Greetings from your broadcast friends out on the Desert…
This is BDR Newsletter 875, Volume 17, #42 for May 20, 2026

CBS RADIO NEWS GOES SILENT
After 99 years, CBS Radio News will sign off for the last time on Friday, the 22nd. Frank Absher takes a look at the organization, its effect on the industry and the country, and why it will be missed.

THE PRESIDENT SPEAKS ON AM RADIO
President Trump has repeated his support for the AM Radio in Every Vehicle Act.

SOMETHING NEW FOR AM
What would you think of a 5 kW transmitter in 5 rack spaces? This is something like a 95% space reduction from classics like the Collins 21-E … but with easier maintenance access. Interested? This is our topic this week. Tim Hardy an RF Engineer from Broadcast Electronics will be our guest presenter. Join us at 2 PM Eastern and see how this works.

Join us Thursday at 2 PM Eastern /11 AM Pacific, and let us learn things. The link request is, as usual, at www.theBDR.net/TLG/ Yes, you can see us on YouTube live – but joining us on zoom makes it easier to ask questions and discuss issues.

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

DELETE, DELETE, DELETE CONTINUES
The May 19th edition of the Federal Register has published the latest series of FCC actions to update the Rules for broadcast. The number of changes are a bit lower this time, but do help in some areas.

FCC OWNERSHIP RULES UNDER REVIEW
Also in the recent Federal Register is a Review of Foreign Ownership Policies. In recent years, some companies have asked the FCC to allow greater foreign ownership of their stations and some changes based in the January 2026 Foreign Ownership Report and Order are now being tested by Connoisseur Media, among others. Control based on equity or voting power is at the nexus of the applications, and now there newer guidelines are being worked in to the process of seeking approval.

FCC ENFORCEMENT – SHOULD YOU WORRY?
Recent statements by FCC Chairman Carr about broadcasting in the “public interest” have been interpreted in several ways, as one might expect. Some see it as enforcement that has long been needed, others see politics in play. Yes, there are concerns recently, especially in terms of First Amendment issues. What can a station do? In most cases, just comply with your authorization and the requirements in the Rules and Regs. Stations that keep their signals in harmony with their license and file required forms (like the quarterly Issues and Programs List) on time normally have little to worry about from the EB.

WILL AI TAKE OVER RADIO?
Not according to a test run by Business Insider. Testing by Andon Labs using four AI models to try to run a radio station 24/7 did not turn out too well. “Claude” actually quit, deeming it all unethical! The other three apparently did not do a whole lot better.

USB KILLER THREATS
Should you be suspicious of that flash drive someone handed you? What about that charging cable at the airport? Or, a new inexpensive keyboard? If you have not read about the Killer Thumb Drives, etc, and not just incoming dangers but outgoing ones too, take a look here!

IS 2FA ENOUGH?
You likely have used two factor authorization (2FA) to log in somewhere. But now, Google says a zero-day exploit can bypass 2FA. Perhaps more alarmingly, AI may be involved.  All of which reminds us how dangerous it is for anything connected directly to the Internet.

MEL BROOKS DONATES ARCHIVE
Longtime writer, performer,  director, and producer  Mel Brooks has donated some 15,000 documents and 5,000 photos to the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, NY. Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and the 2000-year-old man are only a tiny part of the content created by Brooks.
May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

Here are some of the more recent items of interest:

• The Rise and Fall of C-Band – Chip Morgan
• Join the Lunch Gathering – Thursday 2 PM Eastern
• Enforcement Watch – Licenses in danger for non-payment / Tower painting NOVs
• Predicting Maintenance Needs – Rolin Lintag
• Beware of Killer Thumb Drives – Barry Mishkind
• Danger: Consumer Electronic Parts – Ron Schacht
• Coping with Overgrown Wild Vegetation – Barry Mishkind
• Talking Like An Old Hand – Clay Freinwald
• Making Nautel Customer Support Better – John Wilton

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 
MANUFACTURERS’ NEWS

Aqua Broadcast has released new firmware for its Cobalt Transmitters. The free release (V1.16.2) will include HTTPS and SNMP V3 support and allow dual Micro MPX inputs. There is also a new Audio Manager, including a modulation failover, to handle various sources, and improved security, including a new factory reset screen, RDS enhancements, and diagnoistics logging.

= = =

GatesAir has completed a successful three-year Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) field trial in Delhi, India, in collaboration with public broadcaster Prasar Bharati and Tejas Networks. D2M technology enables multimedia content delivery directly to mobile devices without requiring an Internet connection, using terrestrial broadcast signals based on the ATSC 3.0 standard. The technology allows broadcasters and public service organizations to deliver live video, audio, educational programming and emergency alerts while significantly reducing congestion on cellular and broadband networks.

= = =

Need something really fast? Amazon has lifted the delivery service a notch by launching an ultrafast 30-minute delivery in dozens of U.S. cities.

