News

 by Lee Miller, ATBA Executive Director

For the past three days, I attended Grant Cardone's GrowthCon '24.  I've never been a big fan of guys like this, but I was intrigued when he offered a virtual ticket to this conference for free.  So I bit - I got to see the same sessions that the people in the room paid many thousands to be there.  I'm sure they are hoping the free attendees will get a taste of the platform and fork out the money for a coaching system starting at $5k! Probably a great system.  I didn't bite although I've gotten some very pushy sales calls!

So, here is my takeaway from a three-day conference that featured the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Peyton Manning, Mike Tyson, and Tyler Perry, and ideas on applying what I learned to broadcast.

In an industry as dynamic and competitive as broadcasting, finding innovative strategies for growth and scalability is paramount. Grant Cardone, a renowned sales and marketing guru, offers a blueprint for success that can be adapted to the unique challenges and opportunities faced by broadcasters. By applying Cardone's principles, broadcasting businesses can not only survive but thrive in today's fast-paced media landscape.

Embrace the 10X Rule

At the heart of Cardone's philosophy is the 10X Rule, which suggests that to achieve true success, businesses must set targets that are 10 times greater than what they believe they can achieve and then take actions that are 10 times greater than what they think are necessary. For broadcasters, this means reimagining your audience reach, content creation, and revenue goals. Instead of aiming for incremental growth, think about expanding your digital footprint, diversifying content to capture wider demographics, and exploring new revenue streams such as OTT platforms and digital ads.

Obsess Over Your Goals

Cardone emphasizes the importance of being obsessed with your goals. For the broadcasting industry, this could translate to a relentless pursuit of quality content and technological innovation. Keeping abreast of the latest trends in broadcast technology, such as ATSC 3.0 for enhanced transmission and interactive content, and committing to high production values can set your channel apart. Furthermore, investing in training for your sales and marketing teams to better understand and leverage these advancements can drive your growth objectives.

Massive Action Equals Massive Results

Taking massive action is another cornerstone of Cardone's strategy. This principle can be particularly effective in how broadcasters approach sales and audience engagement. Developing aggressive marketing campaigns that cut through the noise, actively seeking out sponsorship and partnership opportunities, and employing data analytics to understand viewer preferences and behaviors can significantly amplify your reach and impact.

Create a Value Proposition

In today's saturated market, differentiating your broadcasting business is crucial. Cardone advises businesses to create an irresistible offer or value proposition. For broadcasters, this could mean curating content that addresses specific viewer interests or community needs, offering exclusive access to certain programming, or providing interactive viewer experiences. Highlighting how your content is unique, timely, and relevant can attract a loyal viewer base and open up additional revenue opportunities.

Never Depend on a Single Revenue Stream

Diversification is key to sustainability and growth, a concept Cardone staunchly supports. Broadcasters should look beyond traditional advertising revenues to diversify their income. This could involve syndicating content across multiple platforms, leveraging subscription models, or offering branded content and sponsorship opportunities. Additionally, exploring ancillary services such as production facilities rentals or technical expertise consulting can provide stable income streams.

Invest in Yourself and Your Team

Finally, Cardone champions the idea of continuous learning and self-improvement. For broadcasting leaders, investing in personal development and team training can catalyze growth. Attend industry conferences, participate in training programs on the latest broadcasting technologies, and encourage your team to develop their skills in content creation, digital marketing, and sales strategies.

By integrating Grant Cardone's proven techniques into your business strategy, your broadcasting enterprise can set ambitious goals, take decisive action, and achieve exponential growth. It's about dreaming big, acting boldly, and relentlessly pursuing excellence in every facet of your business.

Advanced Television Broadcasting Alliance LPTV Day at NAB 2024 -

Saturday - April 13, 2024

• 7:00 pm: ATBA Board of Directors Meeting

Monday - April 15, 2024

Join us for a day packed with insights, innovation, and invaluable networking opportunities tailored for the LPTV and OTT industry professionals. WESTGATE SUITE TBA on Saturday in an Email blast.

Morning Sessions:

• 8:00 am: Start your day with a Continental Breakfast, offering a chance to mingle and chat.
• 8:30 am: "Trends in Broadcast Production and Distribution" - A deep dive with Jeff Cooper and Dr. Kumar Ramaswamy from Igolgi into the evolving broadcast landscape, highlighting key technologies like Efficient Video Compression, All IP Workflows, and Digital Ad Insertion, among others.9:30 am: "Television Guide Services 101" with Morgan Berns - A session dedicated to ensuring accurate and updated onscreen guide data, covering sources, updates, and maintenance tips.

