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Saving AM Radio

The FCC moved AM stations around via NARBA in 1941. Something similar ought to be considered again, allowing licensed stations to have sufficient power to cover their MSA, at least during daytime hours. If frequencies need to change, or two marginal players are ordered to combine operations, the FCC ought to have that ability to decree it.
 
DHS should subsidize some/most of the existing 50kW omni day&night AMs for use as a last resort communications system in the case of a large scale natural disaster, man made disaster (chemical spill, for example) or terrorist action, the rest of the USA AM radio stations would be at the mercy of the for profit business model and would probably go off the air eventually.


Kirk Bayne
 
I just posted an article over in FCC Policies a news headline. Maybe I should have posted it here instead? Don't want any unnecessary duplications...

 
Remove the 50 kW limit. Mandate digital. Or at least hybrid.
Does "hybrid digital" actually exist or is it a phrase invented by non-industry types as a guess for the meaning of the "HD" in "HD Radio." Turns out that "HD" stands for nothing at all; it's just part of the brand. So if HD Radio isn't hybrid digital, what is?
 
We had one station here that broadcast on AM in hybrid digital. When the digital kicked in the AM became suddenly listensble. No noise, stereo, and decent fidelity. Sadly they don't do that any more.
 
I agree with BigA and Mr. Simpson. AM and FM grew because of the marketplace. Let the marketplace decide whether it's time to stay or go, not the government. If auto manufacturers don't want to put AM in cars, but some tiny minority insist on AM in their new vehicle, they can always buy a different brand—again; marketplace decision.
The only reason this issue has become a political football for Republican Congress members is because of right-wing talk media carried on AM stations.
If AM weren't the main delivery method for right-wing talk, AM would have been a distant memory and politicians would care less.
 
Give the operators with translators the choice to turn in their AM license. That will clean up the band and may give the opportunity to the broadcasters that really want to be on AM a chance to increase power or loosen up directional patterns to combat the increasing man made noise floor on the band which is making it more unusable as time goes on.
 
Give the operators with translators the choice to turn in their AM license.

There is no upside for the FCC to do this.
If auto manufacturers don't want to put AM in cars, but some tiny minority insist on AM in their new vehicle, they can always buy a different brand—again; marketplace decision.

This is really only an issue for EV manufacturers. Which political party is opposed to EVs?
 
I agree with BigA and Mr. Simpson. AM and FM grew because of the marketplace. Let the marketplace decide whether it's time to stay or go, not the government. If auto manufacturers don't want to put AM in cars, but some tiny minority insist on AM in their new vehicle, they can always buy a different brand—again; marketplace decision.
The only reason this issue has become a political football for Republican Congress members is because of right-wing talk media carried on AM stations.
If AM weren't the main delivery method for right-wing talk, AM would have been a distant memory and politicians would care less.
Then you would agree that the FCC was wrong in the 1950s/'60s when they mandated that TV manufacturers include UHF? That should have been a marketplace decision.
 
Then you would agree that the FCC was wrong in the 1950s/'60s when they mandated that TV manufacturers include UHF? That should have been a marketplace decision.
Different situation. The VHF band was full in most markets, with TV the visual media game in town. UHF was added to allow for new stations. Eventually, UHF became the transition band for DTV. AM isn't growing, nor will it ever considering all the competition from much more quality options.
A lot has changed in 70 years.
 
Regarding AM radio. It's over. Hospice has been called and we are with family talking about happy times and remembering the wonderful life it had. Extreme measures must not be taken to preserve it with consideration to its quality of life. Artificial means like low power FM translators are not the answer. They just clog the FM band with a lot of low powered signals to inhibit reception from other co channel signals. I believe their are international agreements which limit the amount of power AM signals can have. So far as putting a DHS subsidy toward helping a few 50kw signals limp along in the event of an emergency, I though the money the government spent on forcing their ability to invade our cell phones was for that very purpose. Everyone has a cell hone and everyone, for the most part, is withing range of some kind of cell signal. AM radio is not the answer for national security.
Now for the automobile manufacturers, let them exclude AM. The 18 people who insist on it will be able to buy a radio to add to their car, much as I had to buy a CD player to add to mine when they eliminated them from automobiles If people, aside from the 18 who demand we all have what no one else wants, no one will care. If the marketplace wanted AM radio, cars would be equipped with AM radio. Now let's all stop arguing about this and be respectful during the funeral. Those greedy AM owners are already getting ready to spend their inheritance once the land the tower once occupied is sold. It's a sad day but we'll remember AM radio and the joy it brought us as we watch it's children FM, satellite, internet radio carry on in the future. Now quiet, the Pastor is about to say the prayer
 
you cant.

and i hate to say that, as a long time broadcaster and even longer term dxer

every improvement in the last 30-40 years has been through technology..... am stereo? puh-lease.. some people still think that might make a difference.

you cant shove crap in and get a diamond out. its gotta come from programming

And i dont want the fcc involve in mandating programming... free market is what i stand for.

if the telecom act of 96 hadnt happened, what we might be left with is mroe signals off the air after revenue started dropping and they didnt have the synergy of a corporate owner or cluster operations.

if the internet had come along a little later, we'd eventually still be facing some of the same issues.. increase competition and dropping revenues (whens the last time any of you have tried to sell to ma and pa for your on air station... or egads,.. website or stream? even with good stations and sales people, it is hard)

Wed eventually still end up relatively where we are today, just maybe several more years down the line, but maybe in a different order or with a different set of issues but with the same end result
 
you cant shove crap in and get a diamond out. its gotta come from programming

My only "but" to that is that the programming is not what killed AM. The companies were still pouring money into live talent. Ultimately the sound on FM was obviously better. Plus the music was changing. and that provided the content for more stations.
 
Money! The FCC gets usage fees from all AM stations. The FCC will not destroy their budget by asking their superior, Congress, to zap the AM dial.
 


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