In The Hub Ep 33 – Video Delivery & OTT – w/ Chris Lavin

In this week’s episode, Neil speaks to Chris Lavin – CTO at ONE CONNXT. Chris’s decades of systems integration expertise has seen him implement playout and video delivery systems for well over 300 broadcasters throughout his career. Chris discusses how he got started in broadcasting, how he manages technological change and what he envisions for the future of our industry.

Remote Radio Station Operations with WideOrbit – WO Automation for Radio Version 5

The latest version of WO Automation for Radio, version 5.0, includes significant improvements to help broadcasters manage station operations from anywhere, on nearly any device.

Working remotely has become the new normal. That means radio stations require the ability to manage operations from any location, including from home, without compromising functionality or efficiency. WO Automation for Radio v5.0 makes it easy for broadcasters of any size to deliver compelling programming with native desktop (macOS, Windows, Linux) and mobile (iOS) apps to support all operating models – live-assist, fully automated, and everything in between – even with entirely remote operations.

With WO Automation for Radio, you can:

  • Access the entire in-studio experience remotely, from home or on-the-go
  • Leverage talent and content across stations and markets
  • Improve efficiency by integrating with other systems you use every day
  • Manage station operations with a decentralized, remote staff to save on operation costs

WO Automation for Radio v5.0 allows for full control of the radio automation system from anywhere with an internet connection, including remote voice tracking capabilities to provide at-home or on-the-go functionality to equal the in-studio experience.

  • Control Station Operations from Anywhere
    • Universal Radio Client brings full control of all functionalities to you wherever you are.
  • Simplified Voice Tracking
    • Talent in any city can voice track without waiting for uploads and downloads.
  • Leverage Talent Across Markets
    • Talent in any city can seamlessly perform a live show on any station.
  • Production Efficiency
    • Record all content only once for immediate use on all stations.
  • Leader & Follower
    • Simulcast live content on multiple stations, with seamless insertion of local imaging and spots.

WO Automation for Radio Mobile

WO Automation for Radio Mobile is a native iOS app that supplements our native desktop apps and allows users to remotely control WO Automation for Radio from any iOS device, whether that’s from home or while on-the-go. Staff can modify programming instantly and talent can control the station while on-air.

Up-to-the-minute coverage: Immediately respond to local situations, like severe weather, breaking news, and emergencies, to captivate audiences and keep talent engaged with your audience.

Seamless connectivity anywhere: Reliable access to full station control, instant recording, and on-the-fly voice tracking right from your iPhone or iPad.

Optimized resources: Eliminate unnecessary in-station costs and unreliable third-party viewing solutions.

For a more detailed look at WO Automation for Radio v50, be sure to check out our recent webinar recording.

If you’d like to learn more about WO Automation for Radio v5.0, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

The Infinite Dial 2021: Digital Audio Continues to Grow – Are You Keeping Pace?

Released last week, The 2021 Infinite Dial report once again shows significant growth in digital audio. The report estimates that in 2021, weekly online audio listeners will reach 193 million, or 68% of the US population, up from 169 million, or 60%, in 2020.

The report also indicates that weekly podcast listening will increase to 80 million, or 28%, up from 68 million (24%) in 2020, while smart speaker ownership will grow to 94 million or 33% of the US population, up from 76 million (27%) last year. Among people who work from home, 49% own at least one smart speaker. And a full 88% of Americans over the age of 12, or 250 million people, now own a smart phone.

Those numbers represent significant revenue opportunities. But as online listening continues to grow, and as mobile devices and smart speakers give audiences access to audio content anytime, anywhere, monetizing that content across multiple formats, platforms, and devices becomes increasingly difficult. Managing that content alongside your over-the-air products can be especially daunting.

WideOrbit’s Digital Suite provides the technical infrastructure to make it easier to optimize revenue, increase listenership, and extend content from over-the-air broadcast to digital listening platforms. Digital Suite is also the industry’s only independent, premium digital audio platform.

Our platform provides end-to-end solutions for streaming audio and podcasting, including programmatic ad sales, with WO Streaming, WO On Demand, and WO Ad eXchange.

When combined with WO Traffic – Digital Orders, Digital Suite is the only digital audio platform capable of connecting a sophisticated, digital front-end decisioning and delivery engine with WO Traffic, the industry-leading system of record.

WO Ad eXchange makes monetization easy, with automated ad transactions that offer advanced targeting and support for both publisher-direct sales and real-time bidding. WO Ad eXchange opens access to new demand for digital inventory, increasing overall yield for sellers.

Digital Suite is the only independent platform that offers:

Audio Stream Management that supports all popular audio formats and devices, including desktop, iOS, and Android.

Advanced Targeting by advertiser preference – including geo, device, age, and gender – allowing you to optimize CPM.