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

Do You Remember? This week in history:
Broadcast related items:

• 9 years ago (5/22/17) A suicide bomber detonated just after Ariana Grande’s concert in Manchester, UK. 22 dead/60+ injured.
• 10 years ago (5/21/16) Drake had 20 of the Hot 100 songs of the week, a record at the time. *
• 17 years ago (5/17/09) the first episode of “Glee” aired, featuring Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.” Journey scored a Top 5 return to the charts, higher than before.
• 28 years ago (5/19/98) Sonny and Cher got a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.
• 34 years ago (5/21/92) Johnny Carson’s last Tonight Show featured Bette Midler serenading him. The song? **
• 43 years ago (5/21/83) ZZ Top released their video for “Gimme All Your Lovin‘,” marking the first appearance of the Eliminator, Billy Gibbons’ 1933 Ford Hot Rod. The car appears in three other ZZ Top videos and becomes closely associated with the band.
• 47 years ago (5/23/79) -Tom Petty fought his record label and filed for bankruptcy a real sea change in recording. ***
• 52 years ago (5/18/74) Ray Steven’s comic song, “The Streak,” started three weeks at #1.
• 57 years ago (5/23/69) The Who released the Rock Opera “Tommy.“
• 72 years ago (5/20/54) Bill Haley released “Rock Around the Clock.” 
• 104 years (5/19/1922) these stations were first licensed by the Dept of Commerce (the actual First Day of Broadcast was not always the same as the license date for the early stations): WCAY (now WTMJ-620), WDAP (now WGN-720), and WDAM (consolidated into WEAF, now WFAN-660)

… and 182 years ago (5/24/1844) Morse transmitted his first message.****

Here are some other “Headlines of the Past.”

• 46 years ago (5/18/80) Mount St. Helens erupted, killing 57.
• 51 years ago (5/20/75) “Jaws” was released in theaters.
• 91 years ago (5/24/35) MLB held its first night game.*****
• 99 years ago (5/20/27) Charles Lindbergh makes first nonstop flight across the Atlantic.
• 143 years ago (5/24/1883) the Brooklyn Bridge opened. It was immediately offered for exclusive sale by Rich Wood – and can still be acquired from him today.

… and 153 years ago (5/20/1873) San Francisco businessman Levi Strauss and Reno, Nevada, tailor Jacob Davis received a patent to create work pants reinforced with metal rivets. Now Levi’s are everywhere.

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

* Drake had 22 songs in the top 40 of the Hot 100 on Oct. 21, 2023. (Not to be topped, Morgan Wallen holds the record for the most entries on the Hot 100 in a single week, with 36 on March 18, 2023 and Taylor Swift had all of the top 14 spots in April 2024).
 
** Carson’s run came to an end with “One for My Baby (and One More for the Road).”

*** Petty’s action broke some of the stranglehold record companies held over artists.

**** yes, it was “What hath God wrought?”

***** In Cincinnati, the Reds beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1.


MIDWEEK BONUS

Here is an odd one. It probably will never affect you. But if you or your site is in the rural areas, you might get a smile out of this:

Apparently, raccoons learn things. The Montreal Gazette reported on a very smart raccoon in 2020, that was ran into a garage, eventually hitting the button to close the door – or open it. Finally causing the garage door to open in the middle of the night – often around 2AM, until it returned and closed the door!

So, if your garage door opens seemingly randomly in the middle of the night, you may want to call a wildlife control, not the garage door technician.

= = =

PLEASE INVITE A FRIEND TO JOIN US
We sure hope you are finding the BDR and the Newsletter to be of value to you. If so, there are two things that you can do to ensure the BDR keeps pulsing along:
        1. Invite a colleague or a friend to sign up for the Newsletter. Since it is only one-time-a-week, you will not be accused of flooding their in-boxes!
        2. Anytime you deal with one of our sponsors, letting them know the BDR is important to you will make them happy – and ready to keep on supporting the BDR.

PLEASE TELL US WHAT’S WHAT
There are so many areas into which we would like to expand, but it is feedback from you that helps us decided where to go first. Are you interested in a certain piece of gear or technology? Let us know. Even better, would you be willing to do a user report and share your experience?

– – –

We sure do appreciate you spending time with our Newsletter. And even more so when you recommend us to your colleagues and friends.

barry

– – –

Now … some extra stuff .. some important … some just interesting.

MORE DETAIL HERE – YOU HAVE PROBABLY READ THIS BEFORE…
Those you who read the Newsletter might notice that more detail is provided on some timely issues than on the BDR site, itself. That is one reason we encourage you to invite your friends to subscribe. We are Opt-In only… and we give you two promises (OK, four!):
(1) no inbox flooding – it is one-time-a-week, and
(2) we do not give out anyone’s address.. ever.
(3) no cookies are placed on your computer.
(4) no Google ads are grafted onto your computer screen.

(Need to change your address? No problem. Or, what can we do to make the BDR more useful to you? Just reply and send us a note about what you like, or what you think is missing.)

unsubscribe from this Newsletter