Joining the digital landscape: An exploratory study of the diffusion and adoption of high-definition radio technology by the broadcasting industry

Since radio became a part of the entertainment landscape in the early 1920s, the medium has broadcast with an analog signal on both its AM and FM frequencies. Although thousands of studies have been conducted on radio, few studies have been done on the medium concerning the new digital environment it is now entering and what effect, if any, it will have not only on consumers but on the industry itself. Likewise, little research exists on the recent invention and development of one of the most profound changes that has faced the medium since its beginnings some 80 years ago, high-definition radio technology. The technology promises to bring radio broadcasting into the digital age and make it compatible with other new media devices that have entered the entertainment arena. The purveyors of the technology have been trying to convince the industry to add the technology to their equipment upgrades. This exploratory study examines the adoption and diffusion of HD across the broadcast industry. Results show that owners hold the primary role for making the adoption decision. Three key factors influence the decision to adopt: the perceived advantages offered by the technology, a person's overall approach towards adopting technology, and costs associated with adopting HD technology. The study also revealed, among several issues, that adopters or those who plan to adopt the technology do so to offer more programming choices to increase ethnic diversity and minority voices on the air, provide local content, and make terrestrial radio more competitive in a digital media environment. Implications of these important finds on the future of HD radio are discussed.