FCC's Abernathy Adds Public Interest

Washington, DC - Dec 11, 2001 - Commissioner Kathleen Q. Abernathy relaunched her Commission website with several new features to make information and her office more accessible. One item of note is the News You Can Use page. Commissioner Abernathy describes the Web page as a feature that will focus focus on one public interest issue to raise awareness outside the Beltway and highlight the Commission's role and her own views on the issue. She will also incorporate the effort into her speeches. The first issue she covered was slamming.

The Commissioner's redesigned website now allows for a web-based meeting request form through which interested parties may request meetings with the Commissioner and her staff. The website also features a new personalized links section, a photo gallery, and an intern page. The Commissioner plans for the website to continue to evolve and improve over time.

TDGA 2001 Salary Survey Shows 11.4% Increase

WTC Funds to Assist Broadcasters

New York - Dec 27, 2001 - When the World Trade Center collapsed, four FM stations and nine TV stations lost their transmitter facilities. As part of the $8.2 billion emergency aid package that Congress approved for New York City, an $8.2 million appropriation has been set aside to rebuild the lost transmitter facility. While a new, freestanding tower-is estimated to cost between $30 million to $40 million, the NY Times reported that the money was sought by local TV stations that predicted substantial advertising revenue losses as the result of their weaker, temporary signals. It is estimated that most local TV stations lost 10% to 35% of their audiences after September 11 when they were forced to relocate to alternate sites. The FM stations, WPAT-FM, WNYC-FM, WKTU-FM and WKCR-FM, have all relocated to semi-permanent sites.

Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) lobbied for the broadcaster funds.

It is not known at this time if the estimated cost to provide full-power facilities will be spent on improving the Empire State Building (ESB) site or building a new tower site. It is also possible that both options may receive attention. The ESB would require substantial structural work to accommodate the required transmission equipment.

Sony and TC Works Announce Collaboration

New York - Jan 4, 2002 - John Richards, senior manager of Sony Oxford Pro Audio Research and Development, and Ralf Schlünzen, CEO of TC Works, have announced that the two companies will be working in collaboration to develop plug-ins for the new TC PowerCore DSP-card, based on the processing algorithms developed for Sony's digital mixing consoles. The Sony plug-ins are expected to be available for the PowerCore by Spring 2002.

Sony's Oxford team has already developed a high-precision TDM plug-in for Digidesign Pro Tools, based on the EQ processing algorithms for the OXF-R3 and DMX-R100, that offers previously unavailable on-board equalization power in a digital audio workstation.

The Sony plug-in for PowerCore will achieve the same performance as the version for Pro Tools or the consoles, thanks to the double precision processing capability of the PowerCore DSP chip throughout and significantly for both audio processing and coefficient generation.

This is the first in a new range of plug-ins designed to offer the sound of Sony's digital recording consoles to users of computer-based digital audio editing systems and workstations.

All commercial enquiries for the new Sony plug-ins are handled by a dedicated Web site (www.sonyplugins.com). The site, which came online on September 17, includes detailed product specification and provides customer support. Purchases are made using a fully automated e-commerce download system, so enabling the creative use of the product within minutes of the decision to buy.

Audio Precision and Digigram Unveil Testing Capabilities

Grenoble, France, and Beaverton, OR - Jan 4, 2002 - Digigram and Audio Precision, two leaders in professional audio, have teamed up to bring users comprehensive testing capabilities for Digigram sound cards. Audio Precision has released a special Digigram version of its Application Note for PC audio device performance tests. The free CD-ROM can be used with Audio Precision's System Two or System Two Cascade audio analyzers.

Sadie Appoints Westlake Audio as Sales Representative

New York, NY - Jan 4, 2002 - Digital audio workstation manufacturer Sadie announces the appointment of Westlake Audio of Los Angeles as an authorized sales representative. Jeff Giedt, vice president sales and support for Sadie, announced the selection of Westlake Audio as part of Sadie's newly enacted sales representation program for its professional audio products.

MCI Earns ISO Certification

Manchester, NH - Jan 4, 2002 - Micro Communications, Inc. (MCI) has achieved ISO 9001:2000 certification for manufacturing quality control through the NSF-ISR organization. Ken Blackford, ISO management representative, and Bill Reynolds, ISO 9001:2000 consultant, have worked together to earn the ISO certification. ISO document coordinator Penny Vigneault prepared the procedures, forms and flow charts that came with the ISO certification process.

Multicast Technologies Streams FMG

Fairfax, VA - Jan 2, 2002 - The Future of Music Coalition (www.futureofmusic.org) announced that Virginia-based Multicast Technologies (www.multicasttech.com) has been selected to stream the video of the coalition's key conferences online. The Future of Music Coalition Policy Summit, scheduled for January 7 to 8, 2002, in Gaston Hall at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, is intended to unite the media, citizens, creators of music, elected officials and policy makers on the topics of opportunities and effects of new and emerging technologies. Both days' events will frame the discussion with a clear-eyed focus on guarding the value of music for musicians, and guarding access to music for citizens.

