Harris Corporation Brings HD Radio(TM) Technology to NPR Member Stations Across the Country

Harris Corporation Brings HD Radio(TM) Technology to NPR Member Stations Across the Country

Stations in Markets of All Sizes Account for Harris' 65 Percent-Plus Sales Penetration in First Three Rounds of NPR Digital Conversions

CINCINNATI, March 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- With over 65 percent of National Public Radio (NPR) stations selecting IBOC digital transmitters from Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS) during the first three rounds of HD Radio(TM) digital conversions, Harris has emerged as the clear HD Radio market leader for NPR stations of all market sizes across the U.S. Harris Broadcast Communications Division (BCD), the world's largest supplier of radio equipment, is the only end-to-end solutions provider to offer personnel dedicated solely to public radio initiatives. This allows Harris to work closely with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to negotiate pricing structures that give the government-funded organization and its separate NPR member stations the buying power of a large commercial broadcasting group. This flexible structure and strong relationship has resulted in Harris' ability to win the vast majority of NPR stations' orders for IBOC digital transmitters to date, ranging from smaller markets to the largest in the country. Similarly, the majority of these orders include Harris' exclusive NeuStar(TM) codec pre-conditioners to assure the best possible audio quality for HD Radio transmissions.

In recent years, Harris has worked closely with Kenwood and with iBiquity Digital Corporation, the sole developer and licensor of HD Radio technology, to pioneer NPR's "Tomorrow Radio" program, a countrywide initiative designed to leverage its implementation of HD Radio technology. Tomorrow Radio, currently in its testing phase and awaiting FCC approval, offers data services and secondary audio services with the crystal-clear sound quality of HD Radio broadcasting. NPR member stations, with their interest in cutting-edge technology and wealth of programming for secondary services, have been on the leading edge of HD Radio adoption. iBiquity Digital's HD Radio system allows broadcasters to deliver pristine digital audio over FM and AM channels, and it enables the multi-channel and data services that make Tomorrow Radio possible.

"We're transmitting HD Radio at this time and were active during last year's Tomorrow Radio testing phase," said Steve Shultis, director of engineering for WNYC-FM, which is using a Harris Z16HD transmitter and NeuStar pre-conditioning codec in its HD Radio chain. "WNYC has always had the attitude of embracing technology that benefits our listeners and radio in general, including the early RBDS (Radio Broadcast Data Standard) phases in the early 1990s. Harris not only has some of the best transmission solutions on the market, but they have excellent technical support. When we decided to launch HD Radio, Harris provided a cost-effective, turnkey package that included a new exciter package to upgrade our Harris analog transmitter, a Split-Level(TM) Combining solution and comprehensive on-site engineering. It's a technically sound solution, bolstered by outstanding documentation and service."

Medium-sized markets comprise a sizeable portion of Harris' NPR wins. WOSU-FM-AM, on the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus, was the first to transmit HD Radio in its market with the launch of its FM digital service last year. Both stations are now transmitting HD Radio and are active in Tomorrow Radio testing. Harris IBOC digital transmission packages, featuring NeuStar codec pre-conditioners, enable clear HD Radio broadcasts for both its AM and FM stations.

Dave Carwile, director for planning and initiatives at WOSU, believes it is important for medium-market radio stations to make the transition into the digital domain. "As a medium-market station, we're looking as far ahead as we can see into the future of terrestrial radio," said Carwile. "It's essential for public radio stations of all sizes to make the digital transition before or at the same time as commercial broadcasters. Harris has provided strong initiatives to the public radio industry to help speed this digital transition. WOSU has been fortunate to participate in Tomorrow Radio testing with Harris' assistance, and as a result, we're prepared to bring multi- channel radio into the Columbus market once approved."

Small-market NPR member stations are also not waiting, with a growing number offering HD Radio services. One example is WFCR-FM of Amherst, Mass., which launched its service in November of 2004 with a Harris Z6HDS transmitter. Chuck Dube, chief engineer, WFCR-FM, attributes the station's decision to move forward with HD Radio services implementation to Harris' rapid response and cost-effective transmission package.

"The Z6HDS transmitter is a stepping stone that gets our HD Radio broadcast off the ground," said Dube. "We believe that Tomorrow Radio, especially in smaller markets, will be driven by the public's acceptance of HD Radio broadcasting. It's important that we stay ahead of the competition and get our foot in the door with this technology. For now, we're successfully simulcasting our HD Radio service with our analog FM. The Harris DEXSTAR(R) exciter has been essential to generating the proprietary HD Radio algorithms for our digital audio conversion to RF, and it also takes care of matching FM and HD Radio audio delays."

"Harris is proud to have supported NPR initiatives such as Tomorrow Radio, which provides compelling value for radio broadcasters by enabling multiple programs and services to be broadcast over an FM channel. This is in addition to other technologies such as improving audio quality for broadcasts of the Radio Reading Service for the sight impaired, which many NPR member stations currently broadcast on FM subcarriers," said Debra Huttenburg, vice president and general manager of Harris BCD's Radio Broadcast Systems. "We are grateful for the confidence that the CPB and NPR member stations have shown in our technology and look forward to working on equally exciting initiatives in the future."

About Harris Broadcast Communications Division

Harris Broadcast Communications Division is one of four divisions within Harris Corporation, an international communications equipment company focused on providing assured communications(TM) services for government and commercial customers in more than 150 countries. One of the world's leading suppliers of broadcast technology, Harris Broadcast Communications Division offers a full range of solutions that support the digital delivery, automation and management of audio, video and data. For more information, visit http://www.broadcast.harris.com/ .

HD Radio(TM) is a trademark of iBiquity Digital Corporation.

Source: Harris Corporation

CONTACT: Martha Rapp, Harris Broadcast Communications Division,
+1-217-221-7577, or mrapp@harris.com; or Robin Hoffman, Pipeline
Communications, +1-973-746-6970, or robinh@pipecomm.com, for Harris
Corporation

Web site: http://www.harris.com/
http://www.broadcast.harris.com/

EDITORS' ADVISORY: For additional information and photos, visit http://www.broadcast.harris.com/news

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