AM 1420

[MarioMania]

Would it be possible if 1420 like 860 move...I know it won't

Like in Vallejo-Fairfield-Vacaville..just a thought..what's the rule??

 

[Truthiness4DaBray]

Would it be possible if 1420 like 860 move...I know it won't

Like in Vallejo-Fairfield-Vacaville..just a thought..what's the rule??

You mean make an expensive mistake, go broke, and lose the station to the bank? That's the 860 way.

 

[DavidKaye]

Would it be possible if 1420 like 860 move...I know it won't

Like in Vallejo-Fairfield-Vacaville..just a thought..what's the rule??

Rule? None really for AM except to not interfere with other stations. It helps in getting the move authorized to be providing service to a community that didn't have service before. So, 104.9 was easily approved in its city of license move from Fremont to Sunnyvale, and for 1510 to move from San Rafael to Piedmont. 860 had to provide a new station in Modesto in order to get the move OK'd to SF.

I doubt 1420 could move to Fairfield or Vacaville easily because 1430 is licensed to Sacramento. I think it could move to, oh, Burlingame without much fuss given that it'd be 2 channels away from 1400 in Berkeley and 3 from 1450 in SF.

But the question is why move an AM at all? 1510 got nighttime authorization and an increase in power and moved into West Oakland where it could reach Oakland (400k people) and SF (800k) easily, and yet they still couldn't make money with it.

 

[Starbucks]

It's ridiculous how I continue to read these post on how to salvage an AM station or frequency that has no purpose or little use at all in a market. Your all better discussing how to make the Kansas City Royals a more competitive market pertaining to the New York Yankees/Boston Red Sox.

 

[MarioMania]

Would it be possible if 1420 like 860 move...I know it won't

Like in Vallejo-Fairfield-Vacaville..just a thought..what's the rule??

Rule? None really for AM except to not interfere with other stations. It helps in getting the move authorized to be providing service to a community that didn't have service before. So, 104.9 was easily approved in its city of license move from Fremont to Sunnyvale, and for 1510 to move from San Rafael to Piedmont. 860 had to provide a new station in Modesto in order to get the move OK'd to SF.

I doubt 1420 could move to Fairfield or Vacaville easily because 1430 is licensed to Sacramento. I think it could move to, oh, Burlingame without much fuss given that it'd be 2 channels away from 1400 in Berkeley and 3 from 1450 in SF.

But the question is why move an AM at all? 1510 got nighttime authorization and an increase in power and moved into West Oakland where it could reach Oakland (400k people) and SF (800k) easily, and yet they still couldn't make money with it.

Thanks David..that clears it up

 

[DaveBayArea]

It's ridiculous how I continue to read these post on how to salvage an AM station or frequency that has no purpose or little use at all in a market. Your all better discussing how to make the Kansas City Royals a more competitive market pertaining to the New York Yankees/Boston Red Sox.

Yet I do see AM stations making money. The new 1340 in Jackson (KVGC) has all of maybe a 10-mile coverage area, yet they have what sound like completely full stopsets. Of course, I have no idea what they're charging, but they're selling time. If I had an AM station that covered the Fremont area with a decent signal I'd definitely consider a time-brokering deal for the Indian population here. I know several folks who put up antennas specifically so they can get the audio sub-channels of the "channel 1" LPTV station. I still believe it's possible.

Dave B.

 

[Starbucks]

