Forget About HD Radio

[stacker]

Check this out from Mark Ramsey. Smart.

http://www.allaccess.com/area-51/archive/5754/forget-about-hd-radio?ref=mail_news

 

[pocket-radio]

Mark says, we're in the connection, content and people business, not radio. And I say listeners will find the content THEY LIKE on multiple platforms available because of technology. For all the money wasted on HD start ups, radio would have been better off investing in content, created by people. Instead the opposite happened, radio cut people and invested in junk technology. Boy aren't we smart.

We think we're in the radio, when it's still about entertaining people.

The railroads thought they were in the train business, when it's really transportation. And look where they are? Trucks move America, the trucking industry knows what business they're in. It ain't trucking.

Will it ever change?

 

[davideduardo]

Mark says, we're in the connection, content and people business, not radio. And I say listeners will find the content THEY LIKE on multiple platforms available because of technology. For all the money wasted on HD start ups, radio would have been better off investing in content, created by people. Instead the opposite happened, radio cut people and invested in junk technology. Boy aren't we smart.

In larger markets... taking a mid-range LA FM as an example... the cost of adding HD was the equivalent of a few month's salary for a well perforning jock... or less than a single significant on air contest.

 

[stacker]

In larger markets... taking a mid-range LA FM as an example... the cost of adding HD was the equivalent of a few month's salary for a well perforning jock... or less than a single significant on air contest.

Where is the ROI on that investment? Ramsey is correct by stating that HD radio is a 1990's response to a 2010 market. Stations would have been better off spending the money on a contest.

Content drives listening. Engage the listener, make them feel like part of the club and you have them. Arcane delivery mechanisms don't mean a thing to the listener.

Time will tell. Frankly, there probably isn't enough time and money left to float successful implementation of HD radio.

 

[Carmine5]

In larger markets... taking a mid-range LA FM as an example... the cost of adding HD was the equivalent of a few month's salary for a well perforning jock... or less than a single significant on air contest.

Where is the ROI on that investment? Ramsey is correct by stating that HD radio is a 1990's response to a 2010 market. Stations would have been better off spending the money on a contest.

Content drives listening. Engage the listener, make them feel like part of the club and you have them. Arcane delivery mechanisms don't mean a thing to the listener.

Time will tell. Frankly, there probably isn't enough time and money left to float successful implementation of HD radio.

Consider, too, what feature was missing when Apple announced its iPad today--no radio and definitely no HD Radio. As one commentator put it, "Apple seems determined to keep radio off of its products" (the iPod Nano notwithstanding).

But Mark Ramsey has it right; broadcasters are not in the broadcasting business anymore--we're in the media business, the relationship business and so on. And this applies to TV as well as radio. After all, I don't see ATSC tuners in any of Apple's products either (and that includes the Apple TV).

The public is telling us where they want to go for content and how they want to consume it. We need to be there for them and provide what they want to see and hear.

Incidentally, for those who are interested in creating an iPhone/iPad app for their station, this company offers a DIY service for doing just that. It costs 25.00 and you don't have to know anything about the iPhone SDK or have any programming knowledge. You can create an app in just a few minutes and the company will even post it for you on the iTunes store.

http://isites.us/

c5