HD radio ads comming to a newspaper near you.

[pocket-radio]

The Alliance has purchased print ads, to be featured in a USA Today Friday edition selling
value-priced" HD radios available in Best Buy, Target and Wal-Mart.

Sigh, value priced? When radio’s are returned because some HD stations appear to be not working, retailers can say, dear customer you bought a value priced radio, what do you expect for nothing.

I thought print was dead anyway? Adults 55+ still read print and I’m not sure that’s the right target because they still like radio, the way it is. And the 12-34 crowd can’t read.

Let’s hope another security guard doesn’t get trampled. LOL
Stop the madness now, just say no to trampled hourly workers.. LOL


Mama Cass Elliot said:
“Nobody can tell ya
There's only one song worth singing
They may try and sell ya
Cause it hangs them up to see someone like you”

The Anti Kool-Aid Crowd

 

[Savage]

"The Alliance has PURCHASED print ads" in USA Today? Really? "Purchased?"

Gannett, owner of USA Today, is an initial investor in iBiquity and its predecessor USA Digital Radio, and has not missed any recent opportunity to plug HD Radio. The company's newspapers are tanking in circulation (here in Rochester the local Gannett daily announced deep staff cuts just yesterday) and I'm sure Gannett would like to see a return on its HD investment, as anyone in their position would.

You can't help but wonder: is this the print-media equivalent of all that "distressed inventory" on-air HD radio promotion?

 

[Savage]

BTW, this is intriguing news. I'll have to make a little IBOC Mystery Shopper sojourn to local Mega-Lo-Mart, BB and Tar-zjay locations this weekend to check on the availability of HD Radios, "value-priced" or "otherwise." I will dutifully report back here.

If I see Santa, do you guys have any requests you'd like me to relay??

 

[pocket-radio]

Maybe IBiquity traded for airtime? LOL Paid or free, it’s curious ads would appear in medium that experts agree no one is reading, and targets adults 55+, the wrong demographic. IBiquity needs investors from big three television, cable and ISP's.

Anyway, retailers will have to hire extra help just to handle returns from the weekend.
Plus, extra security, people trained to handle guns to control angry customers.

 

[Carmine5]

Reading on the RBR website yesterday that the HD Alliance was going to kick into high gear a holiday ad campaign for HD Radio, I noticed this item:

"The Alliance announced the winners of its contest to name the best local-market radio ad promoting HD2 holiday content. Alliance member stations around the country submitted hundreds of: 30 second radio commercials promoting their HD2 stations to the Alliance...Ten winners were selected and given $1,000 each..."

http://www.rbr.com/media-news/advertising/11586.html

It seems to me that a better way for the Alliance to spend 10K is to buy HD Radios (particularly the cheap kind that the Alliance is touting) and distribute those to selected stations as contest giveaways for the season.

What better way is there to get consumers to hear HD Radio then provide a few freebees?

C5

 

[FreddyE1977]

since newspaper circulation is decining at even a steeper rate than radio ad revenue,
that seems like a thoroughly ineffective and futile gesture on their part.

 

[pocket-radio]

What about approaching stations and using their email data base to giveaway receivers and promote special deals.

I think the real problem is lack of interest and misconceptions. Think of it, before an ipod was marketed and sold nobody owned one, but the benefits of holding 500 songs in your hand was huge. Before CD’s were invented nobody owned one, but the immediate benefits of going from tape to digital were huge. While millions of Americans already own 7 to 8 radios per household the reasons to upgrade are weak. For most average people, FM radio sounds really good. On a whole, auto manufactures produce great receivers that sound good. And considering AM is mostly talk it sounds pretty good. Adults over 55 tolerate music on AM just to hear niche programming like oldies and because they grew up with it. Radio doesn’t suffer from a sound quality problem that HD supposedly solves. Radio geeks and audiophiles will never be satisfied, but I said average as in mass market.

Awareness for HD is high because of ads run by the Alliance, but other studies have shown consumers are confusing HD, with satellite radio. Consumers are overwhelmed
and bombarded with advertising.

IBiquity hasn’t managed to cut through the ad clutter with a clear and compelling message that convinces the masses they need HD.

However upon walking into Wal-Mart and experiencing an entire wall devoted to high definition TV, and programming I’m convinced I need it. That’s the essential experience missing with IBiquity’s HD radio, the in store experience doesn’t exist and their mass marketing campaigns have failed to convince and change minds.

 

[Chuck]

However upon walking into Wal-Mart and experiencing an entire wall devoted to high definition TV, and programming I’m convinced I need it. That’s the essential experience missing with IBiquity’s HD radio, the in store experience doesn’t exist and their mass marketing campaigns have failed to convince and change minds.

My local Wal-Mart has a full wall, an entire aisle, and a few free-standing displays devoted to HDTV. They even have HDTV's running in the furniture area, to show you how god they look installed in your home.

HD radios? There are none that I can find, although there are two stations broadcasting HD that I can pick up (usually) at home.

 

[Carmine5]

HD Radio is featured all over the latest December Radio World.

