Listen to the Future Tense Interview | How to Listen

Last week satellite radio got a big boost when Howard Stern announced he would take his show onto the new technology. But there's a second, parallel technology looking to revolutionize the world's oldest broadcast medium.  Digital, or "high definition," radio has been a little slower to debut before the American public.  Rather than send signals from outer space, HD radio sends digital information over the same airwaves we already use here on earth.  And it's free. One company, Ibiquity, is developing the technology that powers digital radio in the U.S.  We talk with VP for marketing David Salemi. (Jeff Horwich guest-hosts.)

Our audience might be interested to know that while there are about 100 digital licenses issued for public radio in the U.S., there are fewer places where signals are up and running.  Among them (according to Ibiquity): WNYC in New York, WBEZ in Chicago, and KPLU in Seattle.nbsp; Minnesota Public Radio stations are all licensed for HD radio -- but no word yet on when digital broadcasts might begin.

National Public Radio is leading its own initiative to deepen the technical application of digital radio, the Tomorrow Radio Project.

I should point out that Future Tense is currently carried on XM satellite radio. Near as I can figure out, only one of our U.S. affiliates (through the CBC Radio's As It Happens) currently carries us on HD radio -- WAMU in Washington D.C.

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