The recently FCC-approved
FM HD Radio power boost is big news here
in Las Vegas as transmission manufacturers
on the exhibit floor talk to current and
potential customers about how to accomplish
the voluntary 6 dB — and potentially up to
10 dB — increase in digital power.
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HD Radio’s Kelly Jarvis (right) demonstrates an HD Radio receiver to Nick Wymant of RFS.
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Meanwhile, iBiquity is trying something different this year with two exhibit spaces
and is displaying factory built-in HD Radios
in a 2011 Ford 250 Super Duty pickup truck
and a Volvo XC60. The automobiles are
located in a prominent spot in the Grand
Lobby between the North and Central halls.
“NAB wanted to do something special in
that space,” said iBiquity Digital President
and CEO Bob Struble.
Attendees can sit in the vehicles and listen
to HD Radio. “If people see something,
they’re more likely to buy,” he said.
iBiquity is making progress with
consumers, with more than 2.5 million HD
Radio receivers sold to date, according to
Struble and Rick Greenhut, director of U.S.
broadcast sales for the technology developer.
Both say plenty of stations are using HD
Radio technology to make money.
Moderating “HD Radio Digital Marketing:
Cashing In on All Your Content,” Greenhut
highlighted six stations that are making
money with their multicast channels.
In general, he said, HD2 and HD3
channels have “become the training wheels
for some advertisers” who can’t afford to be
on the main channel.
Indie rock station Radio You Boston,
whose target demo is 18–24, tied in HD2
spots with Web banner ads and branding.
The Connecticut School of Broadcasting
and condom maker LifeStyles bought
advertising schedules on Radio You Boston.
LifeStyles gave thousands of condoms with
specially branded station packaging to the
HD2 station to hand out at events.
The HD3 channel of WAMU(FM),
Washington, “Bluegrass Country,” is
nearing its third anniversary. In a recent
fundraiser, more than 400 members donated
a total of $40,000.
A spokesman for KSHE2 in St. Louis,
an HD2 channel, said in a video played for
attendees, “We want to get people back from
satellite and iPods. We want people to think
of HD Radio as newer than the Internet.”
Graffiti Radio in Wilmington, Del., is
targeting students in high school and college,
an age when buying habits are typically
formed.
The HD2 channel of KNDE(FM), College
Station, Texas, programs “Rock Candy” on
its HD2 channel and uses its HD3 station
for its own product. “Play & Replay” airs
original coach interviews and other station-produced
sports material.
A station representative, speaking to
attendees from a video, said they have to
promote the multicast station with limited
resources, and without hurting their main
channel.
Utah Public Radio in Logan, Utah, features
“Fusion HD3.” It has new underwriters
that want to buy only on the HD3 channel,
according to Greenhut. Students run this
college station.
And finally, the Pittsburgh Penguins
believe they have the first HD Radio station
devoted to a professional sports team. The
HD2 slogan is “All Penguin hockey, all the
time.”
BIA/Kelsey predicts there will be $500
million in revenue from digital radio in 2010,
including the Web, mobile apps, streaming
and HD Radio, noted Greenhut. The stations
discussed in the session provide incentives
to sales people to sell the multicast channels.
“They place a dollar value on HD Radio spots
— [they’re] not just throwing them in.”