Clear Channel makes 200 stations digital

[korsjs]

not satellite radio, but maybe an alternative?

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Clear Channel Communications Inc. (NYSE:CCU - news) on Monday said 200 radio stations would, by the end of the month, be upgraded to air high definition digital broadcasts featuring CD-quality music as it aims to protect its market share from rival satellite radio services.

The rollout represents more than triple the number of stations it had previously expected to upgrade this year. By 2007, the San Antonio company said it expects that 95 percent of its 1,200-controlled stations would be upgraded to digital.

The top U.S. radio conglomerate is facing stiff competition from satellite radio pay services XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq:XMSR - news) and Sirius Satellite Radio. (Nasdaq:SIRI - news), which are luring away top-drawer talk radio talent and striking deals to be installed as standard equipment into new cars.

Clear Channel is betting that new features of digital radio that let it broadcast clear audio and send artists and song information to receivers will help it stem listener defection.

Although Clear Channel has bet its future on digital broadcasts, few receivers, which are generally higher priced than traditional radios, have hit the market even as rival satellite companies have made their receivers affordable to mass consumers.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051121/tc_nm/media_clearchannel_dc;_ylt=Ar4fj41riwsBUsGG8qNIkZwjtBAF;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

This is all great, but can anyone buy one of these new HD radios?

Besides that the majority of the programming in HD will mirror whats airing on the station so the 20 minutes of commercial an hour will still exist in HD Radio.

I love my XM and Sirius.

 

[minorthr]

will all the commercials still be SD like on TV

 

[Shawn95GT]

will all the commercials still be SD like on TV

lol

I saw HD Radio being promoted on a few aftermarket head units I was looking at and I couldn't help but think 'HD What?' While I love the content on Sirius, I don't think I'm alone when I say I expected better in the way of sound quality.

I'll take the Sirius content over crap in HD though.

Shawn

 

[korsjs]

i have never seen a hd radio receiver. i know a few have been out for some time, but i have not seen them.

it will all depend on the area you are in if this hd radio will be a benefit.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

There are none available yet, there are HD ready readios but no radios for sale to the public yet which can tune in HD radio.

 

[mwgiii]

Kenwood makes a lot of HD ready radios.

They have now released the tuners for them.
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-bYWH4wX2BQJ/cgi-bin/ProdGroup.asp?g=186650&avf=N

 

[Purogamer]

the local classic rock channel (which howard is on) has had "...High Definition Radio" in their tags for months now. No better way to annoy people than tell them you're putting out a better signal and have it sound exactly the same to the end-user...idiots...

Goodbye radio, i'll miss the 80's, and I guess you will too...

 

[T2k]

Boycott Clear Channel, one of the most disgusting media monopolies and censors.

 

[Purogamer]

my channel is infinity...I only listen to the clear channel station (well, one of em anyways) for the football games. I know someone who worked there and tried to listen, but in the 4 times i turned it on, there were commercials on each time...including one for xm ironically enough...

They're so worried about losing listeners to satellite, yet they take advertising money from them. You can't be dumber than that. When they finally put music back on it was something from St. Anger...<click>

 

[Netstar]

Now you can hear the SCREAMING car commercials in clear digital sound in addition to the same 10 songs over and over. Yeah right! No way would I go back to listening to regular radio again no matter how good it sounds. If satellite radio goes bankrupt, I would go back to listening to CD's. Sirius satellite radio is the best!

 

[RIRWIN1983]

and i dont see anyone paying 4-500 for that "upgrade" either, humm 99 for sirus or 500 for hd radio w/all the commercials still, now in cd quality?

Now you can hear the SCREAMING car commercials in clear digital sound in addition to the same 10 songs over and over. Yeah right! No way would I go back to listening to regular radio again no matter how good it sounds. If satellite radio goes bankrupt, I would go back to listening to CD's. Sirius satellite radio is the best!

 

[hwkn]

To paraphrase Johnny Mathis.....too much too little too late HD radio should've happened before XM/Sirius came along imho.

 

[optimusprime]

Incorrect...

There are none available yet, there are HD ready readios but no radios for sale to the public yet which can tune in HD radio.

There are several. I have one:

Yamaha RX-V 4600.

 

[kwajr]

i just think its funny they keep toughting it here but they never say but hey you will need to spend some dough to hear the diff