The Broadcasters' Desktop Resource
This Week’s Newsletter
Greetings from your broadcast friends out on the Desert…
This is BDR Newsletter 810, Volume 16, #30 for February 26, 2025
DST LOOMS AGAIN!
Unless you are in Arizona or Hawaii, like it or not Daylight Saving Time is just around the corner! This year, DST begins on Sunday, March 9, 2025, at 2 AM local time (and will run through November 2nd).
Over the years there are fewer items of legacy gear that need attention relating to the change, but it is worth taking a moment to audit your systems from traffic (the “lost” hour) to remote control scripts. Then there is no worry, right?
FCC OVERSIGHT
As we see from the current discussions about government agencies and funding recently, the struggle between the Executive Branch and Congress is not always straightforward. Adding to that, a number of what are nominally independent government agencies � including the FCC – will now be under the increased supervision of the White House according to a recent Executive Order. It may take some time to see exactly how this will develop, but we already know the majority (3-2) will be the Republican members of the Commission for the next four years – and their policies will have some effect.
UP, UP, AND AWAY…
Speaking of the FCC, you may or may not like some of Brendan Carr’s initial moves as FCC Chairman, but one thing you might find of interest: the man climbs towers … at 1800-feet, a lot higher than most all of us. There is video!
THE RIGHT TOOL AT THE RIGHT PLACE
All of us have at one time found ourselves with a task or project and the exact tool we need is not on site. Some respond by carrying a dizzying variety of tools on their truck. Others place key parts at each site they maintain. Which tools and where – that is the basis for our discussion this week.
Please join us tomorrow (Thursday) at 2PM Eastern /11 AM Pacific for our weekly Virtual Lunch Gathering. There is a 99.5% chance you will learn something! The link is available at www.theBDR.net/TLG/ … and we will also be available via youtube.com/thebdrnet/
May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!
EAS – YES, THERE IS A PLAN FOR A TEST
There have been a number of folks asking if an NPT will be sent out this year (we did not have one in 2024). The news from IPAWS is that they are “planning one [a national test] for fall 2025.” The exact date, of course, probably will not be revealed for a while. Perhaps at the NAB Spring Show we will find out.
NAB: BROADCAST OWNERSHIP RULES NEED CHANGING
It is a daily concern for broadcasters: the fracturing of audiences due to the variety of the media landscape. NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt makes the case that the FCC should modernize the rules concerning local ownership of how many stations an entity may own in each market so as to encourage local journalism and coverage of news and sporting events. He noted that the move to streaming has brought in some big players (Amazon, Netflix, etc) with big pockets to grab sporting events, for example, and take them behind a pay wall – something detrimental to local broadcasters.
DO YOU WANT A SILENT ALBUM?
A new album by 1000 British musicians to protest AI using their work is … well … silent. “Is This What You Want?” was put out to protest new potential laws in the UK regarding whether AI can be trained with copyrighted material.
BOND, AMAZON BOND
The longtime producers of the James Bond franchise have sold creative control to Amazon MGM Studios. Run by Albert “Cubby” Broccoli and his daughter and son-in-law, since 1962, the series will now be run out of Amazon MGM. The hunt for the next James Bond is underway. Could the end result be similar to that for Dr Who?
FOR SALE
We have a Harris and an OMB transmitter available, and someone is looking for a Broadcast Tools audio switcher. Check out these and other items on the BDR.
May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!
Some recent articles of interest:
- Measuring RF Power – Getting It Right – Bob Tarsio
- Join the Lunch Gathering – Thursday 2 PM Eastern
- Enforcement Watch – FCC Chair seeks Payola Information
- Remembering those Color Codes – Rolf Taylor
- Registered Plug? No, It’s A Jack – Rolf Taylor
- CES 2025 – Walking the Floor – Barry Mishkind
- Ham Radio: Emergency News Service – Mike Langner
- My Tower Can Hear! – Gary Minker
- Bell Labs: a Century of Innovation – Dave Felice
- Dana’s Daily Deals
May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!
