HD board has changed....

[Tom Wells]

As a person who can answer most marketer's questions as other / does not apply, I feel I must point out the failings of
commercial measurements for ad dollars, compared to actual use of the service.

You must stop thinking markets, owners and such if you are to understand how americans use radio.
Firstly they tune around, but newer radios have made it less convenient to do so.
They don't have the foggiest notion of your defined markets, only whether they can listen to their choice.
And to the extent they've adapted to what they've had, any diminishment is cause for protest.

The owners unenthusiastic about changing fine old iron are to be admired. Not easily swayed by digital snake oil, they must afford to stay away from feeble efforts. I don't think any windows-based box ought be anywhere in my >output!< chain. They likely feel the same.
I don't beleive ANYthing made by the newer companies have the high degree of fine engineering exemplified by Gates, RCA and Collins.

It is a matter of what you perceive radio to be, and I know and expect it to be a far higher standard of reliability than computers enjoy.
I cringe to see to see the medium hobbled by the same inadequacies I witness in application of digital technologies in the real world.

Have a nice day.
Stay tuned to the radio, but for heaven's sake be careful.

 

[hipporadio]

Why does the revelation that a couple of the chief detractors here are small market station owners not surprise me?

Well at least some here had the “jewels” to gamble their comfy six-figure incomes, move to that dreadful small market, accept a challenge, and reap a decent return. They have seen their names on an Ownership Report. Have you? Could you have been in the same position?

Your latest “hit ‘n run” here is an illuminating example of radio’s pretentious and self-destructive “turf” mentality:
[“Na-na-na-na-naaa-naaa—my stick’s bigger than your stick is”]... ‘Sounding like the occupant of a cocky college Frat house. [If you’re a P-1—“you’re fab babe”... OMG you’re unrated—beat it Nerd!] Unfortunately, many in your industry cannot contain this attitude to the boundaries of a blog site.

From this point, the use of “you” (and all its derivatives) indicate the radio industry and are directed at no individual.

I work in a media-related business. There’s one stick that is surly bigger than one that’s hot with 100kw—the stick you have to sell to! You’d certainly be off in quick order searching for a prescription pharmaceutical if you had the slightest notion of what those folks really think about your “professional abilities”. I look less forward to those mornings around the coffee maker when I’m compelled only by two decades of affinity to defend you.

Your well-leveraged corporate “handlers” are systematically blowing up your business—leaving it to resemble the refuse collected after a chimney-sweep performs his duty. You’ve succeeded in blowing-off formerly-loyal money-laden 50-somethings to pitifully pursue a low-end audience who never “got your shtick” in the first place. Now, this industry is well on its way to losing control over essential technology. The debate over the vital digital future is predicated only by the profit motives of a small group in hock and possibly in deep trouble due to their own greed.

PUT DOWN that “self-pleasuring” publication called R&R and your obsession with “P-status” long enough to perform a “male region” cancer exam on yourself! Are you in good health?

 

[hipporadio]

The owners unenthusiastic about changing fine old iron are to be admired. Not easily swayed by digital snake oil, they must afford to stay away from feeble efforts.

I can proudly report that we also had a couple pieces of “fine old iron” at the property... TWO Collins 20V-3 1kw AM rigs—well-maintained and ever-ready as backups to a Harris MW-1 and SX-1. There were actually three of the 20V-3s in the market, and the story goes... Back in the day, the three local 1kw AM operators eventually made that rig common so a parts reserve responsibility could be shared (one later kicked up to 5kw with a DA). We always looked forward to firing up each old Collins rig for a day or two a month to give them some exercise.

Aside from that, NOTHING else in the plant came anywhere close to becoming past-prime. Our co-located FM rigs were the Harris HT-7 and HT-10—BOTH with digital exciters (the HT-7 was upgraded). BOTH were fed by a non-compressed digital STL. We had one carefully selected and tweaked analog/digital chain with an APHEX digital stereo generator; the other was an Omnia digital proc. An older Optimod 8100/Mosley 606c/Harris THE-1 could serve as analog back-up for both. Another poster’s characterization of owners operating in less than a large market as little more than anti-IBOC curators of 40-year-old radio equipment is incorrect and condescending. Our former facilities could very easily adopt HD broadcasting IF a demand for it was promising and the ROI justified it.

