FM HD: The News/Talk Appliance

[FTL_Ian]

Here is my fantasy FM HD signal:

Analog/HD1: Main News/Talk Product
HD2: Sponsored, looping local weather.
HD3: Sponsored, looping news/traffic.

Is anyone doing this in the real world?

"One Touch Weather" might actually help sell a few HD radios... 8)

 

[bigtalkradiofan]

Here is my fantasy FM HD signal:

Analog/HD1: Main News/Talk Product
HD2: Sponsored, looping local weather.
HD3: Sponsored, looping news/traffic.

Is anyone doing this in the real world?

"One Touch Weather" might actually help sell a few HD radios... 8)

A friendly-amendment to your proposal:

Here is my fantasy FM HD signal:

Analog/HD1: Main News/Talk Product
HD2: Sponsored, looping local weather.
HD3: Sponsored, looping news & traffic.
HD4: Sponsored, looping local & national sports
HD5: Sponsored, looping entertainment, celebrity & music news

 

[FTL_Ian]

Fine ideas, though it is my understanding that additional HD channels are not available unless the frequency goes all HD. (Not a wise move.)

 

[FTL_Ian]

Looks like WTOP in Washington, DC is now running weather and traffic on their HD3. 8)

 

[Shoot From Hip]

Here is my fantasy FM HD signal:

Analog/HD1: Main News/Talk Product
HD2: Sponsored, looping local weather.
HD3: Sponsored, looping news/traffic.

Is anyone doing this in the real world?

"One Touch Weather" might actually help sell a few HD radios... 8)

This is a real chicken and egg dillemma. Can't sell radios until the programming is there; can't get programming until the sponsors are there; can't get sponsors until the audience is there; can't get audience until the price goes down and the quantity and quality of programming is there...and on and on. With the biggest companies currently cutting and redeploying, it appears the redeployment of resources is going to the Internet, because that's where the audience and ad dollars are. And with radio revenue continuing to slide and expectations of more of the same next year, you see where it's all going.

 

[gunterm]

Not sure if you need weather though, almost everyone lives in range of at least one NOAA weather station that broadcasts that stuff without commercials.

 

[FTL_Ian]

Not sure if you need weather though, almost everyone lives in range of at least one NOAA weather station that broadcasts that stuff without commercials.

Except most people don't have weather radios...

 

[DaleGriffin]

I suggested a N/T with News/Weather/Traffic loop on HD-2 at WYDE in Birmingham, AL... I was then fired 2 months later... the station flipped two months later.

 

[cm454]

Sadly, radio geeks are completely unaware and unwilling to realize that HD is nothing but a pathetic and expensive attempt to pretend there is a chance to compete with ipods, etc. on their level.

WON'T HAPPEN.

Anyone who really thinks that the masses are going to retool with brand new receivers---or even bother to seek out the HD channels if they were available easily on the current receivers, is deluding themselves BADLY.
Any attempt to force the issue by changing from analog to digital will drive people further away from terrestrial radio.

All HD is going to do, is take more resources away from where they need to be spent: on TALENT and PROGRAMMING that enhances radio's strengths, not plays to it's numerous weaknesses.

There is and WILL NOT BE any buzz on HD radio.

Nobody cares except radio geeks. That is a FACT that is not about to change.

As usual, radio people are confused and misguided.

 

[Julius Leonard Marx]

HD-1 Full service news talk (personality-driven, local-live)
HD-2 Conservative talk (syndicated, agenda driven)
HD-3 Liberal talk (syndicated, agenda driven)

 

[FTL_Ian]

HD is nothing but a pathetic and expensive attempt to pretend there is a chance to compete with ipods, etc...Anyone who really thinks that the masses are going to retool with brand new receivers---or even bother to seek out the HD channels if they were available easily on the current receivers, is deluding themselves BADLY.

Even without HD, music radio in general is going to have a tough time competing with new media. That's why smart station owners are flipping their lowest performing music FM to a talk format. The various currently existing iterations of talk radio in addition to others that have yet to be developed are the best formats for the future of radio. While music listenership will continue to be chipped away at by new media, talk radio can do the one thing that iPod can't: live, original content.

All HD is going to do, is take more resources away from where they need to be spent: on TALENT and PROGRAMMING that enhances radio's strengths, not plays to it's numerous weaknesses.
There is and WILL NOT BE any buzz on HD radio.

You are correct, so long as it's music that's on HD. That is unlikely to excite very many people at all. Instant weather/news/traffic and the other features I described in my first post are things that could drive talk and information fans to actually go out and buy a new HD receiver.

The reason why the title of this thread is "FM HD: The News/Talk Appliance" is that HD, in my opinion, is made for talk radio. While the audio quality of music will suffer as more HD channels are added, the 96kbps will easily support three talk channels with quality sound. The "instant weather/news/traffic" idea truly allows talk stations to enhance their usefulness and should not take any significant extra time to program and manage.

 

[bigtalkradiofan]

HD-1 Full service news talk (personality-driven, local-live)
HD-2 Conservative talk (syndicated, agenda driven)
HD-3 Liberal talk (syndicated, agenda driven)

I'd do it a bit differently:

Station #1:
HD-1: Full service news talk (personality-driven, local-live)
HD-2: Conservative talk (syndicated, agenda driven)
HD-3: Religious talk (syndicated, agenda driven)
* later add HD-4: Business news (syndicated, agenda driven)

and/or

Station #2:
HD-1: Full service news talk (personality-driven, local-live)
HD-2: Liberal talk (syndicated, agenda driven)
HD-3: Urban talk (syndicated, agenda driven)
* later add HD-4: Female talk (syndicated, agenda driven)