How HD radio can end up in the hands of 10 million more Americans quickly.

[vsa]

Got your attention?

The Sony PSP will soon be getting a free firmware update (v3.80) turning the portable game console into a walking streaming Wi-Fi Internet Radio player. There are close to 10 million Sony Play Station Portables in the USA.

http://www.orbitcast.com/archives/sony-psp-gets-internet-radio.html

Meanwhile, Radioman100 reports HD radios are flying out the doors at his Dallas area Fry's in the astounding single-digit figures. Mike Walker reports iBiquity is on track to have a half million HD radios in the hands of owners by the end of 2007.

Let's speed things up a wee bit. Stream those HD stations-between-the-stations and have the HD Radio Alliance spend 500 million dollars in inventory promoting that fact. Tell those 10 million Sony PSP owners they don't even have to buy a "radio". Just tune in!

 

[Radioman100]

Got your attention?

The Sony PSP will soon be getting a free firmware update (v3.80) turning the portable game console into a walking streaming Wi-Fi Internet Radio player. There are close to 10 million Sony Play Station Portables in the USA.

http://www.orbitcast.com/archives/sony-psp-gets-internet-radio.html

Meanwhile, Radioman100 reports HD radios are flying out the doors at his Dallas area Fry's in the astounding single-digit figures. Mike Walker reports iBiquity is on track to have a half million HD radios in the hands of owners by the end of 2007.

Let's speed things up a wee bit. Stream those HD stations-between-the-stations and have the HD Radio Alliance spend 500 million dollars in inventory promoting that fact. Tell those 10 million Sony PSP owners they don't even have to buy a "radio". Just tune in!

Wow! That's a great idea! With that built in wi-fi connection your could listen to internet radio down at your local Starbucks right after you pay their daily access fee!

That is of course until all the streaming audio providers go bankrupt. They'll all tell you the new royalties are going to put them outta business. Just Google it. (On your PSP of course!)

 

[vsa]

Got your attention?

The Sony PSP will soon be getting a free firmware update (v3.80) turning the portable game console into a walking streaming Wi-Fi Internet Radio player. There are close to 10 million Sony Play Station Portables in the USA.

http://www.orbitcast.com/archives/sony-psp-gets-internet-radio.html

Meanwhile, Radioman100 reports HD radios are flying out the doors at his Dallas area Fry's in the astounding single-digit figures. Mike Walker reports iBiquity is on track to have a half million HD radios in the hands of owners by the end of 2007.

Let's speed things up a wee bit. Stream those HD stations-between-the-stations and have the HD Radio Alliance spend 500 million dollars in inventory promoting that fact. Tell those 10 million Sony PSP owners they don't even have to buy a "radio". Just tune in!

Wow!  That's a great idea!  With that built in wi-fi connection your could listen to internet radio down at your local Starbucks right after you pay their daily access fee!

That is of course until all the streaming audio providers go bankrupt.  They'll all tell you the new royalties are going to put them outta business.  Just Google it.  (On your PSP of course!)

The streaming royalty issue will be settled. Terrestrial radio may even have to pay the new rates.

OK, continue to have virtually no listeners to those HD-1, HD-2 and HD-3 stations then. Your loss.

 

[Radioman100]

The streaming royalty issue will be settled.

Really? Seems like every time the webcasters go toe to toe with the RIAA they walk away with an even bigger bite taken out of their wallets.

Terrestrial radio may even have to pay the new rates.

And I'm supposed to care? If that does happen (unlikely) I'll be sad to watch a few more of my brethren who work exclusively on the programming side lose their jobs to the technology I manage, but it won't effect me. I'm a rare breed of engineer with an extensive background in programming, which is one of the reasons I'm so very good at what I do. The more programming jobs they cut, the more my stock goes up.

OK, continue to have virtually no listeners to those HD-1, HD-2 and HD-3 stations then. Your loss.

I'm perfectly comfortable with the listenership of my HD channels. They're some of the most positively talked about HD channels on this very site, and elsewhere on the web. They've generated a significant buzz on the web, without the benefit of streaming. Imagine that!

 

[clouseau]

I'm perfectly comfortable with the listenership of my HD channels. They're some of the most positively talked about HD channels on this very site, and elsewhere on the web. They've generated a significant buzz on the web, without the benefit of streaming. Imagine that!

WHAT!

I thought ALL HD channels were on the web, thus making this unwanted, undesirable, unstable, defective, destructive, Titanic 2000 of broadcasting system - unneeded and unnecessary. Are you telling me there is actually programming I can receive on RADIO that is not on the web?

You mean Ol' Sup' has been deceptive to us?

Well there goes my beacon of accuracy and truth in these troubled times.

