THE LATEST IN THE HD RADIO PARADE-O-FLOPS

[Carmine5]

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the NAB announced a new incentive to get small market radio on board with IBOC using a technology known as "embedded exporter."

Quote from news release:

"The newly created device (about the size of a DVD player) will combine multicast audio channels and advanced data services along with a station’s main audio channel into a format suitable for transmission said the NAB’s HD Radio Technology Advancement Task Force which, with iBiquity Digital Corp. formed a partnership with four manufacturers to develop the less expensive technology. The main goal of the NAB and iBiquity was to lower the financial hurdle faced by middle-and small market broadcasters to adopting HD."

Supposedly it will shave off about 40% in costs for a station to implement HD Radio according to Broadcast Electronics’ Ted Lantz.

Read about it here: http://www.radioandrecords.com/RRWebSite/

Time will tell if this is a tasty enough inducement for stations to convert to IBOC.

C5

 

[Play Freebird]

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the NAB announced a new incentive to get small market radio on board with IBOC using a technology known as "embedded exporter."

Quote from news release:

"The newly created device (about the size of a DVD player) will combine multicast audio channels and advanced data services along with a station’s main audio channel into a format suitable for transmission said the NAB’s HD Radio Technology Advancement Task Force which, with iBiquity Digital Corp. formed a partnership with four manufacturers to develop the less expensive technology. The main goal of the NAB and iBiquity was to lower the financial hurdle faced by middle-and small market broadcasters to adopting HD."

Sounds to me like it's just a single box that incorporates both the "Importer" and "Exporter" functions. (Previously, the Importer was in a separate chassis, running on a Windows platform.) And it's the size of a DVD player... wow, that's great! The Task Force must have assumed that broom closets in most small market stations are too small for both an Importer and an HD-2 automation system, but this will solve the space crunch.

Although this product may reduce some hardware costs involved in multicasting (and hopefully improve system reliability), I still want to know if iBiquity is willing to reduce the up-front HD Radio license fee for small market broadcasters? Or do we continue to pay the same rate as the major market stations? That's a much greater financial hurdle than buying an Importer. All FM stations and many AM stations must still purchase a new transmitter with a linear amp (which will run less efficiently), along with a new STL, new audio processing, etc. Where's the return on investment?

Only FM stations have the ability to multicast, so this announcement has no apparent relevance to AM broadcasters, whether small or large market.

 

[Carmine5]

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the NAB announced a new incentive to get small market radio on board with IBOC using a technology known as "embedded exporter."

Quote from news release:

"The newly created device (about the size of a DVD player) will combine multicast audio channels and advanced data services along with a station’s main audio channel into a format suitable for transmission said the NAB’s HD Radio Technology Advancement Task Force which, with iBiquity Digital Corp. formed a partnership with four manufacturers to develop the less expensive technology. The main goal of the NAB and iBiquity was to lower the financial hurdle faced by middle-and small market broadcasters to adopting HD."

Sounds to me like it's just a single box that incorporates both the "Importer" and "Exporter" functions. (Previously, the Importer was in a separate chassis, running on a Windows platform.) And it's the size of a DVD player... wow, that's great! The Task Force must have assumed that broom closets in most small market stations are too small for both an Importer and an HD-2 automation system, but this will solve the space crunch.

Although this product may reduce some hardware costs involved in multicasting (and hopefully improve system reliability), I still want to know if iBiquity is willing to reduce the up-front HD Radio license fee for small market broadcasters? Or do we continue to pay the same rate as the major market stations? That's a much greater financial hurdle than buying an Importer. All FM stations and many AM stations must still purchase a new transmitter with a linear amp (which will run less efficiently), along with a new STL, new audio processing, etc. Where's the return on investment?

Only FM stations have the ability to multicast, so this announcement has no apparent relevance to AM broadcasters, whether small or large market.

I get the impression iBiquity has largely written off AM.

As you observed in the news release, iBiquity was silent about its license fees. No doubt this means small market broadcasters will be paying full freight:

25 grand upfront and 3% of net revenue for every audio and data stream a station broadcasts beyond their main channel. And if they want, iBiquity can even request to see a station's books to make sure they get an accurate reporting of income (says so in their license agreement). No thanks.

A better strategy, I believe, would be to keep the main terrestrial channel analog (w/RDS for FM) and, over time, develop other channels on the web.

C5

 

[kyscott]

As you observed in the news release, iBiquity was silent about its license fees. No doubt this means small market broadcasters will be paying full freight:

That was my first question. What people don't realize is that you pay those license fees regardless of if the equipment is on the air. I had a client of mine who was talked into buying the IBOC equipment. He wasn't going to put it on the air, he just wanted to have it for when the time was right. Boy was he surprised when he got the invoice from Ibiquity! Hadn't even taken it out of the boxes yet which made it easier to send back.

