
I see this across the country, at a
as a one-off. If there’s going to be
cannabis legislation moving through of where the federal and state level, as a major
ongoing focus for this association.
the Senate, for example, it is likely to
be multifaceted, and the politics are
FCC has clear legal Broadcasters need to embrace the
technology where it will help increase

10
complicated around that.
We’ll be at the table arguing for the
authority, modernizing our reach, but we’ve got to protect
our stations about threats that
importance of advertising in terms of
regulations that are will undermine our ability to have

impeding broadcasters’
allowing consumers to be educated in a business.

”
the choices that they are making [and]

ability to do that
the benefits to the public. Two of the NAB Show’s new
leaders, Karen Chupka and

journalistic work is my
We’ve seen the FCC carrying Sean Perkins, have recent
out the will of Congress by experience at the Consumer
doing heightened enforcement and
sweeps in certain markets against top priority. Technology Association and the CES
show. What do they bring to
radio pirates. But many the table?
broadcasters are cynical that it Legeyt: They bring fresh perspectives
even matters, as long as there is no business are being impacted by these and an eye towards growth
visible Justice Department new technologies. We want to give opportunities.
enforcement and the government our radio members the opportunity The NAB Show continues to do a
doesn’t collect the fines. Is there to experience these innovations tremendous job servicing our core
anything that should be done hands on and get an understanding constituency, local radio and television
differently by any of these federal of how we can better use some of station groups and traditional media,
actors that can actually make a these technologies to service our with the latest technologies. We do
difference? communities. that through our more than 1,000
LeGeyt: I’m optimistic that the FCC No doubt, there are significant exhibitors as well as an array of
as well as the Justice Department concerns around our ability to programming.
will enforce the laws. We were very safeguard our content, as it is But the media ecosystem expands
gratified by the attention that the being used to train some of these well beyond that, and we need to
previous FCC put on these issues and new large learning models that are capture it. Whether you are a brand that
the tools that Congress has provided potential competitors. We’ve got is engaging directly with a consumer
to go police this. We’ll be working to protect the integrity of our local through a YouTube channel or a
closely with the new FCC to ensure personalities, those voices that you business that’s engaging with a would-

radioworld.com | March 1 2025

 Newswatch

be customer through Instagram, you

are in media; and there is a want to be Trautmann Retires
educated on the latest tools to better
engage your audiences, as well as to Conrad Trautmann will retire at the end of March from Cumulus
network and understand the best Media. Yancy McNair will be promoted to senior vice president of
means for distribution, monetization, engineering.
increased traffic. Trautmann is the company’s chief technology officer and had
We want the NAB Show to be the represented Cumulus on the NAB Radio Board. He is the latest
hub to all of that. What Karen and her prominent engineering executive to leave U.S. radio companies in
leadership brings to our team is a real the past year. Others have included Mike Cooney of Beasley; Jeff
push to think outside of the box as to Littlejohn and Alan Jurison of iHeartMedia; and Rob Bertrand of
this broader lens of what industries public radio station WAMU. All have been familiar not only for
are in media today, and how we their work at those organizations but for roles with entities like Conrad Trautmann
capture their needs. the National Radio Systems Committee and/or the NAB Radio
We’re already making significant Technology Committee.
headway, whether it’s in AI, sports Some of these departures have been retirements, others saw
or the creator economy, to broaden their positions eliminated. All have come against a background
our tent. I see that continuing under of general business retrenchment by major broadcasters. Taken
Karen’s leadership. But it’s important together they represent a notable changing of the guard among
to note that we had a tremendous the industry’s cadre of senior engineers.
and experienced team in place, which “Throughout his tenure, Conrad has been a driving force for
Karen was fortunate to inherit. She’s innovation and excellence,” said Cumulus Media President/CEO
building on top of that with new talent Mary G. Berner in a press release.
that brings some new and diverse Trautmann received the Radio World Excellence in Engineering
perspectives. Award in December.
Yancy McNair has been with Cumulus for 21 years, currently as Yancy McNair
What would you consider to VP of technical operations. He will report to Chief Financial Officer Frank Lopez-Balboa.
be your biggest win of the 11
past year?
LeGeyt: Meaningful policy-making
in Washington is a multi-Congress
process. If you look at every signature Payola Concerns
legislative victory that we’ve had as an
industry over the course of the past The FCC in February issued an enforcement advisory, reminding
three decades, none of them went stations that covert manipulation of airplay based on an artist’s
from fresh introduction to passage in participation in promotions or events violates payola rules.
a calendar year. “Neither broadcast licensees nor their personnel can compel or
With that context, what the accept unreported free or unreported reduced fee performances
industry accomplished on the by musicians in exchange for more favorable airplay,” the
AM for Every Vehicle Act was a Enforcement Bureau said in its advisory.
tremendous success, building a This action came after Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., wrote
bill from concept to introduction to Chairman Brendan Carr to “sound the alarm on the exploitative Facebook photo

to committee hearings and then practice of radio stations and networks offering an artist more Marsha Blackburn
markups, with the support of more airtime in exchange for performing a free show. By doing so, these
than 300 members of Congress. To radio stations and networks often reap the financial benefits of these shows through ticket sales,
do all of that in basically a 16-month sponsorships and other income while artists and record labels absorb the expenses.” She did not
period was truly phenomenal, identify specific broadcasters.
and as a result we’re really well Blackburn — who is also a sponsor of legislation to require radio stations to pay performance
positioned to get the bill over the royalties — said the promotional issue is important to Tennessee’s songwriters and music
finish line this Congress. community.
The success happened so quickly Asked to comment, National Association of Broadcasters Senior VP of Communications Alex
that it increased expectations that we Siciliano replied: “We appreciate the advisory although we don’t believe the FCC has received
could get it all done in one Congress. any actionable complaints. Our understanding is that our members are operating in accordance
Political reality got in the way of that. with the law.”
But I’m very optimistic we can do it.

