Met Park Sells    The Metropolitan Park buildings have sold (again) for $210 Megabucks to Brookfield Office Properties of New York.    Met Park West houses Entercom’s radio operations.   The Seattle times called the buildings ‘Twin Toasters’….hmmm sounds like a name change to me, I always called them, especially the West Tower, the ‘Spam Can’.   Then there is the Amazon where they are going to build some 3.3 million square feet of office space in a series of new 38 story buildings not far away.   At least they are thinking of a good name …..Rufus 2.0.  Reportedly the name of a Corgi that used to come to work with an employee..  Gotta love Seattle.

Not often I write about any programming….However, I must mention how much I am going to miss Car-Talk.   The news that the ‘brothers’ are going to hang it up is a bit hard to take.   C.T. is heard locally on KUOW, KPLU and the stations of NWPR.     They plan on airing re-runs, so at least we will still be able to get our dose of weekend yucks.

In previous columns I have written about how the Seattle area ranks in various categories…Tyrone Beason wrote in the June 3^rd issue of The Seattle Times magazine how one way to look at things is the number of patents issued to people and companies in a region.   Interestingly, Seattle ranks #2, second only to the Bay Area in this category…Pretty impressive when you consider the population in that region of California is twice that of Seattle.  Adding to that stat. is the growth rate of new patents by area.   Between 2006 and 2010 the number of patents issues in the Bay Area increased by 26% while that category grew by 79% here.    What does all that prove?  Perhaps it has something to do with our climate?…Plenty of indoor time to think and create? ….Or perhaps the per capita consumption of coffee?  Or (long shot here) the quality of our local Radio and TV programming?    Nice thought – now go out and invent something and patent it!

Quoting Richard Johnson –  Sometimes I don’t get it right because I have been taught wrong.

We all understand the competitive situation between commercial broadcasters, however not much is written about how this situation is alive and well in the non-commercial world…

On the TV side,  KBTC, operating out of the former KSTW facility in Tacoma, not only operates KBTC from the former KCPQ (KTVW) Site in the north end of Tacoma (RF Channel 28) but they also operate from the KZJO Tower on Capitol Hill, which just happens to be across the street from KCTS.   Bates Technical College, in addition to KBTC, operates KCKA

Some of our areas NCE Radio Stations often carry similar programming, for example –KUOW from the KCTS tower on Capitol Hill, KVTI from Lakewood (SW of Tacoma) and KPLU from West Tiger Mt

‘Oddio’  – A term used to describe the electrical characteristics of strange and unusual sounds.

One of the two major cable companies in lower BC have stopped carrying FM Radio stations.    In this case, a few Seattle stations are no longer available, via cable, in these areas.  This usually generates complaints from listeners to these stations asking that they do something.   Likely the reason that Cable has, over the years, been dropping carriage of radio stations is that there is little incentive for them to do so.  Radio stations don’t pay cable systems for carriage, and cable companies don’t charge their subscribers for doing so.   Radio stations on cable will likely be another item added to the dust pile of history.

Fisher has been granted a minor change for their KPLZ-FM (101.5).  From the looks of the FCC data, they are going to move their operation back to their own tower on Cougar and away from the Ratelco combiner and master antenna.  Rumor also has it that Fisher is about the pull the trigger on their option to purchase what is known as KOMO-FM operating from South Mountain on 97.7.   In a related move, the Tukwila/South Center area is now served with an on-channel booster on 97.7.   How it gets there is interesting.  97.7 is received in Auburn and re-transmitted on 93.7 to the booster in Tukwila.    Interesting to put your radio in scan and have it stop on 93.7 and the RDS display KOMO-FM.   A good deal of the work to make this happen can be credited to Jim Dalke.

Tim Schall recently posted this comment on the SBE-16 Remailer –

Got a kick out the piece of junk mail from ‘Spotify’ (An internet provider of music programming….) today that said, “Have you heard?  Free mobile radio has arrived!”  I thought, “Wow, really?  I’m supposed to be paying someone for that AM/FM thing in my dash?”

This is right in there with those that are amazed to find out that milk comes from a cow or that you can get – free- TV through the use of an ancient device known as an antenna.

The FCC has been sent back to the drawing board when it comes to Indecency by a recent Supreme Court ruling.    Apparently the airing of visual or verbal ‘malfunctions’ are now OK.   Just don’t stage them.   How this will turn out will be anyone’s guess.

I have to admit that after 25, or so, years of writing the column I have become increasingly interested in our language and, occasionally, will be compelled to write about it.   A few years ago I wrote about the ‘F’ and ‘PH’ situation.    Recently I have been pondering the L – As in what the L.     Let me explain.

Who in the world determined that we should have the letter L in a world and not pronounce it?  Here are some examples

Why is it HALF and not HAFF?

Why is it SALVE and not SAVVE (As in Savvy)

Why is it HALVES and not HAVZ?

Or CALVES and not CAVZ

Of course there is SALMON…Pronounced SAMON (Unless you are from the South)

HD Radio continues to gain with HD Radio coming standard on 14 new models from nine different makes of vehicles and optional on many more.  The totals are more impressive with now 28 car-makers offering HD in 140 models.    This should take the wind out of the sails of those broadcasters that have been holding back awaiting the day when there receivers out there.   Granted, it will take some time for these new vehicles to take the place of the millions that are stuck with analog equipment.   To be honest, I am somewhat caught in the middle with an HD radio in my Truck and an analog in my car.   When driving the truck I sure don’t miss the multipath and distortion.