I don't think any windows-based box ought be anywhere in my >output!< chain... It is a matter of what you perceive radio to be, and I know and expect it to be a far higher standard of reliability than computers enjoy.

There were many days—and late nights that our engineer would agree with you, Tom! Our earliest digital system was TM UDS with CD jukeboxes and DigiCarts—talk about a museum candidate! We were early-adopters to music-on-hard-drive as well, and ended up with four BSI WaveStation systems. Later version updates and Windows 2000 finally settled the bothersome beast down, but I cannot imagine any viable alternative in our operation and market. We had four locally-programmed music-based stations—one fully—and two others partially live. Cursing came easy, but appreciation did also—especially on a holiday when EVERYBODY could stay at home!

 

[Chuck]

[But I am starting to get the picture about this board. DX enthusiasts and small market station owners that aren't looking forward to replacing their Gates, RCA and Collins transmitters when the technology catches on.

I'm beginning to get the picture that IBOC is a handy way to eliminate small broadcasters. Actually, I got that idea several years ago. It seems that it might be true.

By the way, our oldest piece of equipment is 5 years old.

 

[Kelly]

Well now some you guys are really going to hate what I'm about to say, but you have to admit, (and no I won't rub your nose in it like some on this board), that the popularity of AM listening is running out of time. Most kids under 18, don't even know the Medium Wave band exists, so those of us who appreciate the history/glory days of 40kHz, big-bad plate modulated transmitters, and tube receivers are getting older by the week. So what's the band to do? Die off? AM listening numbers are dropping at a higher percentage every year, and even if one looks proportionally to the overall drop in terrestrial radio listening by people under 30 years old.

Prior to Ibquity's IBOC model being adopted for AM, albeit in a limited range and use, I suggested the option at NAB one year, that stations to be granted on a first-come-first-served basis, experimental licenses for early adopters of full-boat digital modulation on the AM band. The plan would be that if you had a AM station in a market with a under-served expanded band, or where stations in the expanded band opted out of that use only to stay in the core AM band, one can apply for a 1kW-N.D., all digitally modulated carrier. In my view, eventually we should go all digital modulation, or forget it and watch AM fade away. Whether that modulation be DRM, Ibiquity's, whatever! The plan would be just like the original expanded band, or DTV, as when a predetermined number of years went by a station had to either implement the established full digital modulation on their in-core channel, or move full time expanded band and give up the core channel.

I have seen with my own two eyes, that even the Ibquity modulation/codec will stay well within the current mask and not cause the objectionable, (by some), interference to adjacent channels IF run only digital, NO ANALOG. So my question being..Why the Hell are we screwing around with trying to do both, and neither very well?

Jim's comment about bad audio to the point where listeners complain is interesting. No offense to the engineer of the stations in question, but based on tests I've been involved with, it sounds like a installation problem. If the exciter interface to the transmitter isn't done properly, the antenna system isn't broad enough, or if one uses a Orban digital Optimod, and attempts to roll off the audio output to 5Khz using only the output filters in the Optimod, the audio could sound pretty bad, and digital range compromised.

Bandwidth issues are obvious, with the sidebands either not being symmetrical, or causing the transmitter to distort the analog center band, because its working its guts out trying to modulate the side bands RMS with side-band VSWR. Hitting the digital Optimod with excessive high frequency audio will also cause the output filters to ring like crazy. Its actually best to pre-rolloff the audio using a good parametric equalizer prior to the audio multiband audio processing or clipping, then set the Optimod filters as a final stop.

 

[ElCheapo]

As a person who can answer most marketer's questions as other / does not apply, I feel I must point out the failings of
commercial measurements for ad dollars, compared to actual use of the service.

You must stop thinking markets, owners and such if you are to understand how americans use radio.
Firstly they tune around, but newer radios have made it less convenient to do so.
They don't have the foggiest notion of your defined markets, only whether they can listen to their choice.
And to the extent they've adapted to what they've had, any diminishment is cause for protest.

Arbitron is offering and has always offered flawed methodology.

