"AM for Every Vehicle Act" is flawed - we need a "Future of Radio Act"

[TheBigA]

I still think there is a place for AM particularly in locales where there are no more available channels on the FM band.

There are two examples I'm thinking about that might be what you're talking about. One is Good Karma Brands, that is running ESPN Radio with a lot of local content and exclusive play by play on AM stations in LA and Chicago. Starting next summer, they will be doing the same only on an AM in NYC. The CEO of the company feels he can use streaming to satisfy his clients. We'll see.

The other one is Latino Media Networks, that bought a bunch of AMs from Univision, and is looking to make an impression with Hispanic programming on AM with streaming and other digital content. Can good content win over bad technology? Once again, we'll see.

 

[ZebraRadio]

There are two examples I'm thinking about that might be what you're talking about. One is Good Karma Brands, that is running ESPN Radio with a lot of local content and exclusive play by play on AM stations in LA and Chicago. Starting next summer, they will be doing the same only on an AM in NYC. The CEO of the company feels he can use streaming to satisfy his clients. We'll see.

The other one is Latino Media Networks, that bought a bunch of AMs from Univision, and is looking to make an impression with Hispanic programming on AM with streaming and other digital content. Can good content win over bad technology? Once again, we'll see.

Yes, those are two examples. I think my friend is listening to Dave Ramsey who is on an AM station. Not particularly political or controversial. Some may say, "Well, he can listen to Dave on the internet." Uh, yeeeah! I don't trust the internet as a reliable delivery method. This past Xmas weekend proved that as our internet got bogged down with users. Lots of buffering.

I'm also talking the Los Angeles basin. No available channels on either band (not counting the contested 1500Khz). I still believe AM has a place in the dashboard. It's just a shame that iBiquity royally screwed up the rollout of HD Radio and Xperi is following the same path. AM could use an all digital makeover.

 

[Bongwater]

@kevtronics @radiofan2023 I know this is woefully off topic, but I'm going to try out a device called Cell2Jack, which essentially converts a landline phone into a Bluetooth handset that can pair to a smartphone. I think it supports pulse dialing, but I'm not sure. I'll find out when I try my Western Electric model 500 dial telephone on it, though

If it works, it should be an effective way of futureproofing antique phones since they can continue to work regardless of what the network looks like, so long as the Cell2Jack is paired to a smartphone that supports it and can connect to it.

c

I still have a yellow rotary kitchen landline wall phone from the 1970s (with matching receiver extension cord.) Still works when the power's out (although that ring, no matter how you lower it, still makes everybody jump.) It's on the kitchen wall behind my desk. The other two landline phones are wireless.

 

[davideduardo]

There are two examples I'm thinking about that might be what you're talking about. One is Good Karma Brands, that is running ESPN Radio with a lot of local content and exclusive play by play on AM stations in LA and Chicago. Starting next summer, they will be doing the same only on an AM in NYC. The CEO of the company feels he can use streaming to satisfy his clients. We'll see.

In the case of "sports dollars" there is an advantage for property owners in that play-by-play and related broadcasts are sold as events and far less ratings based. This is the same reason why all-sports stations can bill well ahead of their ratings shares. But each market is limited to one or two stations that can play that hand.

The other one is Latino Media Networks, that bought a bunch of AMs from Univision, and is looking to make an impression with Hispanic programming on AM with streaming and other digital content. Can good content win over bad technology? Once again, we'll see.

Unfortunately, LMN has hired mostly industry "retreads" who are not in possession of any new or evolutionary ideas.

But their biggest issue is that most of the stations they bought are AMs (there are FMs in Fresno (3), McAllen (2) and Dallas (1)) with defective signals. Further, Hispanics, even internationally, have pretty much abandoned AM and index above the general public in use of streaming.

Since none of the acquired stations has made a significant change in its programming yet, it remains to be seen whether LMN can come up with some new concepts that will enhance their array of AM stations.

 

[ZebraRadio]

If this keeps up, the 'AM radio in cars' conundrum will solve itself. It also appears to prove that giving AM stations an FM translator is not a solution.

AM Station Totals Continue to Erode in the U.S. - Radio World

The latest station totals from the Federal Communications Commission show that the number of FM NCE stations in the U.S. continues to grow, while 40 fewer AM stations are on the air.

www.radioworld.com

 

[Cold Coffee]

In one year we have 23 fewer commercial FM's, 40 fewer AM's. and 45 fewer LPFM's NCE FM's have increased and I'd guess they are mostly religious.

 

[davideduardo]

If this keeps up, the 'AM radio in cars' conundrum will solve itself.

If 40 AMs a year are dying, it will take 10 decades for all to disappear at that rate.

