The Father Of HD Radio Is Today’s Sisyphus…

(Update) Ed McMahon dies at 86.  See Commentary… 

In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was a king punished by being cursed to roll a huge boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down, and to repeat this throughout eternity.  In his interview with the Wall Street Journal, Robert (Father of HD Radio) Struble, iBiquity’s chief executive, ordains himself the 2009 version of the Greek king, “still pushing the rock up the hill.”  Struble better hope that he has more success than Sisyphus.  I thought he was forthright with his answers, although a tad optimistic about HD Radio’s chances…

On the plus side, Struble has the help of two technology giants in Apple and Microsoft.  The latter is including HD radio in the new version of Zune and iBiquity and Apple are connected through iTunes and with providing software, hardware and firmware.  In addition to those key tie-ins, iBiquity has scheduled the release of it’s own version of a portable HD radio player in the next few months.  When asked by WSJ, “wouldn’t your new portable essentially be competing with its customer, Microsoft?” Struble answered, “I don’t believe there’s a competition there.  The Zune just shows that the HD radio technology is at a point that it can be incorporated with these devices, and it’s important to have that incorporation with an entity like Microsoft.”…

When asked why digital radio receivers, available since 2005, haven’t become the standard, Struble replied that “mass market transitions just take a while.  The addition of FM to AM took several years.  When black-and-white TV transitioned to color — similar numbers.  Today, even with a government mandate, it’s taken 15 years for television to completely transition from analog to digital.”  Good answer but how come there are lines around the block every time a new iPhone comes out…    

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1868] Patent no longer pending: Christopher Latham Sholes receives a patent for an invention he calls the ‘type-writer’. Sholes will sell the rights to his typewriter to the Remington Arms Company in 1872 for $12,000…
2. 1955] Debuted on this date: Walt Disney’s “Lady and the Tramp“…1982] Mary Hart and her legs debut on “Entertainment Tonight“…1989] “Batman“ starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson (The Joker) premieres…
3. 1957] Curtains: “The Roy Rogers Show” bows out on Sundays (NBC-TV) after 6 seasons but Roy and Dale will do a Saturday musical variety show on ABC-TV in the fall of ‘62…1960] “The Pat Boone Show“, a weekly musical variety show airs for the last time on ABC-TV after 3 seasons. I used to watch this live show when I worked late in the ABC mailroom…
4. 1963] Talkin’ Baseball: To celebrate hitting his 100th home run, wacky Mets outfielder Jimmy Piersall runs the bases backwards…1981] The Pawtucket Red Sox-Rochester minor league game picks up in the 33rd inning. This time it only takes 18 minutes to finish the game as Pawtucket scores a run in the bottom of the 33rd. Wade Boggs played for Pawtucket and Cal Ripken Jr. for Rochester…
5. 1969] This I swear: Warren E. Burger is sworn in as chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court…
6. 1972] Title IX: Richard Nixon signs an act barring sex discrimination in college sports. On the surface it sounds like a good idea but it’s not. Title IX allocates funds for female teams indiscriminately and is a lousy rule…
7. 1992] Guilty as charged: John Gotti, convicted on racketeering charges is sentenced to life in prison where he will die of throat cancer…1993] Lorena Bobbitt of Prince William County (VA) mutilates her husband John by severing a particularly sensitive male organ after he allegedly rapes her…
8. 1995] ‘Happy Trails’: Dr. Jonas Salk who developed the first vaccine against Polio, dies of unknown causes at 80…2006] Aaron Spelling passes away at 83 from complications of a recent stroke…
9. 1997] Friendly fire: Civil Rights activist Betty Shabazz, 61, widow of Malcolm X, dies from burns she suffered in an earlier fire set by her 12-year old grandson…
10. 2003] Meltdown countdown begins: Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean announces his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination which turns into a Barnum and Bailey Circus ending…

       




Music Memories:

• 1958] Debuted on the charts on this date: “Splish, Splash“ - Bobby Darin…
• 1965] Released on this date: “Tracks of my Tears” - Smokey Robinson & Miracles…1979] “My Sharona“ - The Knack…

Commentary:

Longtime Johnny Carson sidekick on “The Tonight Show”, Ed McMahon has passed away at 86 from a number of recent health issues.  In February, McMahon was hospitalized with pneumonia.  Click here for Ed’s obituary…

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday”: Patriot lineman Matt Light (31), Jason Mraz (32), K.T. Tunstall (34), Frances McDormand (52), American Idol judge Randy Jackson (53), Clarence Thomas (61), Bryan Brown (62), Ted Shackelford (63)…

Timeline Countdown: 12 days until July 4th, 22 days until the MLB All-Star Game and 32 days until the first NFL training camp (Giants) opens…

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