Does any market currently or in the past have an alternative rock format on an AM station? I know of AM 1340 WHAT in Philadelphia which ran a short-lived alternative rock format called "Skin Radio", are there any others worth noting? Thanks 
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Alternative rock on AM?
- Thread starter danikayser84
- Start date
WACV 1170 AM in Montgomery Alabama (104.9 FM The Gump) http://1049thegump.com/
WRGC 1420 AM in Columbus Georgia (106.9 FM Really Rocks) http://www.1069theride.com/
R.D.P. <><
WRGC 1420 AM in Columbus Georgia (106.9 FM Really Rocks) http://www.1069theride.com/
R.D.P. <><
1150 KHRO-AM in El Paso used to play alternative. Now El Paso has KLAQ on the FM dial banging out Modern Rock.
WAZY-AM 1410 in Lafayette, IN simulcasted their FM alternative rock sister station for a few months back in 1999 or 2000.
WLZR in Milwaukee had a co-owned AM station that often simulcast the FM sister (for lack of anything better to do with it). For a while in the early 90s, they ran an automated modern rock format ("The Warp") on the signal. I think that ended before WLUM picked up the format.
And I recall reading about an AM station in Boulder, CO (I believe it was 1490 AM) that ran a wide-ranging modern rock/hip-hop format in the mid-90s as well.
And I recall reading about an AM station in Boulder, CO (I believe it was 1490 AM) that ran a wide-ranging modern rock/hip-hop format in the mid-90s as well.
Shameless self promotion, but I play rock from 1925 to present on AM, so here's some airchecks on a podcast page.
There's usually about 3 casts at any time.
What I recognize as "rock" first occured in the hot jazz of the mid 20s.
W Nuthin Nuthin Nuthin is Part 15 AM, but in one of the densest population areas of the US, and maybe 50.000 live within a mile,
so it is some kind of viable station. I can't stand too much normal without a proper balance of weird/alternative.
Careful. Some of it is really smooth and some of it is really abrasive.
http://thomasjwells.podomatic.com/
There's usually about 3 casts at any time.
What I recognize as "rock" first occured in the hot jazz of the mid 20s.
W Nuthin Nuthin Nuthin is Part 15 AM, but in one of the densest population areas of the US, and maybe 50.000 live within a mile,
so it is some kind of viable station. I can't stand too much normal without a proper balance of weird/alternative.
Careful. Some of it is really smooth and some of it is really abrasive.
http://thomasjwells.podomatic.com/
I believe the station you're referring to is KVCU at 1190 kHz. They're owned and operated by the University of Colorado at Boulder. They are student run with a free form format.FightingIrish said:
http://radio1190.org/
klutch00 said:
Actually, no. I'm sure it was 1490. I believe it was called "The Difference" or something like that. Read about it in a trade magazine back around 1994-95 or so. I'm sure it was short lived, and few actually heard it, let alone heard of it.
How 'bout KUKQ 1060 AM in Phoenix? I remember it was programmed by Jonathan L, a great programmer with a great voice, and lasted until around 1995. A playlist from 1990 is posted here: http://las-solanas.com/arsa/surveys_item.php?svid=14444. I have a few minutes of their sign-off as a Modern Rock station. I think their last song was "Goodbye To You" by The Psychedelic Furs.
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the venerable KUOM (Radio K) from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, which has been on 770 AM since 1993. And they're a daytimer to boot (though they now have three FM translators).
OK, I stand corrected. The station in question now has the calls KCFC. They now have a Public Radio format. http://www.cpr.org/FightingIrish said:
FTR there is a commercial radio station out of Vancouver, Washington KKSN (910) which served the Portland OR area and simulcasts KNRK-HD2, which features an alternative and other rock format devoted exclusively to artists from the northwest US. They have been on the air for a year and a half. http://www.947.fm/
Excellent observation (And a good station from what I hear)! Their website is:http://www.radiok.org/FightingIrish said:
Moreover there are other college-run stations who to one extent or another broadcast alternative rock including:
KKSM (1320) Oceanside CA http://www.palomar.edu/kksm/about.html
KWLC (1240) Decorah IAhttp://www.luther.edu/kwlc/schedule/
KGRG (1330) Enumclaw WA http://www.kgrg1.com/
WSWI (820) Evansville IN http://theedgeradio.org/
This doesn't include any carrier current or 'Part 15' operations.
In another thread, http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=67579.0, I've suggested that what some colleges might want to do is take over marginal or struggling AM operations to broadcast their material on. This probably would be a better alternative than using those ten-watt operations.
I don't know call letter or frequency, but in the very early 90's (before the format really broke out) there was an AM station in Portland OR for a time that was alternative.
Also, WDJX in Louisville simulcast their FM hits on 1080 for a time, and in 1993-4 they broke out evenings and weekends with unique alternative programming on 1080. At the same time, WQMF (classic rock) did a "QMF-Too" at 105.9, and while 1080 was far better done IMO, the FM of course won.
Also, WDJX in Louisville simulcast their FM hits on 1080 for a time, and in 1993-4 they broke out evenings and weekends with unique alternative programming on 1080. At the same time, WQMF (classic rock) did a "QMF-Too" at 105.9, and while 1080 was far better done IMO, the FM of course won.
In the '90s, many owners of FMs didn't know what to do with their underachieving AMs. So they let the kids run with them. Lots of AM rock stations (Z-Rock affiliates at first, but LOTS of independents later.) popped up between 1987 and 1995. Most lasted just a few years tops, but they are fondly remembered in every market that had one. Or sometimes even TWO.
BMR said:
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 allowed Big Corporations to own nearly as many broadcast outlets as their chubby hands could carry. They snapped up Mom and Pop operations and whole chains at a single gulp. With high hopes and even higher debt, they "consolidated" operations, eliminated thousands of jobs and -- under pressure to be as profitable as possible as soon as possible -- cut budgets, stopped experimenting, gutted local programming, automated and neetworked up the wazoo, etc. etc. "Alternateev? We don' need your steenking alternateevs!"
I hope this answers my earlier question. Absolutely nothing will ever enlighten the bean counters who made good radio nearly impossible. They're sure they did the right thing, as defined by short term monetary gain.
I would submit that owners STILL don't know what to do with their AMs short of whoring them out to financial con artists, brimstone for bucks bozos and colon-cleanser pushers.
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