Search »

Top Radio Companies form HD Digital Alliance

Seven of the top U.S. radio companies have announced a strategic alliance, the HD Digital Radio Alliance, to accelerate the rollout of HD Digital Radio. The companies will work together to coordinate the rollout of HD and HD2, lower receiver price, and jointly market HD digital.

Member companies will devote more than $200 million in ad time on their own stations in 2006 to promote digital channels. The group expects to announce its first market-specific HD2 programming line-up early in the new year, including launch dates, specifics on specialized multicast signals, and a nationwide consumer marketing campaign.
 

Charter members include Bonneville International, Citadel Broadcasting, Clear Channel Radio, Cumulus, Emmis Communications, Entercom, Greater Media, and Infinity Broadcasting.

But according to USA Today, HD still has hurdles to overcome: Digital receivers are expensive with lower-end models costing more than $200, channel choice is limited with only 600 stations broadcasting in HD compared with 12,000 in analog, and digital is just making inroads as a car radio with BMW being one of the first makers to offer the receivers.