Rich Redmond This is one in a series about global radio trends. Broadcast Electronics recently was acquired by a new ownership group led by The Alzana Group. Rich Redmond is president, CEO and a member of the ownership. He has 30 years of global expertise running technology product and systems businesses, including as president of GatesAir. He is founder of Strativa Advisors. Radio World: Rich, in this age of proliferating alternatives, is broadcast going to remain relevant in the long term across global markets? Rich Redmond: Radio continues to offer a strong value proposition to listeners, being local, mobile and free. Receivers are ubiquitous, with no data plans and no subscriptions. Stations offer local content and in many cases play a key part in the community. Globally there are many places where radio is the only form of mass communication — not TV, not streaming. Today there are certainly more methods of delivering audio than in the past. But radio is one of the most used, and many of the most popular streams and podcasts originate as radio station content. RW: What would you consider the most important macro changes in transmission and technology platforms? Redmond: In transmission, the focus on energy cost, efficiency and total cost of ownership clearly is growing. Energy costs are rising globally and are projected to continue. This affects everything from operating costs to logistics and maintenance costs. Coupled with the fact that more technology-minded people are working in IT-based segments versus RF and hardware segments, this puts pressure on the number of skilled engineers who can provide maintenance. “Global Radio Update” ebook These changes create demand for solutions that are smaller, energy-efficient and simpler to maintain, helping positively impact the bottom line for radio stations. RW: You recently introduced a new AM transmitter. What drove this, and is there indeed a future for AM? Redmond: We saw an opportunity to provide the first new AM transmitters in 20 years. The technology has evolved to really deliver significant reductions in costs for broadcasters. Our unique SiCore technology, built around silicon carbide devices, delivers super-efficient amplifiers — greater than 98% efficient — that provide significant reduction in operating costs. The ultra-compact footprint — 5 kW in five rack spaces — not only makes delivery less costly, but is ideal in addressing the market trend of combined AM transmitter sites. As land values increase, there’s more pressure and opportunities for… [TheTopNews] Read More.
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