You are reading a summary of a Focus research project designed to gather Radio Listener feedback on two possible ways of displaying Radio Stations and their positions on HD Radios.

The technology of High Definition Radio will allow for new Radio Stations to be added in each market. In addition, HD Radios will have the ability to show text display on the radio dial, showing things like: what song is now playing  or a scroll with the weather or news headlines..

As I explained to all of our respondents at the beginning of each of the twelve Focus Groups, “...what we really want to concentrate on is not programming for these new expanded number of Radio Stations. We want to talk about the step before programming -- quite simply:  how will you find all these new stations or, specifically --  How should they show up on a radio display so you can find them?

In the Groups and throughout this summary report I refer to the two display options as “Dial A” and “Dial B” or, alternatively, “Display A” and “Display B.”

Display A is the so-called Layered approach. In this HD arrangement the Home Station remains on its present dial spot and a HD-1 designation is at­tached. Example: 97.1 HD-1. The first supplemental station would be assigned 97.1 HD-2. Then, 97.1 HD-3 and 97.1 HD-4.

Display B is often referred to as the Expanded band. The B Display works this way under HD: A Home station remains at its present position and picks up an “HD” designation. All of the added supplemental stations are appended to the current FM spectrum, above 108.

For more specific information on the A and B Displays and to view the video I presented in our research you can go to my website and download the file, “HD - Radio Displays.”

This *wav file will demonstrate exactly the graphics our listeners saw when evaluating the two Displays. I gave them a sample of a current Radio display. Then, “Dial A” followed by “Dial B.” We did not play audio in these examples because introducing specific format types would only confuse the matter and draw Listeners away from our mission at hand: Which display plan would they prefer, given a choice?

Also on the web site you’ll have the opportunity to view any or all of the twelve Focus Groups in their entirety. I would strongly recommend this step to acquire not just the flavor of our Groups and their responses but to see and hear how everyday Radio Listeners respond to Radio in general and their expectations for HD Radio in particular. Listening to the folks talking about these matters reveals a wealth of anecdotal quotes, comments, and reactions. (These complete webcasts will be available for viewing until January 31, 2006.)

Our Radio Listeners. Two-thirds of our sample was recruited to reflect the general Radio listening population, 18-54. Half were 18-34 and half, 35-54. Ethnic quotas were established based on National averages. The remaining One-third were the Early Adopters. On our screener EA’s gave higher scores in response to five statements like, “...I try to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to technical products...”  Age-sex quotas were not applied to the EA’s.

The Groups were held in Los Angeles (3), Washington, DC (3), and Detroit (6) between November 7 and 15, 2005. The research was viewed by Broadcast and Consumer Industry leaders, in person and via the Web. I am very pleased with our sample. We averaged 13 Radio Listeners per Group ... we had an even overall split of Men and Women, 51-52, outside of the Early Adopters which were mostly Men ... the age groups broke almost evenly, 49 Younger / 54 Older.

There are some subtle and some more significant differences among LA, Detroit, and DC which you can see in the spread sheet on my web site http://www.bobharper.com (Rank Of HD Radio Services: 11/07-15/2005). The cover sheet is also reproduced on page #10, later in this summary.

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This was the driving question of our research project and the answer couldn’t be more clear-cut. Twenty (20) of our Radio Listeners preferred Display A and one hundred thirty-six (136) favored Display B. In only one of our twelve  Focus Groups did Display A receive more than three (3) votes from among the eleven to fourteen listeners.

The final tally - 12.8% Display A ... 87.2% Display B.

This is a somewhat unusual result from Focus Groups. Typically in the Focus set­ting - where there is lots of give-and-take - respondents can often see the good in more than one alternative; especially as they listen to their fellow panelists weigh the pros and cons of one option over another.

But, there was very little equivocation in our three cities. In fact, in four of the Groups the scores were 0-12, 0-13, 0-13, and 0-13 voting for Display A and B.

A quick aside: We began these Groups by referring to the options as Dial A and Dial B. It was soon evident that “dial” may already be an anachronism and certainly will be as HD Radio and other advance­ments ask the “dial” to do more than simply point to a radio station’s frequency. In our last six Groups I referred to the options as Display A and Display B.