Another positive move for the digital radio system is the announcement this past month that HD Radio is on the air in the Dominican Republic.  Interesting that some stations are going on the air, immediately, with HD2 and HD3 programming.

The FCC is going after a couple of broadcasters for tower light infractions….

WNLA, an AM in Miss. is on the hook for about 14 Grand.   Apparently last November they were inspected and, among other issues, the tower lights were not functioning.   The folks at the studio were very helpful and explained to the inspector that they knew about the outage.  Then there is the case of 3 towers in San Souci, S.C.  In this case the station said they knew their tower lights were not working and submitted the reason was ‘negligible gross revenues’ , i.e., they claimed they could not afford the repairs.  Reportedly they will be paying $1000 on top of the cost of getting those lights back on.

The FCC has proposed a 15 Grand fine for the operator of a pirate radio station in Miami.   Like a lot of these un-licensed stations they don’t try and hide their operation and operate Web Sites to promote their stations.   89.1 is now silent.

It’s congratulations time as the winners of the 2012 National Edward R Murrow awards were announced…

On the national level/networks –

Overall Excellence, TV – NBC News ….Radio – CBS Radio News

Here’s a look at how local facilities performed –

Video Continuing Coverage – KING-TV – Seattle

Video News Documentary –   KING-TV – Seattle

Website – mynorthwest.com – KIRO- Radio- Seattle

The FCC has announced the end of analog milestone with the announcement that cable systems no longer have to carry stations in digital and analog, however, if this could be revisited if there is a public outcry.   The impact of this decision will be interesting to watch as many subscribers have a mixture of types of cable boxes.

The effort by the FCC to put their public files on-line is being supported by many broadcast groups, including some that operate stations in Seattle like Cox and Belo.  If you recall we had a Chapter 16 program last year on this topic.    It appears likely that radio will follow in the future.

I spoke with Nick Winter recently and am happy to report that he is doing well recovering from his recent stroke and hopes to be back to work at KPLU in the next couple of weeks.

Copper theft continues to plague many.   Occasionally the thief appears to playing with less than a full-deck as demonstrated by the following picture.   In this case a County deputy thought this was slightly out of the ordinary.  When the deputy attempted to find out more, the occupants drove into a golf course and ran off.   They found two smaller spools inside.   The value of the wire was $4700.   Somehow they used a forklift to put the pallet and spool on top of the car causing it to be very dented in.     Reminds me of a theft a few years ago from a facility where I worked.    In this case the thieves managed to make off with a large spool of large Heliax.   In this instance, they used a power saw, cutting into the spooled cable cutting it into about 8 foot lengths.   They then tossed the chunks of cable thru a broken window into the back of a van and drove off.    They were caught.

 

Looks like the car was ‘Top-Loaded’

On the subject of copper, and such….

ERI, Electronics Research, has announced a new line of un-flanged transmission line components featuring aluminum outer conductors and coppery inners.   They claim lower cost and lighter weight.  Certainly a side benefit will be less attractive to copper thieves.

Warehousing spectrum???   I’m shocked that anyone would think this would happen.  Apparently AT&T is not to secret with their feelings on the subject with the release of a recommendation to the FCC that spectrum holders should make use of the spectrum they have, within a specific time period and if they don’t team up with a partner to use it or sell it.

Yah, I know we have been hearing it for a long time ….Word continues to circulate that Tribune is about to exit bankruptcy.    WGN in Chicago has been in this mode for 3.5 years.    Tribune owns KCPQ and KZJO here in Seattle.

Broadcasters continue to find ways to save money via staff reductions.   So was the case recently in Yakima where TownSquare Media eliminated the position held by Chris Duncan who has been the clusters Chief Engineer.   Chis told me he was going to be heading back home to Arkansas.

The FCC has granted a construction permit to BBC Broadcasting to change their city of license to Pt. Roberts and operate on 1550 with 50Kw full-time.    For those of you that are not familiar with Pt. Roberts, take a look at a map of the US/Canadian border just south of Vancouver.    This little chunk of US real estate is not connected to the US mainland.  To get there you have to drive in and out of Canada.  This may become the first US licensed station to get its power from another country.

This gem comes from Entercom Chief, Dwight Small –

“Don’t you wish there were a knob on the TV to turn up the intelligence? There’s one marked ‘Brightness,’ but it doesn’t work.” – Gallagher

Ludwig Enterprises has secured a patent and has chosen LG to building a satellite receiver for a planned network that is reported to be used to target ethnic and senior groups that the firm feels are presently being underserved.    If this is the case, wonder why we don’t have an HD Format targeting these groups?

Finally, I will leave you with the following –

I have been in many places, but I’ve never been in Cahoots. Apparently, you can’t go alone. You have to be in Cahoots with someone.

I’ve also never been in Cognito. I hear no one recognizes you there.

I have, however, been in Sane. They don’t have an airport; you have to be driven there. I have made several trips there, thanks to my friends, family and work.

I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump, and I’m not too much on physical activity anymore.

I have also been in Doubt. That is a sad place to go, and I try not to visit there too often.

I’ve been in Flexible, but only when it was very important to stand firm.

Sometimes I’m in Capable, and I go there more often as I’m getting older.

One of my favorite places to be is in Suspense! It really gets the adrenalin flowing and pumps up the old heart! At my age I need all the stimuli I can get!

I may have been in Continent, but I don’t remember what country that was in. It’s an age thing.

Life is too short for negative drama & petty things. So laugh insanely, love truly and forgive quickly!
I hope everyone in your head is happy – we’re all doing well in mine!

Enjoy summer – Remember that fall is not very far behind –

Till next month –

Clay, K7CR, CPBE