hipporadio said:Unless I am misinterpreting your post (and I apologize if I am)—you seem to place responsibility upon retail locations to promote a new technical genre... This is simply NOT the way retail functions. They didn’t do it with other “broadcast enhancements” such as UHF television, FM stereo, and AM stereo—and they DIDN’T perform that root function with the introduction of CD, DVD, portable mp-3, and even XM! They responded to CONSUMER DEMAND and stocked such products at a time that warranted their cost of “floor-planning” those items.
(snip)
Rather than pursue a “scam” that amounts to a conversion of unsold inventory into a tax write-off to promote defective and destructive IBOC, the radio industry needs to focus on the basics—I believe they call it GOOD PROGRAMMING... That’s what drove consumers to buy FM stereo receivers many decades ago. Sometimes the “old idea” is the best idea!
You are misinterpreting my posts to a degree. I have said the people promoting HD radio need to make sure the retailers are doing this right. I place a great deal of responsibility on the manufacturer and even the local radio stations to see to it that people can sample this product. They are, after all, the ones who will benefit the most from the adoption of this product by the public. I also think the retailer is foolish to waste floor space on a product that does not work in the store. But that applies to any product they're selling, not just a new type of technology.
I wholeheartedly agree the radio industry needs to improve programming to win back audience. They can make every station sound like it's CD quality, but if the programming still sucks, people won't listen.