Rob Greenlee, host of Web Talk, speaks with Mark Ramsey, founder and president of Mercury Radio Research. Mr. Ramsey is a terrestrial broadcast radio consultant and audience researcher. Mark explains his predictions for the future deployment of the Digital HD Radio platform such as iBiquity. He also explains whether Digital HD Radio fills a need in the radio market and talks about whether the improved sound quality adds enough value compared to existing FM frequencies. Mark also explains the real reason that major market radio broadcasters want digital radio and whether Digital HD Radio is really needed to improve the quality of "AM" Radio.

Mr. Ramsey also discusses how new technologies like podcasting, Internet radio streaming and satellite have just a toe-hold in the market, but will see a growing shift to these new forms of distribution. He also discusses how this shrinking audience for broadcast radio will impact the major terrestrial radio broadcasters. Mark will also discusses how indie music is a perfect fit for podcasting as download music rights have not been worked out and how major media celebrities lead audience growth with podcasting.

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Mark Ramsey is founder and president of Mercury Radio Research, Inc., a leading strategic consultant and research firm for radio broadcasters and satellite radio. Based in San Diego, Mercury’s clients have included CBS/Infinity Broadcasting, Clear Channel Communications, Emmis Communications, and Sirius Satellite Radio, among others.

Ramsey also publishes the Radio Marketing Nexus blog the radio industry’s best known source of marketing wisdom. There, Ramsey published the first podcast about radio marketing aimed at an audience of broadcasters. Ramsey has had articles published in most of the major radio industry trade publications, including Radio & Records, Radio Ink, and Friday Morning Quarterback.

Previously, Ramsey was president of Nova Marketing Group, a company of Clear Channel Communications. In 2001, Nova conducted nearly half of all Strategic Research for Clear Channel. Ramsey did some of the earliest research work in developing formats such as Alternative, Smooth Jazz, and the new “JACK” format.

This presentation is from the IT Conversations Web Talk series, hosted and produced by Rob Greenlee.