 

[Dighton Rockhead]

As you observed in the news release, iBiquity was silent about its license fees. No doubt this means small market broadcasters will be paying full freight:

Among the several factors hindering the 'development' of IBOC, this financing scheme has to be the biggest stumbling block.

I'm not against the idea of developers and investors getting a fair return on investment, but the licensing scheme represents a kind of economic 'indentured servitude' in perpetuity. Even the old Armstrong FM royalty payments were only supposed to last for 7 years.

If anything ends up being the proverbial 'final nail'...it likely won't be anything on the technical side, but rather this greedy ca$h grab.

 

[kenglish]

I keep hearing ads about "HD Radio", but none of them tell me what I'll hear on it.

Salt Lake City has numerous HD2 (and even HD3) stations, but no one knows what they play. Almost no advertising (except the University of Utah station, KUER). Everyone else just says, "HD Radio is new, so you need to get it!". Hey, so is the West Nile virus!

Show it off, people! Isn't radio an advertising business?

 

[Chuck]

25 grand upfront and 3% of net revenue for every audio and data stream a station broadcasts beyond their main channel. And if they want, iBiquity can even request to see a station's books to make sure they get an accurate reporting of income (says so in their license agreement). No thanks.
C5

Just before NAB, I get lots of spam by regular mail for various products and services. Among the recent crop was a post card from Ibiquity urging me to sign up before the next round of licensee fee increases. I'm under the impression that I could "sign up now" for about $15,000 if I hurry.

No thanks. With the current system, I don't think we'd cover enough people with HD to do any good. I can’t see how it would be anything other than an added expense. If I want a hole to pour money in, I’ll get a new boat. At least, that would be fun.

Besides, I have enough other science projects to occupy my free time. For a small station, it just doesn't make sense.

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

Show it off, people! Isn't radio an advertising business?

Apparently it USED to be an advertising business. The latest round of HD Radio "ads" are the ones that slam the product that makes money: the programming on the analog signals. Brilliant, just brilliant. Wish I had thought of it. :

Where promotion of this new tech is concerned, radio can't even get out of its own way.

 

[KB1OKL]

Just before NAB, I get lots of spam by regular mail for various products and services. Among the recent crop was a post card from Ibiquity urging me to sign up before the next round of licensee fee increases. I'm under the impression that I could "sign up now" for about $15,000 if I hurry.

No thanks. With the current system, I don't think we'd cover enough people with HD to do any good. I can’t see how it would be anything other than an added expense. If I want a hole to pour money in, I’ll get a new boat. At least, that would be fun.

Besides, I have enough other science projects to occupy my free time. For a small station, it just doesn't make sense.

If you got all your HD listeners to pony up a grand each you'd at least break even, maybe a 1000.00 a plate dinner?

 

[KB1OKL]

Show it off, people! Isn't radio an advertising business?

Apparently it USED to be an advertising business. The latest round of HD Radio "ads" are the ones that slam the product that makes money: the programming on the analog signals. Brilliant, just brilliant. Wish I had thought of it. :

Where promotion of this new tech is concerned, radio can't even get out of its own way.

Speaking of the new really bad IBOC ads running on radio,this from Forumopolis, the first line of which is the heading of the thread:



Stupid Please stop making it look like only morons use your product.

I appreciate funny radio commercials, I really do. But the level of stupidity displayed (and conveyed by surprisingly good voice acting) in the latest HD radio campaign is just painful to listen to.

Over the past two days, I've heard the following commercials:

- A woman terrified that the fact that her car radio can activate her Itunes to order a song she likes means that her shower is watching her and telling the toaster about her.

- A man describing the act of taking the HD out of the box and throwing out his old radio as an 'awesome' cage match.

- A man worried that the Itunes thing will lead to a Robot War and destroy mankind.

And I'm not just extrapolating from any kind of tongue in cheek jokes here. These characters really are portrayed as that dumb, not as people telling a joke. It's really so evident that it completely overshadows anything they were trying to say about the radio.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

- A woman terrified that the fact that her car radio can activate her Itunes to order a song she likes means that her shower is watching her and telling the toaster about her.

- A man describing the act of taking the HD out of the box and throwing out his old radio as an 'awesome' cage match.

- A man worried that the Itunes thing will lead to a Robot War and destroy mankind.

You have GOT to be kidding! THOSE are REAL HD radio commercials???? What are they thinking?! At the very best, that ad campaign makes about as much sense as the cavemen or the green lizard. At worst, it is confusing, makes people think HD radio will end up costing them money by ordering iTunes stuff they didn't authorize, etc. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot!

Good grief - advertise the heck out of compelling HD-2 channels that niche listeners have wanted for years, make sure the _____ radios work in store displays, get surround sound working, make sure the stations have the HD-2's working ALL the time, and pray you get the radios in cars. That is if you want the thing to succeed. One more thing, dump the AM HD scheme and fast before word really gets out about no lock at night and horrible interference. Make it C-Quam until you get the problems with AM fixed and pray that a digital solution actually exists for AM that works night and day.