Who's next, Dan Rather?

Clouseau

 

[vsa]

Reading these replies, it becomes obvious that HD radio is not at all about staying relevant by going digital or even reaching more listeners. It is the continuation of a futile effort to hold onto what used to be a "distribution monopoly" held by licensed broadcasters.

Non-radio devices are being converted at a much faster rate than you can ever dream of being able to move HD radios off dusty sheves. Over a 4 year period, the HD Radio Alliance will be lucky to have sold a grand total of 500,000 HD radios. Meanwhile, over the space of one single firmware upgrade, 10 million Sony PSP owners will become owners of Wi-Fi Internet radios - INSTANTLY - at no cost. The same is gradually happening to every computer, laptop, palmtop, cell phone and every other device that will be Internet connected. You'll never be able to keep up!

And you don't care because you aren't looking to grow an audience with HD radio. You are only interested in somehow preserving what you erroneously believe is your piece of the radio audience distribution monopoly. Can't you see that the average Joe isn't interested in saving you and your ability to carry heavy spotloads or to charge money to play infomercials.

The alternatives are going mainstream and will leave you behind. 2008 is already being called by some as the year of the great radio station fire sale.

 

[Radioman100]

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah...

A quick reminder for everyone, the webcasting board is two boards down. If you have a webcasting agenda to promote, that's the place. The rest of us are on THIS board to discuss HD Radio.

 

[clouseau]

2008 is already being called by some as the year of the great radio station fire sale.

Let me know when you find a bargain. We're looking for additions where I work.

Clouseau

 

[SUPERCASTER]

Recently when youngsters were requested to try listening to the radio for a change, the general opinion was:

"Why, it's just like listening to someone else's iPod, but with added commercials".

 

[clouseau]

Recently when youngsters were requested to try listening to the radio for a change, the general opinion was:

"Why, it's just like listening to someone else's iPod, but with added commercials".

Yeah radio is dead.

No future.

No one cares.

The usage numbers are made up my Arbitron.

Ad agencies are idiots for buying radio.

Sponsors never get results

No one listens.

Just like cable will destroy all local televeision, the Internet will destroy conventional radio

Radio's ineveitable decline (Starting with the advent of television) continues.

Have a nice Day.

Clouseau

 

[vsa]

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah...

Yeah, I know. You're saying "don't confuse me with the facts." The truth here below hurts.

Reading these replies, it becomes obvious that HD radio is not at all about staying relevant by going digital or even reaching more listeners. It is the continuation of a futile effort to hold onto what used to be a "distribution monopoly" held by licensed broadcasters.

Non-radio devices are being converted at a much faster rate than you can ever dream of being able to move HD radios off dusty sheves. Over a 4 year period, the HD Radio Alliance will be lucky to have sold a grand total of 500,000 HD radios. Meanwhile, over the space of one single firmware upgrade, 10 million Sony PSP owners will become owners of Wi-Fi Internet radios - INSTANTLY - at no cost. The same is gradually happening to every computer, laptop, palmtop, cell phone and every other device that will be Internet connected. You'll never be able to keep up!

And you don't care because you aren't looking to grow an audience with HD radio. You are only interested in somehow preserving what you erroneously believe is your piece of the radio audience distribution monopoly. Can't you see that the average Joe isn't interested in saving you and your ability to carry heavy spotloads or to charge money to play infomercials.

The alternatives are going mainstream and will leave you behind. 2008 is already being called by some as the year of the great radio station fire sale.

 

[Radioman100]

Yeah, I know. You're saying "don't confuse me with the facts." The truth here below hurts.

AOL and Yahoo are losing money with streaming, as are all the other big players in it. That's a fact that they have all stated publicly. Internet radio listenership is also declining per Arbitron.

Radio as an industry makes money. It will continue to make money. As much money as Wall Street would like? Perhaps not, but it will continue to outpace internet radio, particularly if nobody is doing internet radio because it's a losing proposition financially.

Stations with younger demographics are actually rebounding right now. CHRs are at or near the top of the 12+ numbers in several of the top 10 markets. Z100 New York is #1 12+. KIIS Los Angeles is #2 12+ #1 English speaking.

The Napster fueled free music trading frenzy that took some younger demos from radio is ending. As the new reality sets in that you actually have to PAY for music, kids are coming back to radio. With internet radio audiences in decline, they clearly aren't going to internet radio. I know that hurts you and your agenda vsa, but that's the truth. Internet radio is in decline while terrestrial radio listening is up among younger demos from just a few years ago.

 

[Play Freebird]

As the new reality sets in that you actually have to PAY for music, kids are coming back to radio. With internet radio audiences in decline, they clearly aren't going to internet radio. I know that hurts you and your agenda vsa, but that's the truth. Internet radio is in decline while terrestrial radio listening is up among younger demos from just a few years ago.

