OK Check this out EMBARRASSING!

[HHalland]

My friend Bill and I like to go into town and take tours sometimes. I always call and ask for the manager, and make an appointment and wear nice clothes and look clean so they don't think I'm a nut or something. Bill won't wear a tie, but he has a nice shirt so they usually let us in. Anyway were went to a pretty big station last week. We saw all of the studios and although they would not let us take any pictures we saw most everything there was to see. Not many people working that day I guess. And the recption desk was empty. There used to be a really cute girl in a short skirt, but not any more. She was not there anymore. They had a wireless intercom, and Bill pushed the button. A guy in ripped jeans and a Iron Maiden tee shirt came out looking annoyed that we were there. We told him that we were there for the tour and he went back. After about 45 minutes he came back smelling like onions from a sub sandwich that he was eating..told us he was "one of the interns" and tossed his half eaten chipotle laden hoagie in the trash..and told us to follow him.

When the intern kid took us through where the racks are we saw these two plain old Hewlett Packard computers. Bill noticed that they were the same model that he has at his apartment but that they were dusty and one of them was making a whirring noise in the fan. Bill knows a lot about computers. The guy from the station said nobody pays much attention to them. They were marked Stream A, and Stream B, and guess what. THEY were the HD stations. That was it! TWO Circuit City HP towers..no speakers nothing. THOSE were the stations.

Is that why I am being asked to pay 300 bucks for a special radio? Is this it?

Jeesh nobody even pays any attention to it..why the heck am I supposed to care a whiff about HD? Man I am steamed up. THAT is the amount of attention they are paying to this big marvelous new type of radio? You guys can all shove it for all I care anymore. Give me KTRB or the old KJR or KFWB or something, and let me listen on my 7 dollar transistor to a staff of WELL paid personalities who work in nice big flashy air conditioned buildings using expensive microphones and tape equipment..in a nicely appointed studio with telephones to talk to us with. THATS what I want. And jingles that sing the names of the jocks. And good prizes to win, and concerts, and remotes too. And newsmen in ties that come in every hour to "do the news"...

...Not a couple of off the shelf mid-grade computers being ignored and sneered at by the pimply faced little tweak who didn't even know what HD was. THIS is supposed to be the BIG DEAL HD RADIO??

HD Radio should be ashamed of itself, and they may as well just flick the switch and go find a job trying to sell crappy cars at a buy-here-pay-here lot. Those death wagon cars get more attention than TWO of the HD streams in a large city!

I don't want to offend, but I am offended. There is a big problem here. I spent money to listen. I bought into it, and I was handed a poorly made piece of Korean garbage and told it was the newest and best. Then when i liestened is was mildly dissapointed in the sound and the programs. But when I got to see the attitude that a lot of you seem to have for this mandated new mode of radio I was really angry. Once again I have been lied to, and I took it. You don't care? I don't care. Not anymore. Neither does Bill.

Howard Halland
thank you

 

[700WLW]

"Killer App?"

"In fact, it's an issue of, do I need more music channels or do I pretty much get everything I want right now without the trouble of adding a new radio to the mix and figuring out another piece of technology which doesn't solve any problem, I currently experience. And as for the comparison between HD and Satellite, try instread a comparison between HD and radio. Both free. One, I have already. It works. It has lots of variety."

http://www.hear2.com/2005/11/killer_app.html

"Sirius, XM, and HD: Consumer interest reality check"

"While interest in satellite radio is diminishing, interest in HD shows no signs of a pulse."

http://www.hear2.com/2007/02/sirius_xm_and_h.html#comments

I thought, HD radios were Chinese-made garbage.

 

[SUPERCASTER]

My friend Bill and I like to go into town and take tours sometimes. I always call and ask for the manager, and make an appointment and wear nice clothes and look clean so they don't think I'm a nut or something. Bill won't wear a tie, but he has a nice shirt so they usually let us in. Anyway were went to a pretty big station last week. We saw all of the studios and although they would not let us take any pictures we saw most everything there was to see. Not many people working that day I guess. And the recption desk was empty. There used to be a really cute girl in a short skirt, but not any more. She was not there anymore. They had a wireless intercom, and Bill pushed the button. A guy in ripped jeans and a Iron Maiden tee shirt came out looking annoyed that we were there. We told him that we were there for the tour and he went back. After about 45 minutes he came back smelling like onions from a sub sandwich that he was eating..told us he was "one of the interns" and tossed his half eaten chipotle laden hoagie in the trash..and told us to follow him.