radioworld.com | March 1 2025

 Workbench

John
Bisset
CPBE
The author
is in his 34th
year of writing
Workbench.
He handles
western U.S.
radio sales
for the Telos
Alliance and is
a past recipient
of the SBE’s
Educator of the
Year Award.

Tips
Please
Workbench
submissions
are encouraged
12 and qualify
Westend61/Getty Images

Catch my drift (and yours, too)

for SBE
recertification
credit. Email
johnpbisset@
gmail.com.

Tips to keep your PC network “on the clock”

A
s broadcast engineers it often feels like our keep it more accurately. Read it at tinyurl.com/rw-sync (or at
lives are dictated by time. This is especially www.thewindowsclub.com search for “change internet time”).
true when it comes to computerized audio
playout systems.
Frequent contributor Dan Slentz writes Paul on Update Blocker
that in his experience, Windows PCs have While we’re on the subject of Windows, Paul Sagi in
a tendency to drift, even with Network Time Protocol time Malaysia read the suggestion made in November by
service to lock onto. Matt Jones to consider the Windows Long-Term Servicing
Dan subscribes to a blog called TheWindowsClub, Channel, which prevents periodic Windows updates that
created by Microsoft MVP recipient Anand Khanse. The interrupt critical 24/7 operation.
site is for users of Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Paul says he likes a tool offered by the website Sordum
Windows 7 and Vista and discusses issues related to these for this purpose. At www.sordum.org search for “Windows
operating systems. Update Blocker” to download.
By default, these Windows versions Paul also shared an interesting blog post by Michael
sync your system time with internet Horowitz about this topic. Michael is a retired computer
servers on a weekly basis, but you programmer and blogger; he wrote his first program in
can sync the time more frequently. 1973. He wrote this post in 2018 but it provides interesting
In a recent post, Dan found good insights about services and tasks associated with Windows
information about how time works on updates that can be disabled. At www.michaelhorowitz.
Windows and how you can force PCs to com his blog posts are listed chronologically, so scroll

radioworld.com | March 1 2025

 Workbench

down to Dec. 5, 2018 to find “Killing

Windows Update on Windows 10 — A
Cheat Sheet.”

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equipment shows up at in the booth remotes.
of the Society of Broadcast Engineers
at state and national trade shows. Bottom
The restored Gates
Radio World contributor Mark Biamote — and it
Persons restored the Gates Biamote still works.
that was displayed at the Midwest
Regional Broadcasters Clinic in
Madison, Wis., in September, which he’d purchased at
a hamfest. This is a two-channel mixer/amplifier that
was used for remote broadcasting in the mid-1950s. The
accompanying photos show the unit before and after
Mark’s loving restoration.

More retro Reader Mike Fast rediscovered it recently on the

In the 1990s, Herb Squire, then chief engineer of YouTube channel of the AWA Communication Technologies
WQXR(AM/FM) in New York, put together a 22-minute Museum. I suspect you’ll enjoy it too. It’s at tinyurl.com/
compilation of great-sounding AM airchecks for an SBE rw-squire (or search on YouTube for “1992 AM RADIO
presentation. The quality is amazing. Demonstration by Herb Squire CE WQXR”).

radioworld.com | March 1 2025

 NAB Show

Writer

Randy J.
Stine
Radio World’s
lead news
contributor
wrote about
the BEACON
alerting
initiative last
issue.

Sean Gladwell/Getty Image

16
NAB Show 2025: Broadcast
Management Track
Here’s a preview of what’s on the agenda in Las Vegas

T
he cross-platform nature of the radio business A talk about the economic outlook by Nicole Ovadia of
— and its competitors — will be very evident BIA and Justin Nielson of S&P Global Market Intelligence is
in the broadcast management sessions at likely to be well attended.
the NAB Show. Then sessions over the next three days explore a mix
Broadcast Management is a track in the of topics.
Premium Conference. It includes 60-minute Refreshening a station’s message and delivery is the
sessions in West Hall conference rooms and 30-minute theme at “Rebranding & Revitalizing Your Station Brand.”
talks in the TV and Radio HQ in West Hall meeting rooms. Buzz Knight, founder of Buzz Knight Media, and Greg
Across the broader show we’ll hear a lot this year about Strassell, executive VP of programming at Hubbard Radio,
artificial intelligence, the cloud, the “creator economy,” are featured.
sports and streaming. Most of those topics also are likely to Knight says the session will discuss strategies to upgrade
pop up within the broadcast sessions. a station’s brand to better connect with listeners. “We will
dig into the intricacies of his thought process on rebranding
Diving in and share actionable steps that can be put to use in the
Saturday April 5 features the popular real world,” he told Radio World in an email.
“Small- and Medium-Market Radio The track will also explore ways for broadcasters to use
Forum,” in which presentations will social media to grow their radio product. David Snyder,
touch on AI, podcasting, connected cars, head of digital content marketing at Beasley Media Group,
high school sports, data attribution and leads a discussion about “Using Social Media to Develop
“lift” strategies. Community.”

