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wgliradio posted:
I have said that HD is a solution to non-existent problem on this here message board so many times in the past. And now, an engineer who works with HD everyday on a 50kw AM station in market #1 has actually gone on record to agree with this concept!
People, are you listening?
wgliradio, had I known you were a "well-placed" and hands-on individual earlier, I would have solicited your opinion much sooner. Thank you for having the courage to post your true opinions here. Maybe some more will step forward and say what they really think. I am still waiting for R.F. to bring some pro-IBOC engineers from these AM radio stations on here to tell us about how wonderful this technology is. I'm patient. I can wait.
Thank you again, wgliradio!
I work as a broadcast engineer with HD everyday on a 50kw AM station in market #1 and am well aware of what the codec does to the audio and can speak from experience as well. I have also assisted and sampled in the fruits of many FM HD setups. HD has done one thing, it has improved receiver design. But even with that improved design, it has not helped HD signals get where they need to go with the supplied equipment. It is a problem that does not have an easy solution.
HD is a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.
I have said that HD is a solution to non-existent problem on this here message board so many times in the past. And now, an engineer who works with HD everyday on a 50kw AM station in market #1 has actually gone on record to agree with this concept!
People, are you listening?
wgliradio, had I known you were a "well-placed" and hands-on individual earlier, I would have solicited your opinion much sooner. Thank you for having the courage to post your true opinions here. Maybe some more will step forward and say what they really think. I am still waiting for R.F. to bring some pro-IBOC engineers from these AM radio stations on here to tell us about how wonderful this technology is. I'm patient. I can wait.
Thank you again, wgliradio!
So I was scanning through this thread, with absolutely no intention of weighing in, until I saw the dialogue about an analog sunset. Very often, I find myself considering how my stations effect "Joe Listener". Joe is just the average paycheck-earning guy, who makes enough money to get by and provide for his family, but he isn't rich by any means. He's just, well, average. I fully realize, though, that Joe and his friends are the backbone of my community, and the folks who listen to my stations, and thus frequent my advertisers. I fully realize that it's my job to serve Joe and his family and friends. Joe Listener works in the coal mine, or at the factory, and he makes enough, as I said, but he doesn't have a whole lot of extra cash laying around.
Recently, when I was crunching the HD Radio numbers and doing my homework in order to make a decision about adding HD service at my stations, Joe was a big part of my decision process. I looked at the situation from Joe's point of view. Of course, Joe'd want to know what he was getting out of it. Well, since my stations are AM, he'd be getting a bit better sound quality when he listened. A little, mind you, because my stations frankly already sound good with brand new transmitters and processors. Since the competing stations in this market are either A) owned by the local Baptist church or B) struggling to make it, I'm quite sure I'd be the only owner around to add HD Radio service to my stations. And of course, since we live in a very rural area, Joe wouldn't be picking up HD signals from nearby. Therefore, literally, Joe would be getting slightly better wound quality from his two favorite stations, but absolutely nothing else. If I were to tell Joe he needed to shell out $200 of his hard-earned dollars just so he can hear a slightly better sound when he listens to the two stations he listens to anyway, he'd think I was out of my mind. Even if he has the extra money to afford a new radio, he wouldn't be buying one, because he would think there was any benefit to it.
You see, Joe has never complained about the quality of either of my signals. He hasn't demanded pristine sound quality when he listens to Oldies or AC. In fact, Joe probably doesn't even particularly care how the music sounds, provided that I'm not playing Swahili Polka, because that isn't why my stations are his favorite. He listens because he hears local personalities, as well as local news, weather and sports. You see, I offer Joe the things he can't get anywhere else, and that's why he listens. HD Radio isn't going to change my relationship with Joe at all, except that we'd both have less money in our respective pockets.
