RBR Observation:
HD Radio needs creative thinking
HD Radio is a marvelous opportunity for radio to re-brand itself. While we applaud Cox Radio for taking the initiative to survey consumers on what sort of numbering system for HD Radio they'd be most comfortable with (9/30/05 RBR #192), we hope the folks at Cox will expand the range of options beyond those which begin with the current mHz designations for the FM band as a base. The current system was designed by engineers, not marketers. It is cumbersome and not consumer-friendly. HD Radio presents broadcasters with an opportunity to start over with a better branding approach that doesn't use a "point-anything" or tack on letters A, B, C, D, which infer that anything besides "A" is a step-child channel. We at RBR have come up with a proposal which uses consumer-friendly numbers and allows for future multicasting expansion by giving each current licensee a range of 10 channel numbers to use. It would keep AM HD pretty much in line with the current numbering scheme, dropping the kHz designation, to have HD Channels 530 through 1709. FM HD would then begin at HD Channel 2000 and run through 3009. These designations would avoid duplicating channel numbers already widely used by TV and satellite radio. People can easily remember four-digit numbers, just like their phone number or ATM pin. In fact, we believe it is easier to remember "Channel 26-80" (people will remember it as a pair of two-digit numbers) than one-oh-one-point-five. A consumer will find it easy to remember that their favorite stations are "Today's County 23-10," "Country Giant 27-20" and "Classic Country 27-21," that the local weather is on 29-41 and that they also like "Rob and Laura in the Morning" on "Q-670." That's our suggestion and you can see the whole thing below.
We'd like your feedback - - or maybe you have an even better idea. We want to hear from you by email via [email protected]. This is an important crossroads for radio and some creative thinking is needed.
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RBR’s HD Radio Channel Proposal
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Analog
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HD Radio Channels
|
|
Frequency
|
From
|
Through
|
|
530
|
530
|
539
|
|
540
|
540
|
549
|
|
550
|
550
|
559
|
|
560
|
560
|
569
|
|
570
|
570
|
579
|
|
580
|
580
|
589
|
|
590
|
590
|
599
|
|
600
|
600
|
609
|
|
610
|
610
|
619
|
|
620
|
620
|
629
|
|
630
|
630
|
639
|
|
640
|
640
|
649
|
|
650
|
650
|
659
|
|
660
|
660
|
669
|
|
670
|
670
|
679
|
|
680
|
680
|
689
|
|
690
|
690
|
699
|
|
700
|
700
|
709
|
|
710
|
710
|
719
|
|
720
|
720
|
729
|
|
730
|
730
|
739
|
|
740
|
740
|
749
|
|
750
|
750
|
759
|
|
760
|
760
|
769
|
|
770
|
770
|
779
|
|
780
|
780
|
789
|
|
790
|
790
|
799
|
|
800
|
800
|
809
|
|
810
|
810
|
819
|
|
820
|
820
|
829
|
|
830
|
830
|
839
|
|
840
|
840
|
849
|
|
850
|
850
|
859
|
|
860
|
860
|
869
|
|
870
|
870
|
879
|
|
880
|
880
|
889
|
|
890
|
890
|
899
|
|
900
|
900
|
909
|
|
910
|
910
|
919
|
|
920
|
920
|
929
|
|
930
|
930
|
939
|
|
940
|
940
|
949
|
|
950
|
950
|
959
|
|
960
|
960
|
969
|
|
970
|
970
|
979
|
|
980
|
980
|
989
|
|
990
|
990
|
999
|
|
1000
|
1000
|
1009
|
|
1010
|
1010
|
1019
|
|
1020
|
1020
|
1029
|
|
1030
|
1030
|
1039
|
|
1040
|
1040
|
1049
|
|
1050
|
1050
|
1059
|
|
1060
|
1060
|
1069
|
|
1070
|
1070
|
1079
|
|
1080
|
1080
|
1089
|
|
1090
|
1090
|
1099
|
|
1100
|
1100
|
1109
|
|
1110
|
1110
|
1119
|
|
1120
|
1120
|
1129
|
|
1130
|
1130
|
1139
|
|
1140
|
1140
|
1149
|
|
1150
|
1150
|
1159
|
|
1160
|
1160
|
1169
|
|
1170
|
1170
|
1179
|
|
1180
|
1180
|
1189
|
|
1190
|