For the Future of Music Coalition, Multicast Technologies will record the Policy Summit in order to provide archival coverage of the event and offer video-on-demand (VOD) of some key panels, using the company's latest technology, Digital Express (DEx) to distribute these large data files over the Internet. The Policy Summit will include keynotes by Representative Rick Boucher, Co-Chair, Congressional Internet Caucus; Representative John Conyers Jr., Ranking Minority Member, House Judiciary Committee; CA State Senator Kevin Murray, Chair, Select Committee on the Entertainment Industry; and Konrad Hilbers, CEO, Napster. All of these and others will be made available through video-on-demand using DEx.

DAR Restructures With Amek

The new Amek headquarters.

Manchester, England - Jan 2, 2002 - Harman International Industries has announced a restructuring program for Digital Audio Research (DAR), involving a relocation of the business to the new Amek Manchester location. The DAR products will benefit from AMEK's manufacturing facilities, ensuring product consistency and reliability.

The current DAR product range encompasses:

• the SoundStation STORM networked audio workstation. Capable of handling large projects, SoundStation STORM is scaleable up to 128 internal tracks and supports sampling rates of up to 96kHz, plus 16 and 24-bit operation.

• the 24-bit 8-track OMR8 disk recorder/editor system

• the Trigger Audio Replay System - an instant-replay system for television productions, as well as for radio, theatre and live events.

Mackie Designs Announces Alliance with Universal Audio

Jamie Engen, CEO of Mackie, and Bill Putnam, CEO of Universal Audio.

Woodinville, WA - Dec 21, 2001 – Mackie Designs, manufacturer of professional analog and digital audio products and Universal Audio, developers of analog recording equipment and digital signal processing tools, announced a strategic partnership in which Mackie will market and distribute a series of DSP-based software tools developed by Universal Audio.

The first Universal Audio-developed product to become part of the Mackie family will be the UAD-1 Powered Plug-InsÔ for Windows-based, VST compatible software including Cubase VST, Logic Audio, Nuendo and others. A Macintosh version that includes support for Mark of The Unicorn’s Digital Performer will be available next year.

The UAD-1’s dedicated DSP hardware reduces the burden on a computer’s host processor, allowing for plug-in effects. The ultra-high speed processing capability of the UAD-1’s high-speed DSP chip allows native workstation users to run professional quality powered plug-ins without bogging down the host processor.

The included powered plug-ins feature software emulations of the Teletronix LA-2A leveling amplifier and 1176LN leveling amplifier. Also included are the RealVerb Pro, and UAD CS-1 channel strip with equalizer/compressor, delay demodulator and reflection engine.

Currently available in limited distribution, powered plug-ins will soon be available at Mackie dealers worldwide as the Mackie Powered Plug-Ins System and will include all available Universal Audio-developed plug-ins as well as the UAD-1 PCI card.

AKG Acoustics U.S. Announces Organizational Changes

Nashville, TN - Jan 4, 2002 - In a move that aligns its staff to best serve its customers and streamline its product development process, AKG Acoustics U.S. announced several appointments at its Nashville headquarters. Tom Stotler is now market development manager for Music Retail and Touring Sound; Doug Kittle is market development manager for Recording and Broadcast; and Shareen King joins the company as marketing coordinator.

In their new positions, Tom Stotler and Doug Kittle are charged with increasing AKG’s sales and marketplace presence as well as developing product and application training programs. The pair will also work directly with AKG worldwide headquarters in Vienna to identify new product requirements and test those products during the development stages. In addition, they will work closely with the AKG marketing department to generate materials and products for trade shows, retail displays and other environments to increase AKG's visibility.

Both Kittle and Stotler were formerly regional sales managers for the company. As market development managers, the two join Kevin Madden, who was recently appointed market development manager for Installed Sound. These three report to Tracy Cranton, vice president of market development.

Shareen King has joined AKG Acoustics U.S. as marketing coordinator. King is responsible for AKG’s trade shows and literature and will assist marketing manager Sarita Stewart in day-to-day operations of the marketing department. King came to AKG from Qwest Digital Media.

Audio-Technica U.S. Announces Company Appointments

Stowe, OH - Jan 4, 2002 - Microphone manufacturer Audio-Technica U.S has recently made several new appointments. Gary Boss has been named marketing director and will be responsible for directing the company's overall marketing efforts in the MI, studio, live sound, fixed installation and consumer audio markets. Two product managers have been named to oversee current and future product development: Michael Edwards has been appointed product manager, wired microphones and headphones; and Bob Green has been appointed product manager, wireless and circuitry products. Steve Savanyu has been named marketing manager, training and seminars. Savanyu will develop and implement product training and seminar programs geared to Audio-Technica reps, dealers and end users. Jeff Simcox has been appointed marketing communications director. In his new position, Simcox will be responsible for guiding the company's advertising, collateral, internet and public relations efforts.

MCI Announces Personnel Changes

Manchester, NH - Jan 4, 2002 - Micro Communications, Inc. (MCI) welcomes Paul Baptiste as its new mechanical designer, replacing Ken Blackford in the engineering department. Baptiste has 28 years of experience in machine design and project engineering. He ran his own designing company, Deerfield Design, before coming to MCI.

     

Ken Blackford has been promoted to manufacturing manager. His move to the production facility brings solid technical knowledge to the manufacturing floor, and his project management experience will come to bear as he leads future porduction activities. Blackford has also taken on the responsibility of ISO management representative and was the main force behind MCI's recent ISO 9001:2000 certification.