The new guidelines from the National Radio Systems Committee are now available.
The metadata distribution guideline, NRSC–G301, contains recommendations for the creation, packaging and delivery of program metadata for receiver displays. It covers methods for managing metadata created both by local stations and networks, independent producers, centralized production facilities or other program sources outside the station.
Alan Jurison, a senior operations engineer for Clear Channel Media + Entertainment’s Engineering and Systems Integration Group, led the NRSC working group for the metadata distribution guideline. KQED Public Radio DOE Dan Mansergh chairs the NRSC RBDS Subcommittee that adopted the document.
The authors say with the guideline now released, they hope to start a public dialogue with automation system vendors, software solution providers and broadcasters on best practices in implementing the guideline.
The other guideline now available from the NRSC concerns AM Modulation-Dependent Carrier Level usage. When used carefully, MDCL has little or no impact on the audio quality of AM transmissions, according to the NRSC.
In September, 2011 the FCC simplified the procedures for U.S. broadcasters to employ MDCL. We last wrote of Tom Ray quantifying his power savings using MDCL.
The NRSC is interested in expanding this guideline in the future to include information like how MDCL interacts with the Arbitron Portable People Meter and the with AM IBOC.
The guideline was compiled by the MDCL Working Group, chaired by Nautel Head of Engineering Tim Hardy. The group is a subgroup of the AFAB Subcommittee. Hammett & Edison Senior Engineer Stan Salek and Cumulus Broadcasting SVP/Corporate Director of Engineering & IT Gary Kline co-chair the AFAB subcommittee.
