[BC] Non-IBUZ Digital?

[Rich Wood]

------ At 11:51 PM 7/5/2006, Robert Meuser wrote: -------

>I said 'Digital'  not IBOC.

With the support of the HD Dominion (most of the major companies in 
the industry) behind IBUZ (all apparently willing to accept AM IBUZ 
interference that wipes out even their own stations), and with a 
massive, brilliantly executed, marketing campaign in full swing, the 
size of which boggles the mind, what would it take to cause the FCC 
to dump the system? Assuming there's someone they could auction the 
spectrum to, it would be in their best interest to let AM die so 
other users could control water heaters. It would almost be a 
trade-off. With thousands more FM channels competing with each other 
for non-existent advertising dollars, the loss of AM might make up 
for it and we could learn to love cold showers.

I have a feeling you don't mean broadcast digital. If a wireless 
digital system based on the existing cellular infrastructure could be 
devised that could handle the number of users currently using radio 
at any one time we'd have one world digital radio. There'd be radios 
that wouldn't have to be tethered to internal combustion engines or 
huge power plants on the market in a heartbeat. Every station in the 
world would be available everywhere there's a cellular type signal. 
We all know G3 is just the beginning. We'll probably hit G86 in our 
lifetimes. That might make it worthwhile for cellular companies to 
fill in unserved areas if they could figure out how to make a killing 
with it. I wonder if the fight against "network neutrality" might 
have something to do with it.

That still leaves us with an advertising problem. Forget the 
additional 6,000 or so spectacularly interesting IBUZ jukebox 
secondary channels. We'd then be dealing with every station in the 
world competing in every market in the world. With hundreds of 
thousands of options, very few stations would find a large enough 
audience to make a buy worthwhile at a rate coming close to a dollar 
a hollar. Stations would have to have world sales rep firms instead 
of national reps. "Why should I buy WXXX down the street when Radio 
Pongyang offered me a great rate" says Bob's Discount Furniture. 
They'll even translate my spot free.

It has its upside. I'd listen to the stations from India to prepare 
myself to deal with Dell tech support, among others.

Right now I can get unlimited, always-on wireless Internet with 
reasonable speeds ($59.95 a month). Major markets can get even higher 
speeds. Will those speeds deteriorate as more customers come online 
at the same time?

If you mean non-broadcast digital, I agree. I have a black helicopter 
feeling that IBUZ is a device to hasten the development of 
non-broadcast media. If it happens I picture as many "radio stations" 
as there are web sites. Radio, as we know it, will have to transform 
itself into something completely different.

Rich