HD Radio in NYC Thread

[Barry]

I wonder whether WVIP FM 93.5 had been trying last year to set up a country station for a (small) part of the Metro area. For over a year, they had their own country music channel on HD3, called Country Hits HD. And the owners of the W292DV translator on 106.3 in Queens listed WVIP on the FCC filings as the station they intend to rebroadcast. IIRC the translator did broadcast Country Hits HD for a day or two. At this time W292DV remains silent, pending an FCC decision on an interference complaint from the owners of Thunder Country 106.3/106.5. And of course Nash FM took to the air last month.
Around the time that Cumulus bought WFME, WVIP dropped all three side channels (they had been the only station in the area to
operate an HD4). The Country Hits HD website is still up, but no music has been played for over a month.
When WVIP had the 3 side channels, their audio was not too good, and they were often off the air. Perhaps maintaining that many is difficult, especially for a small station.
Any further information/speculation about WVIP's HD radio and translator efforts?

WVIP's (currently silent) Country Hits HD: http://countryhitshd.com/

 

[Brooklyndon]

I would like to hear a full blown soulful disco format on wbls hd-2.

Interesting concept.

Except I don't see the correlation between Soul and Disco, unless they are both from predominatly black artists.

I see Soul taking a back seat when disco took off.

True disco, 120 bpm, did not last all that long.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

Brooklyndon, did you mean soulful house? That's where the correlation would be because you do have artists such as Inaya Day and Barbara Tucker that are in that genre.

No. I ment souful disco. The occasional gold sort of stuff they play now middays and weekends: Gwen Guthrie, Luther Vandross, Change, BBQ Band, P-Funk, Alicia Myers, Stephanie Mills, Evelyn King, Taana Gardener...you know, it's disco, but not the beegees or Abba.

 

[TonySantiago]

No. I ment souful disco. The occasional gold sort of stuff they play now middays and weekends: Gwen Guthrie, Luther Vandross, Change, BBQ Band, P-Funk, Alicia Myers, Stephanie Mills, Evelyn King, Taana Gardener...you know, it's disco, but not the beegees or Abba.

Gotcha. Just wanted to make sure I knew what you were talking about.

Seeing those names reminds me of what Jammin' 105 did at the end

 

[nd2023]

No. I ment souful disco. The occasional gold sort of stuff they play now middays and weekends: Gwen Guthrie, Luther Vandross, Change, BBQ Band, P-Funk, Alicia Myers, Stephanie Mills, Evelyn King, Taana Gardener...you know, it's disco, but not the beegees or Abba.

Gotcha. Just wanted to make sure I knew what you were talking about.

Seeing those names reminds me of what Jammin' 105 did at the end

Jammin 105 is still on as an Internet station. I'd like to hear it on an HD2

 

[Jeffrey]

I would like to hear a full blown soulful disco format on wbls hd-2.

Interesting concept.

Except I don't see the correlation between Soul and Disco, unless they are both from predominatly black artists.

I see Soul taking a back seat when disco took off.

True disco, 120 bpm, did not last all that long.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

Brooklyndon, did you mean soulful house? That's where the correlation would be because you do have artists such as Inaya Day and Barbara Tucker that are in that genre.

No. I ment souful disco. The occasional gold sort of stuff they play now middays and weekends: Gwen Guthrie, Luther Vandross, Change, BBQ Band, P-Funk, Alicia Myers, Stephanie Mills, Evelyn King, Taana Gardener...you know, it's disco, but not the beegees or Abba.

Wouldn't most of those artists fall under the category of "funk"? Would be awesome to have an HD2 playing the above though.
Not that you can't get that kind of station online though.

 

[satech]

WFLA, down here, still uses it during the day only. But they stopped ID-ing it some time ago. Possibly when they dropped it at night.

Any station transmitting HD is required to include it in their hourly ID. So when transmitting HD, WFLA would have to ID as "WFLA and WFLA-HD, Tampa" (assuming you're talking about the real 970 WFLA, and not the half-dozen or so other stations in Florida that all call themselves "WFLA" even though they have different call letters).

 

[erwin33]

No. I ment souful disco. The occasional gold sort of stuff they play now middays and weekends: Gwen Guthrie, Luther Vandross, Change, BBQ Band, P-Funk, Alicia Myers, Stephanie Mills, Evelyn King, Taana Gardener...you know, it's disco, but not the beegees or Abba.

Gotcha. Just wanted to make sure I knew what you were talking about.

Seeing those names reminds me of what Jammin' 105 did at the end

Jammin 105 is still on as an Internet station. I'd like to hear it on an HD2

Jammin 105 is the best sounding internet stream at the moment (soundprocessing and format wise) with a much broader playlist than with funk and old disco tunes. Also a lot of Motown in the mix. Mabye some more classic dance in the mix would be great and less repeats. Station doing well on internet, but it would be a nice addition on HD2 in NYC.

 

[ChrisInMI]

Unless WQHT 97.1 adds an HD3, I believe it is very unlikely that they will be broadcasting classic hip hop on HD. That is due to the fact that the HD2 is leased to HumDesi radio, which broadcasts to the Indian community. Emmis or any other major broadcaster would probably be happy at this point if they can get some steady revenue from an HD2 in a lease, rather than running their own broadcast with no commercials.
The format may be suitable for WWPR 105.1, if their HD2 is brought back. But Clear Channel tends to rebroadcast channels from IHeartRadio on the HD2's, and it does not have one for classic hip hop.
As I am not familiar with the genre, does WWPR Power 105.1 play a fair amount of older hip hop?