It also appears to prove that giving AM stations an FM translator is not a solution.

Yes, it is. Essentially all the FM "deletions" are commercial stations that sold to non-commercial groups like EMF and changed their status. The few others are a couple of FMs in tiny, tiny markets that were never sustainable.

 

[Cold Coffee]

If 40 AMs a year are dying, it will take 10 decades for all to disappear at that rate.

Yes, it is. Essentially all the FM "deletions" are commercial stations that sold to non-commercial groups like EMF and changed their status. The few others are a couple of FMs in tiny, tiny markets that were never sustainable.

True, just because the FCC dropped a channel in a town doesn't mean the community can support a radio station. Many of the Class C's allotted out west in Docket 80-90 served very low populations and were real dogs. Tickets to bankruptcy they were.

 

[ZebraRadio]

If 40 AMs a year are dying, it will take 10 decades for all to disappear at that rate.

Yes, it is. Essentially all the FM "deletions" are commercial stations that sold to non-commercial groups like EMF and changed their status. The few others are a couple of FMs in tiny, tiny markets that were never sustainable.

That's assuming the rate stays at 40 per year (it was -25 last year). But it doesn't negate the fact that AM is slowly disappearing, not growing. Giving AM stations FM translators only encourages automakers to deep six AM. "See, AM stations are already on FM. We don't need to keep the AM band."

 

[Cold Coffee]

That's assuming the rate stays at 40 per year (it was -25 last year). But it doesn't negate the fact that AM is slowly disappearing, not growing. Giving AM stations FM translators only encourages automakers to deep six AM. "See, AM stations are already on FM. We don't need to keep the AM band."

Unfortunately there is no room on FM for the big AM's to get a Class A, B or C signal. And, those translators are a secondary FM class that can be displaced.

 

[Kelly A]

It's just a shame that iBiquity royally screwed up the rollout of HD Radio and Xperi is following the same path. AM could use an all digital makeover.

Interesting comment. How exactly did they screw up the AM-HD rollout?

 

[Kelly A]

Unfortunately there is no room on FM for the big AM's to get a Class A, B or C signal. And, those translators are a secondary FM class that can be displaced.

And many translators don't come close to a full market signal. Granted, most AMs don't either, but it would be the most beneficial if the FM translator at least duplicated the 5mV coverage of its AM parent.

 

[ZebraRadio]

Interesting comment. How exactly did they screw up the AM-HD rollout?

A number of articles have been written on the topic of the botched rollout of HD Radio. Here's one:

The 5 Biggest Problems with HD Radio

HD radio has been around for a while, but the format still has more than its fair share of problems.

www.lifewire.com

Going back a few years, here's another:

Commentary: The Premature Death of HD Radio

HD Radio Could Die on the Vine - Unless You and I Do Something About It Now

www.radioworld.com

I might also add iBiquity's insane license scheme and fees to broadcasters. Xperi could have scrapped that arrangement and provided more of an incentive for broadcasters to adopt HDR but they didn't.

 

[Kelly A]

I might also add iBiquity's insane license scheme and fees to broadcasters. Xperi could have scrapped that arrangement and provided more of an incentive for broadcasters to adopt HDR but they didn't.

Whereas I agree that the first station groups to adopt HD Radio twenty five years ago did a horrible job of promoting it. "The stations within the stations" meant nothing to your average consumer, and nobody bothered to work with electronics retailers to explain what HD Radio even was. The flip side is broadcasters were their worst enemies when it came to AM-HD in particular. Old timers were bitching about the digital sidebands creating interference to distant stations, and smaller markets didn't want to pay to broadband their antenna systems, let alone replace aging AM transmitters. I heard it many times; "There's nothing wrong with analog AM". Well, here we are, and nobody is saying that anymore. But ultimately it was probably too late anyway. Even back then, consumers stopped buying home based or aftermarket vehicle radios. Smartphones with Apple Carplay have since taken over the consumer market. In looking back, I'm not sure even if Clear Channel or other early adopters had promoted HD radio better, we wouldn't be in the same place anyway. It's smartphones and streaming instead of radio. Adding a bunch of additional channels to radio, is still radio.

Regarding your comment about the Ubiquity/Xperi licenses; I submit none of that was a deal breaker. The license isn't that much money to a station, and Xperi didn't buy the rights to HD Radio for free. You can't expect everything to be given away.

 

[TheBigA]

nobody bothered to work with electronics retailers to explain what HD Radio even was.