So, why was “B” such an overwhelming choice for these Radio consumers? There are several reasons and most of them revolve around the perceived simplicity of the one display scheme as opposed to the other.

In a sense, we are at the day before MS Windows, asking ourselves, “Do people find it more intuitive and helpful to click on a Picture? A Word? Is that picture of a big book supposed to be a Dictionary? A Bible? Recipes?  Should we try putting Words and Pictures together; so under the big book it will say ‘Encyclopedia’?”

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“A” is for Affiliated.
Let’s begin with Display A, what some people call The Layered Display.

When it comes to Display A, here are the things that bothered the vast majority of our Radio Listeners:

“...It is too complicated.”
And, one of the things that makes it complicated is the fact that Idea A relies upon the Home station dial position as the base upon which all the supple­mentals are attached. If you were just asking them to remember a new station on the band, that would be one thing, but, if listeners know a frequency stands for a radio station, its programming, the DJs, its history, it is difficult for them to get their heads around even the most basic baby step - ‘why do you want to confuse me when it comes to something I already know’? And, ‘…if the stations might not even sound alike, why give them numbers that are alike?’

As we’ll see in a moment, this relative weakness becomes a strength if the sup­plemental stations reflect the Home station’s position, are additive to the Home station, or could be connected easily to what listeners already believe about the Home frequency.

“...Adding more numbers to numbers makes it too tough to remember.”
PINs for your ATM card, passwords on line, new area codes -- sure, we’ve learned to keep them all straight somehow. But, that doesn’t mean the listeners are asking for more.

Numbers on top of numbers sounds like where their patience snaps (‘...it took me this long to remember 89.9. Now you want me to remember 3 or 4 new 89.9 numbers?’).  Zip+4 is a perfect example of the problem. For how many addresses do you  add the +4 to the address? Consider - the post office has been trying to get us to use that numbers-on-numbers system for twenty-two years!

Sometimes this Layered Display A is compared to several offices in the same building address. Unfortunately for Display A, an office address is very different from one for the Radio.  770 West 44^th Street, Suite 3, Omaha, 68164 has plenty of numbers but they are not confusing to us because they appear in a context with which we are all familiar: building, street, space, city, zip: 770, 44, 3, 68164. And, do we have any idea what kind of business is being done in Suite 3? Absolutely not.

But, what if the address was something like 10-2-4 Dr. Pepper Plaza, Suite 3, Dallas, TX 75021. Might we not reasonably assume that Suite 3 has something to do with the soft drink? I think so.   And, if you were personally familiar with

10-2-4 Dr. Pepper Plaza and knew it was world headquarters for the company, would it not strengthen your opinion that inside Suite 3 the folks were doing the fine work of the Dr. Pepper bottling company? That would be reasonable.  Lastly, if you knew someone who was an attorney for the Dr. Pepper company and you were aware his office was in Suite 3 at 10-2-4 Dr. Pepper Plaza, would you not be close to 100% certain that Suite 3 was full of hard-working barristers slugging through their work day as Peppers in the employ of the Dr. Pepper company? Of course you would.

Radio Listeners have the same brand loyalty for and relationships with successful radio stations. In the same way “10-2-4” has a special meaning for longtime Dr. Pepper drinkers, “101.1 has an exceptional place in the minds of Detroit listeners, just as “105.9” does in LA, or “107.3” in Washington. It would be a mistake to think of these as merely abstract and arbitrary Numbers ... they are well known Brands. If you are a Rock listener in Detroit, an R&B or Hip-Hop radio fan in Los Angeles, or a fan of AC music and a big morning show in the nation’s capital, 101.1, 105.9, and 107.3 have very specific and special meanings to you.

One of the major concerns listeners had with Display A was: “I already know what station xxx.x is. Why do we need something new with the xxx.x name?”

“...How can I tell my friends about a new station? I’d have to say ‘one-oh-two-point-five-HD-three’ That is way too confusing. How do you expect me to remember that?”
The desire to ‘tell my friends about a radio station’ came up a lot in our twelve Groups. It’s encouraging that Radio Listeners want to spread the word about something new they like. Unfortunately, there are issues in the layering approach of Display A that create a speed bump for them.