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/newbay/rw_20081203/

NPR Labs is encouraging deployment of closed captioning for the hard of hearing utilizing one of HD Radio's data streams (next HD-R will be touted as a possible cure for cancer).

Skip Pizzi has offered more info on conditional access, particularly involving HD receivers that are "storage-capable". In this scenario targeted ads are sent as a data stream to receivers with unique ID's associated with the particular interests and/or location of the end user. The targeted ad is captured, stored and then played back at a future time using a trigger from the station's signal. So, in this case, the HD Radio with CA is not a two-way device.

Skip did make an interesting point. He said that during HD Radio's emergence, analog FM has not been standing still but has been improving, thereby making HD Radio a harder sell to consumers in terms of fidelity and features.

Finally we have Jeff Jury, COO of Ibiquity, regurgitating the usual stats on the numbers of HD Radio chips shipped and brands available. He lists some 30 retailers who carry HD Radio products and says that, " HD Radio products are now available in some 14,000 stores across the nation." He mentions the Apple Stores as one retailer but I've been in two Apples Stores within the past month and have not seen any HD Radio devices on display.

So, as you can see, there's something to enlighten, amuse and offend everyone interested in HD Radio in this issue of RW.

C5

 

[willcail]

The only good value price HD receiver IMO is the HD100. Don't now about the Coby receivers.

 

[Savage]

C5, I note that the same RW issue prominently features an article on Dr. John Brinkley, the infamous radio "goat-gland" medical scam artist of 1930s Mexican border radio fame.

How appropriate: the goat-gland radio doctor, and HD Radio. Two of the industry's most notorious scams. In one convenient issue.

At least Doctor was entertaining. A must-read: "Border Radio" by Gene Fowler. One wonders if a new edition would add HD Radio to goat-gland prostate cures, Crazy Water Crystals, Norman Baker's quack cancer treatments, fortune tellers and zodiac readers in radio's rogue's gallery.

 

[Carmine5]

C5, I note that the same RW issue prominently features an article on Dr. John Brinkley, the infamous radio "goat-gland" medical scam artist of 1930s Mexican border radio fame.

How appropriate: the goat-gland radio doctor, and HD Radio. Two of the industry's most notorious scams. In one convenient issue.

At least Doctor was entertaining. A must-read: "Border Radio" by Gene Fowler. One wonders if a new edition would add HD Radio to goat-gland prostate cures, Crazy Water Crystals, Norman Baker's quack cancer treatments, fortune tellers and zodiac readers in radio's rogue's gallery.

Ha, Ha! Jeff Jury should thank his lucky stars that the editors of RW, at least, had the presence of mind NOT to place his article on the page opposite from the "goat-gland doctor" piece.

C5

 

[Mike Walker]

So what if Ibiquity "traded for airtime". It's what I'd do. Forget HD. If you owned a local radio station, and wanted to promote it, wouldn't YOU trade airtime for ads in the local paper? For billboards? For direct-mail? I SURE AS HELL WOULD! "Advertising" on your own air can't accomplish much other than recycling listeners to other dayparts. You MUST go beyond your current listener base, by definition, to expand your audience. "Trading" ads with other media sure brings down the cost of doing this!

Back to HD now. I keep hearing this claim that all HD radios are returned. Proof? Evidence? The FACT is that most people I know with HD radios are quite satisfied with them. On FM, with a good antenna, they're as reliable as tap water, electricity, or any other "utility".

 

[JH_Radio]

The masses do not need HD.
I don't need nor want HD personally.
There are a few reasons for this, which i'm sure any consumer would agree with.
A. The last two radio's I baught (Xm and Serius) people are talking about them dieing out soon. Who's to say HD won't do the same?
B. Jukebox's are HD2's friend. No thanks!
C. (And this is a big one...) The FCC didn't mandate that all stations be completely digital at full power by said date.
Look at HD TV. I'm sure there are people that do not own an HD TV, that now are having to ei either upgrade, or B get a converter box. If the FCC hadn't've mandated this, would people really be runnin to upgrade?
Yes, I know a lot have, but not everyone.
Nevermind the fact of how HD Radio doesn't work far away from the transmitter... (I don't have one, but c'mon now. How far can any signal that broadcasting 1% of its power in digital go?
If every anolog stationt dropped from its current power, to just 1% of its current transmition, anolog radio wouldnt' work well either. I think any consumer can understand that.
That doesn't include the interpherence for ajasent FM or AM in anolog mode, the lack of radio's being available, etc.
John
Bensalem, PA

I think the real problem is lack of interest and misconceptions.While millions of Americans already own 7 to 8 radios per household the reasons to upgrade are weak. Awareness for HD is high because of ads run by the Alliance, IBiquity hasn’t managed to cut through the ad clutter with a clear and compelling message that convinces the masses they need HD.

However upon walking into Wal-Mart and experiencing an entire wall devoted to high definition TV, and programming I’m convinced I need it. That’s the essential experience missing with IBiquity’s HD radio, the in store experience doesn’t exist and their mass marketing campaigns have failed to convince and change minds.

