Tech Focus: Sports Radio, Part 1 - Long Ahead of TV in Broadcast Technology IP, REMI, DSP have been deployed for 10 years; production development's going strong By Dan Daley, Audio Editor
Wednesday, December 21, 2022 - 7:05 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
By the time sports made it to television - when NBC carried a Columbia-Princeton baseball game at Baker Field on May 17, 1939, to the 400 or so sets then capable of receiving it - radio was already the sports-media veteran. Eighteen years earlier, Pittsburgh's KDKA had broadcast a boxing match between Johnny Dundee and Johnny Ray at Pittsburgh's Motor Square Garden, launching what has become a $30 billion business in the U.S., $350 billion globally.
Sports radio has taken a back seat to television much of the time, kept alive in cars (mainly in the front seats, Meatloaf songs notwithstanding) and other venues. But, in the last decade or so, radio was developing and implementing workflows that prefigured what sports television would encounter more recently.
Every installation we've done in the last 10 years has been IP-based, says Phil Owens, senior sales engineer, Wheatstone. Ten years ago, it was just about connecting devices within the facility over common Ethernet, on platforms like our Blade product, a reference to the interface for the console and systems manufacturer's WheatNet-IP AoIP protocol. But radio was doing that before television. It was ready for REMI, for hybrid work models, before television had to move there because of budgets and then COVID. The console that used to be the hub for all of the audio sources is now part of a distributed-mix system that ranges from the broadcast facility to people's home studios. Radio was ready for IP.
Lawo diamond modular broadcast console for radio on-air, production, MCR, remote control, and remote production.
Johan Boqvist, senior product manager, radio, Lawo, asserts that radio is ahead of television when it comes to audio capture and processing.
Not so long ago, digital-signal processing was an exotic technology that only the largest media houses were able to afford, he says. Today, DSP is readily available; it's what you use it for that matters. For instance, our newest broadcast consoles for TV and radio have assistive-mixing features that help sports coverage on radio sound just as good as, if not better than, that on TV.
In fact, Boqvist contends, an IP infrastructure is simply assumed now in many, if not most, cases for both radio and television.
Further innovation will come, I think, on the delivery side of things, he adds. Consumers are now used to an on-demand world, television has seen viewing patterns shift dramatically from OTA to OTT delivery, and this parallels the rise in on-demand delayed playback. But TV shouldn't have a monopoly on this; sports-radio listeners are overwhelmingly made up of mobile, outdoor, or at-work listeners. On-demand playback for radio broadcasts of major sporting events could be a lucrative addition to broadcasters' developing library of online streaming services.
Well Ahead of the Game' Calrec has made substantial bets on IP for its consoles and other products. In radio, the cornerstone is the Type R modular, expandable, IP-based mixing system that integrates networking hardware and soft panels, and ties in with the Calrec Assist remote interface for mixing in the cloud.
Calrec Type R IP-based mixing system integrates networking hardware and soft panels, ties in with the Calrec Assist for mixing in the cloud.
Focused on the Type R, says Henry Goodman, director, product development, Calrec, we've been adding new [products] that can work on the same networks, such as a new GPIO box that allows GPIs and GPOs [automation circuits for interfacing with external systems, such as playout, phone systems, codecs; for example, a video switcher that can open and close the fader associated with the mic local to a camera] over an AoIP network, as well as third-party devices. The goal is to increase connectivity to support remote production.
And that leads back to radio, he says, because radio prefigured television's embrace of such techniques as REMI long before the pandemic. The traditional radio workflow was well ahead of the game compared with television, he says, because of radio's historical reliance on external feeds and other sources. In fact, he adds, radio continues to push technology in this direction, with virtualization encouraging the move to cloud-based centralized playout servers for content and live feeds.
We provide the ability to plug into that wide-area infrastructure, via IP or through codecs or other dedicated connections, Goodman says. When [broadcast] networks have their own IP infrastructure between locations, managing a 2110 network over that is much easier. Such centralization helps radio networks achieve more-efficient workflows but, at the same time, maintain the very localized nature of radio, especially sports radio, and the advantages that brings to broadcasters.
