RBR+TVBR OBSERVATION
As 2021 comes to a close, the subject of AM radio’s continued viability in the coming years has arose anew, driven by the decision of companies including Cumulus Media to surrender the licenses of stations that have had their fair share of challenges.
While some may shed a tear over these station’s final broadcasts, there is a bigger, more fundamental question that needs to be asked: Did the U.S. radio broadcast industry fail to future-proof itself when it decided to embrace in-band, on-channel HD Radio instead of progressing to DAB, which much of Europe and Australia have adopted?
Yes, and no.
