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KDWN and KXST ceasing operations

They should at least go on a silent STA until a workable plan is in place. Maybe the reason they are staying on is to make sure their attorneys and consulting engineers can file timely applications for an STA. It is certainly possible to go to a nondirectional STA at some location. Some stations have been able to extend such STAs for many years.

KDWN 720 was one of the Class II-A stations when the technical clear channel stations were duplicated.

KXST moved from Mexican I-A Clear Channel 1050 to 1140 to go full time, when changes in the rules opened things up, such as the new sky wave model.

I know the original owner of one of the newer Las Vegas area stations. At the time, AM was still healthy. I'll ask him if he thinks moving to another diplexed site is an option.
 
Schroedingers Cat said:
I know the original owner of one of the newer Las Vegas area stations. At the time, AM was still healthy. I'll ask him if he thinks moving to another diplexed site is an option.
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The real issue is revenue. Back over 20 years ago, Las Vegas by some estimates was nearing a $100 million a year total revenue market for radio revenue. Today, that would be about $170 million in inflation adjusted dollars. But the actual billing now is around $50 million, so the loss is over two-thirds and there is little hope of even inflation-matching radio revenue gains in the next few years.

There are (or were) 43 commercial stations in the market. The revenue does not support investing anything in an AM station at all. The only reason to keep an AM on the air at all is if it has one of those "linked" translators that require an AM in order to continue operating.
 
The sad thing is it is happening to FM stations also in some markets. All those "First Local Services", demanded by FCC rules, has ended up with "rimshot" signals to higher population centers, and competitors blocking "move ins" they can't acquire and play "keep away" from other competitors, so they throw all kinds of obstacles in their way. But if one company owns enough "chess pieces" to move around, they can do almost anything. And some companies are even playing "keep away" with translators, preventing other AMs in a market from acquiring translators.
 
Mediafrog+ said:
For those of us not in listening range: Did KDWN and KXST finally shut down or are they still on the air?
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I'm not in the listening area, but the stream still has imaging that says "101-5 FM and 720 AM". Even if the AM is still "on the air", this is terrible considering how much lead time there was in this decision. Come on!
 
Schroedingers Cat said:
The sad thing is it is happening to FM stations also in some markets. All those "First Local Services", demanded by FCC rules, has ended up with "rimshot" signals to higher population centers, and competitors blocking "move ins" they can't acquire and play "keep away" from other competitors, so they throw all kinds of obstacles in their way. But if one company owns enough "chess pieces" to move around, they can do almost anything. And some companies are even playing "keep away" with translators, preventing other AMs in a market from acquiring translators.
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What scenario/market are you thinking about?
 
Schroedingers Cat said:
Not ignoring your question, but I don't want to divulge it. Two markets I can think of.
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I understand. I can think of some markets in the midwest where iHeart (and Jacor before it) acquired everything in sight that they could that would fit the bill of what you were saying.

On the other hand, there are numerous markets where Cumulus, Townsquare, and other groups could significantly improve an existing station and don't, presumably due to capex reasons.
 
Schroedingers Cat said:
The sad thing is it is happening to FM stations also in some markets. All those "First Local Services", demanded by FCC rules, has ended up with "rimshot" signals to higher population centers, and competitors blocking "move ins" they can't acquire and play "keep away" from other competitors, so they throw all kinds of obstacles in their way. But if one company owns enough "chess pieces" to move around, they can do almost anything. And some companies are even playing "keep away" with translators, preventing other AMs in a market from acquiring translators.
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Huh? What does altering the FM table of allocations for a competitive advantage have to do with Audacy closing two AM stations in Vegas?
 
PTBoardOp94 said:
Huh? What does altering the FM table of allocations for a competitive advantage have to do with Audacy closing two AM stations in Vegas?
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If you go back a few responses, David Eduardo stated that things had changed for AM stations in the last 20 years ago with regard to profitability. I was just saying that it seems like quite a few FMs are also no longer viable, and many of those are now also falling silent, and some are being deleted. They might be more competitive if they put a strong enough signal into the market. ut they are prevented from doing that by an FCC Policy called First Local Service.
 
Ryan Williams said:
I'm not in the listening area, but the stream still has imaging that says "101-5 FM and 720 AM". Even if the AM is still "on the air", this is terrible considering how much lead time there was in this decision. Come on!
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KDWN's website isn't even mentioning anything about the 720 shutdown, which goes to show how irrelevant it has become. Only banner they have up is regarding Mark Levin moving to KXNT a month ago.

The logo for KDWN, OTOH, has excised "720 AM".
 
MarioMania said:
Anymore info on when 720 & 1140 will go dark?
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Apparently not yet, at least on 720. I'm hearing something weak in English inside my stucco-encrusted house in Mesa AZ that could not possibly be WGN (which has been airing a Blackhawks game). It fades in and out, which is what KDWN has been doing since they downgraded.
 
KXST and KDWN will be signing off tonight. For real this time. I hope some of you who missed the SSTV transmission on Tuesday will be able to decode.
KXST special program will start at 10:55PM PST.
KDWN special program will start after the last break of Perilous World, approximately 11:45PM PST.
It has been a rollercoaster...
 
So it seems that KDWN is finally off as of midnight and there is sadly no sign of WGN, but I am hearing a pretty good signal from the north of KFIR from Albany, Oregon in the Willamette Valley. New log for me! KFIR is coming in pretty good down here in San Diego, California so are they on daytime power or is it just good auroral conditions for their 184 watt non-directional nighttime signal?
 
asugeorge1 said:
So it seems that KDWN is finally off as of midnight and there is sadly no sign of WGN, but I am hearing a pretty good signal from the north of KFIR from Albany, Oregon in the Willamette Valley. New log for me! KFIR is coming in pretty good down here in San Diego, California so are they on daytime power or is it just good auroral conditions for their 184 watt non-directional nighttime signal?
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I am also hearing KFIR here in Fresno. They must be on day power of 10kw ND. They're night authorization of 148w is not going to sound this good.
 
NickD said:
I recorded the sign off of both stations. I was right next to the transmitter site with my SDR so I got perfect reception of the SSTV picture
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This might be the classiest sign off for a radio station I’ve ever heard. Especially the slow-scan TV picture and Morse code… and the subtle tribute to Art Bell and AJ Williams.
 
KeithE4 said:
Apparently not yet, at least on 720. I'm hearing something weak in English inside my stucco-encrusted house in Mesa AZ that could not possibly be WGN (which has been airing a Blackhawks game). It fades in and out, which is what KDWN has been doing since they downgraded.
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Tonight at 8:30 PM MST in my car, I was hearing a fading signal from a Spanish-language station, with WGN (positively ID'ed) in the background. RadioLocator doesn't show any high-powered Mexican stations on that frequency (info taken with a boatload of Sodium Chloride), nor are there any US stations shown broadcasting in Spanish on 720.
 
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