Alliance Holiday ad campaign launches, promoting Circuit City rollout in top 10 markets; RadioShack’s expansion to 2500 stores

JVC lowers price on automotive, in-dash unit to the ‘magic’ $199 price point; up to $50 in rebates now available on select receiver models
 

ORLANDO, Florida – November 6, 2006 – The HD Digital Radio Alliance, a joint initiative of leading radio broadcasters to accelerate consumer adoption of HD digital radio, today announced that the next phase of its $200 million marketing campaign will launch on November 13, touting Circuit City as the initiative’s first “big box” retailer; the expansion of RadioShack’s national rollout to new markets; and the reduction of JVC’s in-dash, automotive receiver price to $199. Additionally, up to $100 in rebates are now available for select receiver models.

“This has been an incredible ten months and we believe these announcements punctuate HD digital radio as the fastest rollout of a digital consumer entertainment technology to date,” said Peter Ferrara, president and CEO of the HD Digital Radio Alliance. “As the pace of this rollout continues to pick up, we look forward to strong momentum and consumer excitement this holiday season.”

From Coast to Coast

Having just wrapped its successful fall campaign, the Alliance will launch its Holiday campaign on November 13 with 150 commercials per Alliance-member station per week. Ads will promote HD digital radio products in Circuit City stores in 10 markets and online at www.circuitcity.com. The Alliance will be advertising Web-site availability in 58 additional markets.

Alliance ads will also be promoting RadioShack’s expansion of its HD radio rollout to include some 2,500 stores nationwide. The retailer is now offering HD radios in stores located in 56 of the 68 markets where HD digital radio broadcasts have launched as well as online. Other Alliance partners to be promoted in the campaign include Amazon, Cambridge SoundWorks (which recently launched two new HD radio models), Crutchfield, Tweeter and JVC.

To get maximum impact from the ads, participating retailers and manufacturers will also be collaborating with the Alliance on additional marketing efforts that include print advertising, catalogue inclusion and online and in-store campaigns around the nation. The new ads can be heard at www.hdradioalliance.com.

Rebates up to $50 now available

The Alliance also noted that rebates of up to $50 are now available on select receiver models. Information is available at www.hdradio.com. Separately, JVC has lowered the price of its in-dash automotive receiver to $199 – with rebate, this enormously popular unit is just $149. Information on the receiver is available at www.mobile.jvc.com.

“As volumes have increased, we’ve been able to lower prices on this highly popular model,” said Chad Vogelsong, general manager of marketing for JVC Mobile Entertainment. “Sales are exceeding our expectations at this price point and with the rebate, we now have the most price-aggressive automotive model on the market.”

Growing Excitement

As retailers and device manufacturers jump on board with HD radio, there are more and more reasons for consumers to tune in. The nation’s 1000th HD radio station just went on the air, and more new HD2 multicast channels are going live every week, giving consumers a breathtaking variety of new entertainment and information options.

Holiday music will be crystal clear – and for AM and sports radio fans, events like the SuperBowl never sounded so close to live. Station promotions are helping even more consumers discover HD digital radio.

New Products and Where to Buy

New HD radio receiver products will be hitting retailers’ shelves just in time for holiday gift-giving. In addition to Cambridge SoundWorks’ new tabletop and component models, new units include: Sangean HDR-1 and HDT-1 HD; Radiosophy Multistream; Onyko and Denon units and Kenwood’s automotive HD radio converter.

New automotive converters were also recently showcased at SEMA. These plug-in and dockable units can turn any automotive radio – including satellite radio – into HD digital radio. Converters will be in retailers, car dealerships and dealer groups by Q1 2007. These devices are manufactured by Directed, Dice, Metra, AAMP/Peripheral and Visteon.

HD digital radio receivers are currently available from hundreds of retailers, including ABC Warehouse, Amazon.com, Circuit City, Crutchfield, Great Indoors (a unit of Sears Roebuck & Co.), J & R Music, RadioShack, and Tweeter. Links to online retailers selling HD digital radios are at www.hdradio.com.

HD digital radio receivers are currently manufactured by more than 18 companies, including Accurian (a RadioShack brand), Alpine, Audio Design Associates, Boston Acoustics, Cambridge SoundWorks, Day Sequerra, Delphi, DICE, Eclipse (Fujitsu), JVC, Kenwood, Niles, Panasonic, Polk, Radiosophy, Rotel, Sangean, Sanyo, Yamaha and Visteon.

About the HD Digital Radio Alliance

The HD Digital Radio Alliance is a joint initiative of leading radio broadcasters to accelerate the successful rollout of HD digital radio. Current members include major radio groups and independent station owners: ABC Radio (in Los Angeles and Minneapolis), Beasley Broadcast Group, Bonneville International, CBS Radio, Citadel Broadcasting, Clear Channel Radio, Cumulus, Emmis Communications, Entercom, Greater Media and independent owner Jerry Lee with WBEB Philadelphia. For more information on HD digital radio, visit www.hdradio.com.