SIGNALS
PAMA Leads Audio Industry Initiative to Replace Outdated Language & Terminology
FRANK PADIKKALA
Frank Padikkala Appointed as Chairperson of the AVIXA Diversity Council
AVIXA , the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association , has announced that the association ’ s Leadership Search Committee ( LSC ) has appointed Frank Padikkala , the Kairos solution architect at Panasonic , to serve as chairperson of the AVIXA Diversity Council .
As an AV and IT expert , Padikkala hopes to bridge the knowledge gap between the two industries that have already begun to overlap in a wide array of market segments . An advocate of both training and certification , Padikkala holds a master ’ s degree in cybersecurity in addition to more than 10 AV and IT certifications .
“ The advancement of diversity within our AV community is so much more than training sessions and webinars ,” adds Padikkala . “ My biggest goal is to bring the community together for personal learning journeys through the creation of safe spaces where we can each learn from one another , learn about ourselves , and learn about the value and power of our own diversity . Everyone ’ s diversity journey is different , and inclusion is achieved through the shared and mutual acceptance of your identity and brand . The hope , with the focus on outreach efforts both locally and internationally , is that it will help to broaden our perspective and bring positive change within the global AV community .”
The AVIXA Diversity Council ’ s mission is to encourage inclusion and promote human , cultural , and systemic diversity in all forms within the commercial audiovisual industry through the utilization of professional networking , educational opportunities , leadership development , and community awareness . To learn more about the council and how to join , visit www . avixa . org / diversitycouncil .
For more information , contact AVIXA : 703-273-7200 , membership @ avixa . org , www . avixa . org .
The Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance ( PAMA ) is working with its members and industry trade organizations to address outdated language and terminology issues increasingly identified as discouraging a spirit of inclusivity within the professional audio community .
“ The goal of this project is to introduce and create normalcy around neutral language in the audio industry ,” says Sennheiser ’ s Dawn Birr , who is part of the PAMA Inclusion Committee . “ As we all strive for continuous improvement in our work , personal lives , and society , often it ’ s the small steps that get us to our goals . We hope that by taking these actions we can begin making meaningful change happen over time .”
PAMA circulated a survey throughout PAMA membership companies to gather feedback regarding problematic language ( e . g ., master / slave in clocking references and eliminating male / female in reference to connector topology ) and soliciting input on alternate , neutral terminology .
“ The intent is for PAMA members to recommend adopting a framework within their organizations for the implementation of unified terminology across the industry , in the spirit of inclusivity and consistency ,” adds PAMA Board Chair-Elect and Inclusion Committee member Karam Kaul , who is the VP of audio at Harman Professional Solutions . “ It comes down to treating each other with respect . PAMA is working in collaboration with Audinate and a few other member organizations , using an Audinate framework as a starting point , with additional added elements such as addressing the replacement of gender identification of connectors with the neutral designations plug / socket .” The result is a list of suggested terms to replace current terminology .
The PAMA document , entitled “ PAMA Recommendations for Neutral Nomenclature in Pro Audio ,” can be downloaded at Tinyurl . com / pama-nnguide . This is a living document that will continue to evolve with ongoing input from the industry at large .
For more information , contact PAMA : 717-614-4271 , www . pamalliance . org .
Techni + Contact Now Distributing UNITEK USB Hubs & Extensions
Techni + Contact Canada has announced that it is now distributing UNITEK product solutions in Canada . UNITEK is a manufacturer of a wide range of solutions from USB storage , video and network adapters , USB hubs , cables and extensions , USB chargers , AV accessories , and mobile accessories .
“ Unitek ’ s USB cable solutions solve problems commonly encountered when sending video over long distances , for example from a video conferencing camera to a computer with Microsoft Teams and Zoom applications . Adding a USB hub allows for a robust installation that is flexible , easily adapting to future room uses and configurations ,” explains Techni + Contact Canada President Julie Legault .
For more information , reach out to Techni + Contact : 866-320-9451 , orders @ technicontact . com , www . technicontact . com .
16 PROFESSIONAL SOUND