Link to: HD RADIO™ GOES THE WAY OF THE LASERDISC PLAYER.
An interesting take from a non-broadcaster that gets it mostly right. The premise for HD radio™, as the author states, was to serve two purposes; improve sound quality and add extra programming channels. I have a few issues with this statement:
Regarding the improved signal, that still holds true, and can be especially beneficial for AM radio, which has struggled for some time with signal degradation.
I would argue the opposite. HD Radio™ has done nothing to improve the signal quality of the AM band. It has, in fact, degraded the band further by adding digital hash to adjacent channels, limiting the on-channel analog bandwidth to less than 5 KHz and creating on-channel background hiss.
Thus, HD Radio™ has done neither of those two stated goals. In addition to that, from the radio station owner/operator’s perspective, it is expensive to install, expensive to license, expensive to operate, and has no audience.
Hat from here.