Ford Exec Writes Open Letter to Broadcasters...

[TheBigA]

For that matter, it can be Coldplay and Conway Twitty, but introduced by an individual who knows what local listeners want and will occasionally give them information that's useful to them. Does that sound like an old-tyme disc jockey? If so, so be it. If they want NO talk at all, then they're not coming back to radio at all, they're gone at the first commercial break. Write those folks off.

Engage the audience. That's the future of broadcasting. If you don't you're just an iPod with music that the listener didn't ask to hear.

The fact is there are thousands of radio stations that do exactly what you say. And yet there's a view, obviously held by you, that radio's not doing this. Thousands of local people sitting in dark studios across the country spinning stax of wax like it's still the 1950s. And for millions of listeners, it don't mean a thing. They don't care. It's not the future if people don't want it.

Here's a fact: If people don't own HD radios, they can't hear it. Simple. One thing I've learned is even if you build it, they don't necessarily come. If you put engaging content on a device people don't have, and can't sample, they won't know it's there.

 

[tomservo]

RDS certainly is cheaper to implement in radios than HD and to a degree is more robust, in that it doesn't really degrade the analog signal, coverage or affect sound quality.

As Chuck notes RDS is standard in most European cars and as such, many of the higher end German cars sold here have had RDS for years. GM is also a big supporter of it; even the stripper Pontiac G6 I rented in LA had RDS with a dedicated button with a musical note on it to flip the display to the R-Text field. VW is finally on board with their newer radios, too. The holdouts are still the Asians… AFAIK they don't use RDS at all in Korea or Japan, but I know of at least one Lexus model with RDS.

Stations that implement it usually do a basic set of features. It's our radios that seem to lack the ability to use them. For example, most stations offer the R-Text field (even if it duplicates the station name field, which is supposed to be static but rarely is), the clock set feature and the format feature.

My experience is that the clock time sent is never accurate and when a station flips formats, the PTY is almost never changed or is just not accurate at all.

Lesser implemented features include the auto frequency switch, the traffic announcement override, enhanced other networks and the traffic message channel. TMC is used by many Clear Channel stations to pass traffic data to GPS navigation devices but I don't think anyone else really uses it. I don't even know what EON really does. I've never heard of anyone actually using the traffic message/announcement switch even though it's supported by some RDS encoders.

Since we don't usually have networks in the US, the AF auto frequency feature is not widely used. One that does use it would be on Mississippi's public radio network, which reaches the entire state. You can travel between stations and radios will switch from one station to the other, automatically. I tried it on the only radio I have that supports that (a Sony Ericsson Walkman cell phone of all things) and it worked pretty well. It would even overwrite the station's preset with whatever frequency was strongest. No matter where I went, preset #1 was always MPB!

Somewhat ironically, the new technology (HD) actually doesn't support most of these features and if you listen to MPB in HD, your radio won't switch automatically even if the RDS supports it. D'oh.

There was also a country station in Mississippi that was running a translator and both had RDS and used AF to switch between the two.

 

[davideduardo]

What would be a better solution is a better version of RDS. I understand that Europe uses their data technology much more effectively.

As mentioned before, RDS is principally a way of synching multiple frequencies so that the listener gets the best signal at all times, although they may drive around an entire nation, touching the coverage area of dozens of simulcast signals on one trip.

Europe's radio model is, for the most part, national. As Metromedia International learned with its Berlin all-news station, there is just not a market for a single-market single frequency station. From Spain to Germany to Hungary, most significant broadcasting is national, often with hundreds of retransmission facilities, and RDS finds each and every one when needed.

Of course, Europeans will find "live and local" to be an arcane, rinky-dink concept when they prefer professional and national.

 

[davideduardo]

Since we don't usually have networks in the US, the AF auto frequency feature is not widely used.

Significant radio in Puerto Rico, USA, is almost all networked. Most stations use the RDS best signal seek feature. In LA, simulcast KRCD and KRCV use it as well.