Anyone who has spent any time in the business at all will tell you - it's not what people listen to, it's what they THINK they listened to.

Therefore, the real object of the game isn't getting people to listen to your station, it's getting as many diary holders as you can to report listening to your station for as long as possible.

Flawed? Absolutely - but it's the audience measurement that most media buyers accept.

One thing I can honestly say has never been a consideration anywhere I've worked is getting numbers in adjacent metros. They've never been particularly worried about TSA numbers either.

Winning the Arbitron game in YOUR metro has always been the name of the game.

 

[ElCheapo]

Well at least some here had the “jewels” to gamble their comfy six-figure incomes, move to that dreadful small market, accept a challenge, and reap a decent return. They have seen their names on an Ownership Report. Have you? Could you have been in the same position?

Practically anyone with decent credit that can create a passable business plan is in a position to buy some radio station somewhere. So yes, I absolutely could be in that position just like almost anyone reading this but I choose not to.

There's an old joke in the industry - I'm sure you've heard it...

Wanna know the best way to turn a large fortune into a small one? Buy a radio station!

Your latest “hit ‘n run” here is an illuminating example of radio’s pretentious and self-destructive “turf” mentality:
[“Na-na-na-na-naaa-naaa—my stick’s bigger than your stick is”]... ‘Sounding like the occupant of a cocky college Frat house. [If you’re a P-1—“you’re fab babe”... OMG you’re unrated—beat it Nerd!] Unfortunately, many in your industry cannot contain this attitude to the boundaries of a blog site.

I should hope not. Just like the mom and pop stores that used to dot the landscape of small-town America, small market radio can make money. Can it make the kind of obscene money that powers the type of organization I would want to work for? Absolutely not. Why do you think Clear Channel is selling off all markets below the top 100?

A big part of the reason probably has to do with the flip side of small market radio. It can also lose a lot of money - and many of their markets below the top 100 bleed red ink. The rest don't contribute a lot to the bottom line.

From this point, the use of “you” (and all its derivatives) indicate the radio industry and are directed at no individual.

I work in a media-related business. There’s one stick that is surly bigger than one that’s hot with 100kw—the stick you have to sell to! You’d certainly be off in quick order searching for a prescription pharmaceutical if you had the slightest notion of what those folks really think about your “professional abilities”. I look less forward to those mornings around the coffee maker when I’m compelled only by two decades of affinity to defend you.

I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about here. I'll just chalk this part of your message up to too much egg nog.

Your well-leveraged corporate “handlers” are systematically blowing up your business—leaving it to resemble the refuse collected after a chimney-sweep performs his duty. You’ve succeeded in blowing-off formerly-loyal money-laden 50-somethings to pitifully pursue a low-end audience who never “got your shtick” in the first place. Now, this industry is well on its way to losing control over essential technology. The debate over the vital digital future is predicated only by the profit motives of a small group in hock and possibly in deep trouble due to their own greed.

PUT DOWN that “self-pleasuring” publication called R&R and your obsession with “P-status” long enough to perform a “male region” cancer exam on yourself! Are you in good health?

All I can say is Pandora is out of the box and it's useless to debate what might have been. Corporate radio is here to stay. Unless you want to live in a very small town (and I don't) it's the game you have to play.

I really don't mind. Corporate radio has been pretty darn good to me. The more "corporate" my work in the industry becomes the better it gets.

 

[ElCheapo]

You haven't been around this board long enough to know that I have addressed what you are saying about IBOC not being attacked the way it's attacked here and that there is very little HD bashing going on in the engineering listservers.

It's really quite simple: Gainfully employed broadcast engineers want to keep working. Therefore they will not PUBLICALLY say anything bad about this technology if their employers are using it.

I really don't think that's the case. I don't think any of the guys I know have ever been afraid to speak their minds on the listservers.

Regardless - if they really did want to jump on the anti-IBOC bandwagon, they could do it anonymously. How hard is it to set up an anonymous e-mail account? Not very.

But I am starting to get the picture about this board. DX enthusiasts and small market station owners that aren't looking forward to replacing their Gates, RCA and Collins transmitters when the technology catches on.

iBiquity is running out of time - IBOC has been, and will be, a complete failure !

