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HD-2 Legal IDs Necessary?

W

wmgcbs

Guest
I was listening to 106.7 WLTW/New York's HD-2 channel and heard a station ID that said "Classic Lite WLTW/New York 106.7 HD-2" and on WCBS-FM's HD-2 station, there is no legal ID whatsoever. Are there any rules for HD-2 identification? If so, what are they? I'm just curious since one station had one and the other did not.

Thanks!
 
I think this is a grey area, to be honest, as I have noticed same...To date, of all the HD-2s I've heard in Miami and Philly (only 2 markets I've taken a radio to), and even the handful of HD-3s (mostly AM simulcasts and NOAA simulcasts in those deep trenches), the only ones that have done a proper legal ID were WLRN-FM in Miami, and WXTU in Philly...Nobody else...I think that stations are pretty much saying "ok, since the Commission has said nothing, we're free to interpret that area of 'law' as we please". Or perhaps they will treat them in the same vein they do with SCAs?? That no identification is (theoretically) required?

This brings up a good point, as well, since "HD" in radio means nothing...You are cautioned by iBiquity not to call it "High Definition", but to keep it just as "HD"....If so, and we must begin to ID the subchannel, are we going to use "HD", which, in essence, means nothing? Or do we invent a new suffix (maybe "DR", since TV is using "DT"?)
 
> I think this is a grey area, to be honest, as I have noticed
> same...To date, of all the HD-2s I've heard in Miami and
> Philly (only 2 markets I've taken a radio to), and even the
> handful of HD-3s (mostly AM simulcasts and NOAA simulcasts
> in those deep trenches), the only ones that have done a
> proper legal ID were WLRN-FM in Miami, and WXTU in
> Philly...Nobody else...I think that stations are pretty much
> saying "ok, since the Commission has said nothing, we're
> free to interpret that area of 'law' as we please". Or
> perhaps they will treat them in the same vein they do with
> SCAs?? That no identification is (theoretically) required?
>
> This brings up a good point, as well, since "HD" in radio
> means nothing...You are cautioned by iBiquity not to call it
> "High Definition", but to keep it just as "HD"....If so, and
> we must begin to ID the subchannel, are we going to use
> "HD", which, in essence, means nothing? Or do we invent a
> new suffix (maybe "DR", since TV is using "DT"?)
>

I am assuming that since the HD standard includes transmitting your call letters along with the data stream, there will be no official policy on legal-ID's. In order to license iBiquity technology, the mfr will have to follow the iBiquity specs. That means any radio capable of receiving HD will be capable of showing the station's call sign.

Plus, this is radio. There is bound to be plenty of ID'ing!! :)<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
 
> I was listening to 106.7 WLTW/New York's HD-2 channel and
> heard a station ID that said "Classic Lite WLTW/New York
> 106.7 HD-2" and on WCBS-FM's HD-2 station, there is no legal
> ID whatsoever. Are there any rules for HD-2 identification?
> If so, what are they? I'm just curious since one station
> had one and the other did not.

It depends if the secondary "channels" are considered to be "subcarrier audio" or not... SCA's don't have to give any kind of legal ID, so if the "HD2" stream is considered to be an SCA, then it won't have to give an ID either. But if the "HD2" stream is considered to be an extension of the station's main audio programming, then it will need to do a correct hourly legal ID -- in the case of "Classic Lite", it would be "WLTW New York".

Stations can make up all kinds of fake call signs, such as "WLTW-HD2", but these have no relevancy because only the legal ID counts, according to the FCC. So, "Classic Lite" could call itself "WLTW-HD1067X", for all the FCC cares, just as long as the hourly ID is correctly given as "WLTW New York" -- that is, if "HD2" streams are required to give hourly IDs, which is indeterminate at this point.
<P ID="signature">______________
ImportantInfo.jpg

"This is the New York Emergency Broadcast System satellite channel. They took the crosstown bus."</P>
 
> This brings up a good point, as well, since "HD" in radio
> means nothing...You are cautioned by iBiquity not to call it
> "High Definition", but to keep it just as "HD"....If so, and
> we must begin to ID the subchannel, are we going to use
> "HD", which, in essence, means nothing? Or do we invent a
> new suffix (maybe "DR", since TV is using "DT"?)

The FCC is using DR to stand for "Digital Reassignment," which is what TV stations would file to change their digital channel. I don't know if they would recycle it on FM or not.

- Trip<P ID="signature">______________
Visit my website, www.rabbitears.info! It's eventually going to be your one resource for television info! Digital television, histories, and technical information for the entire USA from one source!</P>
 
> I am assuming that since the HD standard includes
> transmitting your call letters along with the data stream,
> there will be no official policy on legal-ID's. In order to
> license iBiquity technology, the mfr will have to follow the
> iBiquity specs. That means any radio capable of receiving
> HD will be capable of showing the station's call sign.
>
> Plus, this is radio. There is bound to be plenty of
> ID'ing!! :)

Very good point.

It would seem to me that if the parent station ID's once an hour, that should be sufficent for the FCC. The only issue I can see with this grey area is when/if something is broadcasted on HD-2 or 3 (on a given station) and someone wishes to file some kind of indecency claim. If the station is not ID'ing, how will that be identified?<P ID="signature">______________
If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything...</P>
 
> I was listening to 106.7 WLTW/New York's HD-2 channel and
> heard a station ID that said "Classic Lite WLTW/New York
> 106.7 HD-2" and on WCBS-FM's HD-2 station, there is no legal
> ID whatsoever. Are there any rules for HD-2 identification?
> If so, what are they? I'm just curious since one station
> had one and the other did not.
>
> Thanks!

There are no ID rules yet. And what about EAS on the HD channels?

Right now, multicasting is considered an "experimental" service
by the FCC. It's in the infancy. Once the FCC gets a new commissioner
I'm sure they'll be developing regulations for it.
 
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