New Products for Radio For a 100-year-old medium, radio is still pretty spry and continues to spark product development, most recently on IP-based platforms.
Wheatstone LXE programmable control surface can be scripted to execute every function of the WheatNet-IP infrastructure.
Owens notes Wheatstone's newest related product, the LXE, which he calls our most programmable control surface in either hardware or virtual form and which can be scripted to execute every function of the entire WheatNet-IP infrastructure at a facility.
This year, Lawo introduced its Radio Software Version 7.1 and the R LAY Virtual Radio Software v4.4 upgrade. Release 7.0 coincides with the release of diamond, Lawo's newest mixing console for radio on-air, production
Most recent headlines
17/02/2025
TVBEurope talks to the team who brought a piece of broadcasting history back to life on BBC Wales last night
By Jenny Priestley
Published: February 14, 2025 ...
17/02/2025
Eligible studios will receive the relief directly from their local authorities, with no need to submit a claim
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 17, 20...
17/02/2025
As DEI initiatives come under pressure in the USA, supporters of Rise, which promotes diversity in the media and entertainment sector, discuss the continuing im...
17/02/2025
EIB Global loan will partially fund SES's continued O3b mPOWER medium earth orbit (MEO) fleet expansion enabling additional capacity worldwide. O3b mPOWER s...
15/02/2025
At Nielsen, Business Resource Groups (BRGs) play a critical role in nurturing a ...
15/02/2025
Innovation to empower creativity: Explore the latest in Lightroom
Rob Christensen February 15, 2025
0 Comments
Whether you want to remove distracting ...
15/02/2025
Wisycom, a worldwide leader in RF technology and provider of wireless solutions, announces a new distribution agreement with EQUAPHON. An Argentinian profession...
15/02/2025
DPA Microphones, the leading manufacturer of high-quality microphone solutions, is pleased to welcome Nicholas Nick Mariano and Vincent Vince Divine to the ...
15/02/2025
Tuxera, a leading provider of quality-assured file systems and networking solutions, will showcase how Tuxera Fusion SMB enables unprecedented performance for m...
15/02/2025
Bitmovin's latest Video Developer Report indicates an increasing role of AI, the slow adoption of next-generation codecs, and continuing challenges when it ...
15/02/2025
When Michelin Enterprises set out to promote its prestigious Hotel Guide in the new Sleepless in the Kitchen , campaign, veteran German/Slovenian gaffer Robert...
15/02/2025
Formula E, the world's first all-electric racing series, revolutionizing motorsport with cutting-edge technology and a commitment to sustainability has sele...
15/02/2025
Agile Content, a global leader in TV and video technology solutions, announces its rebranding to AgileTV.
The transition to AgileTV stems from a commitment to ...
15/02/2025
Hiltron Communications will promote the latest additions to its range of satellite communication products, systems and supporting services at GovSatCom 2025. Th...
15/02/2025
Following the success of the original Airglow Booklight, DoPchoice debuts a new addition to their inflatable line the Float. This lightweight, inflatable, round...
15/02/2025
LAS VEGAS Marshall Electronics has announced that it will debut its newest camera controller, the RCP Plus, at the 2025 NAB Show at Booth N2649 between April 5 ...
15/02/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has named Blake Sebo as the next general manager of KTUU and KYES, Gray's NBC and CBS affiliates in Anchorage, Alaska....
15/02/2025
KOKKEDAL, Denmark DPA Microphones will feature its new CORE+ technology for distortion-free microphone sound at the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, in Las Vegas....
15/02/2025
SWANSEA, U.K. QuickLink will launch StudioPro-NDI and StudioPro-3, two new models of its QuickLine StudioPro video production platform, at the 2025 NAB Show, Ap...
15/02/2025
Live From 2025 NBA All-Star Game Weekend: After 25 Years, Turner Sports All-In F...
15/02/2025
NASCAR Driver Cam on Max Embraces Cloud-Based Workflow for 2025 Season Chris Brown of WBD Sports says Mobii will play key part in delivering signals from the tr...
14/02/2025
Last month, we officially launched the Spotify Partner Program, a powerful new m...
14/02/2025
From an island off the coast of Lutruwita to the global stage in France SBS & ...
