wrote in message
...
Eduardo - Where do you think AM hybrid digital is headed? Do you
think it will eventually become the norm? Seriously, What do you
think?

No, I don't think it will become the norm... for several reasons.

1. Only larger stations can afford it and the antenna broadbanding it
requires for many AMs.
2. Few AMs in metro areas fully cover their entire market, so are defective
in analog. Digital just emphasizes these issues.
3. AM listening is declining and listenership is mostly persons over 55, an
advertising target nobody wants today in radio.
4. The big AM formats, news/talk, all news and sports, are moving to FMs.

AM analog stereo, meaning the C Quam system, became the standard about 5
years after FM had taken the majority of music listeners. Therefore, it
never was successful as nobody wanted a radio that got AM in stereo when
they already had stereo on FM, which in most people's minds, sounded better
anyway. If the marketing of AM stereo failed 25 years ago, it is unlikely
that the same pig in a new dress will work for AM today.

Since, practically speaking, AM HD can't add much in the way of additional
channels (unless somebody wants very low bit rates) and data scrolling
(speed is the issue) I do not see new revenue streams being developed,
either.