radioworld.com | March 1 2025

 NAB Show

Edison Research says 235 million people are social “Share of Ear” data including information on Gen Z
media users, which includes Facebook, TikTok, Instagram radio listening and radio’s role in car.
and X. The session will focus on ways for air personalities
to extend their interaction with listeners through Tech talk
real-time communication using these various social Although engineers have their own conference
media tools. (to be previewed next issue), the Broadcast
Similarly, content and talent development are the focus Management sessions touch on tech too with
of several sessions, which look at broadcasters crossing “Engineering Success — How Engineers Impact the
over from radio to a variety of other platforms. Bron Bottom Line.”
Heussenstamm
“Cross-Platform Content Wins — Radio and Podcast NAB says although technology is the backbone of radio,
Success Stories” will feature Bron Heussenstamm, it’s often overlooked, and engineers sometimes are brought
founder/CEO of Bleav, and Colby Tyner, SVP Radio into projects much later than they should.
One & Research Media, discussing how to repurpose More on the difficulties of remaining a profitable
content across radio, podcasts, digital and social enterprise can be found at “Managing the Bottom Line,”
media to drive audience engagement and improve which will navigate industry uncertainty. A panel of
revenue. Strategic presentation across various speakers from big and smaller stations will discuss action
platforms, they say, will be critical. plans they’ve implemented on the expense and revenue
sides of radio. Speakers include Rob Babin, executive VP of
Data, analytics and more Laura Ivey radio at Cox Media Group; Tricia Gallenbeck, regional VP
Podcasting is again a theme. The common ground between with Cumulus Media; and Andrew Rosen, partner at
radio and podcasting creates numerous opportunities, Miller Kaplan.
according to John Wordock, president of John Wordock The final day of the Broadcast Management
Media LLC and host of the session “Podcasting Trends/ track includes “The Latest AI Strategies for Radio/
Strategies — Tapping into Growth.” Podcasting Marketing and Programming,” which will
Wordock said he plans to identify the “hot trends” in in discuss AI’s use in radio and podcasting. As Radio
podcasting. Wordock previously served as executive editor/ World has reported, AI is being adopted for a range
SVP at the Cumulus Podcast Network and was executive of radio tasks like script writing, audio production
producer for podcasts at The Wall Street Journal. John Parikhal and music scheduling. A panel including Dara 17
John Lund, president of Lund Media Group, will Kalvort, corporate VP of digital sales and strategy,
host “Talent Development/Managing Talent Across and John Parikhal, president of John Parikhal + Associates,
Platforms.” will offer takeaways and strategies on what’s working for
Lund says the diversity of content platforms radio and podcasts.
places importance on how talent is developed to be

Here’s a sample of other

effective across different media.
Data collection and audience measurement
intersect in several sessions. session titles in the Broadcast
Management Track:
Much has been made of Nielsen’s change this
Tricia Gallenback
year to a three-minute qualifier, down from a five-
minute threshold, updating how measurement is done in “Creating Your Faculty-Broadcaster Talent Pipeline”
48 Nielsen Portable People Meter markets.
In “Measurement Metrics that Matter for Radio/ “Music Licensing — Broadcast Radio & TV”
Podcasting,” speakers from the Radio Advertising Bureau
and Nielsen will discuss this modernization and why they “Sports Radio and Podcasting — Where are the Big
feel it offers a significantly more comprehensive and Revenue Opportunities?”
realistic outcome.
As Radio World has reported, some observers think the “Election 2026: Ensuring Radio’s Success
change could result in an increase in listener levels of 24% in the Midterms”
in PPM markets and 10% nationally.
Some radio advocates have lobbied for shorter “How to Perfect Your Syndication Approach
commercial breaks as a way to boost ratings. In “The and Strategies”
Need for Shorter Stopsets,” Larry Rosin, co-founder and
president at Edison Research, sifts through data that shows “How to Successfully Sell Digital Advertising Solutions”
why radio needs to make this change.
Meanwhile, “Trends and Data in Radio” with Edison “Emergency Preparedness Best Practices”
Research Director of Research Laura Ivey, will delve into

radioworld.com | March 1 2025

 Emergency Planning

18

APU GOMES/AFP via Getty Images

How to be there when

Writer

it counts the most

Valerie Geller shares tips from experts on preparing for disasters
Valerie
Geller Valerie Geller’s new book is “Beyond Powerful Radio — An The answer is to prepare for anything that can happen.
Audio Communicators Guide to the Digital World.” Have a contingency plan in place so that all members
She devotes a chapter to emergency preparedness. This is an of your staff know what to do when an emergency
edited excerpt. event occurs.

