ansky212 said:
I have been saying this all along. If you put programming on the air that people want to listen to they will tune in wherever that programming is, whether it be AM or FM. The reason it may seem that young people don't like AM is the fact that most young people (at least those I know), don't care about all the left/right political banter that plagues most AM talk shows.
Here's what I think we see almost anywhere in the world where there is a competitive, free market radio environment (Canada, thus, does not apply but Mexico, Spain, Burkina Faso or the Philipines do):
"Young people" defined as those under around 30, won't listen to news on AM. And they won't listen on FM, either. They won't listen to talk based on political and social issues on either band. They will listen to sports on AM if the sport they are interested in is not broadcast and covered on FM. Since most teams block out local station streaming of sports, those AMs that have significant play by play and team alliances have a classic monopoly. Except for the 6 to 11 year olds who listen to Radio Disney, you won't find music listening to an AM, no matter what the format (and there is music AM in much of the world).
AM stations tried to find ways to survive with music when the swing to FM was going on over 30 years ago, but none were able to sustain music save those that did Al Ham and similar old-demo formats. Of course, the US has the fewest viable AMs per market of any of the developed commercial-radio nations, so many failed because they so vastly underserved their growing markets.
AM radio does not sound good. Noise levels from computers, CFLs and other RF generating devices has reduced the usable signals significantly, and in many homes or offices even 50 kw stations can't be heard clearly... and putting into question the vision of the FCC decades ago when they limited AM to such a low maximum power and simultaneously promoted the building of hundreds and hundreds of 100 watt, 250 watt and 500 watt stations as well as that uniquely American creation, the daytimer.
So, no, younger people will not listen to AM if they can avoid it. In fact, anyone who grew up with FM or grew into it when young... meaning all the boomers... just does not like AM. The proof is in the many many cases where an old-leaning but successful AM added FM or moved to FM. KCBS in San Francisco added an FM simulcast, and immediately shot up in 35-54 year old listeners who were a scarce commodity beforehand.