When the intern kid took us through where the racks are we saw these two plain old Hewlett Packard computers. Bill noticed that they were the same model that he has at his apartment but that they were dusty and one of them was making a whirring noise in the fan. Bill knows a lot about computers. The guy from the station said nobody pays much attention to them. They were marked Stream A, and Stream B, and guess what. THEY were the HD stations. That was it! TWO Circuit City HP towers..no speakers nothing. THOSE were the stations.

Is that why I am being asked to pay 300 bucks for a special radio? Is this it?

Jeesh nobody even pays any attention to it..why the heck am I supposed to care a whiff about HD? Man I am steamed up. THAT is the amount of attention they are paying to this big marvelous new type of radio? You guys can all shove it for all I care anymore. Give me KTRB or the old KJR or KFWB or something, and let me listen on my 7 dollar transistor to a staff of WELL paid personalities who work in nice big flashy air conditioned buildings using expensive microphones and tape equipment..in a nicely appointed studio with telephones to talk to us with. THATS what I want. And jingles that sing the names of the jocks. And good prizes to win, and concerts, and remotes too. And newsmen in ties that come in every hour to "do the news"...

...Not a couple of off the shelf mid-grade computers being ignored and sneered at by the pimply faced little tweak who didn't even know what HD was. THIS is supposed to be the BIG DEAL HD RADIO??

HD Radio should be ashamed of itself, and they may as well just flick the switch and go find a job trying to sell crappy cars at a buy-here-pay-here lot. Those death wagon cars get more attention than TWO of the HD streams in a large city!

I don't want to offend, but I am offended. There is a big problem here. I spent money to listen. I bought into it, and I was handed a poorly made piece of Korean garbage and told it was the newest and best. Then when i liestened is was mildly dissapointed in the sound and the programs. But when I got to see the attitude that a lot of you seem to have for this mandated new mode of radio I was really angry. Once again I have been lied to, and I took it. You don't care? I don't care. Not anymore. Neither does Bill.

Howard Halland
thank you

AMEN!

For less then 80 bucks you can get an iPod Shuffle (or even less for other MP3 devices) that segues music, like those HP computers only better, because the iPod fits in your pocket, no antennas, no power cord, no commercials, plays anywhere, equal or better fidelity, and you get to be your own program director!
What a wonderful world, without HD iBuzz.
Who needs defective, problematic, destructive, HD radio?
Bring back the really cute receptionist, in the short skirt, that probably couldn't type (but didn't need to), and ditch the destructive HD radio.

 

[Mike Walker]

One thing you'll never be with an mp3 player that you can be repeatedly with radio...SURPRISED AT WHAT YOU HEAR!

Ipod removes the human element...the person on the other end...the brain making the decisions about which song sounds best after the one on now...the person with something interesting, timely, informative, perhaps even life-saving (as in the case of weather alerts or other emergency info) to say.

Ipods only play music that's on YOUR hard drive. Radio plays music that's on every hard drive, cd, lp, 45, and tape in town, and across the country. Public radio brings frequent performances that can't be heard on ANY recording, because the performers are live in the studio. WNCW Spindale NC is a great example (don't believe me, check thier website for live performances). WDAV Davidson NC carries the Charlotte Symphony, and other LOCAL performers live. Yeah...I can get that from my Ipod. When pigs fly!

Want a REAL musical adventure? Check the LEFT SIDE OF YOUR DIAL...the public radio stations, and other community-involved broadcasters (WKSK West Jefferson NC 580AM and WKBC North Wilkesboro NC 800AM being two GREAT examples) for live, LOCAL music not available on ANY recording!

 

[amfmsw]

Are you sure it wasn't used to "STREAM" for the internet. Old workhorses are fine for that. Just a possibility.

