[Nick]

British White Paper Eyes AM/FM Spectrums

The spectrum is extremely valuable, advertising revenue is falling away, young people are turning to other media such as iPods and digital social networking, and automatically renewed licenses could enmesh the market in a withering status quo for the next 24 years. With these points in mind, U.K. communications regulator Ofcom says it isn't sure that AM/FM radio services should continue on the British isles...and, with many AM and FM licenses now up for renewal, the time might be right to make some long term decisions.

According to a recently published statement on "The Future of Radio," Ofcom believes in particular that the VHF Band II spectrum currently occupied by FM radio stations could be put to better use for emerging services such as mobile TV and more digital radio and data services. Further, the commission notes, "Any alternative uses for those frequencies would require large chunks of that spectrum to be freed-up simultaneously - something a rolling re-licensing process does not allow for."

So while the regulator is not suggesting a regulated shutdown of current analog radio services, it does recommend that such services be phased out as licenses come up for renewal. While the AM spectrum is considered less valuable, Ofcom suggests that it can be used more effectively for emerging services such as digital radio.

For the full text of the Ofcom considerations, go to: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/radio_future/.

www.SkyReport.com - used with permission

 

[Steve Mehs]

This is exactly what I've been saying. Terre$trial radio is useless is 2006. Too bad the UK is moving toward DAB (their version of HD Radio :barf not SDARS, but I’m sure they’ll learn from their mistake when WorldSpace makes their full presence known in that area of the world.

I’m listening to the future of radio here in the US right now, satellite radio. Radio, if you want a good listening experience, pay for it.

 

[tzphotos.com]

This is exactly what I've been saying. Terre$trial radio is useless is 2006. Too bad the UK is moving toward DAB (their version of HD Radio :barf not SDARS, but I'm sure they'll learn from their mistake when WorldSpace makes their full presence known in that area of the world.

I'm listening to the future of radio here in the US right now, satellite radio. Radio, if you want a good listening experience, pay for it.

I had sat radio and it was boring, I got rid of it. I like broadcast radio, because you get a local flavor. Most stations still have local DJ, at least in Chicago.

 

[FavreJL04]

Yeah, that is Chicago. What market rank is that...must be like top 10 hey? You should come take a listen to radio stations here in good ole market number 180 (Marquette, MI in the UP) I have satellite radio and have had it for like 3 years now and there is no way in the world I will go back to terrestrial radio again...at least not until they make it interesting and local again...and I won't hold my breath on that one. Radio is so screwed right now with voicetracking, satellite feeds, song repitition, and nothing to make one station sound different from the rest. You hear one station and you've heard them all it is so bad. It's the same songs today as what you heard yesterday, and I bet if you listen tomorrow you will hear the same songs you listened to today. All the stations do this. Also you can be listening to Leah on a country station and take a trip hours away and hear the same show on at the same time on a different station.

At least with satellite radio you get the signal everywhere, they play more songs, much less advertising, and many different genres are represented. Yeah it may cost 13 bucks a month, but it is worth it to me to hear what radio should be. It doesn't matter if you live in New York market number 1 or Podunklittletown, Nowheresville market number 5000. You still get the exact same thing. Chicago may have radio stations that are hot and local, but you try to find that in my town.

 

[tzphotos.com]

Yeah, that is Chicago. What market rank is that...must be like top 10 hey? You should come take a listen to radio stations here in good ole market number 180 (Marquette, MI in the UP) I have satellite radio and have had it for like 3 years now and there is no way in the world I will go back to terrestrial radio again...at least not until they make it interesting and local again...and I won't hold my breath on that one. Radio is so screwed right now with voicetracking, satellite feeds, song repitition, and nothing to make one station sound different from the rest. You hear one station and you've heard them all it is so bad. It's the same songs today as what you heard yesterday, and I bet if you listen tomorrow you will hear the same songs you listened to today. All the stations do this. Also you can be listening to Leah on a country station and take a trip hours away and hear the same show on at the same time on a different station.