I
The very best solution would be to bring back reporting
magine the worst — the recent L.A. wildfires, and news coverage. Many of the program directors and
an earthquake, a blizzard or tornado, a school managers I work for would be only too happy to restore
shooting. If a radio station has limited news staff, full-service news departments to their stations, but if they
and most of the programming is AI, syndicated or don’t have that option, then what?
Above voice-tracked, how will you serve your audience As mentioned, broadcasters are depending, more and
Firefighters are
silhouetted by if lives are in danger and there’s a fast-moving more often, on artificial intelligence. AI is already scraping
flames from the tornado or a toxic spill? data from government departments like the United States
Hughes Fire in In the United States, stations have failed the public in its Geological Service, to generate automatic emergency
northwest Los
Angeles County in time of need. And without advance preparation it could be announcements. These go straight to the EAS. You may
January. your city, your station and your listeners. already get these types of alerts on your phone. AI is

radioworld.com | March 1 2025

 Emergency Planning

likely to be more widely used and generate more detailed team can send its audio feed directly over your airwaves, to
announcements as it improves. And it will help. Would your entire station group, including your music stations.
you, as a listener, care if you hear the first alert about an Eisenson also suggests partnering with other radio
emergency from a newsroom or AI delivered straight to stations in your market, including your competitors, in
your speaker, as long as it told you what you have to do? times of dire crisis.
But even if AI were perfect, in a disaster, the Since you can’t predict whose transmitter will still be
announcement may not make it to stations or listeners’ functioning in certain types of emergencies, “Arrange in
phones. In Hawaii, during the Maui wildfire of 2023, advance for any stations in your cluster or area that have
AI-generated announcements were transmitted via news staffs to record reports for stations that don’t. Have
cellphones — but the inferno had devastated the cellphone them sent by any method you can get onto your airwaves.
towers. Radio stations were still operating, and, if they had You may need to use all of your frequencies to disseminate
had news people on site, they could have helped deliver life-saving information.” Offer the same courtesy to your
potentially lifesaving warnings. local TV partner.
With these real-life experiences in mind, what can “And it’s vital that you teach your staff, from the all-night
broadcasters do to serve their cities on the inevitable day automation supervisor to the front-desk receptionist, how

“
when their communities need critical information? to flip that switch to halt your automation or a show in
Even with a small staff, by using a little creativity and progress so you can go live, or change over to a live feed
pulling together during a crisis, there are some practical from your TV partner.”
ways you can get information out to the public. That’s not all you’ll need to teach your day-to-day
Alan Eisenson programmed a cluster of stations in operations people. Everyone in your building can learn to
Sacramento, Calif., including news leader KFBK, and talk handle an emergency news situation, should one arise.
Just as you train for a fire drill, practice a news drill with
everyone in your company so you’ll have “all hands on

Have a contingency deck” when you need them.

The basic things your staff should know, in case of

plan in place so that

”
emergency:

20
all members of your • How to maintain credibility in order to collect, gather and
verify that information is correct before it goes to air

staff know what to do when an • How to get in touch with local authorities on the scene

emergency event occurs.

who can give you credible information
• What is the right time and place for listener calls
• What role should social media play in disaster or major
event coverage
• How to turn off any automation, take over the controls
and broadcast live
stations in San Francisco. He lived with the reality of a news
staff that was a lot smaller than it once had been. Make sure your staff knows that broadcasters need to
Still, Eisenson prepared, because “Even if you have a adhere to the first rule of the Hippocratic Oath, given to all
skeletal news staff, when events happen, and calls start new physicians: “Do no harm.”
pouring into the station, the receptionist or board op Credibility and correct information are vital. If someone
or webmaster is overwhelmed, and the GM yells ‘Do calls and tells you it is safe to go into a building where a
something!’, you have to have a plan.” shooting took place, but it turns out one of the gunmen is
still inside, you may have made the situation worse. If you
Partnering with TV broadcast the wrong information, such as reporting on the
Jerry Bell, who spent decades as the news manager of KOA death or injury of a person who is neither dead nor injured,
Radio in Denver, Colorado, and Lee Harris, an executive at you cause unnecessary pain and suffering to their families.
NewsNation, a former station owner And there are legal issues.
and 1010 WINS New York newsman, This is why extra caution should be used when giving
agree with Eisenson on this: You should names of people affected by a disaster before they have
form a partnership with your local TV been officially confirmed.
news station or digital news services. Rita Rich, president of Rita Rich Media Services, worked
Do it now. with the Red Cross as a client. Experienced in producing
One of the goals should be to set up national talk shows, Rich has also worked network
your station so that your local TV news Continued on page 22

radioworld.com | March 1 2025

 Emergency Planning

Jerry Bell’s Emergency

“Red Binder”
1. Emergency numbers and contacts from callers. Take notes. Repeat frequently
(in a place where everyone can what you have been told. Scene set every 10
find it!). minutes. “Here’s what we know right now …”
Take the time to compile a list of contacts for • Put yourself in the place of someone who lives
people with police, fire, hospital, utility companies nearby. What would you want to know? That’s
and homeland security. Get more than office what to ask.
numbers. You need cell phone numbers, and • If possible, have someone screen calls. If that’s
e-mail and Twitter contacts. It will take a little not possible, put your B.S. detector on. Hoax
time to get an initial list. But once you have calls are a possibility. My experience is that
one, test call every six months to make sure young teens and adults in their 20s are the
the numbers are current. Make sure you have most likely hoaxers.

