Most underserved and overserved areas

[ftballfan]

I can think of several areas that are underserved and overserved by radio stations.
Underserved
Many Canadian cities, especially when compared to American cities of similar sizes
Mt. Pleasant, MI (Isabella County is home to over 50,000 residents and a Division I FBS university yet only three commercial stations are based in Mt. Pleasant; there are three more in Alma)
Overserved
The Lake Michigan shoreline, stretching from Ludington all the way to the Mackinac Bridge
Salt Lake City

 

[Geographer]

Buffalo, NY is an over-served area due to the local stations, as well as Canadian stations mainly from Toronto that put city grade signals into the Buffalo area. If all of the Buffalo FM stations went off the air, the band would still be packed with Canadian stations.

 

[fybush]

Buffalo, NY is an over-served area due to the local stations, as well as Canadian stations mainly from Toronto that put city grade signals into the Buffalo area. If all of the Buffalo FM stations went off the air, the band would still be packed with Canadian stations.

True...although the massive influx of translators on the Buffalo side and newer low-power FMs on the Canadian side has dramatically reduced the number of decent Canadian signals that can be heard in Buffalo, and vice versa. Within Buffalo city limits, you're lucky these days to be able to hear a half-dozen Canadian FMs clearly.

 

[Bongwater]

I'd argue with Buffalo and say Northwest Washington State. We're so packed up to here now on the FM dial with signals from Vancouver, Seattle, Bellingham, Victoria and everywhere in between that the FM dial is dangerously on the verge of becoming absolutely unlistenable

 

[cd637299]

I would think Anchorage AK to be the most overserved, in the last 30 years, anyway.....new FM stations have popped up all over the dial. I lived there for 2 years (Air Force), and at that time I think we had only 6 FM stations, 1 of which signed on during the tour! But check it out on Radio-Locator now!

cd

 

[crainbebo]

I'd argue with Buffalo and say Northwest Washington State. We're so packed up to here now on the FM dial with signals from Vancouver, Seattle, Bellingham, Victoria and everywhere in between that the FM dial is dangerously on the verge of becoming absolutely unlistenable

AMEN! I can't even listen to radio out there without a DSP-enabled radio (like a G8) because the fights with stations are horrible. CKKQ messes up CFRO on 100.5. KAFE 104.1 and it's IBOC has killed Shore 104.3 in some parts of White Rock and Surrey. Also KZOK fights with CKPK (when there's good conditions), and CJZN is killed in areas by KROH on 91.1. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

Spokane is overserved, as well. Too many darn CHRs and too many religious stations. They didn't need a full Seattle-like dial there. There's only 200,000, at most.

-crainbebo

 

[charlestondxman]

Charleston is an over-served area to some sort. A market of about 700,000 now, with 27 signals just on the FM dial and 10 AMs. It is not over-served in AM, but FM is. Add in Savannah, Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach, Columbia and Florence signals in nearby parts of the market and the dial can get very crowded.

Atlanta until the 90s was an under-served FM market, along with Charlotte.

 

[oaktree]

I think the "overserved" honor goes to ...

San Luis Obispo, CA -- metro home to 30 radio stations, not counting those from Santa Maria (Santa Barbara County). American General Media, El Dorado Broadcasters, Lazer and Mapleton are the big players here. Only a small handful of independent, single-station owners from Paso Robles to the North and to the SLO County line at Santa Maria in the south -- about 70 miles, max. Population: 234,000 for Arbitron market #173.

 

[Lawppy]

Overserved-
Fort Wayne, IN

20 full-power radio stations
4 translators/LPFM's (and 3 more currently with construction permits)

Total population- A little over 200,000.

 

[ftballfan]

More details on two overserved markets in Michigan:

Ludington-Manistee, MI
Unrated market
Population: 80,008 (Manistee, Mason, Oceana)
Full-powered Stations: 10 (9 FM, 1 AM) - Six FMs and the AM are owned by Synergy Media; I didn't count WTCM, WIAA, WBLV, etc. that put a decent signal over all of the area but are based outside of it; an FM allocation was just auctioned off in the last auction and there are at least two more vacant allocations in this area
Translators: 3 (two are rebroadcasters of Synergy FMs and the other is a satellator) and a CP for another (owned by Synergy)
LPFMs: 1 (Oceana County)

Traverse City-Petoskey, MI
Arbitron Market #193
Population: 275,929 (Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Otsego)
Full-powered Stations: 47 (38 FM, 9 AM) - Many of the FMs have simulcast partners in this long market (north to south); the market is so long (north to south) that very few stations can serve the entire market with one signal (WKHQ and WGFM); there are CPs for two more FM stations and both of them would rimshot Traverse City
Translators: 7 and CPs for two more

 

[Icangelp]

Is it not safe to say that most U.S. markets are over-served? I'm not talking about content, I'm talking about sheer numbers of stations.

If they are all making a profit, I suppose it doesn't matter.

By the way, Southwest Ohio has way too many "public radio" stations.

 

[Lawppy]

By the way, Southwest Ohio has way too many "public radio" stations.

88.1- WDPR- Dayton, OH
88.5- WMUB- Oxford, OH
89.7- WNKU- Highland Heights, KY (close enough to Cincinnati, right?)
89.9- WDPG- Greenville, OH
90.9- WGUC- Cincinnati, OH
91.3- WYSO- Yellow Springs, OH
91.7- WVXU- Cincinnati, OH
105.9- WNKM- Middletown, OH

And I'm probably forgetting a few.

 

[gar hi]

Is it not safe to say that most U.S. markets are over-served? I'm not talking about content, I'm talking about sheer numbers of stations.

If they are all making a profit, I suppose it doesn't matter.

By the way, Southwest Ohio has way too many "public radio" stations.

