[BC] Re: HD Receiver returns

[Rich Wood]

------ At 05:55 PM 2/17/2007, WFIFeng at aol.com wrote: -------

>I see your point... but I dont' see where we really part company... not far,
>anyway. You're right, a lot of stations invested big bux in this 
>clunker and a
>significant side-effect of this was a dramatic improvement in facilities.
>That is a good thing. However, how many of these stations *needed* to add
>high-power diplexors and/or additional antennas, other than to make 
>IBUZ fly? Having
>spent all those bux on all of *that*... that's why I am dumbfounded by the
>utter disregard for the system that you and now Bob Orban have pointed out!
>**Days** of dead air? That is utterly inexcusable! Silence monitors 
>don't cost
>*that* much!

The bottom line is there's no bottom line. IBUZ isn't a profit 
center. You'll note that the largest groups are picking a person or 
two to handle all HD-2 programming. They aren't hiring people. If you 
have the prospect of a at least a decade of unprofitable operation 
you're not going to tell Wall Street that this is a long term 
strategy. Wall Street wants the next quarter. We're seeing large 
groups fire hoards of people, not hire them for IBUZ. Most 
independent operators haven't taken the high dive into the empty pool 
yet. If you go to a bank for a large loan the bank is going to ask 
for some kind of business plan that shows your ability to make payments.

>If the *broadcasters* don't give a flying donut about this thing, I can't
>imagine consumers caring at all. It's just such a senseless *waste*! Stop the
>ride, and let's get off, now... before that cement-filled bathtub 
>hurts someone.

Except for AM interference I don't think this thing is going to hurt 
anyone. Think of it as a contribution to the economy and global 
warming at ground level. Considering the tremendous waste heat from 
combiners transmitter sites won't need expensive gas or oil heat in 
Winter. I visited a station and was amazed at the heat generated by 
the combiner to get 110 watts in digital. We can probably salvage 
some of the TV studio air conditioning that's been dumped because of 
cooler lighting.

Think of the upside.

Rich