Report: IBiquity Says Pew HD Data Not Accurate

Pew Research concludes fewer stations aired an HD Radio signal in 2012, compared to 2011. (See original posting, Click Here)

In the audio component of the Pew Research Center State of the Media 2013 media consumption survey, researchers believe fewer stations, 2,048, were transmitting an HD Radio signal in 2012 compared to 2,103 the year before, citing BIA data and Pew’s own analysis. The researchers don’t detail whether those are main or multicast signals, nor why the number dropped.

But, iBiquity Digital says the Pew numbers aren’t accurate. “We believe we know the source of the data error and are working with BIA and Pew to try and correct” that, company President/CEO Bob Struble tells RadioWorld.

Bob Struble

IBiquity says on Dec. 31, 2011, 2,034 stations were on-air transmitting an HD Radio signal. That number increased to 2,048 in 2012. Struble says there’s actually been a net gain in stations broadcasting in HD since 2002; that’s when the first facilities in the initial seed markets went on the air.

Struble also points to growth in multicast channels, and stations increasing their commitment, implementing advanced data features like Artist Experience. Four hundred HD Radio stations have upgraded their HD to include AE, the ability to sync the audio with images like album art. As of today, there are 1,146 HD2 channels, 277 HD3 channels and 25 HD4 channels, for a total of 1,446, according to iBiquity.

 “HD failed to both entice AM/FM listeners to pay up,” presumably for a new radio … “and to draw those willing to pay away from satellite,” concludes Pew, though the report concerns the number of stations transmitting a digital signal rather than listening data. Pew is comparing that to SiriusXM, which ended 2012 with 23.9 million subscribers.

In 2012, manufacturers of HD Radio receivers sold a total of 3.9 million; that compares with 2.2 million in 2011 and 1.8 million in 2010. “That’s 50% annual growth rate, and we forecast similar growth for this and the next several years,” according to Struble, who points to a total of 12 million HD Radio receivers sold to-date.

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