scanman1 posed the very logical question:
Why are so many broadcasters stubborn about dumping IBOC and re-focusing on quality analog audio for those of us who still enjoy tuning in? Hd radio is a clunker (I know first hand) that I doubt will be significantly improved with this increase for the less than 1% of radio listeners who actually have the radios. And, it will add unremovable noise to the audio which will make even the nicest analog FM tuners sound like something from Fisher-Price. A big shame!
To "dump" is to "fail". The stations who signed on to the IBOC pipe dream have committed serious funds to it and this equipment needs to be depreciated. To abandon it now means utter and complete embarrassing failure.
Also, the chairperson of iBiquity absolutely and positively needs to have an IPO before the company goes bankrupt. If he does not get that IPO done, then he stands to lose an awful lot, both personally and corporately. There has been an incredibly high amount of speculative investment in HD Radio. These investors need to get repaid. The IPO is the only way this can happen now, since sales will never ever arrive at the level they would need to be to actually turn this technology into a money maker.
Our illustrious chairperson needs to keep spinning Wall Street into his "HD web of success". Eventually, Wall Street will believe him and the dynamics required to launch an IPO will become self-sustaining. The stations which have already installed HD need to stick with it so that they are there when the IPO is launched and HD is declared to be the true savior of broadcast radio that Wall Street will think it is.
More than a big shame, it is really all quite disgusting and is an example of corporate greed at its absolute worst.
