"Sony rolling out HD Radio products" USAToday

[Mike Walker]

Listeners have "slipped to 1994 levels"? The 90s was an almost unprecedented period of growth for radio...in listenership, AND revenue. Anybody in the business knows that, because we experienced it. 1994 listening levels were PRE internet streaming, PRE satellite radio, PRE mp3 players. 1994 listening levels were HUGE. And those today are even bigger...at about 1998 levels. Only TSL (time spent listening) has been reduced. People spend less time with radio, and tv, and ALL media, because there's MORE MEDIA!

The big news is that terrestrial radio survived the onslaught of one new technology after another over the last decade, and HELD ON TO MARKET SHARE LIKE A CHAMP, just as we always do. And from this platform, we launch the next chapter in the evolution of terrestrial radio, HD!

It is the newer media which struggles with RELEVANCE, let along profitability! Ahhhh, GOOD LUCK WITH THAT!

 

[radiopilot]

We mention FM radio, because that is the speed at which new technologies are adopted.

It cracks me up that people with satellite radio think they're "setting the world on fire" (and I'm an XM subscriber). Both services COMBINED have less than 15 million listeners, compared with TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY MILLION listeners to terrestrial radio. Talk about "irrelevent". Other than the music formats, the vast majority of what XM and Sirius do is duplicate programming produced by terrestrial broadcasters. We're the damn dog, THEY ARE THE TAIL...hell, they're less significant than that. They (satellite radio) are the FLEAS!

Fact: SIXTY PERCENT of people who buy new cars with satellite radio don't renew when their trial subscriptions expire.

Terrestrial broadcasters have the programming people want (and PAY FOR on XM and Sirius), FREE OF CHARGE! Yeah, I think we can launch a new service with those numbers! Facts are fascinating things!

Again the posts of how many are ACTUALLY listening to radio at any given time based on Arbitron sampling methods...

Look with internet there is ACTUAL accounting based on IP logging how many people at any given time is actually listening to internet radio, NOT SAMPLING... with XM and Sirius there is ACTUAL subscription fees paid to gage how many are listening, with IPODs there is actual sales and downloading of music onto these devices that actually have numbers... Why do you insist that 275,000,000 are listening to radio when in fact that number might be half that amount or less?

NO one is going to convince me that those are actual numbers listening to radio just because Arbitron says so because 2000 people take a survey and therefore if 1% of the population taking the survey is listening to radio then 99% must be listening also... Sorry but this is bogus statistics....

Radiopilot

 

[Mike Walker]

Sampling has proven extremely accurate, and newer arbitron technology (PPM) actually MEASURES listening.

 

[wgliradio]

Reception is a function of the receiver design, and that will improve, too. The current digital power levels are, in fact, higher than those used in Great Britain, were digital does work.

I can't imagine quality reception via an antenna that is just a headphone cord with all the current issues we have. Reception in digital may be only the most local stations. In a city, that may be enough, but not in the suburbs.

 

[wgliradio]

Try "sometimes up to 40 years". That's how long it took FM to reach audience parity with AM.

As with all radio (and tv) technologies, only the "geeks" will buy because it "sounds better", or "it's the latest thing". The "Big Spurt" will be programming driven...driven by programming that's so compelling you better not miss it, and ONLY available on HD.

When was the last time that radio created programming that was so compelling as to drive people to buy a device to listen to it? Not even Stern met Sirius' long term expectations. Where is the next Stern?

 

[wgliradio]

The big news is that terrestrial radio survived the onslaught of one new technology after another over the last decade, and HELD ON TO MARKET SHARE LIKE A CHAMP, just as we always do. And from this platform, we launch the next chapter in the evolution of terrestrial radio, HD!

If it's all so great, why bother wasting all this money on HD? Obviously all this money was built on a sound analog system we know works.

This push for HD must mean someone is seeing the writing on the wall. Digital for the sake of digital

 

[PocketRadio]

The big news is that terrestrial radio survived the onslaught of one new technology after another over the last decade, and HELD ON TO MARKET SHARE LIKE A CHAMP, just as we always do. And from this platform, we launch the next chapter in the evolution of terrestrial radio, HD!

If it's all so great, why bother wasting all this money on HD? Obviously all this money was built on a sound analog system we know works.

