NPR and iBiquity Join Forces to Boost HD Radio

HD Radio is a terrific medium that has had trouble getting momentum. One of the issues holding back progress has been the FCC-regulated power limitations, and the attendant reports of poor reception.

In a collaboration reminiscent of the “Super Hero Team-Ups” popular in comic books, NPR and iBiquity have joined forces to request that the FCC institute a fourfold increase in transmitting power for FM HD Radio. This is no small thing. More power means better reception, and better reception means more use of the medium. It could also play a crucial role in the realm of portable HD players, making them more reliable and, thus, a more attractive option to consumers.

Both commercial and noncommercial stations were included in the dialogue. The data from those talks and NPR Labs’ “Advanced IBOC Coverage and Compatibility Study,” filed this week with the FCC, formed the basis of the joint recommendation. In addition to the blanket power increase, NPR and iBiquity have made a commitment to add specific enhancements to HD Radio, which include  filling gaps in signal coverage creating broadcast standards that reduce the opportunity for interference with nearby non-digital stations.

RadioInk brings us the following quotes on the subject from NPR, iBiquity, and our colleagues over at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB). My own commentary appears between the quotes.

“We are delighted that the radio industry is now poised to push this technology ahead together,” iBiquity President/CEO Bob Struble said. “We’ve found practical and balanced solutions that will greatly improve reception while limiting interference to existing analog operations.” [...]

Many fans of the medium will be thrilled at these improvements as they address issues frequently brought forth by critics of HD. In addition, I think we can all agree that improved reception is always a great thing when speaking of broadcast media.

NPR Labs Exec. Director Mike Starling said, “We are optimistic about the future of HD Radio broadcasting, and eager to continue to work with iBiquity on the developments that will make this power increase work to everyone’s advantage — stations, listeners, and receiver makers.” [...]

Having NPR behind this speaks volumes. They’ve been at the forefront of radio’s efforts to embrace Internet technology and social media for some time now. Having public radio involved in the continued evolution and development of HD, a very young form of radio, help to point up its status as an advancement in broadcast media.

NAB EVP Dennis Wharton said, “NAB is encouraged by this consensus agreement of iBiquity and NPR for optional increased digital power for FM HD Radio stations. We urge the FCC to move quickly and allow stations to operate at increased power according to the criteria in the agreement. This will result in greatly improved indoor reception for digital signals, including multicast signals, and pave the way for greater service reliability using portable HD Radio devices.”

As the first generation of portable HD receivers is currently on the market, reliability and reception are factors that will be of vital importance for market adoption.

This looks like another jump forwards for HD radio. Personally, I’m looking forward to it. I love the options offered by its multicast capabilities in particular. We shall see how the FCC receives this request and then I shall revisit the topic.

Image: iBiquity and NPR logs / Fair Use: reporting

Tags: Bob Struble, Dennis Wharton, digital broadcast, Director Mike Starling, FCC, fourfold increase, HD Radio, iBiquity, NAB, national public radio, NPR, NPR Labs