1 of 1- paterson1
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Why Do You Listen To AM Radio?
This is from the Michigan Radio & TV Buzzboard, and has some interesting comments. \
I listen to AM radio still, mostly in the kitchen and the car. I enjoy some of the talk shows depending on the topic, and listen to Zoomer Toronto for their music and hosts. See if your reasons are similar to those in the Detroit area..
Why Do You Listen to AM Radio? - Michigan Radio & TV Buzzboard
- Dale Patterson
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Re: Why Do You Listen To AM Radio?
The only times I listen to AM is for 680 News, and now and then to DX.
"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram
- RadioAaron
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Re: Why Do You Listen To AM Radio?
Does it count if I listen to stations that are primarily on AM, but that’s not how I listen?
I give 680 News a checkin almost daily on 92.5-2. I also enjoy the 70s at 7 and 80s at 8 on Zoomer, but I listen on 96.7
- Scarboroughbluffsradiof99
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Re: Why Do You Listen To AM Radio?
Programming.
680 News is good for a storm, The music on CHIN 1540 is a change from our boring music, and 740 also has some great programming.
Also, sports.
Am's where the sports are, but now I don't nead AM as much for my sports because there on HD.
Am's great if your not us luckey ones on here and don't own an hd radio.
I take my portable am/fm to argos games to here the commentary from tsn 1050 because my hd radio's only a pluggin.
- Scarboroughbluffsradiof99
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Re: Why Do You Listen To AM Radio?
RadioAaron wrote:
Does it count if I listen to stations that are primarily on AM, but that’s not how I listen?
I give 680 News a checkin almost daily on 92.5-2. I also enjoy the 70s at 7 and 80s at 8 on Zoomer, but I listen on 96.7
Love 740.
Because I'm in scarborough, I listen on 96.3 hd2.
But when I'm away from my hd radio and don't want to use data, I listen on 740 or 96.7 when that one comes in.
- Scarboroughbluffsradiof99
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Re: Why Do You Listen To AM Radio?
The only times I listen to AM is for 680 News, and now and then to DX.
1010 is just background noise for me, but I'm listening on 99.9 HD2.
The only shows on 1010 actualy werth paying atension to are john moore, jerry agar, vasi kapelos, and ctv national news.
But If I'm not in the mood for music, I have 1010 growning instead of 640, tried that one, and was'nt my thing.
And CBC 1's not my thing.
- Scarboroughbluffsradiof99
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Re: Why Do You Listen To AM Radio?
This is from the Michigan Radio & TV Buzzboard, and has some interesting comments. \
I listen to AM radio still, mostly in the kitchen and the car. I enjoy some of the talk shows depending on the topic, and listen to Zoomer Toronto for their music and hosts. See if your reasons are similar to those in the Detroit area..
Why Do You Listen to AM Radio? - Michigan Radio & TV Buzzboard
Detroit just got a new station just like zoomer radio.
The one that was formerly a weird religious station unlike WDCX and only had 1 program on it.
Nice to hear something different and normal there for a change.
And, do detroit residents get windsor's AMs like cklw and the jukebox called CKWW?
- darcyh
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Re: Why Do You Listen To AM Radio?
It's the content.
I hardly ever listen to the cookie cutter FM's with their banal uninteresting programming. When I have the radio on it is usually tuned to an AM station: WMIC 660 or CKNX 920 for classic country, WXCI 1160 for 'classic hits', 1450 WHLS / WPHM, occasionally WJR 760 for talk, CJBQ 800 on line and used to listen to CFOS 560 before it changed its format and moved to FM. Obviously not the fidelity but at least the content is acceptable. Some of the programming is live.
FM offers new country (5 stations yikes!) that does not seem much like country music, very boring and repetitive CHR (yawn), supposed classic rock with small playlists and repetitive can-con (5 stations again yikes!). Rarely are any of the stations live / local. The announcers when present are bland and probably networked and voice tracked. Almost no news or weather. No reason to listen.
- Saul
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Re: Why Do You Listen To AM Radio?