Now let's talk about Joe's aunt Jane. Jane Listener, that is. Jane is elderly, on a fixed income, and doesn't get out much. In fact, she has to rely on Joe to take her to the doctor and grocery store. Jane's only connection with the outside world is her radio, which she listens to all the time. After all, she lives out in the county, and couldn't afford cable even if it came out as far as her house. She also can't get off-the-air TV, because our town is too far away from any of the big-city signals. When the weather gets bad, the only way Jane knows about it is by listening to one of my stations. The only way she'll hear any local news, or get the weather forecast is, you guessed it, by listening to the radio. If it weren't for our coverage of a storm recently, she wouldn't have known that flash floods were predicted in her community, and she may not have been able to call Joe to come get her before the water flooded the road and left her stranded. Jane and her elderly friends understand how important local radio is to them, and you can bet that as a radio station owner, I fully understand the responsibility I bear in keeping Jane informed. While Joe may be the backbone of the community and represent the majority of my listeners, I'm accutely aware that in fact, I'm much more obligated to serve Jane, because she needs serving the most. Now, what if you were to say to Jane that if she didn't buy a new radio, which she cannot afford, she'd lose her only connection with the outside world?
Some of you might think that the story of Jane Listener is extreme and rare, but I assure you that here in the mountains of Appalachia, there are plenty of Janes. I simply cannot imagine turning off my analog signal and taking radio service away from those who need it most.
Recently, when I was crunching the HD Radio numbers and doing my homework in order to make a decision about adding HD service at my stations, Joe was a big part of my decision process. I looked at the situation from Joe's point of view. Of course, Joe'd want to know what he was getting out of it. Well, since my stations are AM, he'd be getting a bit better sound quality when he listened. A little, mind you, because my stations frankly already sound good with brand new transmitters and processors. Since the competing stations in this market are either A) owned by the local Baptist church or B) struggling to make it, I'm quite sure I'd be the only owner around to add HD Radio service to my stations. And of course, since we live in a very rural area, Joe wouldn't be picking up HD signals from nearby. Therefore, literally, Joe would be getting slightly better wound quality from his two favorite stations, but absolutely nothing else. If I were to tell Joe he needed to shell out $200 of his hard-earned dollars just so he can hear a slightly better sound when he listens to the two stations he listens to anyway, he'd think I was out of my mind. Even if he has the extra money to afford a new radio, he wouldn't be buying one, because he would think there was any benefit to it.
You see, Joe has never complained about the quality of either of my signals. He hasn't demanded pristine sound quality when he listens to Oldies or AC. In fact, Joe probably doesn't even particularly care how the music sounds, provided that I'm not playing Swahili Polka, because that isn't why my stations are his favorite. He listens because he hears local personalities, as well as local news, weather and sports. You see, I offer Joe the things he can't get anywhere else, and that's why he listens. HD Radio isn't going to change my relationship with Joe at all, except that we'd both have less money in our respective pockets.
Now let's talk about Joe's aunt Jane. Jane Listener, that is. Jane is elderly, on a fixed income, and doesn't get out much. In fact, she has to rely on Joe to take her to the doctor and grocery store. Jane's only connection with the outside world is her radio, which she listens to all the time. After all, she lives out in the county, and couldn't afford cable even if it came out as far as her house. She also can't get off-the-air TV, because our town is too far away from any of the big-city signals. When the weather gets bad, the only way Jane knows about it is by listening to one of my stations. The only way she'll hear any local news, or get the weather forecast is, you guessed it, by listening to the radio. If it weren't for our coverage of a storm recently, she wouldn't have known that flash floods were predicted in her community, and she may not have been able to call Joe to come get her before the water flooded the road and left her stranded. Jane and her elderly friends understand how important local radio is to them, and you can bet that as a radio station owner, I fully understand the responsibility I bear in keeping Jane informed. While Joe may be the backbone of the community and represent the majority of my listeners, I'm accutely aware that in fact, I'm much more obligated to serve Jane, because she needs serving the most. Now, what if you were to say to Jane that if she didn't buy a new radio, which she cannot afford, she'd lose her only connection with the outside world?