“...Make it simpler for me, not more difficult.”
There can be no doubt that - when presented with examples of the current Radio display, Display A, and Display B - Radio Listeners categorically vote against A and most often they told us A made finding a station and returning to it more difficult. They feel their lives are complicated enough without adding unnecessary hurdles to what has been up to now and should be a simple task: finding and returning to a radio station.

Let’s take the advice of the punch line from a recent TV commercial, ‘...this isn’t rocket surgery.’

We can assume that, with time, listeners will learn to navigate a less-intuitive display interface like A. But the focus of this particular research was to identify which of two possible options had the better chance of making HD Radio a more immediate consumer hit; finding potential handicaps to one display or the other and going with the one more in line with natural listener gravity.

A-Plus.

“...If the HD-2, HD-3 stations have something to do with the main station, it makes sense. Maybe 95.5 is Jazz. Then, 95.5 HD-2 could be all fusion jazz and HD-3 might be live jazz recordings, playing complete CDs.”
This is the primary strength of Display A. When the HD-2, HD-3, and HD-4 stations have something in common with the Home, HD-1, station then A is considered to be a good alternative. If the listener can be assured the new channels will be affiliated with the Main in content or direction, A seems like the better choice to them.

However, although we discussed the pros and cons of both displays at length our Radio Listeners remained committed to Display B. And, even proponents of A were likely to side with B once they understood the HD supplemental stations might or might not be connected by format style to the Home station. As soon as the potential for a congruent format was removed, the partisans to Display A were likely to give more consideration to B.

Simply put - The only time the Layered option adds up for the Radio Listener is when HD-2, HD-3, and HD-4 have a logical and clear format or product association to the Main.

As I pointed out earlier, frequency numbers are brands. And, if HD-2, HD-3, HD-4 are simply different “floors” in that radio station’s department store, the layered / stacking Display A is considered a good idea.

But, the listeners were wary: “...what if HD-3 starts out Alternative and ends up Country a year later. That would make no sense.” Also, “...who would own these new stations? The same companies that own the other one?”

To the listeners, it makes little sense for a Radio Station to intentionally dilute its brand and reputation with a side-product or brand extension that has little or no relevance to the main station. To them, it would be like the Animal Planet cable channel carrying the PGA tour.

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“B” is for Balance.

Display B is often referred to as The Expanded Band option (**)

In our twelve Focus Groups over three distinct Radio markets the votes in favor of Display B were: 12-0, 11-3, 9-5, 8-3, 12-1, 11-2, 12-1, 13-0, 11-2, 13-0, 13-0, and 11-3.

Radio Listeners prefer Display B for reasons that are very clear to them:

“...I have only one new number to remember."
I can’t stress enough how disorienting it is for listeners to append new numbers to numbers they already know.

In Display B all of the new stations would be given a single new number that stands alone from the original frequency. An illustration: 109.3 HD could be a supplemental channel to 96.5 HD. Whether they are both a version of Country or one plays Country music and the other is a Talk station, the pair are easier for the listeners to find and remember if they are separate in this fashion. In simple Listener-Think: ‘the new stations go to the new place on the dial.’

“...this way all of the new stations are in one place.”
In many of our Groups the listeners were excited about the chance to create their own HD Dial above 108. It quickly became obvious to many of them that they could position a pre-set for a supplemental HD station just above 108 and hitting Seek or Scan from there would create a virtual HD Band.

They see it this way: “...I already know where the regular station is and I probably have a pre-set for it now. As soon as I get to 108 I know that everything up there is new and it’s all HD, too.”

**  You can go to my website and download the file, “HD - Radio Displays.” (www.BobHarper.com  ...  enter the site ... click on HD Radio Display Research on the left column) This will demonstrate exactly the graphics our listeners saw when evaluating the two Displays.

“...it’s just like HDTV on my cable.”
Listeners will not be using HD Radio in a vacuum. Their experience with other media defines and accelerates their learning curve.

Those with HD-TV know they receive their “regular” ESPN at one number and HD ESPN way up the line. Not only is this not a problem, it helps them define the High Definition space in their TV world; “...all the real sharp pictures and new technology are up there over 200...”  The same for HD Radio, Display B. The new region / the dial above 108 / becomes the really cool place ... the territory an HD listener can explore only with his new HD radio.