When I'm DXing, I'm not really listening unless conditions are blah and I hear something interesting. At home I might have CJRT or CBC Radio 1 on in the early morning as I start the day. In the car, it's campus-community radio (mostly CIUT), the occasional indigenous station (I'm often near 92.3 Nish Radio Georgina), and very occasionally 680 News to double-check traffic (GPS is reliable enough) or 590 for baseball. In the car it's really just to pass the time. Online has the most interesting choices - I like anything eclectic - but I don't listen often because I don't play music or podcasts while I work and I don't like to sit at the computer or listen to my phone during actual free time. I'm old-school with devices - my phone is an Apple 5S and my Mac is the same era (2014) - so I've just never really bothered with podcasts or streaming - these have never been a priority. I don't watch much if any TV. I'd rather listen to my vinyl (or tracks found online) when home, hear live music, etc... I liked AM radio back in the day. But 'the day' has long passed. Some reasons already mentioned by many of you in this thread resonate with me: particularly the bland pop formats.
- Radiowiz
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Re: Why Do You Listen To AM Radio?
680 news. Sometimes CKOC, but only sometimes.
- RadioActive
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Re: Why Do You Listen To AM Radio?
My answer is simple: because I've never found a format on FM that interests me. I'm just not that into music anymore and outside of the CBC - which is not my favourite but has a few shows I like - no one on the band is really doing anything else.
So other than shortwave, there's not a lot of real choice if you're listening to the radio. I'm well aware I'm in the minority, but that's what works for me.
- mace
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Re: Why Do You Listen To AM Radio?
I was surprised how many people on the Michigan Radio Board mentioned that they listen to AM740. I know it sends a great night signal down there, but is it listenable there in daylight hours as well? I know WJR is available weakly during the day in the GTA depending on the quality of your radio.
- Chrisphen
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Re: Why Do You Listen To AM Radio?
Locally, traffic report news is important (though the usual stations are marginal in quality of their coverage).
Aside from that, night-time DXing is interesting.
- rhunter
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Re: Why Do You Listen To AM Radio?
FM radio doesn't play the music I enjoy listening to
I like to stay informed with local news and talk, but the increasingly right-wing nature of Toronto talk stations has me turning off the radio entirely at times
- paterson1
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Re: Why Do You Listen To AM Radio?
I was surprised how many people on the Michigan Radio Board mentioned that they listen to AM740. I know it sends a great night signal down there, but is it listenable there in daylight hours as well? I know WJR is available weakly during the day in the GTA depending on the quality of your radio.
CFZM's "local" signal reaches just outside of Detroit, so they will have a good signal during the day. Zoomer comes up from time to time on the Michigan board and many posters seem familiar with the station. Pretty much all comments I have seen are complimentary. 
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Thread Starter- mic'em
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Re: Why Do You Listen To AM Radio?
I can verify that 740 AM does not come in on my car or work truck radios in Sudbury. The only AM signal I get is out of North Bay an even that is staticky.
- rk12
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Re: Why Do You Listen To AM Radio?
Many vehicles have only a little fin antenna which works very poorly for AM radio.Years ago Cars had expandable rod or whip which worked much better.I have received am 740 as far Pittsburgh and Detroit in the daytime.
- darcyh
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Re: Why Do You Listen To AM Radio?
I was surprised how many people on the Michigan Radio Board mentioned that they listen to AM740. I know it sends a great night signal down there, but is it listenable there in daylight hours as well? I know WJR is available weakly during the day in the GTA depending on the quality of your radio.
CFZM's "local" signal reaches just outside of Detroit, so they will have a good signal during the day. Zoomer comes up from time to time on the Michigan board and many posters seem familiar with the station. Pretty much all comments I have seen are complimentary.
That's a pretty generous coverage map. I am located near Grand Bend well within the range of the supposed local signal. While 740 is receivable it is certainly no where near a local signal strength. It is subject to much noise from the regular culprits. Even in London the station is hard to listen to in the car due to all the man-made (sorry people-made) noise.
Last edited by darcyh (Today 10:14 am)
- RadioActive
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Re: Why Do You Listen To AM Radio?
My sister, who lives in Staten Island, N.Y., often tells me she listens to "that 740 station" at night down there. Comes in pretty good, apparently.
I remember trying to tune in local Ontario stations the last time I was in New York City, which was decades ago. The one thing I remember being able to hear clearly was, ofddly enough, the now defunct CHML from Hamilton.