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The five FCC commissions today approved official regulations in regards to HD radio. One of the biggest impacts of the new rules is allowing AM stations to being HD operations around the clock - up until now they had been limited to digital operations during daytime hours only, with the exception of some testing. All stations are now allowed launch HD multicasting without prior FCC approval. FCC News Release (.pdf)
Also, the Commission gave its approval for Citadel's acquisition of 24 radio stations, including three in Detroit, from ABC/Disney. The approval comes with the stipulation that Citadel will sell 11 of its stations to remain compliant with ownership cap rules. The deal between ABC and Citadel still requires the approval of the Internal Revenue Service.
Detroit Free Press:
The Federal Commnications Commission today approved the nearly $2 billion sale of 24 ABC Radio stations including Detroit's WJR-AM (760), WDVD-Fm (96.3) and WDRQ-FM (93.1) to Citadel Communications... FCC okays ABC Radio sale to Citadel (Thu, 3/22)
"HD Radio on the Offense"
"But after an investigation of HD Radio units, the stations playing HD, and the company that owns the technology; and some interviews with the wonks in DC, it looks like HD Radio is a high-level corporate scam, a huge carny shill."
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/2007-03-07/music/hd-radio-on-the-offense
"RW Opinion: Rethinking AM’s future"
"Making AM-HD work well as a long-term investment is seen as an expensive and risky challenge for most stations and their owners. With the bulk of successful AMs airing news, talk and sports, the improved fidelity advantage of HD and stereo seem only marginally attractive. There is the significant downside of potential new interference to some of their own AM analog listeners as well as listeners of adjacent-channel stations. And of course we still have no nighttime authority for AM-HD."
http://www.rwonline.com/pages/s.0044/t.557.html