1160 would have been better off going back to Music of Your Life instead of talk. The market is to crowded with the talk format with better signals. Look at WGKA 920am they have NO listners and a far better signal than 1160 at 50,000 watts directional. I don't what has happend to the signal for 1160 but it seemed to be better than it is now even after the pattern was changed. I do like Bruce Williams but listen to him each night on XM Satellite with crystal clear reception. You are right Mike about Joe he is not liberal. I found that out before he fired me. :-[
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- Thread starter TheRealOtherNeil
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MisterDaisy
Guest
I don't think there's an issue with the oversaturation of the talk format in Atlanta - I think the oversaturation we have is of political talk. From my general observation, WGKA runs a full politicalish slate, WGST runs a fairly political slate except for Ramsey, as does WSB, except Clark (and MAYBE Hermain Cain).
There's only so many times I can listen to a host berate his or her callers for not agreeing with them, after they call the host a great american (not thinking of any host in particular, of course
).
Given that, I think there is room for non-political and/or local based talk on the air, as we really don't have any (though, I might count the Regular Guys as local oriented talk). I'm going to be seriously hurting for something to listen to on a few hours of the day now due to this flip.
There's only so many times I can listen to a host berate his or her callers for not agreeing with them, after they call the host a great american (not thinking of any host in particular, of course
).Given that, I think there is room for non-political and/or local based talk on the air, as we really don't have any (though, I might count the Regular Guys as local oriented talk). I'm going to be seriously hurting for something to listen to on a few hours of the day now due to this flip.
livingfruitvirus said:
I also thought that was the original reason why they moved to 640 (besides more day power), but some AM station in (IIRC) NC didn't play along with their plans to take over 640 as their clear at night.
I wonder if CC could do it still if they were willing to spend the money to get some stations on 640 to downgrade or go dark at night...or would that still run into separation issues with WSM at 650?
The fact that all of these AM stations in ATL have to protect stations to the north and east really makes the night AM dial up here in Gwinnett kind of sparse...
Mike_Rose said:
I don't think there is any compelling interest in local "talk."
1.True "conversationalists" are rare and most have no desire to do radio.
2. Most "local" issues are of no interest to the "Entertainment Tonight" audience of today.
3. Refering to #2 above - just what would you talk about? Fav pop/movie stars? Ludlow type topics i.e. whadya do when you have chipmunks in yer attic? Car repair?
Local Politics??? What happened last night on American Idol?????
Too bad someone can't figure something innovative to do with this amazing resource we call radio communications!
As crazy as Weber's 1690 format is, going Music of Your Life might cannibalize the few listeners 1690 has. Also, given that neither station gets ratings, they would be forced to sell 1690 and 1160 as a combo for probably the same $25 a spot they get now from just 1690.
At least, having a different format on 1160 will allow them to sell it as a separate station.
RoddyFreeman said:
Doesn't count. KTRH may be 50,000 watts all day, but it's 2-pattern on 4 towers and directs a lot of its signal at the gulf. CHWO is the 50kw non-directional station on the 740 frequency.
Marv-L.A. said:
All of metro Atlanta, but the entire Atlanta radio market? No.
Who says it doesn't count? If non-directional is your criterion, you'd have to eliminate Boston (WBZ is directional) and Washington (WTOP is directional). The poster said Houston is the only market without a clear channel station, which I took to mean a fulltime 50,000-watt station on a clear channel. In actuality, any station on what the FCC defines as a clear channel is a clear channel station, even daytimers.
You may be right about the definition of "clear channel radio station" Roddy but I always considered a "clear channel" to be a station with protected night contours out to 750 miles, in all directions.
It used to be a clear channel was the only station operating on the channel sundown to sunrise. WSB had that privilege until (is it KEX in Portland???) was assigned to 750.
In the 80's, the FCC said "to hell with the AM band" and limited the night protection for the clears and assigned many stations, operating with pea-whistle power at night, on the clear channel freqs.