 

[Tom Wells]

Once the station has decided to "afford" HD, it can no longer pay for as much staff.
The money has to come from somewhere, so the receptionist, news people, etc, are shown the door.
The ongoing license fees ensure that as long as HD is in use, stations cannot return to the days of full staffing unless they are
somehow extremely financially successful in this new model.

I think it likely the 2 computers seen are the web stream or the audio feeds....
I beleive ibiquity's computers are 19" rack mount, but extra-deep, causing some headaches when installing.

I too, would rather have "real radio" with a cute receptionist, even though we can't see her on the air.

 

[Mike Walker]

100k is a king's ransom for a small market station, Tom. But for a large market station, it's pocket change. And the large market stations (plus public stations which have received grants) are the ones broadcasting in HD now.

HOWEVER, when a transmitter needs to be replaced at a full power fm outlet, such as the one I produce for, then HD becomes a minor expense...as it's built into many new transmitters. THAT is when most FM stations will convert...when they upgrade to a new transmitter. The station I produce for has a transmitter that dates back to Reagan's first term. That's a good lifespan for an FM transmitter. HD may be coming soon! The engineer told me that he recommended conversion to HD at the time of the next transmitter upgrade. We'll see.

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

Jeesh nobody even pays any attention to it..why the heck am I supposed to care a whiff about HD? Man I am steamed up. THAT is the amount of attention they are paying to this big marvelous new type of radio? You guys can all shove it for all I care anymore.

That's all the attention it's going to get for now. As much as some Pollyannas on this list don't want to admit it, programming costs money, and streams that don't bring in revenue (and under FCC rules, can't, until HD Radio's experimental status goes away) aren't going to get any more attention paid to them than what you saw.

Give me KTRB or the old KJR or KFWB or something, and let me listen on my 7 dollar transistor to a staff of WELL paid personalities who work in nice big flashy air conditioned buildings using expensive microphones and tape equipment..in a nicely appointed studio with telephones to talk to us with. THATS what I want. And jingles that sing the names of the jocks. And good prizes to win, and concerts, and remotes too. And newsmen in ties that come in every hour to "do the news"...

Exactly what planet have you been living on? Radio like that hasn't existed for at least 20 years, not even at stations owned by the major groups. Tape equipment disappeared entirely almost a decade ago...replaced by hard drives and CDs. Jingles singing the names of the jocks went out with the 1970s. BTW, "newsmen in ties" were posing for the cameras. No radio news person that I ever met, even at the network level, ever wore a tie to work unless they were also on TV or having their publicity photos taken.

Not a couple of off the shelf mid-grade computers being ignored and sneered at by the pimply faced little tweak who didn't even know what HD was. THIS is supposed to be the BIG DEAL HD RADIO??

Again, that's all you need to create a non-commercial audio stream, and that's all you're going to get for now. The intern not knowing what HD Radio was means absolutely nothing. (That's why he's an intern and not the general manager.)

 

[Chuck]

BTW, "newsmen in ties" were posing for the cameras. No radio news person that I ever met, even at the network level, ever wore a tie to work unless they were also on TV or having their publicity photos taken.

You are certainly right that we are talking about a long-gone era, but back in 1968 & 69, I worked in the news department at KRLD in Dallas. We were required to wear a coat and tie to work. I also shot news film for TV, and was also required to wear a coat and tie to fires, plane crashes, car wrecks, etc.

It was not practical, but it was the way things were....

 

[HHalland]

Hello again. I must take exception to some of the people replying to my (decidedly angry) message post from yesterday afternoon. I was hungry and tired, and looking at my "HD" investment and remembering the trip to the radio station... Look Badu, I KNOW that there are not cart machines any more. I was making reference..sir...to the days when those were being used. The years when radio stations had pride in thier product, and maybe the newsman didn't actually wear a tie, but they did COME IN and DO the NEWS okay? But the newsmen that worked for the Storz company DID wear ties. I SAW them. So you can't tell me that they did not wear ties.

