LA Sheriff’s dispatch down since New Year’s Eve, deputies switch to radios
A critical lifeline for one of the busiest sheriff’s departments in the country remains down days after the issue first surfaced. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department suffered a major outage on New Year’s Eve when its antiquated dispatch system crashed, forcing deputies to rely on radio communication to respond to emergencies.
The LASD uses a computer-aided dispatch system that sends patrol units to calls. However, on Thursday, Jan. 2, deputies were unable to log into the system as usual, taking it out of service for nearly 10,000 deputies.
Officials said calls for service are still being responded to but they are being manually tracked at the station level.
The department emphasized that 911 lines haven’t been affected by the outage. Officials are working to resolve the technical issue.
This isn’t the first time the department has faced technical challenges with its dispatch system.
According to the Los Angeles Times, some deputies said they are used to handling calls by radio when the system goes down for maintenance. However, those outages are usually planned and short-lived.
The timing of the malfunction raised concern, as it occurred on the same day as the Rose Bowl football game and the Rose Parade. One deputy told the Times it was a “scary” problem to grapple with during such a high-profile event.
In 2023, the department submitted proposals to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to modernize its dispatch system. LASD officials cited its long history with outdated technology and its inability to gather data effectively.
Officials haven’t confirmed what caused the issue or how long it will take to fix the system.
New tech aims to take over enemy drones: Weapon of the Week
In today’s battlespace, drones have become as ubiquitous as armored vehicles, fighter jets and aircraft carriers, forming an essential part of any military force’s strategy. While defenses against traditional warfare methods are well-established, counter-drone defense is a rapidly evolving field.
This is where the EnforceAir2 from D-Fend Solutions comes into play.
A quick search on social media reveals numerous clips of Ukraine’s drone operators causing significant damage to Russian troops and equipment. Counter-drone manufacturers like D-Fend Solutions aim to mitigate such destruction with innovative solutions like the EnforceAir2.
“What we’re known for is the actual RF cyber takeover. We’ll take over the drone. The drone now has a new master, if you will, and it’s landed safely in a pre-designated zone and in a military environment where, of course, that is allowed and performed by qualified staff,” Jeffrey Starr, CMO of D-Fend Solutions said.
Counter-drone defenses typically fall into nine categories:
EMP or HPM technology.
Directional jammers.
Global navigation satellite spoofing.
Handheld jammers.
Kinetic solutions.
Laser-based systems.
Omnidirectional jammers.
Radiofrequency jammers.
RF cyber-based takeover technology.
The EnforceAir2 specializes in takeover technology.
“It’s based on a deep understanding of the communication protocols of the drone,” Starr says. “So an unauthorized or hostile drone enters the protected area, we can immediately detect it, and we set off an alert to all the operators. From that point on, we’re tracking it closely, including the pilot and the takeoff position.”
This takeover approach not only reduces limitations found in early counter-drone technology but also provides valuable intelligence.
“We’re identifying the drone’s make, model, manufacture, serial number, and capabilities to determine if it’s friendly or unauthorized,” Starr adds. “This identification leads to effective mitigation.”
Starr emphasizes that this method protects friendly forces and gathers intel on adversaries.
“You can capture the drone and the intelligence associated with it very precisely, avoiding collateral damage, disruption, and operational disturbance. Above all, you maintain continuity,” he said.
The EnforceAir2’s adaptability is another key feature. It can be deployed tactically, vehicularly, or stationarily and even operates from a backpack.
“The backpack version is our latest,” Starr notes. “We’ll continue to reduce the footprint and enhance portability. As new drone threats emerge, we must overcome them.”
D-Fend Solutions operates in 27 countries, providing counter-drone protection in defense, homeland security, law enforcement, and critical infrastructure. They are also working to pass legislation to make their technology available to state and local authorities in the U.S.
Access all Weapons and Warfare podcast episodes here.
