A PPM and EAS conflict... with a side order of streaming

[davideduardo]

Here is an interesting article from The Broadcaster's Desktop Resource by Dana Puopolo, CE of an EAS primary station "in the East".

https://www.thebdr.net/articles/DirectConnection.html

It both describes how Nielsen does not, per Puopolo, allow 100% simulcast streams to be identically coded.

But more than that, there is a conflict he describes for primary EAS stations that are used by other stations to get the EAS signal.

Now, I believe that Nielsen will never allow two separate services to have the same encoding (except, apparently, for translator simulcasts which by regulation never can break a simulcast). The way around this as I understand it is to register as a simulcast with Nielsen for each encoded service and then they will combine them. I'm going to ask.

 

[Kelly A]

Here is an interesting article from The Broadcaster's Desktop Resource by Dana Puopolo, CE of an EAS primary station "in the East".

https://www.thebdr.net/articles/DirectConnection.html

It both describes how Nielsen does not, per Puopolo, allow 100% simulcast streams to be identically coded.

But more than that, there is a conflict he describes for primary EAS stations that are used by other stations to get the EAS signal.

Now, I believe that Nielsen will never allow two separate services to have the same encoding (except, apparently, for translator simulcasts which by regulation never can break a simulcast). The way around this as I understand it is to register as a simulcast with Nielsen for each encoded service and then they will combine them. I'm going to ask.

I believe the experience of the writer/engineer is unique to their situation. I'd be willing to bet that 50% of the stations out there who run their EAS generator ahead of the Nielsen encoder that broadcast, and other stations able to receive, their EAS EOM data just fine (don't care for the term, but aka "duck farts"). There's something in his program chain which is causing this combination to create issues.

Because of the long-standing duplication rules (25% of programming for owned, or time-brokered stations), I can see where Nielsen would want separate encoding to identify where a participant is listening to programming delivered by RF. The problem that I have is; say I'm listening to the WXYZ-FM stream via their app. I'm listening to the same programming that would be carried on the FM broadcast signal. Aside from maybe the spots being different due to Union or copyright issues from a web stream, I'm still listening to WXYZ. Just a different delivery method. This really holds true for Non Comms. They don't have to worry about the difference is spots.

Nielsen should be concerned about ratings for programming. Not delivery method.

 

[davideduardo]

Because of the long-standing duplication rules (25% of programming for owned, or time-brokered stations), I can see where Nielsen would want separate encoding to identify where a participant is listening to programming delivered by RF. The problem that I have is; say I'm listening to the WXYZ-FM stream via their app. I'm listening to the same programming that would be carried on the FM broadcast signal. Aside from maybe the spots being different due to Union or copyright issues from a web stream, I'm still listening to WXYZ. Just a different delivery method. This really holds true for Non Comms. They don't have to worry about the difference is spots.

Nielsen should be concerned about ratings for programming. Not delivery method.

The issue here is that Nielsen has strict regulations on non-duplication because if certain ads are not run on the stream, for example, the advertiser has no way of determining Cost Per Point if the stream is consolidated. In such a case, the consolidation covers perhaps 90% of the sort-of-simulcast, but the advertiser's spot which runs only on the RF signal reaches perhaps many more people.

We have to keep in mind that, while radio pays for ratings, it is advertisers who use them and they want to know how many people hear each ad.

 

[Kelly A]

The issue here is that Nielsen has strict regulations on non-duplication because if certain ads are not run on the stream, for example, the advertiser has no way of determining Cost Per Point if the stream is consolidated. In such a case, the consolidation covers perhaps 90% of the sort-of-simulcast, but the advertiser's spot which runs only on the RF signal reaches perhaps many more people.

We have to keep in mind that, while radio pays for ratings, it is advertisers who use them and they want to know how many people hear each ad.

And I have no issues with that rational'. If a Nielsen-encoded station is also streaming, then Nielsen should provide that station a separate encoder specifically for their stream/app. Considering the costs to a station from streaming, stations shouldn't be penalized by not being allowed to encode their web stream. As mentioned, this wouldn't apply to Non-Comms who aren't getting credit for spots. I don't believe U.C's count the same because they're technically considered sponsors of that particular program(s).

 

[davideduardo]

And I have no issues with that rational'. If a Nielsen-encoded station is also streaming, then Nielsen should provide that station a separate encoder specifically for their stream/app. Considering the costs to a station from streaming, stations shouldn't be penalized by not being allowed to encode their web stream. As mentioned, this wouldn't apply to Non-Comms who aren't getting credit for spots. I don't believe U.C's count the same because they're technically considered sponsors of that particular program(s).

Lots of station streams show up in the PPM markets, as they are separately encoded.

At the start of the PPM, every licensed station in the TSA got encoders for every RF licensed signal. Streams could be encoded, but I recall that there was a minimal fee for the encoder. Similarly, out of market stations could encode but were charged the same small fee.

I have not checked if those rems are the same today. I sent an email for find out.

The issue here is that non-total simulcasts are not eligible for combined listings the way, for example, KCBS and its FM in SF is presented. There is only an exception for cases where stations carry play-by-play where they can not stream unless the stream is geo-fenced or in some cases not allowed at all. But for regular programming, if stopsets are not simulcasts, you can't ask for single line listings in the PPM reports.

 

[Kelly A]

Lots of station streams show up in the PPM markets, as they are separately encoded.

At the start of the PPM, every licensed station in the TSA got encoders for every RF licensed signal. Streams could be encoded, but I recall that there was a minimal fee for the encoder. Similarly, out of market stations could encode but were charged the same small fee.

I have not checked if those rems are the same today. I sent an email for find out.

It will be interesting to see what they say. I've installed and dealt-with a lot of stations from the beginning that are encoding. I can tell you, zero have a dedicated Nielsen encoder for streaming. Most are just DA'ing off the program line to feed the streaming encoder.

 

[Brian Bowers]

Hmmm. Interesting. I've always wanted my EAS info to go out over our streams (especially for the locals listening to them), so the EAS box has always been the first thing that the console PGM output typically hits. If the EAS box is inserted after the PPM encoder (and Voltair if used), like instructed in the Voltair manual, it would be impossible to grab audio from it, and send it into the Internet PPM encoder (all stations I have engineered for, have had dedicated Internet PPM encoders), without that audio then having double the amount of PPM codes injected into it. I'm not sure how I would configure all of this, if my transmitter and audio processor was in some downtown high rise, miles away from the studio. Eventually the question is asked...where do I insert my profanity delay? Since I am not an engineer for any LP-1's, I think I'll keep routing it the way I have been, with the EAS box the first thing that console PGM hits, before traveling on.

 

[davideduardo]

It will be interesting to see what they say. I've installed and dealt-with a lot of stations from the beginning that are encoding. I can tell you, zero have a dedicated Nielsen encoder for streaming. Most are just DA'ing off the program line to feed the streaming encoder.

I believe that this is a violation of the Nielson contract or agreement. Each audio "channel" must be separately encoded except, it appears, for HD2 or HD3 feeds to Translators.

It's the same as simulcast FMs, such as several signals in the same market that are used for the same programming... even with 100% simulcast, they must have separate encoders.