LAS VEGAS — It’s only four letters, but you get the gist.
It should be clear that most radio broadcasters attending the NAB Show live in an IP world. The show floor and so many of the session rooms reflected that. Despite an inflationary business environment, equipment (which also includes, in this case, software) on the floor was better, more capable and cheaper by any bang-for-your-buck measure than last year. Almost everything seemed to have an RJ45 connector or an app for it. Booths were adorned with screens for showing GUIs displaying operation control features. So much can be remotely operated and updated.
Educational sessions and panels simply assumed your operation was sporting top-level broadband and utilizing some manner of IP audio networking, possibly all the way to the transmitter.
Your business and sales personnel are networked and have increasing information available. Feeding this beast is a growing army of broadcast intelligence information providers (often startups offering new angles and different data sets). Even a single station or small cluster can now have a business backbone that would have impressed a large broadcaster a decade ago.
For example, Xperi’s Joe D’Angelo headed a panel on the tidal wave of information on in-car listeners — especially highly granular geographic location information — about to become available through new technology. Speaking of the dashboard, there was also much talk about making the dashboard GUI much more efficient and informative while not overwhelming the driver and becoming a safety issue.
The AI man cometh
Probably the most anticipated event of the show was Futuri Media’s Daniel Anstandig’s duet with Ameca, a “humanoid AI-powered robot.” It stood beside him, speaking, answering questions, making suggestions and occasionally joking. The bottom line was that AI is not coming to terminate human broadcasters but to work with them, especially by taking over the mundane daily/hourly drudgery that consumes far too much time and resources.
The AI promoters explain that it is more than just replacing (or resurrecting) overnight DJs; it is building playlists and providing scripts and bits of content. Most broadcast automation and business/sales system developers are already hip-deep in AI or will be soon (or roadkill in a few years). If anything, AI will soon create an information “overload” for broadcasters, especially the ad sales team. AI is also edging into the actual operation of your broadcast plant with system measurement and monitoring 24/7.
Will some broadcasters take advantage of AI to cut staff? Assuredly so, just as solid-state electronics allowed the elimination of having to staff large “broadcast centers” filled with crotchety tube-based transmitters 24 hours a day.
But new opportunities will arise.
For instance, there was also much talk about “content” and “content creation.” The 2024 NAB Show seemed to have more “programming” options on the floor than I’ve ever seen in previous years. In the past, that option was provided as prepackaged content. In an AI and IP world, content creation is generated by the broadcaster. It is quickly created and getting easier, while distribution can come at the touch of a virtual button (leaving out an intermediary, if wanted). On-air and streaming content proliferate and blend, making the local audience deeper and reaching larger, geographically unrestricted audiences. More programming, more to sell. Oh, excuse me, “monetize.”
The radio future is so bright you’ll need sunglasses, unless it turns dark under our coming AI overlords.
More stories about NAB 2024
ENCO pitches WebDAD at NAB Show