At least with satellite radio you get the signal everywhere, they play more songs, much less advertising, and many different genres are represented. Yeah it may cost 13 bucks a month, but it is worth it to me to hear what radio should be. It doesn't matter if you live in New York market number 1 or Podunklittletown, Nowheresville market number 5000. You still get the exact same thing. Chicago may have radio stations that are hot and local, but you try to find that in my town.

Maybe in your area you don't have a local station. I like to scan the channels, when on vacation and it usually gives me a taste of the local towns.

 

[Steve Mehs]

In the past few years (2001-2004) I’ve been to Philadelphia, Cleveland, Boston, Hartford, Detroit and Wheeling and I’ve listened to radio stations in all of those markets. I live in the Buffalo market, Rochester is right next door, I used to go to Erie, PA a lot. Nine radio markets, some very large, some small and some in the middle all the stations sound the same. Same few songs over and over, same 20 minutes of commercials, same annoying DJs, just a different city mentioned in the station ID at the top of the hour. There is nothing local about radio except for the car dealers who scream at you and their commercials and playlists that are as deep as a week old mud puddle.

I’m perplexed at how can 138 channels of commercial free, uncensored music channels can be boring and 21MHz of commercials, repetition and hack hosts are not.

I maybe going to Chicago next year, just for reference on what frequencies can I find the following genres? Smooth Electronica, Alternative Country, Folk Music, Bluegrass, Dance Hits, Southern Gospel, Death Metal, Reggae and European Hits and where can I find Howard Stern in the morning, Ron & Fez afternoons and on what station can I hear the play by play action of the #1 team in the NHL, the Sabres?

 

[James Long]

Steve, you have special needs. I'm glad satellite radio works for you, especially for out of market information.

Do you have traffic reports on XM? Are they on the Smooth Electronica, Alternative Country, Folk Music, Bluegrass, Dance Hits, Southern Gospel, Death Metal, Reggae, European Hits channel you listen to (depending on mood) or do you have to remember to change to a special traffic channel? When you do check out the local traffic and weather channel do you just hear about Chicago (where you are going) or do you have to wait for Chicago through a slew of other midwest cities? It is good you are going to Chicago - chances are they have traffic/weather info via satellite - but what of the hundreds of smaller cities?

I suppose you could just tune in to a local AM/FM for a few painful minutes to get local reports --- as long as those stations exist.

 

[Geronimo]

Digital terrestrial radio is still local terrestrial radio. I don't see terrestrial raio disappearing anytime soon and this is not the first time that its demise has been predicted.

 

[HIPAR]

I'm probably the only one here who listens to classical music. WRTI (Temple University) operates a network of stations that provides me with excellent service here in eastern PA. They rely heavily on public support so I prefer to send them an annual donation over incurring another monthly bill for satellite radio.

WRTI has just celebrated 50 years of FM broadcasting and they will not be shutting down any time soon.

--- CHAS

 

[pez2002]

I had sat radio and it was boring, I got rid of it. I like broadcast radio, because you get a local flavor. Most stations still have local DJ, at least in Chicago.

xm-sirius rule

 

[Cholly]

I'm probably the only one here who listens to classical music. WRTI (Temple University) operates a network of stations that provides me with excellent service here in eastern PA. They rely heavily on public support so I prefer to send them an annual donation over incurring another monthly bill for satellite radio.

WRTI has just celebrated 50 years of FM broadcasting and they will not be shutting down any time soon.

--- CHAS

You're not alone -- PBS here has a great classical station, also a great jazz station.
In larger markets, such as this one (Charlotte), you also get sports broadcasts, some local news, weather, etc. I'd hate to do without XM, but I'd also hate to do without local FM broadcasting. AM here has turned pretty much into the province of talk radio, except for an occasional sportscast. The big advantage of AM radio is with the clear channel stations, located mainly in large metro areas.

 

[Steve Mehs]

Steve, you have special needs. I'm glad satellite radio works for you, especially for out of market information.

Do you have traffic reports on XM? Are they on the Smooth Electronica, Alternative Country, Folk Music, Bluegrass, Dance Hits, Southern Gospel, Death Metal, Reggae, European Hits channel you listen to (depending on mood) or do you have to remember to change to a special traffic channel? When you do check out the local traffic and weather channel do you just hear about Chicago (where you are going) or do you have to wait for Chicago through a slew of other midwest cities? It is good you are going to Chicago - chances are they have traffic/weather info via satellite - but what of the hundreds of smaller cities?

