HD Radio™ Trends

HD Radio Rollout in Small Markets Lags Big Ones

August 1, 2007

The HD Radio rollout is farthest along in the top 100 markets, according to an analysis from BIA Financial Network prepared for the Radio World HD Radio Scoreboard. Rollout numbers drop off sharply in smaller markets.

The chart below, which displays HD stations on the air by market size range, show that 36% of stations in the top 10 markets are on the air in HD Radio, and 25% are on the air in markets 11-25.

The rollout percentage drops off sharply below market size 100, and in the smallest markets - 150 and below - the percentage is at or below 4%.

Trends for the number of stations licensed (as opposed to on the air) generally parallel the above, though with higher numbers. For instance, in the top 10 markets, about 41% of stations are licensed.

Ibiquity Digital and other advocates generally point out that licensed figures do not necessarily include all stations that have committed to going digital.

This report was prepared by BIAfn for Radio World and uses Ibiquity information. To view the complete HD Radio Scoreboard, please click now. The scoreboard is located on page 21.

Note: For more information about this data, call BIAfn at (703) 818-2425 or e-mail info@bia.com.