MSNBC columnist Gary Krawkow strikes again, this time with the incredible statement that "Howard Stern might be leaving terrestrial radio at the wrong time." Ugh. The entire article, seemingly a commercial for iBiquity and their technological breakthrough - HD Radio, talks about how every inch of the Boston Acoustics’ Recepter HD Radio is a modern marvel. And, hold on to your hats kids, that "satellite radio may have some real competition to worry about."
Ugh.
This isn't the first time Mr. Krakow has taken a crack (ho ho!) at satrad. I went off on rant earlier this year when Krakow flip-flopped his story about satellite radio sound quality. And here we go again. Only this time, Gary's comparison does not directly pit satellite radio to HD radio on sound quality, but instead on price. The article eludes to satellite vs HD, but doesn't really do anything but to plug the terrestrial tabletop. Oh sure, the Recepter HD is a mere $500, but heck HD Radio is free man! With XM and SIRIUS you need to pay the obscene price of $13/month! And you don't get the commericals!
[MSNBC]
We now know, that with 75% of Americans aware of HD Radio, at some level, the number of HD radios sold each year, will probably decline:
http://beradio.com/eyeoniboc/instat-digital-radio-set/
To check on-going interest in HD Radio, which is flat:
http://www.google.com/trends?q=%22hd+radio%22
To check interest in HD Radio versus Satellite and Internet Radio:
http://www.google.com/trends?q=%22hd+radio%22%2C+%22satellite+radio%22%2C+%22internet+radio%22&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all
Even after a $200,000,000 advertising campaign, by the HD Radio Alliance, the popularity of HD Radio, Satellite Radio, and Internet Radio, are just blips on the screen, compared to iPods and MP3s:
http://www.google.com/trends?q=%22HD+Radio%22%2C+iPod%2C+MP3%2C+%22Internet+Radio%22%2C++%22Satellite+Radio%22&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all
HD Radio/IBOC is a farce - IBOC causes adjacent-channel interference and has only 60% the coverage of analog. The HD channels are only low-bitrate streams of the same old repetitive material, and will eventually, contain comercials.
Senator Sununu, may put an end to FCC mandates, anyway:
"SUNUNU: FCC TECH MANDATES MUST BE BANNED"
http://www.sununu.senate.gov/pressapp/record.cfm?id=267281&&year=2007