HD stations should make HD a priority

[nd2023]

A station can have it's HD off for weeks, months, even years. How are HD2s supposed to keep an audience if it can be gone for a while without notice. There could be dead air on the HD2. The HD transmitter could be off, hence no HD2. The AC could break at the transmitter site, so the HD transmitter is turned off, or the HD can be turned off every summer in a hot climate because the AC is underpowered. The HD2 could play stale songs over and over because no one's updating it. Or playing the same song over and over for weeks because its automation failed. The display could be frozen on the same song, or display a curse word uncensored, display gibberish characters or an error message. The audio quality could be terrible. I even heard an HD2 loop EAS tones because presumably a computer crashed during the EAS test.
I've heard all of the mishaps I mentioned over the years.
I think stations need to care more for their HD investment. If the main transmitter failed at 3 am, the engineer would be there ASAP. They should do the same if the HD transmitter breaks. If the engineer is on vacation and the HD transmitter goes haywire, the engineer should be called in immediately to fix the problem.

 

[KB1OKL]

A station can have it's HD off for weeks, months, even years. How are HD2s supposed to keep an audience if it can be gone for a while without notice. There could be dead air on the HD2. The HD transmitter could be off, hence no HD2. The AC could break at the transmitter site, so the HD transmitter is turned off, or the HD can be turned off every summer in a hot climate because the AC is underpowered. The HD2 could play stale songs over and over because no one's updating it. Or playing the same song over and over for weeks because its automation failed. The display could be frozen on the same song, or display a curse word uncensored, display gibberish characters or an error message. The audio quality could be terrible. I even heard an HD2 loop EAS tones because presumably a computer crashed during the EAS test.
I've heard all of the mishaps I mentioned over the years.
I think stations need to care more for their HD investment. If the main transmitter failed at 3 am, the engineer would be there ASAP. They should do the same if the HD transmitter breaks. If the engineer is on vacation and the HD transmitter goes haywire, the engineer should be called in immediately to fix the problem.

Congratulations! You are the last person in the USA who actually cares!

 

[JoshTheRadioDude]

Consumers don't want "HD Radio." I think they've made that pretty clear by now.

 

[tomservo]

Congratulations! You are the last person in the USA who actually cares!

From a purely technical, "I want things I listen to, to work!" standpoint, I care about HD as well.

But then my preference for it was based on the concept it might provide programming to me I could not otherwise hear over the air locally. And in the market I'm in now, it's just giving us crap formats like smooth jazz and classic country, so it doesn't bother me any more, because I don't listen to radio, period. Radio as a medium is over for me. I still love to DX and check out the news/talk stations that exist, but by and large it's become such an irrelevant medium, musically, that I actually find myself becoming offended at the banality of it all. Radio still may reach 97% of Americans on a weekly basis, but it's reaching fewer and fewer of the younger generations, many of whom are growing up with radio being something old farts listen to.

Creative use of HD subchannels now might help squelch some of that loss, now that hundreds of new cars are coming with HD radios as standard, but the same crap radio executives in the same two or three megacompanies are the ones calling the shots, so we get bland, boring crap formats played off a computer in a closet. And that's supposed to draw in listeners? What a load of crap. As far as I'm concerned, HD's grand failure is not so much because it's technically bad, which it is, but a canary in the coal mine for radio in general, proving they don't know how to cope with change "and why should we, we're still making money, ass over teakettle?"

 

[KB1OKL]

From a purely technical, "I want things I listen to, to work!" standpoint, I care about HD as well.

But then my preference for it was based on the concept it might provide programming to me I could not otherwise hear over the air locally. And in the market I'm in now, it's just giving us crap formats like smooth jazz and classic country, so it doesn't bother me any more, because I don't listen to radio, period. Radio as a medium is over for me. I still love to DX and check out the news/talk stations that exist, but by and large it's become such an irrelevant medium, musically, that I actually find myself becoming offended at the banality of it all. Radio still may reach 97% of Americans on a weekly basis, but it's reaching fewer and fewer of the younger generations, many of whom are growing up with radio being something old farts listen to.

