ai4i said:
I have one in my car but have no HD2 content worth listening to.
Yes, this has been my experience in most markets I've traveled to. Very, very little compelling content on the HD2 or 3 side for the most part. In the larger markets, there may be one marginally interesting HD2 and that's usually it. Otherwise they seem to be limited to low appeal extensions of the main format, simulcasts of sister AM signals, or very highly targeted programming (South Asian anyone?).
One market where I've found some exceptions to this was Salt Lake City, where there were a couple of really great music formats on HD2, including a 50s-60s gold station, a classic alternative station (which was awesome) and a couple of other good ones. In my travels, that's been the only bright spot.
For all of there supposed support of the IBOC system, the big corporate owners seem to only use HD2 as a "platform" for whatever they're trying to market. CBS' move with Last.fm is a fine example. Fact is, who cares? Not one new HD radio will be sold to hear a format that's basically another CHR - this one pushing a corporate marketing concept. That's such obvious corporate kiss-butt thinking that it makes me laugh.
Better would be to offer programming on HD2 that you can't get anywhere else. How about urban/AC in Boston? Real oldies in most markets? Actual dance music? There is a lot that could be done to sell HD Radio on the basis of content. In other words,
you're missing something by not having it. Ibiquity and their partners have failed miserably in doing this. Even when you take the plunge and buy an HD Radio, it's quite a ho-hum experience for the most part. Now it's probably too late for them to make a marketing splash. Amazes me how much money some people are paid to be absolutely incompetent.
As for HD on AM? Shut it off and save a few trees. It's useless.
