Thanks for starting a thread that could propagate for awhile.

First of all, HD Radio. I never thought this technology would ever gather enough momentum to attain measurable audience, let alone challenge FM or even AM for audience share.

HD Radios are not mass marketed, and the average person doesn't really know what HD means. I liken these developments to the advent of AM Stereo in the late 70's.

As I've stated in a previous post many moons ago on this site..the FCC is largely responsible for the demise of AM Stereo. Two companies came out with a prototype of the new technology. Those firms were Motorola and Kahn.

Both systems offered a nice sound quality, but the FCC maintained that one had to be chosen as an industry standard. Took them 15 years to arrive at a decision due to much litigation. In the end, nobody cared anymore. FM had by that time achieved such a hold on its rep as the source for music on radio that operators of AM stations all but abandoned playing songs for talk and other related formats.

I was a jock at WITH Baltimore from 1995-96 and we used Motorola's AM Stereo system. It sounded great in my studio headphones, but unless you had a factory car radio (in most cases, Chrysler or Dodge automobiles) that could deliver it, our listeners never heard us broadcast in stereo.

More people actually listen to XM satellite...and one main reason is access to its programming. XM spent millions promoting the medium when it was new, and auto manufacturers have made XM available.

All that being said, it remains interesting how people continue to listen to AM Radio. At my present station (WTTR Westminster, Maryland) we have enthusiastic listeners and are actually showing growth in advertising revenues...even though we are a 'local' 1000 watt station serving one suburban county of Baltimore.

I guess when you sum it up...it all gets down to familiarity with and access to whatever medium radio is offered to the average person.

Bob

It may well be that HD will go the way of AM Stereo. Barring anything unexpected, you might say it already has.

• RE: Commercial Radio - General - John 06/12/2012 09:25:34 EDT (0)