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Is AM dead?

Same issue with consoles. I was talking with someone about buying consoles, and you're almost better off buying used ones today.
 
I have a question, and I know it probably would come off as "dumb" considering the topic;

If I wanted to buy an AM station, just out of plain curiosity of owning a station or because it seems as if no one cares about AM radio altogether anymore considering the fact that to most people it's "dying" or "dead", how much would one cost? Or would it cost anything at all?

I'm not really serious about doing this, though ;) Just wanted some feedback
 
Go to the 'West Virginia' board...one is being sold for 95K. Not sure what all goes with that low price. Ravenswood is south of Parkersburg. Google "Ravenswood" or visit the WMOV website.
 
Two standalone AMs have been sold in my market since 2009. Sale prices were $400,000 and $250,000.

The pricier one included the tower, tower site, and studio building on a class B DA/2 station.

The other was the class C license, various equipment, and a long-term lease of the tower site with the buyer moving the studio into his existing office space.

Obviously larger markets and better signals cost more.
 
The other side of my point was that a transmitter replacement, for most stations, would be somewhat akin to having an old car and needing to replace the engine or transmission. Most people end up junking the car.
 
semoochie said:
The other side of my point was that a transmitter replacement, for most stations, would be somewhat akin to having an old car and needing to replace the engine or transmission. Most people end up junking the car.
Click to expand...

I guess it depends if you are still making money with it.... Most of this stuff (including car engines) can be rebuilt. You just have to want to do it.
 
MattHollidaye OnAir said:
If I wanted to buy an AM station, just out of plain curiosity of owning a station or because it seems as if no one cares about AM radio altogether anymore considering the fact that to most people it's "dying" or "dead", how much would one cost? Or would it cost anything at all?
Click to expand...

If you are willing to move to TimBukTu and get comfortable with the natives in some "small town America" the starting price seems to be about $75,000.... but they are not available just any day of the week you decide you are ready... you might have to hunt for awhile.

$150,000 to $300,000 will turn up quite a few prospects without the long wait. Which one do you want, and which ones do you want to run from then becomes the question.

Here is the biggie: Besides the purchase price, how much cash are you going to have to put into the operation your first year or years. Rusty tower about to fall over? Transmitter that limps along and may emit blue smoke any day now? Rent payments because the real estate was not owned the the seller? Does the studio and office look like it was a high-school Halloween haunted house about two years ago? What will it cost to make it look professional... and in turn make it look like YOU are a professional?

Did the previous owner work out of his shirt pocket... will you need a computer and accounting software for the office?

If you were really ready and trained to operate this station absentee, you wouldn't have asked us your question. I make the assumption you need to pick yourself up and relocate to the community where you just bought your station. Put a cost figure on getting that done. Utility deposits for both you and for the station. Ka-ching!

Yu are going to need for a lawyer who specializes in all this transfer nonsense to file your papers with the FCC, and probably to file some incorporation papers and doing-business-as papers at the local courthouse and statehouse.

All of this miscellaneous flotsam can cost you as much cash right up front as the price of the station itself.

Have fun!!
 
I drove by my local "Full Service" AM this week. It seemed dazed and had the barrel of a handgun in its mouth.
 
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