Some of you might think that the story of Jane Listener is extreme and rare, but I assure you that here in the mountains of Appalachia, there are plenty of Janes. I simply cannot imagine turning off my analog signal and taking radio service away from those who need it most.
M
Mike Walker
Guest
I salute TheBroker on his localism. BRAVO! If I lived near you, I'd ask to do a show on one of your stations. Hell, I'd probably do it for nothin', because I LOVE that kind of radio! Your show every day is a visit with friends and neighbors. OUTSTANDING!
Good AM can sound wonderful. I love it, and would listen all day if the programming was what I was looking for. HOWEVER, I'd enjoy it even more if it sounded better! I think Joe would, too!
"Joe" usually doesn't call to complain about a particular station...he just tunes somewhere else!
Good AM can sound wonderful. I love it, and would listen all day if the programming was what I was looking for. HOWEVER, I'd enjoy it even more if it sounded better! I think Joe would, too!
"Joe" usually doesn't call to complain about a particular station...he just tunes somewhere else!
But the question is, would Joe rather hear slightly better audio on another station (assuming he lives where he can get one in HD, which isn't likely in my case) or would he rather hear his favorite station (favorite because of local information and content) in audio which already sounds great. In a perfect world where all else is equal, he may well choose the better audio. However, especially in small markets, there aren't always equal options.
If the costs of implementing HD Radio was $4,000 and the receivers were $15 each, very few of us would complain. In fact, I'd buy several hundred receivers myself, to be distributed free to low-income residents via the local public service agencies. The cost, though, is the big obstacle in both distributing receivers and installing the transmission equipment, and I unforunately do not see that improving to a reasonable point any time soon.
And yes, I LOVE small market radio, especially being on the air. You truly understand the meaning of "community" when you run small town radio stations, because you see it every day. If I'm having a bad day, I walk into the studio and get on the air...the listeners never fail to cheer me up, and that's worth something.
If the costs of implementing HD Radio was $4,000 and the receivers were $15 each, very few of us would complain. In fact, I'd buy several hundred receivers myself, to be distributed free to low-income residents via the local public service agencies. The cost, though, is the big obstacle in both distributing receivers and installing the transmission equipment, and I unforunately do not see that improving to a reasonable point any time soon.
And yes, I LOVE small market radio, especially being on the air. You truly understand the meaning of "community" when you run small town radio stations, because you see it every day. If I'm having a bad day, I walk into the studio and get on the air...the listeners never fail to cheer me up, and that's worth something.
thebroker said:And yes, I LOVE small market radio, especially being on the air. You truly understand the meaning of "community" when you run small town radio stations, because you see it every day. If I'm having a bad day, I walk into the studio and get on the air...the listeners never fail to cheer me up, and that's worth something.
That is definitely the truth. There is no paycheck that is better than having a total stranger come up to you and say, "I love your station."
M
Mike Walker
Guest
In answer to "TheBroker", I think "Joe" would rather have both...better audio ON his favorite station. Personally, I'd go for the programming every time. Hell, I listen to shortwave, and that frequently sounds like crap. I listened to internet radio in the EARLY DAYS, when codecs were awful, for the CONTENT. The best combination, of course, is pristine audio, AND the programming I like.
I remember the early 80s, when satellite gear replaced equalized phone lines for network connection. I COULD HEAR THE NEWS ANCHORS BREATHING! I could tell if they had the sniffles. I could hear them turning the pages. The audio quality was the same as from the studio in the next room, and IT WAS AMAZING! We can now BROADCAST this magic fully intact. Let's not underestimate the power of THAT!
I remember the early 80s, when satellite gear replaced equalized phone lines for network connection. I COULD HEAR THE NEWS ANCHORS BREATHING! I could tell if they had the sniffles. I could hear them turning the pages. The audio quality was the same as from the studio in the next room, and IT WAS AMAZING! We can now BROADCAST this magic fully intact. Let's not underestimate the power of THAT!
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