Broadcast Law Blog

Last Friday, the rules on over-the-air digital radio for AM and FM stations - the IBOC system or, as it is commonly known, HD Radio - became effective.  The most immediate effect of the new rules, which we summarized here, is the ability of AM stations to operate using the IBOC system at night.  The Commission determined that such operation offered more benefits than any interference it might create.  The final rules also allowed stations to begin digital operations - and multicast operations - on a permanent basis without prior FCC approval.  As these rules take effect, some stations are beginning to look to the multicast channels to provide new programming opportunities.

NPR has, in many ways, led the efforts to utilize digital radio for multicast operations.  In today's Washington Post, there is an article about the city's NPR affiliate, WAMU, which has recently announced plans to take its multicast operations to a new level.  WAMU had in the past programmed a substantial amount of bluegrass music, a local DC favorite.  Over time, that programming had been reduced as the station broadcast more and more talk programming.  The station had moved bluegrass to a full time Internet radio stream, and has now announced plans to move all of the remaining bluegrass and roots music programming (which had been limited to Sundays) to one of its IBOC digital multicast streams - and to include live announcers during at least some of this digital programming.  The Post article quotes the station manager as saying that the local Best Buy now knows that HD Radio is different from the service that XM or Sirius provide.

The lack of consumer awareness of HD Radio has been something that many critics of the service have written about repeatedly.  Mark Ramsey's Hear 2.0 blog has repeatedly lamented the tepid consumer response to HD Radio, most recently pointing to satellite radio's push to get new subscribers through having their radios as original equipment in new cars, and suggesting that HD Radio should be looking to market in similar fashion.  Many critics have contended that the service needs a value proposition - something that gives consumers a reason to seek it out.  Perhaps unique programming efforts like that of WAMU can provide that value.  The NAB is itself taking steps toward promoting such efforts, announcing that it is awarding two stations HD Multicast Awards at the Keynote address of the upcoming NAB Radio Show in Charlotte.  Perhaps with the effective date of the new rules and efforts like that of WAMU and the stations to which the NAB is giving awards, this new service will realize its potential and provide a return on the investment now being made by hundreds of stations throughout the country as they initiate their own digital transition.

David,

I would like to respond to your post concerning HD Radio (HD/IBOC). HD is an attempt by iBiquity and the HD Radio Alliance owned stations to jam smaller broadcasters off the dial, with adjacent-channel interference. Little public attention was given to the FCC's give-away of our free airways. Instead of addresssing the real problems with broadcast radio, the hope is that consumers will buy into the digital radio high-definition hype. The HD channels are mostly computer-generated, repetitive playlists used on the main analog channels and offer no compelling content. Most stations are unwilling to make investemts in the HD programming, as the HD channls are not generating revenue. Please, take a look at my blog - here is a summary:

"Interest in HD Radio Remains Flat"
"Tagging the Virtual Sewer of Formats"
"iBiquity Reneging on Rebates"
"HD/IBOC Violates International Treaties"
"HD/IBOC Spectral-Regrowth and Other Issues"
"The End May be Near"
"Putting Lipstick on the Pig"

http://hdradiofarce.blogspot.com/

The FCC has left it up to the marketplace/consumers to determine the fate of HD:

"4/4/07 - FCC: Market to Decide Fate of HD Radio"

http://www.diymedia.net/archive/0407.htm

In response to Greg's comment above, there is no doubt that there are numerous issues to resolve. We've written about the interference issues in our blog as well. But remember, HD Radio is still in its infancy, with very few radios on the market or in comsumer's hands. There was a time when most of FM radio's programming was automated and not very original - but as the service matured, it has now become dominant. Will HD Radio follow the trajectory of FM or that of AM stereo (a promising technology that died)? Only time will tell for sure, but it is certainly too early to be writing it off as nothing more than an interference generating annoyance.

In response, here is an article today from Audio Graphics:

"HD Radio: Skepticism is Spreading"

"Could the cracks in the HD Radio picture be starting to show? Is there a change underway in the mindset of radio industry execs that HD Radio - as it is being positioned - is not the answer to radio's future? There are signs that this facade may be coming to a close... The writing has been on the wall for HD Radio since its inception, reinforced through this Audio Graphics polling of readers..."

http://www.audiographics.com/agd/091707-1.htm

The first HD radio was sold January of 2004 and stations started broadcasting at least in 2002 - more iPhones sold in one weekend, than multiples of HD radios in 3 1/2 years. The $500,000,000 ad campaign that has been going on since 2006 was mostly out of unsold air-time. This is no longer the 1970's, when FM was born, as there are many more exciting media options for consumers today. The ones who are going to lose their shorts are iBiquity and its capital investors.

What marks HD/iBLOC as a scam? The reflexive overblown defensiveness of those who champion it.

When listeners report, HD drowns their favorite stations in a demented welter of hissing, apologists for this state-sanctioned jammer ask we exercise patience, as HD is in its infancy.

What nonsense. Can't HD promoters be on the level about anything? This is what marks HD as a 'carny shill', a 'scam'.

HD was conceived in the late 80's and codified in 96'. With human beings and technology alike, age eleven is hardly 'infancy'.

At least they now acknowledge what for so long they denied, HD jams. That's the idea. Turn on your AM radio tonight. Notice how your favorite AM stations are jammed by shrill hissing? That's 'a new golden age of radio', say HD promoters, yet another of their fanciful tales told about their self-serving state-sanctioned jammer.

When not making overblown claims that HD gives you 'CD' quality audio - listeners say 'seedy' - and 'streams' featuring innovative albeit nonexistent programs, they're up to their default antics of denying thatg HD interferes.


HD is an ill conceived, shoddily executed, long obsolete, serially superseded, self-serving scheme to loot public airwaves so that a small claque of monopolycasters can reap yet more profits and exert total control over what you hear - and do not hear - on the radio. Who loses? Competing broadcasters - and you.

Nice crowd, eh?

HD bottom line? Here's the juice:

"Older consumers don't want it.
Younger ones laugh at it.
Manufacturers dislike it.
Retailers can't sell it."

Write your legislators, Department of Justice, and yeah, even lackadaisical FCC. Our influence counts.

Let's use it.

Paul Vincent Zecchino
Manasota Key, Florida
17 September, 2007