As usual, your post has nothing to do with the topic at hand - and as usual, it's not very bright.

You like to say "iBiquity is running out of time."

Are you really naive enough to think if the company that licenses the technology goes under that the technology is simply going to go away?

I hate to tell ya guy - there is zero chance of that happening. The worse case scenario is iBiquity goes bankrupt.

What happens in a bankruptcy? Assets are sold to satisfy creditors as much as possible.

If that were to happen, I can easily see a company like Harris purchasing the intellectual property that is iBiquity.

That would actually be your absolute worst nightmare 700WLW because it would then be in the hands of a company:

1) With very deep pockets
2) That has a solid track record of designing, marketing and selling broadcast technology

And most importantly:

3) Would do a much better job of managing and accelerating the rollout of HD Radio

Are you really sure you want to see iBiquity fail?

 

[jim8230]

Very interesting....

If I may:
Most kids under 18, don't even know the Medium Wave band exists...

I think kids know its there, they just accept the fact that there is nothing on AM for them to listen to. How many 17-year-olds care about political rhetoric or non-stop sports scores? According to my kids and some of their friends, there isn't much to listen to on FM either. There are two stations in this market they like and tune nowhere else. (And we live right next door to Canada!) Their complaints about the radio stations that they do listen to are what one might expect; same songs played too often, long commercial breaks and too much talking. I know many adults that lodge the same complaints. Seriously, kids there days are savvy with the tools technology has offered them. They know how to get what they want when they want it and skip the B. S. CD players, MP3 devices and your home computer have given them that freedom. Which might explain this........
the overall drop in terrestrial radio listening by people under 30 years old.

I have seen with my own two eyes, that even the Ibquity modulation/codec will stay well within the current mask and not cause the objectionable, (by some), interference to adjacent channels IF run only digital.

I would really like to know how that test was conducted!

only digital, NO ANALOG. So my question being..Why the Hell are we screwing around with trying to do both, and neither very well?

I would guess its the estimated 30 million analog radios we Americans own. Perhaps some of us resent the idea that we have to replace them to hear what may be the same programming we are not necessarily happy with now. (And less choices to boot.)

As far as I know, we are the only country in the world that has decided to use this hybrid system to make, what I would guess was supposed to be, a smooth transition to all-digital broadcasting within the same frequencies we use now. Which, when you think about it, doesn't really make any sense anyway unless you are going to give listeners who want to hang on to their analog radios the option of listening to what they have been listening to for the time being. Well, that's not really what is going on here, is it? A handful of corporations have already determined for us that any listening outside our immediate market is just plain silly. So anyone considered a "DXer" doesn't contribute to the other market's bottom line so is therefore expendable. Or, in other words, You don't have a choice. You will listen to us and only us!

I think the real problem here is that being told what you can and can't listen to doesn't sit well with some. Me included. If I don't like what is on here why shouldn't I be able to tune in to something worth listening to somewhere else. Maybe I should just turn it off and use my computer.

The FCC has made it clear; the airwaves do not belong to the public, they belong to the highest bidder.

 

[SUPERCASTER]

[But I am starting to get the picture about this board. DX enthusiasts and small market station owners that aren't looking forward to replacing their Gates, RCA and Collins transmitters when the technology catches on.

I'm beginning to get the picture that IBOC is a handy way to eliminate small broadcasters. Actually, I got that idea several years ago. It seems that it might be true.

By the way, our oldest piece of equipment is 5 years old.

Any of the above (Gates, RCA and Collins) transmitters offer twice the freq. response and 4 times the signal to noise ratio of analog HD AM. RCA Ampliphase transmitters, even more.
Modern solid state AM transmitters are even better, when not buzzing HD.
20-10,000 Hz within 1 db over -60 db noise and hum. Much better then analog HD AM.
http://www.armstrongtx.com/PDF/X_Series_AM_Literature.pdf
Complaints from HD supporters about AM are sheer nonsense. HD is much more destructive to analog AM then old transmitters. In fact analog HD AM does not even meet the FCC minimum broadcast transmitter specs. for AM and needs a special dispensation to even be on the air on the broadcast bands.
If "DXers" are defined as those going to extraordinary measures, such as extra external antennas, to pick up weak signals, then HD supporters are "DXers"!

