1 of 1- RadioActive
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Making The Case For AM Radio
I love the column in the linked article below. Maybe it's pie in the sky, but the author, an experienced broadcaster, says what I've long maintained - only much better. Essentially, it's "if you build it, they will come."
Randy Michaels notes there are still some very successful AM stations and most of them don't depend on a weaker FM translator in their city. Instead, he makes it simple: put something on the frequency worth listening to and people will find you. Easier said than done, for sure, but worth trying before giving up on the band altogether.
"Formerly great AM stations are killing themselves with outrageously high commercial loads. Morning shows that used to fight for the most relevant guests, now interview those who will pay for the privilege. Weekends and nights are filled with paid programs selling quack medicines and questionable financial advice. This is radio cancer. A station you can’t trust 24 hours a day is a station you can’t trust."
I'm pretty sure most here will disagree with him. And I'm not naive enough to think any of this will be forthcoming. But as someone who still finds AM worthwhile, it's worth a shot, although it might cost some money. Which is probably why it will never happen.
Is AM Radio Legislating When It Should Be Innovating?
- mace
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Re: Making The Case For AM Radio
The one AM station that is in a class by itself is WLW in Cincinnati. The station has a very good daytime signal and a monster one at night. They do have a 99 watt translator on 94.5 but you would never know because the station simply ID's as 700 WLW "The Big One" WLW has ruled the market with an iron fist for as long as I can remember. The July book gave them a 7.1 share lead over their nearest competitor. Of course, having the radio broadcast rights to the Reds and Bengals helps a bit. Even their unique transmitter is a tourist attraction, at least for radio geeks around the world like me.
- RadioActive
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Re: Making The Case For AM Radio
mace wrote:
The one AM station that is in a class by itself is WLW in Cincinnati. The station has a very good daytime signal and a monster one at night. They do have a 99 watt translator on 94.5 but you would never know because the station simply ID's as 700 WLW "The Big One" WLW has ruled the market with an iron fist for as long as I can remember. The July book gave them a 7.1 share lead over their nearest competitor. Of course, having the radio broadcast rights to the Reds and Bengals helps a bit. Even their unique transmitter is a tourist attraction, at least for radio geeks around the world like me.
Enjoy from afar!
By the way, WLW is one of my favourite T-shirts. It may be size medium, but it's still The Big One!
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Thread Starter- mace
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Re: Making The Case For AM Radio
Fascinating video RA. Admittedly, some of the technical stuff went over my head. Interesting that WSAI's original reason to exist was to teach listeners how to play bridge.
- Johnny B
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Re: Making The Case For AM Radio
The issue with AM is clear...will the old folks listening to it now be replaced by the young folks that currently don't listen to it at all...hence the slow death.
- RadioAaron
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Re: Making The Case For AM Radio
The issue with AM is clear...will the old folks listening to it now be replaced by the young folks that currently don't listen to it at all...hence the slow death.
They will not.
AM stations currently have all the listeners they ever will. Improving off-peak programming would likely increase the time spent listening from those core listeners, but off-peak ratings only incrementally improve overall ratings, so you're not going make that money you spent improving those dayparts back.
- Hansa
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Re: Making The Case For AM Radio
As more cars become equipped with digital radios and more ostensibly AM stations become available on digital either because they have an FM repeater or because they're carried on a digital subchannel of an FM sister station the distinction between AM and FM stations will become irrelevant. The only time AM is preferable over FM from a technical point of view is when you're driving long distances or when you're otherwise in a rural area that had few or no local FM transmitters - but these days many people prefer satellite radio or another subscription service on road trips.
I know there've been some attempts at using digital on the AM band -CHLO 530 locally - how has that been working out?
The Long Wave and Medium Wave bands have been shut down entirely in number of countries. wouldn't be surprised if that happens to AM here eventually.
Last edited by Hansa (August 20, 2023 3:27 pm)
- DOPEfm
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Re: Making The Case For AM Radio
I have an AM/FM HD radio and have heard 530 in HD. The sound is surprising good with little to no fade out.