[BC] The message sent by silent HD-2 channels

[r j carpenter]

I am very old. This HD thing sounds more and more like the 1950s when 
FM was dying; stations with little personnel, no spots - and then 
going dark and the license turned in. Automation wasn't widespread 
and cheap to allow at least _something_ on the air.

Some of the equipment was given to what became noncom outfits who 
continued to have faith and a sugar-daddy.

Even in a top FM market, Washington, DC, with about 30% FM receiver 
penetration, in 1960 we were able to get a Class A channel without 
anyone filing against us. That station is now #1 or #2 in the market 
in many books. We ran out of money, as did the next few owners. One 
of our arguing points was that there were more FM radios in our 
coverage area than radios of any kind in the entire state of Wyoming. 
That didn't sell spots.

It looks as though IBOC is entering a similar dismal period with only 
the non-coms doing anything interesting.  FM came back, but it didn't 
have competition from iPods, sat radio, etc etc.

In the DC area, the city expanded beyond the evening coverage of all 
but 2 or 3 AMs, so FM was all you could hear cruising around at 
night. IBOC emphatically doesn't have a coverage advantage.

The argument that HD2 is great because of zero spots and (maybe) 
music choice just emphasizes that it's a losing game like FM was back then.

bob c.


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