FWIW, Clear Channel does run a classic hip-hop format on WGCI-HD2 in Chicago and on WJLB-HD2 in Detroit. I'm not sure if they run the same playlist. I see no reason why they couldn't do the same in NYC.

 

[Barry]

When WWPR HD2 dropped One Caribbean Radio a few weeks ago, CC could have easily plugged in something else in its place, such as classic hip hop. The fact that they haven't leads me to take a guess they may be trying to lease it out again. The leasing arrangement with One Caribbean Radio worked out very poorly, but they may want to give it another try with a different broadcaster.
With so many HD2's, CC may feel that an effort is needed to monetize at least some of them. As WWPR is one of their two stations in New York with a relatively high power HD signal, they may figure it would be attractive to a broadcaster seeking to lease an HD2.

 

[badjef]

WFLA, down here, still uses it during the day only. But they stopped ID-ing it some time ago. Possibly when they dropped it at night.

Any station transmitting HD is required to include it in their hourly ID. So when transmitting HD, WFLA would have to ID as "WFLA and WFLA-HD, Tampa" (assuming you're talking about the real 970 WFLA, and not the half-dozen or so other stations in Florida that all call themselves "WFLA" even though they have different call letters).

Of course, the 970 signal. They ID for the HD-2 on 97.9, but not the iBoc.

Funny thing, after I posted it on Friday, the iBoc was off all weekend. It was back on today.

The ID that includes the HD's - be they AM or FM - seems to be for promotional purposes, only.

If they do not want to market it, just don't mention it.

Just as Kahn went by the wayside, I see IBoc going the same way. I figure, there may be only a handful of us listening to that part of the signal across the Country.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[Barry]

Does WKCR, 89.9 still broadcast classical music on HD2? I do not receive the station very well, but used to hear that subchannel from time to time. Now when I tune in WKCR, it never reaches my receiver in HD.

WKCR HD2-Classical Music From Mercer College's WWFM, Near Trenton NJ (2 year old article): http://www.mccc.edu/~symonss/whatsnew/pr_9-6-11_WWFM_NewYorkPhilly.html

 

[TonySantiago]

No. I ment souful disco. The occasional gold sort of stuff they play now middays and weekends: Gwen Guthrie, Luther Vandross, Change, BBQ Band, P-Funk, Alicia Myers, Stephanie Mills, Evelyn King, Taana Gardener...you know, it's disco, but not the beegees or Abba.

Gotcha. Just wanted to make sure I knew what you were talking about.

Seeing those names reminds me of what Jammin' 105 did at the end

Jammin 105 is still on as an Internet station. I'd like to hear it on an HD2

Jammin 105 is the best sounding internet stream at the moment (soundprocessing and format wise) with a much broader playlist than with funk and old disco tunes. Also a lot of Motown in the mix. Mabye some more classic dance in the mix would be great and less repeats. Station doing well on internet, but it would be a nice addition on HD2 in NYC.

I did take a listen and it sounds like how it was at the very beginning. But I still feel strong on what Brooklyndon said and just that final part of Jammin really grabbed me!

 

[Barry]

The F.C.C. has approved an application from Cumulus Media to boost power of WNSH's HD signal. Technically, this will involve 'experimental' use of a rather new technique known as asymmetrical HD sideband. Basically, the intent of this technique is to allow for a more powerful HD signal, while minimizing interference to other stations, such as WPST.
Stations in the New York area are that are running relatively high power on HD, such as WBLS, have a considerably more solid signal on HD receivers.

Approved Request to Run Asymmetrical HD on WNSH 94.7: http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=38808

 

[Barry]

Heard K-Love 96.7 today in HD for the first time.
They evidently have some adjusting to do, as the broadcast falls silent once the HD signal kicks in. The display shows WCTZ FM, the callsign of the former occupant of the frequency, instead of WKLV.
Perhaps they plan to eventually broadcast sister service Air1, with its Christian CHR format, on HD2.

 

[djl]

Funny that you never hear CC stations like WAXQ, WQHT and WLTW announce their HD1 channels at their TOH. Aren't they supposed to do so?

 

[Barry]

Funny that you never hear CC stations like WAXQ, WQHT and WLTW announce their HD1 channels at their TOH. Aren't they supposed to do so?

I recall reading that a station ID on the digital display is sufficient for HD channels.
When One Caribbean Radio was on WWPR HD2 last year and part of this one, they broadcast nothing but silence for months. But the display continuously identified the station.

 

[Ai4i]

I recall reading that a station ID on the digital display is sufficient for HD channels.

This would make sense, as ALL [HD] receivers have displays.

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

I recall reading that a station ID on the digital display is sufficient for HD channels.

FCC rules say that's wrong.

 

[Barry]

I recall reading that a station ID on the digital display is sufficient for HD channels.

FCC rules say that's wrong.

My bad. Apparently TV broadcasters have the option to rely on a visual ID, but not radio stations.

FCC Station ID Rules: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2009-title47-vol4/xml/CFR-2009-title47-vol4-sec73-1201.xml

 

[luperm]

I always hear the HD2s ID'd.
The HD1s are hit or miss.
For example, I've heard WCBS-FM and HD1 New York and I've heard WKTU Lake Success/New York.