Maybe you are right that the computers were being used for an Internet stream, but I don't think so, and neither does Bill. And HE used to SELL these things. Ibidiquy provides these rack mounted systems? Okay, but do they pay any attention to this? Again, WHY should I care a whimper about this? Nobody else does. I feel like there are big fat guys in white suits with big Game Boy(tm) joy sticks making us poor customers dance to thier tunes. We are fed a big lot of gaah about how cutting edge this is, and we get a red-headed step child that presents itself to radio station employees as a threat to thier jobs (which it is) and presents itself to us listeners as some kind of nasty chore that has to be dealt with like taking out a box of cat litter to the green dumpster..in July...in Yuma.

And one last small rant. Radio stations aren't such a much any more that they can afford to snub a couple of avid listeners and fans of the meium who want only to see the station. We wanted nothing more than to be welcomed and shown around. We felt like the cat litter on that trip. I have bought, at the above poster's suggestion an Apple iPod(tm) and have loaded a lot of my favorite songs. I have more that I can add, and I have to tell you for what I spent on that stupid HD radio I can spend on this little marvel and have over 150 songs to go on it! Bill bought me a card for 25 more songs..so if you want to give me a present sometime do that.

I gave my Intercepton radio away to the woman shelter. It just sounded crappy, and I have my GE Superadio and now my iPod and KTRB will be here soon full time, so I'm good.

Finally..you are right. There are some fine stations in the non-commercial band, but even they are becoming non-local and almost all push some kind of political, or church ideas. What about just enjoying a nice show on the radio? Why can't we have John Mack Flannigan, or Robbie Ocean to hear while playing some tunes?

Huh? why?

Howard Halland
thank you

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

Because radio isn't like that anymore. You need to get your head out of 1960.

Radio is, by and large, owned by corporations whose first allegiance is not to broadcasting, but to the bottom line. They don't worry about individual listeners, only listeners as a great mass which comprises their Arbitron ratings. That disinterested intern who showed you around (who, BTW, where I work would never be allowed near any member of the public, in or out of the station, with his dress and attitude) did so because everyone else in that station was probably working two or three jobs and literally didn't have the time to show you and your friend the layout...if there was anyone else in the building at the time. If you had gone into any radio station in a below-top-50 market, it's very likely that there would be NO human beings there for most of the day...only computers and satellite dishes. The old-school air personalities you mentioned have little or no place in today's world of radio. To be a successful air personality these days, you have to be a neocon shill or have a foul mouth.

The world of broadcasting is a very different thing than what you're remembering. It isn't HD Radio that left you behind, it's radio in general. HD is only the latest magic wand that will miraculously cure all of radio's ills. Not.

BTW, iNiquity does not supply equipment to radio stations. They only license technology. All the major broadcast manufacturers supply the equipment. As for those computers you saw, any Windows or Mac PC can provide a programming stream, whether it's for the Internet or over-the-air programming. They don't have to be screaming high-end machines, and they don't have to run the most expensive programming software there is either.

 

[SUPERCASTER]

Once the station has decided to "afford" HD, it can no longer pay for as much staff.
The money has to come from somewhere, so the receptionist, news people, etc, are shown the door.
The ongoing license fees ensure that as long as HD is in use, stations cannot return to the days of full staffing unless they are
somehow extremely financially successful in this new model.

I think it likely the 2 computers seen are the web stream or the audio feeds....
I beleive ibiquity's computers are 19" rack mount, but extra-deep, causing some headaches when installing.

I too, would rather have "real radio" with a cute receptionist, even though we can't see her on the air.

No doubt the audio servers are separate from the actual iBiquity/HD radio encoder/computer. Much more reliable that way, and when the iBiquity HD encoder fails (as they are so very prone to do) you don't loose all your music, programs, and audio elements, because it is all on another computer.

With all the layoffs, HD stations won't even have the personnel they have now to make much creative, original, local programming as was promised by iBiquity/HD radio, the cartel, and it's supporters.

