KCMO AM - Company ad recommends listening to the stream

[kfbkfb]

I was thinking along the lines of always an omnidirectional signal day (and night for non-daytimers), possibly at reduced power but still omni at night.

This approach would reduce the complexity of the AM transmitting system and allow several AM signals to be transmitted from the same tower (perhaps on a tall downtown office building - to try to avoid NIMBY situations in the suburbs).


Kirk Bayne

 

[xmtrland]

Oh wow! Take another toke and dream on!

 

[kfbkfb]

Anyone heard a similar "AM FM old school" type ad on other Cumulus radio stations (maybe on an FM)?


Kirk Bayne

 

[Kent]

Anyone heard a similar "AM FM old school" type ad on other Cumulus radio stations (maybe on an FM)?

What you likely heard was a non-paid promotional spot that was used for filler on KCMO 710 because talk radio requires certain breaks to have specific lengths. While it doesn't sound like a spot I'd want to run due to the phrasing, it was probably researched to appeal to someone younger than either one of us who probably wouldn't be listening to KCMO in the first place. You're unlikely to hear a spot like that on a music FM except during certain syndicated programming because they incur no benefit in airing those filler spots. They get paid the same whether they air the filler spots or the music, and spots are more likely to be tune outs than the music.

As others have mentioned, a few AM stations have lowered power or otherwise signed off at night to save the cost and expense of building a new directional array after tower issues or after selling the transmitter land. I'm not sure that would be feasible for KCMO. It's directional and operates with five towers both day and night (though it might have a separate tower or two for the nighttime array). Its daytime pattern essentially looks like a diamond while the nighttime signal looks similar but with the right corner of the diamond removed. Personally, I never understood why Entercom wanted to swap 810 for 710. The daytime signal is much better on 810, and the nighttime signal requires the same number of towers and is similar to 710's. I seem to remember Entercom saying something about the 810 nighttime signal being deficient in the fastest growing areas of the metro and not performing as well in Johnson County as it should on paper. 710, however, has a slight null in the direction of Kansas at night, too. One part of Entercom's logic that was definitely sound was to swap 710 off along with 94.9 and 101.1 when the DOJ mandated divestitures after it bought Sinclair's radio stations around 2000.

If that spot you heard was anything other than a randomly placed filler spot during talk program, its purpose was probably to let listeners in Johnson and Douglas Counties as well as Bonner Springs, east Independence and Oak Grove know that there are other ways to listen after 710 goes to nighttime power. It's probably already a losing battle, though. KCMO is a far cry from the successful talk station it once was. Twenty years ago, it had about half the audience it had 10 years earlier, and it's even worse today. Maybe it can take solace in that it's beating Talk 980, but KCMO 710 isn't doing well. Looks like it still has a local morning show, and Chris Stigall has been on-air in the market before. So, it's not in as dire straits as a lot of Cumulus talkers, but one has to wonder how much longer it can even sustain what it has.

 

[kfbkfb]

The only similar situation I can think of is low VHF and not full power UHF TV stations being carried on cable and advertising a way get better picture/sound by subscribing to cable.

I would think that a more oblique reference to AM radio reception problems might be a better approach to promoting streaming of an AM radio station.


With the ever increasing background noise in the "AM" band, maybe a wholesale reevaluation of the reasons for directional AM signals is in order, since the increasing noise effectively limits the usable signal distance to less than it was when the directional AM broadcasting systems were set up.


Kirk Bayne

 

[xmtrland]

I think you should read the FCC rules on AM stations first to understand what you are talking about.

 

[ZantennaG1]

Sometimes I come across good posts, and other times they leave the mind so numb that I can't function for days afterwards.

Streaming is super popular and convenient, yes, but FM is not unpopular by any stretch of the imagination. Why would the company/station reduce their power that much when they can just go off the air entirely, saving that energy bill? Now for AM, I do agree with consolidating towers, because as others have mentioned, land value. Other than that, sorry.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

I think you should read the FCC rules on AM stations first to understand what you are talking about.

Kirk is regularly looking for a problem to a solution or trying to solve a problem that doesnt exist.. or being a bit far back/outdated in the thinking.. or all of the above

 

[KeithE4]

Streaming is super popular and convenient, yes, but FM is not unpopular by any stretch of the imagination.

