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650 WSM's long term future

I guess the first sentence of last paragraph keeps me out of DEI jail. The meaning of words can change. What DEI do with the term "master and slave" used in almost all high speed data gear timing used since at least from 1970?

I still try not to offend anyone. But sometimes words we use for decades change meaning without everyone noticing.
 
Just read the manual, they didn't use "main and secondary" back when I worked with them. Now days a lot of modems can hook up "automatically" (as long as you get the address correct) and the users really doesn't know. It's sooo much easier.
 
secondchoice said:
I guess the first sentence of last paragraph keeps me out of DEI jail. The meaning of words can change. What DEI do with the term "master and slave" used in almost all high speed data gear timing used since at least from 1970?

I still try not to offend anyone. But sometimes words we use for decades change meaning without everyone noticing.
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They still use Master and slave in photography, when talking about flash units. I never thought of it as offensive but I'm not young.
 
kevtronics said:
Or more importantly, your ancestors weren't slaves.
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Many of my ancestors were slaves, and they were living under British oppression in Ireland.

There have been slaves of all colors, origins and types throughout history. In feudal and tribal times, those who won wars and conflicts took the losers as slaves or worse.

Heck, when I lived in Ecuador some hacienda owners still exercised the jus primae noctis . That was less than 70 years ago.
 
Ma “Contrarian” Gee said:
Ignoring the pragmatic, WSM is considered a cultural institution by many. Were Ryman to announce such a move, I suspect it would see the same outcry as when they planned to switch programming to all sports in 2002. Even George Plaster's 2019 attempt to add sports talk in afternoons lasted only a month.

Yes, I know. Covid, et al. Things have changed since then. But this is Nashville. That Blaw Knox tower could just as well be the Eiffel in the minds of the Nashville music elite. For crying out loud, the thing is even represented in the exterior design of the downtown Country Music Hall of Fame.

I'd sooner expect Ryman (and always remember where Ryman Hospitality got their name) to first do the same as what iHeart did with the WLW Mason, Ohio transmitter site. Develop the land around the tower and transmitter building. Of course, WLW remains an 11 share radio station. Yet as historic as WLW is, it's arguably not of the same historic value as WSM and its Opry.

I've often pondered if putting WSM into the hands of the Country Music Hall people is the future for AM 650. Just like the museum, Hatch Show Print and RCA Studio B facilities.

One other thing to remember. WSM's Brentwood site has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 2011.
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Agree that WLW doesn't have the same historic value as WSM/Opry, but it's totally ingrained in the Cincinnati area. The word "iconic" comes to mind. Of course, though, Cincinnati has a rich broadcasting history, ranging from WLW to the Cincinnati TV stations that were still doing local variety shows into the 1980s. And that city's populace is VERY proud of its broadcasting heritage.
 
Gravel Switch said:
Agree that WLW doesn't have the same historic value as WSM/Opry, but it's totally ingrained in the Cincinnati area. The word "iconic" comes to mind. Of course, though, Cincinnati has a rich broadcasting history, ranging from WLW to the Cincinnati TV stations that were still doing local variety shows into the 1980s. And that city's populace is VERY proud of its broadcasting heritage.
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WSM has a great legacy like WLS in Chicago, KHJ in Los Angeles, WABC in NYC, and WLW in Cincinnati. But WLW Radio (as mentioned above) has an amazing 11+ share compared to WSM having a current share (when it's listed) as less than 1%. Legacy radio station have historical meaning (like the King of England) but have such terrible local ratings today that their real power is below that of the British king.
 
secondchoice said:
WLW has a FM translator. What percentagThate of that 11+ share is listening to 94.5FM?
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That data is not publicly released; in fact, even the "single line reported" simulcast station has to order a special report to see it.
 
