Clear Channel Goes High Def

Big news out of Clear Channel this morning.

They are going to convert 1000 stations to HD Radio.

That’s big news for Clear Channel, big news for the Radio industry, and very big news for my portfolio company iBiquity, who is the developer of HD Radio.

The Radio business needs HD Radio. They need the additional programming that HD will bring. They need the data broadcasting capabilities that HD will bring. They need the better sound quality (surround sound in the FM band and near stereo in the AM band) that HD will bring.

It’s about time. Now we’ll see if the rest of the industry hops on the HD bandwagon. I’m hoping they will.