This push for HD must mean someone is seeing the writing on the wall. Digital for the sake of digital

It is obvious that HD Radio is just an attempt to please Wall Street - folks aren't beating down the doors of broadcasters, with complaints about analog AM/FM.

 

[Mike Walker]

HD ain't the cure for cancer. It's RADIO. The next generation of radio. When people buy a new RADIO, they'll get HD, just as they'll get digital when they buy their next tv. Nobody but geeks will run out and buy it because it's new. These transitions take MANY years...usually decades. Personal computers took MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS from their introduction in the 70s until that magical combination of graphical user interfaces, "power" applications like word processors and e-mail, the world wide web, multimedia capabilities, and high speed access made them MUST HAVE devices, rather than curiosities for geeks.

There's a time when we buy things that people don't need, but might just enjoy because it's unique, and offers otherwise unavailable services. It's called Christmas. There's another...it's called BIRTHDAYS. And another...ANNIVERSARIES. And another, GRADUATION. These are times that I buy items for people that I think are neat, and that they'll enjoy, but that they may not have thought of for themselves. Like HD radio.

 

[PocketRadio]

HD ain't the cure for cancer. It's RADIO. The next generation of radio. When people buy a new RADIO, they'll get HD, just as they'll get digital when they buy their next tv. Nobody but geeks will run out and buy it because it's new. These transitions take MANY years...usually decades. Personal computers took MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS from their introduction in the 70s until that magical combination of graphical user interfaces, "power" applications like word processors and e-mail, the world wide web, multimedia capabilities, and high speed access made them MUST HAVE devices, rather than curiosities for geeks.

There's a time when we buy things that people don't need, but might just enjoy because it's unique, and offers otherwise unavailable services. It's called Christmas. There's another...it's called BIRTHDAYS. And another...ANNIVERSARIES. And another, GRADUATION. These are times that I buy items for people that I think are neat, and that they'll enjoy, but that they may not have thought of for themselves. Like HD radio.

Honestly, if we weren't radio-geeks, but average consumers, would we be more apt to buy this:

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-ICF-S10MK2-Pocket-Radio-Silver/dp/B00020S7XK

or this hulk:

http://www.amazon.com/Boston-Acoustics-Receptor-Clock-Platinum/dp/B0009MFPZ4

 

[wgliradio]

It is obvious that HD Radio is just an attempt to please Wall Street - folks aren't beating down the doors of broadcasters, with complaints about analog AM/FM.

While I don't usually agree with your tactics here, this is exactly it. I would have no problem with HD if they had migrated the AM band, if the multicast channels actually DID have engaging programming and if the overall state of consumer electronics today had better quality control.

Fortunately, analog AM & FM won't sunset for decades, leaving me to enjoy radios I don't need to reboot every time I change bands for some time to come.

In the first 8 years I have worked for the station I am currently working for, I have NEVER once fielded a call in engineering over a reception problem (50 kw Clear Channel helps that). Since a second adjacent some 80 miles away (as the crow flies) fired up HD, we receive phone calls about reception problems 5-6 times a week. Nothing we can do, outside our "protected" contour. Whole county's that used to receive the station are swamped with hash now. What can I say? The listener loses again

 

[JbeJay]

... with internet there is ACTUAL accounting based on IP logging how many people at any given time is actually listening to internet radio ...

I'm not clear as to how that works to get an accurate count of listeners.

Person A in Philadelphia has his Arbitron People Meter. He tunes in his favorite radio station at the breakfast table, and his listening is noted. He leaves the kitchen for the bathroom, where he doesn't happen to have a radio, and the meter notes that he can no longer hear it. When he goes back to the kitchen or elsewhere where he can hear his station, the meter notes that the listening has started again.

Person B in Chicago brings up her web browser when she starts work, starts listening to her favorite Internet station, and the IP log counts her as a listener. She gets up from her desk and goes to a two-hour meeting, while the computer speakers serve up her favorite station to nobody. Is she still being IP-logged as a listener through those two hours?

Just askin'.

Jay

 

[PocketRadio]

It is obvious that HD Radio is just an attempt to please Wall Street - folks aren't beating down the doors of broadcasters, with complaints about analog AM/FM.

