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The Problem with AM Radio

P

pioneer71

First let me say that I am a strong supporter of AM radio. I believe an AM station can be succesful with the right management, staff and format in place. However, there is something else that needs to be part of this business plan to make some money and be successful. It is marketing your station.

Yes there is Facebook and other Social media outlets. But you must get involved in the community. You need to be the speaker at your local Rotary Club meeting and also offering to emcee or be a judge at as many events as you can. It's called grassroots marketing. People may say the AM stations don't have the staff to be out in the community. If you have anyone at the station on the air - then you can be out in the community.

I want to point out that JRY did a lot to promote his stations. They bought billboards etc. However, they were not really out in the community the way they could.

Take a close look at the greater Cincinnati AM stations and how well they do in marketing their stations. WLW is out in the community with Jim Scott and Bill Cunningham doing a great job in various public appearances. After Scott and Cunningham, tell me of anyone or station doing a good job. The other AM C.C. stations such as 1360 , WKRC and WCKY are not out being part of the community.

WMOH does a nice job with high school ball games but when was the last time they were really involved in a community event? I don't think they have done a commercial remote in a number of years. I don't get why they are not involved in every possible community event they can be part of. I don't think anyone from WCNW has done anything outside the studio in 20 years. WPFB under the previous ownership did very little in the community.

You can browse other AM stations across the nation and see them doing grassroots marketing of being out in the community. Why don't the AM's in Cincinnati do a better job of it?


I want AM Radio to make it but I spoke to four or five people this week in the AM demo who could not tell me what WSAI or WMOH or WCKY is programming. Station promos are fine but I believe AM Operators have forgotten that on air station promos are talking to people already listening to the station. By the websites for most of the AM stations are O-K. JRY, I think your website for 1160 talk was one of the best I have seen in this area for a while. Why isn't there a website for WCNW? There is no excuse for this.

Come on AM Operators -please do a better job of promoting your station and get involved in the local community projects.
 
Here's why...STUPID management and STUPID ownership wanted to do it on the cheap for years. They just couldn't wait to get automation because they wanted to get rid of air talent. They couldn't wait to get rid of news people and when most stations had an actual full-time Chief Engineer and maybe a small staff, STUPID ownership and management could wait to get rid of them also. Why have so many engineering people left the business? Because STUPID ownership and management would NOT upgrade equipment or even pay for replacement parts. Why are so many stations doingf this STUPID wall to wall piped in by satelite talk? Because its CHEAP! Forget the FACT that once you listen to 5 minutes of any one of those bozo's, you've heard the entire broadcast day! Its CHEAP so lets do it! Forget about quality or standards today. If somebody wants to buy time to sell the latest snake oil cancer cure, so what! In between, we can run PI after PI and within each PI we can repeat the phone number 6, 7 or 8 times. Lets just do it on the cheap. When you question these idiots, the blame always comes back to talent and listeners. "People get their entertainment elsewhere these days", they cry. Of course they do because STUPID ownership and management has systematically abandoned their audience in favor of getting "something", "anything" on the air just as long as they don't have to pay talent.
 
That was a highly articulate outburst.

I work in a similarly suffering industry, commercial printing.
The same minimalism exists there, too, in order to stay afloat.
Parts are mostly purchsed on an emergency basis.

It's not just where I work now.
I have watched the same shrinkage occur in many of the customers I serviced in 20 years on the road worlwide.
 
There aren't any local hosts on 1360 to make community appearances. WCKY makes pubic appearances sporadically. WQRT 1160 had a morning show on location from Graeter's in downtown for the first half of 2011.
 
bllf82 I realize there is no local show on 1360 and Lance and Mo only does a few things here and there. 1360 is an example of what has already been said on this post of AM operators running a station on the CHEAP. C.C.'s thinking that by keeping 1360 sports along with 1530 programming they would own the 24 hours sports brand and that would block anyone in the market from going sports has been proven wrong with The Fan 100.3.

It would be interesting if the 1360 operators would do something other than sports on the station.
 
