Thumbs Down review for Insignia portable HD radio

[Don Juannn]

You have no clue as to how much money is being brought in with HD in the major markets.

So, enlighten us; who, how, and how much?

I'm interested in real ROI -- by Savage's definition. Most major market groups started this multi-year trudge seven-figures in the hole unless they had a sweetheart deal with iBiquity and/or the equipment manufacturers.

I don't know what the Russian people are paying...or how much the CBS infomercials are collecting...but I know a little bit about the EWTN leasing offer.

The local Catholic group was ready to offer 6k a month to lease an entire (24/7) HD3 channel. (72k a year......in 2-1/2 years all the HD expenses would have been paid back...and 72k would have been added to the bottom line from that point on.)

That's just for one channel.

Gee, doesn't this remind you of FM in the 60's? ;-)

 

[in3media_be1]

Some posts from this thread have been moved to Take It Outside


http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=177912.msg1549835#msg1549835

 

[nd2023]

Can't believe EWTN would spend 72,000 a year just to reach 5 people. For that much money, they can send 2 preachers to their homes every day.

 

[Savage]

It's also a little hard to understand how the EWTN claim represents revenue from HD sales when the facts reveal: they haven't spent a nickel. In fact, "was ready to offer" and "would have" indicate there is no deal, and there won't be in the forseeable future.

An "offer" is not "business." Especially when it hasn't even been tendered yet.

Around our place, we observe the time-honored "it ain't real til the order is signed and scheduled and the check has been deposited and has cleared their bank."

I echo the sentiment that a handful of infomercials and narrowcasting to Russian-language listeners won't generate true ROI. Not with hundreds of thousands invested in capital and five figures in increased monthly operating expenses thanks to HD. Actually they'd be better off programming the Russkies and colon-blow shows on a much-reviled and neglected AM instead of an HD sub. They'd save big operating bucks and get more listeners.

 

[phil]

I'm amazed by the "second guessers" on this thread. Let's face it: HD radio is here, and some people recognize it as new technology and are using or benefiting from it. Others want to see it fail, for some unexplained reason.

I am glad it is here, I have a friend with vision problems, who is benifiting from HD when he listens to a subchannel of volunteers reading the newspaper every morning. I have 2 HD radios, which I use to receive niche programming.

 

[Don Juannn]

It's also a little hard to understand how the EWTN claim represents revenue from HD sales when the facts reveal: they haven't spent a nickel.

An "offer" is not "business." Especially when it hasn't even been tendered yet.

Who used the word "revenue"? I certainly didn't.

I mentioned that subleasing the programming in NYC and selling of infomercials and spots were binging in some dollars to the stations involved.

I mentioned that the offer to sublease an HD channel for EWTN is not business or revenue...but, in response to someone seeking an idea of how much money is involved.....it was an indication that someone was willing to put up some dough for that.

Can't believe EWTN would spend 72,000 a year just to reach 5 people. For that much money, they can send 2 preachers to their homes every day.

I believe the plan was to get the faithful (or those inclined) to purchase HD radios for their homes, etc. Kinda like they do for special Dishes for specialized programming.

72k a year would only require them to find 8-10 wealthy contributors who would commit to 600-700 /monthly contribution....and fundraising, etc. I suppose it could be supported by some small groups, contributions, sponsored programs, wealthy parishes, Boston Catholic TV, etc.

Bit of a niche...and only appealing to those who are interested, not the general public.

Similar to foreign language operators, etc.

 

[Savage]

HD Radio may "be here," whatever that means (so is C-QUAM and shortwave AM) but it injures other broadcasters who share the spectrum with HD originators. It isn't fair to allow some station operators to spew interference with impunity while non-HD stations are forced to remain within their assigned channels by sanction of expensive fines. You'll note that this is the salient issue if you read this blog and most industry websites and publications.

The reasons why HD has such strong opposition - and why it isn't being used by 84% of FM stations and 99% of AM stations after years of relentless hype - are hardly "unexplained" or mysterious. If you're willing to consider the legitimate issues, that is.

Your blind friend could be benefitted just as well by reading services delivered by conventional analog SCA on any FM station. The local pubcaster here did this for years. Its proven technology, it's open-source (no punitive licensing to end-users) and it's cheap and reliable. Your HD reading service for the blind is redundant and unnecessary. You can buy SCA kits for under $50 from Ramsey.

 

[bigtom101]

No baiting....just giving it back on the same level. ;-)

Be polite....and you'll get polite back.

And a long ways from 16! LOL!

I'm sitting in my room here in Central Jersey....roughly halfway between the Philly FM tower farm & the ESB in NYC (~40 miles out from both). The "sticks of Jersey" as Bruce so aptly put it. And guess what? I get HD from most of the Philly FM's from the dipole in my room, and can get NYC HD with a small 4 element yagi in the attic. At Rider University's WRRC, we have a rooftop yagi for the EAS receivers...for laughs I hooked it up to the Sony HD receiver, and got WPLJ in HD. When I was in Boston over the summer, my Insignia had no problem locking the HD's from either the Pru or FM128 when I was riding the buses around or the train in the metro area. It's only when the analog turned to dust did the HD signal completely hit the fan.

HD can work, and this is someone who has had HD since the 1st Boston Acoustics Receptor HD (I bought it to listen to CBS-FM when they were exiled to HD-2, as well as 104.5 WSNI's HD-2). The technology isn't perfect (nothing is)...but it still is cool to be dx'ing WBZ at night while driving and have it lock in HD. Will it get the elusive ROI? Only if you go out and promote it, just like anything else. I'm a big believer in tech - I have a blackberry and I use over 2 gigs a month streaming radio stations...and that is another topic of how stations need to be aggressively tailoring content and websites for mobile devices. It's all about pushing the "brand" - analog, HD, and online to iPads/Blackberries/Androids etc.