“RADIO FUTURIST” DECRIES HD RADIO “HATERS”

I receive weekly e-newsletters from James Cridland, a consultant, blogger and speaker from London.  You’ve probably seen his name doing product reviews or when he appears at digital and broadcast media conferences.

James Cridland, Radio Futurist

Cridland is an alumnus of Virgin Radio back when it was in its prime.  He publishes media.info, a broadcast and digital media information aggregator. I’ve enjoyed Cridland’s work until today.

Consider this item today in Cridland’s e-newsletter about HD Radio:

(Link: Ragtag of nonsense about HD Radio.) Still, whoever wrote this can keep the DAB haters company. Tip: if there's a technological solution to making radio better, embrace it. Thank people for trying. Don't "do a Ramsey" and blindly slag it off.

The article Cridland is referring to is Digital Watch: Why HD Radio Isn’t Actually Radio
by Paul Riismandel on Radio Survivor.  Paul mentions an important point that I’ve also reported: Broadcasters are tending to use HD Radio signals for tasks such as feeding signals to analog FM translators and data transmission.  This didn’t seem like nonsense to me.

I decided to write a public e-mail to Cridland and learn where he is coming from:

Date:          February 23, 2015

To:             James Cridland james@cridland.net

From:         Ken Mills publicradio@hotmail.com

Subject:     Questions About HD Radio

James – I hope this message finds you well.  My name is Ken Mills.  I am a consultant and blogger specializing in noncommercial media, particularly radio broadcasting.  I’ve been enjoying your weekly e-newsletter for some time.  Until today when I read this item you wrote:

Ragtag of nonsense about HD Radio. Still, whoever wrote this can keep the DAB haters company. Tip: if there's a technological solution to making radio better, embrace it. Thank people for trying. Don't "do a Ramsey" and blindly slag it off

Before my questions, here is where I am coming from: I have asked to FCC to establish an independent panel to review the track record of America’s current digital radio system and consider alternatives to the in-band-on-channel system.  I believe that iBiquity’s HD Radio has failed gain enough consumer usage to merit continuing the service.

My questions:

1. Why did you choose to insult the author of the article you dislike rather than discuss the issues he raised? Why is what the author said “nonsense”? What does “do a Ramsey” mean?

2. You say the author is a “DAB hater.” Does this mean that if someone is critical of iBiquity’s HD Radio they “hate” all forms of digital audio broadcasting?

3. According to iBiquity, they have no idea how many people are listening to HD stations. They have no idea if people buying new vehicles with HD Radio receivers are actually listening to HD Radio. I have NEVER seen an HD station show up in the ratings without a simulcast on an FM translator. By what metrics do you consider HD Radio a success?

4.  According to your website, one of your clients is iBiquity. In the past month on your site media.info you have posted 12 cheery press releases for iBiquity promoting their equipment.  A cynic might say you are dancing for the money and denying the truth.  Does this reflect your harsh comments about people who disagree with you?

I hope to hear back from you.  I am posting this e-mail on my log Tuesday 2/24/15 and I will publish your comments.

Thank you, Ken Mills