Historic Point Reached

[clouseau]

Obviously every increase is an Historic level when you are going up, but last this week Ibiquity went to 1341 total stations. More interesting. though, is that the total nmber of streams crossed the 2000 mark. (2001 actually). That's over 650 new choices.


Despite claims to the contrary, it's a good month for HD overall. Up from 1314 at the start of the month.

Clouseau

 

[PocketRadio]

Obviously every increase is an Historic level when you are going up, but last this week Ibiquity went to 1341 total stations. More interesting. though, is that the total nmber of streams crossed the 2000 mark. (2001 actually). That's over 650 new choices.

Despite claims to the contrary, it's a good month for HD overall. Up from 1314 at the start of the month.

Clouseau

What's historic about 1343 stations, or 2000 streams ? Most of these are probably HD Radio Alliance FM stations and that is only 29 stations in three weeks - the goal is 2000 by year's end, but at this rate there will only be about 1600.

 

[dbdigital]

Mark Ramsey's latest entry, "Dear HD Radio...this is what a hot product looks like" really sums up well why HD Radio is not a hot item among consumers.

"Obviously very few new products stack up this way (referring to the excitement surrounding the upcoming iPhone). But the reason I wave this in our face is to illustrate an important point:

It's research among consumers that indicates whether or not a product is likely to be a hit.

It's not about what stores carry what equipment or who makes the equipment or what automakers include the equipment or what stations broadcast in HD to enable the equipment.

It's not about any of that."


Fundamentally, a new technology - a new product - is either hot or it's not.

And it's all up to the consumer."

http://www.hear2.com/

If we cut through the "pro-BS" about HD-Radio and realize that the technology is all about station owners protecting their investments, as opposed to what consumers really want, then we can clearly see why it hasn't taken off in the marketplace.

db

 

[Mike Walker]

Ok, HD is about station owners protecting their investments. Radio is a service industry. How would you protect your investment in a service industry? BY OFFERING BETTER SERVICE! Precisely what HD does. DUH!

 

[SUPERCASTER]

Obviously every increase is an Historic level when you are going up, but last this week Ibiquity went to 1341 total stations. More interesting. though, is that the total nmber of streams crossed the 2000 mark. (2001 actually). That's over 650 new choices.


Despite claims to the contrary, it's a good month for HD overall. Up from 1314 at the start of the month.

Clouseau

Your post (above) seems to be much more hysteric then historic.
Are you saying that the number of HD stations and streams will soon exceed the number of HD listeners?
Now that will be a truly historic moment, not just the inane and frequent re-posting that HD radio added a few streams or stations.

 

[clouseau]

What's historic about 1343 stations, or 2000 streams ?

Maybe we cold draw you a picture? Historic, as in "There have never been this many stations in HD before." Historic as in "There have never been as many radio broadcast choices as there are today."

Most of these are probably HD Radio Alliance FM stations

Great point. After all, it's not like anyone listens to HD radio Alliance Analog stations.

and that is only 29 stations in three weeks.

Yesterday was the 15th. I guess you could call it 3 weeks.

the goal is 2000 by year's end, but at this rate there will only be about 1600

Yeah heck.... 1600 would only be a 50% increase in 2007. Now THAT would suck.

Clouseau

 

[PocketRadio]

Ok, HD is about station owners protecting their investments. Radio is a service industry. How would you protect your investment in a service industry? BY OFFERING BETTER SERVICE! Precisely what HD does. DUH!

As John Gorman pointed out, HD Radio is a farce:

"Some canned HD formats rotate the same identical programming every four, six, eight, twelve hours every day. Free advice: At least do odd hours so you’re not repeating the same music at the same time day after day."

http://gormanmediablog.blogspot.com/2007/06/hd-railed.html

 

[dbdigital]

Ok, HD is about station owners protecting their investments. Radio is a service industry. How would you protect your investment in a service industry? BY OFFERING BETTER SERVICE! Precisely what HD does. DUH!

As usual, you react while totally missing the point of what I was saying. I said that this was technology created to protect the investments of radio station owners, as opposed to what consumers really want.

