Multicast Coordination Is Part of Alliance Deal

A big part of the story today is that radio broadcasters are coordinating efforts to program their multicast channels. How this might be done without raising anticompetitive concerns will be fascinating to watch.
In the announcement, the alliance broadcasters stated: “Member companies have agreed to coordinate the use of all multicast HD2 channels to create the greatest diversity of formats. The goal: create new, unique and compelling content within a high-quality listening experience across a broad spectrum of music, news and entertainment programming.” They said: “HD2 channels will be locally programmed in each market. And HD2 programming will initially be commercial-free. No subscription is required to hear HD digital radio broadcasts.”
Ibiquity’s Bob Struble said during the event that 70 stations are now multicasting.