 

[Savage]

RDS is indeed a great concept when used to its full potential, as in use in single-frequency networks. RDS is underutilized in the USA thanks largely to the insular and idiotic nature of corporate broadcasting. You know: the geniuses who came up with HD Radio.

As far as the suggestively condescending attitude towards US ventures - to wit, "live and local" = "arcane and rinky dink," I would counter as follows.

It's a popular, predictable cheap shot to diss the United States internationally these days, whether it's foreign policy or how we choose to use RDS. We're the Chicago Cubs of politics. This attitude is encouraged by the current administration, and it's astonishingly self-defeating for all involved. I would remind our Euro-neighbors who might agree with Gleason that thanks to the United States, they have been spared the arcane and rinky-dink practice of speaking German for the past 60 years. And there are countless Europeans walking around because their forebears weren't murdered by the millions...thanks chiefly to Americans who sacrificed all for them.

Stick THAT in your RDS encoder.

 

[SirRoxalot]

One other thing to consider is that the largest country in Europe - France - is about the size of Texas. Most of the countries are considerably smaller, occupy a single time zone, and each nation's media is less diverse culturally than in the US. Regulation is very different there. There are radio services in Europe that provide local information like traffic & weather, generally as inserts in network programming.

Some major groups would like to see that "network" concept happen in the US. Listeners here have generally shown a preference for localized programming. Yes, there are a few programs that are national in scope, and some do well, but they don't dominate any market that I'm aware of. The size, multiple time zones, and significant regional and cultural differences in the mainland USA would seem to discourage such programming.

Adding digital information to a radio broadcast without hurting the real-time analog signal seems affordable and desirable to me. I've got RDS in one of my vehicles, and like the display info from stations that program it correctly.

 

[TheBigA]

The size, multiple time zones, and significant regional and cultural differences in the mainland USA would seem to discourage such programming.

Funny, but those things don't seem to discourage all other media in this country from programming on a national platform. It once worked for radio. In fact we call that era the Golden Age of Broadcasting. I doubt anyone would use that term today. Maybe it's worth revisiting. It can't hurt.

 

[tomservo]

Significant radio in Puerto Rico, USA, is almost all networked. Most stations use the RDS best signal seek feature. In LA, simulcast KRCD and KRCV use it as well.

Cool. I wonder how many listeners are actually aware they have a radio with that feature, though. It was off by default on my phone and the old Kenwood unit I had in a car years ago.

It can lead to problems if not programmed correctly, though, and I've been told it's kind of difficult to program all the encoders to broadcast the right information. One of the Toronto stations I picked up years ago used AF and it was programmed to switch to some completely different station, so in the middle of a song it popped to a completely new station with an entirely different format. It was weird!

It's a popular, predictable cheap shot to diss the United States internationally these days, whether it's foreign policy or how we choose to use RDS. We're the Chicago Cubs of politics. This attitude is encouraged by the current administration, and it's astonishingly self-defeating for all involved. I would remind our Euro-neighbors who might agree with Gleason that thanks to the United States, they have been spared the arcane and rinky-dink practice of speaking German for the past 60 years. And there are countless Europeans walking around because their forebears weren't murdered by the millions...thanks chiefly to Americans who sacrificed all for them.

Stick THAT in your RDS encoder.

Not all at once — R-Text is limited to 64 characters.

 

[Savage]

"Not saying Achtung? Thank God for the USA" = 36 characters

 

[SirRoxalot]

The size, multiple time zones, and significant regional and cultural differences in the mainland USA would seem to discourage such programming.

Funny, but those things don't seem to discourage all other media in this country from programming on a national platform. It once worked for radio. In fact we call that era the Golden Age of Broadcasting. I doubt anyone would use that term today. Maybe it's worth revisiting. It can't hurt.

Actually, that's not true. TV nets originate programming at different times in different time zones. And most content is not time-sensitive. News, the biggest exception, either originates from NY or LA, or is rebroadcast - sometimes with updates - after it's time-shifted.

One of radio's remaining strengths is immediacy and localization. Some network programming works, but the majority of programming on the leading radio stations in almost every market is still local, and much of it is live.