How do you reconcile that against this? Just curious:

http://www.bridgeratings.com/press_021907-digitalprojectionsupd.htm

Incidentally, I suppose I have a "vested interest" in HD; I'm installing another FM transmitter later this week for a non-comm client.

But frankly, I enjoy using my Roku WiFi Soundbridge much more than listening (or attempting to listen) to terrestrial digital on my Accurian HD table radio, because the Roku works great and gives me access to a much wider choice of programs, not to mention higher-quality audio.

 

[vsa]

Yeah, I know. You're saying "don't confuse me with the facts." The truth...hurts.

AOL and Yahoo are losing money with streaming, as are all the other big players in it.  That's a fact that they have all stated publicly.  Internet radio listenership is also declining per Arbitron.

Radio as an industry makes money.  It will continue to make money.  As much money as Wall Street would like?  Perhaps not, but it will continue to outpace internet radio, particularly if nobody is doing internet radio because it's a losing proposition financially.

Stations with younger demographics are actually rebounding right now.  CHRs are at or near the top of the 12+ numbers in several of the top 10 markets.  Z100 New York is #1 12+.  KIIS Los Angeles is #2 12+ #1 English speaking.

The Napster fueled free music trading frenzy that took some younger demos from radio is ending.  As the new reality sets in that you actually have to PAY for music, kids are coming back to radio.  With internet radio audiences in decline, they clearly aren't going to internet radio.  I know that hurts you and your agenda vsa, but that's the truth.  Internet radio is in decline while terrestrial radio listening is up among younger demos from just a few years ago.

Yahoo and AOL have not been losing money from streaming, but if the new CRB rates hold, most of their revenues will go to SoundExchange. Consequently, this summer, they stopped promoting their streaming services and (duh) listening levels went down. Others have also held off until a compromise is reached on the royalty rates. This has nothing to do with the power, or lack of it, of the medium.

Traditional radio revenues continue to hemorrhage as layoffs continue to mount.

CBS Radio President Dan Mason gets it. Seeing the future, he says he wants CBS Radio to be the number one Internet radio streaming company.

 

[clouseau]

Radio as an industry makes money. It will continue to make money. As much money as Wall Street would like? Perhaps not, but it will continue to outpace internet radio, particularly if nobody is doing internet radio because it's a losing proposition financially.

Traditional radio revenues continue to [size=12pt]hemorrhage as layoffs continue to mount. [/size]

Yep. What really concerning is that the revenue hemorrhage isn't even on the revenue statements. http://finance.yahoo.com/q/is?s=CCU&annual Now that is concerning.

This is just more defective, disruptive, deficient, junior high school accounting project, innacurate , Titantic Accounting Lie of 2000, unecessary, unneeded, pro Clear Channel, Enron, cataclismic,WT Grant , stock market crash of '29, anti-first ammendment, pro aparteid, racist, dope smoking, anti-vegan, Dolphin Killing, turtle eating, pirate radio hating, spotted owl shooting, Ice pack melting, whale hunting, analog buzzing, radio jamming interference from the tower building Bird Killers.

Let's all get together and hate big business.

I hate it when companies are so dishonest.

Still, you can't argue with numbers I guess...

Clouseau

 

[KB1OKL]

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah...

A quick reminder for everyone, the webcasting board is two boards down. If you have a webcasting agenda to promote, that's the place. The rest of us are on THIS board to discuss HD Radio.

There are two kinds of people who discuss iBlock: those who hate it and those who make money from it which adds up to about .0000001% of the people in the U.S. The rest have never heard of it and if it is brought to their attention as I have all you get is a big yawn. (I am not a pro and am not trying to sell it to them so there is no feigned interest). Adults such as ourselves think radio is fine just the way it is now (although the content sucks) and the kids couldn't care less about radio. When is the last time you saw a kid carrying a portable radio, or even listening to a radio for that matter? How about an iPod? yesterday? today? That tell you something? How can any sane rational human being actually think that this mess of a technology that is causing all kinds of interference on both FM and AM and does not sound much better than analog irregardless of what a few cheerleaders who seem to congregate here and have rah! rah! blogs and are bleating like sheep that it is the second coming for radio and is NOT selling anywhere at all, is going to succeed? What is the correct term for this malady which seems to be affecting a small percentage of radio pros called? tunnel-vision, denial? Radioman, what city are you in and how many listeners do you have for your iBlock channels? Are they listening to an iBlock receiver? Mike Walker, just what is your set up and what is the topography like in NC? You guys do realize that the vast majority of people who hear a station advertise that they are broadcasting in HD think that they are receiving it in HD already and are not aware they need to buy an expensive, insensitive receiver and an outdoor antenna if they have any hope to receive these iBlock broadcasts, or do you guys hate to disillusion them with the truth?

