Poll: Most Don’t Own An HD Radio

And these are radio people!

The HD Digital Radio Alliance aired 20,413 commercials last week encouraging listeners to upgrade to an HD Radio.  But among the radio industry itself that message doesn’t seem to be resonating. More than six-in-ten (62%) of respondents (Inside Radio readers) to our unscientific survey say they don’t own an HD receiver.

While clearly a higher rate of ownership (38%) than the overall population, it shows the industry hasn’t yet fully embraced the technology and many of its reasons are similar to what the general public may be thinking too.

Among those who do own an HD Radio, nearly one-quarter (23%) said it was an at-home radio.  Nearly one-in-five (18%) use one in their office, while 15% have an HD Radio in their car and 13% own a portable device such as a Zune HD. 

One person writes, “The audio on HD is so much better than regular FM and the highly compressed audio on satellite radio.”   Another reader tells us, “Content is king. If your market has interesting stations, it's a great device.”   One owner says, “I have a couple at home and a few sprinkled around my radio group. Usually the analog tuners in these things are great.”

But HD Radio has plenty of critics and that shows up in receiver ownership too.  A reader says, “I bought one, but have not been able receive HD content.” The biggest reason even those working in radio say they haven’t bought an HD receiver is too little content choice to justify the expense.  The other is technical-related. “I try to listen, but the signals are unreliable unless I get really close to the metro,” one person writes.   Another was trying to add it to a new Ford vehicle– but the car salesperson didn’t know what he was talking about.

Read more here.

Tom's Take:  Yikes!  The HD Alliance spots don't seem to be working even with radio geeks!