I agree there's way too many stations.

It's why AM DXing at night is only a shell of it's former self.

And why do we need so many sports stations?

 

[michael hagerty]

Reno.

7 AM and 7 FM when I moved there in 1977. 25 signals when I left 7 years later. Started with local Lake Tahoe FMs being allowed to put their sticks on top of the Sierra and was compounded by additional move-ins and new allocations. I think they may be at 40 signals now.

 

[boombox]

Tuning around the FM dial a couple weeks ago it was difficult to keep track of all the translators -- the band seems loaded with junk. And that's just FM. So, is that 'overservice'? I don't know -- if they're making enough money to stay on the air, maybe not.....

I think there are so many sports talk stations for the same reason that newspapers have a sports section, and TV newscasts usually include a sports report. Sports is a big thing to a lot of people.

 

[dx1ng]

I've long thought Cape Cod MA had too many FM signals, and more pop up each time I visit.

Radio Market #200. Population under 200,000. 14 commerical FM, PLUS 11 non-commericial FM, plus 5 non-commerical translators, and one LPFM... total 31 FM signals. Population does swell during the summer, but the other 9 or 10 months of the year, I don't see how these stations stay on the air. Also, Off-Cape signals from Plymouth and New Bedford are quite good.

On the AM dial, just two on Cape Cod, both non-commercial. However several Boston signals are strong.

 

[dave73]

I would say an under served market would be Lafayette, IN. They only have 2 Class B signals in their market, & a few Class A stations that are in their market (Tippacanoe County). The few Class A stations that are outside of Lafayette have tried marketing themselves as Lafayette station, even if they're not always heard throughout the market.

Chicago has got to be the most overserved market. Almost every frequency .4 spaces apart has something on it within the Chicago market. The non-commercial band is too complicated to list, due to many Class A & D stations (especially in the 88.1 - 89.9 range). I'll only focus on the commercial band: 93.1, 93.9, 94.7, 95.5, 96.3, 97.1*, 97.9, 98.7, 99.5, 100.3, 101.1, 101.9, 102.7, 103.5, 104.3, 105.1, 105.9, 107.5 are all that broadcast from the city of Chicago. 101.9, 102.7, 105.1, & 105.9 are licensed to the suburbs (101.9 to Skokie, 102.7 to Oak Park, 105.1 to Evanston, & 105.9 to Elmwood Park, but marketed as Chicago stations), & 97.1 is the only station licensed to Chicago that doesn't reach the northern suburbs well (especially Lake & McHenry Counties), due to 96.9 transmitting from Pleasant Prairie, WI. Class B stations 92.3, 106.7, & 107.9 are Class B stations that have coverage over Chicago, but 92.3 (licensed to Hammond, IN) only covers the southern portion of the market, & 106.7 (licensed to Des Plaines, IL) only covers the northern part of the market. Only 107.9 (licensed to Aurora, IL) is located in the western suburbs, & able to reach nearly the entire market, including the city of Chicago. 99.9 is a Class B that was originally licensed to Kankakee, IL, but the COL was changed to Park Forest, & only coverss the south suburbs. The rest are Class A stations that are located in different parts of the market. Before I forget, 96.9 is a Class B that originally served Kenosha, WI, but sometime in the 70's, or early 80's, the COL was changed to Zion, IL, & simulcasts 97.1, since 97.1 doesn't cover the northern suburbs well (especially Lake & McHenry Counties in Illinois).

 

[cyberdad]

Underserved
Many Canadian cities, especially when compared to American cities of similar sizes

Depends on how we define "underserved". If the standard is strictly number of available city grade signals, then many, if not most, Canadian cities would fit the definition. But given the fact that the CRTC takes an active interest in seeing that as many demographics as possible are properly served, I'd argue that Canadian metro areas have more programming choices to select from than their American counterparts. Even with fewer signals. The typical American city may have many signals, but also a large degree of redundancy

CFZM, of course, is the poster-child for the CRTC's approach. Big blowtorch AM signal opens up. CRTC determines that "over 50" is the biggest underserved demo in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), and awards the prize to former suburban adult standards outlet CHWO.

 

[Bongwater]

Underserved
Many Canadian cities, especially when compared to American cities of similar sizes

Depends on how we define "underserved". If the standard is strictly number of available city grade signals, then many, if not most, Canadian cities would fit the definition. But given the fact that the CRTC takes an active interest in seeing that as many demographics as possible are properly served, I'd argue that Canadian metro areas have more programming choices to select from than their American counterparts. Even with fewer signals. The typical American city may have many signals, but also a large degree of redundancy

CFZM, of course, is the poster-child for the CRTC's approach. Big blowtorch AM signal opens up. CRTC determines that "over 50" is the biggest underserved demo in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), and awards the prize to former suburban adult standards outlet CHWO.

Toronto also has the only full time gay/lesbian terrestrial radio format (103.9 Proud FM) SUPER wimpy signal (50 watts or something like that)

 

[Icangelp]

By the way, Southwest Ohio has way too many "public radio" stations.

88.1- WDPR- Dayton, OH
88.5- WMUB- Oxford, OH
89.7- WNKU- Highland Heights, KY (close enough to Cincinnati, right?)
89.9- WDPG- Greenville, OH
90.9- WGUC- Cincinnati, OH
91.3- WYSO- Yellow Springs, OH
91.7- WVXU- Cincinnati, OH
105.9- WNKM- Middletown, OH

And I'm probably forgetting a few.

WGUC & WXVU both have at least one other channel. Don't know about the others.

Outside of NPR, PRI and the other nationally distributed programming being on just about every public station, we in SW Ohio have some excellent variety when it comes to music.

Of course, I do wonder what the cost of delivery is per listener.