General Struble's Last Stand

[KB1OKL]

By Jerry Del Colliano

Even Custer knew he couldn’t win the battle at Little Big Horn but you have to admire him for fighting to the bitter end.

The bitter end was his death and the death of the troops fighting under his command.

Bob Struble, the man who brought the industry HD radio, is at his Little Big Horn and he’s acting like he’ll fight to the finish as well.

http://insidemusicmedia.blogspot.com/2008/08/hd-radios-last-stand.html

[Play Freebird]

The fact that Cumulus decided to acquire an analog FM translator in Harrisburg to rebroadcast the urban format of 1400 WTCY and WNNK HD-2 speaks volumes about the ineffectiveness of HD Radio's performance and marketing. See:

http://www.radio-info.com/news/index.php?date=2008-08-26

Several years ago, we were all told by iBiquity's promoters and NAB's lobbyists that AM IBOC would "revitalize" AM radio.  I didn't believe a word, but the few Class C stations that tried it soon learned that digital coverage is embarrassingly poor, especially at night.  Rather than waste money on this failed experiment, WTCY decided that the $75,000+ AM digital conversion cost would be much better spent buying and moving a 60 watt FM translator to a mountain north of town.  This was a "no-brainer", as the translator could be located on the co-owned WNNK tower, and the listeners already own radios capable of receiving the signal.  I drove through the Harrisburg area last week and it seems this little "peanut whistle" covers the city quite well.

Now, Cumulus has taken the bold step of changing the AM station's format to sports.  Yes, a new AM analog service in the Harrisburg market.   The FCC has tentatively ruled that a translator can rebroadcast a secondary FM channel (I assume this would also apply to FM eXtra or even analog SCA services) although I can't find any evidence that Cumulus applied for an STA on this basis.

Question for discussion:  If HD Radio actually performed as promised, would this translator be necessary?
 

 

[Carmine5]

This is Jerry's most damning assessment of HD Radio to date.

I liked his point about HD Radio being the 'waste can' of the radio industry. 

"Owners dropping formats have been known to send the format they were dropping into the HD dumpster where their fans could not listen,"  he said.

Instead of programming "A" list material, it has become "the ceremonial burial ground for discarded radio formats".  No wonder the public isn't interested in buying an HD Radio.  This is borne out by the fact that, as Jerry points out, the PPM numbers show HD listening did not meet the minimum reporting requirements.

His conclusion:

"Time to turn off the HD and get ready for WiFi, streaming and podcasting".

One of Jerry's best blogs.

C5

 

[pocket-radio]

Poor sales of HD radios must be embarrassing to Struble. And returned radios to stores must be frustrating.

In the face of facts, Struble has nothing but hype, hope and lies to keep him going.
Uh, just another broadcaster living for the hype. So whats new?   

[hipporadio]

I remember 1400 AM in Harrisburg as a "Hot Hits" station.  I seem to recall it making-it out to Carlisle, PA after sunset and entertaining me on my GE SuperRadio    I digress.  Slap me for conjuring the better years of our awesome industry 

Oh, “Jerry DC” – ‘better read and acquire his “wisdom”... before it's too late!