MANUFACTURERS’ NEWS
NAB is approaching fast! …. April 5-9. The Registration Page is here.
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BOOTH LIST AND FLOOR PASSES: Go to NAB.org (the link just above)
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BE continues to roll out AudioVAULT 11. Gow Media in Houston was among the most recent to take advantage of special pricing offered by BE in honor of AudioVAULT’s 35th anniversary, including to previous users.
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WorldCast Systems unveils APTmpX v2, the latest version of its award-winning MPX transport technology. Now featuring integrated RDS transport, both as synchronized data and a RDS 57 kHz subcarrier, APTmpX v2 delivers unmatched signal fidelity and optimized bandwidth at 300, 400, and 600 kbps.
May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!
Do You Remember? This week in history:
Broadcast related items:
- 1 year ago (2/23/24) Beyonc� became first Black woman to top Billboard country music chart with single “Texas Hold ‘Em.“
- 27 years ago (2/28/98) Celine Dion got a #1 hit from the movie Titanic with “My Heart Will Go On.“
- 30 years ago (2/24/95) Frank Sinatra made his last public performance.
- 32 years ago (2/27/93) Whitney Houston’s sone “I Will Always Love You” hit #14 for the 14th week.
- 40 years ago (3/1/85) Ford licensed The Beatles “Help!” for a commercial, marking the first time one of their songs was used in a TV ad.
- 41 years ago (2/24/84) Van Halen jumped to #1 with “Jump” for five weeks.
- 42 years ago (2/28/83) the final episode of M*A*S*H was broadcast. 77% of all viewers saw it.
- 45 years ago (2/27/80) the first and only Grammy Award for Disco went to …. *
- 52 years ago (2/24/73) Roberta Flack started five weeks at #1 with “Killing Me Softly with His Song.“
- 54 years ago (2/27/71) three months after she died, Janis Joplin’s album “Pearl” hit #1.
- 59 years ago (2/26/66) Nancy Sinatra walked all the way up to #1 with “These Boots Are Made for Walking.”
…and 86 years ago (3/1/39) WLW returned to only 50 kW as Congress acted to appease other station owners.
Here are a few other “newsy” items of interest:
- 32 years ago (2/26/93) the World Trade Center bombing kills six, injures more than 1,000. (Not 9/11!)
- 32 years ago (2/28/93) a gun battle broke out that led to fire and death of Branch Davidians at Waco.
- 25 years ago (2/28/90) the ARPANET was decommissioned, becoming the Internet.
- 53 years ago (2/17/72) the VW Beetle overtook the Ford Model T as world’s best-selling car.
- 56 years ago (3/1/69) Mickey Mantle retired.
- 61 years ago (2/25/64) Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, defeated Sonny Liston to win his first world heavyweight title.
- 64 years ago (3/1/61) President Kennedy established the Peace Corps.
- 72 years ago (2/28/53) scientists first discovered the chemical structure of DNA.
- 90 years ago (2/26/35) Robert Watson-Watt demonstrated RADAR for the first time.
- 93 years ago (3/1/1932) the Lindbergh baby was kidnapped.
- 106 years ago (2/26/19) the Grand Canyon National Park was established.
- 222 years ago (2/24/1803) Marbury v. Madison establishes principle of judicial review in US.
… and 570 years ago (2/23/1455) the Gutenberg Bible was published.
May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!
* “I will Survive” and Gloria Gaynor.
MIDWEEK BONUS
A REALLY BIG ONE!
The SS United States, a historic 990-foot ocean liner (more than 100 feet longer than the Titanic), began its final journey from Philadelphia to become the world’s largest artificial reef off Florida’s Gulf Coast, restingg roughly 180 feet underwater and 20 miles off the coast of Okaloosa County, Florida.
It set transatlantic speed records, completing some 800 crossings until it was retired in 1969, and had been anchored in Philadelphia since 1996, decaying. See its history here. Explore the ship here . (w/video).
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We sure do appreciate you spending time with our Newsletter. And even more so when you recommend us to your colleagues and friends.
barry
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