Launch of the first commercial-free ‘HD2’ multicasts is expected ...

have been created, said the Alliance, formed last month by top radio group owners to infuse terrestrial HD Radio with cash and promotional power in an aggressive bid to take the technology mainstream. All top 12 markets were listed, but not the participating broadcasters in each or the formats to be offered. And coverage in markets 13 to 94 shows noticeable gaps, with only 16 markets listed below Miami (12). Alliance members said they drafted a “format selection allocation process that’s very fair and balanced” to assure a market’s listeners will get the most “widely diverse” local programming. But they've refused to be specific about the process, including how allocations will be made. The first “wave” of HD2 multicasts will include such formats as Vive La Voce, Classical Alternative, Traditional Jazz & Blues, Coffee House, Female Talk, Future Country, Extreme Hip-Hop and in-depth news, the Alliance said. A wide variety of new rock formats being developed includes Deep Cuts Classic Rock, Live Rock, New Alternative, Fusion Hispanic-Anglo Rock, Chick Rock, Indie and New Rock. An HD Radio site maintained by technology developer iBiquity Digital lists 7 models of home receivers available, all with multicast reception capability. But of 7 automotive aftermarket receivers listed, only one -- Kenwood’s KTC-HR100MC -- is indicated as multicast-capable. Moreover, an Alliance spokeswoman said, receivers installed in BMW 6 and 7 series cars aren’t multicast-capable, but new models will be. An iBiquity spokesman said the number of multicast- capable HD Radio receivers and accessories is growing all the time. They include JVC’s new $299 head unit, which will be available soon, as will adapters from DICE and other suppliers earmarked for 2nd-quarter delivery, he said. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to pin down the exact number of HD Radio receivers in the installed base that have multicast capability, he said. That’s because manufacturers aren’t required to disclose that information until long after the radio has been sold, the spokesman said: “There are confidentiality issues involved as well.”