FCC commissioner: ‘Special shortcut’ allowed Soros to buy 200 radio stations
The Federal Communications Commission has approved a controversial deal that grants control of over 200 radio stations to a nonprofit funded by Democratic megadonor George Soros. The decision has drawn sharp criticism from Republicans in Congress, who argue it aims to influence the upcoming election. The House Oversight Committee is investigating the FCC’s handling of the approval process.
Audacy, a company currently in bankruptcy, holds radio station licenses from around the country in 40 media markets, reaching more than 165 million Americans.
The Soros-backed nonprofit, called the Fund for Policy Reform, will now acquire those stations, some of which are home to major conservative talk shows, including those hosted by Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and Mark Levin.
He questioned the motives behind the unique approval process, stating, “We have established over a number of years one way to get approval from the FCC when you have more than 25% foreign ownership, which this transaction does. It’s very much out of the ordinary; we’ll be creating a special shortcut just for this one entity backed ultimately by this George Soros group.”
In its letter to the FCC chairwoman, the House Oversight Committee sought answers, asserting, “By all appearances, the FCC majority isn’t just expediting, but is bypassing an established process to do a favor for George Soros and facilitate his influence over hundreds of radio stations before the November election.”
In response, Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel defended the FCC’s decision, stating that the agency followed the same process in other recent bankruptcy-related cases. She characterized the criticism as “cynical and wrong.”
Astronomers warn of Starlink satellites’ impact on space research
Astronomers sounded the alarm over the increasing threat posed by Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites to ground-based observations. Scientists said Starlink satellites emit radio waves up to 32 times stronger than previous versions, severely impacting astronomical research and astronomers’ ability to observe the stars.
Radio astronomers are particularly concerned because Starlink’s interference obstructs their ability to peer into the universe and conduct vital research on celestial objects and phenomena.
Currently, approximately 6,400 Starlink satellites orbit Earth, making SpaceX the largest provider of satellite-based internet services. The company predicted that it could have 100,000 satellites in orbit by 2030.
Researchers report that the radiation from Starlink satellites is 10 million times brighter than the faintest cosmic signals detectable by radio telescopes.
With SpaceX launching approximately 40 new satellites each week, scientists warned that the problem is rapidly escalating.
Podcasting Popularity: How the format is growing in revenue, viewership, nostalgia
The podcasting format has been around for decades but it’s seen significant growth in the past few years growing ad revenue and new shows popping up from all over the world, including at Straight Arrow News. SAN’s Ryan Robertson has held many positions in his broadcast career, including reporter, producer, and news director, and now he’s taken on a new role as a podcaster.
“What a time to be alive when we can live in this opportunity that this technology that allows us to reach so many people in so many places with relative ease to me is just kind of mind-boggling,” Robertson told Straight Arrow News.
Each week, Robertson speaks on the latest developments in the military world in his podcast “Weapons and Warfare.” He said the medium is giving him the freedom to talk about these topics as they are meant to be discussed with an audience on a wide range of platforms.
“We’re given a certain amount of time to tell our stories that we gather from around the country and really explore the space on how we do that, we’re not pigeonholed into a certain formula or certain format,” Robertson said. “We’re able to say this is the best way this story needs to be told, so that’s how we’re going to tell this story.”
Podcasting by the numbers
Robertson is part of the ever-growing population of podcasters behind the resurgence of the audio industry. Not since radio was king have people flocked to audio as their go-to source for entertainment. According to data from Loopex Digital, there are over 414 million podcasts out in the world, each trying to get listeners to like and subscribe.
Straight Arrow News spoke with iHeartPodcasts president Will Pearson as he was on his way to discuss a potential podcasting project. Home to more than 750 original podcasts, iHeart is the No. 1 podcast publisher in the world.
“What’s been so incredibly exciting over the past four years is seeing podcasting develop into the newest mass reach medium,” Pearson said. “If you look back five, six years ago, you’d call it a niche medium, just this really exciting, interesting space, just not reaching the masses. Today, podcasting is reaching 135 million people every single month in the U.S. alone, almost half a billion people when you look beyond that.”