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If you visit the HD Radio section of my web site you will see a downloadable Excel file in *pdf format titled, “Rank Of HD Radio Services: 11/07-15/2005.”  The summary page is reproduced here.

During each of our twelve Focus Groups I gave the Radio Listeners a chance to tell me how important nine (9) potential attributes of HD Radio were to them; which HD Radio benefits might be the best motivators for them to buy a new HD Radio. The attributes were taken from the Ibiquity web site, http://www.ibiquity.com/.

Headlines
The listeners told me there are four important attributes to HD Radio … two in the mid-range … and, three were far less important.

“FM Radio Stations will have CD-Quality sound.”
“Reception will improve. Signal fades, static, hiss and pops will be a thing of the past.”

1) & 2) Scores of 7.1 and 7.1 out of a possible 10 -- The two FM technical improvement issues are tops on most lists and the Totals. The Radio Listener will expect HD Radio to deliver on a promise of better technical quality. And, better quality and less static is just as much of a Female issue as a Male one.

To the Radio Listener, HD Radio = HD TV = Quality+++

While it is true that gaining more stations is a big attraction of HD Radio, we shouldn’t dismiss the fact that improving the quality is at the top of the list. Put another way: the quality of HD Radio can not be perceived as less than that of today’s FM sound or reception. That would be a huge disconnect and a deal-breaker for these listeners.

“You will know the title and artist  of songs playing.”

3) Score: 6.7 -- As we have heard in Focus Groups and other research for at least thirty years, "...tell me the names of the songs and singers." This continues to be a major benefit and one that excites the listeners about HD Radio.

“There will be more free radio stations for you to listen to.”

4) 6.0 -- Having more free stations is near the top of the lists everywhere except Los Angeles. There are almost ninety listenable signals in and around Los Angeles as of yesterday (I didn't check this morning). No wonder this application was only average in our West Coast Groups.

No surprise, the “More Stations” benefit scores best with Men overall and Younger Men. Women and Older Women see slightly less need for new stations.

I see it in audience research all the time - Young guys think lots of things in their world are so-so at best and are usually leading the parade for more "this" and less of "that." On the other hand, one woman in our final Group appropriately spoke for the 35-54 year old ladies when she said, "...why can't they just leave things alone?"

There was a lot of curiosity about what programming might be on these new stations and who would own them, established Radio companies or newbies. Interest in the idea of More Free Radio Stations increased considerably when listeners thought the new stations might provide programming not now available on their Radio dial ... and if the new stations could be commercial-free, all the better.  Conversely, if the new channels were to provide ‘more of the same old same old,’ interest was reduced.

“AM Radio Stations will sound like FM stations do now.”

5) 4.5 -- Improving AM is much more of issue for Men than Women (Sports, News, Talk...).

“Traffic information can appear on the display.”
“You can look at up-to-date Weather forecasts & conditions”
“News and Emergency information can be shown.”

6, 7, 8) 4.9, 4.0, 3.7 -- Not only do Weather, News, and Traffic generally rank lower as display options in general, the listeners are concerned that those features will distract drivers in their cars.  “...it’s bad enough drivers  are on their cell phones. It’s going to be dangerous if they’re staring at their Radio instead of looking at the road.”

They like the idea of getting a quick Traffic or Weather update without having to flip to another radio station and back again. The important points were: make it fast and easy to read at a glance. Don’t overdo it. The shorter and clearer, the better.

“Radio Stations will be able to show you information about themselves.”

9) 3.3 -- Beyond the most basic frequency number, station name, and format type there is little interest for display information that deals with the Radio Stations.

A last word about our Early Adopters.

As you look across the spread sheet on Page #10 you’ll see the EA’s are in sync with the Total radio audience. What this tells me is that the word, “Early,” is the key.

If these EA listeners are ahead of the curve, it is in their Timing, not their Needs. In other words, the EA’s might be quicker to buy a non-static radio than a typical listener, but both would identify no-static and better reception as an important consumer feature.   We all may want wafer-thin HighDef Plasma TVs hanging on our walls ... these guys have 'em now ... we'll buy one next Christmas ... maybe.

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