Re: [Swprograms] OT: Digital radio market study

[jfiglio1@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

Yeah, but...

I took the plunge and bought an HD Radio.  It's clear to me that the 
reason satellite radio remains the digital radio of choice is because 
it's bothered to present and develop a number of innovative formats, 
as well as serve traditionally underserved markets.  

In contrast, what I'm hearing on HD Radio with only a few, limited 
exceptions is much of the same stuff we've been hearing on terrestrial 
radio for years.  The large group owners of our land-based and 
community-based radio stations don't seem to want to commit the 
resources and imagination necessary to effectively diversify their 
offerings and compete or--in the alternative--serve the unique needs 
of each local audience.  Doing the latter would appear to be 
especially effective against a national service like satellite.

So until the group owners stick a crowbar in their collective wallets 
and actually do what their licenses say they should be doing, 
satellite will have this field mostly to themselves.  There's just not 
enough out there (yet?) on digital AM/FM to justify spending at least 
a hundred to several hundred dollars for a new receiver to get 
essentially the same product I can get now with a $15 or $20 radio.  
The fact that the sound is marginally more pleasing just doesn't 
effectively fill this gap.

John Figliozzi
Halfmoon, NY

----- Original Message -----
From: Rob de Santos <rdesantos@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wednesday, November 7, 2007 1:22 pm
Subject: [Swprograms] OT: Digital radio market study
To: 'Shortwave programming discussion' <swprograms@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

> >From the "Retail Bridge" newsletter this morning (this does not 
> necessarilyrepresent my opinion!):
> 
> 
> 
> --
> -Rob 
> 
> Digital Radio Market Set To Explode, Study Finds
> 
> Once again, industry watchers are predicting this to be the year 
> that digital
> radio finally takes off.
> 
> According to a report released Monday by market research firm In-
> Stat, growth of
> the new Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB)+ standard in Europe and the
> introduction of DAB-compatible mobile devices in Asia is expected 
> to drive a
> three-fold increase in digital radio sales by 2011.
> 
> "From a regional standpoint, DAB technology is close to mass-
> market appeal in
> the U.K., and is the pervasive digital radio technology throughout 
> Europe," said
> In-Stat analyst Stephanie Ethier.
> 
> According to In-Stat, the global market for digital radio is set 
> to grow from 9
> million in 2006 to almost 32 million in 2011.
> 
> In the U.S., where satellite radio still rules, HD Radio is making 
> an impact.
> Awareness of digital HD Radio has grown from 57 percent in 2005 to 
> 77 percent
> this year.
> 
> Still, it's not yet time for Ibiquity and other HD Radio backers 
> to break out
> the champagne. Satellite is still the platform of choice for U.S. 
> subscriptionradio listeners.
> 
> "Satellite radio remains the leading platform for digital radio in 
> the U.S.,
> despite notable progress in HD Radio awareness," Ethier said.
> 
> Why are listeners upgrading to digital formats? Both in the U.S. 
> and overseas
> increased programming choice is the "primary driver" of digital 
> radio ownership,
> In-Stat said.   C 2007 Media Business Corp (MBC).
> http://www.thebridgemediagroup.com/subscribe
> 
> 
> 
> 
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