Automated Selling to streamline ad sales processes and access new demand, while still allowing for control over bid acceptance.

Broadcast-to-Podcast capability, to provide the ability to automatically generate and monetize podcasts from live, over-the-air content. Includes the removal of unwanted content from podcasts, i.e. traffic reports, songs, etc., and the ability to insert pre-, mid-, and/or post-roll ads.

Seamless Distribution that allows you to auto-syndicate content to multiple distribution sources.

Ad and Download Measurement so you can report on podcast consumption and ad impressions, using metrics compliant with IAB guidelines.

Server-Side Ad Insertion and Targeting that allow you to serve relevant ads to targeted audiences across episodes, distribution channels, and devices.

Streamlined File Management so you can easily update intros, promos, and sponsorships in multiple files, as well as create podcasts from streamed content.

Contact us to discover how easy managing and monetizing your streaming audio and podcasts can be with WideOrbit Digital Suite.

How Nielsen’s Measurement Changes Will Impact Broadcast TV Stations

Over the years, cord-cutters have created an erosion in the number of People Using Television (PUT), as that number has dwindled. Many in the industry have complained that Nielsen hasn’t kept up and isn’t accurately capturing the reality of current viewing behavior. Nielsen has listened and as announced in November of 2020, they are now adding Broadband-Only (BBO) homes to their measurement. This change only affects local broadcast measurement, as BBO was implemented for national numbers in Q4 2013.

What is a Broadband-Only home?

Broadband Only includes offerings such as YoutubeTV, Hulu, Sling, AT&T Watch TV, Fubu TV, AT&T TV Now, Direct Now, Philo, and more. Basically, BBO includes any service that allows a viewer to watch broadcast television via an internet connection. If a viewer watches more than five cumulative minutes of broadcast TV through any broadband source, they will be included in the measurement of Broadband-Only homes.

What, exactly, is changing?

Nielsen’s addition of BBO to their measurement introduces several changes that will impact broadcasters and advertisers. Those changes include:

  • Nielsen’s Local Television Market Universe Estimates, comparing 2010 No BBO TV Homes to 2021 w/BBO TV Homes, show TV Households increasing by about 13% YoY, on average
    • The smallest increase is in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale market, which only increased by 3.12%
    • The largest increase is Juneau, which increased a staggering 39.67%
  • On average, Universe Estimates (or TV Households) will likely increase significantly
  • Broadcast stations will likely see a net increase in impressions but to a lesser degree than UEs, since not all the additional households included in the measurement will use broadband to watch local TV channels
  • People Using Television (PUT) levels are increasing as well
    • PUT = the total number of people in a target market

What does the change mean for broadcast TV stations?

Most stations practice ratings-based selling and are guaranteeing orders based on Gross Rating Points (GRP). GRP is a measure of impact and is calculated as the percentage of the target market reached, multiplied by exposure frequency, e.g., 30% of target market * 4 ad spots = 120 GRP.

With the addition of BBO, the number of TV Households measured by Nielsen will increase, with a subsequent increase in PUT. As a result, stations can expect a rather significant drop in GRPs for most orders. This will mean that orders guaranteed on a GRP basis may significantly under deliver.

When is the change taking place?

This change began in the 137 Return Path Data (RPD) markets with the January 2021 measurement period, and will begin for the Local People Meter (LPM) and Set Meter markets with the April 2021 measurement period. Nielsen is not implementing this change for the Code Reader markets yet, as they are still unsure about how they will handle Broadband Only in those markets.

Is the change optional for stations?

This is a change in Nielsen’s basic methodology and is not optional for stations. In other words, stations can’t choose to opt out. It’s a change that Nielsen has been working on for years and affects the core of its measurement.

What can stations do to mitigate the impact of the change?

Since most broadcast stations will see a net increase in the number of impressions as a result of Nielsen’s measurement change, the best way to mitigate the impact is to immediately switch from ratings to impression-based selling. It’s also a good idea to consider re-negotiating active / existing buys to impression based as well. Based on WideOrbit’s analysis, changing orders to impression-based should reduce the impact of the change.

If you have any questions or need help switching to impression-based selling, please feel free to contact us.

Setting the Stage for NextGen TV

Between the current pandemic and the 2020 election season, the broadcast industry has had a lot to talk about besides ATSC 3.0. Deployments were slowed somewhat by COVID-19, but the pace has begun to pick up again.

Even despite the pandemic, four network affiliates launched NextGen TV in Las Vegas in May 2020, with three stations in Pittsburg following closely on in June.  ATSC News reports that NextGen TV is now live in 23 markets, and broadcasters are working to hit 62 US markets by the end of 2021, including the top 40 Nielsen TV markets. Once those markets are on-the-air, NextGen TV will reach more than 75% of all viewers. Station groups involved in the deployment of ATSC 3.0 include Fox Television Stations, NBCUniversal owned-and-operated stations, Nexstar Media Group, Univision, Pearl TV, Tegna Inc., Telemundo, Univision, and Spectrum Co., which includes Sinclair.