Streaming works great, as long as there's a functioning internet connection from a cellphone provider if you're away from WiFi. Last night, during a big storm in the Phoenix area, T-Mobile's internet services went down in parts of the area, including where I was at the time, waiting an hour for a prescription in a pharmacy with no WiFi. Phone services were still up and running but data was dead.
It doesn't happen often, but it does happen. I would guess that Florida had plenty of outages during Hurricane Ian.

 

[kfbkfb]

The owner of KCMO AM, with their (IMHO) OTT ad that says AM (and FM) are old school seems to be trying to transfer their brand to streaming.

Maybe that means a sudden shutoff of KCMO AM or maybe a gradual shutdown (lowering day and night power, then shutoff at ~7PM, then complete shutdown).


Kirk Bayne

 

[KeithE4]

The owner of KCMO AM, with their (IMHO) OTT ad that says AM (and FM) are old school seems to be trying to transfer their brand to streaming.

Maybe that means a sudden shutoff of KCMO AM or maybe a gradual shutdown (lowering day and night power, then shutoff at ~7PM, then complete shutdown).


Kirk Bayne

Or not.

 

[TheBigA]

Maybe that means a sudden shutoff of KCMO AM or maybe a gradual shutdown (lowering day and night power, then shutoff at ~7PM, then complete shutdown).

Legally they can't do that.

You're reading an awful lot into something you say you heard.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

The owner of KCMO AM, with their (IMHO) OTT ad that says AM (and FM) are old school seems to be trying to transfer their brand to streaming.

Maybe that means a sudden shutoff of KCMO AM or maybe a gradual shutdown (lowering day and night power, then shutoff at ~7PM, then complete shutdown).


Kirk Bayne

where in good heavens gravy googly moogly do you come up with that idea?

no, just no.. thats not how any of this works.

I promote streaming KSKO regularly....... by your theory, that means im gonna shut the transmitters down and have people who might not have cell service or in the cases who do have it, stream us from their 2g connection.

 

[ZantennaG1]

Streaming works great, as long as there's a functioning internet connection from a cellphone provider if you're away from WiFi. Last night, during a big storm in the Phoenix area, T-Mobile's internet services went down in parts of the area, including where I was at the time, waiting an hour for a prescription in a pharmacy with no WiFi. Phone services were still up and running but data was dead.
It doesn't happen often, but it does happen. I would guess that Florida had plenty of outages during Hurricane Ian.

Yup. Weather strikes indiscriminately, whether you have TV, radio, or your phone, and people tend to think that streaming is far enough away to not be impacted by this stuff. One cell tower down in your neighborhood means no internet access. Local AM/FM stations were also down during Ian, the only difference is for those who had SXM, or decided to tune in a skywave signal after dark, like WWL, WSB, etc.

 

[Kelly A]

where in good heavens gravy googly moogly do you come up with that idea?

no, just no.. thats not how any of this works.

I promote streaming KSKO regularly....... by your theory, that means im gonna shut the transmitters down and have people who might not have cell service or in the cases who do have it, stream us from their 2g connection.

Again, just like a bad Jackie Chan movie. Kirk goes running in with bizarre ideas, and we watch as he goes flying by backwards, upside down. Get out your popcorn for the next idea.🍿

 

[vchimpanzee]

One cell tower down in your neighborhood means no internet access.

You're talking about a phone. The Internet is wires. As long as you have that it still works.

 

[ZantennaG1]

You're talking about a phone. The Internet is wires. As long as you have that it still works.

True point, assuming that you still have electricity after the storm. Yeah, I misunderstood what KeithE4 was saying.

 

[vchimpanzee]

True point, assuming that you still have electricity after the storm. Yeah, I misunderstood what KeithE4 was saying.

I know that since I get my Internet from the phone company, the power does not have to be on for the landline to work. Although if someone uses a cell phone, then somehow the router has to be working.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

Again, just like a bad Jackie Chan movie. Kirk goes running in with bizarre ideas, and we watch as he goes flying by backwards, upside down. Get out your popcorn for the next idea.🍿

I just roll my eyes!

 

[Kelly A]

I just roll my eyes!

Not nearly as much fun.