Savage said:
Right, Carmine5. AM doesn't have to sound lousy. All you have to do is expend a little effort - far less, it must be observed, than is necessary to implement IBOC. And no exotic, troublesome, expensive new hardware is required for this improvement.
Bob, it's very hard for "ME" to argue that "AM sounds lousy" Fact is, to "ME" it doesn't. However where "I" live, you get news or sports or "music with accordians". (Apologies to all Tejano, Conjunto, Recuerdo, La Tejenita, La Lea, etc...). There's also a hefty dose of God as well. The AM's are down to one that makes money, one that slides by and anything else but God is waiting for a sale. It is common to hear about how AM-HD has failed on this board. Maybe. AMHD is a disappointment. But AM Analog has failed worse.
The 400 lb Gorrilla in the room is... While AM had a 100% market share in the 60's, it's darned near gone now. Honestly, does anyone think AM has a 10 share natiuonally? Am I really to believe that every single AM station which used to own the dial, died because of bad programming? Look at Philly. WFIL, WIBG and WIP. In the 70's I'll bet they had a combined 30 share or more. Today, all together as per this board in December, 4.3. I'm not saying AM sounds lousy, the market says AM sounds lousy. To blame the AM decline on "Bad Programming" is absurd, IMHO. AM didn't dump music to go talk. Music died and then along came Limbaugh. Now that there's a NEW successful talk genre, IT'S moving to FM. Anyone wonder why?
Tom Wells has stated the case with humour and elegance. Some things in the human experience were never meant to be digital. I just don't get where the dogma "radio must become digital to survive" comes from. Radio should morph to digital only if digital offers something that listeners and advertisers want. The resounding and repetitive answer when you pose it to any given radio listener is: WHY? Sounds fine to me the way it is.
On FM I'd agree. That's why they're pushing the multicasting thingy. But back to AM. Perhaps Savage "IS" right. Maybe we should leave AM alone. I don't say this with spite. I'm just wondering to myself (Outloud) if AM should just be "Let Go". Let me explain... And I'm going to go at this from an FCC perspective... You heard it here first.

How's THIS for an idea.
First off, No more AM-HD. Mandate permanant shutdown of the system by Dec 31st, 2015.That should allow for the amortization of all this equipment without having to write it off. Also if it's as bad as everyone says, it'll die a lot sooner. Like maybe next week.

However, it will have to come with a price. Any radio costing over $20.00
must have AM Stereo included, if it has FM stereo included. All FM radios UNDER $20.00
must include AM. Drop dead date is 12/31/2010 for implementation. This is the "AM Radio Preservation Act" of 2009.
Secondly. No more NEW AM stations. Exceptions for White or Gray areas ONLY, assuming someone would choose AM over FM in that case. Other than that, NO MORE. Period. NONE. As in No More Class "D" AM. No More 10 watt FM. Take the App off of CBDS. You can't apply. Bye Bye. Upgrades are allowed, including upgrade in class. Last Man standing could still be a zillionaire.
Thirdly, Encourage B's and C's to migrate to FM where possible. Maybe D's too, although I suspect if they could, they already have. Find incentives. Offer rebates (Regulatory fees, Tax Credits, etc..). Thin the herd, by migration and attrition. Those behind will be stronger for it.
Now I'm not dumb enough to NOT understand what this really is. It's a "CB Radio" like, AM Stereo "Let the market decide" like, Whatever you want to do, like, decision. The FCC should be good with it. Business as usual.
The tone of this is flippent, but I mean it. "The Industry" has tried to "Save AM Radio" for almost 40 years and failed. Here's a thought.
AM radio in 1969 vs AM radio in 2009. How's that "Saving" thing working out for ya so far?
Sometimes you just need to go home. So what would happen? Well I suspect the money would leave AM. CBS and Clear Channel woulsd have to accept what AM is and deal with it. While the lack of HD might piss them off, the assurance that AM will always be available in radios SHOULD be a mitigating factor. Frankly, I believe people find AM radio sounds bad. But certainly NOT as bad as a cell phone. And people are using the spoken word on Cell phones every day. AM Talk works. And we all know us old people can't hear fidelity anyway. Fortunately, there's always a new supply of old people.

Don't laugh at me. I'll run your Butt over with my Hoveround.
So where's the future for AM under this plan? Fewer stations. Limited fidelity. No hope of improvement. And a free pass on inclusion in radios forever.
It's an interesting trade. And one which will scare the "Money", and intrigue the "Radio People". And in 20-30 years, you might have the equivalant of Longwave in the EU, right here in the US. Ah what a breath of fresh air "Atlantic 252" was when I was in Ireland. But, I Digress.
And so, you "AM radio" Kahn's, (That's Ricardo Montalbán, not Leonard) Are you ready to embark on this Brave New World out there with AM radio on Ceti Alpha VI ?
Tom's account of the WLS difficulties is so typical. IBOC: a cobbled, Rube Goldberg maintenance hog offering far more grief than benefit for anyone who has the misfortune to have to work with it.
As is Music on AM. WIth deference to Alaska, "A Pig with Lipstick is still a pig". A pig with Digital sidebands might still be a pig as well.
Maybe "Big Radio" needs to just give up on AM and leave it alone.
Somehow I gotta believe I finally wrote somehing Savage agrees with. Hey Bob, welcome to the land of LPTV. I just pitched "Must Carry" for AM on radios. ANy chance I can get you to stand up for my must carry LPTV on cable?
Clouseau