I'm not saying that commercial radio should not go digital, but why is it that the iPhone, a product hardly anyone has seen, can generate so much excitement from the public while HD-R is being met with such apathy (except by those within the industry)? Could it be that the iPhone has tapped into and holds the promise of fulling what consumers desire most in a digital product? Could it be that it's because HD-R isn't about the consumer but is only about the industry? Is there something wrong with the way terrestrial radio is being programmed and managed that the public is getting bored by it?

Whether the iPhone delivers on what it promises or flops, only time will tell. But the buzz it's creating among consumers is something that iBiquity and its investors can only dream about and can't seem to achieve with HD-R?

db

 

[Mike Walker]

Ibiquity didn't start HD, for God's sake. Digital radio has been in development for the better part of two decades. Ibiquity's work incorporates technology from many firms who were once competitors...USADR (USA Digital Radio), Lucent Technologies, and others. I don't like the idea of one company holding all the patents (and getting all the licensing fees). That sucks. But that doesn't make it somehow dishonest. And digital radio wasn't an effort started by radio station owners. The ORIGINAL companies involved throughout most of last decade and this one were not radio station owners or groups...but general technology companies.

The digital radio ball began rolling when Clear Channel owned just a couple of AM stations (hence their name), consolidation wasn't even a blip on the radar, and there were no huge group owners. The conspiracy theory you guys like to believe in is lacking a crucial component...not to burdon you with facts...most of the ones you believe are "conspiritors" didn't even exist at the start of the process! You might as well blame Marconi. He's as responsible for Ibiquity's monopoly as station owners and managers! Like the free market, do ya'? THIS is what can result from a free market. Even if I don't like the face of HD (Ibiquity, and the faceless corporate broadcasters that rule the world these days), it doesn't mean the technology is corrupt, or the motives weren't pure. The superior quality and additional services offered by a digital platform benefit everyone...and there is no less benefit to terrestrial radio listeners than for satellite radio, digital tv, newspapers, or any of the other old-style technologies which have switched to digital delivery. THE FUTURE OF ALL MASS MEDIA IS DIGITAL. Deal with it, or don't. The Model T didn't give a damn whether the horses found it "corrupt".

 

[Mike Walker]

Oh...as for the Iphone, I've heard lots of tech-head reviewers raving about it, but not consumers. I predict Apple is about to have their first big bomb in a while. The I-Phone will likely take off like gangbusters the first couple of months. But when people realize that after surfing the net, downloading and listening to tunes, watching videos, etc...they have no battery power left FOR MAKING PHONE CALLS, the I-Phone will sizzle. Those who have tried it agree...it's a great PDA/Video Player/Audio player. But it's a mediocre phone, and battery life is, as with all high powered devices of this type, TOO DAMN SHORT.

Technology has advanced by quantum leaps during our lifetime. During my short time on Earth, we've gone from propellar driven planes, to rocket ships to the stars...from tubes to large scale integrated circuits, and Moore's law keeps on crankin'. But one CRUCIAL area that hasn't kept pace is battery development. Battery power isn't growing at anywhere near the same pace as our hunger for power for new devices. This is where the "rubber meets the road". You can't put high-clock-speed processors, video screens, and audio devices into a pocket-sized device, and have power left over for PHONE CALLS!

Also I wonder how many people, already locked into multi-year agreements with their cellular providers, realize the "I-Phone" will only be available from ONE CARRIER! The stage is set for a BIG fizzle for Apple. And it's about time. They're only human beings! Steve Jobs didn't invent the personal computer, the graphical user interface, the mp3 player, OR the cellular phone. He made them "purty"...stylish. Big whoop!

 

[SUPERCASTER]

Ibiquity didn't start HD, for God's sake. Digital radio has been in development for the better part of two decades. Ibiquity's work incorporates technology from many firms who were once competitors...USADR (USA Digital Radio), Lucent Technologies, and others. I don't like the idea of one company holding all the patents (and getting all the licensing fees). That sucks. But that doesn't make it somehow dishonest. And digital radio wasn't an effort started by radio station owners. The ORIGINAL companies involved throughout most of last decade and this one were not radio station owners or groups...but general technology companies.

