NPR unveils new service for deaf and blind

Among other gadgets to be unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show, the San Jose Mercury News previews a new HD Radio media access technology that NPR plans to introduce at CES. UPDATE: Here's the official news release describing the initiative and today's live demonstration at CES.

WAMC, NCPR resolve dispute over service to Lake Placid

WAMC in Albany, N.Y., agreed to drop its bid to build a new full-power radio station in territory already served by North Country Public Radio, according to the Albany Times-Union. The proposal, one of three vying at the FCC for the 91.7 frequency in Lake Placid, would have bumped NCPR's translator service to the town.

Consultants call for HD Radio Alliance to rethink its marketing strategy

A couple of blog postings about the marketing of HD Radio prompted vigorous debates about the viability of the nascent broadcast technology. Consultant Fred Jacobs critiques the concept behind the new ad campaign created for HD Radio Alliance stations, prompting a pre-holiday venting about all that is wrong with HD Radio. And Mark Ramsey, who predicted two years ago that HD would die on the vine without a better marketing plan, comments on the lackluster sales of HD Radio units [Via PRPD].

Before the holidays, Talent Quest finalists wrapped up their pilots

PRX's three Public Radio Talent Quest finalists completed their pilot episodes last month and posted them to the PRTQ website. Listen and review Al Letson's State of the ReUNION, Rebecca Watson's Curiosity Aroused and Glynn Washington's Snap Judgment. The trio are competing for CPB series funding with each other and three aspiring pubradio hosts recruited by a separate team of producers.

One respected news source recognizes another

A Sacramento Bee feature on Capital Public Radio's KXJZ describes a respected, nonsensational news source with a growing local news staff (seven going on nine, plus four regular contributors) that placed fourth in 25-54 morning audience this spring.

DirecTV picks up pubTV high-def channel

DirecTV and APTS said today the satellite broadcaster will carry local high-definition feeds of public TV stations starting next year, along with PBS video-on-demand programming and two national standard-def pubTV channels. The deal was approved yesterday by the APTS Board and faces votes by the PBS Board and the stations. DirecTV's lineup includes 265 channels, includng more than 80 in HD. (News release via TVPredictions.com.)

Ken Burns endorses Obama candidacy

The filmmaker and New Hampshire resident said he's disappointed in Hillary Clinton's negative tone and speculated she's getting bad advice, AP reported.

Four Silver Batons for pubcasting newsies

"Jihad: The Men and Ideas Behind Al Queda," a documentary funded by CPB's America at a Crossroads initiative, is one of four pubcasting programs to win 2008 duPont-Columbia Awards. During an awards ceremony to be held Jan. 16, the competition's silver batons will also be presented to This American Life for a report by Alix Spiegel on the discrimination faced by a Muslim family after 9/11; NPR and Daniel Zwerdling for investigative reporting on the treatment of Iraq War veterans suffering from serious psychiatric post-traumatic stress injuries; and to producers of "Through Deaf Eyes," a PBS documentary on the deaf community in the United States. Descriptions of each of the winning programs are posted here.

North Country Public Radio rebukes WAMC for going after its Lake Placid frequency

North Country Public Radio and WAMC in Albany, N.Y., are feuding over their competing applications to operate a full-power station in Lake Placid. For 21 years, NCPR has broadcast to the community on a translator on 91.7, the only frequency available in Lake Placid for a full-power station. During the FCC's October filing window for new noncommercial FM stations, WAMC applied to take over the channel. The Daily Gazette of Schenectady first reported on the dispute, but the Albany Times Union reported earlier on WAMC's plans to expand into the service areas of other regional pubcasters. The Adirondack Daily Enterprise reports on negotiations between NCPR and WAMC for the frequency. “A fellow public broadcaster is trying to take over a frequency on which we have broadcast for 21 years," NCPR's Ellen Rocco told the Daily Enterprise. "It’s truly amazing. I consider it predatory.” NCPR published a webpage about the dispute, with links to other coverage.

Media insiders debate OPB Radio purchase

Oregon Public Broadcasting's decision to buy an AM radio station in Eugene, hometown of NPR News and music station KLCC, prompted a spirited discussion on Oregon Media Insiders. KLCC, which has a longstanding news partnership with OPB to fund a news bureau in Salem, has endorsed the purchase.