Creative use of HD subchannels now might help squelch some of that loss, now that hundreds of new cars are coming with HD radios as standard, but the same crap radio executives in the same two or three megacompanies are the ones calling the shots, so we get bland, boring crap formats played off a computer in a closet. And that's supposed to draw in listeners? What a load of crap. As far as I'm concerned, HD's grand failure is not so much because it's technically bad, which it is, but a canary in the coal mine for radio in general, proving they don't know how to cope with change "and why should we, we're still making money, ass over teakettle?"

I still listen to a lot of OTA radio but in the car it's almost always satellite. Looking for tunes you haven't heard anywhere for years? Chances are they're there somewhere. Like a certain format? Again the same. At home I listen to a lot of AM and not just for dxing, also listen to a lot of SW and again not for dxing. FM is pretty much the SOS except for public radio, I do occasionally listen to my local classic rock station though, WZLX Boston, it has very good jocks on it and they do play a good selection of stuff you don't hear every day. Unlike a lot of people here evidently I do not fear for the future of radio, to me HD was just a bump in the road, lots of people saying it's the savior of radio, radio's going to die etc. That is all a bunch of krap to me, I think it's fine, going through some changes maybe but it is still breathing.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

Radio's decline began many years before HD - I would point straight at the Telecommunications Act of 1996. That is when radio began to die. Consumers just didn't get the message until lately. HD, strangely enough, is about all I listen to over the air, because - however temporarily - it is where creative and niche formats survive. I happen to like oldies, smooth jazz, Christian rock, indie, eclectic, and some other things only available on HD. I also use satellite extensively to get things like oldies that radio has abandoned. Those of us who do not fit into hip hop top 40 country sports talk Spanish are treated like - obsoletes - fit only to be ignored, shunned, and at some point eliminated completely no doubt. My Twilight Zone side is definitely showing: Mr. Carter - what do you listen to? Why - oldies! Are you aware of the implications of your response? Have you been given proper counsel prior to this hearing? We deem you to be obsolete, you have no use - no function in our society -----

 

[tomservo]

I would love a good college or oldies station in my market. We have a legendary AAA station (WZEW) in this area but even they seem to play the same 30 songs over and over.

I was a satellite subscriber for many years but gave it up after the merger when I lost like 5 favorite channels so Uncle Mel could cram in more bland rock and artist channels. That and the sub - dialup quality audio were not worth paying for.

 

[KB1OKL]

I would love a good college or oldies station in my market. We have a legendary AAA station (WZEW) in this area but even they seem to play the same 30 songs over and over.

I was a satellite subscriber for many years but gave it up after the merger when I lost like 5 favorite channels so Uncle Mel could cram in more bland rock and artist channels. That and the sub - dialup quality audio were not worth paying for.

Their fidelity seems to have improved lately, 60's at 6 sounds pretty good, so does Underground garage. The only problem I see lately is sometimes only one side of an old stereo recording comes through (probably fake stereo), for ex I heard My Generation tonight with no vocals!

 

[rbrucecarter5]

I hate that parametric stereo!!! with a PASSION!!!! I wish they would do the job right and broadcast in stereo. As for HD stations being a priority - yeah - right - a week off the air was recently deemed acceptable at a two station duo here, because it was too much trouble to drive out to the transmitter site for HD. But - if the main station had been off the air - OMG they would have had somebody out there by helicopter if they could. NEWSFLASH - I don't give a _____ _____ _____ about the main format. I only listen to the HD-2. HD-1 of the station? Not even set on my presets. An incarnation of Bob-FM 150 miles away is more important because it plays a few songs I like. And a weak 98.7 skips in sometimes. A weak 92.5 skips in sometimes. THEY are on my presets. Only two local analog OTA signals rate a preset - a classical and a CHR Christian. Everything else is HD-2, DX targets, or another city where I go frequently. Local radio without HD? Pa-the-tic!!!!!