4.
numbers of people who are designated to go
on the air.
Basic information about what
to do for earthquakes, tornadoes

2. A map of where staffers live or terrorist events.

and numbers where they can be You can get great information from your state
reached 24/7. office of emergency services, weather service and
Know where your staff lives. Whoever is closest to Homeland Security. They have simple instructions
an event can head toward the scene. Since they about what to do in a variety of situations.
work for you, you can trust their information. Sometimes this simple information is the best
They can also explain local landmarks and information you can impart in an emergency. 21

5.
help describe where something is taking place.
They may even know people who live nearby.
Instructions about when to
[Remember, not everybody is appropriate to send
dump commercials.
(You don’t want to broadcast a spot
into an emergency situation.]

3.
for an airline in the middle of coverage about a
Guidelines for crisis coverage plane crash.)

6.
interviews.
Before I list them, let me say that I
You need street maps of your area
believe that managers should manage and stay
and state. Invest in a good quality
off the air. In a disaster situation management is
street map.
It helps to pinpoint where something is taking
critical. Listeners should hear voices they are used
place. Make sure you have a TV monitor in your
to. Your regular DJ or talk host can handle the air
studio. If there is TV coverage, it helps if your on-
work. A manager needs to listen to what’s going
air person can see what is happening.

7.
out over the air and make decisions that guide
the coverage. Create a mission statement for
• Stay calm. Take notes and limit speculation. what you want your station to do
• When talking to the public, ask what they can during a disaster.
see, hear or smell. Does the caller have any If there’s a disaster, what do you expect? Spell
expertise to comment on a particular aspect of out expectations. Then provide a framework for
what is taking place? If someone tells you what decision-making. First order of business is
they think or believe, remember to say you’ll to get a general manager or program
check it out with authorities. Do not accept director involved ASAP.
it as fact.
• Check with emergency professionals on a
continuous basis. Ask them about observations

radioworld.com | March 1 2025

 Emergency Planning

and phone numbers to call, should the computers go

down in an emergency. These contacts are especially
important to have:

• County emergency operations center if you have one.

• Local sheriff’s department/police department.
• State police barracks numbers.
• Fire and rescue media relations/public affairs office
direct, mobile and home numbers, and social
media contacts.
• Department of Homeland Security numbers.
• Emergency contact numbers for public information
officers of high-profile locations such as airports,
seaports, power plants and utilities.

Rich says your book should also have information on where

people will be able to find help. Have contacts for your
local Red Cross Chapters and their emergency operations
centers. Include first-responder citizen support groups such
as the Salvation Army, and local shelters for people and
even animals. There may be people unwilling to evacuate in
a crisis if they fear for their pets. (Emergency volunteers are

“
a good source of leads for stories. However, most will not
be authorized to speak “on the record.”)
If you do not have your own weather expert, know which
local weather services your station or group ownership
works with. Have the number of governmental offices that
22 handle weather-related emergencies.
Have contact information of local hospital emergency
rooms and hospital media relations/public affairs

You should form personnel, to find out about casualties.

While instant messaging and other forms of social

a partnership with

”
media can be useful, Rich warns the information must be
verifiable.

your local TV news Jerry Bell recommends that you keep a “how to” guide
in your studio for emergencies: Have a plan. Keep it in a
station or digital news services. red binder marked “Emergency” in your studio. You can

Do it now.
also put it on a computer, but what happens when the
power goes out? Also, you can tear pages out of a binder if
you need to.
A lot of stations already have a printout and/or a
computer file of emergency contact phone numbers
including cell numbers of firefighters and police, FBI and
newsrooms. She maintains you can train just about anyone FEMA. But it’s useless unless everyone in the building
on your staff to give accurate information in a crisis. knows how to get hold of it. Copies of the emergency plan
“Teach your station’s staff how to interrupt regular should also be in the general manager’s office and the
programming and turn on a microphone. In an emergency program director’s office.
you will need everyone you’ve got. If you have a very small [See more about this binder on page 21.]
operation, a ‘Board Op 101’ training seminar should be part The emergency chapter of Geller’s book also discusses press
of the station basic employment orientation. Make certain passes, emergency scripts, staff training and other aspects of
Above
This story is everyone on your staff is familiar with news and press this important topic.
excerpted from releases. Everyone should know where your emergency Valerie Geller is a broadcast and podcast trainer,
Valerie Geller’s new contact book is located.” consultant and talent coach. Text from “Beyond Powerful
book. Info is at www.
beyondpowerfulradio. Rich suggests assembling a physical book of Radio” is used with permission from Routledge Press © 2025
com essential contacts, with e-mail addresses and text Valerie Geller.

radioworld.com | March 1 2025

 fixed reference carrier at 1715 kHz to correct automatic gain control shifts in the RSPdx. A switch allowed
the TinySA to be converted from a signal generator to spectrum analysis when needed to study signals

AM Radio
from the roof antenna. A laptop computer running Windows 10 was connected to the RSPdx and a GPS
antenna to store AM band measurements and location data.

