You know a message is just too complicated when the Local News simply cannot describe it to their audience.

Enter Minneapolis NBC affliliate KARE 11. They broadcast in HDTV, so it would make sense that they run a segment on HD Radio. The funny thing about this video is that in the middle of trying to explain what it is, the viewer undoubtedly will get completely confused. They couldn't have done a better job at driving people away from HD Radio.

Watch the video until the very end. That's where the anchor tries to sum it all up, yet she goes on so long that she has to make a joke about it (with her co-anchor and the weather girl chiming in as well). Unfortunately, the online clip doesn't show the end: where the male anchor crumples up his script and throws it away. Perfect.

Here's the problem. When you create a product based on the need of the company, and not on the need of the market, you're going to have an overly complicated message. The only people who need HD Radio and the companies who are pushing it. 

[KARE 11]
Thanks to lil' conner for sending this in!

Hear 2.0 makes a great point in a recent post. Mark Ramsey takes a look at Engadget's reaction to the new Cambridge Soundworks Tabletop HD Radio, and (gasp) they could give a hoot about it. Here's the snippet from Engadget:

HD Radio, the new digital radio format, for those of you keeping score at home, is now available from about 1,000 stations who are simulcasting in HD and in traditional formats -- which is still less than 10 percent of all American radio. Furthermore, the price of a new HD radio still remains significantly higher than a pocket or tabletop analog radio. How much higher? Well, this newest offering will set you back $300 when it becomes available in November -- and that little $20 "transistor" radio your Mom gave you in 1987 still works great, doesn't it? So yes, we're still listening to National Public Radio and baseball games in analog, thank you very much.

Isn't HD Radio supposed to be this incredible new technology that's supposed to get early adopters frothing at the mouth with excitement? Mark is correct, this is not an issue of price - the iPod is mighty expensive, and early adopters are willing to pay for the latest gadgets. But if HD Radio isn't able to capture the hearts and souls of those who are inheritely enthusiastic about technology - Engadget being just one of them - then how will they capture the rest of America?

Oh right... it's going to take 10 years.

Here's a question. Since Orbitcast is only slightly bias (*cough* HD Radio sucks *cough*)... has anyone even seen a blog, any blog, that actually likes HD Radio?

[Hear 2.0]

A spin-filled article on Radio World Online by Guy Wire (ugh) entitled Satellite in Trouble as HD Grows left me scratching my head by the end of the piece. It starts out by painting Sirius and XM as a fool's investment, stating that both are seeing "subscriber growth rates slow and begin to level off." Level off? I don't know about that.

He then goes on to build a doomsday scenario of how both companies are hemoraging money, facing regulatory troubles, and lumps satellite radio in with "any other high-tech venture that over-promises and under-delivers." Yet, all his points stem from events spanning the past 9 months. Nine months there "Guy."

At this point I'm waiting for the HD Radio speech. So far it's just been a satellite bash-fest... where's the meat? He instead goes on to talk about how terrestrial radio is the most logical savior of satellite should the auto manufacturers decide to cut their losses. In fact, terrestrial having controlling ownership would be the best thing for satellite! So the article now has turned from a satellite bash-fest, to a terrestrial love-in. Riveting.

But where's the point about HD? Oh wait, here it is at the end. Instead of filing HD Radio away with FM Quad and AM Stereo, which many are doing, he instead compares HD Radio to FM. FM started in 1961 yet needed 10 years to take hold, and another 10 years before becoming the "dominant choice for consumers," which he pridicts will be "the same pattern is likely to be charted by HD Radio."

So... in 20 years HD Radio will become popular? Hallelujah! Yet, the occurances of the past 9 months spell complete failure for satellite radio? Amazing insight! Do yourself a favor, keep your smoke blowing propaganda to internal emails there "Guy" - your rant just fell apart.

[Radio World Online]