[BC] An HD coalition has formed

[Alan Kline]

------ At 04:42 PM 12/6/2005 EST, The Most Honourable WFIFeng at aol.com wrote: -------
>
>Formed to prevent what otherwise could have been a digital radio Wild 
>West, the alliance plans a "unified direction" for the long-awaited 
>roll-out of HD2 multicast side channels, widely regarded as the new 
>technology's killer app.
>
>HD2 channels - comprised of entirely new programming -- will be launched 
>in the top 25 markets beginning in January. 

Yawn.  "Entirely new"?? Yeah, right.

>One of the purposes of the 
>alliance is to fairly and equitably coordinate local market "format 
>allocations," so that companies aren't stepping on each other as they 
>launch what amount to scores of brand new radio stations.

Oh, good.  Like the Justice Department doesn't have enough to do these
days.  Gotta keep those anti-trust boys busy somehow...

>The new channels will be commercial-free for at least two years. 

That shouldn't be a hard promise to keep, since nobody in his right
mind would buy spots on those channels.  No radios=no audience=no
spot sales.

>However, competitively priced HD radios are not widely available. By 
>launching new formats dedicated to jazz and blues, Hispanic love songs, 
>female talk and other programming not widely available on free radio, 
>the alliance hopes to spur manufacturers to crank out more and cheaper 
>radios and convince automakers to install them in cars.

Has anyone ever stopped to wonder *why* those formats aren't available
now?  OK, jazz and blues have some demand, but in how many markets are
they commercially viable?

Yes, I'm skeptical.  Always have been, and I haven't seen anything yet
to convince me otherwise.

ak