iBiquity CEO Bob Struble Shares His CES Findings

RADIO ONLINE | Thursday, February 2, 2012 | 2:50pm CT

iBiquity Digital President/CEO Bob Struble, the developer of HD Radio, recounts his findings after scanning 1.85 million square feet of exhibit space at CES. His conclusion: "I can't say I saw every one of the 31,000 exhibitor's booths, but I did see a lot, and came to a distressing realization: AM/FM radio is the only analog technology remaining at the CES, everything else is digital... and that is not a long term growth strategy."

The 2012 International CES showed that the vastly superior consumer experience from digital technologies will win out over the limited capabilities of analog technology. Struble says broadcasters must deliver "compelling digital consumer experiences equal to other digital options, in cars, on CE devices and cellular handsets/tablets, or be left behind by consumers and advertisers alike."

Struble's takeaway: "There are entire digital industries gunning for radio's audience and ad dollars. Radio broadcasters must upgrade to over-the-air digital HD Radio broadcasting to address these competitive threats. Analog radio's limited capabilities will not compete well in this new [automotive] digital dash. Unless broadcasters upgrade their offering to digital to meet consumer expectations and work together to deliver a compelling and consistent consumer experience, they risk AM/FM becoming a forgotten app in the digital dashboard."

To read "Thoughts on Radio's Digital Future -- I Looked Hard But Could Not See," go to www.ibiquity.com/struble.