 

[SUPERCASTER]

One thing you'll never be with an mp3 player that you can be repeatedly with radio...SURPRISED AT WHAT YOU HEAR! See #1

Ipod removes the human element...the person on the other end...the brain making the decisions about which song sounds best after the one on now...the person with something interesting, timely, informative, perhaps even life-saving (as in the case of weather alerts or other emergency info) to say. See #2

Ipods only play music that's on YOUR hard drive. Radio plays music that's on every hard drive, cd, lp, 45, and tape in town, and across the country. Public radio brings frequent performances that can't be heard on ANY recording, because the performers are live in the studio. WNCW Spindale NC is a great example (don't believe me, check thier website for live performances). WDAV Davidson NC carries the Charlotte Symphony, and other LOCAL performers live. Yeah...I can get that from my Ipod. When pigs fly! See #3

Want a REAL musical adventure? Check the LEFT SIDE OF YOUR DIAL...the public radio stations, and other community-involved broadcasters (WKSK West Jefferson NC 580AM and WKBC North Wilkesboro NC 800AM being two GREAT examples) for live, LOCAL music not available on ANY recording! See #4

#1- Streams and delayed broadcasts (podcasts) can be downloaded even while you sleep for playback at your own convenience. Yes, what you hear is only as surprising as the broadcast, and can be played repeatedly!

#2-iPods and MP3 players add the human element. You can choose when and what you hear, (if you wish) rather then the limited, homogenized, repetitive, computerized, iBorg "approved", over researched, playlists. Since I can make my own choices, while corporate controlled clones, and HD buzzmakers can't, you are wrong again.

#3-My hard drive, the internet, CDs, LPs, tapes, any audio source can be used to feed an MP3 player or iPod. Public radio broadcasts are often delayed, recorded, and available as streams and podcasts. Both WNCW and WDAV have streams and are available on the internet, or for downloading to MP3, and iPods. SO YOU ARE SAYING YOUR PIGS FLY, RIGHT?

#4-I'm glad that you recently discovered Public Radio, community broadcasters, and what little live programming is left, before the cartel forces what little there still is, off the air, and lays off the remaining humans. WKSK streams on Live 365, and I'm sure WKBC can be recorded as well. Perhaps you have recorded them yourself! Neither are HD.

 

[EasyPeazy]

Of all the dumb threads I read on this board, this one is probably the dumbest one I've seen in a while.

So you walked into a station and found two old computers sending audio to the HD encoders? So what! A lot of stations, even in big markets, have ancient automation systems. You would likely find the same machines being used for the analog signals.

Not that I really believe the story anyway. You walked into a station in a major market and there wasn't even a receptionist? Unless their business office is located in a completely different place or possibly on a different floor in the same building, this whole story seems hard to believe.

 

[Mike Walker]

Great radio, local radio, RELATABLE radio with live humans DOES exist, in pockets. In small markets (and a few large). Clear Channel and the others don't yet own EVERYTHING. There are dedicated broadcasters, and family-owned operations that have never sold, and will sell only when hell freezes over. The station I produce for is like that. So is WXRC 95.7 in Charlotte...owned by a dude from Newton named Dave Lingafelt that has poured his entire heart and soul into radio, and inspired many of us to do the same along the way (and it does just fine in the ratings). Local (and locally owned) AM stations in the mountains and foothills os NC still have the same kind of radio WE grew up with. And then there's public radio. Like it or not (and I LOVE IT), public stations are fanatics about QUALITY...in programming and audio.

There's lots of great radio. It's not as common as it once was, but it still exists. And we're all doing a great disservice to those who dedicate their lives to keepint it (REAL radio) alive when we deny it's existance! Great...REAL radio is rare, but NOT extinct!

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

Of all the dumb threads I read on this board, this one is probably the dumbest one I've seen in a while.

So you walked into a station and found two old computers sending audio to the HD encoders? So what! A lot of stations, even in big markets, have ancient automation systems. You would likely find the same machines being used for the analog signals.

Not that I really believe the story anyway. You walked into a station in a major market and there wasn't even a receptionist? Unless their business office is located in a completely different place or possibly on a different floor in the same building, this whole story seems hard to believe.

Not hard to believe at all. I've been working in broadcasting for close to 40 years, and there are more stations like that than you might think. LOTS of small-market stations close and lock their doors after the morning show. With the sales force (probably the general manager) out on the street, the local air personalities (except for the morning show) non-existent and the programming after 10 AM coming off a satellite or an automation system, there's no need to have a receptionist or any other staff.

