NEW HD RADIO MODELS AT RADIO SHACK!

[fybush]

I don't see HD offering anything even worth listening too at this point.

At least try it before you knock it, John. I'll bet there's someone on this list who's closer to Philly who'd even loan you a radio to play with if you don't want to shell out the $100 for a Sony XDR-F1HD or something similar.

I agree with you that the commercial offerings thus far have been less than inspiring. But I do think public radio stations have just started scratching the surface of what FM HD multicasting can do for them. (If I weren't 300 miles away, I'd be happy to let you borrow the Accurian that's been collecting dust since I got my hands on better radios.)

In your market, John, FM HD multicasting is providing the only source of free 24/7 classical and jazz music over the air, as WRTI makes up for its awkward split between classical and jazz on its main channel by offering the alternate format on its HD-2. WXPN has its "Y-Rock on XPN" service going 24/7 on its HD2. WHYY has a classical-and-news service going on its HD-2.

And that's just Philadelphia - in other markets, public stations are actually doing live, local, hosted programming on HD-2 and HD-3 (WFUV in New York, for instance), or using HD subchannels to extend the reach of signal-impaired AM sister stations (WXXI here in Rochester, WNYC in New York, WNED in Buffalo), or providing niche formats like classical to areas that wouldn't have it any other way (Vermont Public Radio, for instance).

There's a middle ground between "mass success" and "total failure," and it's entirely possible that HD will end up occupying that middle ground, filling a niche for noncommercial stations with more content than available airtime, even as it withers away on the commercial side.

 

[JH_Radio]

Scott,
I hear what you are saying about the middle ground.
I'm invisioning nitch formats, but perhaps more local and live tallent, such as the ones in New York you were describing.
Beautiful Music, Rhythmic Oldies, 50's-60's Oldies, soft AC, Smooz Jazz. I'd love to have a Soft AC or Beautiful Music station here again. Smooz Jazz was nice too. I mean, if one is going to promote HD, why not offer choices like that in our area?
All of these formats wer at one point on our landscape , some quite Successful.Beautiful Music, Soft AC and Smooz Jazzz especially.
I believe that WOGL for instance could offer a Jammin Oldies type format, on its HD2, and 50's-60's Oldies on its Hd3.
97.5 HD2 WNUW could be a soft AC, like the Old Sunny 104.5 during its August 2001 incarnation.
Live local jocks could be hired, more jobs for people who wana get into the biz. And besides that, would people really get it if there were lots of other choices like that?
WKTU in New York did a good thing by putting Country on Its HD2 subchannel of 103.5. Clear Channel could advertise HD Radio's and places ware one could ardition them, to plug a format that otherwise isn't on any anolog FM or AM station in that area.
You see, I'm not agenst it at all, and I'm willing to give it a shot, I just think there are better ways to markit it. Who is it that said something like "Its the content..."
I should add that my other question still remain. How is it to be a viable help to radio with a zero camersial load on the camersial FM multicast channels?
How are stationsn to really benifit anything without having any sort of ratings for its Hd2 and 3 channels from the arbs, or neilson?
I like the idea behind the concept, but to me, I dont want another JukeBox sorce, and I'd like more nitch formats. But in order for everyone to win...
A. nitch formats (to entice consumers to buy the equipment.
B. Camersials on the HD2's and HD3's (This way radio stations can stay on the air.)
C. Ratings so that stations can tell if what they're doing on the HD 2's and 3's is something the public actually wants to hear.
I do believe that HD can be a good thing, and it can be used to help give consumers more choice on the Am/FM band. I hear so much talk about radio reinventing itself, and I think the ideas I outlines above might be a step in the reinventing process.
AM I that far off bass here?
John
Bensalem, PA

 

[Chuck]

The fact of the matter is all of this could be accomplished by much less destructive means. FMeXtra comes to mind. There would be little to complain about, but they seem to have a death wish. I can’t even get them to answer the phone. I've tried.

 

[pocket-radio]

As radio continues to dismantle the industry with its burn and slash strategy,
radio listeners and life are moving forward with different ideas and wants. Radio is out of touch, it’s focused on protecting the fortress, instead of creating better products and ideas users want. Apple’s Steve Jobs built the best jukebox and I agree more jukebox formats won’t inspire consumers to buy $100.00 radios. NPR is on the right track though. Radio’s future listeners 12-34 are unplugging, because they’d rather listen to their own music, than what some corporate programmer decides. The internet is replacing radio for new music discovery. And with free wireless looming, dashboards will be enabled with 500,000 radio stations.

Some dude, or a computer playing music on the radio isn’t a business model of the future. I believe digital must be radio’s future, but the business model has yet to be invented. Today’s Iboc is an attempt to sure up the fortress walls, but it’s a part of radio’s past. Raving fans still believe AM stereo delivers a WOW experience and some see HD the same way. But at 500,000 units sold since 04, so far HD doesn’t exist and to be relevant must move more like millions of radios before showing up on any radar screen.

Rick Wagner CEO of GM said to congress: “The reason GM didn’t move towards hybrid vehicles sooner, is because he didn’t think gas prices would peak so high.

Mr. Wagner is a car guy with the most industry experience and congress thinks this guy should be fired. This guy is out of touch too, focused on protecting the fortress by selling
gas hungry trucks and SUVS, thinking gas prices would say low forever.

HD is white space, a place where programmers and radio’s leader can formatically experiment and try new ideas. That means investing in talented people and spending money. But the industry only cares about cutting resources and firing up more jukeboxes with bloated commercial loads. It’s s a race to the bottom and the industry has a fast horse called “Out Of Touch.”