While I don't usually agree with your tactics here, this is exactly it. I would have no problem with HD if they had migrated the AM band, if the multicast channels actually DID have engaging programming and if the overall state of consumer electronics today had better quality control.

Fortunately, analog AM & FM won't sunset for decades, leaving me to enjoy radios I don't need to reboot every time I change bands for some time to come.

In the first 8 years I have worked for the station I am currently working for, I have NEVER once fielded a call in engineering over a reception problem (50 kw Clear Channel helps that). Since a second adjacent some 80 miles away (as the crow flies) fired up HD, we receive phone calls about reception problems 5-6 times a week. Nothing we can do, outside our "protected" contour. Whole county's that used to receive the station are swamped with hash now. What can I say? The listener loses again

Fair enough - I would agree that there are a number of us with questionable tactics, but it is not that this board is going to determine the fate of HD Radio. Ferrera does read/write blogs/boards, for he has left comments on Jacob's Media Blog - maybe, he is getting an eye-full on this baord - let's hope so. But, back on-topic - here are two comments, one about Sony's announcement (the second one is pretty strong, so beware):

"HD Radio Thought"

http://www.eisenhamerengineering.com/wordpress/?p=32

"HD radio is a sham"

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=50746284&blogID=270094385

I think that HD Radio is starting to be met with "aggressive" consumer apathy.

 

[SUPERCASTER]

It is obvious that HD Radio is just an attempt to please Wall Street - folks aren't beating down the doors of broadcasters, with complaints about analog AM/FM.

While I don't usually agree with your tactics here, this is exactly it. I would have no problem with HD if they had migrated the AM band, if the multicast channels actually DID have engaging programming and if the overall state of consumer electronics today had better quality control.

Fortunately, analog AM & FM won't sunset for decades, leaving me to enjoy radios I don't need to reboot every time I change bands for some time to come.

In the first 8 years I have worked for the station I am currently working for, I have NEVER once fielded a call in engineering over a reception problem (50 kw Clear Channel helps that). Since a second adjacent some 80 miles away (as the crow flies) fired up HD, we receive phone calls about reception problems 5-6 times a week. Nothing we can do, outside our "protected" contour. Whole county's that used to receive the station are swamped with hash now. What can I say? The listener loses again

Exactly right.
HD on AM at night is more likely to be the HD application killer rather then the "killer app," or "AM's savior." (More likely AM's destroyer.)
HD on FM isn't much less of a problem in dense population centers where the FM band has long been maxed out such as the heavily congested northeast corridor, Chicagoland, or southern California.

 

[clouseau]

Fair enough - I would agree that there are a number of us with questionable tactics, but it is not that this board is going to determine the fate of HD Radio. Ferrera does read/write blogs/boards, for he has left comments on Jacob's Media Blog - maybe, he is getting an eye-full on this baord - let's hope so. But, back on-topic - here are two comments, one about Sony's announcement (the second one is pretty strong, so beware):

"HD Radio Thought"

http://www.eisenhamerengineering.com/wordpress/?p=32

"HD radio is a sham"

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=50746284&blogID=270094385

I think that HD Radio is starting to be met with "aggressive" consumer apathy.

The desperation continues, And Desperation is the key word. Two links this time. An engineer who wonders why Sony isn't making a component model. The other is a one paragraph, vulgarity ridden single entry My Space "blog".

Ya know...You response on the Engineer's blog is great. I'm sure he'll be all about that East Bay Express article. Are we really down to these as the other side's new tactics?

Clouseau

 

[Mike Walker]

Apparently so, Clouseau. The HD train has left the station, and is picking up steam. It can't be stopped. And with new models/stations/manufacturers/formats/retailers all the time, one would have to be pretty damn desperate to claim HD isn't on a roll.

That's the thing about these guys. If you never admit that there's ANYTHING good about the opposing point of view, never admit that they win ANY argument, never say "ya' know, I was wrong about that, thanks for clearing it up"...then you have NO CREDIBILITY! Hitler claimed that he'd never lost a battle, as the Allies overtook Berlin. How'd that work out for him?

 

[R.F. Burns]

Apparently so, Clouseau. The HD train has left the station, and is picking up steam. It can't be stopped. And with new models/stations/manufacturers/formats/retailers all the time, one would have to be pretty damn desperate to claim HD isn't on a roll.