 

[kyscott]

Get the same advertising agency that makes the Budweiser spots during the Super Bowl!


"WHAASSSSSSAAAAAUP" Still kills me!

 

[Savage]

Yeah, GREAT creative, Alliance. But the topper for me was the promo with the two young male guys where one is pitching HD to his friend who has no clue about what HD Radio is (in other words, an example of "any radio listener today.") To help his buddy visualize it, he describes it as "radio with a boob job."

Apparently it hasn't occurred to the HD Alliance that at least half of the prospects they would like to invest in HD Radio are.....WOMEN!! (Hello? HELLO??) From casual observation I can confidently state that most females take a dim view of being pitched on buying consumer items which resemble parts of their anatomy. Mr. Ferrara, why don't you test this concept by suggesting that you two buy a new car that has a front bumper that resembles Mrs. Ferrara's breasts? Please do get back to us with her reaction. I'm sure everyone on this board would enjoy hearing it.

 

[Savage]

Ooops. Hit POST instead of PREVIEW there. Second sentence should have read "two young males" or "two young guys." Sorry about the visit from the Department of Redundancy Department.

As long as I'm at it, I guess we should be thankful the Alliance isn't running promos declaring that "HD is like regular radio, but with an erection."

 

[rbrucecarter5]

he describes it as "radio with a boob job."

Great - now THAT is going to save HD radio - airing blatently OFFENSIVE commercials. It makes me want to boycott the product, not buy it.

 

[BRNout]

Wow, at least you guys are getting some variety out there! The HD alliance spots that I hear all the time are the ones that portray your radio as the loser friend that you're trying to dump. The one who leaves unanswered messages on the machine and who is more boring and annoying that you can imagine.

Tell me this: if you're running a radio station, why would you then portray that programming/platform as boring, annoying and old? Who is so stupid as to run down your bread and butter in favor of an uncompelling product which generates NO revenue? Something tells me that there are way too many illegal substances floating around the corporate headquarters of places like CBS Radio, Clear Channel, etc. because these people aren't even thinking straight.

To paraphrase Comic Book Guy: "Worst Promotion Ever!"

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

If anyone had imagined, back 30 or so years ago, that this is how low radio would have sunk to promote itself, we would have laughed ourselves silly.

Notice how none of us are laughing now.

You simply can't make this stuff up. Oh wait...someone did...

 

[Carmine5]

OK, enough. You scoffed at the technology, you snickered at the Alliance's PR campaigns (especially their latest misfire, I mean, attempt), you gave a collective middle digit to iBiquity's license agreement, but now the gloves are off.

Toyota has just announced that HD Radio will be going into all models of their Scions (as an option). As you know, the Scion has become Gen Y's answer to the Beetle; cheap to buy, infinitely customizable and everywhere.

You just wait. As soon as these kids experience HD Radio in their new Scions, they will gladly put down their iPods, stop text messaging and "Facebooking" and get back to radio where they should have been in the first place.

"The wow starts now" (oh, sorry, that's from another failed ad campaign). You know what I mean.
C5

 

[SUPERCASTER]

Ooops. Hit POST instead of PREVIEW there. Second sentence should have read "two young males" or "two young guys." Sorry about the visit from the Department of Redundancy Department.

As long as I'm at it, I guess we should be thankful the Alliance isn't running promos declaring that "HD is like regular radio, but with an erection."

HD radios need an erection (adding an outside antenna) in order to get the HD Radios to pick up most of the HD stations reliably indoors.

"Is your mast up to the task?

So I guess you could say that "HD is like regular radio, but with an erection."

 

[Savage]

Have you guys noticed that the NAB and the Unholy Alliance are conspiring once again? They just stuck a 9mm in the NRSC's ear and "invited" them to "revise" the already-fictional NRSC mask, now euphemistically given the technospeak "5-a." The "skirts" have been "adjusted" (so the FCC will have the convenient escape route of declaring "no interference" even though it actually exists) in the latest HD effort to dumb down adjacent channel protections to accomodate roaring digital hiss. You heard it on AM - now enjoy it on FM!

Translation: FM IBOC is about to get a shot of Viagra in the form of digital injection increase from 1db to 10db. Likely only a few stations will actually go through tearing down their FM plants to install new Txs, Tx lines, antenna and HVAC. But when they do: whooee, baby - watch the adjacent-channel problems crank up, especially in the Northeast, Florida, SoCal, etc.

Not that this will make a notable improvement in FM digital decode in many cases. Nor will it increase adoption of HD or sale of receivers.

HD: more "flaccid" than "turgid." Alliance on-air promos notwithstanding.