DavidEduardo said:
That data is not publicly released; in fact, even the "single line reported" simulcast station has to order a special report to see it.
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Do most stations in this situation -- main signal on AM, translator on FM -- order those reports? Seems to me all of them should, just to help determine whether the AM is still being listened to, and by whom. After all, if the report shows 80 percent of WLW's listeners who are still using OTA radio are listening to the translator, and that nearly all of the AM diehards are over 65 years old, then it might be time to power down 700 and try to get what they can for it from a Godcaster or flip it to sports betting or brokered programming. Why would any corporate radio station owner NOT want to have that information? What good for the bottom line is a 50,000-watt signal that's only being listened to by a small fraction of the total listenership?
 
First, it's all about revenue, not number or age of listeners. If you can pay the bills and perhaps a bit more, don't fix the kitchen sink. Broadcasters know the bulk of listeners are listening to the FM translator but the AM station must be on to operate the translator (daytime stations can run 24/7). Religious broadcasters tend to want FM. Brokered time in a metro with lots of ethnic groups with no media voice can work but it's tough to bill very much. These days that might be $1,000 a day. Sports Betting is like other programming services. They might throw you a bone but you essentially have zero billing.
 
CTListener said:
Do most stations in this situation -- main signal on AM, translator on FM -- order those reports?
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No. A station that might sell the AM of an AM/FM simulcast might pay to evaluate the impact. Or a company considering turning off an expensive AM facility might. But there is no sales value in having 5ge data.
CTListener said:
Seems to me all of them should, just to help determine whether the AM is still being listened to, and by whom. After all, if the report shows 80 percent of WLW's listeners who are still using OTA radio are listening to the translator, and that nearly all of the AM diehards are over 65 years old, then it might be time to power down 700 and try to get what they can for it from a Godcaster or flip it to sports betting or brokered programming.
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You might do that one time for evaluation, but not with each report.
CTListener said:
Why would any corporate radio station owner NOT want to have that information?
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It has no real use. And absolutely no sales value.
CTListener said:
What good for the bottom line is a 50,000-watt signal that's only being listened to by a small fraction of the total listenership?
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The theory would be that if the AM adds 25% or so to the AQH rating, then it is worth it. You might want to recheck this every 18 months or so, budget permitting.
 
ILOVERADIO said:
WSM has a great legacy like WLS in Chicago, KHJ in Los Angeles, WABC in NYC, and WLW in Cincinnati. But WLW Radio (as mentioned above) has an amazing 11+ share compared to WSM having a current share (when it's listed) as less than 1%. Legacy radio station have historical meaning (like the King of England) but have such terrible local ratings today that their real power is below that of the British king.
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For a short gime WLW 700 operated with 500 kW.
 
TomásEstefan said:
Fantasy world: a 500 kw AM (which if you are close enough might be even heard in your tooth fillings) of which 80% of the audience is actually listening to a to a 200 W FM translator.
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Back in the 500 kw days, there were reports of tin roofs on sheds that were close to the transmitter in Mason actually resonating -- and
acting as a receiver....this effect was supposedly enhanced when it rained.....!!
Word on the street (at the time) was that chickens were big fans of "Moon River" (they liked the Crosley organ!!!)
 
Oldie919 said:
Back in the 500 kw days, there were reports of tin roofs on sheds that were close to the transmitter in Mason actually resonating -- and
acting as a receiver....this effect was supposedly enhanced when it rained.....!!
Word on the street (at the time) was that chickens were big fans of "Moon River" (they liked the Crosley organ!!!)
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Differing metals could sometimes act as a diode, just like alloy fillings in your mouth!
 
TomásEstefan said:
Differing metals could sometimes act as a diode, just like alloy fillings in your mouth!
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Same thing happens with some barbed wire fences near higher power stations. Slight oxidation plus slightly different materials and the fence talks and sings and even tries to sell you things!

That reminds me of some posts long ago wondering whether a station that got a lot of listens had reduced coverage because all those fans sucked the signal out of the air and left less for more distant listeners.
 


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