HD IN OKC

[mrcnokc]

At the risk of being jumped on (you guys can be "mean" at times), I'd like to offier some thoughts on HD radio in Oklahoma City from the perspective of the listener. I enjoy listening to the radio; always have. But in recent years, the choices available are less than appealing, and I find myself listening more and more to internet radio. Many say I'd be happy with satalite, but I already pay for enough stuff, and aside from corporate "sameness", there's no reason local radio can't fill the bill. I've read with interest about HD radio, and recently bought the least expensive unit I could find to try it out, a Radiosophy HD 100 for about $100. I must say I'm impressed with the sound! KTOK in HD is amazing...if only they had something worth listening to I'd really be impressed. The FM's that offer HD also really sound much better. I'd like to say they also offer variety, but right now it's rock version 2 or country version 2, and I can't tell much difference. KOSU offers some variety, and the jazz they play in the evening is very tasty. So my message to OKC's corporate radio ownership, and those few of you local owners, if you upgrade to HD that's great, but give us some variety, not more of the same. Consider jazz or 50's rock, or, dare I say it, even "easy listening"! I know there are many hurdles, includiing the availability of HD radios, but I guess I'm optomistic. I'll keep checking the dial!

 

[milton77]

In my opinion, WWLS sounds better than KTOK in HD.

I wish Clear Channel would consider making KJYO-2 an urban/hip hop format and KTST-2 an Americana or "red dirt" format (like KZPS perhaps). At least something a little more different than what is on their primary channel currently.

The HD offerings in okc should improve greatly by the end of this summer/fall.

 

[OKCRadioGuy]

When this puppy gets totally put up http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistration.jsp?regKey=2652655 and the majority of the big guns in town, with the exception of CC get going on it with their HDs we'll have lots of channels out there. As others have said, lets HOPE they have a clue how to program them with something worth bothering with. So far I'm pretty unamazed with CCs offerings on their HD-2 channels. So much for thinking out of the box, eh? LB and the gang tend to be a bit more creative, so we'll see what becomes of what they'll put on HD-2. With Renda... Who knows? It'll depend on who gets to make the choices over there. If it comes from the head-shed look for a whole lotta notta.

We truely live in interesting times...

 

[doxvoom]

I think it would be great if one (or more) of the Oklahoma stations would open up one of their frequencies for community radio, such as is happening in Nashville with WRFN-LP - although I can't remember at the moment which station is doing it.

 

[Kent]

While the Oklahoma City area doesn't have any LPFM's, you can find several of them around the state. Tulsa has KJZT 107.9, which airs smooth jazz and is apparently translated on 94.9 in the Owasso/Collinsville area. Bartlesville has an LPFM as does McAlester, and Enid has three. I believe most of the LPFM's are religious, but KXBI 101.9 Bartlesville and at least one of the Enid stations air some other type of programming. It may not be true community radio, but it is radio done by locals for locals.

 

[doxvoom]

There are no LPFM's in OKC (because there isn't any space open for any - I checked). Still, a studio could be set up somewhere and a signal sent to the station via dedicated Shoutcast server - that's kind of how they have it set up in Nashville - for very little money.