Though the word podcast was first coined in 2004, the medium truly popped onto the scene most notably a decade ago when “Serial” grabbed listeners by their ears. The series has been downloaded more than 300 million times.
“Serial” became the first podcast to receive a Peabody Award and launched the true-crime genre, inspiring not only podcast creators but influencing television productions as seen in Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building.”
In 2006, 22% of the adult population in the U.S. was aware of podcasting. In 2022, that number rose to 80%, according to Statista.
Edison Research’s Infinite Dial 2024 survey found 47% of Americans 12 years and older have listened to a podcast in the past week, up 10% over last year.
In addition, 192 million people, 67% of the U.S. population, said they have listened to a podcast in their lifetime.
“There’s this incredible opportunity for people that want to learn or know or dive into any topic of interest to them across so many different genres and verticals,” Shapo said. “That’s the beauty of podcasting.”
“There’s so much wonderful content out there that podcast creators are producing every day and there’s this wide canvas of content that people who love to learn about things get a chance to interact with,” Shapo continued.
Let’s Make A Deal: Podcast Edition
The podcast business is booming with the biggest podcast of all, “The Joe Rogan Experience,” with over 14.5 million followers on the Spotify platform alone. Spotify struck a multi-year deal with the host earlier this year reportedly worth around $250 million dollars.
That news came just days after SiriusXM’s reported $100 million three-year deal for exclusive rights to SmartLess, the podcast hosted by actors Jason Batemen, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett.
This does not mean these podcasts are only available on these specific platforms; it just means these audio outlets are able to give their subscribers perks like early access and the companies themselves gain ad sale revenue.
And, boy, are there ad sales!
“A lot of people are describing this current era as a golden age of audio and podcasting is obviously right smack dab in the center in this renaissance of audio,” Shapo said. “You’re starting to see more large-scale brand advertisers coming to podcasting, understanding that they can find the audience they want to find, they can tell the stories they want to tell, and they can find the reach and the scale they need.”
According to the IAB, advertising revenue is projected to increase 12 percent this year to $2 billion and reach nearly $2.6 billion by 2026.
“There really is something very special about the deep-dive conversations that podcasters tend to have — really long-form content that you don’t get almost anywhere else, really bespoke content produced by really passionate people who form these incredibly close, parasocial bonds with their listeners, really become meaningful relationships,” Shapo said. “Those meaningful relationships between the people creating the content and the people consuming the content is really what’s driven all this spectacular growth.”
Not only is the growth of the first-time advertisers something to talk about, Pearson noted that the change in the type of advertisers is a testament to the strength of the podcasting industry.
“So if you look back five or six years ago, the majority of your advertisers in this space would have been what we call direct response advertisers, you think your mattress companies, your box meal companies, you know those that give you a discount code to say, ‘The next time you visit the website, be sure to use the code for our podcast and you’ll get a discount on this,’” Pearson said.
“Those direct response advertisers are the ones that proved the effectiveness of host read ads and podcast advertising. And then big brands started waking up to that and realizing, ‘Oh, wow, this is an opportunity to engage people in a very intimate and new and direct way.’”
And podcast listeners are paying attention to all these ads. Dentsu’s Attention Economy Podcast Study showed podcast ads hold consumers’ attention longer than social media, digital video and TV ads.
The IAB said the comedy and sports genres are at the top of the list when it comes to both listeners and advertisers. Shapo said this shows people are not just heading to podcasts to be informed and find community, but also to kick back and be entertained.
Rewatch podcasts bring on the nostalgia
There is another podcast genre doing the same, while also making nostalgia hip: the rewatch podcast. Examples include “Where Everybody Knows Your Name,” “That Was Us,” The Ringer’s “The Rewatchables,” and “How Rude Tanneritos: A Full House Rewatch Podcast.”
Pearson said these trips down memory lane make up one of the most popular genres for iHeartMedia.
