Los Angeles, CA. Exhibitors are putting the finishing touches on their booths, and the sessions and seminars have already begun, at the show the NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) bills as the largest radio industry gathering in the world.

The NAB Radio Show opens officially tomorrow (Oct.9) and runs through Saturday (Oct.12). The full World Media Expo, which includes the Radio/Audio Exposition floor, and participation by SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers), SBE (Society of Broadcast Engineers), and RTNDA (Radio and Television News Directors’ Association), runs from Thursday through Saturday (Oct. 10 – 12).

The main attraction for attending audio professionals will be the Radio/Audio Exposition, which has a separate hall all to itself this year. Prominent exhibitors include Harris Broadcast, BEXT Inc., Crown Broadcast, Progressive Networks, and Computer Concepts. In all, there are more than 140 companies represented on the Radio/Audio floor, ranging from large hardware manufacturers and distributors, to production music and scheduling software houses (see the full exhibitor list at NAB’s web site).

The NAB Radio Show offers more than sixty panel and seminar sessions on management, programming, sales and marketing in the radio industry. As is often the case at broadcast industry conferences, the audio pickings in the program will be slim. Much of the focus is on the business side of the industry, rather than production. But there are some audio-specific winners sprinkled throughout the schedule.On Thursday (Oct.10), NAB’s all-day Digital Radio Seminar “Creating the Future” will include four panel sessions of interest to audio professionals.

• “The Digital Studio: What Are the Benefits?” features E. Glynn Walden (CBS Radio) and Greg Dean (Computer Concepts Corp.) discussing the benefits of going digital: does it make sense for my station, what is the cost and how do I keep it maintained? (8:00am)
• In “Digital Audio Broadcasting: How Far Away Is the Future?” Scott Wright (Delco Electronics) and Bernee Strom (USADR) discuss the status of DAB in the United States and worldwide, when and how it may affect your future. (10:20am)
• “Wild” Bill Goldsmith (KPIG) is the star of “The Internet: Its Hidden Potential for Your Station”. He’ll present a real-life case-study of the value and limitations of the net as it applies to radio broadcasters and what it takes to get on the web. (2:10pm)
• The session closes with “Audio Processing: What’s Best for Your Station?” Robert Orban (Orban) and Bill Ammons (Circuit Research Labs) lead an examination of how to develop an audio signature for your station: how important is it and how can you do it with audio processing technology? (2:50pm)

Within the general program, one highlight that jumps out is the Wednesday (Oct.9) session on “The Tapeless Radio Station.” Moderator E. Glynn Walden (CBS Radio) and panelists Bob Jones (Arrakis), Ted Niegreen (RCS), Dave Scott (Scott Studios), and Steve Shott (Harris) promise to tell you all you need to know about planning the look and functionality of the new digitized broadcast facility. They will explore the upside and the pitfalls of analog to digital conversion. (3:30pm)

A number of celebrity speakers and performers will take star turns during the show, with an emphasis on country music. Computer industry marketing wiz Guy Kawasaki begins the parade on Thursday morning (Oct.10), when he delivers the Radio Show keynote address. Dolly Parton will be the speaker at the Radio Show Luncheon on Friday (Oct.11). Brian Setzer, of Stray Cats fame, will bring his 17-piece Brian Setzer Orchestra to play at the Friday Night Party at the Biltmore Hotel. Randy Travis will perform at the Marconi Awards Dinner and Show on Saturday night (Oct.12). And Entertainment Tonight’s Leeza Gibbons will be the MC and host of the Awards ceremony (which gives recognition to top stations in numerous format and market-size categories, as well as to on-air personalities).

Check AudioWorld OnLine daily throughout the show for announcements, product introduction, updates, and reminders of key audio events.

Seattle, WA. The Inflight Division of AEI Music Network has won the prestigious 1996 Avion Award for Best Inflight Audio Programming. The award recognizes AEI’s work for client Delta Air Lines.

For the past seven years, AEI Music has supplied Delta Air Lines with 11 channels of audio programming ranging from timeless classics, country or West European pop to comedy, artist interviews and business topics.

“Our goal is to provide Delta Air Lines with complete customized audio entertainment to fit the needs of their passenger demographics,” says Liliane Aouizerat, AEI Music’s Director of Audio Programming.

The Avion Awards are sponsored by the World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA). Now in their eighth year, they honor excellence in several categories of airline inflight entertainment, including inflight magazines, as well as audio and video programming. WAEA estimates annual airline expenditures on inflight entertainment and communications at approximately $1.2 billion per year.

Jeff Klein, Chairman of the Avion Awards Committee: “The Avion is the (airline) industry’s Grammy. It’s respected among members of the airline community and it’s a great vehicle to propel one’s image in the industry and to passengers.”

Irvine, CA. Interactive music company Graphix Zone is launching three new Interactive Music CD-ROM’s™ today in a release party in Los Angeles. The three titles are Herbie Hancock Presents Living Jazz; Willie, The Life & Music of Willie Nelson; and Under The Covers.

The triple release party will be celebrated at the Billboard Live club on Sunset Strip, tonight (Sept.20) at 5:00pm PST (8:00pm EST). The event will include a national chat from 7:00pm to 8:00pm PST on America Online with celebrities including Herbie Hancock, The Doors’ Ray Manzarek and Under The Covers’ Henry Diltz and Gary Burden. From 5:00pm to 8:00pm PST Internet users are invited to access the cyber party live on the web at Billboard Live. The site will feature live audio and video from the party using Xing Technologies’ StreamWorks™ streaming.

The three titles will be available for both Windows and Macintosh platforms, in stores October 1, 1996. The discs present “a musical and visual adventure offering a feast for the eyes, music to the ears and the compelling aspect of interactive exploration and play.”

New York, NY. The third World Media Expo next month in Los Angeles is expected to be the last, according to sources connected with the event. The two key sponsors have been unable to resolve differences over the management and direction of the show, and plan to hold separate events beginning next year.

The Radio-Television News Directors Association and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Radio Show joined forces in 1994 with the aim of creating a bigger show that could lure larger exhibitors. While that goal was largely accomplished, NAB was apparently unhappy with the revenue distribution arrangement. NAB’s radio members also complained about sharing their show with other groups.

A formal announcement regarding the dissolution of the partnering agreement is expected before the beginning of World Media Expo on Oct. 9. Other organizations involved in staging the fall show are the Society of Broadcast Engineers, and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers.