FCC expected to adopt HD radio rules March 22nd

[stevenNOLA]

First off, Tom, I have alot of respect as you have alot of 'real world' experience in the broadcast industry.

DRM may be better but it is not something even remotely on the horizon here in the US. It looks like Ibiquity's digital is here to stay, like it or not.

Steve, I stayed out of the industry "eyes open" because I didn't want to suffer the current situation from a captive position.
I hope you respect the fact that as an alumnus of a very old radio engineering school, I have never departed from the role of an active
radio engineer, and have designed and built many items of RF, AF and electronic convenience.

When the FCC cancelled the 1st class license, that was enough for me to stay out of the business.

I've also received 2 US patents for an invention that involves high electron mobility and makes practical low voltage ionization.

The printing presses I diagnose and repair are far more complex than the average station.
The dollar booking on presses per hour is higher than most radio.
I have lived in the same place, where I choose to, since I left my parents.

Would I rather be in radio? Hmmmm... Only if I can own the station.

Maybe someday. Ha Ha.

Ibiquity may be permitted to tresspass on AM, but most people still understand how the public's property rights are being violated.

I chose not to make any cheap jabs at anyone, only bad engineering.
Did I ever portray myself as having any broadcast industry experience?

And I wonder why you should question my opinion with a backhanded compliment.
You aren't the one at ibiquity who decided to put data in the audio passband, are you?

There is nothing "backhanded" about my compliment nor is it a "cheap jab". With all of the negativity around here, it is assumed everyone is being snide in every comment made. First...you speak of technology and equipment on a much more technical level than I'm familiar. Secondly, your informal resume in your signature line indicates you have at more broadcasting & technical experience than I do. Valapraiso is a very well respected institution. Finally, I have no interest in Ibiquity. I was simply stating that Ibiquity's technology will become the norm in the US. Implementation is too far in progress for anything else to become the standard.

 

[Tom Wells]

Steve, sorry if I sounded peeved. There HAS been a lot of name calling and immature behavior, I am glad you are
keeping this discussion civil and productive.

I guess I could say I wish I could be in the industry, but realize the reality of a shrinking need for engineers, coupled with the fact that I really want to live in Chicago, not move around, made my choices for me.

Chicago is tough to break into. Unions, the very full job market, and housing costs are major obstacles.

I didn't really think you work for ibiquity, and I do think it will become a standard, I just hope the FCC can be convinced to authorize its permanent use on FM only, where the detriment is negligible-to-nonexistant.

 

[paul vincent zecchino]

Dear Tom Wells and radio friends -

Well said. Ibiquity is seen by many as trespassing on public airwaves.

Concur, people aren't fooled. How ironic, those in broadcasting, part of the acting business, display frank ignorance of basic principles.

Audiences know what looks and sounds good. They know what doesn't. They may not understand the technical reasons, nor need they. Audience intuition senses a 'bad choice' made by a stage, film, or radio actor. Performers rehearse scripts several ways to make the right 'choice'. They know when an audience sniffs a wrong choice, they turn off.

Could this by why, for all their blather about getting the word out, HD Bund keeps people ignorant of what stooge-radio will do all over their airwaves?

Readers enjoyed my www.etherzone.com/2007/zecc032007.shtml article. Common sentiment: "Thanks for the warning".

People won't protest, they'll quietly vote with their feet - and their checkbooks.

Dr. Paul Vincent Zecchino
Manasota Key, Florida
21 March, 2007

 

[4dude]

Lets hope this doesnt happen today!!!

 

[SUPERCASTER]

StevenNOLA said:
(iBiquity's)

Implementation is too far in progress for anything else to become the standard.

Let us hope it is not too late to prevent the parade of iBiquity lemmings from marching off the cliff. It would be a sad future for broadcasting.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

Lets hope this doesnt happen today!!!

I think it is a foregone conclusion. I remember the song - "the day the music died". Today will be the day the AM band died.

Hey - one of you IBOC cheerleaders, let us know when legal jamming is official.

 

[paul vincent zecchino]

Dear Supercaster -

Why you use HATE SPEECH and call HD's good shepherds 'lemmings'? Plus, how come you use those big words, also, too, as well? I don't like it when analog Luddites and their R-390s disagree with me. I am a radio afficianado. I have no vested interest in reaping money from the rape of public airwaves. I'm gonna tell my BigKorpseorate slavemasters on what you said.

Then I'll throw a tantrum and play with my QSL's

Don't you know our good HD shepherds are trying to lead us to 'our inevitable digital future'? And I don't care what the evidence says, I don't care about listener objections,

HD does not interfere! Ever!

No more analog! I love Big Brother HD! Everybody wants it. How are you today and buy my stooge-radio. Stop using big words. "Lemming" is not a word. You made it up. I'm gonna tell BigKorpse on you.

Dr. Pavlos Zecchinuardos
Old Radio Fan and New HD Backer
48 June, 3499

 

[dbdigital]

http://www.rwonline.com/pages/s.0100/t.3512.html

db

 

[calstymes]

Well here we go!

Of course, this is excellent news for iBiQuity and its investors because that IPO is now within reach. At this juncture, the only thing which could possibly prevent it is if the public fails to get interested and sales of the product remain flat. Well, we can hope, can't we?

I think we now know for sure what the FCC's primary agenda is. It obviously no longer functions in the public interest and today is a very sad day for the AM broadcast band and most particularly, the small broadcaster (gentlemen, start your lawsuits!). Here is the news release:

FCC Adopts Final HD Radio Rules

The FCC Thursday morning approved regulations that allow FM radio broadcasters to begin digital multicast operation without prior FCC approval, and which permit AM stations - which have been limited to daytime-only digital operation - to commence hybrid digital nighttime operations.

The decision comes eight months after the FCC unceremoniously pulled back from releasing the rules over wrangling among the commissioners over whether to impose new public interest obligations on digital radio broadcast. Under today's order, no new public interest obligations were adopted.

Check RadioInk.com later for more details.

 

[dbdigital]

Well here we go!

Of course, this is excellent news for iBiQuity and its investors because that IPO is now within reach. At this juncture, the only thing which could possibly prevent it is if the public fails to get interested and sales of the product remain flat. Well, we can hope, can't we?

I think we now know for sure what the FCC's primary agenda is. It obviously no longer functions in the public interest and today is a very sad day for the AM broadcast band and most particularly, the small broadcaster (gentlemen, start your lawsuits!). Here is the news release:

FCC Adopts Final HD Radio Rules

The FCC Thursday morning approved regulations that allow FM radio broadcasters to begin digital multicast operation without prior FCC approval, and which permit AM stations - which have been limited to daytime-only digital operation - to commence hybrid digital nighttime operations.

The decision comes eight months after the FCC unceremoniously pulled back from releasing the rules over wrangling among the commissioners over whether to impose new public interest obligations on digital radio broadcast. Under today's order, no new public interest obligations were adopted.

Check RadioInk.com later for more details.

I know a few low watt, low billing (under 225K) mom and pop AM stations that are going to be devastated by this ruling. They can neither afford to suffer the interference nor the conversion to IBOC.

Expect to see a rash of these stations for sale at fire sale prices or going dark.

db

 

[4dude]

I HOPE THE LAWSUITS START POURING IN!!!!!!

I HOPE KAOSS BREAKS OUT!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[R.F. Burns]

I HOPE THE LAWSUITS START POURING IN!!!!!!

I HOPE KAOSS BREAKS OUT!!!!!!!!!!!

What did Aerosmith sing? Dream On and STOP SHOUTING Please!!!

 

[4dude]

I AM NOT SHOUTING!!!!!

I AM VERY ANGRY FOR MANY REASONS,THIS BEING ONE OF THEM!!