The digital radio ball began rolling when Clear Channel owned just a couple of AM stations (hence their name), consolidation wasn't even a blip on the radar, and there were no huge group owners. The conspiracy theory you guys like to believe in is lacking a crucial component...not to burdon you with facts...most of the ones you believe are "conspiritors" didn't even exist at the start of the process! You might as well blame Marconi. He's as responsible for Ibiquity's monopoly as station owners and managers! Like the free market, do ya'? THIS is what can result from a free market. Even if I don't like the face of HD (Ibiquity, and the faceless corporate broadcasters that rule the world these days), it doesn't mean the technology is corrupt, or the motives weren't pure. The superior quality and additional services offered by a digital platform benefit everyone...and there is no less benefit to terrestrial radio listeners than for satellite radio, digital tv, newspapers, or any of the other old-style technologies which have switched to digital delivery. THE FUTURE OF ALL MASS MEDIA IS DIGITAL. Deal with it, or don't. The Model T didn't give a damn whether the horses found it "corrupt".

As with the Taliban, (who existed before Al Quida joined it) your HD radio history above does not mean there was no conspiracy between the two.

Yes,

THE FUTURE OF ALL MASS MEDIA IS DIGITAL.

That does not mean the future will mean success for or even include the defective HD radio technology. Perhaps FMeXtra or some other digital system will be the eventual successor.
Ford was successful, Studebaker was not, even though Studebaker was around much longer then Ford. First is not always best.

 

[PocketRadio]

THE FUTURE OF ALL MASS MEDIA IS DIGITAL...

Then, how come DAB has been such a smashing success in Canada, the US, and the UK ? Don't you just love the excellent service we get with digital cell phones (some call-in AM talk shows don't even allow digital cell phones) ? No wonder, terrestrial radio is the last to attempt to go digital - it doesn't work !

 

[R.F. Burns]

THE FUTURE OF ALL MASS MEDIA IS DIGITAL...

Then, how come DAB has been such a smashing success in Canada, the US, and the UK ? Don't you just love the excellent service we get with digital cell phones (some call-in AM talk shows don't even allow digital cell phones) ? No wonder, terrestrial radio is the last to attempt to go digital - it doesn't work !

You keep bringing up Canada. The United States of America is not Canada. What happens in Candida has nothing to do with us here in the US. Like it or not, we live in a digital world. Now you can move to the forest ala Kaczynski or you can join the vast majority of Americans who are completely satisfied with their digital service. You tell me how many people you know who can't wait to give up their Tivos? The analog forever mantra sounds similar to those who bemoaned the advent of the electric light and the horseless carriage. Welcome to the 21st century.

 

[semoochie]

Wasn't it the consensus that sound movies were only a fad? I always found it unbelievable that people could be so protective of silent film, a technology that had only been in the mainstream for about 12 years! They already had radio; you'd think they'd be able to make the connection!

 

[raydofan]

THE FUTURE OF ALL MASS MEDIA IS DIGITAL...

Then, how come DAB has been such a smashing success in Canada, the US, and the UK ?  Don't you just love the excellent service we get with digital cell phones (some call-in AM talk shows don't even allow digital cell phones) ? No wonder, terrestrial radio is the last to attempt to go digital - it doesn't work !

Whew...have you ever used a cell phone in the UK? I had the pleasure of using a Motorola (not sure of the service provider) when I was ther 2 years ago. It sounded, as I called back to Philly, like a LAND LINE.

Why did it sound better? Primarily, they probably have a BETTER MANAGEMENT OF THE TECHNOLOGY, and not try to cram every possibe phone call on the bandwidth. US Cell Phones sounds..underwater...a lot of the time...hmmm, I am seeing a trend developing...

Now, this is iBiquity's Board of Directors:

Frank A. Adams
Managing General Partner, Grotech Capital Group 
Walter Berger
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, CBS Radio
Steve Fisher
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Entercom Communications  
Alfred C. Liggins, III
President and CEO, Radio One, Inc.
Jeffrey L. Littlejohn
Executive Vice President, Distribution Development, Clear Channel Broadcasting, Inc.
Jerry A. Poch
Managing General Partner, Pequot Capital Management, Inc.
Robert J. Struble
President, CEO and Chairman of the Board, iBiquity Digital Corporation
Thomas M. Uhlman
Managing Partner, New Venture Partners
Fred Wilson
Managing Partner, Union Square Ventures

Hmmm...notice how many directors are married to broadcasting?

