Saving AM Radio

[Kelly A]

This is very sad to me.

I've always had a fascination with radio, and I've often thought about going into the business, but I find myself holding myself back from going forward, especially over the past few years, because the "traditional" OTA radio industry seems to have no future, and while I won't completely close the door on them, I would prefer to avoid working at anon-commercial and/or low power station if I can help it, unless it is reputable and professionally operated; I volunteered at an LPFM in Ukiah back in 2008-2010, and that was all I could stand because it was so poorly run, and any attempt at improving anything was passive-aggressively blocked by the people in charge (they eventually pushed me out altogether). I'm sure not all are quite that bad, but the experience definitely soured me, to the point that I wanted nothing at all to do with anything radio for a full decade.

Unfortunately, LPFM's can be that way. Just another on the list of reasons why I try to discourage anyone from starting one. For that matter, any agency or organization that relies on volunteers can become exactly what you described. That said; add in the artistic differences of volunteers who think their 'compensation' is they get to play radio their way, and it makes volunteer radio all that more disorganized and nasty. And for what? A radio station that plays a couple of city blocks?? Life is too short.

Given the current state of affairs, I almost wish I hadn't been so reluctant, as I fear that that decade (2010-2020) was the last time I would've had any opportunities at all, and I've now mostly squandered them.

Can anyone tell me I'm wrong?

I was talking with my niece about that very subject the other day. She will be graduating from high school next year and was asking my opinion about the media business as a career. Before her asking, she was leaning toward pursuing an engineering degree. I told her my honest opinion was that traditional broadcasting was gradually being overshadowed by online and that eventually, traditional broadcasting would evolve into something else. What that is I have no idea. What I did say was that radio and TV has treated me well over the years, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone just starting a career path today, mainly because of the uncertainty of the future.

c

 

[cc333]

Unfortunately, LPFM's can be that way. Just another on the list of reasons why I try to discourage anyone from starting one. For that matter, any agency or organization that relies on volunteers can become exactly what you described. That said; add in the artistic differences of volunteers who think their 'compensation' is they get to play radio their way, and it makes volunteer radio all that more disorganized and nasty. And for what? A radio station that plays a couple of city blocks?? Life is too short.

Yeah, my mother and I actually did toy with starting one together shortly before we volunteered at the Ukiah LPFM (she would talk on-air while I handled the engineering, production, and music).

In retrospect, I'm glad we didn't.

I was talking with my niece about that very subject the other day. She will be graduating from high school next year and was asking my opinion about the media business as a career. Before her asking, she was leaning toward pursuing an engineering degree. I told her my honest opinion was that traditional broadcasting was gradually being overshadowed by online and that eventually, traditional broadcasting would evolve into something else. What that is I have no idea. What I did say was that radio and TV has treated me well over the years, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone just starting a career path today, mainly because of the uncertainty of the future.

That's sort of what I'm sensing.

I was thinking of engineering, but might do Computer Science instead, since software development seems to be the future of Everything, at least until "AI" takes over and renders the idea of having a job or career in anything other than the trades (carpenter, machinist, plumber, electrician, etc.) obsolete altogether.

c

 

[Theater of My Mind]

IHeart is the largest Radio streaming platform and according to one research group they only have 8% of the streaming listeners under age 35. Pandora, the third wheel after YT and Spotify, has about twice that, at around 24% I think (maybe a little lower.

iHeart and Pandora are in two very different businesses, even though they each use the internet. Same with Spotify and YouTube. They are not comparable. Just as Pandora and Sirius are two very different businesses owned by the same company.

You write this as if to explain why the broadcast company's app is doing so poorly but fail to explain why they are "not comparable" or what difference it makes. What's your point?

 

[Kelly A]

Yeah, my mother and I actually did toy with starting one together shortly before we volunteered at the Ukiah LPFM (she would talk on-air while I handled the engineering, production, and music).

In retrospect, I'm glad we didn't.


That's sort of what I'm sensing.

I was thinking of engineering, but might do Computer Science instead, since software development seems to be the future of Everything, at least until "AI" takes over and renders the idea of having a job or career in anything other than the trades (carpenter, machinist, plumber, electrician, etc.) obsolete altogether.

c

Sign up to an accredited Cisco Certified Networking program and start working on getting your CCNA. Good certified network engineers will have a long and prosperous future.

 

[Hyrum]

You're conflating two things. There's a more recent example where Cumulus owned WNSH and WMAS, both on the same frequency, and adjusted the signal of WMAS to allow WNSH to move its tower further east. These stations were later traded to Audacy. In both cases, the one you gave and the more recent one, these were possible because of the laws governing station operations. All the government did was approve the changes. They were not imposed by the government. It sounds like you're blaming the government for things done by private companies. Shouldn't private companies also take some blame?

I do understand what you are saying. I agree that companies should be able to make changes. My comments were directed partly to those who seem to want "an authority" to determine that some stations should give way for others to increase power. My government rants are more directed, as a taxpayer, to the amazing waste of money and time on stupid things like looking at ways to save AM radio. That, and a million other things. I feel much about the government as the characters on MASH feel about military intelligence.

 

[gr8oldies]

I do understand what you are saying. I agree that companies should be able to make changes. My comments were directed partly to those who seem to want "an authority" to determine that some stations should give way for others to increase power. My government rants are more directed, as a taxpayer, to the amazing waste of money and time on stupid things like looking at ways to save AM radio. That, and a million other things. I feel much about the government as the characters on MASH feel about military intelligence.