 

[R.F. Burns]

Re: I AM NOT SHOUTING!!!!!

I AM VERY ANGRY FOR MANY REASONS,THIS BEING ONE OF THEM!!

Tell me, why are you so angry? Perhaps therapy would help you deal with the anger issues you have. Life is too short to be so angry. If this is only one reason yu have to be angry you have issues which should be addressed. I say this not to gloat but to offer a suggestion to improve your life.

 

[EasyPeazy]

I HOPE THE LAWSUITS START POURING IN!!!!!!

I HOPE KAOSS BREAKS OUT!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't believe how many in the anti-HD crowd are buying into the whole "lawsuit" angle.

To whet the appetite of a trial lawyer, you have to have real damages - preferably of the human pain and suffering or death type.

The very worst thing that could happen to a station broadcasting HD is being forced to turn it off, and even that is very unlikely.

There is no possibility of significant damages, therefore there will be no lawyers.

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

I can't believe how many in the anti-HD crowd are buying into the whole "lawsuit" angle.

To whet the appetite of a trial lawyer, you have to have real damages - preferably of the human pain and suffering or death type.

Let's start with "malicious interference with a business"...a common charge in courts these days. A very large number of station engineers and owners on some other boards and remailers have already said that they are preparing to prosecute malicious interference claims, since they are already being interfered with during daytime HD operations.

The very worst thing that could happen to a station broadcasting HD is being forced to turn it off, and even that is very unlikely.

The FCC has already stated that in the event an interference complaint can't be resolved, the worst that will happen is an order to the alleged interfering station to reduce their HD carriers by 6 dB. I've seen nothing yet about ordering HD to be turned off.

There is no possibility of significant damages, therefore there will be no lawyers.

Spoken like someone who has apparently forgotten that radio is a business.

 

[R.F. Burns]

I can't believe how many in the anti-HD crowd are buying into the whole "lawsuit" angle.

To whet the appetite of a trial lawyer, you have to have real damages - preferably of the human pain and suffering or death type.

Let's start with "malicious interference with a business"...a common charge in courts these days. A very large number of station engineers and owners on some other boards and remailers have already said that they are preparing to prosecute malicious interference claims, since they are already being interfered with during daytime HD operations.

The very worst thing that could happen to a station broadcasting HD is being forced to turn it off, and even that is very unlikely.

The FCC has already stated that in the event an interference complaint can't be resolved, the worst that will happen is an order to the alleged interfering station to reduce their HD carriers by 6 dB. I've seen nothing yet about ordering HD to be turned off.

There is no possibility of significant damages, therefore there will be no lawyers.

Spoken like someone who has apparently forgotten that radio is a business.

Actually the law suits will be interesting. I think once a few of these have been delt with the others will follow either to pursue the same line or to drop their law suits. A station must prove that there is interference within their protacted contour, not within areas they are selling to advertisers or a public they are trying to reach. Remember anybody can sue anyone for anything. the key is to prove it. With the lawyers that Ibiquity and the accused broadcasters will bring to court it wil be a very interesting period we are going to go through. Many small station owners and those who own translators which are only repeaters for other stations (actually a NJ operation lost their license because they were using their translator as the main broadcast site trying to reach the NYC market and using their main FM facility, located upstate as a repeater. Their studios were in a NY suburb not in the upstate NY are where their main facility is located). are going to have to face the reality that they are licensed to cover certain geographic areas and they have no legal right to cover those areas outside of their protected contour, like it or not. If interference can be proven then I say go at it and make sure everyone is compliant with the law.

 

[EasyPeazy]

I can't believe how many in the anti-HD crowd are buying into the whole "lawsuit" angle.

To whet the appetite of a trial lawyer, you have to have real damages - preferably of the human pain and suffering or death type.

Let's start with "malicious interference with a business"...a common charge in courts these days. A very large number of station engineers and owners on some other boards and remailers have already said that they are preparing to prosecute malicious interference claims, since they are already being interfered with during daytime HD operations.

