| In December,
WDUQ 90.5 FM became the first radio station in
the Pittsburgh market to utilize the “multicasting”
capabilities of HD Radio technology. With the
new technology, WDUQ began broadcasting “CD-quality”
sound this past summer. Now, the station is offering
two additional programming channels (WDUQ-2 and
WDUQ-3) to augment the “News, Jazz, NPR”
programming heard on the 90.5 FM signal throughout
the tri-state region.
With HD Radio technology, radio stations have
the capability of creating additional digital
radio channels from a single FM frequency. Listeners
need an HD Radio receiver capable of accepting
the content on WDUQ-2 and WDUQ-3. In the coming
year, increased interest in the new technology
by both broadcasters and consumers will cause
the HD receivers to become more widely available
and affordable. Listeners without HD receivers
will still be able to hear the original 90.5 FM
signal on their current radios.
The WDUQ-2 channel counter-programs the original
90.5 FM program schedule. When news is normally
broadcast on 90.5 FM, WDUQ-2 will broadcast jazz.
When music or entertainment shows are normally
heard, WDUQ-2 will present news and talk. With
an HD Radio receiver, a listener could switch
between channels one and two for a 24-hour news
and talk service.
The WDUQ-2 schedule includes news and talk programs
not currently heard in the Pittsburgh market—such
as BBC World Service and National Public Radio’s
(NPR) On Point, Talk of the Nation, The Diane
Rehm Show, and News & Notes with Ed Gordon.
Fresh Air with Terry Gross can be heard twice
daily at noon and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday,
on the new WDUQ-2 channel.
The WDUQ-3 channel features a second significant
American music—the blues. The all-blues
channel can be heard 24 hours a day, seven days
a week.
WDUQ’s conversion to digital radio was
funded in part by a grant from the Corporation
for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
About WDUQ 90.5 FM:
WDUQ 90.5 FM reaches the most listeners of any
public radio outlet in the region. WDUQ broadcasts
national, international and regional news and
public affairs, entertainment and jazz programming.
WDUQ also produces music and spoken word programs
for national and international radio distribution.
WDUQ broadcasts from the campus of Duquesne University
to the tri-state region and streams two audio
channels on the web: http://www.wduq.org.
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