About a dozen stations nationally were operating digital in-band,...

decision approving HD Radio as an IBOC digital AM and FM system. Repeating announcements at the Jan. Las Vegas CES, iBiquity said about 130 AM and FM stations owned by 46 groups and operating in 26 states had licensed HD Radio technology and planned to begin transmissions early this year. “This strong introduction of HD Radio technology among broadcasters is accompanied by a corresponding receiver rollout” in which many CE companies are participating, iBiquity said. Given the FCC’s “compelling conclusions” endorsing IBOC last Oct., iBiquity said there was “a large burden on any party seeking to change the Commission’s findings,” and opponents hadn’t met that burden. IBiquity said filings by Amherst Alliance suggest it “will use any possible procedural argument in an attempt to delay the introduction of IBOC services.” The NAB, in separate comments, agreed that adopting a “piecemeal” approach to nighttime AM IBOC would be premature and urged the FCC to “await additional data,” including a nighttime AM IBOC report being prepared by iBiquity. John Anderson, who said he was a party to the Amherst Alliance petition for reconsideration, said he found it “laughable” that iBiquity cited 1% station adoption rate as amounting to “strong introduction among broadcasters.” He said that in light of fact that iBiquity was backed by big investors from broadcast industry, “one would have to say that, in general, the radio industry is not happy with its investment.”