Clear Channel's Total Traffic meltdown

[gosmith123]

All Access reports yet another round of Clear Channel layoffs, but this time many from their Total Traffic departments:

"TOTAL TRAFFIC/LOS ANGELES Manager/Traffic Ops DON BASTIDA exits. TOTAL TRAFFIC/MINNEAPOLIS has been shuttered, and a number of people have departed, including Manager of Traffic Operations JOHN MICHAELS. TOTAL TRAFFIC/MILWAUKEE laid off most of its staff, except for Manager/Traffic Operations DICK ALPERT. TOTAL TRAFFIC/NASHVILLE bids adieu to LAVERN VIVIO (U-TURN LAVERN), JOHN NAGARA, JAY PHELPS and RUTHANNA FLETCHER. The entire staff of TOTAL TRAFFIC/SALT LAKE CITY has exited, etc."

http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/a...ear-channel-makes-cuts-in-a-number-of-markets

One always hates to see layoffs, but it appears that one of HD Radio's supposed value-propositions will be laid to rest with Clear Channel's Total Traffic HD Plus. Also, Garmin just laid off 1,300 from it's mapping services which is linked to HD Radio, and MSN Direct for Clear Channel HD Radio just terminated its datacasting services this past January. Some of the automakers' navigation systems include HD Radio as an optional/standard feature. This may be the direct result of competition from smartphone apps, such as Google Maps and Aha. Did anyone ever see those stock quotes on their HD radios?

 

[rbrucecarter5]

Also, Garmin just laid off 1,300 from it's mapping services which is linked to HD Radio, and MSN Direct for Clear Channel HD Radio just terminated its datacasting services this past January. Some of the automakers' navigation systems include HD Radio as an optional/standard feature. This may be the direct result of competition from smartphone apps, such as Google Maps and Aha. Did anyone ever see those stock quotes on their HD radios?

Garmin is way behind the times on their maps - streets that have been done for a year do not even show up on my unit. Traffic alerts only tell me why I am backed up already - they don't come in time to help me avoid anything. A free iPhone app gets me more current maps and traffic than the Garmin I bought with lifetime maps and traffic. If I wasn't using the iPhone to stream audio, it would be on my dash as GPS instead of Garmin. If Garmin traffic disappears because HD radio disappears, I wouldn't care.

 

[LynnW]

Garmin purchases their North American mapping data from Navteq, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nokia.

 

[davideduardo]

One always hates to see layoffs, but it appears that one of HD Radio's supposed value-propositions will be laid to rest with Clear Channel's Total Traffic HD Plus. Also, Garmin just laid off 1,300 from it's mapping services which is linked to HD Radio, and MSN Direct for Clear Channel HD Radio just terminated its datacasting services this past January. Some of the automakers' navigation systems include HD Radio as an optional/standard feature. This may be the direct result of competition from smartphone apps, such as Google Maps and Aha. Did anyone ever see those stock quotes on their HD radios?

This really seems to be a consolidation move due to Clear buying a competitor while, at the same time, they are doing more and more markets out of fewer regional traffic centers.

As to Garmin, it still has 8,500 employees and operates in more thann 100 countries. Automobile GPS is a commodity market, and Garmin's sales, $600 million in 2007, are down to about $140 million. They are growing via niche markets as opposed to commodity markets.

One is a hardware sales issue, the other is one competitor buying another and consolidating.

 

[badjef]

Garmin purchases their North American mapping data from Navteq, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nokia.

I have the Navteq navigation built in to my 2010 Chrysler Town & Country. Starting in 2011, I believe, they have gone with the Garmin.

If, indeed, Garmin has picked up their mapping from Navteq, that is unfortunate. I do not like the Navteq system in my vehicle. It is not user friendly and was out of date when it was "up-to-date".

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[TheBigA]

This really seems to be a consolidation move due to Clear buying a competitor while, at the same time, they are doing more and more markets out of fewer regional traffic centers.

Since we're approaching the one year anniversary of that purchase, that appears to be correct. Lots of leases and contracts will be ending, so time to make the changes.

Traffic reporting was once a unique and exclusive element for radio stations, just like music, weather, and news. But like those other things, competitors have popped up, often from unexpected places. The biggest competitor for radio traffic isn't Garmin or Traffic.com. It's state governments. More than half of the states in this country have funded 511 service. This system used local DOT cameras also used by radio companies like Total Traffic. The switch from private air monitors to roadside cameras owned by the DOT made it possible, and destroyed any exclusivity these companies had. Because of this, you don't have to be local to do traffic any more. Just like weather, news, and music.