14/02/2025
The future of electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) land systems is evolving so that ...
14/02/2025
Here are 5 reasons why you should attend ISE 2025
Discover more about Calrec: Learn more about Calrec's legacy of innovation in broadcast audio solutions ...
14/02/2025
World Radio Day: On the same wavelength
By Graham Murray, International Sales Manager at Calrec
To mark World Radio Day, Calrec's International Sales Ma...
14/02/2025
DALLAS and TYSONS, Va. Tegna has concluded a broadcast rights agreement that makes Tegna's KFAA in Dallas the exclusive local television partner of the Dall...
14/02/2025
Amazon's Prime Video has released a new app for Apple TV that the streamer said delivers an improved streaming experiences with faster scrolling, improved s...
14/02/2025
CLEVELAND Telos Alliance announced a software update for its Axia Quasar XR and SR line of audio-over-IP (AoIP) mixing consoles and will show the offering at th...
14/02/2025
Puget Systems Returns to HPA Tech Retreat 2025 with New Analysis Tools for Puge...
14/02/2025
Glass Animals: Tour of Earth Uses Blackmagic Live Production Workflow
Brie Clayton February 14, 2025
0 Comments
80six deploys Blackmagic URSA Broadcas...
14/02/2025
A dispute between Paramount and Youtube TV that would have pulled CBS stations and Paramount's cable channels from the streaming service has been temporaril...
14/02/2025
Colourist Deidre (Dee) McClelland details how she helped shape the distinct look and feel of whimsical Oscar-nominated stop-motion film, Memoir of a Snail
By C...
14/02/2025
BitFire said it intends to introduce forward-looking services that simplify the launch of live production workflows, and enhance real-time collaboration
By Jen...
14/02/2025
The claim by the liquidators is the latest twist in the ongoing saga of the companys collapse at the end of 2021
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 14, ...
14/02/2025
A carriage dispute between YouTube TV and Paramount could come to a head today (Feb. 13), with the virtual pay TV provider threatening to pull all of the progra...
14/02/2025
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. LG Electronics USA has opened a new in-house, state-of-the-art virtual production studio at its 360,000-square-foot North American headqu...
14/02/2025
NEW YORK In a bid to help local broadcasters find new ways of monetizing their content, the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) and TVB have relea...
14/02/2025
WASHINGTON Three Democratic U.S. Senators have sent a stern letter blasting FCC Chair Brendan Carr for the weaponization of the agency for attacking broadcast...
14/02/2025
Years after launching the streaming service Apple TV+ in November of 2019, Apple has finally released a version of its steaming app for Android devices....
14/02/2025
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. Red Digital Cinema will make its V-RAPTOR [X] and KOMODO-X camera systems available with Nikon's premier Z Mount, providing filmmaker...
14/02/2025
DAYTONA, Fla. The Fox Sports production of this year's Daytona 500 will see the addition of a few new tech elements and the continued unfolding of the broad...
14/02/2025
Watch Bryson Battles Blind Audition on The Voice Get a Four-Chair Turn Michael Bubl said the Boston Conservatory at Berklee musical theater senior might have...
14/02/2025
2025 Daytona 500: FOX Sports Looks To Ride Super Bowl LIX Momentum Into NASCAR S...
14/02/2025
14 Feb 2025
VEON's Kyivstar and the Come Back Alive Foundation Raise USD 2....
14/02/2025
Max Renews THE PITT, Starring Noah Wyle, For A Second Season
Max
Warner Bros. Television Group
The Pitt
New Episodes Of The Medical Drama From John...
14/02/2025
This year, Technicolor proudly celebrates 110 years of shaping the magic of cinema pioneering color, visual effects, and innovation that bring unforgettable l...
14/02/2025
NBA All-Star: More Games, More Teams, More Music, More Sound From the Court Turner Sports' team will deploy familiar tech to capture all the audio By Dan D...
14/02/2025
LIV Golf Continues To Innovate With Drones, Data-Driven Graphics, and All-Access...
Tech Focus: Sports Radio, Part 1 - Long Ahead of TV in Broadcast Technology IP, REMI, DSP have been deployed for 10 years; production development's going strong By Dan Daley, Audio Editor 
