Modern Rock 91.5 WMHW-FM is one of 57 radio stations in Michigan now broadcasting in HD.

However, this form of HD stands for “hybrid digital” rather than television’s “high definition,” said Topinabee graduate assistant Jason Kester.

“We are the first station in mid-Michigan to be HD,” Kester said. “HD provides broadcasters the ability to segment programming from a single-radio frequency to carry FM, AM and data streams.”

He said HD radio interlaces analog and digital signals to provide CD-quality sound and produces data streams that can include information such as artist names and song titles. In order to receive content through HD radio, listeners need an HD radio receptor, Kester said.

WMHW-FM’s traffic director and Waterford senior Cody Landry recently installed an HD radio in his car for $135.

Landry said HD-ready radios and HD tuner radios are available.

“I would advise people to look for one with an HD tuner in it,” he said.

Landry said the sound quality is much better with HD, although the average consumer will notice only a little difference.

Cedar Springs junior Dani Lauer said she does not think students will be eager to purchase new HD radios.

“I don’t think people will go out of their way to spend money because one station is changing over,” she said.

However, Lauer said the prospect of an HD student-run station may attract potential students who are interested in broadcasting.

Jerome Henderson, BCA associate professor and radio operations manager for WMHW-FM, said HD radio is not catching on the same way that HDTV has.

“The switchover for HDTV has been mandated by the FCC – by February 2009, there will be no analog television broadcasts,” Henderson said. “There is no such mandate, no such deadline for HD radio.”

He also said WMHW-FM is in the “testing stage” for a secondary HD station. That secondary station will be HD2, Kester said.

“We will be trying to provide new music to people,” he said.

Kester said HD2’s working title is “The Edge” and will play non-traditional music from metal, hip-hop and Indie genres.

“It will be music that you wouldn’t hear on a normal market,” he said.

Kester said the ability for stations to segment their content into different HD broadcasts will allow for different music to be available to consumers.

“I really think its going to point people in a new direction,” he said.

Otisville junior Tucker Bryant said he thinks people will be interested in hearing different music on the radio.

“(Some stations are) on a loop and you hear the same song over and over again,” he said.

Bryant said a lot of people probably will still wait to buy an HD radio until it becomes standard.

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