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August 20, 2010

Comments

Greg

I believe that mandating analog FM is a precursor to FM-HD chipsets, as many of the NAB/NRSC Board Members are investors in iBiquity (slight conflict of interest). They are sacrificing analog FM, in hopes that this will help with an iBiquity IPO.

Dennis Gwiazdon

Thought it was interesting that texting wasn't included in the "clock." Have to believe that's an increasing function for any smartphone user.

Finally, it stands to reason that radio is already competing with all of these distractions. Whether or not AM/FM chips are added to phones (highly unlikely because consumers aren't asking for it and manufacturers are not going to include features that suck battery life and add weight to the device) radio still needs to be focused on delivering the goods. That means investing in talent and content delivery.

Frank

Great article. Of course, radio also needs to do this with their HD programming. We can't keep saying we have no money to program for these other sources and yet expect to expand our audience through these sources. There's a reason it took decades for FM to take off, and HD and, therefore, portable device interest will too if we keep programming what people could always get from their ipod or a internet station. Lets bring LIVE and LOCAL back! We may have to start with interns but we can move up as we start recognizing the profits. But we won't get profits without the programming to create the draw, and jukebox programming creates no draw and no loyalty.

Michael O'Shea

Yes, of course radio wants to be there. It HAS to be there. While radio will be on display, pari-parsu with all that is digital and interactive, it will also be one of the (if not the) only LOCAL and potentially LIVE and LOCAL button on that device. While it may not truly compete with Rhapsody and other futuristic entertainment sites, it will be the local-connection to the community. And who knows, this feature alone may FORCE radio to again become what it has been best at: local, relevent info and entertainment.

Further, there MUST be an FM analog AND digital chip, so as AM's become re-broadcast on FM's HD-3 or HD-4 there will be access to AM programmng, which is often the most local and live link to a community. The chip is available now (ask iBiquity), it can and will be enginered to sap less battery energy, and the cost will add only 20 cents to 89 cents per unit.

And worst-case: Imagine the day when the cell tower is down or the "bars are low" and the earth shakes, smokes or floods... and the ability to switch to an entirely non-cellular dependent info source for vital communication.

Radio does not do what Rhapsody or Slacker does, but can do so very much more when needed or wanted to tie a user to the local community.

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