We have global music companies. The music you hear is being marketed globally, not just nationally. The idea that a radio station in Des Moines is providing local programming because of a local DJ is not really true. If you look at the music they play, there are likely many other stations playing the same music somewhere else. The musicians want to be heard everywhere, not just in certain places. They tour nationally to promote that music. If they just wanted to be heard on one station, they'd stay in their bedroom and never leave.
The FCC is hoping this will help the radio companies compete better with online and satellite. They're not thinking about programming at all. They thought that by giving AM stations FM translators that would keep the AM stations afloat. What it led to is companies wanting to shut down the AM and just operate the translator.
