AM/FM radio stations hoped HD radio, with its crystal clear sound and extra channels, would be the ticket to competing with satellite radio. They reasoned that by now there would be a million HD radios in the hands of consumers.
But only half that many have been sold.
Still, there is reason to believe HD might take off soon.
USA Today lists the following improvements:
•More variety. Nearly half of all HD channels feature formats rarely found on the dial these days, from gay-programming-oriented Pride Radio at Hartford's KISS 95.7 to "mashups" such as Cincinnati's WOFX 92.5, whose Mother Trucker pairs classic country such as Merle Haggard with rockers such as ZZ Top. "This is unique content you wouldn't get anywhere else," says Jeff Littlejohn of Clear Channel, with 800-plus HD stations broadcasting in its markets.
•Connecting to iPods. A new HD Radio feature called "iTunes tagging" lets listeners hit a "tag" button on their radio when they hear a song they like. iTunes will list the tagged songs after syncing with the iPod for previewing and purchase.
•Less expensive hardware. The first wave of HD Radios were pricey, up to $500. New radios to be announced Wednesday include sub-$100 models from Sony, Coby and iLuv and others for less than $200.
"Once you create compelling content, things start to take off," says Pierre Bouvard of Arbitron, which begins tracking HD Radio this summer. "I think we are at that point."
By the way, "HD" in radio does not stand for hi-def, as it does in TV.
HowStuffWorks.com explains:
Unlike the "HD" in HDTV, the "HD" in HD Radio is not an abbreviation for "High Definition." Although some have said that it actually means "Hybrid Digital," according to iBiquity, "HD" is a trademarked brand name and doesn't actually stand for anything.
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