AM HD TURNOFF PACE ACCELERATES

[Savage]

Reliable internal sources in the companies involved report:

HD is history 24-7 at WLS 890 Chicago.  Ditto WLAC 1510 Nashville.  And at Citadel, engineers have been instructed not to update firmware or install upgrades, and when malfunctions occur, to just leave the Decepticon powered off.

Within Clear Channel the decision on whether to continue with HD on their AMs is increasingly being delegated to local management.  As recently as a year ago there was a corporate mandate to keep AM HD going, but that's changed now.  A few months back CCU corporate left it up to regional engineering supervisors.  Now, the decision about whether the continue HD Radio on CC AMs is up to the local station managers and engineers.  And I don't need to remind you how popular HD is among CEs.  Tick, tock....

It's a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order for a gravely ill patient.

[DavidEduardo]

It's a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order for a gravely ill patient.

And the patient is AM radio. AM HD is just a treatment that was applied to late and didn't work.

[RJ Kanary]

< And the patient is AM radio. AM HD is just a treatment that was applied to late and didn't work. >

          I  have to disagree. In Band Over Channels more accurately parallels an experimental treatment with a poorly researched {Or undisclosed.} "Risk to Benefit"  ratio.

    Toxic regardless of dosage.

[Carmine5]

Wonder when Crawford will stop their cheerleading and pull the plug on HD-AM?  KBRT used to be in AM stereo.  It would sure be a lot cheaper for them to just dust off that old Delta AMS exciter and put it back in service.  I'm sure KFMB would appreciate it.

[audioguy]

Ding, dong, the wicked witch is dead! 

Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh... (that's supposed to be the sound of her melting)

I'm going to send a thank-you letter to the GM of WLS.

Methinks the endorsements will end when the money runs out. This is America, after all. As a friend of mine once said, "money talks, nobody walks". Not that there's anything wrong with that, as a famous comedian once quipped!

[blackgold]

Yes, HD AM doesn't work!  Let's confine HD to the FM band and experiement with FM Extra channels!  This is a great idea that would work.

[wgliradio]

And the patient is AM radio. AM HD is just a treatment that was applied to late and didn't work.

Good.  I'll take WADO for nothing and assume all debt.  Deal?

[pocket-radio]

It's a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order for a gravely ill patient.

And the patient is AM radio. AM HD is just a treatment that was applied to late and didn't work.

Cancer drugs may or may not work. And either way, they wallop the patient with very bad side effects. And to make matters worse, if the patient won't follow the doctors advice then all hope is really lost.

HD makes AM radio sound like FM, terrific! But who knew or cared besides radio freaks and geeks.  Spots are running promoting generic HD radio, but where were the billboards promoting your NEW LOCAL AM HD radio station?

Where were the TV ads promoting your NEW LOCAL AM HD station?
Who are the stars of HD radio, AM or FM?
If the same content is heard on terrestrial radio as HD, were's the incentive to go through all the bull of buying another radio and having it installed?

A typical listener of AM radio is 40+ and they grew up listening to AM radio. Acceptance of AM or FM radio isn't a problem. Kids 8+ plus are growing up with their own brand of media. Smart phones, 3G & the internet. There's your problem!

The patient you spoke of was misdiagnosed. And the treatment isn't helping, it's making things worst by wasting valuable resources and time.

The doctors who believed wrongly satellite radio was cancer, should have been fired.
The doctors who prescribed HD radio and repeater AM/FM Wall Street radio deserve to lose
everything!

Radio is local! AM/FM or HD it's still local! It's about relationships! It's the one last protected land the internet can't compete on. Commodity Radio, AM/FM and especially HD won't cut it! 

The Generals high atop their ivory towers are removed from the battle. Bankers understand spreadsheets. Spreadsheets won't win hearts and minds. Technology helps, but technology alone isn't enough. The internet/Ipod won that battle along time ago!  So it's something less tangible. What could it be? Duh, entertainment, passion, fun and people. Thankfully people still respond to people.

So again who're the stars of HD radio AM or FM? Besides improved sound what's the big deal?

nothing!
       
     



 




 

[Len14043]

Reliable internal sources in the companies involved report:

HD is history 24-7 at WLS 890 Chicago.  Ditto WLAC 1510 Nashville.  And at Citadel, engineers have been instructed not to update firmware or install upgrades, and when malfunctions occur, to just leave the Decepticon powered off.

Within Clear Channel the decision on whether to continue with HD on their AMs is increasingly being delegated to local management.  As recently as a year ago there was a corporate mandate to keep AM HD going, but that's changed now.  A few months back CCU corporate left it up to regional engineering supervisors.  Now, the decision about whether the continue HD Radio on CC AMs is up to the local station managers and engineers.  And I don't need to remind you how popular HD is among CEs.  Tick, tock....

It's a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order for a gravely ill patient.

Bob, I agree with you that AM IBOC is on life support. I predict that in 5 years, most AM stations will not be running IBOC and WYSL will not be molested by WBZ. OTOH, I believe the FM system will gain traction. The implementation will not be driven by the consumer, but by the radio industry. Radio is different than TV in that radio listening is passive and the general public doesn't care about the delivery method.  I compare the radio industry to the telephone industry. Back in the 80's, Sprint invested in a fiber optic system.  However, the general public didn't care and were happy with the system as it was. Other telephone companies invested in their electronic infrastructure which resulted in better service. With FM IBOC, more radios will end up in consumers hands - not because they will seek HD radios, but because more radios will happen to have the capabilities - especially in light of the power increase, and chips with lower power consumption.  Bob, I respect your opinion because you know the radio industry inside and out, and I, OTOH am just a radio enthusiast, but could I be right about the FM system?   

[Play Freebird]

The implementation will not be driven by the consumer, but by the radio industry. Radio is different than TV in that radio listening is passive and the general public doesn't care about the delivery method.  I compare the radio industry to the telephone industry. Back in the 80's, Sprint invested in a fiber optic system.  However, the general public didn't care and were happy with the system as it was. Other telephone companies invested in their electronic infrastructure which resulted in better service. With FM IBOC, more radios will end up in consumers hands - not because they will seek HD radios, but because more radios will happen to have the capabilities - especially in light of the power increase, and chips with lower power consumption.  Bob, I respect your opinion because you know the radio industry inside and out, and I, OTOH am just a radio enthusiast, but could I be right about the FM system?   

You need to ask the questions: "What problems are actually solved by IBOC?"--  then, if any problems are clearly identified, "Is there a more effective solution?"   The long-term success of IBOC will then become apparent. 

iBiquity wants us to believe the fundamental "problem" is that radio is analog and needs to be digital.  However, as you say, listeners and advertisers don't care how content is delivered as long as the system functions reliably and is convenient to use.   

I still hear ridiculous claims that radio must go digital because the supply of "analog" components is about to be discontinued by manufacturers, and without those parts -- well, we have no choice!   This is a typical "FUD" tactic (Google the term for an explanation) and shouldn't be taken seriously.   Although it's true that transmitters and receivers increasingly make use of digital signal processing, analog modulation will always be possible.   The function of DSP chips is defined in software, so if you want to do AM or FM (or SSB, phase modulation, COFDM, or whatever), it's simply a matter of writing the appropriate code.