On Dec 20, 3:47*pm, wrote:
On Dec 20, 3:27 pm, elaich wrote:

wrote in news:18fe4501-a9ce-42ea-962a-
:

Not to put you on the spot but in your estimation how successful of a
year was it for iBiquitys HD radio?

More and more stations are turning it off. WTIC just joined the crowd.

Is WTIC an AM station?

Well, the FCC has been told not to consider any more actions, so the
forced inclusion of HD Radio into SIRI receivers, and the proposed
10db power increase for FM-HD is on hold:

"Lawmakers order FCC to stand down; put actions on hold"

"Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Representative Henry Waxman (D-CA)
today called on FCC Chairman Kevin Martin to put the agency's actions
on hold unless they are urgent or required by law. Rockefeller's and
Waxman's committees both have jurisdiction over the FCC... If the FCC
indeed must stand down (an FCC spokesperson said they are reviewing
the order right now), then the WCS-SDARS issue - and even the HD Radio
mandate - would likely be put on hold until the new administration
moves in."

http://tinyurl.com/63b9wz

"Kevin Martin's FCC Dysfunctional"

"The Committee staff report details some of the most egregious abuses
of power, suppression of information and manipulation of data under
Chairman Martin’s leadership. It is my hope that this report will
serve as a roadmap for a fair, open and efficient FCC under new
leadership in the next administration.”

http://tinyurl.com/59kvkq

"Media: Bush's broken Boy Toy"

"You’re Boy Kevin Martin and you’ll be forever known by your new
acronym for the FCC – Federal Communications Crook. You wear it well.
You’re Boy Kevin Martin and you turned the FCC into your own personal
hackapalooza. Under-the-table deals were your specialty. You’re Boy
Kevin Martin and you offered your own personal directory of preferred
lobbyists to anyone wanting to buy in."

http://tinyurl.com/6bfu9o

I, among others, have been in touch with Obama's FCC transition team,
and my guess is that HD Radio will eventually get investigated.
Doubtful, that many FMs will rebuild transmitter sites for the 10db
power increase, and if there is enough of them, lawsuits will fly:

"Comments of Simmons Media Group, LLC"

"Large-market and large-group stations with more resources will be the
most likely to increase digital operating power, leaving small-market,
rural, and family-owned analog broadcasters to lose revenues from
interference while undertaking large attorney and engineering fees to
fight digital interference at the FCC."

http://tinyurl.com/6fmcx4

Struble sure has done the industry a great service, by dividing and
pitting broadcasters against one another.