COLUMBIA, MARYLAND — Xperi is arguing that HD Radio can provide a resilient emergency-information backstop when cellular networks and Internet services fail—but the proposal also exposes a growing gap involving Internet-only radio stations.
Jeff Jury, Xperi’s senior vice president and general manager of immersive entertainment, says HD Radio can distribute geographically targeted written alerts, support multiple languages and activate compatible receivers for high-priority warnings.
The Florida Public Radio Emergency Network already uses HD Radio audio and data channels during hurricanes to place evacuation routes and shelter information on compatible vehicle displays.
Streaming stations remain outside the mandatory broadcast chain
Traditional broadcasters participate in the Emergency Alert System under federal rules and use dedicated equipment to monitor and relay authenticated messages. Internet-only stations may choose to distribute emergency information, but they are not automatically integrated into the same required and supervised system.
That distinction matters as more listening moves to applications and Internet streams. A future system could make verified Common Alerting Protocol messages available to participating streaming platforms and station automation systems without requiring every operator to purchase conventional broadcast equipment.
Any expansion would need strong authentication, geographic targeting, reliable correction procedures and protection against false or altered alerts. It would also need to acknowledge that an Internet stream cannot serve as the only emergency path when electrical, broadband or cellular infrastructure fails.
Xperi’s claims should be evaluated as a vendor’s case for HD Radio, not an independently established conclusion. The larger public-service question is how broadcast and Internet distribution can complement each other instead of leaving listeners dependent on a single network.
Source: Radio Ink, September 25, 2026.