New radio column in the Statesman

[gdinges]

Hi all ... I've started a column on Austin's radio scene in the Statesman. The first one, on HD radio, ran in today's edition: http://www.austin360.com/music/hd-radio-offerings-gain-strength-in-austin-market-881592.html

Look for more every other Sunday. If you've got ideas, questions or just want to vent, please shoot me an email at gdinges AT statesman.com. I've already had the pleasure of speaking with a few of you, and over the coming weeks and months, I hope to get to know many more folks.

All the best.

--Gary

 

[everydayguy]

Gary,

I like your writing and the thoroughness of your reporting in the Statesman column, but please do NOT drink the Bob Struble/Ibiquity Kool-Aid without checking the ingredients.

What you did not report is the failure of HD to catch on with listeners and with several thousand radio station owners, managers and engineers who see it as a scam. Struble has zero credibility among many in our industry.

I know the Austin radio scene very well, and I can assure you that the people I talk with -- engineers, PDs, GMs -- generally think of HD as a joke that was foisted on them by their corporate overlords. Did you ask anyone in Austin radio to venture a guess as to how many HD radios are in use in Austin? I'd guess around 500 at best.

Just for fun, drop by a local Best Buy store and ask to see their HD radios. That'll make a great column in itself.

And why, in your article, did you quote a single college student about how great HD is? When I bring up HD radio to my UT media classes, I get blank stares.

Next August, I urge you to spend two days at the Texas Association of Broadcasters convention in Austin and get the real lowdown on HD radio from broadcast engineers and the people who own and manage stations. I did. And you might be stunned to hear just how many broadcasters either hate or ignore HD and who see no audience gains or revenue from it and or who refuse to buy expensive equipment to broadcast an HD 2 channel that might reach a few dozen people at the most. Not to mention that station owners have to pay outrageous licensing fees to Struble and Ibiquity just for the "privilege" of broadcasting in HD.

Congratulations on the new column – it’s about time the Statesman covers radio – but please show a little more journalistic skepticism next time.

 

[daypart]

It is the first HD story I've seen in a while that didn't include the informal decoding of the acronym that most grizzled radio veterans seem to use for it: either "Huge Disaster" or "Huge Disappointment," take your pick.

 

[captex]

it's been along time, the statesman had a section on radio. i'm glad to see. maybe some insider info about on what is going on the austin stations.

 

[Dick Skinner]

Gary, I have to agree with everydayguy on this one. HD Radio is a huge boondoggle that should have gone the way of AM stereo a long time ago. In the beginning, HD was nothing more than a knee jerk reaction to the hype of satellite radio. Now it's a virtual money pit that will never see a ROI.

Most of the programming is under-attended or canned. The PD's I know who've been saddled with an extra channel or two simply schedule logs for the week or month even, and export them to an FTP site somewhere without any editing or fine tuning. It's a joke among the guys in the trenches.

It's well known that the only real beneficiary of HD Radio is Ibiquity. The fact that HD penetrates less than 1% of the US population after over 5 years in the field should tell any reasonable operator that it's time to pull the plug and put that money to good use, like hiring more bodies or marketing his primary platform.

Also, if my HDTV reception was a crappy as HD Radio, I'd be pissed. HD Radio breaks up everywhere in cars and antennae have to be carefully adjusted in home or office settings to get one, much less all available signals.

As for your column, you only told half of the story. And you got suckered by Bob Struble. Nice job.

 

[fredcantu]

Just make sure you get the acronym right. The HD in Ibiquity's HD Radio is "Hybrid Digital." And HD Radio may be a delivery format that became obsolete before it ever got off the ground (like AM Stereo.) So many more people are listening to terrestrial radio on their smart phones than on HD Radios and the smart phone number continues to grow.

 

[gdinges]

I appreciate all the feedback, good and bad. Really, I do. This -- obviously -- is an issue lots of folks are passionate about. The main focus of the piece, though, was on the additional content that is out there ... something many folks are unaware of because they lack HD radios. I have to respectfully disagree with those who feel I was 'suckered' by anyone, pro or con. The piece starts out by saying HD radio is not as accepted or as known as some of the must-have gadgets currently in the marketplace. It also includes a quote from a local retailer who says he stocks very few HD radios because he has seen very little demand. And it points out that no one really knows how many folks are truly listening. As with any piece we write, you have to get both sides. That's where iBiquity and the Texas State student come in. Both are fans, for very different reasons. Keep the feedback coming. Next column runs Sept. 12.

--Gary

 

[Kent]

Just make sure you get the acronym right. The HD in Ibiquity's HD Radio is "Hybrid Digital." And HD Radio may be a delivery format that became obsolete before it ever got off the ground (like AM Stereo.) So many more people are listening to terrestrial radio on their smart phones than on HD Radios and the smart phone number continues to grow.

Once again, no, it does not. The "HD" in HD Radio means absolutely nothing and is just a brand. "Hybrid digital" is an FCC designated term for operating a digital and analog service combined that has nothing to do with iBiquity or HD Radio.

The last question at the attached website specifically explains the meaning of "HD."

http://www.hdradio.com/faq.php

 

[dx7]

As with any piece we write, you have to get both sides. That's where iBiquity and the Texas State student come in. Both are fans, for very different reasons.

No, Gary.

Two people who "are fans" of HD radio for different reasons is NOT "getting both sides of the story."

Talking with someone who explains why no amount of niche programming on HD2 can justify the biggest con job in the history of radio, IS getting both sides of the story.

 

[beaun]

Gary, glad to have someone in the area writing about radio! This site if full of people that have a BIG chip on their shoulders. Could you tell? So a big thank you from someone thats just a general fan of radio.

SA has Jeanne Jakle, now Austin has you, and that's good.

 

[fredcantu]

The "HD" in HD Radio means absolutely nothing and is just a brand.

Clearly the FCC refers to this type of broadcasting as Hybrid Digital, although Ibiquity does not want the term associated with its brand. Nonetheless, radio stations should not add to the confusion by telling listeners that their music is in now in High Definition.

 

[grantchester]

you have to get both sides.

It would be better to get all sides...

That said, good luck young man. Prepare for the snow-storm, the spin cycle, the molehill mountaineering and the general fantasy-land psychosis that is radio.

 

[Dick Skinner]

you have to get both sides.

It would be better to get all sides...

That said, good luck young man. Prepare for the snow-storm, the spin cycle, the molehill mountaineering and the general fantasy-land psychosis that is radio.

Nice post, Chester!

 

[nojustice]

Jeanne, Jakle...

I let her know about allaccess and radio info too! She was able to look behind the curtain even more!

LOL

 

[Tower Erection]

It is the first HD story I've seen in a while that didn't include the informal decoding of the acronym that most grizzled radio veterans seem to use for it: either "Huge Disaster" or "Huge Disappointment," take your pick.

Even better acronym, Interfering Badly Off Channel