Reception of WLW's FM Signal

[nmoore6676]

I teach radio in a college-level course. Believe me, a good portion of young people might be aware of AM radio. But many will tell you they NEVER listen to it, and don't have a desire to.

That's because AM radio is full of nothing but right-wing loudmouths.

For the most part, yes. Here in the Dayton market there's also 1340 WIZE/Springfield that plays Classic Country and 1600 WULM/Springfield which broadcasts Radio Maria.

And Joe Mullins' WBZI and WEDI as well as WKFI. He also has an FM translator for Xenia. But he has locally produced and programmed classic country which is not the case for WIZE. Nothing but mice and other creatures in the Miracle Mile building now that WBLY/WULM has left the premises.

 

[KFodor]

I teach radio in a college-level course. Believe me, a good portion of young people might be aware of AM radio. But many will tell you they NEVER listen to it, and don't have a desire to.

That's because AM radio is full of nothing but right-wing loudmouths.

For the most part, yes. Here in the Dayton market there's also 1340 WIZE/Springfield that plays Classic Country and 1600 WULM/Springfield which broadcasts Radio Maria.

Neither of which show any demonstrable audience at all, which shows how far the AM radio slide has become...At least the WBZI trio had a plan going in...which allows them to show up in the Dayton book (albeit with tiny shares), and the ability to sell locally.

 

[AirUpThere]

I simply can't believe 700WLW is going onto an HD2 channel and a translator. That massive signal at 700AM, and to put it on a 100W FM. It's ONLY to get it into smartphone FM receivers. Anybody who grew up in Cincinnati, even today's young people, know what 700WLW is and where to find it, AM fidelity be damned. Putting that programming on a tiny FM just seems surreal to me.

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

It does do very well in the downtown Cincinnati area which is apparently where station officials are aiming for. As noted in an earlier post, I have been able to pick up WLW's AM signal in various downtown buildings over the years. On Saturday, I did experience being up to hear the station on 94.5 in an underground parking facility when the AM signal dropped out upon driving in there. While being able to do that is nice, you wonder how many potential listeners there are listening in underground parking garages (at least for more than a few minutes)?

While station officials are certainly most interested in listenership to WLW, there is also something to be said for using the 94.5 FM frequency for the other AM stations in its ownership. For example, it could help WKRC in areas it does not reach well and that would include the aforesaid downtown buildings. WSAI - partarticularly at night - could use a boost here and there especially when they are carrying some sports play-by-play. WCKY, while powerful like WLW, still has the problem in the immediate area of its signal drifting in and out during the night-time hours. 94.5 could assist those outlets as well.

 

[KFodor]

I simply can't believe 700WLW is going onto an HD2 channel and a translator. That massive signal at 700AM, and to put it on a 100W FM. It's ONLY to get it into smartphone FM receivers. Anybody who grew up in Cincinnati, even today's young people, know what 700WLW is and where to find it, AM fidelity be damned. Putting that programming on a tiny FM just seems surreal to me.

But, the reality is...none of those young people care a whit about WLW's history, or the massive signal. AM radio is grandpa's...maybe even great grandpa's technology to them. And they won't
listen, or even try.

 

[AirUpThere]

If that's the basis of the argument, which I do agree with on limited capacity, why stop there? iHeart and TuneIn are where it's at for the superstations, then. As far as FM, this is a temporary stopgap measure for WLW, until the day when they can be put on a blowtorch FM. If I were them, I'd promote it as scantly as possible. Only ID it where required. That said, I don't see the PPM numbers or where their hot zips are.

 

[schmave]

If you can pick it up at Great American and have no delay during Reds games, fine by me.