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Brazil Expands HD Radio Interest
HD Radio a US built and deployed technology, but Brazil and the rest of South America may wind up being significant components of the mix: Brazil allows HD Radio's IBOC (in-band, on-channel) digital broadcasts, and the country is ramping up for more service. Just 16 stations broadcast HD Radio signals, but they serve 30 million listeners. A Brazilian broadcaster group has formed a local digital alliance to extend interest. While the press release includes a list of countries "deploying or testing HD Radio technology," I heard this week that Argentina is a likely future adopter as well. Having two massive South American countries add this option could do wonders for volume production of radios. Adoption will be limited in both countries until radio costs go way down as there's already an income disparity between the US and those nations, making an exported $200 radio cost far more in buying power.