The RSPdx and SDRuno files allowed later playback as audio for quality assessment. Nearly three- and

NRSC studies RF noise on

one-half hours of audio and data were collected for each of the three AM stations and three low-noise
channels over the entire route.

various roadway types

3.2 Test Route Selection
Measurements were collected on March 23, 2023, between noon and 5 PM EST. The weather was cool
and dry, and no lightning was detected in the region. The route covered 50 miles of roadway as shown in
Figure 3, beginning with Germantown, Maryland to the west and ending south of downtown Baltimore,
Maryland. Short stops were made between route segments to store data files and restart the

We asked Cris Alexander to read the report and comment

instrumentation. The route passed through areas that are categorized, according to building clutter density
in Table 1.
Cris

T
Alexander he National
Director of Radio Systems
Engineering Committee
Crawford recently published
Broadcasting
the results of
a study on AM
band noise.
The report, principally
authored by John Kean, is titled
NRSC-R102, “Measurement of
AM Band RF Noise Levels and
Station Signal Attenuation.” It
was released in January.
The study consisted of
several measurement series
conducted along roadways
both in urban and rural areas,
measuring the signal strength Figure 3. Map showing measurement route with build-up areas shown in gray.
of three different Baltimore/
24 Washington 50 kW AM stations as wellThis study
as the RFexamines
noise on Tweedles
whether noise levels change andwithchirps
building clutter density, which assumes that RF
environmental noise in denser areas is degrading AM reception quality. However, RF noise is only one
three different unoccupied AM band frequencies. Thebeing
factor in reception quality: the other report
the concludes with
strength of the several
desired recommendations,
signal. To address this critical signal
Measurements were made across five environments:
factor including
this study collected simultaneous field strategic transmitterwith
strength measurements placement, theAM
three regional use of single-
stations, listed
in Table 2.
rural, rural-suburban, suburban, urban and dense urban. frequency networks, improved car AM antenna efficiency
The results were mostly as one would expect, but there and better receiver design.
were a few surprises. I would agree with all these recommendations in
One was that field strengths from the test stations were principle, but some Page 9 are not practical in many cases.
sometimes far below predicted values and that reception In recent years, our industry has seen a trend of AM
in what would normally be considered “quiet” areas was transmitter sites being sold off and the stations moved
often noisy. to locations more distant from the city center. AM tower
Another surprise, at least for me, was that suburban sites soak up a lot of real estate, and often urban growth
environments often produced some of the best, most has made those tower sites open-space islands in built-up
noise-free reception. There were certainly noisy spots areas. The dirt is worth much more than the radio station.
as you would expect, but strong field strengths from the The result is, in many cases, lower signal strengths in the
stations generally produced good, noise-free listening. city, not greater. Stations that used a number of towers in a
Not surprising, power lines, traffic (possibly electric directional pattern that put a strong main lobe over the city
vehicles?) and electrical equipment were identified as the often downgrade to a single tower with a much lower non-
main manmade noise producers. directional power level. The resulting reduction in signal
That certainly tracks with my own experience. Overhead levels is predictable.
power lines, light rail catenaries and other power-carrying One source of RF noise in the mobile listening
conductors along roadways have long been sources of environment not dealt with — in fairness, it is well beyond
hash in AM reception. the scope of the report — is on-board computers and
Also not surprising, heavily built-up areas tend to electronics.
Above attenuate AM signals. Local noise sources within these Long before electric vehicles were a thing, I began
A map in the areas, in combination with the reduced signal strengths of observing this in my travels. I would rent a car with what
report shows the AM stations, often result in reduced signal-to-noise ratios, looked to be a good entertainment system aboard, but it
measurement
route, with built-up even making AM reception impossible in some situations. would quickly become clear that reception of even strong
areas in gray. There is nothing new there. AM signals was a challenge.

radioworld.com | March 1 2025

 AM Radio

Two factors were apparently at work. One was Increasing power would improve the
the “shark fin” or other low-profile antenna used, signal-to-noise ratio of any station at any
and the other was noise generated by the car’s location within the coverage area. AM power
electronics. is limited in most cases by co- and adjacent-
My wife’s car is a good example of this. Even channel protections. I think it’s time that
our local 50 kW AM station that produces a lot of the FCC recognizes — even from the data in
signal strength has all sorts of tweedles, bleeps the NRSC report that shows even 1.5 mV/m
and chirps audible in the background. Shut the field strengths to be problematic in rural
car off and all those rhythmic noises go away. environments — that the 0.5 mV/m protected
In recent years, we have seen what is essentially contour is no longer valid. There’s just too
the same thing with EVs. Motor control electronics, much noise out there to make a half-millivolt
traction motors and onboard computers produce signal comfortably listenable in most locations.
so much hash that some manufacturers have Raising the normally protected contour to a
“solved” the problem by removing AM reception more reasonable value — say, 2 mV/m — would
from the entertainment system altogether. permit many stations a significant power increase, and with
Some vehicles, and not necessarily EVs, are rolling that would come improved signal-to-noise ratios and better
noise generators that affect not only reception for their listening experiences.
occupants but also affect nearby vehicles. Get stuck Would station owners make that investment if they
in traffic near one of those and you may find yourself could? Many would, but I suspect many more would not.
switching to FM or some other source. Still, for those who are willing to make the investment to
Clearly most all these things are beyond the control of Read the better serve their listeners, having that option would be a
the broadcaster. Report good thing.
www.
So what is the solution to noise on the AM band? We’re nrscstandards. The author is a longtime contributor to Radio World
talking about signal-to-noise ratio here, and if we can’t do org/reports/ and former tech editor of RW Engineering Extra. Radio
anything about the noise, maybe we can do something reports.asp World welcomes comments about this or any article. Email
about the signal. radioworld@futurenet.com.

