Although it's not on too many people's radar quite yet, HD radio may be poised for prime time, if everything goes right this year.
(It may still be a challeng if everything does go right ...)
According to published reports, whether HD radio can successfully bring the cool factor back to terrestrial radio will largely be determined by success of this upcoming holiday sales season (which in retailers' minds is not all that far away).
According to Billboard's Radio Monitor, HD radio has been little more that a footnote on the digital music landscape, overshadowed by satellite radio, podcasting and Internet streaming.
But the industry is prepping a major holiday sales push for a range of new HD devices expected to hit the market in the coming months. Currently, only about 100,000 HD radio receivers have been shipped. According to Pat Walsh, CFO of iBiquity Digital — the primary provider of HD radio technology — that figure is expected to jump to 500,000 before the end of the year.
Laura Behrens, Gartner G2 senior analyst for media industry research, says this coming fourth quarter is critical to the success of the format. "They can't let the fourth quarter pass this year, or the rollout of the entire technology is delayed substantially," she said. "It's another year that podcasting and all other alternative forms of audio delivery then get to continue chipping away at local radio."
A successful season will depend on three advancements, she says — variety, features and price. Right now there are about a dozen models of tabletop and car stereo HD units available.
Polk Audio, JVC and Radiosophy are expected to join Boston Acoustics' Recepter (photo above) in the tabletop category, but like every new consumer gadget, prices will have to fall for a product to be embraced by the masses -- in this case, the sweek spot is $50 or less, but that will be some time coming.
Anybody out their listening to HD radio?
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Nope - nobody is listening to this farce, fraud, and joke of a technology:
http://www.google.com/trends?q=%22hd+radio%22%2C+%22internet+radio%22%2C+xm%2C+sirius%2C+podcast
94% of the US Population ages 12 years and older listen to LOCAL FREE radio. That is a huge number, north of 240 million! While the satellite guys only have less than 6% of all listeners?(and their listener still tune in local stations..).. Now talk world wide and their numbers fall to less than 1%. The clear choice is HD Radio which is LOCAL with LOCAL tastes/interests and LOCAL information. Drive time in your home area is for LOCAL news and views... While I see the benefits of satellite for some, why pay a monthly fee? The satellite guys will tell you it's about choice and fewer commericals... iPods and mp3's give you choice, satellites still only give you 100 channels of "their" choices, some with commericals and some not.. Just as HD Radio... and you won't have to pay for it! Also, remember the Big Box Store employees don't make any comissions on HD but they do on satellite sales... Follow the money and not the money others must defend because they are caught in the hype. You can pay a monthly fee or listen to a few commericals (but not always) and that's the way you pay... either way you are going to pay... If I was to not listen to the raido for a month, I'd still have to pay my monthly fees to the satellite guys, with HD Radio.... I've owe nothing... The clear choice is HD Radio!
Look for a big push this year!
They are still expensive and I'm holding off on getting an HD radio:
http://lowtechtimes.com/2008/01/22/holding-off-on-purchasing-an-hd-radio/
Apparently the radio manufacturers are listening to HD because I see new HD radios introduced almost monthly. Sony has a couple of new units and there's now even a portable HD radio for $199. The cost of many HD radios has falled to below $100 and I'm sure there will be new units available in time for the holiday selling season.