Bill Gates: Internet Revolution in 5 Years

[SmokeRing]

Anyone know why Radio Disney was one of the first DFW stations to go HD, but WBAP (then owned by the same company) hasn't flipped yet?

Meanwhile, Bill Gates is predicting the Internet's HUGE impact on TV audiences in 5 years. But, of course, HD Radio has nothing (nothing, I tell you!) to worry about.

http://today.reuters.com/news/artic...KOC_0_US-DAVOS-INTERNET-TV.xml&src=rss&rpc=23

 

[JRA]

But, of course, HD Radio has nothing (nothing, I tell you!) to worry about.

HD radio... listen to the stations hidden BETWEEN the stations on your radio!

What a farce!

 

[KPLEXCOMPLEX]

HD radio will slowly go like AM Stereo did

 

[arnoldevns]

I would love to think HD Radio will help radio stations compete better against all the digital gizmos that have become so popular in the past few years. However, I've been totally unimpressed by what I've seen and heard. I think HD Radio has been poorly conceived and marketed by the Ibiquity folks. It is not registering with the average listener at all.

At this point, WBAP would be wise to stay away from HD and keep their good audio quality on the analog side.
I think in a few years, many current HD stations will drop and find some other way to improve their listenership. HD radio isn't it.

 

[theshadow]

At this point, WBAP would be wise to stay away from HD and keep their good audio quality on the analog side.

WBAP broadcasts in AM stereo (at least in my Ford truck it does).
Sounds real good too. Of course, if Limbaugh, Hannity, and Levin
weren't there, it'd sound even better. ;D

 

[rbrucecarter5]

Anyone know why Radio Disney was one of the first DFW stations to go HD, but WBAP (then owned by the same company) hasn't flipped yet?

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that Radio Disney is a MUSIC format, and WBAP a TALK format?!!! Why on earth would any talk station flip to HD? I never understood this. 99.99% of your audience hears a HUGE decrease in audio quality for an unproven technology that will probably never work at night, is unpopular with consumers, and will therefore be obsolete in a few years.

Of course, if you think stereo musical beds and stereo commercials enhance talk radio to the point that listeners will ignore audible compression artifacts and phase shifts on the talk programming, then you probably think WBAP should flip.

Another reason is that HD seems to shrink AM coverage. I noticed a huge drop in Radio Disney and KAAM after they flipped. Another poster likes to claim that C-Quam causes coverage problems - but I did a controlled experiment that didn't prove that out. The same experiment showed a definite signal droop on HD stations. Downright loss of coverage in the fringes - in the metro area it probably causes some poor signal strength in areas that previously had plenty. So why - with WBAP's legendary daytime footprint - like a local in Houston - coverage to Roswell in the West - etc. and their legendary nighttime footprint, listenable over a good portion of North America - perhaps the strongest of the 50 kW clears - would they dare mess with anything that could hurt that coverage? It would be madness - if it ain't broke, DON'T TRY TO FIX IT!!!!

 

[rbrucecarter5]

Meanwhile, Bill Gates is predicting the Internet's HUGE impact on TV audiences in 5 years. But, of course, HD Radio has nothing (nothing, I tell you!) to worry about.

Bill Gates has not always gotten it right. Does anybody remember the Microsoft "Bob" operating system?

In this case, he is probably right. The future of radio is internet streaming. Count on it. Every station better start thinking of what niche they will target in a national audience. The old 50 kW clears like WBAP have done this for years. There will be little difference to truck drivers on national runs whether they hear a 50 kW clear at night on AM, or streaming internet radio. Skywave - obsolete? Don't make me laugh - in 5 years the skywave will be broadband internet, and those that make fun of it now will find themselves the rabbit in the old rabbit vs. turtle children's story. They will wish they had paid attention to fundamemtals of radio that have been true for many decades instead of rapidly racing to persue new unproven technologies that had dubious value. And listeners like me will be finding those mom and pop operations with true local flavor, playing original formats - from among thousands of choices on the internet. HD = dozens of formats. Satellite = over a hundred formats. Streaming internet = thousands of formats. In this era when diversity is emphasized - do the math.

 

[VERITAS DE VOCE]

Anyone know why Radio Disney was one of the first DFW stations to go HD, but WBAP (then owned by the same company) hasn't flipped yet?

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that Radio Disney is a MUSIC format, and WBAP a TALK format?!!! Why on earth would any talk station flip to HD? I never understood this. 99.99% of your audience hears a HUGE decrease in audio quality for an unproven technology that will probably never work at night, is unpopular with consumers, and will therefore be obsolete in a few years.

Of course, if you think stereo musical beds and stereo commercials enhance talk radio to the point that listeners will ignore audible compression artifacts and phase shifts on the talk programming, then you probably think WBAP should flip.

Another reason is that HD seems to shrink AM coverage. I noticed a huge drop in Radio Disney and KAAM after they flipped. Another poster likes to claim that C-Quam causes coverage problems - but I did a controlled experiment that didn't prove that out. The same experiment showed a definite signal droop on HD stations. Downright loss of coverage in the fringes - in the metro area it probably causes some poor signal strength in areas that previously had plenty. So why - with WBAP's legendary daytime footprint - like a local in Houston - coverage to Roswell in the West - etc. and their legendary nighttime footprint, listenable over a good portion of North America - perhaps the strongest of the 50 kW clears - would they dare mess with anything that could hurt that coverage? It would be madness - if it ain't broke, DON'T TRY TO FIX IT!!!!

HD for Talk radio on AM? Well, come on, silly... it's so we can hear the tar break up in Hal Jay's lungs a LOT CLEARER! Duh.