25

VISIT US AT
NABSHOW 2025
IN BOOTH
#W2814
 Amazing Radio Studios 2025

Leighton makes a move

26 Writer
Paul
McLane

Its cluster in Detroit Lakes settles into new digs

T
ony Abfalter is director of engineering and IT services it offers.
for Leighton Media, which has approximately It recently created a new home for its stations in
three dozen radio signals in Minnesota and Detroit Lakes, including KBOT(FM), KRCQ(FM) and the first
North Dakota including FMs, AMs and FM Leighton station, KDLM(AM).
translators. “This project was special because this was our
Leighton Broadcasting was founded in 1963 company’s original radio market,” Abfalter said, and the
by Al Leighton in Detroit Lakes, Minn., an area that boasts stations were moving from its original site just north
more than 400 lakes within 25 miles. of the city.
Two years ago the company celebrated its 60th “We ended up with three on-air studios, with one
Above
Ample light in this anniversary and subsequently rebranded as Leighton being a large AM studio with seven guest spots, and
air studio. Media, reflecting the variety of marketing and advertising two production studios.” He said the company sought
to create a clean layout that can support
podcasting and video as well as radio needs.
“The community was extremely involved in
the process, not only because we sourced a
lot of materials and products locally, but also
just the general interest from the community,
supporting our radio stations in Detroit Lakes.”
Demolition began in 2022 while Abfalter
was away at McMurdo Station in Antarctica.
Construction began when he returned and was
completed in early 2024.
 Amazing Radio Studios 2025
Far left
Racks in the
technical ops center.

Left
Quite the lobby
ornament!

General Manager Jeff Leighton collaborated with

Abfalter on the building layout and design. Abfalter and
fellow engineer Dave Hartman designed the studios.
The integration and buildout were handled in-house
by the Leighton engineers, with Abfalter acting as More
general contractor. Studios
Read “Amazing
Key components include products from Wheatstone, NotaBotYet controller, for a little extra flare. And to add a Radio Studios
RCS, Comrex, Yellowtec, Electro-Voice and Broadcasters bit of personality in the lobby, the engineering team has 2025” at
General Store. installed a tower section with a working beacon and a radioworld.
com/ebooks.
The custom furniture includes an LED illumination strip small retired FM antenna bay, shown at left. “It’s definitely
around the edges, with its color and patterns run by a a conversation piece when people see it.”

27
28

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radioworld.com | March 1 2025
 Roots of Radio

Writer
A structure is gone, its
memories remain
We lost a piece of radio history up here in Cleveland last summer

D
Mark riving down Snowville Road in Brecksville, For the Van Sweringens, WTAM was merely a hometown
Krieger Ohio, late last summer, I passed by a 12-acre public relations flourish. At that moment, they were said to
parcel at 8200 just as a demolition crew was be worth $3 billion, with massive railroad and real estate
poking through the leveled remnants of a holdings. Their stately Cleveland Union Terminal complex
building that had occupied the site for nearly — Terminal Tower — would open to the public just months
a century. afterward.
They may have been gleaning scraps of copper. It’s The first antenna on site consisted of two 200-foot
unlikely they knew much about the structure’s history. towers near the east and west property lines, supporting a
It had been built to elegant standards in 1929 by the Van horizontal, center-fed aerial.
Sweringen brothers and Cleveland Electric Illuminating The stock crash of October 1929 set in play a slow-
Company to house the transmission facilities of their newly moving economic tsunami that would eventually
acquired radio station WTAM. consume the Van Sweringens. So both they and the
No expense was spared. Stylish faux stone streetlamps Illuminating Company may have been relieved to have
lined the driveway. An ornate outdoor chandelier hung the National Broadcasting Corporation remove WTAM
above the front entrance of the stucco building, which sat from their books in 1930.
nearly in the middle of the 14-acre site.
Inside were offices, a boiler room and a set of high-power New tower
DC generators to serve the new 50,000-watt transmitter, The looming depression had done little to blunt NBC’s
the first of its kind in Cleveland. appetite for expansion. Only three years old, this subsidiary
of communications leviathan RCA had already established 29
two profitable nationwide radio networks.
It upgraded WTAM immediately, replacing the inefficient
horizontal aerial with a robust single 450-foot tower that is
still in service today. WTAM could now be heard from the
East Coast to the Rocky Mountains, as Cleveland became a
linchpin in NBC’s Red Network.
Although the main studios and business offices were
in downtown Cleveland, NBC saw that nothing at 8200
Snowville Road was less than cutting edge. Following
World War II, the network moved quickly to add broadcast
transmission facilities for Cleveland’s second TV, WNBK
Channel 4, and first FM, WTAM-FM 105.7, in late fall of 1948.
Things took a dramatic turn in 1956 when NBC
decided to trade its Cleveland AM, FM and TV operations
to Westinghouse in a controversial exchange for that
company’s AM/FM/TV stations in Philadelphia. Rechristened
as KYW, the transmission complex was moved to a new,
much larger tower on Broadview Road in the suburb of
Parma, and the 24/7 comings and goings at 8200 Snowville
Road lapsed into silence.

