Philly HD radio is the worst

Home › Forums › Philadelphia › Philly HD radio is the worst

This topic contains 10 replies, has 3 voices, and was last updated by  e gill cvi 3 months, 3 weeks ago.

Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 10 (of 11 total)
1 2
  • Author
    Posts
  • February 17, 2013 at 12:38 pm #80943

    oasisrulz
    Participant

    After traveling around the country the last few months, sampling their HD side bands, I realized that the Philadelphia market has the worst selection I heard. What is missing is Standards, Classic Oldies 50′s and 60′s like heard on RadioBop on the internet, Jazz, Classic Country, Traffic and Weather, Beautiful Music, Soft AC, Active Rock, Comedy, maybe some European ethnics, Polish, Italian, German for the large population of these peoples, and a few more format holes. When you tune into the choices here, its the same bland stuff you can hear on main signals. Why would anyone invest in an HD set when there is really no choice, with all the options that could be on the HD-2′s and 3′s, plus Phillies on 98.1 HD-4, what a waste.

    February 18, 2013 at 5:07 pm #80959

    MattParker
    Participant

    ” Why would anyone invest in an HD set when there is really no choice…?”
    You put your finger on the heart of the matter. They wouldn’t.
    Even if the NAB or Ibiquity gets auto makers to install HD radios in new cars, then the question is why would anyone listen to HD when there is really no choice (and those same new car radios offer Internet Radio, Pandora, CD, USB and SiriusXM, as well).
    Software sells hardware. In the case of radio, software is programming. All the way back to the medium’s origins, people bought content (the receiver was only a means to an end).

    February 18, 2013 at 8:06 pm #80961

    oasisrulz
    Participant

    If you like HD, and are fortunate to live in NYC, LA, Houston, Chitown or the Motor City, you do have great choices, in smaller markets and cities there are some good choices on the HD-sides also, but In Philly there is no choice.

    February 20, 2013 at 11:53 am #80976

    e gill cvi
    Participant

    I agree other cities have better HD choices. But when I listen to the radio (basically only when I’m driving and forgot my iPod), I only ever listen to the HD’s. If our main channels offer nothing, I’m not sure why we’re expecting programmers to do anything decent with their side-channels.

    February 20, 2013 at 1:53 pm #80978

    MattParker
    Participant

    Gill: If HD has lost you, then it’s all over.

    February 21, 2013 at 12:19 pm #80982

    e gill cvi
    Participant

    Well, I’m saying I actually prefer the HD’s. And I think the sound quality is usually great.

    February 22, 2013 at 10:01 am #80988

    MattParker
    Participant

    What you said was: “…when I listen to the radio (basically only when I’m driving and forgot my iPod)…” Sounds like you prefer your iPod to whatever is on the HD sub-channels. Radio has lost you.
    Radio won’t last long if it’s function is to serve people (1) When they forget their iPod, or (2) When the power is out. Radio becomes the option of last resort. People listen to radio because they have no other choice; not because they want to.
    When you listen to radio, you listen to a sub-channel. But when you have a choice, you don’t listen to radio at all. And the sub-channels around here, as others have said, don’t offer much additional choice.

    February 22, 2013 at 11:11 am #80989

    oasisrulz
    Participant

    When I am without my i phone for radiobop or other formats and stuck with a radio, I always go for the HD-sides never listen to any main channel. The only real choices I have in Philly are the B, for a good selection of 80′s and RFF HD-2 for good Active rock, otherwise the band is very bland. I notice Beasley is Asian on 92.5-HD-3 and Wired HD-2 might be a 860 simulcast at times. Classic Country should be on 92.5 HD-2 and Standards on Wired HD-2, plus Classic Oldies on one of OGL’s sides. But again there is so so much music on the net does one really need a radio if nothing is interesting to listen to…I hoped that the HD sides would offer more choices but here there is really none, just the same repetition.

    February 22, 2013 at 11:11 am #80990

    oasisrulz
    Participant

    When I am without my i phone for radiobop or other formats and stuck with a radio, I always go for the HD-sides never listen to any main channel. The only real choices I have in Philly is the B for a good selection of 80′s and RFF HD-2 for good Active rock, otherwise the band is very bland. I notice Beasley is Asian on 92.5-HD-3 and Wired HD-2 might be a 860 simulcast at times. Classic Country should be on 92.5 HD-2 and Standards on Wired HD-2, plus Classic Oldies on one of OGL’s sides. But again there is so so much music on the net does one really need a radio if nothing is interesting to listen to…

    February 22, 2013 at 5:32 pm #80994

    MattParker
    Participant

    That’s the problem. Stations offer a variation on the main channel format, not a real choice. It seems like they are trying to please the audience they already have, not attract a new audience. Maybe they see the sub-channels as potential competition, so they keep the sub-channels weak. I say they should be looking for formats that have a strong appeal, even if the audience isn’t large by conventional standards. People who like Classic Country, Oldies and Standards, the formats you mention, may put up with XTU, OGL and B-101. More likely they abandon radio completely. But they might buy an HD receiver just to get the music they really want (assuming it’s not too late). Same applies to progressive talk.
    I used to like Beasely’s old HD2 format. But I suppose what they are doing is an example of a niche format with a strong appeal. Otherwise, nothing on HD sub-channels is something anybody has “gotta have.”

  • Author
    Posts
Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 10 (of 11 total)
1 2

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.