My dad and I went out to dinner last night, and on the way back, I suggested we turn on 750 to listen to the Mariners, but they weren't there. When I got home, I tuned around and couldn't find the game anywhere locally, just a hard to listen to signal from flagship 710, which when they're back east this time of year, isn't going to work for fans living in these parts. So, does anyone know where they are on the radio down here? In other observations, did Bustos sign off 1150 either permanently or temporarily? I don't recall noticing that station's absence before, but there was nothing there last night. It looks like 1130 is back on though, not sure what they're running. Also, does anyone know if 1520 is back on from their new site yet? I heard something on 1520 last night, but didn't sound like anything I'd expect from the local signal, and it faded before I could get an ID. Also, if that's off, wouldn't that mean 93.5 is being illegally fed? That signal seems to be continuing with its format.
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
Portland AM observations
- Thread starter bobdavcav
- Start date
750 no longer carries the Mariners:
I can't really answer the other questions accurately at this time.
Wow, that's pretty strange to not have major league baseball on the radio here anymore. I didn't realize how many teams were on the air here at one point. Didn't 1520 just complete construction on a new site, or did they get a new permit? I would have thought they should be on with their new facility per the discussion on the Seattle board a month or so ago. As for 1150, is its power down time different from 1010? If not, then I'm still confused as 1010 was still on the air.
The CP was granted April 28th. They have until April 28th 2025 to build it and request a license .
Baseball on the radio is much less popular than it used to be. In a world where you can watch (almost) any game on your phone, I'm not sure who the radio broadcasts are targeting these days. I guess people who can't afford to pay for the streaming subscription?
The problem is especially acute on the west coast, because the west coast teams play about a third of their schedule in the east, and so have very early start times that interfere with PM Drive.
I wonder if there are any other stations that have dropped MLB in order to carry MLS games or that give MLS games priority when there's a conflict. I know soccer is really big in the Northwest, but always thought the sport's status elsewhere was more like "Oh yeah, my kids play it, but I don't watch it on TV or listen to it on the radio because there's too few goals."
I thought the goal was to sell advertising.
I like foreign language stuff, whatever language.. on AM, makes it easy when DXing to ID what I've heard.. but with 1520 KQRR downgrading or disappearing, KKXA will be in the clear 1500 miles away.
most nights, its a mix of classic country and what was their last format.. russian? mixing on 1520. One would lad over the other from time to time, but there was never extended periods of KKXA being in the clear.
most nights, its a mix of classic country and what was their last format.. russian? mixing on 1520. One would lad over the other from time to time, but there was never extended periods of KKXA being in the clear.
Looks like the Ms are down to one affiliate, period, in OR. A little local, KEJO in Corvallis.
Of course, who knows how accurate this listing from the Mariners actually is- they put Lewiston in the wrong state, for example.
Of course, who knows how accurate this listing from the Mariners actually is- they put Lewiston in the wrong state, for example.
Maybe the M's intend to prune their network the way the Mets have -- put the games on one 50kw blowtorch flagship and let the folks outside the primary market try to receive a skywave signal, pay for the play-by-play through a SiriusXM subscription, or get an MLB Gameday Audio subscription.
Don't know how the $$$ work these days, but back in the bad ol' days of the 80s and 90s, the smaller markets got the broadcast on a barter basis. Had to pay a college kid 6 bucks an hour to run the board while s/he was doing his/her homework, and plug in the locals and the station IDs. PD said they paid for the labor and cost of running the station by the 6th inning, and the rest was a small profit. Maybe that calculus just doesn't work now in OR, ID, AK. It might be that the stations are pruning themselves. Doesn't explain PDX, though...that much programming space you would think somebody would want to clear the games.
The game rate card in 1987 Walla Walla for 30s: Pregame $3, in game $5, extra innings $3, post-game $2
The game rate card in 1987 Walla Walla for 30s: Pregame $3, in game $5, extra innings $3, post-game $2
Meanwhile, the Minnesota Twins and K.C. Royals still have a healthy number of affiliates, including several FMs in small and medium-sized towns. Several out-of-state affiliates too.
Albeit, why bother trying to listen to the Mariners right now. This is a team that is 2-8 in their last 10 games. Meanwhile, the Twins had a grand slam early and a walk-off late earlier this week vs. the Detroit Tigers.
Albeit, why bother trying to listen to the Mariners right now. This is a team that is 2-8 in their last 10 games. Meanwhile, the Twins had a grand slam early and a walk-off late earlier this week vs. the Detroit Tigers.
TuneIn Plus costs $7.99 per month, and airs all MLB and NFL games with no blackouts.
Baseball is aging out, just like AM radio is. In fact, the two graphs probably track each other fairly closely.
In just the past 15-20 years we've gone from "What's a Radio?" to "What's Baseball?"
As for there being no Mariners PBP in Portland, does Portland really care about Seattle baseball? It's not like the team is a massive contender year by year. And although one could consider Seattle and Portland to be similar in culture, there probably are a lot of differences, too.
For one thing, they don't even trust people to pump their own gas south of the Columbia. That says it all, right there.
Last edited:
The teams sometimes make decisions to pull their games off of radio. The Tacoma minor league team used to be on the radio, and now it's all broadcast via app. There are extra benefits to having their app on your phone. More monitoring of your data, maybe some eventual subscription fees, and more advertising revenue possibly (if it's their app, that means they can place ads on your screen, and they don't have to share any of the revenue with a radio station). The same reason the NFL wants people to use their app for everything.
No content, no listeners. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? If they're not even going to try then the outcome is predictable.
I think the political factor is way overestimated. The biggest problem baseball has is the lack of action on the field, all the strikeouts and easy fly balls by hitters who have been told by analytics geeks that it's better to go 2-for-10 with two homers and eight strikeouts than it is to go 7-for-10 with five singles and two doubles because those three times you don't get a hit might turn into double plays. It's tough to watch even for geezers like me, and it's only slightly better at the college and minor league levels because the players aren't as consistently mechanical as the big leaguers are.
New Jersey's been a full-service-only state forever. I wish Vermont was. I hate pumping my own gas, especially in the winter. What's your problem with more people being employed?Baseball is aging out, just like AM radio is. In fact, the two graphs probably track each other fairly closely.
In just the past 15-20 years we've gone from "What's a Radio?" to "What's Baseball?"
As for there being no Mariners PBP in Portland, does Portland really care about Seattle baseball? It's not like the team is a massive contender year by year. And although one could consider Seattle and Portland to be similar in culture, there probably are a lot of differences, too.
For one thing, they don't even trust people to pump their own gas south of the Columbia. That says it all, right there.
- Status