1 of 1- RadioActive
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How Do Daytime Only AM Stations Survive?
It's not as big a deal as it once was, because there are increasingly fewer of them. But I've often wondered how daytime only AM stations survive once the clocks go back in the fall and we return to Eastern Standard Time.
Consider: Sunrise is now just after 7 AM. Sunset is a few minutes before 5 PM. It gets even worse as we get into the depths of the winter. That means stations like WTOR in Youngstown, N.Y. have less than 12 hours to make any money for half of the year. They have to be off by pattern change time to protect WABC, also at 770. How can they possibly earn anything when they're barely on the air?
I know some have taken up FM translators, which certainly helps (and generally means they never talk about the AM frequency again.) And some of the WTORs take paid ethnic programming to survive.
It's small wonder they're no longer licensing these things.
Are there any of these outdated creatures anywhere in Canada? I know there used to be, but I think they've all disappeared.
- turkeytop
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Re: How Do Daytime Only AM Stations Survive?
Do these daytimers stream after dark. Some listeners would be content with that, believing it is radio?
After all is said and done, more is usually said than done.
- gch
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Re: How Do Daytime Only AM Stations Survive?
KFUO St Louis has an am signal that shuts down at night to protect a signal from out west
They stream at night and have some local low powered FM repeaters as well
1590 in Marine City (which is now a repeater of 92.7 Port Huron) used to be WDOG in the early years, as well as a fairly successful WSMA country station........now it is 1000 watts day, and 102 watts night.
560 Monroe used to shut down at sunset, but as it has been noted it now stays on at 14 watts at night
The last Canadian one that I remember was 1510 CKOT in TIllsonburg
Until the mid 1960s CJSP Leamington was a daytimer, but then evolved into CHYR 710 day, and 730 night
Is 1540 Toronto shutting down at night.......I got no programming from it at 615 am today
- RadioActive
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Re: How Do Daytime Only AM Stations Survive?
gch wrote:
Is 1540 Toronto shutting down at night.......I got no programming from it at 615 am today
Yes, CHIN has been forced to go daytime only on 1540, after its TX perch on the Toronto Islands got taken over. It has yet to find a separate site, so as a result, it's been forced to sign off when the sun goes down (staying online) primarily to protect KXEL in Waterloo, Iowa. And wow does that station ever boom into Toronto most nights.
I've heard they're looking for another location, and it's been posted previously on SOWNY that they've been looking at 900 AM, the former home of CHML. So far, no progress.
As for that station in Monroe, Michigan, what, exactly, is the point of even bothering to stay on at 14 watts at night? You might be able to get them in the parking lot or a block away. Other than that, why bother?
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Thread Starter- turkeytop
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Re: How Do Daytime Only AM Stations Survive?
When I was akid our dad used to listen to WCKY from Cincinnati. A power house all day until sunset and then they would have to shut it down.
After all is said and done, more is usually said than done.
- Skywave
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Re: How Do Daytime Only AM Stations Survive?
As for that station in Monroe, Michigan, what, exactly, is the point of even bothering to stay on at 14 watts at night? You might be able to get them in the parking lot or a block away. Other than that, why bother?
The same might be asked of CIRF 1350 Brampton, which is supposed to be 1000 watts day and (ahem) 40 watts night.
Funny, I don't seem to notice in change in their signal at night.
- RadioActive
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Re: How Do Daytime Only AM Stations Survive?
As for that station in Monroe, Michigan, what, exactly, is the point of even bothering to stay on at 14 watts at night? You might be able to get them in the parking lot or a block away. Other than that, why bother?The same might be asked of CIRF 1350 Brampton, which is supposed to be 1000 watts day and (ahem) 40 watts night.
Funny, I don't seem to notice in change in their signal at night.
I can't hear them at all after sundown, not that I ever really listen. What is now CKDO Oshawa used to be on 1350, but moved to 1580. Now I can't even get the latter during the day despite the improved frequency!
All of which may explain why Radio Humsafar is one of the stations available on a dedicated phone line - and I'm not talking about streaming.
Call (647) 564-1350 and you can listen to them over the phone. They also have phone numbers for their station in Montreal, as well as listening lines in the U.S., the U.K. and even Australia. Very unusual, when you consider how easy it would be to get their signal over the web - which they also offer on their site. (Their other phone numbers are listed on the bottom banner.)
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Thread Starter- mace
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Re: How Do Daytime Only AM Stations Survive?
I don't know if this still applies today. Critical hours permitted daytime stations to sign on two hours before sunrise and sign off two hours after sunset at significantly reduced power during the winter months.
- darcyh
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Re: How Do Daytime Only AM Stations Survive?
WMIC 660 Sandusky Michigan is a 1000 watt daytimer. It was only recently that they acquired a translator on 95.3. That daytime kilowatt on a clear channel really goes a long way. They are very focused on local events like school football and fall fairs.
Programming classic country music 9 - 12 noon. Local news package 12 - 13:00, swap shop 13:00 - 14:00, syndicated talk show 14:00 - 17:00 and more news to sign off. They also have programming on the translator after AM sign off. They seem to do well enough.
- darcyh
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Re: How Do Daytime Only AM Stations Survive?
Another daytime station around here is WLCO 1530 from Lapeer Michigan. With 5 kilowatts it has changed formats a few times and seems to be playing smooth jazz. It is a rebroadcaster of another FM station.
A long time ago it was an independently owned and programmed local station but alas those days have passed. About 10 years ago I visited its transmitter site. The site has seen better days. I'm not sure the station brings in enough revenue to pay for its electricity.
- Radiowiz
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Re: How Do Daytime Only AM Stations Survive?
Another daytime station around here is WLCO 1530 from Lapeer Michigan. With 5 kilowatts it has changed formats a few times and seems to be playing smooth jazz. It is a rebroadcaster of another FM station.
A long time ago it was an independently owned and programmed local station but alas those days have passed. About 10 years ago I visited its transmitter site. The site has seen better days. I'm not sure the station brings in enough revenue to pay for its electricity.
WLCO used to be Woolco radio when I worked there (at a Woolco store, not the "in store radio") back in 1991.