The only the government could do is offer tax incentives for companies to turn off the AM.

 

[Kelly A]

The only the government could do is offer tax incentives for companies to turn off the AM.

And what would be the motivation to do so? As a business, where would the former AM broadcaster go?

 

[BruceB]

The part of the country you live in may effect your view on whether AM is already dead.
Here in Ohio, AM is still hanging on.
The top rated station in Cincinnati is WLW 700 AM, in Cleveland WTAM AM is top five
as is WHIO AM in Dayton. WTVN in Columbus, i believe is 7th.
I get this is only one signal in each market but people are listening to AM in these towns. So we can't say AM is dead, at least not in Ohio.

 

[kfbkfb]

Anyone know of any charts that show the decline of the telegraph business once wired telephone and radio systems began to become popular (did anyone try to save the telegraph business [after all, it was the 1st "internet" - the Victorian Internet])?


Kirk Bayne

 

[BruceB]

Anyone know of any charts that show the decline of the telegraph business once wired telephone and radio systems began to become popular (did anyone try to save the telegraph business [after all, it was the 1st "internet" - the Victorian Internet])?


Kirk Bayne

I know that even in the mid-sixties, people were still getting telegrams.When almost everybody had wired telephones in their house.So you're always going to have that overlap on technology

 

[secondchoice]

Don't know about regular paper telegraphs, but the USAF was leasing high speed data lines ( mid 1970's standards) at least until 1975 from Western Union. I believe the FCC pre sunrise authority permits were telegrams?

 

[secondchoice]

Those PSA's were pre 1980. I am not sure of the latter flea power

 

[davideduardo]

Thanks for writing that. I agree with some of what Hyrum has posted, but that tired "corrupt government" dog whistle he insists in inserting in every post is a turn-off.

Yes, and if he keeps on posting that stuff, he will be suspended or banned.

 

[davideduardo]

You can't allow a corrupt government to demand that some stations go away to allow others to raise power.

Tone it down and stay away from political comments that have nothing to do with radio.

 

[ixnay]

Sunset the band. There are like... maybe 6(?) stations worth saving. Most are FM simulcasting anyway:

• WBBM 780 — now at 105.9
• WINS 1010 — now at 92.3
• WSB 750 — now at 95.5
• KNX 1070 — now at 97.1
• KYW 1060 — now at 103.9
• KFI 640... who market the crap out of the iHeartRadio app (and could steal 98.7)

Nearly everything else is just pulling garbage off the satellite and inserting shady local "gold dealer" spots in between. AM is sentimental to aging Boomers who remember the Top 40 era of their long-gone teen years and the politics of Rush Limbaugh. But sentimentality does not make good policy! And FCC is in the business of setting policy.

AM is dead. Bury it and move on.

How about

WBAL 1090, now at 105.5
and
KDKA 1020, now at 100.1

Would you kill those AMs?

 

[davideduardo]

The part of the country you live in may effect your view on whether AM is already dead.
Here in Ohio, AM is still hanging on.
The top rated station in Cincinnati is WLW 700 AM, in Cleveland WTAM AM is top five
as is WHIO AM in Dayton. WTVN in Columbus, i believe is 7th.
I get this is only one signal in each market but people are listening to AM in these towns. So we can't say AM is dead, at least not in Ohio.

And the reason why so few AMs do well in ratings is partly due to signals.

In Cleveland, WTAM just barely covers the Metro Survey Area with a 10 mV/m signal. The other AMs fall quite short in different areas and can't fully compete.

AM allocations were designed in the late 20's and early 30's when cities were more centralized and noise levels were minimal. Many AMs licensed in the 30's did a great job of covering their market back then... but today they are totally inadequate.

 

[TheBigA]

My government rants are more directed, as a taxpayer, to the amazing waste of money and time on stupid things like looking at ways to save AM radio.

In the overall scheme of things,, that time and money is negligible. Far bigger wastes in the system that nobody rants about.

As I said earlier in this thread, no one in government is looking to save AM. If they were, they'd change the ownership rules, and grant tons of government aid to owners. Neither of those things are even being considered. They don't believe there's a problem.

 

[TheBigA]

I still wonder what the unintended consequences of abandoning free over-the-air broadcasting will be.

That's a next generation problem.

 

[davideduardo]

That's a next generation problem.

We are starting to see the transition. In my school district (and like many others) we have had a tax added to our property tax to provide iPads to all students. There is also a program to subsidize or provide low-income families with cell phones.

Undocumented immigrants are getting limited use cell phones along the border.

What we seem to be seeing is that connectivity is a basic right. The government may provide faster low cost / now cost Internet, and things like iPads and cellular phones.

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Connectivity.

Not only does that take place in our generation, it is taking place now. We will have a highly connected general public if local, state and federal governments increase their intervention in these areas.

None of those devices, though, has a radio

 

[TheBigA]

What we seem to be seeing is that connectivity is a basic right. The government may provide faster low cost / now cost Internet, and things like iPads and cellular phones.

The government has a great deal with broadcasters. They give broadcasters the full use of the spectrum in return for making those stations available for emergencies. The government doesn't realize that it's subsidizing the very thing that is killing broadcasting. Just as they subsidized highways and airports, both of which killed railroads and mass transit.