That must alienated any potential AM only operations from becoming an affiliate. I still don't think they have they have any AM only stations carrying the format.
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MeTV FM?
- Thread starter A_b_m_90
- Start date
Which stations would that have been? I'd imagine most AM stations interested in playing music have FM translators these days
FM translators for existing AM stations are ment to supplement the existing AM signal, not replace it. In highly populated urban areas for example the FM band to so crowded with low power FM's, intermod interface and HD radio whine that many highly directional translators are worse copy than the AM signals they are ment to supplement. Translators may be more successful in medium to smaller markets. My bet is streaming apps are more applicable in 2026 than an FM translator.
Actually, METV-FM does have one current AM oaffiliate, KVOL (1330 kHz in Lafayette, LA). It did have three additional AM outlets in the recent past for differing lengths of time: WMEX in Boston (mentioned earlier); WGTO in Cassopolis, MI (Benton Harbor area, also mentioned earlier, though not by callsign); and KXEG in Phoenix (probably the shortest time any station has spent using the service.)
I was referring to AM only operations. Those have FM translators.
They are out there...KIXI, KOSL, KDTH, are a few.
There's even an AM only with a Yacht Rock format, KZOT.
Yacht Rock 1180
Omaha's home for smooth Yacht Rock - Yacht Rock 1180. Wake up with Captain Crash Davis from 6-10 a.m. for breezy vibes, timeless hits, and the perfect soundtrack for easy listening all day long. Whether you're relaxing, working, or just need a little smoothness in your day, Yacht Rock 1180 is...
yachtrock1180.com
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Those are most certainly the exceptions to the rule. As much as I like the sound of music on AM radio (I'm weird, I know), I don't see that being a sustainable business model. Most music stations on AM rely on their FM translators as the life blood of the whole station.
I'm still bitter that KXEG gave up on MeTV so quickly. I really like their playlist for the variety over KAZG's playlist. They absolutely could've made something out of it if the execution was better. It's unfortunate really...
I'm still waiting for the day Xtasis gets choked out by the 8(?) other Spanish stations in the Phoenix area and they're forced to switch back to something more hands-off (like oldies). I already know it's not gonna happen, but a man can dream...
I don't know why some still hang on to AM only. Especially "Yacht Rock 1180". ⛵
Specifically, Yacht Rock 1180 was a talk station for the longest time. I guess the owner wanted to diversify from 1620 AM?
Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with the history of it. Just that they flipped from Talk to Yacht Rock at the beginning of the year. They also had an ownership change that seems to be keeping the format...for now.
When it was on WMEX, it was always called "MeTV Music", never "MeTV FM". There are clips of it from September 2020 beginning at 5:02 in this video (received via skywave at around 9 PM here in NJ, so they must've "accidentally" been on their full daytime power at night):
The last I drove through, WJMK 1250/99.3 Bridgeport Saginaw, MI was still MeTV Music. There is mutual promotion with MeTV on WJRT-TV 12.2.
Thanks for your response. While the station's website says it's still part of the METV oldies, the stream available from the website is for a station (Live365) that plays all jazz.
the station you say is in Benton harbor is actually WGTO. Seems the format was listened too but a very hard sell and WGTO pulled out after about three years of almost no revenue.
Must be a somewhat recent change. It was still ME-TV FM last November.
And *that* is the point that needs to be made over and over again. No matter how many people *listen* to this kind of format, it will not attract advertisers, particularly national advertisers, because the audience the network seeks is not one that large national advertisers want!
Never have understood the controversy over METV FM. Seems the corporate radio types on hear love to criticize something that is aimed at an older demographic. In METV FM's case at least in the local Chicago area the station is on the air to promote the programing on the TV Station. It's that simple.
In the case of WGTO, it's essentially a day time only station that on the air to keep the 96.7 & 97.1 translators on the air. I assume the Hot AC format is easier to sell ad time for than the previous Urban and oldies formats were. My question is are people willing to switch back and forth between 96.7 and 97.1 as they drive back and forth north to south or find it easier to just use the stream and not have to switch frequencies? Are advertisers not convinced of the effectiveness of streaming over that of two translators?
The only controversy I've see related to METV FM is when certain oldies fans come and try to assert that this is somehow a "wildly successful and sorely missing format" that needs to be heard everywhere. The oldies fans then get a lesson in fundamental economics, and the conversation quickly dies down. As you note, it's not a commercially viable format, other than serve as a promotional tool for their TV station.
What you're missing is that national advertisers *do not* want the older audiences. They want younger audiences who they think will be easier to sell to, who will stay around for a long time, and who will have growing families that will provide morepeople for their products and services as time goes by. Obviously, these agencies are ignoring some rather important demographic trends (people living longer, younger people having smaller families, more younger people living at home longer), but they believe that the overall costs of serving an older audience is still greater than the overall costs of serving a younger audience.