On the consumer side, there are already at least 20 models of NextGen TV sets available at retail. Affordable set-top converters have also begun hitting the market, with HDHomeRun’s CONNECT 4K available at $200 US.

Here at WideOrbit, we’ve been making progress as well. In September of 2020, we announced our partnership with Amagi, a global leader in cloud-based technology for streaming via OTT (over-the-top) and CTV (connected TV), to enable dynamic ad decisioning and insertion in live-stream TV.

Our Digital Suite, which includes WO Streaming and WO Ad eXchange, lets broadcasters schedule and target ads, while leveraging automated selling through our ad exchange to maximize the value of any unsold inventory.

Digital Suite works with Amagi’s technology to allow broadcasters to dynamically insert ads into livestreams using their existing broadcast infrastructure and the workflows they’re already used to. The partnership allows broadcasters to expand their distribution by creating/distributing live, linear channels for Free Ad-Supported TV (FAST) services like Pluto TV, Samsung TV Plus, Roku, and Tubi.

Some of those services, like Sinclair-owned STIRR, are ready to support ATSC 3.0, so WideOrbit’s Digital Suite can also help broadcasters prepare for the addressable advertising capabilities needed to fully maximize the revenue opportunities available with NextGen TV.

The industry is becoming increasingly fragmented, with more and more viewers shifting away from traditional, over-the-air and cable TV. At the same time, the streaming market share is growing, especially for FAST as the market for subscription services becomes saturated. And the revenue potential is huge – ad revenues for ad-supported live streaming is expected to reach $19B by 2024, up from just $6B in 2018.

Small-to-middle market broadcasters who set themselves up now to tap into that growing revenue opportunity will be well prepared to take full advantage of the addressable advertising capabilities and revenue opportunities that are just around the corner with NextGen TV.

Contact us to find out how WideOrbit Digital Suite can help you get ready to take full advantage of NextGen TV.

Digital Audio: How Advertisers Can Reach Growing Audiences with Automated Buying

Advertisers are finding it increasingly important to embrace an expanding digital audio landscape. The 2021 Infinite Dial report shows significant growth in digital audio, estimating that in 2021, weekly online audio listeners will reach 193 million, or 68% of the US population, up from 169 million, or 60%, in 2020.

The report also indicates that weekly podcast listening will increase to 80 million, or 28%, up from 68 million (24%) in 2020, while smart speaker ownership will grow to 94 million or 33% of the US population, up from 76 million (27%) last year. Among people who work from home, 49% own at least one smart speaker. And smart phone ownership also continues to grow – a full 88% of Americans over the age of 12, or 250 million people, now own a smart phone.

But reaching those audiences depends on the ability to efficiently access, bid on, and buy available inventory.

Buying Digital Audio Has Never Been Easier

With the right automated buying tools, advertisers can quickly:

  • Access available impressions from broadcast radio, pure-play stations, and podcast hosts
  • Build campaigns to target by station, format, genre, geography, demographic, and device
  • Access packaged inventory from multiple publishers, bundled based on geography, device type, or audience segment
  • Retrieve near real-time impression data upon confirmed, dynamic ad insertion, allowing for campaign optimization

Automated buying also provides improved brand safety, DMA-specific targeting to eliminate waste, and performance tools and reporting. The ability to combine linear and digital campaigns allows advertisers to further extend reach across multiple formats, channels, and devices.

Sellers Benefit, Too

Audio publishers also benefit from automation, gaining streamlined access to programmatic buyers to open new revenue sources consisting of premium brands delivering quality creative.

WideOrbit Digital Suite is a cloud-based platform that allows publishers to distribute and monetize live and on-demand audioacross any device, anywhere. WideOrbit’s Digital Suite is a suite of tools that allows publishers to:

  • Operate efficiently with a single, unified solution to monetize digital audio content
  • Save time by managing digital and linear inventory using the same workflows
  • Extend linear reach through digital conversion – broadcast-to-podcast – to create additional revenue streams by generating new ad inventory

Part of that suite of tools is WO Ad eXchange, an automated exchange providing direct access to agencies, demand side platforms (DSPs), and brands. That also means agencies, DSPs, and brands have direct access to sellers’ inventory.

Digital audio advertising is extremely effective, offering broad reach and appeal. But building cross-channel campaigns has traditionally been both difficult and time consuming, with multiple formats, outlets, platforms, and devices to take into consideration.  WideOrbit Digital Suite makes it easy, with automated buying that is efficient and cost-effective, providing aggregated supply and intuitive, user-friendly tools to help maximize ROI and eliminate waste.