 

[700WLW]

You haven't been around this board long enough to know that I have addressed what you are saying about IBOC not being attacked the way it's attacked here and that there is very little HD bashing going on in the engineering listservers.

It's really quite simple: Gainfully employed broadcast engineers want to keep working. Therefore they will not PUBLICALLY say anything bad about this technology if their employers are using it.

I really don't think that's the case. I don't think any of the guys I know have ever been afraid to speak their minds on the listservers.

Regardless - if they really did want to jump on the anti-IBOC bandwagon, they could do it anonymously. How hard is it to set up an anonymous e-mail account? Not very.

But I am starting to get the picture about this board. DX enthusiasts and small market station owners that aren't looking forward to replacing their Gates, RCA and Collins transmitters when the technology catches on.

iBiquity is running out of time - IBOC has been, and will be, a complete failure !

As usual, your post has nothing to do with the topic at hand - and as usual, it's not very bright.

You like to say "iBiquity is running out of time."

Are you really naive enough to think if the company that licenses the technology goes under that the technology is simply going to go away?

I hate to tell ya guy - there is zero chance of that happening. The worse case scenario is iBiquity goes bankrupt.

What happens in a bankruptcy? Assets are sold to satisfy creditors as much as possible.

If that were to happen, I can easily see a company like Harris purchasing the intellectual property that is iBiquity.

That would actually be your absolute worst nightmare 700WLW because it would then be in the hands of a company:

1) With very deep pockets
2) That has a solid track record of designing, marketing and selling broadcast technology

And most importantly:

3) Would do a much better job of managing and accelerating the rollout of HD Radio

Are you really sure you want to see iBiquity fail?

"IBiquity Digital's Make-or-Break Point Approaches (washingtonpost.com)"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58846-2005Feb27.html

 

[hipporadio]

There are distinguished people that review these posts. They may not have a screen name or account here--but they read our entries with interest. It is my hope (and yours I’m sure) that they view us with some level of respect.

Many people log on as guests, so you have no idea, who reads these threads.

As of this posting, this thread has been viewed 158 times... I seriously doubt anyone outside this little group of HD bashers is reading this forum regularly... The same dozen or so people saying the same words over and over... Yawn

Within a very few days this thread has jumped to nearly 520—It now has the highest view count I have seen here in some time! I doubt these views are from “the dirty dozen” (as you charge) who repeatedly clear their I.E. cache or manufacture new static IP addresses to count their views more than once.

I have received over THREE DOZEN “Go Go Go—we’re lovin’ it” Emails thru my Amazon BA HD Receptor feedback link. Also several messages from men within the industry at my private HD-specific account who by-'n-large comment on the recent “turn in technical tone” in this thread—appreciate and enjoy it! ALL are in the industry—MANY are “well plugged”—and NONE have criticized the content of the debate, although several have implemented IBOC—and some personally support it.

Why does the revelation that a couple of the chief detractors here are small market station owners not surprise me?

Your attack on small market owners spawned ten messages to me last night alone, including...

“If corporate radio is on a rampage as we suspect, I would think that a wise corporate survivalist would be cheering the success of the few with patience and backbone to provide quality local radio service in smaller markets, if for no other reason, to deflect the mounting criticism against their own mode of operation. A 7-station CE (and programmer ? interesting marriage for a big time broadcaster to have) should not be diminishing that initiative.”

A publicly-traded corporate radio CE contacted me to applaud and agree with Kelly’s post here...

“We have made the transition to HD. There are tradeoffs, but personally I don’t believe that there is any turning back. I am very saddened at the lack of radios and their very poor reception ability. We don’t need a repeat of Motorola CQUAM, and if HD doesn’t get into cars, our company has flushed major bucks down that bathroom appliance.”

A large market PD mused...

“Unless Steve Jobs can cram IBOC into an iPod or his rumored new iPhone, GAME OVER with next-gen and gen-Xers!”

The leader of a small radio group observed...

“There seems to be some kick-a** engineers on there with experience that goes beyond just reading books and hitting the hospitality hangouts at NAB. I’d like to hire one, but I probably can’t afford him.”

