[BC] HD Radio -- Folks we have to get it right!

[Mike]

Sid,
   Many station are still gearing up while others are way ahead and 
waiting on technology to catch up.  You haven't heard much about what 
people are going to do with their SAC most likely for two reasons. 
First if they have plans they aren't going to tell anyone as with any 
format most stations keep it quiet until they release it on the world. 
Second many are figuring out what they are going to do.  To me this is a 
good things as it is getting people in radio to start thinking with a 
fresh outlook.  They are approaching it as a new station and opening 
their minds more than they might have in the past as they can do things 
with their SAC that they may be afraid to do with their main channel. 
In our case we did a survey of our listeners and asked them what they 
wanted.  We took those results and we have built a strong line up around 
what they ask us for.  We are doing it in stages as some of it can not 
happen until we can hire the staff to cover it but the ONLY reason we 
haven't already hired the staff is we are owned by the University of 
Tennessee and it's very difficult to create a position and hire someone. 
  That process has started however and we will make this happen.  I get 
calls several times a week from listeners asking where they can buy the 
radios and we haven't even promoted it yet.  Not one word has been said 
on air about our HD being up and operational.  I say all of this only t 
point out that just because they haven't told you what they are planning 
doesn't mean it isn't being planned or things aren't already being put 
into place.
My .02 worth
Later
Mike

> Even funnier/more pathetic:  The only concrete plans I have heard of, to
> date, for HD2 channels have been three stations (that I know of), that
> have changed formats in the past year, putting their DEAD formats on HD2
> to placate the complainers (and, of course, if just a tenth of those
> complainers had had Arbitron diaries, the formats wouldn't be dead,
> would they?).  If this is what lies in store for
> multicasting...fragmenting the audience even further, with formats that
> wouldn't fly on the main channel...then what's the point?
>