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Can AM Radio be Saved?

D

DavidZ

I’m surprised no one has posted this link from GoLocalProv. Andrew Gobiel wrote an article about AM radio yesterday.

http://www.golocalprov.com/business/andrew-gobeil-can-am-radio-be-saved/

He starts the article by referencing the December 2007 storm that wreaked havoc on Rhode Island when WPRO broke format and hosted a call-in show that helped inform listeners about weather conditions, traffic delays, etc.

The article goes on to say, Paul Giammarco noticed something unique about the callers that night: they were young. “The majority of those voices said it was the first time they had ever listened to AM.” One listener told him, “’I didn’t even know what that AM dial was for.’”

That’s when Paul convinced Citadel to ditch the sports format on 99.7 and simulcast WPRO.
 
Paul feels so good about AM that he killed off a revenue stream to simulcast PRO on FM.

Right. The actions and words aren't matching up there.
 
I don't think AM is dead, but neither do I think it's going to be discovered by people who don't already listen to it. It's a pipe dream. Listeners turning to a station with a reputation for news during storms, etc isn't anything new. After everything passes, they're gone. No one says "Wow, where has this station been all my life?" Radio people live, eat, and breathe radio 24/7 so they overthink and overdiscuss this stuff.
 
FM Radio is easier to catch with an Smart Phone using earbuds or headphones. AM Radio isn't included in the Radio app built in the phones. To me AM Radio is like Analog TV slowly extinct ,give or take 5 years max AM Radio will cease to exist and will join Black & White TV ,Picture Tubes ,Analog TV ,8-Track ,Vinyl ,Cassettes ,VCR's and non-remote control TVs in the museum of antiques.
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Vinyl's comeback is a retro thing. I doubt listeners consider AM hip & retro. The demographic AM talkers drool over gets its news on Twitter & interacts via social media. I do agree with Andrew's mentioning the day-to-day contributing to AM talk radio's demise, but if a station like WPRO were to let everyone go except Matt Allen & hire a bunch of younger talkers in his image they would probably lose their P1s & not pick up enough of a new breed of listeners to make it worth it.
 
AM is the 28.8kpbs modem of radio broadcasting. Served its purpose at one time, but time & technology passed it by.
 
Runrigger said:
Vinyl's comeback is a retro thing. I doubt listeners consider AM hip & retro. The demographic AM talkers drool over gets its news on Twitter & interacts via social media. I do agree with Andrew's mentioning the day-to-day contributing to AM talk radio's demise, but if a station like WPRO were to let everyone go except Matt Allen & hire a bunch of younger talkers in his image they would probably lose their P1s & not pick up enough of a new breed of listeners to make it worth it.
Click to expand...
It depends on their talents. As for vinyl, I can't say why it caught on again because I always liked it. It was comforting to see the record revolving. As for A.M., I see it as comforting too but the A.M. radio I imagine is different from the ghetto that I hear. But, something could still happen. A.M. Stereo sounds great!
 
The only person I know that could turn AM around by bringing some legitimacy to it would be Howard Stern (as he did with Sirius/XM).

If Clear Channel decided that he would be the morning guy on most of their big city talkers....and each talker had a good local afternoon guy...it might be enough for younger people to discover the AM band again.

Especially if Howard embraced the cause.

Just wondering out loud.
 
JaneChristo said:
The only person I know that could turn AM around by bringing some legitimacy to it would be Howard Stern (as he did with Sirius/XM).

If Clear Channel decided that he would be the morning guy on most of their big city talkers....and each talker had a good local afternoon guy...it might be enough for younger people to discover the AM band again.

Especially if Howard embraced the cause.

Just wondering out loud.
Click to expand...

Aren't we forgetting something? Howard isn't exactly a spring chicken anymore. What makes people think that Howard would be "THE" draw for getting young folks to "discover" AM.....a proposition which I find rather flimsy at best. And another thing.....what makes people think Howard would give up the artistic (or at least verbal freedom) he has on satellite?

Just sayin'.
 
Dighton Rockhead said:
Howard isn't exactly a spring chicken anymore. What makes people think that Howard would be "THE" draw for getting young folks to "discover" AM.....a proposition which I find rather flimsy at best.
Click to expand...

I should have said young-ER...not young. (Young, younger, etc....depends on your perspective and where you stand.)

Dighton Rockhead said:
And another thing.....what makes people think Howard would give up the artistic (or at least verbal freedom) he has on satellite?
Click to expand...

The same thing that drove him to satellite.....the almighty buck! That, and to be "the guy that saved AM radio
 
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