 

[TheBigA]

One of radio's remaining strengths is immediacy and localization. Some network programming works, but the majority of programming on the leading radio stations in almost every market is still local, and much of it is live.

But as I said, radio's immediacy has been beaten by other platforms and devices. Same with localization. Why listen to a 2 minute traffic report that covers the whole city when all I care about is the one specific freeway that I use? The stations have access to great local information, but the radio station itself isn't the most efficient or personalized system available for getting that information to the people who need it.

You're correct that the majority of programming on leading stations is live and local. But everyone agrees that programming is in decline, as consumers seek other more specialized sources for their content, and most often those sources are not live or local. Clearly what radio stations are doing now isn't growing the medium. Radio is in a holding pattern, and needs something new to revive it in the minds of consumers. Clearly HD Radio isn't that thing, regardless of what someone at Ford says.

 

[Tom Wells]

Following a slightly off topic bent here.... the expectation of driving through the Alps and listening to
networked radio on multiple stations is one thing.

Driving through Lousiana and discovering a station with swamp rock is a totally different thing.
There are endless examples of the wonderful local radio.

WHFS in the 80s in the 80s for instance.

WEVL Memphis.

WFMU, and on and on.

What I expect and have always enjoyed was the diversity.
Last week I listened to funeral notices on 1540 KXEL Waterloo Iowa.
Can't get that in Europe, I'll bet.

 

[SirRoxalot]

But as I said, radio's immediacy has been beaten by other platforms and devices. Same with localization. Why listen to a 2 minute traffic report that covers the whole city when all I care about is the one specific freeway that I use?

None of that is free. Radio is free. And you can listen to it, not try to look at it while you're driving. Not only that, but an accident on the other side of town may very well impact your ride home, and the sooner you know about it, the better.

You're correct that the majority of programming on leading stations is live and local. But everyone agrees that programming is in decline, as consumers seek other more specialized sources for their content, and most often those sources are not live or local. Clearly what radio stations are doing now isn't growing the medium.

There's a new, much more competitive landscape. So, you're advocating what? National programming streams? Less localization, when live and local is what's performing the best in the current media environment? Some may say that radio, when it's done well, is holding up admirably in the face of increasing competition. It's the automated jukeboxes that generally aren't faring well against more personalized music streams. If you don't offer added value, you simply can't compete with an audio stream that allows users to hit a "next" button.

Radio is in a holding pattern, and needs something new to revive it in the minds of consumers. Clearly HD Radio isn't that thing, regardless of what someone at Ford says.

Finally, some common ground.

 

[TheBigA]

None of that is free.

Of course it's free. It's paid for in most cases by state DOTs. It's free and customized, which is why people use it. It comes from the same source as the radio traffic report.

Less localization, when live and local is what's performing the best in the current media environment? Some may say that radio, when it's done well, is holding up admirably in the face of increasing competition. It's the automated jukeboxes that generally aren't faring well against more personalized music streams. If you don't offer added value, you simply can't compete with an audio stream that allows users to hit a "next" button.

If it really is performing best, and there's no room for improvement, then leave it the way it is. I'm not saying we should blow up what's working. But I keep reading how radio is being killed by other devices and more personalized media. If that's true, then maybe it's time to leave the 1950s. Added value doesn't matter if it's not what people want. I get lots of spam every day from people who promise me added value. I delete it. Grocery stores offer the added value of a human checking out your stuff, or self-check-out. I see people using both. So offering added value alone isn't always what people want.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Of course it's free. It's paid for in most cases by state DOTs. It's free and customized, which is why people use it. It comes from the same source as the radio traffic report.

Pardon my ignorance, but what source are you citing, on what device?

Added value doesn't matter if it's not what people want. I get lots of spam every day from people who promise me added value. I delete it. Grocery stores offer the added value of a human checking out your stuff, or self-check-out. I see people using both. So offering added value alone isn't always what people want.