 

[JohnnyElectron]

If you're going to use the IBOC buzzer, then use it right or don't use it at all. Niche audio formats is where it's at for HD-2 and HD-3 transmissions. That's the only way to steal back satellite radio listeners is to give them niche stations: movie soundtracks, folk, classic country, easy listening instrumentals, garage bands - it's gotta be something new and different - same problem AM stations face - you gotta put a decent audio product out there that people want to hear, then they'll listen to it thru static. I put up with satellite drop-outs because where else can I get 'elevator music' on my car radio anymore except thru SiriusXM? The Telecom Act of 1996 was equivalent to radio as the assassination of Frantz Ferdinand was to the world stability 100 years ago - one single act that had a tremendously horrible trickle-down effect.
Come-on radio stations - quit playing it safe and give us something off the wall that will have devoted listeners for your product. That's the only way to save HD is with HD-2 and HD-3 as HD-1 sounds the same or worse than the over-processed audio on analog to 'match it'.

 

[KB1OKL]

If you're going to use the IBOC buzzer, then use it right or don't use it at all. Niche audio formats is where it's at for HD-2 and HD-3 transmissions. That's the only way to steal back satellite radio listeners is to give them niche stations: movie soundtracks, folk, classic country, easy listening instrumentals, garage bands - it's gotta be something new and different - same problem AM stations face - you gotta put a decent audio product out there that people want to hear, then they'll listen to it thru static. I put up with satellite drop-outs because where else can I get 'elevator music' on my car radio anymore except thru SiriusXM? The Telecom Act of 1996 was equivalent to radio as the assassination of Frantz Ferdinand was to the world stability 100 years ago - one single act that had a tremendously horrible trickle-down effect.
Come-on radio stations - quit playing it safe and give us something off the wall that will have devoted listeners for your product. That's the only way to save HD is with HD-2 and HD-3 as HD-1 sounds the same or worse than the over-processed audio on analog to 'match it'.

Well since AM is supposedly doing so bad, why don't some of these AM stations try some niche formats? How about a nice blues format or jazz? The Coltrane station, haha! Thelonious all the time! AM 740 out of Toronto plays big band jazz on Sunday nights and it sounds great on my console radios. I would love to hear something on AM except for hate speech and a few oldies stations although I like oldies.

 

[Wimmmex]

Well since AM is supposedly doing so bad, why don't some of these AM stations try some niche formats? How about a nice blues format or jazz?

Is there any indication this would be a success? There aren't enough Coltrane fans to support a format on FM...now put a bigger obstacle in the way by putting it on AM? That doesn't sound like a formula for success.

 

[TheBigA]

Well since AM is supposedly doing so bad, why don't some of these AM stations try some niche formats?

Great idea...that way instead of getting a 1 share, they'll get a .5 share. You're sending them in the wrong direction!

I have a better idea: Why don't you BUY an AM station? Then we could complain about how you run it.

 

[tomservo]

Is there any indication this would be a success? There aren't enough Coltrane fans to support a format on FM...now put a bigger obstacle in the way by putting it on AM? That doesn't sound like a formula for success.

True. There used to be a blues station in New Orleans, WODT 1280. If the format couldn't work there, it sure ain't gonna work anywhere else.

There is jazz on FM there but I don't think any one station does it full time. WWOZ comes close but they aren't exactly rolling in listener supported dollars. (Sidebar: they do broadcast in HD.)

 

[Chuck]

I have a better idea: Why don't you BUY an AM station? Then we could complain about how you run it.

I've actually purchased two AM stations in the last couple of years. One simulcasts my Oldies/Standards FM station, and the other is a Classic Hits format. The Classic Hits station has a couple of FM translators which really helps. I'm certainly not getting rich out of this, but they are keeping several people employed and seem to have some popularity with the locals. You can pick up a derelict AM station pretty cheap these days. I think it is an opportunity for the right person.