What could the problem be with that? Is there a must succeed imperative built into this? Is that why, possibly there seems to be an uneveness of service, i.e: some broadcasters trying to cram more stuff over their bandwidth, while others recognize that this comes at a cost to quality?

How about using existing channels, rather than trying to obtain new licenses, which would make it a clean service?

And let's get the American-Owned version version out AS FAST AS POSSIBLE (well, reasonably fast) without any real concern for analog interference!

Much like digital cell phones (which qualities most Americans seem to except because 'wow it works!') IBOC is being superimposed on the current system, and the audience's experience with radio in some cases. Why couldn't radio grab some of the vacated VHF when TV migrates is beyond me- it is the best way to go, other than doing the discrete switchover. This technology can work. But there seems to be a disregard for mimimum standards as far as quality is concerned. Some of it is the system, some of it is plain sloppy engineering.

DRM is good. The English system is good. But there are is no American corporate benefit in using either. So we are f*&%ed again-as usual.

 

[Mike Walker]

Again PocketRadio cites the "failure" of DAB in the UK, which is BS! Last year MORE DIGITAL RADIOS WERE SOLD THAN ANALOG! The UK is the biggest SUCCESS STORY thusfar in digital radio! You can tell 'cause analog radio sales are falling like the Bush Administration's poll numbers!

Canada, bless their souls, is to sparsely populated to do much other than adopt whatever system we adopt...just as they crouch over the border squinting to catch our tv and radio programs.

 

[R.F. Burns]

THE FUTURE OF ALL MASS MEDIA IS DIGITAL...

Then, how come DAB has been such a smashing success in Canada, the US, and the UK ? Don't you just love the excellent service we get with digital cell phones (some call-in AM talk shows don't even allow digital cell phones) ? No wonder, terrestrial radio is the last to attempt to go digital - it doesn't work !

Whew...have you ever used a cell phone in the UK? I had the pleasure of using a Motorola (not sure of the service provider) when I was ther 2 years ago. It sounded, as I called back to Philly, like a LAND LINE.

Why did it sound better? Primarily, they probably have a BETTER MANAGEMENT OF THE TECHNOLOGY, and not try to cram every possibe phone call on the bandwidth. US Cell Phones sounds..underwater...a lot of the time...hmmm, I am seeing a trend developing...

Now, this is iBiquity's Board of Directors:

Frank A. Adams
Managing General Partner, Grotech Capital Group
Walter Berger
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, CBS Radio
Steve Fisher
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Entercom Communications
Alfred C. Liggins, III
President and CEO, Radio One, Inc.
Jeffrey L. Littlejohn
Executive Vice President, Distribution Development, Clear Channel Broadcasting, Inc.
Jerry A. Poch
Managing General Partner, Pequot Capital Management, Inc.
Robert J. Struble
President, CEO and Chairman of the Board, iBiquity Digital Corporation
Thomas M. Uhlman
Managing Partner, New Venture Partners
Fred Wilson
Managing Partner, Union Square Ventures

Hmmm...notice how many directors are married to broadcasting?

What could the problem be with that? Is there a must succeed imperative built into this? Is that why, possibly there seems to be an uneveness of service, i.e: some broadcasters trying to cram more stuff over their bandwidth, while others recognize that this comes at a cost to quality?

How about using existing channels, rather than trying to obtain new licenses, which would make it a clean service?

And let's get the American-Owned version version out AS FAST AS POSSIBLE (well, reasonably fast) without any real concern for analog interference!

Much like digital cell phones (which qualities most Americans seem to except because 'wow it works!') IBOC is being superimposed on the current system, and the audience's experience with radio in some cases. Why couldn't radio grab some of the vacated VHF when TV migrates is beyond me- it is the best way to go, other than doing the discrete switchover. This technology can work. But there seems to be a disregard for mimimum standards as far as quality is concerned. Some of it is the system, some of it is plain sloppy engineering.

