Re: [IRCA] IBOC, one thing I fear...

["Craig Healy" <bubba@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> There's one very obvious way that those who have an interest in IBOC
succeeding
> could force us to participate - by having our fine, fine government
mandate the
> shutdown of analog transmission modes on AM and FM (a la DTV) by a certain
date.

That will simply force people away from radio altogether.  In the wings are
some truly amazing things, such as iPods and cell phones that can connect to
an internet stream.  That capability is just a minor part of what these
things do.  Why would someone buy a one-trick pony like an IBOC receiver,
when they can buy a device that does way more for the same money?  HD Radio
is already obsolete, and it's not even out of the box.

> If it was merely the NAB that stood to profit from this I wouldn't worry
too
> much about such a thing happening. However, when I think about who else
stands
> to profit from digital audio streams (and the controls that can thereby be
put
> on them) I come up with a very nasty four letter word/acronym - the RIAA.

The RIAA has to fight tooth and nail even to survive.  When these third
world countries get greater internet awareness and capability, there will be
a mass migration of servers to them.  It will be a huge cash cow for these
places, and they will have no real desire to toe the line on the MPAA and
RIAA when it affects their bottom line to a negative degree.  Politics and
money trump everything.  IBOC has money, but these places have more.

I was in a taxi yesterday, and the driver had an iPod connected to the taxi
audio system.  He got the music direct from Jamaica, and he didn't pay a
cent for it.  There just isn't anything on terrestrial radio that holds his
interest.  He's not alone out there..  The RIAA isn't going to file any
suits in Jamaica.  A huge US company picking on a single Jamaican citizen in
their own country simply won't happen.  Politics and perception..

> I'm worried that the next muffled thump I hear may be that other shoe
> dropping...

Nope.  It's the old paradigm falling over dead.  I can see radio as it's
currently done going the way of vinyl records and vacuum tubes.  Sheet music
used to be a huge moneymaker a hundred years ago.  That was the major source
of entertainment back then.  Today it's of use to historians, collectors and
musicians.  The world always changes.  The people who survive are those who
perceive it and react accordingly.

There will always be radio signals of a sort for DXers to sniff out.  We
have to change to follow the times.  I've enjoyed DXing since I was a little
kid.  I'll ride this horse until it falls over dead, then move on to
something else - if I'm still alive.

Craig Healy
Providence, RI

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