The Light at the End of the Tunnel

The transition to digital has been a protracted struggle for radio
broadcasters. It's now getting on late in 2007, and while an
impressive number of radio stations have anted up and adopted HD Radio
technology, few consumers have managed to muster much more than a ho-
hum to the idea of adding a pricey new radio to their stable of legacy
receivers.

Yet just when it seems that things can get much worse, they may be
getting ready to.

According to a number of reports coming from the recent House
Judiciary Committee Hearing on Broadcast Performance Rights, the light
at the end of the metaphoric tunnel that represents our long IBOC
digital transition may just be a freight train heading our way.

It's no secret that HD Radio's only real selling point for consumers
thus far has been the multicast application. Convince a Jazz fan that
he may actually have a choice between a couple of jazz channels that
didn't previously exist in his market with no monthly subscription,
and well, you may have just landed a convert.

But signs from Washington indicate that the cost of programming those
multicast services, as well as analog channels, may be about to take
off -- at least if the RIAA gets its way, as the recording industry,
now firming up their gains from online broadcasters, is proposing
nothing less than a statutory per-recording performance royalty for
radio airplay.

A recent article in the Broadcast Law Blog published by Davis, Wright,
Tremaine LLC, a post by David Oxenford contains this timely warning to
broadcasters: "The proponents of the new royalty have made a facially
attractive case for imposing this new obligation on broadcasters.
Broadcasters must pay attention to this issue now, and explain to
their Congressional representatives the impact that such a royalty
would have, as this is currently the single most direct threat to
their bottom line. And, if the tenor of the conversation at the
hearing is any indication, the threat is real."

At the end of a summer full of tough news for our industry, its time
for radio broadcasters to link arms and mobilize against a threat that
could derail HD Radio before it even leaves the station.

http://radiomagonline.com/digital_ra...te-090507/#eye

"An iPod with a Radio? Apple Is Chicken****!"

http://dotnet.sys-con.com/read/424152.htm

Also, looks like Bobby won't be getting an iPod with HD Radio this
Christmas - that's what happens, when you are bad by trying to jam
adjacent LPAM's off the dial !

Banner day !

On Sep 5, 5:33 pm, wrote:
The Light at the End of the Tunnel

The transition to digital has been a protracted struggle for radio
broadcasters. It's now getting on late in 2007, and while an
impressive number of radio stations have anted up and adopted HD Radio
technology, few consumers have managed to muster much more than a ho-
hum to the idea of adding a pricey new radio to their stable of legacy
receivers.

Yet just when it seems that things can get much worse, they may be
getting ready to.

According to a number of reports coming from the recent House
Judiciary Committee Hearing on Broadcast Performance Rights, the light
at the end of the metaphoric tunnel that represents our long IBOC
digital transition may just be a freight train heading our way.

It's no secret that HD Radio's only real selling point for consumers
thus far has been the multicast application. Convince a Jazz fan that
he may actually have a choice between a couple of jazz channels that
didn't previously exist in his market with no monthly subscription,
and well, you may have just landed a convert.

But signs from Washington indicate that the cost of programming those
multicast services, as well as analog channels, may be about to take
off -- at least if the RIAA gets its way, as the recording industry,
now firming up their gains from online broadcasters, is proposing
nothing less than a statutory per-recording performance royalty for
radio airplay.

A recent article in the Broadcast Law Blog published by Davis, Wright,
Tremaine LLC, a post by David Oxenford contains this timely warning to
broadcasters: "The proponents of the new royalty have made a facially
attractive case for imposing this new obligation on broadcasters.
Broadcasters must pay attention to this issue now, and explain to
their Congressional representatives the impact that such a royalty
would have, as this is currently the single most direct threat to
their bottom line. And, if the tenor of the conversation at the
hearing is any indication, the threat is real."

At the end of a summer full of tough news for our industry, its time
for radio broadcasters to link arms and mobilize against a threat that
could derail HD Radio before it even leaves the station.

http://radiomagonline.com/digital_ra...radio-update-0...

"An iPod with a Radio? Apple Is Chicken****!"

http://dotnet.sys-con.com/read/424152.htm

Also, looks like Bobby won't be getting an iPod with HD Radio this
Christmas - that's what happens, when you are bad by trying to jam
adjacent LPAM's off the dial !

Banner day

Could be that all Radio will become Talk Radio.