 

[KB1OKL]

I've actually purchased two AM stations in the last couple of years. One simulcasts my Oldies/Standards FM station, and the other is a Classic Hits format. The Classic Hits station has a couple of FM translators which really helps. I'm certainly not getting rich out of this, but they are keeping several people employed and seem to have some popularity with the locals. You can pick up a derelict AM station pretty cheap these days. I think it is an opportunity for the right person.

That's great Chuck, if people like you keep buying them, eventually it could transition back to playing music. I'm up until 1-2 am every night and listen to AM 740 out of Toronto which has a great blues program on at 12 midnight. The closest music to me in the daytime are two oldies stations, both are marginal even with my extensive antenna system but I listen.

 

[stewie]

Radio's decline began many years before HD - I would point straight at the Telecommunications Act of 1996. That is when radio began to die. Consumers just didn't get the message until lately. HD, strangely enough, is about all I listen to over the air, because - however temporarily - it is where creative and niche formats survive. I happen to like oldies, smooth jazz, Christian rock, indie, eclectic, and some other things only available on HD. I also use satellite extensively to get things like oldies that radio has abandoned. Those of us who do not fit into hip hop top 40 country sports talk Spanish are treated like - obsoletes - fit only to be ignored, shunned, and at some point eliminated completely no doubt. My Twilight Zone side is definitely showing: Mr. Carter - what do you listen to? Why - oldies! Are you aware of the implications of your response? Have you been given proper counsel prior to this hearing? We deem you to be obsolete, you have no use - no function in our society -----

You got it, the decline started long ago when a Top 40 station in San Francisco started being programmed the same as a Top 40 station in NYC. They are different markets with a different population break down. It saved money in the short term but started the process of killing radio... slowly.

 

[TheBigA]

You got it, the decline started long ago when a Top 40 station in San Francisco started being programmed the same as a Top 40 station in NYC. They are different markets with a different population break down. It saved money in the short term but started the process of killing radio... slowly.

What you don't understand is that the change in radio began with the change in music. Music stopped being regional in the 60s. Small local record companies started to get bought up by the majors. They wanted national hits. So the change in radio had nothing to do with radio ownership. It had to do with the record labels and the music they were playing, combined with national TV. When MTV launched in 1980, the days of local radio were over.

 

[CTListener]

What you don't understand is that the change in radio began with the change in music. Music stopped being regional in the 60s. Small local record companies started to get bought up by the majors. They wanted national hits. So the change in radio had nothing to do with radio ownership. It had to do with the record labels and the music they were playing, combined with national TV. When MTV launched in 1980, the days of local radio were over.

1981, but your point is still valid.

 

[JoshTheRadioDude]

That's not quite the case, either. While regional music may have disappeared, regional tastes did not.

Heck, if I had the money to get my hands on a station in the Lansing market, I could make a killing with a station that combines mainstream pop, EDM and alternative music in an energetic CHR-style presentation. Is anyone in Lansing doing that? No. Why? Because it's not on the national playlist. And would it work anywhere else? Most likely not, at least not in very many places.

WPOW down in Miami -- just sold to CBS, which won't end well -- used to get MONSTROUS ratings in the 90's with a combination of EDM, hip-hop, contemporary Spanish and a sprinkling of mainstream pop with a very heavy focus on live broadcasts from local clubs. And they dug into classic tracks from their early days in the 80's to keep the nostalgia factor alive, too. Do you hear them doing that anymore? No. Why? Because it's not on the national playlist. And would it work elsewhere? Absolutely not; that format was purely Miamian.

Does that mean that those formats wouldn't work in their respective locations? Not at all. It simply means that the owners are neglecting their local listeners' demands. Because people in those areas listen to those combinations of musical styles whether the local radio stations are playing them or not. That's radio's major failure. They no longer listen to the listeners.