A prominent publisher provided a compliment I will always cherish...

“You’re a good guy. Let me take you to my class.”

Finally, a large market morning show host working for a top-five radio company provided this amusing story in regards to my earlier post on IBOC and Public Radio...

“I have really enjoyed the IBOC discussion of the radio-info board and thought that I would pass along a story told to me by our chief engineer. Since we were the second station in the market to install HD on our ac station, ****, [company] paid for [an] HD radio for his station vehicle. One day last summer he noticed that the [Public Radio organization], who had installed HD radio in the spring, had turned off their IBOC during some really hot weather this summer. When he asked their engineer what the problem was he said that when they installed the IBOC transmitters for the three public stations [calls of those stations] and the governing board would not approve an upgrade for the air conditioning at the transmitter site. So now we have IBOC on our NPR, classical and adult alternative stations when the weather permits. How about that?”

These are interesting Email from “insiders” who AREN’T supposed to be reading these posts!

Radio DESERVES HD—they just deserve HD that works!

 

[Kelly]

Interesting article, but in my view no smoking gun..

If the marketing folks at Ibquity were smart, (which is somewhat in debate), I would take that $20M, and give Visteon, (Ford), and Delphi, (GM), the receiver chips for free like XM did as an example, for installation in their next model year. Forget the cryptic spots, and asking stations to shoulder the burden of promoting what stations already pay Ibquity license fees for.

The other thing that concerns me is how Ibquity seems to be reducing further technical development of the codecs or modulation scheme(s), and shifting gears to marketing and promotion, (and chances are increasing corporate overhead). Even after several years, MSTV, and ATSC is still working with receiver manufacturers on improvement of DTV receiver chips, and compression methods. The 5th generation ATSC/Quam/DTV receiver in my new Panasonic plasma set is awesome in comparrison with my old first generation tuner.

If the article is indeed true, I am dissapointed to see Ibquity throttle-back further technical refinement of their product. Ibquity should be camped out on Delphi's doorstep with a fist full of chips working with them to improve the overall product so it has appeal to the consumer before it's too late and falls the way of AM stereo.

 

[700WLW]

Well, the article does not seem too encouraging - the Washington Post is a well-respected newspaper (I live outside Wash., D.C. and I get the Sunday edition). iBiquity is well past the normal investment horizon, and I am sure investors are getting very anxious about ROI. As has been said many times, HD radios sales are very anemic, and with expensive, clunky, ugly HD radios requiring elaborate antenna systems and with poor reception, this is a no-win situation for iBiquity. In-dash Internet Radio has already been demonstrated in Canada, and is due in US automobiles by 2008. WiFi-enabled portable Internet Radio is in the consumer marketplace and G3/WiMax networks will enable reception everywhere. Sirius has the portable Stiletto - portable HD radios are not a reality, due to power comsumption requirements. Even cellular phones are radio-enabled (iRadio) and Clear Channel is streaming 50 stations, with plans for more. The Bridge Ratings have Internet Radio growth projected at many times that of HD Radio. DAB is also failing to take-hold in the UK and Canada. Why, does this need to be repeated over-and-over, when it is very obvious that HD Radio will be a failure. How about, I take that 20 minute drive over to iBiquity headquarters in Columbia, Md. and do some dumpster-diving, then I'll let everyone know for sure how close iBiquity is to the make-or-break-point !

 

[ElCheapo]

As of this posting, this thread has been viewed 158 times... I seriously doubt anyone outside this little group of HD bashers is reading this forum regularly... The same dozen or so people saying the same words over and over... Yawn

You don't have to clear your cache and renew your IP to get the read count to increase. If I exit this thread then reenter it the read count increases by one.

I have high speed with a static IP.

The read count is about where I would expect it to be with 54 responses from mostly the same people.

 

[ElCheapo]

"IBiquity Digital's Make-or-Break Point Approaches (washingtonpost.com)"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58846-2005Feb27.html

Great! Maybe we're that much closer to Harris taking over.

Since you like links so much, have a look at the future owner of iBiquity's technology: http://www.broadcast.harris.com

While you're there, make sure you click on the "broadcast radio" link and check out their HD Radio solutions.