 

[gosmith123]

This really seems to be a consolidation move due to Clear buying a competitor while, at the same time, they are doing more and more markets out of fewer regional traffic centers. As to Garmin, it still has 8,500 employees and operates in more thann 100 countries. Automobile GPS is a commodity market, and Garmin's sales, $600 million in 2007, are down to about $140 million. They are growing via niche markets as opposed to commodity markets. One is a hardware sales issue, the other is one competitor buying another and consolidating.

"More Names Surface From Yesterday's CCM+E Cuts"

"Most of the local Total Traffic are also out; Chicago is now reporting and producing traffic for St. Louis. In Boston, most of the Total Traffic Network sales staff exits. The entire staff of Total Traffic/Salt Lake City has exited. Total Traffic/San Francisco's Ryan Leong is out. In Cincinnati, WLW Brian Pitts of Total Traffic is out."

http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/a...ore-names-surface-from-yesterday-s-ccm-e-cuts

Who are you kidding, Eduardo?

 

[TheBigA]

One always hates to see layoffs, but it appears that one of HD Radio's supposed value-propositions will be laid to rest with Clear Channel's Total Traffic HD Plus.

So the theory was that people would buy HD radios to hear traffic reports? Really? Why do that when most major roads feature state DOT-operated AM stations that broadcast local traffic on AM frequencies? You see it on the NJ Turnpike, for example. This is the future of AM radio, as private owners get out, and governments get in. Just got fired from Total Traffic? You could get a cushy state job. Except they're not hiring either. They do the reporting even cheaper than CC, with an endless loop of a phone report running over and over. Or dial 511 on your cell phone. As I've said many times, there is no exclusive programming that would cause me or anyone else to spend money (even if it's $50) on a new radio.

 

[davideduardo]

Who are you kidding, Eduardo?

Total Traffic is being folded into the existing and immense CC traffic operations.

Previously, Clear bought Metro Traffic and Shadow Traffic and did a series of consolidation moves, ending up with hub studios each serving many markets. In markets where Shadow and Metro operated separately, they were moved to one facility. In "spoke markets" operations were moved to the larger hubs.

After buying Total Traffic, the same thing is being done, with duplication being eliminated and newer technology being applied to use just a few centers across the country to provide traffic reports for every market where it is beneficial to provide them.

 

[nd2023]

My phone can get live traffic info anywhere there's a 3G signal, which is much more widespread than wherever I can get a supported HD station for traffic. The traffic info is updated in real time and is so precise that it can show traffic backing up during a red light and clearing when the light turns green.

 

[gosmith123]

My phone can get live traffic info anywhere there's a 3G signal, which is much more widespread than wherever I can get a supported HD station for traffic. The traffic info is updated in real time and is so precise that it can show traffic backing up during a red light and clearing when the light turns green.

I read that Google Maps was adding turn-by-turn directions. Who needs expensive nav systems, especially with HD Radio attached?

 

[tomservo]

My phone can get live traffic info anywhere there's a 3G signal, which is much more widespread than wherever I can get a supported HD station for traffic. The traffic info is updated in real time and is so precise that it can show traffic backing up during a red light and clearing when the light turns green.

What do you use for traffic on your phone? I've only ever checked out Bing and Google Maps. Gmaps around here only includes interstates and a few federal highways, meaning the closest traffic info is 15 miles away. Bing includes the main N-S artery here to the beach but it doesn't seem very accurate.

Either way they seem to get their data from the state DOT which does not put camera or traffic data online for this heavily touristy area for some reason. If there's another option that's more thorough I'd love to check it out.

I read that Google Maps was adding turn-by-turn directions. Who needs expensive nav systems, especially with HD Radio attached?

On computers and on phones, Gmaps has had turn-by-turn directions for years. I had it on my old non-smart Sony Ericsson phone (which could multitask as much as the original iPhone!) but it was manually advanced. On my Android phone I can do the manual turn-by-turn or spoken automatic navigation for free.

Unfortunately Google doesn't have accurate information here for the most part. It may take you miles in the wrong direction, so I never use it.