It didn't matter since there really weren't many HD radios in stores. They were hoping for consumer demand to get radios in stores. It took several years for them to do the Insignia deal with best buy. It was one table model mono radio, sort of like the Bose Wave. Not the kind of product that inspired any passion. No interest in installing it in cars. To me, this was primarily a hardware problem. The issue was the royalty payment iBiquity required for the chip. It was the same kind of thing that kept electronics manufacturers from installing FM until the patent ran out in the 60s.

One indication of the hardware problem was this from Radio World in March 2002:

For any of this to succeed, however consumers also must hear IBOC. Ibiquity plans to have IBOC receivers ready for the 2003 Consumer Electronics Show in January and has licensing deals with Harmon Kardon, Kenwood and Visteon.

So they went to radio stations before going to electronics retail. Whoops! People wanted to hear it, and there was no way to hear it. When they finally did, it sounded just like FM.

 

[radiorobert]

Unfortunately there is no room on FM for the big AM's to get a Class A, B or C signal. And, those translators are a secondary FM class that can be displaced.

If a big AM can be profitable enough I can see some FM formats being dumped in favor of the local successful AM. Mostly these will be the flagship News/Talk/Sports outlets. That is of course unless those AM's serve a larger region whereby they gain they're popularity primarily outside of an Urban metro but are based in said metro. In that case there will be some tough choices as there may not be an FM signal that can serve most of their listener base. Even a top end Class C.

I think of WHO-AM in Des Moines. 50,000 watt day/night. I would say its popularity is at least 50% from beyond any Class C FM's ability to adequately serve. The metro area supports it partially but the question would be will IHM see value in moving it to FM. And its core audience is not likely to stream it in any broad manner as a big portion of its audience is over 50 years old. So the analysis has to be made of whether to stick it on an FM and hope it survives or just throw in the towel and try to monetize its identity some other way, somehow (I dont honestly know what that would be).

It's too bad the FCC still treats technology and the current state of things as though its 2002.

 

[Mark Roberts]

I think of WHO-AM in Des Moines. 50,000 watt day/night. I would say its popularity is at least 50% from beyond any Class C FM's ability to adequately serve. The metro area supports it partially but the question would be will IHM see value in moving it to FM. And its core audience is not likely to stream it in any broad manner as a big portion of its audience is over 50 years old. So the analysis has to be made of whether to stick it on an FM and hope it survives or just throw in the towel and try to monetize its identity some other way, somehow (I dont honestly know what that would be).

Demographics may take care of some of that. Rural Iowa is depopulating. Older farmers are retiring and younger farmers can't afford to buy their land. The regional metros are holding steady; Des Moines and suburbs are prospering. (A good recent Washington Post article on the increasing split in Iowa's economy [gift link]: https://wapo.st/48PJPvS) Coverage of large areas of land may not matter as much as it once did. In the case of Des Moines, IHM has a potential solution at hand: 100.3 (now KDRB) went on the first Alleman tower when it was built and covers a good part of the state.

Iowa media always had been centralized in Des Moines anyway. The reach and influence of the Register used to be unmatched. Russ Van Dyke on KRNT radio and TV was considered the Walter Cronkite of Iowa. So these trends are not particularly new, but they've accelerated as the various county seats lose people, businesses, schools, and local media. Example: I grew up in part in Centerville. The local newspaper, a consistent award-winner, went away in 2020, absorbed into Ottumwa's newspaper. The local radio stations are automated shells of themselves, with little local content. The high school is going to be torn down, to be replaced by a smaller building. As it is, the top floor of the three-story building is closed: too many leaks. The population continues to decline. The county is now in the Des Moines media market.

 

[davideduardo]

It didn't matter since there really weren't many HD radios in stores. They were hoping for consumer demand to get radios in stores.

And, because of the power needs for the Ibiquity chip, there never were portable radios with HD, even in the pre-smartphone era when that was important.

 

[davideduardo]

I think of WHO-AM in Des Moines. 50,000 watt day/night. I would say its popularity is at least 50% from beyond any Class C FM's ability to adequately serve. The metro area supports it partially but the question would be will IHM see value in moving it to FM. And its core audience is not likely to stream it in any broad manner as a big portion of its audience is over 50 years old. So the analysis has to be made of whether to stick it on an FM and hope it survives or just throw in the towel and try to monetize its identity some other way, somehow (I dont honestly know what that would be).

The issue is revenue. How many buys on WHO are take into account the coverage outside the Metro Survey Area?

Even Agribusiness stations like WNAX are affected because farmers now have Internet connectivity and can get updates on demand on weather, prices and more.

 

[JJSPC]

Even Agribusiness stations like WNAX are affected because farmers now have Internet connectivity and can get updates on demand on weather, prices and more.

Exactly. Even back in the late 1990's there were plenty of farmers with a DTN satellite dish that were using that service rather than waiting for grain or hog prices on AM radio.