“I guess that was another thing when you think about what people are looking for in podcasting — that bit of escape or that entertainment from all that is stress relieving, looking back to times that we’re less stressful,” Pearson said. “You know, thinking about the nostalgia play in podcasting is a huge one.”
“And so you know, being able to say you know what, I want to look back to 10 years ago when I was in love with the show ‘One Tree Hill,’ and to have Sophia Bush and the cast from ‘One Tree Hill’ being able to revisit that show with something like ‘Drama Queens,’ and so we’ve probably got, you know, 10 different shows in the sort of broader rewatch/companion show category.”
Shapo said advertisers are also looking for ways to be part of the podcast.
Take Hyundai for example and the rewatch podcast “Pod Meets World” with the cast of the 90s ABC TGIF sitcom “Boy Meets World.” Hyundai recently sponsored episodes of the show where the cast stayed in the house depicted on the sitcom and is named in talent reads each week.
Shapo said new technologies in analyzing podcast content and viewership are helping to quell advertisers’ fears that the podcasting world is the Wild Wild West.
“As we continue to see advances in the way artificial intelligence is used to analyze podcast episode transcripts and not just understand it in sort of a blunt, keyword-based way, where there is safety to be found and where there is alignment to be found for brand advertisers,” Shapo said, adding, “but also to really get into the sentiment and the true understanding of a podcast episode, it opens up all sorts of contextually opportunities and chances for brands to do brand storytelling in these incredibly aligned ways.”
All about the audience
In the end, what these experts agree on is that it’s not the relationship between the advertiser and the show that draws the public in, but the connection between the host and the listener.
“You have this extraordinary relationship between people who are producing podcast content and the people who are coming to consume it,” Shapo said. “That is the core bedrock reason that underlies all growth stories. That is the fundamental reason you will continue to see growth in this medium.”
That’s Ryan Robertson’s goal — to continue to develop that connection with his “Weapons and Warfare” viewers as his podcast community grows.
“One of the exciting things about being new is that we’re building that relationship with the audience,” Robertson said. “We get the opportunity to build it new and build it fresh for a new product. There are other people talking about war and military-type topics, but not in the way we’re doing it where we’re really trying to meet the masses.”
And he is not shy about joining in with that ubiquitous but useful podcaster phrase.
“I encourage everyone to like, subscribe and help us grow this thing,” Robertson said.
EVs could kill AM radio, Congress wants to save it
The growing prevalence of electric vehicles (EVs) has kickstarted a debate over the compatibility of AM radio technology with these automobiles. The problem lies in the potential electromagnetic interference that AM radios could cause to essential EV propulsion systems like electric motors and high-voltage batteries.
Automakers are facing considerable financial implications, with estimates suggesting a cost of nearly $4 billion over the next six years to address these concerns. Instead of taking on this additional expense, some car companies are opting to drop AM radio services from their vehicle models altogether.
In response, Congress may compel automakers to keep AM radios in their cars. The House and Senate are both currently considering variations of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act. If passed, this legislation would mandate that automakers include AM radio access in all vehicles and prohibit these companies from charging drivers additional fees for the service.
This legislative initiative is rooted in public safety concerns, with some lawmakers fearing that when emergencies or natural disasters strike, individuals relying on car radios for vital updates could be left uninformed if they cannot access AM broadcasts.
“While other forms of communication have failed during these incidents, AM radio has often remained resilient, operational, and has been the calming voice in the storm when on the go,” said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, during a recent hearing on preserving access to AM radio.
Opponents of the proposed legislation contend that while automakers may be barred from imposing premiums on vehicles equipped with AM radios, they could offset the added costs by increasing prices across their entire product lines. This could result in inflated costs for all consumers, regardless of their utilization of AM radio services.
According to data from the Consumer Technology Association, only about 1% of Americans receive emergency alerts through AM radio. However, that still amounts to approximately three million individuals depending on AM radio for critical information during times of crisis.
