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It's more of a thing in the U.S. than here, but the author of the article below wonders why some American talk stations, many of them simulcasting on FM, would bother to broadcast in stereo if all they're doing is spoken word programming.
"For over the air broadcasts, there is no benefit to lighting the stereo light anymore. With FM talk becoming more prevalent, a strong signal matters. We are no longer spinning the tuning wheel and stopping when the stereo beacon lights or at the loudest thing on the dial. Guess what, a good clean mono audio signal will sound louder than a stereo signal."
I suppose the same could be argued for the CBC on 99.1, which is in mono only. But there's a difference - they still do a lot of music shows and when they're not in stereo, it's really noticeable.
It makes me think about the earlier thread that got into a discussion of CFRB in stereo. Yes, they still played some music at the time, but most of the dayparts were talk only. And with so few AM stereo radios out there, you have to wonder why they went to all that trouble and expense.
I'm not sure there's a happy medium on this medium, but the clear signal of mono makes it a no-brainer to me if all you're going to do is talk.
Why talk radio stations should be broadcasting in mono, not stereo
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How many commercials are mono?
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Rogers runs their "Ottawa" CityNews FM in mono. Last I was there, I found it really helps in the east end where it can be more of a fringe signal.
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A long-time engineer weighs in on the pros and cons of FM mono.
Let’s Talk About Mono: This Time With an Industry Veteran