The Smith years

Carl E. Smith, a trailblazer in radio antenna design, saw an
opportunity and ultimately purchased the idle property,
including the towers.
Smith had achieved early success with his 1934 founding
Courtesy Mike Fitzpatrick/NECRAT.us of a technical correspondence school that became known

radioworld.com | March 1 2025

 Roots of Radio

worldwide as the Cleveland Institute of Electronics, and as work of CES Consulting Radio Engineers at 8200 Snowville,
an engineer with Cleveland’s first broadcast station, WHK. eventually moving to a new address in Bath, Ohio.
Contracted by NBC to help get WTAM-FM on the air, Smith Carl Smith passed in 1998, and the entire site eventually
went on to build an international reputation for his work was acquired by Vertical Bridge LLC. Carl’s son in law
with high-power AM, FM and shortwave broadcast and Jim Pollock continued to use the facility for RFI/EMI
defense-related systems. measurement work until his retirement and closure of the
By 1958, 8200 Snowville Road would also host both building several years ago.
studios and transmitter of a new religious radio station, Today WTAM(AM), WZAK(FM) and WAKS(FM) still operate
WCRF-FM, owned by the Moody Bible Institute. Still another from the tower, while Vertical Bridge pursues plans to
FM station transmitter, serving WZAK, would be added to subdivide the site for real estate development. The building
the site in 1964. Catholic radio WMIH(AM)’s studios were is gone now, but its remarkable history and the spirit of
hosted for a brief period in the early 1990s. those who shaped it endure.
Meanwhile, the remaining portion of the building served Mark Krieger is a retired broadcast engineer, manager and
to house Smith’s companies, Smith Electronics Inc. and educator. He worked for a number of Cleveland-area radio
Carl E. Smith Consulting Engineers. He even established his stations, was active in the SBE and taught at Cleveland State
home on an adjacent property. and John Carroll Universities.
Among some of the unique features found in and
around the building during that period were a fully-
screen RF shielded enclosure for RFI/EMI measurements
and certification, along with an analog computer Readers’ Forum
designed to produce polar performance plots for AM
directional antenna arrays. There was an outdoor
turntable with a ground plane, used to rotate antennas
in free space for characterization measurements, as
well as large vertically polarized log-periodic antennas
operating in the HF band. Exotic prototype model
antennas hung from the walls and ceilings inside the
30 building, while a large searchlight mounted on the
building exterior could be used to highlight the 450-foot
tower at night with dramatic effect.

Goings and comings

The 1970s brought inevitable change. WCRF built a new
studio/transmitter facility on Barr Road in Brecksville and
left the building. Future broadcast tenants on the tower
would construct their own buildings around its base. WMIT’s Steve McPeters and
NBC had managed to reacquire its former Cleveland Keith Pittman are shown with
AM/FM/TV combo in 1965 under the new call letters a technician from Carolina Cat
who is configuring a generator.
WKYC. But by 1972, it lost interest in its Cleveland radio

WMIT Shone During Helene

outlets, spinning them off to a local group headed by
the late Nick Miletti along with associates Tom and Jim
Embrescia.
Station 1100 AM thus became WWWE, and 105.7 FM I just read the article that Nick Langan prepared on the “extra mile” day and
WWWM. After the transfer, NBC wanted WWWE(AM) night coverage provided by the staff of WMIT(FM) during and following Hurricane
to vacate its tower due to the technical challenges the Helene — truly the most devastating natural disaster in our area that I have seen
combined operation posed. While WWWM(FM) was in my lifetime (“The Light FM’s Superpower Signal Shines,” http://radioworld.com,
welcome to stay at the NBC Broadview Road site as a search keyword WMIT).
tenant, WWWE 1100 had to go. Thank you, my friends, for the professional and outstanding manner
So a lease was signed with Smith, a new concrete block with which you on the Radio World team bring the latest information and
building was erected, and WWWE’s 50 kW transmitter developments in the broadcast industry.
returned to 8200 Snowville Road in 1974, where it remains
Tom King
to this day. They would be joined by WBNX-TV Channel 55
Chairman of the Board
from 1985 through 2000.
Kintronic Labs Inc.
As Smith eased into retirement in the 1980s, Professional
Bristol, Tenn.
Engineers Al Warmus and Roy Stype would continue the

radioworld.com | March 1 2025

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