People use self-checkout because that's their only option in many stores if you have only have a few items. It's either self check-out, or wait for cashiers who are working the "lots of items" lanes. The truth is that cashiers are considerably faster, but they take up more space. Most stores put two "self checkouts" in the space of a single cashier. One cashier oversees the operation of 4 self-checkouts. Because of lower efficiency, the real gain is probably about 2-1 in favor of the store.

Added value means information that people want - VALUE - not station slogans, self-promotion, and the audio equivalent of SPAM that too many stations clutter their broadcasts with. Give people content that's relevant to THEM, and not just more promo crap.

 

[TheBigA]

Pardon my ignorance, but what source are you citing, on what device?

Free 511 service on a cell phone. Available in most states.

Added value means information that people want - VALUE - not station slogans, self-promotion, and the audio equivalent of SPAM that too many stations clutter their broadcasts with. Give people content that's relevant to THEM, and not just more promo crap.

You seem to view local DJ chatter as added value. I'm not sure the general population agrees. Weather and traffic is necessary information, and that could be accomplished easily the same way NPR stations do it within ATC and ME.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Sorry, but many studies show that listening to the radio is far less distracting than making a cell phone call while driving. Here, 511 means looking at a map. Also not good while driving, and illegal in NY.

Local "DJ chatter" would indeed be a turn-off. So, stop "chattering" and COMMUNICATE. Content that's relatable - which DOESN'T include most liners and promos - IS added value. Dump half the "breaker" content and put radio back in the hands of professionals. And if you can't find enough professionals, it's time to spend a little money on your product and develop talent. The money that's spent will be recouped many times over.

 

[TheBigA]

Sorry, but many studies show that listening to the radio is far less distracting than making a cell phone call while driving. Here, 511 means looking at a map. Also not good while driving, and illegal in NY.

There's an easy solution: Make the call BEFORE you get on the road. Nothing dumber than to be in bumper to bumper traffic, and then decide to turn the radio on. It's too late! If you check before you drive, you can plan an alternate route. The point is that most stations give traffic reports every ten minutes, and most commutes are less than 20 minutes. So by the time the traffic report comes on the radio, you're already at your destination, or stuck in traffic.

value. Dump half the "breaker" content and put radio back in the hands of professionals. And if you can't find enough professionals, it's time to spend a little money on your product and develop talent. The money that's spent will be recouped many times over.

Here we go again. Broadcasters aren't teachers. If they were teachers, they'd probably make more money and get better benefits. But as I've said many times, just because you live in a town with a radio station doesn't mean that, with some training, you can become a professional. It's not that simple any more. The real solution is if you can't find a real professional, don't settle for someone just because he's convenient.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Sheesh. It's like there are no exits on your freeways? And no alternate routes? And traffic doesn't change during your commute? Puh-lease.

As far as "broadcasters aren't teachers" is concerned, that's part of the problem in too many cases. There's no substitute for experience with a real audience. Where do you get that these days? The small markets have automated to the hilt, and everything is VT or syndicated after 7 PM. There's no training ground anymore. The few opportunities that exist don't provide much feedback for fledgling talent. It's simply another symptom of the corporate idea of "take, take, take" without investing in their own product. The costs are ridiculously small in the grand scheme of things. The benefits far outweigh the costs. All it takes is a little vision.

 

[TheBigA]

There's no training ground anymore. The few opportunities that exist don't provide much feedback for fledgling talent. It's simply another symptom of the corporate idea of "take, take, take" without investing in their own product.

I can tell you're not 20 years old. I'm mentoring a 20 year old right now. He tells me there's no shortage of opportunities to learn his craft. The problem is finding a job that pays money. But learning and training is easy. It's everywhere. I teach for nothing. I volunteer my experience and knowledge. I'm part of a group of professionals who do this. So I'm offending by your characterization of "take take take." I always say, it's up to the person to invest in themself. That's real empowerment. But the young people I work with now aren't waiting for on-the-job training. A lot of them are starting their own companies. They don't need training. They've had a lifetime of training. They want to DO.