Oldies slowly migrating to Amplitude Modulation

[TheLaffer]

It appears more and more Oldies stations are headed for AM. You know what happens in this industry. When a few do it EVERYBODY piles on.

Kids, you are seeing a FM format (Oldies) slowly migrating the way of Adult Standards to the AM side.

 

[BigBird]

KAAM seems to be doing ok with it, and the HD sounds good if you're on the Dallas side of the Metroplex. The talent there is very tired. The format needs to sound like AM radio did back in the '60s, and the signal quality needs to be top rate to compete with FM.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

Frankly, I've heard KAAM in HD a couple of times now - they sounded better in C-Quam. I could hear compression artifacts, phase shifts on the HD. VERY annoying. C-Quam didn't have those problems.

 

[OKCRadioGuy]

Frankly AM IBUZ is a total joke. The sooner we either go out-of-band or adopt DRM as a eventual goal the better off we'll be.

I, for one, would LOVE to see Real Oldies return to AM. That's where it belongs, unadulterated. Please make sure that when it goes there it's not IBUZ so the stations will have a fighting chance with TODAY'S audience.

;D

 

[little1]

Again, it's a simple case of follow the money. As oldies listeners get older, and migrate out of the 25-54 age group, they become less desirable to the bulk of advertisers. mainstream, good signal stations can find other formats that will make them more money than oldies, so ipso facto, oldies end up on 'lesser' frequencies. Either rimshots or AM's...

 

[BigBird]

Again, it's a simple case of follow the money. As oldies listeners get older, and migrate out of the 25-54 age group, they become less desirable to the bulk of advertisers.

There is a lot of money to be made from the over 54 group. Target what they buy. High end automobile dealers, cruise and travel, medical, retirement communities, etc. etc. There is money here, and there is no reason that a great oldies station shouldn't harvest some of it.

 

[SmokeRing]

Frankly, I've heard KAAM in HD a couple of times now - they sounded better in C-Quam. I could hear compression artifacts, phase shifts on the HD. VERY annoying. C-Quam didn't have those problems.

Isn't it true that HD Radio doesn't really stand for High Definition Radio? Seriously. It's smoke and mirrors. iBiquity chose the initials "HD" to piggy-back on the reputation of HDTV--where the HD does stand for High Definition--but carefully avoided claiming that IBOC was a "high definition" technology.

 

[Robert Bass]

Isn't it true that HD Radio doesn't really stand for High Definition Radio? Seriously. It's smoke and mirrors. iBiquity chose the initials "HD" to piggy-back on the reputation of HDTV--where the HD does stand for High Definition--but carefully avoided claiming that IBOC was a "high definition" technology.

Yep, the HD in radio might as well stand for Highly Doubtful. The actual term is IBOC, although we know this is also somewhat misleading.

R

 

[KPLEXCOMPLEX]

Actually Robert HD is "High Distortion"

 

[Tom Wells]

I sure wish we could get an oldies station back on AM in Chicago.
The last one, WRLL, went HD, ruining the last few months of the format.
HD stands for Hideously Deformed.

 

[copydesk2]

Q: What does "HD" stand for?

A: According to iBiquity Digital Corporation, the letters "HD" don't stand for anything. Some articles and news stories have erroneously assumed that "HD" stands for "high definition," which has contributed to the confusion between HD Radio technology and High-definition TV.

-- Crutchfield

 

[Anyacat]

I sure wish we could get an oldies station back on AM in Chicago.
The last one, WRLL, went HD, ruining the last few months of the format.
HD stands for Hideously Deformed.

What? You're not happy with the crap that passes for oldies on Your True Oldies station?

 

[CW]

Isn't it true that HD Radio doesn't really stand for High Definition Radio? Seriously. It's smoke and mirrors. iBiquity chose the initials "HD" to piggy-back on the reputation of HDTV--where the HD does stand for High Definition--but carefully avoided claiming that IBOC was a "high definition" technology.

Yep, the HD in radio might as well stand for Highly Doubtful. The actual term is IBOC, although we know this is also somewhat misleading.

R

To those installing it, I think it stands for High Dollars!! Or with kudos to Burt Ward (Robin on the Batman TV show), Holy Damage! LOL

I still say IBOC stands for It Bothers Other Channels

 

[little1]

There is a lot of money to be made from the over 54 group. Target what they buy. High end automobile dealers, cruise and travel, medical, retirement communities, etc. etc. There is money here, and there is no reason that a great oldies station shouldn't harvest some of it.

No, there's really not. I don't have the figures in front of me, but the VAST amount of advertising is targeted at the 25-54 age group. And while there is that high end advertiser, there's not THAT much money there. And I''ve worked at KAAM...I know of what I speak...

 

[KPLEXCOMPLEX]

So Do I and a few others. To "discriminate" against a certain age group based on income levels,and buying habits,shows a lack of insight with no clear vision. That also can sum up radio. Just because one turns 40,doesn't mean they turn off the radio,however keep going with that type of advertising logic,and it will happen. The sales will fall,then what will be the ad agencies next weak excuse?

 

[davideduardo]

So Do I and a few others. To "discriminate" against a certain age group based on income levels,and buying habits,shows a lack of insight with no clear vision. That also can sum up radio. Just because one turns 40,doesn't mean they turn off the radio,however keep going with that type of advertising logic,and it will happen. The sales will fall,then what will be the ad agencies next weak excuse?

There is no discrimination. Advertisers select the target ages and characteristics for their ad campaigns so that the money they spend gives the best return.

This is why they don't advertise sun block in Fairbanks in the winter... there is no return on the ad investment. Similarly, and closer to reality, most beer ads are directed at 21-44 males. This is because all the rest of the drinking-age population consumes significantly less beer and advertising to them costs more and produces less revenue.

In markets like Dallas, where the major stations depend on agency (transactional) business, the buys are made based on a predetermined set of criteria. Radio stations do not influence this determination, and the agency is pretty much powerless to change the mandate of the client (who may have spent hundreds of millions in consumer research to develop its product line and targeting).

Stations with predominantly 55+ formats, like oldies and standards pretty much have to depend on a lot of local direct business, as they ca n not easily get on agency buys. This means lower rates and not as big a field to pitch too (in big markets, the local malls and car dealers and such are all agency managed).

Most importantly, this is not a radio issue. This is an advertising and marketing issue. Radio provides formats that can be sustained by advertiser revenues. If there are no revenues to be had in certain demos, then radio can not offer programming to those groups.

 

[KPLEXCOMPLEX]

yAWN! I rather hear from those who are "passionate'about radio than a CONsultant. At least they know what they are talking about with impartiality. Discrimination is practiced in advertising regards to age..period. Assembly line "brands" (formerly known as radio stations) are like lemmings led over a cliff,and follow them. Lord, you love to migrate board to board just to argue.