That's the thing about these guys. If you never admit that there's ANYTHING good about the opposing point of view, never admit that they win ANY argument, never say "ya' know, I was wrong about that, thanks for clearing it up"...then you have NO CREDIBILITY! Hitler claimed that he'd never lost a battle, as the Allies overtook Berlin. How'd that work out for him?

And don't forget the Iraqi information minister. "There are no American Troups in Baghdad and HD is doomed to failure.

 

[wgliradio]

Apparently so, Clouseau. The HD train has left the station, and is picking up steam. It can't be stopped. And with new models/stations/manufacturers/formats/retailers all the time, one would have to be pretty damn desperate to claim HD isn't on a roll.

That's the thing about these guys. If you never admit that there's ANYTHING good about the opposing point of view, never admit that they win ANY argument, never say "ya' know, I was wrong about that, thanks for clearing it up"...then you have NO CREDIBILITY!

Mike, in order for it to roll, the other side has to get excited about it as well. That's how it works. It's not a one way street. If there IS adoption, it will be a gradual adoption. Nobody is going to run and buy these new radios, they're going to wait and end up discovering them as standard equipment in all new AM/FM radios if/when it gets that far... and who knows where technology will be by that time. Be realistic about this

 

[clouseau]

Apparently so, Clouseau. The HD train has left the station, and is picking up steam. It can't be stopped. And with new models/stations/manufacturers/formats/retailers all the time, one would have to be pretty damn desperate to claim HD isn't on a roll.

That's the thing about these guys. If you never admit that there's ANYTHING good about the opposing point of view, never admit that they win ANY argument, never say "ya' know, I was wrong about that, thanks for clearing it up"...then you have NO CREDIBILITY!

Mike, in order for it to roll, the other side has to get excited about it as well. That's how it works. It's not a one way street. If there IS adoption, it will be a gradual adoption. Nobody is going to run and buy these new radios, they're going to wait and end up discovering them as standard equipment in all new AM/FM radios if/when it gets that far... and who knows where technology will be by that time. Be realistic about this

This is a good post (IMHO). But I don't think the battle is over the other side... It's over the middle...

But remember the movie "The Coca Cola Kid".

IMHO there will NOT be McCoke.

For those of you who understand this reference, keep in mind...

The Anti crowd is NOT where this battle will be won.

It will be won,.. One person at a time in the stores and in the cars. And the secret is that there is NO NEED TO BE THERE TOMORROW. XM & Sirius pay rent every month. HD works with 200 listeners.

We in radio can program to whatever the situation is...

In Bumfield we can have...

Bumfield's Best country on 96.1

Bumfield's Hottest Hits on 96.1 HD-2

And Bumfield's Classic Rock on 96.1 HD-3...

Did I mention Bumfield's hot talk with "Put your morning show here" followed by Rush and Sean on the "Voice of the Valley-Plain-Shore-Desert-Golden Geometric Shape" is available on the graveyard channel in your town???

How many people "Cancel" their HD subscription???

And how many "REPEAT" satellite fans are there?

NO ONE HAS EVER NOT RENEWED THEIR ABILITY TO RECEIVE HD RADIO.

Can XM or Sirius make this claim???

Clouseau

 

[Tom Wells]

How many people "Cancel" their HD subscription???

NO ONE HAS EVER NOT RENEWED THEIR ABILITY TO RECEIVE HD RADIO.


Clouseau

I can't seem to "unsubscribe" from my "ability" to receive HD.

I find audio from my AM radios cluttered with an unwanted HD subscription daily.
The suggested solution, that I add audio "blinders" to limit bandwidth of local 50kws is as likely as asking me to
somehow live with tunnel vision.

If I wanted audio to sound muffled, I could wear ear plugs.
Pre-muffled audio is a disgrace to the science/art that is radio.

Using digital modes in AM/MW is like playing a violin with a hammer.
If you don't understand the nature of the medium you are working in, the result will be less than professional.

The train may be leaving the station, but one car has a badly flat-spotted wheel that is going clank-clank-clank,
and it seems that there are dragging brakes on another car...... somewhere.



This renewal is one I can do without.

 

[TheRover]

The interest will grow in HD just like the interest grew for that new-fangled "FM"...