For a more detailed look at automated buying with Digital Audio Suite, be sure to check out our recorded webinar, hosted by AdAge and presented in partnership with Magnite.

If you’d like to learn more about WideOrbit Digital Suite, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

The High Cost of Ransomware – And How to Avoid It

For more information on this topic, watch our recorded webinar, Widen Your World: Protect Your Data, Protect Your Business.

Every IT professional, in every industry, is aware of the constant threat of ransomware. Ransomware is a form of malware that can infect computers and mobile devices. The initial infection then spreads across the network, encrypting data files to render them inaccessible, and displaying a ransom note demanding online payment, usually in the form of cryptocurrency, for release of the files.

Estimates put global financial damage from ransomware at over $1 billion US for 2020 alone, with American organizations facing the highest costs, averaging $8.19 million per breach. And even though 66% of companies say they would never pay a ransom as a point of principle, in practice, 65% actually do pay.

But the cost of a ransomware attack goes far beyond the monetary payment. Additional costs faced by victimized companies include the expense of attack mitigation and recovery, damage to brand reputation, and downtime and associated lost revenue.

To protect themselves, media companies need a solid plan in place to safeguard their systems’ data and their businesses against the high cost of a ransomware attack. The first step is educating staff on how attackers gain access in the first place. They need to know how to recognize a phishing email, how to recognize and avoid clicking suspicious links, and how to recognize and avoid falling prey to social engineering.

The second step is protecting network security through measures such as segmentation to make it harder for ransomware to spread between systems, keeping anti-virus/anti-malware software up-to-date, and making sure all systems and software are current on patches and security updates.

The final and most crucial step is establishing a strict routine for creating regular backups. A good data backup strategy includes creating backup files at least daily. It’s also important to keep multiple copies of critical business and customer data in multiple locations, including locally but also air-gapped backups unconnected to your network, stored offsite, and/or in the cloud. Regularly scheduled backups and segregated backup data remain the most reliable ransomware backup strategy, allowing you to restore your business-critical systems from backups created before the attack.

A concrete plan of action will both help you prevent an attack and allow you to recover faster and at less expense. Having a plan in place will allow you to restore normal operations as quickly as possible in the event of an attack, so you can avoid serious and expensive consequences.

WideOrbit’s Professional Services Team Can Help

If you need help or advice on configuring your WO Traffic or WO Network backups, or with making any other changes to your WideOrbit server environment, our Professional Services team is here to help. Professional Services can also provide tips on configuring backups for other WideOrbit products. Please reach out to Support or contact us for more information.

Peace of Mind with WideOrbit Managed Services

WideOrbit offers hosting services for our core products, WO Traffic and WO Network, as well as for WO Media Sales and WO Program. With WideOrbit Managed Services, system updates and WideOrbit product updates are managed with your involvement, so you can be sure you’re always running on the most up-to-date version. Managed Services also provides added layers of security to help protect your business-critical applications.

Along with web-enabled, remote access for your end-users, our Managed Services solution also provides improved security and reliability, committed service levels, geo-redundant backups, and secured off-site data retention. You’ll also save on both hardware and IT costs, from initial setup right through monitoring and maintenance.

If you have any questions, please contact us.

Additional Reading:

Cybersecurity Awareness for Broadcasters: Top 10 Recommendations to Reduce Risk

Cybersecurity for Radio Broadcasters: Ransomware and Automation

Townsquare Media embraces a Wider World with automation to streamline network/barter ad management

Because WO Traffic – Radio Interchange was still in development when Townsquare converted to WO Traffic in 2016, Townsquare was faced with a choice.

They could either return to manual handling of their network/barter contracts, which was a daunting prospect, or find a system to handle their barter automatically. After considering their options, Townsquare contracted to use a third-party’s system to automate their barter processes, fully intending to use it as a permanent solution. Although that system served for years as an alternative to manual dubbing, scheduling, and affidavit completion, over time Townsquare experienced challenges with some aspects of using it, especially given their high barter and cash comp volume.

One challenge was the amount of manual work that was involved on the front end of the process. Townsquare had to individually build all of their network barter and cash comp orders into WO Traffic as placeholder contracts, making sure to keep up with constant changes, additions, and cancellations throughout the year. They then had to create materials and manually enter dayplaced (and often dayparted) material instructions into WO Traffic for each network order. Finally, the material numbers for each order had to be manually transferred to the third-party’s system for dubbing and affidavit completion. Townsquare estimates that the duplication of effort for the entire workflow consumed upwards of 2500 person-hours in a year, plus an additional four to six hundred hours spent every December entering new orders, or adjusting existing ones, to match the networks’ contracts for the following year.

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