NPR believes the average non-com FM can convert its plant to IBOC for $78,000. Based on a survey of stations, the range is $90,000 to a little over $300,000, so said the network’s Mike Starling during the NPR Engineering Conference, which preceded NAB2003.
NPR has high hopes for the so-called “Tomorrow Radio” project and has made it a priority, the network, in conjunction with Harris and Kenwood, plan to test the concept of splitting a station’s digital signal into two channels this summer at KJZZ(FM), Long Beach, Calif.
Reactions from pubcasters attending the conference ranged from those gung-ho over HD Radio should the second-channel concept prove feasible, to those who find funding the digital conversion an obstacle.
NPR Pushes 2nd-Channel Concept
NPR Pushes 2nd-Channel Concept
