While reading the "fewer cars with AM radio" thread, I noticed the OP mentioning AM broadcasting has nearly ceased in Europe. And with AM continuing to fall in market share (especially in desired demos), there's less interest in AM in the U.S. At what point will AM simply be phased out? How would it happen and what would be done with the bandwidth? Or can AM last well into the future?
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When will AM broadcasting end in the U.S.?
- Thread starter installLSC
- Start date
The places where AM has been phased out are almost all countries where the government controlled all or most of the AM stations. England, France, Germany, Italy and so on. In other nations, like Canada and Mexico, the government instituted programs for AMs to migrate to FM.
The US has very little state operated radio, and the FM dial is already overcrowded. So the best AMs can do is get a 250 watt translator. So they will stay on AM until the last few listeners die.
Or..until there aren't enough living listeners that advertisers/sponsors want to reach.
Quicker if the FCC allows those translators that are tied to AM Station's licenses to move to a new source station like an HD-2.
Three AM's in the on market area are probably going away soon.
Two have moved their translators to an HD-2 or 3 already.
One ot those is off the air and for sale. The other AM is still on but simulcasting an HD-2 and a translator 40 miles from it.
There's a third whos AM's days are probably numbered.
Let's not forget one AM ith this market that's been off the air most of the time since 2015 but the translator plays on. Can't count a few watts on without an STA as being on the air.
The FCC making radio manufacturers keep AM will not happen.
Three AM's in the on market area are probably going away soon.
Two have moved their translators to an HD-2 or 3 already.
One ot those is off the air and for sale. The other AM is still on but simulcasting an HD-2 and a translator 40 miles from it.
There's a third whos AM's days are probably numbered.
Let's not forget one AM ith this market that's been off the air most of the time since 2015 but the translator plays on. Can't count a few watts on without an STA as being on the air.
The FCC making radio manufacturers keep AM will not happen.
I don't think it will end anytime soon but it will probably transition away from a band being operated by the large corporate broadcasters to one being used by hobby broadcasters, religious and special interest groups.
Look at shortwave. A lot of the big tower farms have been torn down and state broadcasters abandoned shortwave for newer technology, but a station like Allan Weiner's WBCQ and a lot of fringe political and religious SW broadcasters live on.
Look at shortwave. A lot of the big tower farms have been torn down and state broadcasters abandoned shortwave for newer technology, but a station like Allan Weiner's WBCQ and a lot of fringe political and religious SW broadcasters live on.
The ethnic broadcasters and religious broadcasters will keep AM alive for maybe another 15-20 years. AM will lose stations, of course. But there will still be stations on the air. FM isn't full in many metros, so there is still room for some more translators.
But the big station cluster owners generally aren't going to replace their three high-performing music stations with the sports AM's programming, and translators in many metros have limited reach, so there will be sports on AM in many markets.
But the big station cluster owners generally aren't going to replace their three high-performing music stations with the sports AM's programming, and translators in many metros have limited reach, so there will be sports on AM in many markets.
That's the thing, it isn't usable for anything else. Not only is it super-noisy, and as spectrum real estate goes; super small.
Or more likely the "land." For many tower sites today, the land is worth more than the station.
Exactly.
What is more likely to accelerate AM stations going dark in this country is land value. Big metal towers on an acre of land is a really inefficient way to send voices through the air.
Until now, a lot of stations have sold the land and diplexed off a competitor's tower, but what happens when the competitor decides to cash in on the land? Most likely two stations go dark.
Except for one guy in Indiana who wants to rebuild a 6-tower directional that was torn down to sell the land.
The list of AM stations that is still doing OK purely on the AM band is pretty short.
Some AMs, especially in smaller markets and which were able to acquire translators in the "Revitalization" windows are doing OK, but it is usually because of those translators. If the AMs disappeared, few would notice. But in most large, sprawling markets, one translator provides insufficient coverage.
The list of AMs which are directional and do not have FM simulcasts and enjoy significant audience is very short. 1010 WINS is the only station that comes to mind.
- Some of the Class A AMs are doing OK. WABC, KFI, WLW, WSCR, KMOX come to mind, but it must be pointed out that they are doing OK with older listeners and less well with the Sacred Sales Demos.
- Many are not doing well: WLS, WMVP, WPHT, WSM
- Many more have a full-time, full-power FM simulcast: WFAN, WBBM, KYW, WSB, KNBR, KNWN
Some AMs, especially in smaller markets and which were able to acquire translators in the "Revitalization" windows are doing OK, but it is usually because of those translators. If the AMs disappeared, few would notice. But in most large, sprawling markets, one translator provides insufficient coverage.
The list of AMs which are directional and do not have FM simulcasts and enjoy significant audience is very short. 1010 WINS is the only station that comes to mind.
There are 21 AM's still billing over $10,000,000 a year out of 132 stations in that billing level. Considering that the average top 100 market has less than 2 full day and night signal AMs that is a considerable number of high billing AMs still.
60 AMs bill over $5,000,000 and 401 total stations bill that amount. Again, taking into account signals and the non-viability of most AM stations, it does not look like total death yet.
Of the 60, 40 are 50 kw stations 5 are 10 kw and over and all the rest are 5 kw and at low dial positions.
60 AMs bill over $5,000,000 and 401 total stations bill that amount. Again, taking into account signals and the non-viability of most AM stations, it does not look like total death yet.
Of the 60, 40 are 50 kw stations 5 are 10 kw and over and all the rest are 5 kw and at low dial positions.
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