 

[Mike Walker]

Exactly...you "don't have one". With a good antenna, I routinely pull in HD stations from 100 miles away. Remember, with a digital signal, signal to noise ratio is practically meaningless. While an s/n ratio of 20-30db is necessary for a radio signal that anyone other than s erious dx nut would listen to, a s/n ratio of very few db (single digits) is sufficient for digital. All that's necessary is that the receiver be able to tell the difference between a one and a zero. Think about it...if a station is broadcasting speech, the noise needs to be quite a few db down to be listenable (ditto music). But if it's c/w...just morse code, you can pick out the dots and dashes (think ones and zeroes) from a VERY noisy signal.

One percent would be plain awful for an analog signal. For a digital one, it's amazing how well it works! 80-100 mile HD reception isn't unusual AT ALL for people with good antennas.

As to your point about HD2s being "Jukebox's friend", you're right in (too) many cases. But even there, new programming is coming along. WFAE Charlotte carries a live adult alternative ("Xponential Radio") on their HD2 channel, and the BBC on their HD3. Both networks rather than local, but neither is a "jukebox"! Other stations are duplicating AM talk stations on multicast FM HD streams with higher fidelity than would be possible on analog AM, or AM HD. WAMU in Washington is duplicating the audio from another university's radio station on one of their multicast channels. And so it goes. By the way, most channels on XM and Sirius ARE JUKEBOXES! Ditto most of the internet stations that some here claim will kill terrestrial radio.

Terrestrial radio will never "die off". And there should NEVER be a date to turn off analog. That's a BIG mistake with TV, imho, because the digital signals just don't penetrate rural areas, like the one I live in! During power outages in snowstorms, for instance, I've always been able to get weather and news from a cheap battery-operated black and white tv I keep for emergencies. Nothing comparable exists for DTV (I know there are units with rechargable batteries, but how will you recharge them with the power off???) Besides, the whip antennas are worthless at 60-80 miles from a station!

 

[JH_Radio]

Mike:
I have an outdoor antenna , so I think I'd do pretty wel especially on FM. I don't know a lot about how signals work. how they are transmitted. I'm well aware that one's and 0's are different then transmitting an anolog signal, but there is ware it ends.
Will DXing be capable on HD signals someday?
Might I be able to Pull in PLJ or WMGQ, like i can do with digital off?
These are stations I used to get as clear locals with my outdoor antenna with roter yamaha T-85 Tuner.
Xm/Serius seem to be voicetracked, there is still some personallity in it, even if its not the same as a live, local jock.
John
Bensalem, PA

 

[JH_Radio]

Besides that Mike, how many people do you know that have an outdoor antenna? How many people do you know have a tuner such as the Yamaha T-85? I do not know anyone who would put an antenna on there rooph just to get FM stations, nor do i know anyone who would go out and buy a tuner and have it modified.
Now sure us radio geeks would, but the general public wouldn't so much.
In our Chryslor Town And country 2001 limited we have a ROZ AM Stereo/FM Stereo/CD/Cassette. , dad says the AM used to sound better, now it sounds muddy or something like that. Why is this? I had to explain the HD radio thing to him.
He cannot tell a difference in the sound of anolog FM, but I can. Those that broadcast HD signals along side there anolog the anolog does not sound as good to me.
John
Bensalem, PA

 

[Mike Walker]

John, I live in a rural area where cable has only been available for a decade. Probably sixty percent of the houses in my neighborhood have roof antennas in good repair.

As for whether dxing will be possible "some day", it's possible NOW! I'm listening to WMIT Black Mountain NC, 100+ miles from my home. They're ROCK SOLID 24/7/365. Nearly every FM station in Greenbille/Spartanburg SC is audible IN HD at my home in Wilkes County (northwest NC, between Winston-Salem and Boone). That's a DAMN long haul...far better than most people are used to with analog FM. Besides, true "dx'ing"...seeking distant radio stations and logging them as a hobby, is a dying hobby...confined to "old people" like me, over fifty...who grew up with no internet, relying on distant radio reception to access distant voices and music. Today those distant voices are FAR MORE ACCESSIBLE!

My wife tore down my 200' long-wire antenna in the woods behind my house that I used for AM and Shortwave. I don't really care. I can get everything I want to listen to (including all the international broadcasters I like) on my Revo Blik internet radio.

Is the general public crying out for HD? Of course not. Were they crying out for the internet, mcrowave ovens, fm stereo, or digital photography? Nope. But I bet they're (mostly) glad they've got 'em! People don't "demand" technology. Visionaries create it, THEN demonstrate how it makes live better, easier, or more rewarding.

 

[Mike Walker]

"Those that broadcast HD signals along side there anolog the anolog does not sound as good to me."

English a second language, is it J.H. II? I'm not sure which I'd work on first...grammar, or spelling. Sorry, couldn't resist!

 

[Tom Wells]

John does not have the advantage we have in being able to see exactly how words are spelled.
Be happy your vision is at least good enough for you to do so.