WSB used to be absolutely quiet at night....now you hear monkey chatter in the background. It is really annoying when I listen to the Opry on 650 WSM to hear garbage in the background.
It used to be a clear channel was the only station operating on the channel sundown to sunrise. WSB had that privilege until (is it KEX in Portland???) was assigned to 750.
In the 80's, the FCC said "to hell with the AM band" and limited the night protection for the clears and assigned many stations, operating with pea-whistle power at night, on the clear channel freqs.
WSB used to be absolutely quiet at night....now you hear monkey chatter in the background. It is really annoying when I listen to the Opry on 650 WSM to hear garbage in the background.
As you know Tom, there are designations within the overall clear channel definition. And yes, WSB used to be a 1A before KXL in Portland became fulltime. There's also a big 750 in Anchorage.
Funny but I was driving back to Anchorage a few years ago on vacation to catch the flight back to Atlanta. I tuned to 750, and Clark Howard was on! During Clark Howard's show, Neal Boortz did an endorsement spot, all on 750...out of Anchorage.
Funny but I was driving back to Anchorage a few years ago on vacation to catch the flight back to Atlanta. I tuned to 750, and Clark Howard was on! During Clark Howard's show, Neal Boortz did an endorsement spot, all on 750...out of Anchorage.
livingfruitvirus said:
And not at night. WCFO is a very extreme case:
50,000 watts day: http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WCFO&service=AM&status=L&hours=D
160 watts night: http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WCFO&service=AM&status=L&hours=N
Then you have stations with relatively strong night power but are highly directional, like WCNN:
50,000 watts day: http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WCNN&service=AM&status=L&hours=D
10,000 watts night: http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WCNN&service=AM&status=L&hours=N
Then you have stations that are daytime only, like WAFS (formerly WGKA, on 1190):
25,000 watts day: http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WAFS&service=AM&status=L&hours=D
2300 watts critical hours: http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WAFS&service=AM&status=L&hours=C
Dark night
Nevermind that WOWO (also on 1190) gave up their clear channel on 1190, and is just 9800 directional watts at night:
http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WOWO&service=AM&status=L&hours=N
By "clear channel", I was talking about a station operating 24/7 at 50,000 watts, directional or otherwise, so I would include the Houston station that I didn't mention (thanks Roddy-that's what you get when you rely on Wikipedia and not the FCC).
You always have the stations on a clear channel frequency powering down but not off at night putting chop in the water. I don't count those.
For WSB, FWIW, the nearest non-daytimers are one in Michigan (which goes directional north at night) and one in Texas (which goes directional west at night). KXL out of Portland is only 20,000W directional night and nulls to the east.
Has the FCC changed the rules regarding clear channel stations as it relates to decreasing their signal's power after sunset?
I thought that stations such as WSB, WLW, KFI, KGO, KOX, WWL & all the others were supposed to maximize their coverage areas at night as a result of their clear channel status/designation?
I thought that stations such as WSB, WLW, KFI, KGO, KOX, WWL & all the others were supposed to maximize their coverage areas at night as a result of their clear channel status/designation?
Marv-L.A. said:
The FCC has become extremely lenient in the past 20 or so years. Personally, I think they've screwed up the AM band with too many stations on at night. And the FCC must agree. They created the expanded band so that stations could move there from their original frequency to reduce interference.
Actually, I agree with the overall thinking. The big 50,000-watt AM clear channel stations don't serve much purpose at night anymore since, especially with FM, there are no longer many places that have any kind of population but no local radio.
But, it's been awhile since any clear channel had just one fulltime station.
RoddyFreeman said:
What they need to do is set minimum power levels at night (directional ok)--and if you can't power up without interfering with someone else who has priority over you, you go dark after dark, or you move to a different frequency (say, a local channel). None of these stations with double-digit night wattage on clear or regional channels.
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