This is from 4 years ago....I only imagine the number is higher now.
"....More than half (52%) of all new cars sold in 2018 came with factory-installed HD Radio receivers."
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Would the Bull flip?
- Thread starter raccoonradio
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This is from 4 years ago....I only imagine the number is higher now.
"....More than half (52%) of all new cars sold in 2018 came with factory-installed HD Radio receivers."
That still doesn't help a station trying to gain listeners. I stand by that more investment is being put into streaming over HD Radio.
They're too very different things. Streaming is basically an open platform. HD Radio is patented technology. You agree to use their system the way they built it, and pay them a royalty.
I listen to WBZ and WRKO ON HD
One reason is reliable streaming was much more expensive to implement than simply installing and turning on HD. ;-)
My investment in cars (Mercedes) has been greater than my wife's (Toyota). So what?
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You're not understanding. There is greater investment by companies, like Audacy and iHeart, in their streaming apps over their HD operations. By investment, I mean promoting station presence. Take WBZ. It's on AM 1030, 107.9 HD-2, and streaming. Other than saying WXKS-HD2 at the TOH, does Audacy promote to AM listeners that it's on HD? No. Did CBS do so when they owned WBZ and it was on 98.5 HD-2? No. Yet, both iHeart and (formerly) CBS did promote it can be heard on iHeart Radio and (formerly) Radio.com.
That's it. Not that you and others have an HD Radio in your car. They focus on promoting (investing) their streaming actions more than they do on putting content on HD and trying to bring in listeners to HD. I'm reading your replies as a defense of your preferred method. However, HD Radio to Streaming for listening to content overall is like examining the number of people who used HD DVD to Blu-Ray during the format wars.
As I said, they OWN their streaming platform. They don't own HD Radio.
I'm not debating you on that. I'm debating the other posters who appear to be defending the progress of HD, as they personally listen to it.
But, as you stress this logical position, companies without an owned platform still sign deals to use them and advertise the use of streaming their stations. For example, 100 The Pike out of Western Mass is owned by Cumulus and is on Audacy's streaming app.
My original statement that others debated was that they questioned putting WBZ or WRKO on 101.7, when they're available on HD Radio. Where I agree it isn't sound to remove The Bull to put an AM station on FM, I disagree with the HD Radio reasoning. More so, it's that they are viable on AM and anyone who doesn't want to listen on AM can stream, which is more widely available on streaming over on HD Radio (as in an install base).
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If 101.7 in its current format is making them money, there is ZERO incentive to blow it up and put a simulcast of WBZ-A on it.
Even if it were just marginally profitable, there is still the ability to clear national shows and advertising campaigns that is an intangible.
They are not IMHO going to be able to sell any more advertising by saying they can also be heard on FM, anyone who wants WBZ-A knows where it is, it has been there for most listeners lives.
And I can tell my phone via Alexa to play WBZ News Radio, I don't have to fuss with any other app, I can voice command it.
Even if it were just marginally profitable, there is still the ability to clear national shows and advertising campaigns that is an intangible.
They are not IMHO going to be able to sell any more advertising by saying they can also be heard on FM, anyone who wants WBZ-A knows where it is, it has been there for most listeners lives.
And I can tell my phone via Alexa to play WBZ News Radio, I don't have to fuss with any other app, I can voice command it.
I'm understanding.....and I'm commenting on the fact that you said HD is primarily available in "higher trims" as some way of discounting the fact that (as of 2018) it was coming in the majority of new cars. It's probably a higher prevalence rate now.
Probably because they don't need to spend any more money on HD. They already put it on the air (years ago) and it's up and running requiring very little investment.
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But there is a license fee paid by stations that use the HD system.
True. I've heard some stations got their fee waived?
does a cheapskate like Beasley turn their HD1 off due to lack of interest in maintaining it, or are they too cheap to pay the fees?
WZLX in HD sounds pretty damn good, now if we could get rid of the annoying lawyer ads on the RDS
WZLX in HD sounds pretty damn good, now if we could get rid of the annoying lawyer ads on the RDS
Don't they run WRCA on WBOS HD-2?
Ok, so go back to my point about a company like Cumulus. They don't own an app, but instead they have an agreement to place their stations on Audacy's app. They also pay a fee to have their stations on HD (as stated by David). Yet, they tell listeners to listen on streaming and barely (if ever) reference the HD station. Same with Beasley. The reason is that there is a greater listener install base with streaming than with HD. And, in the current state of inflation combined with chip shortages for cars, it makes greater sense to push streaming over the HD signal where an AM station can be heard with FM sound quality (or better). Until all cars come with HD as a standard feature like Bluetooth does, this will be the case.
Finally, I'm not saying invest as in a financial investment. Yes, money is always the endgame for any buisness. But the investment I reference is in time; as in time taken to promote where the listener can hear the station, other than on AM.
How about country? It will do better than any of those.
Good grief man....let it go!
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