FINDING A WAY TO MAKE HD RADIO WORK • FALL NIELSEN RATINGS FOR ROANOKE, TUCSON & BOISE

Last Friday [link] we called HD Radio a lemon and that created a stir. 

We received around 20 comments. Some folks agreed with us, others disagreed. A few told us they were sick of talking about HD Radio because it is so out of fashion.

CPB did the right thing when they supported digital conversion. It isn't CPB's fault that HD Radio has been such a turkey,

We have contacted CPB for more details about how $60 million dollars was spent to convert 680 public radio transmitters to HD Radio. The results are meager. 

Very, very few people listen to HD Radio. Stations. Those who took CPB’s money are on the hook for the cost of programming and operating the HD channels.

Three of people who offered suggestions for stations trying to monetize their HD lemons. We call it turning lemons into lemonade.

Today we are focusing on an option that might be available in your area: Rebroadcast an HD channel on a FM translator, where the listeners are.

Cleve Callison

Cleve Callison, former GM at WHQR in Wilmington, North Carolina,

posted a message on PubRadio that described the new station:

From: Cleve Callison

Fri 1/24/2020 12:44 PM

At WHQR in Wilmington, NC, HD had languished for several years. In 2014, we launched Classical HQR on HD2, and that allowed us to simulcast 24-hour classical on a 250w translator.

We later added 2 other classical translators in more distant communities, and at my retirement I was working on getting a 4th going, which is now on the air.

So not only did we fulfill the dreams of the founders of our station in the early 80’s, we were able to make our primary signal a news & information service.

This was a win-win-win. The combined translators’ footprints came nowhere near that of the primary, but together they were enough that when listeners were asked during fund drives which service they listened to, about 20% said “Both”. Enabled by a terrific staff, fundraising support has been going way up since 2014.

In short, HD has been very, very good to WHQR.

WHQR [link] now serves the Wilmington area with two 24/7 program channels: HQR News at 91.3 FM and Classical HQR at 92.7 FM.

WWNO in New Orleans has also established a full-time Classical music station on an FM translator at 104.7 FM.

MAYBE CPB CAN HELP

Admit that HD Radio, in most cases, hasn't worked out. Show empathy for the stations that are subsidizing their HD Radio channels. Organize  opportunities to share best practices, Establish an HD Radio renewal fund to plan for the future of Digital Radio.

Kurt Wilson

Kurt Wilson is the new Station Manager

Kurt Wilson joined WHQR from Yellowstone Public Radio in Billings, Montana where he was General Manager. 

Wilson also spent 15 years at Central Michigan Public Broadcasting in Mt Pleasant, Michigan.

MORE NIELSEN FALL QUARTER RATINGS

WVTF in Roanoke is similar to WCVE in Richmond in many ways. 

Both are now full-time NPR News/Talk stations.

WVTF and WCVE are both the number one radio news source in their markets.

In 2018, both stations changed their programming from a dual format of NPR News and Classical music to 24/7 news spoken word.

Both acquired new FM frequencies for full-time Classical music stations. But, both stations have had different results with their music station. WCVE Classical is on two FM frequencies. In the November 2019 ratings WCVE Classical had a 1.2% AQH share. WVTF Classical had a 0.4% AQH share.

KUAZ in Tucson keeps rolling along in fine style. 

They have a great team and a real sense of purpose. 

Classical KUAT is a steady performer.

Screenshot of KXCI’s landing page

We keep KXCI [link] on the ratings chart because it is a truly great community radio station.

They are an Alt-rock-leaning Triple A station. The on-air sound is sophisticated music format.  They ooze hometown pride.

KXCI’s streaming audio is required listening here in Minnesota on cold January days.

You’ve got to love the way Boise State Public Radio’s two program streams dominate listening in this growing city.

KBSX’s rise from a 3.8% AQH share to 5.6%. 

This reminds us of the Boise State Broncos, they are capable of winning any place, any time.