 

[700WLW]

"IBiquity Digital's Make-or-Break Point Approaches (washingtonpost.com)"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58846-2005Feb27.html

Great! Maybe we're that much closer to Harris taking over.

Since you like links so much, have a look at the future owner of iBiquity's technology: http://www.broadcast.harris.com

While you're there, make sure you click on the "broadcast radio" link and check out their HD Radio solutions.

Just, more propaganda from an HD Radio cheerleader - means nothing, since HD radios aren't selling !

 

[hipporadio]

There's an old joke in the industry - I'm sure you've heard it... Wanna know the best way to turn a large fortune into a small one? Buy a radio station!

NO DOUBT that is very common... But it is far from "absolute"... There a many "trash to treasure" and "lemons turned into lemonade" examples in small market radio. Those who accomplish those goals should be congratulated--not stereotyped!

I work in a media-related business. There’s one stick that is surly bigger than the one that’s hot with 100kw—the stick you have to sell to! You’d certainly be off in quick order searching for a prescription pharmaceutical if you had the slightest notion of what those folks really think about your “professional abilities”...

I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about here. I'll just chalk this part of your message up to too much egg nog.

VERY SIMPLE E-C... The most important object of your affection should be the business relationships your station and industry cultivate with those you sell your product to--not your output power, corporate status, or market size. The opinions you have of yourselves (and you have them a-plenty) are irrelevant, and are generally NOT SHARED by those you depend on for income outside the walls of your station. Your industry "rep" is declining daily with these people. They care very little about your creative Arbitron interpetations, "stick lingo", and market definitions. I don't know how to be more clear... And NO Egg-Nog was involved... But thanks for living up to your name and taking yet another "cheap shot".

I really don't mind. Corporate radio has been pretty darn good to me...

You may be happy that corporate radio has been darn good to you... But can corporate radio make the claim that it has been good to the public at large? I'll leave it to the public to pass judgement on your industry... And please don't force us to endure another Arbitron diatribe.

The issue that precipitated my post quoting you was your instant assumption that to be a small market radio owner means a dependence on 40-year-old transmitters--and thus disqualifies that operator from a debate about contemporary technology. That assumption simply is another indication of the pretentious big-radio "turf" culture that I detailed in my post. That culture IS NOT helping you here... And it IS NOT benefiting your industry.

 

[hipporadio]

You don't have to clear your cache and renew your IP to get the read count to increase. If I exit this thread then reenter it the read count increases by one. I have high speed with a static IP.

Sorry E-C... I just tried it... THREE TIMES... Including a shut down and reinitiation of my Verizon broadband with static IP... NO viewer count increase on the thread. It was 550 when I started... It remains 550 as I post!

Could you be using your extraordinary technical/radio programming skills to fool even these savvy R-I folks?

...and it's still at 550 AFTER I posted and made this edit!

 

[ElCheapo]

NO DOUBT that is very common... But it is far from "absolute"... There a many "trash to treasure" and "lemons turned into lemonade" examples in small market radio. Those who accomplish those goals should be congratulated--not stereotyped!

Yes, it happens. The most spectacular examples I've seen is where a signal can be upgraded to rimshot or move into a large market and the owner sells it.

The issue that precipitated my post quoting you was your instant assumption that to be a small market radio owner means a dependence on 40-year-old transmitters--and thus disqualifies that operator from a debate about contemporary technology. That assumption simply is another indication of the pretentious big-radio "turf" culture that I detailed in my post. That culture IS NOT helping you here... And it IS NOT benefiting your industry.

I've had to deal with more small market or unrated market engineering headaches than I care to remember. Ancient McMartins and CCAs mostly but also AELs, RCAs, Gates and Collins. Transmitters that should have been put out of their misery long ago - but that's tough to do when the station is barely making enough money to sustain itself, or worse - losing money.

I've seen one small market station that was equipped with a Harris Platinum series transmitter (the one that was exhorbitantly expensive and even major markets wouldn't buy it because it was so over-built - it used the same PA modules as their solid state VHF transmitters and it was the precursor to the current Platinum Z series) but that's the one example out of literally dozens of small market sites I've seen.