This reader has a different proposal for HD2 channels.
There are plenty of formats out there, and the introduction of new ones on HD will fractionalize the market even more. Why do that?
Terrestrial broadcasters should consider this programming option for their HD2 radio channels: Regionalized channels of the same winning format. If a station already has a winning format, why not regionalize with HD2?
For example, in New York, WHTZ FM ranks #3 in the market with a 4.7 share of Total Persons 12+, Monday - Sunday 6 AM - Midnight (Arbitron Wi '-06).
But the station has a limited number of commercial minutes per hour to sell. Some advertisers in Nassau-Suffolk would like to be on the station, (car dealers, for example) but the total market rates of the station can't be justified by the efficiency of purely the Long Island reach. Same thing might be said about North Jersey or the suburbs north of New York City.
Solution: WHTZ runs exactly the same music format on the main analogue channel and one or more HD2 channels. Same air personalities, same music. But, on HD2 channel A, the local commercial breaks are for advertisers from Long Island. On HD2 channel B, the local spots are for North Jersey advertisers, and so on.
Same thing can be done with news, traffic reports, community events, remotes, etc.
And the national commercials can air on all of the channels, along with the music.
This can be done in many larger markets - Washington (Virginia suburbs, Maryland suburbs, DC proper), Boston (North Shore, South Shore, Inside Route 128, Western suburbs), Los Angeles (San Fernando Valley, Inland Empire).
Bottom line:
You keep what's strong (music, talk show hosts, air personalities) on all channels.
You make the station more local to more communities within your service area.
You open up the commercial air waves to a new group of advertisers who have always desired to be on your station but can't afford it.
You don't go nuts trying to come up with another format to program (which may not work anyway).
Satellite radio cannot further compete because those services are restricted from offering local content.
Local radio can tap advertisers that already use regional breakouts provided by other media such as local cable systems and newspapers. But local radio adds the dimension of personality that is unique to radio.
Michael B. Levine
Director of Affiliate Relations
Matrix Media Inc.
Chicago, IL
Good Morning - Gain a personal edge on today's business day. Are you reading this from a forwarded email?
