Time in. I can't ignore the HD Digital Radio Alliance.

Got my other writing under control. Got some time to attend to my first media love, radio.

Yesterday, eight of the biggest post-consolidation radio-licensee companies announced the HD Digital Radio Alliance, to speed up the rollout of digital radio. These companies control just over two thousand of the twelve thousand commercial radio stations in the United States. Only seventeen percent, you say? Well, it's the best, most moneymaking seventeen.

Aside from the obvious promotional activities, they intend to "coordinate" who's going to do which format on which station's sub-channel.

This is a breathtaking dumb idea. And I think it's illegal. Radio needs some level of unity to get digital radio moving. But flouting antitrust law and FCC regulations (licensee responsibility for programming), and shutting down competition isn't the way to do it.

We wouldn't stand for the government "coordinating" radio formats. And do you really think this conglomerate committee will stimulate creative new uses of digital subchannels? Come on, radio guys. Especially you licensees of the other ten thousand stations. Stop the Gang of Eight. To the barricades!