Mid-Morning Session:

• 10:30 am: "Monetizing Your Station in 2024" – An engaging discussion hosted by Dr. Joshua Weiss and Steve Doll, focusing on innovative solutions for broadcasters, content creators, and advertisers to unlock their full potential.

Afternoon Sessions:

• 1:00 pm: "NextGen Broadcast - The Road to ATSC 3.0 Monetization" – An introduction and panel discussion led by Rajesh Gangadhar with Mark Aitken and others, exploring the monetization potential of ATSC 3.0 through various services like DDaaS, GPS fallback, and more.
• 3:00 pm: "FCC Meet and Greet" with Barbara Kreisman, Chief of the Video Division, Media Bureau, FCC – An opportunity to engage with key FCC personnel and discuss industry regulations, trends, and advancements.

Evening Reception:   WESTGATE PAVILION 1 & 2.

• 6:00 pm: The 39th Annual LPTV/OTT Reception – Wind down and network at our annual reception, celebrating the vibrant community of LPTV and OTT industry professionals.

Stay ahead of the curve by participating in these thought-provoking sessions designed to inspire, inform, and connect you with industry leaders and innovators. We will have the full lineup next week!

SOUTHWICK, MA, April 3, 2024 – Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark LLC (hereinafter “COMARK”), a manufacturer and supplier of DTV transmitters, encoding systems, and associated field services for over 50 years, has announced the release of the LEX-2000 ATSC 3.0 Upgrade Solution.  The LEX encoder has been available for many years and is currently used by broadcasters for LPTV and disaster recovery market segments.

The LEX‐2000 is a powerful yet low-cost ATSC 1.0 encoder/multiplexer, that can be configured with all the necessary functions to get a DTV station on-the-air with up to 8 video programs.  It uses a compact 2RU dedicated hardware platform and includes many built-in source connections to support HD-SDI, SD-SDI, and NTSC Analog, as well as an ASI input for MPEG2 transport streams.  The encoder also supports PSIP ingest, EAS, and top-of-the-hour station ID.  The LEX-2000 platform is an extremely versatile product that now has a simple upgrade path to support ATSC 3.0.

The LEX 3.0 Upgrade pairs the LEX-2000 with the DTV Innovations Medusa product for a simple and cost-effective upgrade path to NextGen TV.  The consolidated solution includes HEVC-DASH encoding, ROUTE, and the Broadcast Gateway functions with a very simple user interface for system configuration.  Additional video programs can also be licensed on an as-needed basis.  The upgrade uses a single, space-efficient 1RU commercial high-availability server incorporating hot-swappable redundant power supplies that has a simple interface to existing LEX-2000 encoder platforms.

The LEX 3.0 Upgrade also accommodates ESG, AEA/AEI, and NRT ROUTE data encapsulation for ATSC 3.0 “Datacasting” of related and unrelated IP Data for broadcast.  The solution provides an ATSC 3.0 A/324 compliant STLTP output that integrates seamlessly with the EXACT-V2 ATSC 3.0 compliant DTV exciter that is used throughout the company’s DTV transmitter product line.

Additional information on this solution will be available at Comark’s NAB booth C4516 later this month.

SOUTHWICK, MA, March 18, 2024 – Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark LLC (hereinafter “COMARK”), a manufacturer and supplier of DTV transmitters, encoding systems, and associated field services for over 50 years, has announced the release of the PARALLAX Compact UHF / VHF liquid-cooled, solid-state DTV transmitter for SFN and NextGen TV requirements.  The PARALLAX Compact is an evolution of the company’s existing product family delivering an efficient package for small transmitter sites.

Comark originally introduced the PARALLAX liquid-cooled, solid-state DTV transmitter product line

at NAB 2015.  It is a design that has won multiple industry awards with hundreds of cabinets deployed throughout the US.  PARALLAX Compact is a simplified and condensed version of the transmitter that is intended for low and medium power DTV requirements of 10kW and below including Single Frequency Network (SFN) and NextGen TV applications.

The Compact transmitter system can be equipped with 1 to 6 Power Amplifiers (PA’s) in a single 27RU transmitter cabinet that is only 54” tall.  It can deliver 1.8 to 10kW UHF or 1.5 to 8.4kW VHF  output power levels measured after the mask filter.  PARALLAX Compact ensures top-notch RF performance; it shares the same PA module design that features broadband Doherty LDMOS FET devices. These devices not only provide broadband high efficiency operation but also have the benefit of providing the equivalent output power in ATSC 1.0 (8VSB) and ATSC 3.0 (OFDM).

