1 Millionth HD Radio Expected To Sell In 2008
By Amy Gilroy -- TWICE, 9/3/2008
Orlando, Fla. — Up until now, HD Radio, like satellite radio, limited the commercials it aired, but that is about to change.
The HD Radio Alliance announced today it will allow HD2 Radio stations to begin airing commercials, lifting a three-year ban.
In addition, the Alliance, at its annual press conference today, announced it expects the 1 millionth HD Radio will be sold this year.
At present, more than 800 stations use the extra bandwidth from HD Radio to broadcast an extra channel — called an HD2 channel. An “oldies” station might add a “live rock” station, for example. But radio operators have been forbidden to air commercials on HD2 channels, with the slight exception that earlier this year they were permitted to mention the name of a sponsor only.
Now all restrictions are lifted although there are “private,” “suggested guidelines” for HD2 stations to follow, said Peter Ferrara, president and CEO of the HD Radio Alliance, at the conference.
HD2 channels are considered critical to HD Radio’s success. “For HD Radio to be a success, it has to be more than a better sounding radio signal. What’s driving it and will drive it is the type of content that will be unique,” Ferrara said, noting in Boston there is an “Irish” HD2 channel and an “iChannel” that is programmed by high school kids.
The Alliance said there are 1,750 HD Radio stations at present (up from 1,600 in March) serving 231 markets, and it proclaimed digital radio is positioned to achieve mass-market status now that HD Radios have dipped below the $100 price tag. Radiosophy is now offering a $49 HD Radio model after rebate.
“The price delta over typical radios is narrowing … and as the price differential drops, radio makers will opt to build more radios with HD Radio,” said Ferrara, noting that eventually most radios will include the technology.
Ferrara also announced he will step aside, taking a consulting role at the HD Radio Alliance starting in January, while Alliance executive VP Diane Warren will become president. He said now that digital radio has achieved 77 percent awareness, his skills in market development are less critical.
The Alliance also noted that its recent mobile texting campaign has been successful, with more than 62 percent of those solicited opting in to a “text to win” contest. Consumers send a text message for a chance to win an iLuv HD Radio and to hear information on HD Radio.
Ferrara said HD Radio is now available on 82 car models from 14 brands, including Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and BMW. The latter reports that the take rate for HD Radio is about the same as in satellite radio, which has been stated at about 50 percent to 53 percent.
The HD Radio Alliance is a cooperative of radio broadcasters to accelerate the rollout of digital radio.
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HD radio is not "High Definition", I wish respectable media outlets woud quit mis-stating this. It's hybrid digital; anything (HD2) that has a bit rate no greater that about 90kps can not be considered "high definition" in anybody's book. Hopefully, this poorly considered, but forcefully ($$$) pumped technology will fade away quickly in the near future.
Richard Lane - 2008-9-9 15:22:00 EDT -
Had those who developed digital broadcast methods only insisted that HD have its own band, as do AM & FM, how different might things have been?
But too-clever-by-half 90s greedyguts saw HD's jamming edge which fit their cronyistic 'business model'. Rather than place HD on its own band as experts had long advised, BigCorpseorate insisted upon hog-gluing HD pig-wings onto AM & FM analog signals.
Result? That hissing mess on AM &FM , especially at night on AM.
Why intentionally jam other stations? Why push the FCC to allow State Sponsored Jamming? Was that their idiot 90s biz-model? Keep changing rules, make what's new today obsolete tomorrow, make consumers shell out endless dollars for perpetual HD upgrades?
What went wrong? Did the HD Cotillion outsmart itself? Isn't this what observers of human weakness meant when they long ago said, 'hoisted upon one's own petard'?
The American people forgive easily, but they harbor no sympathy for the proud. Wouldn't the present be an ideal time to either place HD on its own band - or simply stop jamming and turn it off?
The longer this HD 'carny shill' continues, the worse will be the damage to the radio industry. Who would want that? Don't tell me BigRadio would actually consider blowing out the industry and selling off our public airwaves to the lowest bidder?
Come to think of it, didn't that happen back in 1982, when a cargo company bought up supposedly 'unused' spectrum?
Think about it. Your right to communicate freely is at stake.
Paul Vincent Zecchino
Manasota Key, Florida
03 September, 2008
Paul Vincent Zecchino - 2008-3-9 18:59:00 EDT -
First of all that's baloney, they forgot to tell you that many of them were returns and also that many were sold at bargain basement prices, in fact I suspect the majority were sold at less than retail, they have even been found at Goodwill thrift shops, yup big success. If they are so widespread who don't I, ham radio operator and radio aficionado for 45 years know ONE person who wons one?
I have tried them in stores, at least the few stores that used to carry them and they are not anything like advertised: they drop out, the cut the receive range severely and the fidelity is not much better if any than analog and they also block adjacent channels hence one of the many derogatory names of HD: iBlock.
HD radio or IBOC which is it's proper name is a huge scam, will go down in the annals of history along with the Edsel and New Coke as being among the worlds largest commercial failures. Don't swallow the baloney that Robert Strew-Bull and his company ibiquity spews. It is dead in the water. New installs have stalled and the current victims er.. client's,.... contracts will run out in a year, look for mass returns to analog service for all but the biggest richest stations who coincidentally happen to also be the biggest investors in ibiquity.
Bob Young
Millbury, MA
Bob Young - 2008-3-9 18:44:00 EDT -
"HD Radio spinners claim a breakthrough year: Pulling a fast one"
"According to a press release from the Alliance 330,000 HD receivers were sold last year. This is a 725 per cent increase from the 40,000 sets purchased a year earlier and therefore 2007 was a 'breakthrough year' for the technology. In 2008 they will sell a million of the things."
tinyurl.com/4zgkaw
Yea, right! HD Radio is a farce:
hdradiofarce.blogspot.com
PocketRadio - 2008-3-9 18:10:00 EDT
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