WLS TEAMED UP WITH THE WEATHER CHANNEL.

[radiotower40]

While listening to the WLS news at 3PM today, I noticed that Richard Lewelling was doing the report from
The Weather Channel. I like the fact that WLS is now using The Weather Channel. They must have just started
this today, I didn't notice it last week.

On another note WLS has their HD off today, and the audio sounds much better. I don't know if it is a technical
problem or if they have decided to shut it off like WGN did. I'm hoping for the latter.

 

[briankay]

On another note WLS has their HD off today, and the audio sounds much better. I don't know if it is a technical
problem or if they have decided to shut it off like WGN did. I'm hoping for the latter.

I noticed also on the 19th that the HD was off that day. It was also one of the few days that my HD radio in my car correctly decoded the C-Quam signal (AM stereo) I wish the engineer (Ed Glab I think) would set the C-Quam encoder to these setting each evening after the HD goes off.

That said don't do what WGN did and turn off the HD. As the world's biggest technophile radiophile, I think daytime AM HD radio operation is the best thing for the AM band since radio was invented. Just need a few AM stations to go pure digital to eliminate the side band interference (which would also increase the digital power 30 fold)

 

[Reaperducer]

WLS was finally able to get the Weather Channel forecast because WGN released it. Under the old regime, WGN was using Weather Channel just to keep it out of the hands of the other stations. When the company went bankrupt it could no longer afford that expense and finally did the logical thing and brought Tom Skilling on board.

I agree with you on the HD radio. I used to be a huge WGN listener, but since I got an HD radio I never listen anymore. I simply can't bear the sound of non-HD AM radio. I can't believe I ever put up with all that noise and flat sound.

 

[mario]

Hi Reaperducer -

I totally agree with you that AM on HD Radio sounds amazing. The problem the stations have is when you listen to AM on a NON-HD radio (which is the way 99.99% of people listen) the non-HD stations sound better. WGN with the HD turned off sounds much better than WBBM or WSCR on a regular radio.
If HD radios were selling well, this wouldn't be a problem, but since the vast vast majority of listeners have no intention of buying an HD radio, wouldn't you as a station owner want to appeal to the largest number of listeners?
The only reason the CBS stations keep the HD working on their AM stations is that they have a FINANCIAL interest with Ibiquity in selling HD radios. Since WGN does not, their decision to turn off the HD signal makes perfect sense.

 

[Reaperducer]

Well, I'd rather not take this thread too far off track, but to answer your question -- I was unaware that WGN sounds better than WBBM or the other HD radio stations on a regular AM receiver.

It was my understanding that WGN and other AM stations that dropped HD did so because of the adjacent channel interference they were causing and the reduced reach of their daytime signals.

As for CBS' financial stake in Ibiquity, that doesn't bother me. I'm sure deep down in most people's 401(k)'s most of us have a financial stake in Ibiquity or CBS or both, wether we know it or not.

I think in time all radios will be HD-capable since the cost of the radios is falling ($400 when I looked into HD radio last year, $100 for entry-level this past Christmas). Eventually there will be a tipping point where WGN will have to switch on the HD signal again in order to stay competitive with the better sounding HD signals on the competitors.

What would be nice is if WGN could put its signal on some other station's HD-2 or HD-3 channel. Maybe pair up with WFMT like in the old days. Of course, WFMT isn't in HD either, which is why I listen to WDCB instead these days.