DRM is good. The English system is good. But there are is no American corporate benefit in using either. So we are f*&%ed again-as usual.

The FCC has stated in no uncertain terms, there is no further spectrum available for broadcast services. I keep reading that the AM broadcast service should be relocated. Broadcasters tried to get new spectrum before they went with IBOC, there is none available in the United States. DRM is NOT compatible with existing analog broadcasting and the only digital system the FCC would accept was a analog compatible one. No one seems to be concerend with all of those analog TV's that are soon headed for the landfill. How long do you think cable and satellite wil continue supporting analog television once the over the air analog transmitters (soon to be junked) shut down? So far the only complaints I've heard (and I live in a city with 5 currently operating AM HD signals) about HD is on boards such as this. 99% of the public has no problem with the IBOC sidebands.

 

[Mike Walker]

I'm concerned about the analog tvs that will no longer work. My grandparents (who died a few years ago) NEVER had cable, though it ran right by their home. They never would have hooked up either. It was never available where my wife's mother lived. And satellite wouldn't have worked...the home was surrounded by tall trees. She would not have been able to afford a new digital tv (of course we would have bought one for her). But there are millions of low income people who may well lose their only tv service at the cutoff. I'm not saying tv shouldn't transisiton to digital. I'm saying the transition should be MUCH LONGER, as hopefully it will be with radio (though digital radio receiving equipment will be much less expensive...already is).

The 40 dollars the government will offer people to convert (to digital tv) won't begin to cover the cost of a new tv (or digital tuner box) and higher gain antenna (my mother in law got plenty of analog channels with "wabbit ears". I doubt she would have done as well with digital).

 

[PocketRadio]

Again PocketRadio cites the "failure" of DAB in the UK, which is BS! Last year MORE DIGITAL RADIOS WERE SOLD THAN ANALOG! The UK is the biggest SUCCESS STORY thusfar in digital radio! You can tell 'cause analog radio sales are falling like the Bush Administration's poll numbers!

Canada, bless their souls, is to sparsely populated to do much other than adopt whatever system we adopt...just as they crouch over the border squinting to catch our tv and radio programs.

"2004/13 – DIFFUSION online"

"The DAB market has been very slow to catch on. The technology is 10-15 years old, and though it can be said that DAB is perhaps the most talked about technology, it can also be said that DAB has perhaps put itself into a corner."

http://www.ebu.ch/en/union/diffusion_on_line/dossiers/diffonline_2004_03_22.php

"President of WorldDMB was dishonest about DAB+ on BBC TV"

"There seems to be some confusion over the cumulative DAB sales in the UK so far, with Quentin Howard suggesting that there's been 4.5m receivers sold in the UK but the BBC saying that 3.5m have been sold... that there are around 120m FM radio receivers of one kind or another in the UK, then 4m only represents 3.3% of all the radio receivers in the market."

http://digitalradiotech.co.uk/articles/President-of-WorldDMB-was-dishonest-about-DAB+-on-BBC-TV.php

"Digital radio in Canada"

"The Commission is very concerned about the stalled DRB transition. Roughly 15 of the 76 authorized stations (including the digital-only operation in Toronto) are not on the air. Some stations that once operated have since ceased operations. Few recievers have been sold, and there is no interest in expanding DRB service beyond the six cities where it exists... "

http://americanbandscan.blogspot.com/2006/12/digital-radio-in-canada.html

Due to lack of consumer interest, DAB has stalled in Canada, HD/IBOC is stalling in the US, and DAB is slowing in the UK - consumers around the world are not buying into the digital radio farce.

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

The 40 dollars the government will offer people to convert (to digital tv) won't begin to cover the cost of a new tv (or digital tuner box) and higher gain antenna (my mother in law got plenty of analog channels with "wabbit ears". I doubt she would have done as well with digital).

The government is NOT offering people $40 to convert to digital TV. They are offering $40 vouchers for a CONVERTER BOX to allow their existing analog TVs to work with digital signals. The converter boxes are expected to retail for about $80, so the taxpayers will be subsidizing about half the cost of the boxes.

People who get their TV from cable won't need converter boxes at all.