The very worst thing that could happen to a station broadcasting HD is being forced to turn it off, and even that is very unlikely.

The FCC has already stated that in the event an interference complaint can't be resolved, the worst that will happen is an order to the alleged interfering station to reduce their HD carriers by 6 dB. I've seen nothing yet about ordering HD to be turned off.

There is no possibility of significant damages, therefore there will be no lawyers.

Spoken like someone who has apparently forgotten that radio is a business.

The key there is "malicious." Proving that another station is broadcasting in HD for the exclusive purpose of interfering with another station would be impossible, but that's exactly the kind of argument I'd expect the anti-HD crowd here to try to make.

As for damages, stations will have to prove them - financial damages.

Is your station losing revenue because of HD interference or is your sales staff just going through a slump?

Since radio ratings began stations have been experiencing ups and downs in the book due to faulty methodology which Arbitron is currently improving through PPM. How would you prove your numbers are down due to HD interference if your station has experienced natural swings historically? Why not just sue Arbitron for "malicious interference with a business?" No doubt they've cost stations more in potential buys through errors and insufficient sample sizes than HD Radio ever could.

 

[R.F. Burns]

I can't believe how many in the anti-HD crowd are buying into the whole "lawsuit" angle.

To whet the appetite of a trial lawyer, you have to have real damages - preferably of the human pain and suffering or death type.

Let's start with "malicious interference with a business"...a common charge in courts these days. A very large number of station engineers and owners on some other boards and remailers have already said that they are preparing to prosecute malicious interference claims, since they are already being interfered with during daytime HD operations.

The very worst thing that could happen to a station broadcasting HD is being forced to turn it off, and even that is very unlikely.

The FCC has already stated that in the event an interference complaint can't be resolved, the worst that will happen is an order to the alleged interfering station to reduce their HD carriers by 6 dB. I've seen nothing yet about ordering HD to be turned off.

There is no possibility of significant damages, therefore there will be no lawyers.

Spoken like someone who has apparently forgotten that radio is a business.

The key there is "malicious." Proving that another station is broadcasting in HD for the exclusive purpose of interfering with another station would be impossible, but that's exactly the kind of argument I'd expect the anti-HD crowd here to try to make.

As for damages, stations will have to prove them - financial damages.

Is your station losing revenue because of HD interference or is your sales staff just going through a slump?

Since radio ratings began stations have been experiencing ups and downs in the book due to faulty methodology which Arbitron is currently improving through PPM. How would you prove your numbers are down due to HD interference if your station has experienced natural swings historically? Why not just sue Arbitron for "malicious interference with a business?" No doubt they've cost stations more in potential buys through errors and insufficient sample sizes than HD Radio ever could.

Right and if as a client, a station told their legal team that they are experiencing interference outside of the contour for which it is licensed a knowledgable attourney would tell their client that they have no case.

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

The key there is "malicious." Proving that another station is broadcasting in HD for the exclusive purpose of interfering with another station would be impossible, but that's exactly the kind of argument I'd expect the anti-HD crowd here to try to make.

Try asking a lawyer what "malicious" means, then ask what "intentional" means. They're not the same.

Is your station losing revenue because of HD interference or is your sales staff just going through a slump?

Since radio ratings began stations have been experiencing ups and downs in the book due to faulty methodology which Arbitron is currently improving through PPM. How would you prove your numbers are down due to HD interference if your station has experienced natural swings historically? Why not just sue Arbitron for "malicious interference with a business?" No doubt they've cost stations more in potential buys through errors and insufficient sample sizes than HD Radio ever could.

Setting up and demolishing your own straw man doesn't make your case. Besides, if Arbitron ever cost stations business, they would have been sued decades ago. They haven't been.

BTW, if you don't like "malicious interference with a business," how about "trespass?" Hint: Look up the meaning of "trespass" before you make assumptions.