PARALLAX Compact provides a future proof design to broadcasters:

• Latest “Ocean” control system with a large 15” touch screen user interface
• High efficiency with wideband Doherty technology
• Unique vertical high-gain power amplifiers,
• 2kW per PA module for UHF; 1.6kW per PA module for VHF band 3
• Asymmetrical Doherty; provides same power in 8VSB (ATSC 1.0) and OFDM (3.0)
• EXACT-V2 DualCast ATSC 1.0 / 3.0 upgradeable; preserves investment
• Single or dual drive design depending on redundancy needs
• Hot-swap AC to DC rectifiers with >96% efficiency, 3:1 ratio of rectifiers to PA
• Full remote control and monitoring with built-in web GUI and SNMP
• Made in the USA; serviced and supported out of Southwick, MA

“COMARK continues to evolve the PARALLAX product line to meet US and International customer requirements”, states Joe Turbolski, VP of Sales and Marketing for COMARK. “This new product package provides the best possible solution for stations running at less than 10kW and is extremely cost competitive allowing broadcasters to minimize both CapEx and OpEx .”

A PARALLAX Compact UHF transmitter system will be on display in the company’s NAB 2024 booth, C4516.

# # #

About Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark LLC:

For over 50 years COMARK has been synonymous with broadcast expertise and innovation. A trusted partner to the world’s leading broadcasters, COMARK has pioneered many developments that have shaped the industry, leading innovation in IOT & MSDC-IOT technology, transistorized solid-state technology, Digital Adaptive Pre-correction (DAP), and also winning multiple Emmy^® Awards; and gaining numerous patents in technologies that have become fundamental to broadcasting. COMARK is now building on this great heritage with the release of an entire new range of transmission products for terrestrial television broadcasting, and state-of-the-art products for scientific/industrial RF applications. With thousands of active COMARK transmission systems deployed worldwide and a global support presence, COMARK plans to lead the way in developing technologies for the future, with efficiency and performance initiatives for improving coverage and saving power.

Emmy^® is a registered trademark or trademark of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Inc. and Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Corporation.

is a registered trademark of Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark LLC

See us at NAB Booth # C4516

Information about products from Hitachi-Comark is available at www.comarktv.com.

Contact:
Joseph Turbolski
VP of Sales & Marketing
Tel: +1 413 998 1100
Email: [email protected]

 by Lee Miller, ATBA Executive Director

In the dynamic world of broadcasting, local television stations occupy a unique niche, forging deep connections with their communities. However, in an age where content is king, and competition is just a click away, LPTV stations must continuously evolve their promotional strategies to captivate their audience. Here are some innovative promotional ideas designed to elevate your station's profile and engage your viewers like never before.

1. Community-Centric Programming: Your station thrives on local appeal, so why not deepen those roots? Create segments that spotlight local heroes, businesses, or landmark events. Interactive programs like 'Neighborhood Stories' or 'Local Legends' not only attract viewers but also foster community pride.

2. Engaging Social Media Campaigns: Harness the power of social media to create a buzz around your programs. From behind-the-scenes footage to viewer polls about upcoming topics, interactive content can drive engagement and viewership. Platforms like Instagram Live or Facebook Stories can be used for real-time interaction, bringing your audience closer to the action.

3. Strategic Partnerships and Sponsorships: Collaborate with local businesses for sponsored content or events. This not only provides a revenue stream but also integrates your station more deeply into the local business ecosystem. Whether it's a live broadcast from a community event or a feature on a local innovation, these partnerships can offer fresh content while promoting mutual growth.

4. Viewer Participation Contests: Engage your audience directly by inviting them to participate in contests or content creation. For instance, 'The Best Sunrise Photo' contest or 'Local Talent Showcase' can stimulate viewer interaction and provide appealing content for your station.

5. Educational Workshops and Tours: Offer workshops or behind-the-scenes tours to schools and community groups. This not only serves as an educational experience but also builds a loyal base of young viewers. Engaging with the community in this manner promotes your station as an accessible and integral part of the locality.

6. Embrace Cutting-Edge Technology: In an era of rapid technological change, staying ahead of the curve can set your station apart. Explore the use of drones for aerial footage of local events or implement AR (Augmented Reality) in your weather forecasts or historical segments, offering viewers an immersive experience. Don't forget to plan that move to ATSC 3.0 in the near future!

7. Regular Feedback Loops: Create a consistent feedback mechanism where viewers can voice their opinions about your programming. This can be achieved through online surveys, social media polls, or even a dedicated 'Viewer's Voice' segment in your broadcasts. Acknowledging and acting on feedback not only improves your content but also builds viewer trust and loyalty.

The essence of a successful local television station lies in its ability to resonate with its community-LOCAL SELLS! By implementing these and other innovative promotional strategies, your LPTV station can not only expand its reach but also strengthen the bonds with its most valuable asset – the viewers.

Remember, in the world of local broadcasting, your signal goes beyond the airwaves – it's a beacon for the community you serve.