1190
|
1199
|
|
1200
|
1200
|
1209
|
|
1210
|
1210
|
1219
|
|
1220
|
1220
|
1229
|
|
1230
|
1230
|
1239
|
|
1240
|
1240
|
1249
|
|
1250
|
1250
|
1259
|
|
1260
|
1260
|
1269
|
|
1270
|
1270
|
1279
|
|
1280
|
1280
|
1289
|
|
1290
|
1290
|
1299
|
|
1300
|
1300
|
1309
|
|
1310
|
1310
|
1319
|
|
1320
|
1320
|
1329
|
|
1330
|
1330
|
1339
|
|
1340
|
1340
|
1349
|
|
1350
|
1350
|
1359
|
|
1360
|
1360
|
1369
|
|
1370
|
1370
|
1379
|
|
1380
|
1380
|
1389
|
|
1390
|
1390
|
1399
|
|
1400
|
1400
|
1409
|
|
1410
|
1410
|
1419
|
|
1420
|
1420
|
1429
|
|
1430
|
1430
|
1439
|
|
1440
|
1440
|
1449
|
|
1450
|
1450
|
1459
|
|
1460
|
1460
|
1469
|
|
1470
|
1470
|
1479
|
|
1480
|
1480
|
1489
|
|
1490
|
1490
|
1499
|
|
1500
|
1500
|
1509
|
|
1510
|
1510
|
1519
|
|
1520
|
1520
|
1529
|
|
1530
|
1530
|
1539
|
|
1540
|
1540
|
1549
|
|
1550
|
1550
|
1559
|
|
1560
|
1560
|
1569
|
|
1570
|
1570
|
1579
|
|
1580
|
1580
|
1589
|
|
1590
|
1590
|
1599
|
|
1600
|
1600
|
1609
|
|
1610
|
1610
|
1619
|
|
1620
|
1620
|
1629
|
|
1630
|
1630
|
1639
|
|
1640
|
1640
|
1649
|
|
1650
|
1650
|
1659
|
|
1660
|
1660
|
1669
|
|
1670
|
1670
|
1679
|
|
1680
|
1680
|
1689
|
|
1690
|
1690
|
1699
|
|
1700
|
1700
|
1709
|
|
87.9
|
2000
|
2009
|
|
88.1
|
2010
|
2019
|
|
88.3
|
2020
|
2029
|
|
88.5
|
2030
|
2039
|
|
88.7
|
2040
|
2049
|
|
88.9
|
2050
|
2059
|
|
89.1
|
2060
|
2069
|
|
89.3
|
2070
|
2079
|
|
89.5
|
2080
|
2089
|
|
89.7
|
2090
|
2099
|
|
89.9
|
2100
|
2109
|
|
90.1
|
2110
|
2119
|
|
90.3
|
2120
|
2129
|
|
90.5
|
2130
|
2139
|
|
90.7
|
2140
|
2149
|
|
90.9
|
2150
|
2159
|
|
91.1
|
2160
|
2169
|
|
91.3
|
2170
|
2179
|
|
91.5
|
2180
|
2189
|
|
91.7
|
2190
|
2199
|
|
91.9
|
2200
|
2209
|
|
92.1
|
2210
|
2219
|
|
92.3
|
2220
|
2229
|
|
92.5
|
2230
|
2239
|
|
92.7
|
2240
|
2249
|
|
92.9
|
2250
|
2259
|
|
93.1
|
2260
|
2269
|
|
93.3
|
2270
|
2279
|
|
93.5
|
2280
|
2289
|
|
93.7
|
2290
|
2299
|
|
93.9
|
2300
|
2309
|
|
94.1
|
2310
|
2319
|
|
94.3
|
2320
|
2329
|
|
94.5
|
2330
|
2339
|
|
94.7
|
2340
|
2349
|
|
94.9
|
2350
|
2359
|
|
95.1
|
2360
|
2369
|
|
95.3
|
2370
|
2379
|
|
95.5
|
2380
|
2389
|
|
95.7
|
2390
|
2399
|
|
95.9
|
2400
|
2409
|
|
96.1
|
2410
|
2419
|
|
96.3
|
2420
|
2429
|
|
96.5
|
2430
|
2439
|
|
96.7
|
2440
|
2449
|
|
96.9
|
2450
|
2459
|
|
97.1
|
2460
|
2469
|
|
97.3
|
2470
|
2479
|
|
97.5
|
2480
|
2489
|
|
97.7
|
2490
|
2499
|
|
97.9
|
2500
|
2509
|
|
98.1
|
2510
|
2519
|
|
98.3
|
2520
|
2529
|
|
98.5
|
2530
|
2539
|
|
98.7
|
2540
|
2549
|
|
98.9
|
2550
|
2559
|
|
99.1
|
2560
|
2569
|
|
99.3
|
2570
|
2579
|
|
99.5
|
2580
|
2589
|
|
99.7
|
2590
|
2599
|
|
99.9
|
2600
|
2609
|
|
100.1
|
2610
|
2619
|
|
100.3
|
2620
|
2629
|
|
100.5
|
2630
|
2639
|
|
100.7
|
2640
|
2649
|
|
100.9
|
2650
|
2659
|
|
101.1
|
2660
|
2669
|
|
101.3
|
2670
|
2679
|
|
101.5
|
2680
|
2689
|
|
101.7
|
2690
|
2699
|
|
101.9
|
2700
|
2709
|
|
102.1
|
2710
|
2719
|
|
102.3
|
2720
|
2729
|
|
102.5
|
2730
|
2739
|
|
102.7
|
2740
|
2749
|
|
102.9
|
2750
|
2759
|
|
103.1
|
2760
|
2769
|
|
103.3
|
2770
|
2779
|
|
103.5
|
2780
|
2789
|
|
103.7
|
2790
|
2799
|
|
103.9
|
2800
|
2809
|
|
104.1
|
2810
|
2819
|
|
104.3
|
2820
|
2829
|
|
104.5
|
2830
|
2839
|
|
104.7
|
2840
|
2849
|
|
104.9
|
2850
|
2859
|
|
105.1
|
2860
|
2869
|
|
105.3
|
2870
|
2879
|
|
105.5
|
2880
|
2889
|
|
105.7
|
2890
|
2899
|
|
105.9
|
2900
|
2909
|
|
106.1
|
2910
|
2919
|
|
106.3
|
2920
|
2929
|
|
106.5
|
2930
|
2939
|
|
106.7
|
2940
|
2949
|
|
106.9
|
2950
|
2959
|
|
107.1
|
2960
|
2969
|
|
107.3
|
2970
|
2979
|
|
107.5
|
2980
|
2989
|
|
107.7
|
2990
|
2999
|
|
107.9
|
3000
|
3009
|
Good Morning - Thanks for your loyal RBR readership. The only trade publication you need to stay informed.