 

[Mike Walker]

I think many would be shocked at how far the "de-staffing" of radio stations has gone. If I hear something I LIKE, I'm a believer in telling the station so. I've been in radio long enough (32 years, vs. 40 for Dumber?) that I know how much a kind word or two from a listener can mean. I'm quick to tell stations when they do something (I consider) stupid or wrong. I try to be just as quick with compliments when due.

In December after getting my first HD radio, I decided to call a few HD stations with my observations about their content and signals. I had no trouble reaching people at public radio stations, who were grateful for the input, and generally interested in my opinions. But I was unsuccessful at reaching a human being at either the Charlotte or Greensboro Clear Channel "cluster". It was Christmas week, and apparently they had NOBODY MANNING THE PHONES! Of course (I'm guessing) there was nobody at the front desk either (my guess is the door was locked, and the lights off). Their only contact with the world outside undoubtedly was through their SALES DEPARTMENT(s). So of course it's the sales phonies get promoted to management. They are literally the only public face of many stations these days! (And by that I don't mean ALL salespeople. Salespeople are WONDERFUL. They literally go to war every day, getting their teeth kicked in again and again, just to bring in money to "feed the troops". But there are plenty of phonies in sales, AND on air!)

 

[EasyPeazy]

It's true that radio stations have cut personnel back significantly since deregulation, but most stations in rated markets still have receptionists. In a major market, I find it very hard to believe that any station wouldn't have a receptionist UNLESS the facility HHalland and his non-tie wearing friend supposedly visited was just a studio facility separate from a main office / sales facility. I've been in more than a few facilities where the business office and sales were on one floor and the studios were on a different floor.

As for the computers labeled "STREAM A" and "STREAM B" I suspect that's exactly what they were - the streaming audio machines - not anything having to do with HD Radio. After re-reading the original post, this became abundantly clear. Many of the early streaming companies actually supplied hardware to stations. More often than not, this hardware was of the cheap, home PC variety.

 

[davideduardo]

Re: The real reasons are different

Maybe you are right that the computers were being used for an Internet stream, but I don't think so, and neither does Bill. And HE used to SELL these things. Ibidiquy provides these rack mounted systems?

The HD hardware is not provided by iBiquity... but by the transmitter companies like Harris and Nautel, licensed by iBiquity. It resides at the tansmitter site, not in the studios. The audio is often fed separately, using different processing.

And one last small rant. Radio stations aren't such a much any more that they can afford to snub a couple of avid listeners and fans of the meium who want only to see the station. We wanted nothing more than to be welcomed and shown around. We felt like the cat litter on that trip.

At most stations, our insurance carriers have very specific instructions about letting the public into the broadcast areas. This is not a radio issue... it is about the high propensity to litigate in America today and the need for caution in everything.

If I show up at the Nissan factory in Tenessee, do you think they are going to let me on the poroduction line floor just because I happen to like the Altima?

 

[700WLW]

Re: The real reasons are different

Maybe you are right that the computers were being used for an Internet stream, but I don't think so, and neither does Bill. And HE used to SELL these things. Ibidiquy provides these rack mounted systems?

The HD hardware is not provided by iBiquity... but by the transmitter companies like Harris and Nautel, licensed by iBiquity. It resides at the tansmitter site, not in the studios. The audio is often fed separately, using different processing.

And one last small rant. Radio stations aren't such a much any more that they can afford to snub a couple of avid listeners and fans of the meium who want only to see the station. We wanted nothing more than to be welcomed and shown around. We felt like the cat litter on that trip.

At most stations, our insurance carriers have very specific instructions about letting the public into the broadcast areas. This is not a radio issue... it is about the high propensity to litigate in America today and the need for caution in everything.

If I show up at the Nissan factory in Tenessee, do you think they are going to let me on the poroduction line floor just because I happen to like the Altima?

You wouldn't like either the Altima, or the Sentra, because they have Bluetooth and iPod integrated - no HD Radio.