 

[clouseau]

There are two kinds of people who discuss iBlock: those who hate it and those who make money from it which adds up to about .0000001% of the people in the U.S.

Here's a news flash. YOU ARE WRONG. I am neither making money from it nor do I hate it..

BTW I think if you do the math based on 300 Million people in the US, there are more of us on this thread than you give credit for in the entire country. (.3 people I think you said)?

Your point is taken, but like so many in the "Anti" camp, facts and accuracy seem to just be just a passing annoyance to you. Numbers and facts don't matter. TRUTH doesn't matter. Y'all are on a mission. Reality be damned.

There's a whole other part of your message, but with two provable BS claims in the first sentence, it's just doesn't carry much weight with me. Sorry,

YMMV

Clouseau

 

[Radioman100]

How do you reconcile that against this? Just curious:

http://www.bridgeratings.com/press_021907-digitalprojectionsupd.htm

Oh, that's easy. I don't believe anything Bridge says. Their methodology (if you want to call it that) would never be accepted by any real statistician.

You can't interview a few people at a mall in Sometown, USA and use that data to extrapolate the listening habits of the entire country over the next 20 years.

As soon as they started releasing that crap, I lost any and all faith in Bridge Ratings.

 

[vsa]

Radio as an industry makes money.  It will continue to make money.  As much money as Wall Street would like?  Perhaps not, but it will continue to outpace internet radio, particularly if nobody is doing internet radio because it's a losing proposition financially.

Traditional radio revenues continue to [size=12pt]hemorrhage as layoffs continue to mount. [/size]

Yep.  What really concerning is that the revenue hemorrhage isn't even on the revenue statements. http://finance.yahoo.com/q/is?s=CCU&annual Now that is concerning. 

This is just more defective, disruptive, deficient, junior high school accounting project, innacurate , Titantic Accounting Lie of 2000, unecessary, unneeded, pro Clear Channel, Enron, cataclismic,WT Grant , stock market crash of '29, anti-first ammendment, pro aparteid, racist, dope smoking, anti-vegan, Dolphin Killing, turtle eating, pirate radio hating, spotted owl shooting, Ice pack melting, whale hunting, analog buzzing, radio jamming interference from the tower building Bird Killers.

Let's all get together and hate big business. 

I hate it when companies are so dishonest. 

Still, you can't argue with numbers I guess...

Clouseau

Every year, I see still more colleagues and competitors get the axe or be forced into early retirement so their organizations can make budget. I'm talking about positions from top to bottom. Some of the best people in the business. The downward spiral in my market and most others continues to be relentless. I have been one of the fortunate ones so far.

As an aside about accounting, have you ever seen a successful motion picture or television series actually show a profit on paper?

 

[clouseau]

Every year, I see still more colleagues and competitors get the axe or be forced into early retirement so their organizations can make budget. I'm talking about positions from top to bottom. Some of the best people in the business. The downward spiral in my market and most others continues to be relentless. I have been one of the fortunate ones so far.

Ditto. But first off, revenue ain't profit. Revenue is... well Revenue. Sales. Input. To say that revenue us Hemorraghing is not exactly factual.

I will gladly conceed that the amount of money spent PER STATION is down from preconsolidation days. WAY DOWN I would suspect. However, let's look at a group by me in a top 150 market.

3 FMs. Between them they have...

1 Traffic person (Not 3)
5 air people (Multiple stations for most. One is an Ops guy)
No engineer (The Ops guy does their limited IT and they contract RF)
4-5 Sales People (Varies month to month.)
1 Sales manager/GM
A couple of very part time "Board Ops" for club remotes and stuff.

That's 11 people for 3 pretty well rated FMs. 3.6 per station total. That's lean and mean for sure. The rest was considered fat.

I know consolidation isn't popular, but the big guys found a way to make a higher profit than the original owners. The lack of funds for additional staff are being used as debt service for the aquisition. In other words, Todays spotloads are being used to fund the money athat allowed the previous owners to retire "on the beach". Don't blame Lowery Mays. Blame Mom and Pop who sold the best signal in town for more money than they could imagine. Funny thing is, some of those people are the loudest complainers. You know the "Well when I was in radio.." gang. Times are different.

While I don't care for the state of affairs, I'm sure not sure the GOV'T should be fixing it.

Just my .02

As an aside about accounting, have you ever seen a successful motion picture or television series actually show a profit on paper?

What's it they say? Figures lie and Liars figure ...

Clouseau