I think I've been thru this discussion before in some other market thread or other planet somewhere. But There's always exceptions to the rule of any where USA. That doesn't mean that at least 30 % at the moment of AM signals have a purpose in life running our electricity supply. The problem with our economy when it's good or bad...we like to over saturate everything. Including entertainment. When other countries are taking steps in closing down declining technology, we still try to forcefully keep things alive. Even when old technology is operating with the latest technology....(automation, satellite delivered) keeping things alive on AM still doesn't create new listeners or keep any jobs.
Don't tell me about Jackson. I've been there a billion times. It's about an Island market town that has a lot of local merchants. Even though these times has hit that town hard, it's a small town. They just made some layoffs at their casino last month. Small town radio in Island Markets will be around longer then worthless AM signals in bigger towns. Yes there's a purpose as long as there not in the middle of an urban sprawl. And they have exclusive rights to their High School and local college sports that pays the rent itself. But these stop sets, what are they...$6 a spot? It can be seasonal for all you know.
Most of these signals are on because they are required to stay on (keeping their license without being auction off for pennies on the dolllar) and are being supported by their FM brethrens. What you believe is possible will be possible for maybe another 5 years. All Obama has to do which I wouldn't be surprised is create a lifeline internet service. Where every citizen will have rights to a basic broadband service just like the phone. So for those who say not everyone has broadband...just think how many less listeners will depend on AM radio if it happens.
Please...posters like you are not creating any jobs. The Kansas City Royals will not be in playoffs again this year. They don't have the budget. Maybe the farm system... but I'm sure Steinbrenner has his scouts out for that. What do corporations or the people of Jackson, Fremont, or Vacaville care about a time broker deal for the small Indian population there? Will you be a listener? Send me some airchecks. I'll donate them to the Bay Area Museum if you like. C'mon, quit playing Mother Theresa. We can't save our real jobs, even if their was no India, these jobs would dissolve anyway. You need to create new things. And AM 1420, 1340, 1580, or SSB isn't one of them.

 

[DavidKaye]

Yet I do see AM stations making money. The new 1340 in Jackson (KVGC) has all of maybe a 10-mile coverage area, yet they have what sound like completely full stopsets. Of course, I have no idea what they're charging, but they're selling time.

I once worked for KWUN in Concord, a 500 watt station serving Concord, Walnut Creek, and the Diablo Valley. They always ran a full inventory, so they *sounded* successful. The secret was that the owner filled up the schedule with bonus spots when sales were down. It was not unusual to bonus clients 3 times the actual number of spots paid for in order to "sound full".

And then there are trades and barter. KJAY in Sacramento was notorious for trading out everything from meals to rent for its employees. And any station running Metro Traffic Control is airing barter spots with each report.

So, unless you actually see the books it's hard to know if a station is really making money or padding its sound.

 

[Starbucks]

Exactly.....Salesmen will sell their clusters or combo in a market with 3 FM's and 2 AM's. If you buy a special package deal with the 3 FM's , you get the AM free. Sponsor or merchant thinks he's getting a deal.

 

[jammerdave]

KVGC's coverage is quite a bit better than that, and they are doing just fine money wise. It's because they are one of the few remaining stations that super serve their community. I work with the owner doing his engineering.

dave

It's ridiculous how I continue to read these post on how to salvage an AM station or frequency that has no purpose or little use at all in a market. Your all better discussing how to make the Kansas City Royals a more competitive market pertaining to the New York Yankees/Boston Red Sox.

Yet I do see AM stations making money. The new 1340 in Jackson (KVGC) has all of maybe a 10-mile coverage area, yet they have what sound like completely full stopsets. Of course, I have no idea what they're charging, but they're selling time. If I had an AM station that covered the Fremont area with a decent signal I'd definitely consider a time-brokering deal for the Indian population here. I know several folks who put up antennas specifically so they can get the audio sub-channels of the "channel 1" LPTV station. I still believe it's possible.

Dave B.

 

[DaveBayArea]

KVGC's coverage is quite a bit better than that, and they are doing just fine money wise. It's because they are one of the few remaining stations that super serve their community. I work with the owner doing his engineering.

Sorry, JammerDave - I didn't mean to in any way criticize the engineering and/or coverage. I'm not sure where the transmitter is, but it seems to die in Pine Grove - especially at night. That's where the 10 miles came from. I figured it's just a characteristic of a graveyard channel and mountain ground conductivity. Still, my point - and yours - are clear. Serving the public interest, convenience, and necessity still works.

Dave B.

 

[jhimbo]

Not to mention great oldies variety on 1340. I pick it up in Elk Grove during the day and it's fairly strong.

 

[davideduardo]

Exactly.....Salesmen will sell their clusters or combo in a market with 3 FM's and 2 AM's. If you buy a special package deal with the 3 FM's , you get the AM free. Sponsor or merchant thinks he's getting a deal.

It all depends.

If an AM has significant audience delivery, the AM will be marketed as intensely as the FMs in a cluster. In many cases, with most markets only having one or two good AMs, sellers will use the AM format as a way of offering something other operators can't deliver.

The problem is that there are so few good, viable AMs. One source says that there are only around 150 AMs in the top 100 markets that are able to cover the whole market or most of it day and night. So, in those markets the other thousand or so AMs are throw-aways or in ultra niche formats.