Does not the math go: RF x 4 = twice the coverage, so all the 5's would have to go to 20. Watch the electric meter spin after that move.
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Another Entercom Talker Moving To FM?
- Thread starter JustPastBuffalo
- Start date
Four times the power to increase 6dB. Most human beings can't discern differences in loudless less than 3dB, so that's about the minimum, all things being equal (which they never are.)
I had it explained to me this way: suppose a 50kw signal is laying down a solid signal hitting your communications receiver so the S-meter reads S9. S8 would be 12,500 watts. S7, 3125w. S6, 781w. S5, 195w. S4, 48.75w. And so forth. You'd have to move 2 S-units for most people to hear the difference.
Further masking any but drastic differences in transmitted power is the AGC circuit present in almost all radios. You'd primarily hear a lower noise floor since the stronger RF would overcome more QRN, but we're still talking about AM here, so it's still gonna be noisy if the local conditions dictate.
I had it explained to me this way: suppose a 50kw signal is laying down a solid signal hitting your communications receiver so the S-meter reads S9. S8 would be 12,500 watts. S7, 3125w. S6, 781w. S5, 195w. S4, 48.75w. And so forth. You'd have to move 2 S-units for most people to hear the difference.
Further masking any but drastic differences in transmitted power is the AGC circuit present in almost all radios. You'd primarily hear a lower noise floor since the stronger RF would overcome more QRN, but we're still talking about AM here, so it's still gonna be noisy if the local conditions dictate.
JimPastrick said:
Looks my speculation was on the money, although I'll admit to hedging my bet. 107.7 it is. Now let's see if the move attracts some ears, Persons 35-49.
TheBigA said:Guys, guys, guys.
KMBZ is 5K. WBEN and WGR are each 50K. What have we been saying every time this subject is brought up?
Low power AMs are dead. High power AMs still have life. Although Buffalo can only handle two. They should trade KB to another market for an FM.
My quickie analysis is that neither of these stations are getting great numbers. KUDL must have gone holiday music in December based on their AQH. Then they went back to a 2 share. And KMBZ is tied with it. This is not the situation Entercom has in Buffalo. In Buffalo, they have two Top 5 stations with AM talk. Not the case in KC. They have determined it's more efficient to take the content on KMBZ and run it on two frequencies. They're spending a lot on live and local news and talk. Might as well draw on two revenue sources: AM & FM. The other option is cut costs at KMBZ. Who votes for that?
Kansas City is a market that's clearly more FM oriented. KMBZ is the highest rated AM and it's 13th 12+. The programming is solid, lots of live & local news talk, but it's underperforming. Clearly the signal is the only thing I see that's holding it back. Very unlike the situation they have in Buffalo.
Buffalo is like Chicago, Detroit, and NYC. They still get good numbers with AM talk. No need to blow it up yet. The minute WBEN falls out of the Top 10, then it's worth talking about. Until then, status quo.
Big... brother, you really got this one wrong. You wanna take a re-test? Jerry DelColliano will proctor.
Maybe this is what the Entercom boys were thinking. This from an article in the Kansas City Star yesterday.
The article was written by Aaron Barnhart:
"News-talk stations from Portland, Ore., to Washington, D.C., have moved partly or entirely to FM and seen big jumps in listenership and revenue. In fact, Washington’s WTOP-FM was the country’s highest revenue-generating station in 2010.
Indeed, KMBZ may quickly become a station with a majority FM listenership. Common sense and data from other cities suggest that most listeners, given the improved reception and clarity of FM, will reset their presets".
Maybe those of Buffalo's geriatric generation that listen faithfully to WBEN will notice the improved clarity, maybe not.
But, I sure don't see a massive move by folks in the younger demos (under 55) to WBEN
just because they're now on the FM band. It'll take more than clarity of signal to make that happen.
At any rate, here's Barnhart's full article with a quote or two from our very own Scott Fybush.
Read more:
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/04/04/2776002/can-am-radio-survive-by-serving.html#ixzz1IeJqAhjF
The article was written by Aaron Barnhart:
"News-talk stations from Portland, Ore., to Washington, D.C., have moved partly or entirely to FM and seen big jumps in listenership and revenue. In fact, Washington’s WTOP-FM was the country’s highest revenue-generating station in 2010.
Indeed, KMBZ may quickly become a station with a majority FM listenership. Common sense and data from other cities suggest that most listeners, given the improved reception and clarity of FM, will reset their presets".
Maybe those of Buffalo's geriatric generation that listen faithfully to WBEN will notice the improved clarity, maybe not.
But, I sure don't see a massive move by folks in the younger demos (under 55) to WBEN
just because they're now on the FM band. It'll take more than clarity of signal to make that happen.
At any rate, here's Barnhart's full article with a quote or two from our very own Scott Fybush.
Read more:
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/04/04/2776002/can-am-radio-survive-by-serving.html#ixzz1IeJqAhjF
Element9 said:
Yep, and I bet I'm not the only one. Maybe if WBEN was 50K, then they'd have been satisfied.
But like KMBZ they're investing a lot of money in content, and spreading it over two frequencies is cost-efficient. Radio doesn't own the content when it plays music.
So how quickly will the AM numbers plummet as listeners choose FM over AM?
Scott...I hope the contract terms were acceptable...cause now your OWNED by this board!!
(Hey, every board needs a certified professional contributor to keep the certified professional pronouncers & programmers in line!!)
HDBG
TheBigA said:
The real question is what will the combined numbers look like. WBEN's been eroding slowly. Will this stop the bleeding? Or will more people leave the old Lake preset on their radios, and stumble across neo-con talk that interests them from time to time?
The FM signal is iffy enough that few people who already know how to get WBEN-AM will bother trying to find it on FM.
SirRoxalot said:
I bet you're right that some will leave the preset on their radio.
In DC, when WTOP did this, they made the transition slowly, simulcasting for a while, heavily promoting the move to FM. Based on what I'm reading from this group, I expect they'll keep the simulcast because of the stronger AM signal, and weaker FM.
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