IBOCcrock wrote:
On Feb 4, 4:33�pm, D Peter Maus wrote:
IBOCcrock wrote:
Doubtful, that there would ever be a mandate:
� �Don't count it out. FCC also said there would no digital only mandate
for DTV, too. Have you heard about Feb 17th, 2009?

� �The ONE thing we've been able to count on from FCC for some years,
now, is that they will do whatever it takes to maximize the confusion,
inconvenience, and abandonment of the broadcast consuming public to the
benefit of special interests.

� �Sanity is no longer in FCC DNA and hasn't been since before they cut
the balls off the AM Stereo momentum.

� �"To serve in the public interest as a public trustee," isn't even
paid lip service anymore. It's about the broadcaster. Not the public
interest.

� �It has been the goal of iBiquity and broadcasters in general to make
this move to all digital service. There have been decades of
technological development. Billions in investment. If HD Radio does not
catch on with the listening public, there will be enormous pressures on
both the Congress and FCC to move forward with an all digital mandate.

� �Don't think it can't happen. Don't believe their denials. They've
denied before. And done it anyway. This is a political agency, beholden
to a Congress in turn beholden to very high dollar special interests. An
FCC promise is meaningless.

" Don't count it out. FCC also said there would no digital only
mandate
for DTV, too. Have you heard about Feb 17th, 2009?"

Several reasons support this
decision. First, unlike television licensees, radio stations are
under
no statutory mandate to convert to a digital format. Second, a hard
deadline is unnecessary given that DAB uses an in-band technology
that
does not require the allocation of additional spectrum. Thus, the
spectrum reclamation needs that exist for DTV do not exist here.

Yea, I do count it out, Grim Reaper!



You're addressing everything but the point.

1) If there is no significant uptake in HD technology, only a mandate
from the Congress/FCC can save it.

2) The money behind HD has powerful lobbying efforts in Washington
that have made many of the decisions about HD deployment possible.

3) If there is no sigificant uptake in HD technology, the money
behind HD will have every reason to lobby Congress/FCC to a mandate.

4) There was also no mandate to update television to digital
technology. It was all to be 'voluntary' and market driven. Expectations
were that the public would suck up HD TV receivers at record rates, and
that analog would be turned off only at 85% of market penetration. And
that was to be market by market. There were no mandates. However, the
market didn't respond, in precisely the same way the market hasn't
responded to HD. A mandate was necessary to drive conversion and speed
the uptake of DTV technology. It wasn't until the mandate...it wasn't
until the date was set and publicized...that DTV sales blossomed.

5) This hasn't been lost on the money behind HD radio. The very same
people who have been talking about all-digital broadcasting since before
HD was implemented are the same people talking about mandates, today.

6) FCC said more than a decade ago, that all future modulation
schemes for broadcast be digital. They are committed to it. FCC, as much
as the money behind HD radio, is motivated to encourage HD technology
uptake. Which includes a mandate.

7) Broadcasters are salivating at the possibility of finally
achieving the holy grail of broadcasting since the industry began 80
years ago--subscription radio. Conditional access with IBOC technology
is currently under test. Broadcasters now are highly motivated to
petition FCC for a mandate, as well. As well as the savings of shutting
off the analog transmitters.

And, 8) Take a look at the frequency allocations for DTV. You may be
surprised at where those frequencies fall.

Do not count out a mandate to save HD Radio. There is every
precedent, and every reason to believe that FCC will reverse their
stated position on HD Radio. Too many people are too interested in
seeing this happen. The money behind HD radio, broadcasters, have
powerful lobbying efforts committed to just that. The FCC also has an
interest in HD Radio to meet its own goals. And FCC has reversed such a
position before. Ruling out this possibility is turning a blind eye to
reality.

You're committed to reminding everyone here that IBOC is failed
technology, and that HD Radio is dead. You may be right. But you may
close your blind spot to the reality that there's much too much money
invested here to let this go quietly. And since the HD Alliance can't
seem to get their head out of their ass long enough to begin to market
this product effectively, encourage sales at the local level, promote
product infusion into the marketplace or the creation of new programming
content to drive listeners to HD Radio, they must have an ace up their
sleeve to make this happen.

An FCC mandate would be the Ace of Spades for that card.

This is going to be a protracted fight. HD isn't happening in the
marketplace. But it's not going down without a fight, and won't be
disappearing anytime soon. There are just too many forces involved for
that to happen.