LISTEN: On the latest episode of Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast, we bring you part two of our recap from NAB Show 2023. If a theme emerged this year, it was the proliferation of Artificial Intelligence-powered solutions and virtual production on the show floor, inducing feelings from apprehension to excitement for their potential. We also talk to MaxxKonnect President Josh Bohn, who was behind pop-up radio station, MaxxRadio in the West Hall. In addition to Bohn, featured on this episode are NAB Product of the Year award winner Magnifi and the company’s Chief Revenue Officer Meghna Krishna; producer, director and M&E solutions architect Tom Thudiyanplackal, who was at NAB Show representing the Entertainment Technology Centre at the University of Southern California (USC); Vu Technologies R&D Program Manager Ben Myers; Brandon Costa, Director of Digital at SVG (Sports Video Group), and Yaroslav Altunin, tech editor at NoFilmSchool.com.
SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) Fellow Sally Hattori has accepted the position of SMPTE Standards Vice President, a role in which she’ll direct and supervise the standards projects of the society. She previously served as SMPTE Standards Director and is serving the balance of the two-year term begun by SMPTE colleague Florian Schleich. Hattori is Director of Product Development at StudioLAB, the creative innovation team within Walt Disney Studios’ technology division, and a science and technology peer group executive for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Barometer and NewsGuard have partnered on a new solution designed to help podcast publishers and advertisers detect and alert users when potential misinformation is discovered. The NewsGuard-Barometer offering is an advanced AI-powered solution that can detect potential misinformation at the episode-level to inform advertisers who want to vet a podcast before including it in a brand advertising strategy or who want to pause a media buy for further examination. NewsGuard has separately announced the launch of its Podcast Reliability Ratings — a new product assessing news and information podcasts at the show level on journalistic criteria of credibility and transparency.
GeoBroadcast Solutions’ MaxxCasting and ZoneCasting systems have recently been approved for testing by Prasar Bharati, India’s public broadcaster, as the country’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) mandates FM radio be accessible through mobile phones. The government directive was created to ensure that FM radio is available to the public during emergencies and disasters and allow those living in poverty to get free FM radio service. MaxxCasting’s technology would enhance broadcast signals and widen the reach of All India Radio. With the inclusion of ZoneCasting, the station’s signal can be subdivided – or zoned – with specific neighbourhood content vital for listeners using their mobile phones anywhere they may be.