I suppose you could just tune in to a local AM/FM for a few painful minutes to get local reports --- as long as those stations exist.

Don't need traffic or weather information on the radio. We've navigated all of those cities I mentioned without traffic reports so why start now. I've never understood if you are completely unfamiliar with an area, why traffic reports would even help, chances are other then the major interstates, you have no idea where the various loops, roundabouts, splits, extensions are located, or maybe you do but do not the names. That's why GPS will replace the Panic Radio Stations. And the few times I've actually used traffic reports from our local 'create a public panic' station, it did no good as I was already stuck. And honestly, if I wasn't from this area I would have no idea what the guy was even talking about.

On XM, each city has it's own traffic channel, Sirius puts 2 cities on per channel in most situations. But if I'm stuck in traffic I'd rather kick back and jam out to AC/DC wile playing percussion on my steering wheel then listen to a monotone voice telling me I'm stuck in traffic and there might be a blizzard or flash flood in the next 30 seconds. Since I made it a point to fully reject Satan's work and disconnected my terrestrial radio antenna, while in traffic, I'd have to hop out, find the nearest auto parts store and get another set of Ford Factory Radio removal tools to listen to something else other then the best radio on radio to the power X.

I navigated a 60 mile round trip in the peak of the worst snow storm the Buffalo area has seen in years that left most of the area a declared disaster area. I made it through fine and dandy with nothing but my XM and Sirius, no dinosaur radio listening for me.

Anyhow. I really do hope I have the opportunity to go to Chicago. I've always wanted to go there, and this year I get two whole weeks vacation time. Almost went a few years ago, but that's when we took the Cleveland/Detroit trip. I've never been in another time zone

 

[James Long]

I've never been in another time zone

I don't understand the concept of never leaving one's own time zone. Too foreign to me. (I've lived in three different countries - Guam, England and the US - halfway around the world.)

 

[Michael P]

Almost went a few years ago, but that's when we took the Cleveland/Detroit trip. I've never been in another time zone

There was a time when Cleveland and Detroit was in a different time zone (sort of). The western part of Ohio and Michigan used to stay on standard time (like Indianna still did up until this year). The Detroit TV stations delayed network programming by an hour in the summertime. Whenever the Detroit stations would skip into the Cleveland area I was able to watch a program that was already on the hour before locally. That whole concept of "8, 7 Central Time" was upheld because Detroit was on Eastern STANDARD time.

 

[paulc]

we are a bit behind you guys in the us here in england uk im hoping to get myself a DAB radio soon and treat myself to the most up to date football news etc thats on offer

i wonder if DAB will stay in uk or if satellite radio will make it over here and take over?

i guess ill have to wait and see

 

[djlong]

Local flavor? VIrtually nonexistant in terrestrial radio these days. Clear Channel, Entercom and Infinity bought up all the local stations and the first thing they do is fire all the local talent and replace the programming with voice-tracked stuff from corporate headquarters.

They start off with limited commercials when they buy the station to hook you in and gradually build it back up until it's back to the 20+ minutes per hour. SO gradual you don't notice it.

Give me XM any day.

 

[oldave]

I had sat radio and it was boring, I got rid of it. I like broadcast radio, because you get a local flavor. Most stations still have local DJ, at least in Chicago.

In a few top markets, perhaps. But by and large, stations are automated and/or satellite-fed. There's very little "live and local" left in radio, and it may, in fact, be time to move on.

Local stations are going to continue to have a rough road ahead in terms of revenue as peoples' options for music and information continue to increase. Attempts to limit those choices in order to keep local radio going will come along now and then, but they're doomed - the genie is out of the bottle.

 

[Steve Mehs]

we are a bit behind you guys in the us here in england uk im hoping to get myself a DAB radio soon and treat myself to the most up to date football news etc thats on offer

i wonder if DAB will stay in uk or if satellite radio will make it over here and take over?

i guess ill have to wait and see

Paul can you get WorldSpace in your area? The footprint from AfriStar covers the South Half of the UK.