The ownership of radio stations has been short-changing listeners (or should I say potential listeners) for many years. So much of that seemed to begin from the use of automation systems replacing a live DJ or personality. While such equipment might be helpful for use overnight or at other times when listenership might be very minimal, it evolved where stations began to sound much like "Hal" from 2001 A Space Odyssey. If it makes money, that's all so many in ownership care about.

The other short-changing of the listening public has been the use of satellite programming. Again, the initial idea sounds great because it enables stations to obtain various programs that can be aired. Unfortunately, this has resulted in so many stations airing the same shows at the same time. For example, tune the AM dial during the afternoon in many parts of the country and you can receive numerous stations carrying Rush Limbaugh. This isn't meant to be negative of his show so much that it shows so many stations sound the same. Not many years ago, each of those stations would be airing their own shows. Again, if it is making money, that's all so many in ownership care about.
 
In the beginning, the Good Guys at 'SAI worked seven days per week. Look at the popularity of 'SAI and ratings, along with Q102 and 'EBN in the '80's, they were really involved in the community. Outstanding post.




Radio 25 said:
First let me say that I am a strong supporter of AM radio. I believe an AM station can be succesful with the right management, staff and format in place. However, there is something else that needs to be part of this business plan to make some money and be successful. It is marketing your station.

Yes there is Facebook and other Social media outlets. But you must get involved in the community. You need to be the speaker at your local Rotary Club meeting and also offering to emcee or be a judge at as many events as you can. It's called grassroots marketing. People may say the AM stations don't have the staff to be out in the community. If you have anyone at the station on the air - then you can be out in the community.

I want to point out that JRY did a lot to promote his stations. They bought billboards etc. However, they were not really out in the community the way they could.

Take a close look at the greater Cincinnati AM stations and how well they do in marketing their stations. WLW is out in the community with Jim Scott and Bill Cunningham doing a great job in various public appearances. After Scott and Cunningham, tell me of anyone or station doing a good job. The other AM C.C. stations such as 1360 , WKRC and WCKY are not out being part of the community.

WMOH does a nice job with high school ball games but when was the last time they were really involved in a community event? I don't think they have done a commercial remote in a number of years. I don't get why they are not involved in every possible community event they can be part of. I don't think anyone from WCNW has done anything outside the studio in 20 years. WPFB under the previous ownership did very little in the community.

You can browse other AM stations across the nation and see them doing grassroots marketing of being out in the community. Why don't the AM's in Cincinnati do a better job of it?


I want AM Radio to make it but I spoke to four or five people this week in the AM demo who could not tell me what WSAI or WMOH or WCKY is programming. Station promos are fine but I believe AM Operators have forgotten that on air station promos are talking to people already listening to the station. By the websites for most of the AM stations are O-K. JRY, I think your website for 1160 talk was one of the best I have seen in this area for a while. Why isn't there a website for WCNW? There is no excuse for this.

Come on AM Operators -please do a better job of promoting your station and get involved in the local community projects.
Click to expand...
 
I 100 percent agree with radio 25. If you involve the community and that includes social media as well it will create loyalty which is what is needed on AM and FM.
 
Thanks for that- 25.

We did do a lot of remotes, if you'll recall. We had guys at the sports pubs and other locations, doing live shows.

Then, there was our daily, morning experiment at Graeters, downtown with Andy Furman.

We do employ a Promotions director at our other stations. We still plan on doing that in Cincy.

Billboards are still tops, in my book. The prospective listener sees the board and can sample to product, immediately. We have 41 of them, out, right now.
 
To jry - I applaud what you did with 1160 Talk. You have proven that you know what you are doing with the Christan format.
It would be something very special if those who still love and believe in the AM band could ever have a roundtable discussion.
I remember years ago exchanging ideas with other managers about what works and what doesn't.

Keep on believing in AM radio. I have proven and others too that AM radio can make money and you can have a lot of fun doing it.
 
Commissioner Pai had his AM panel discussion at the NAB.

Some good ideas being tossed around. The big thing is allowing us enough power to overcome all of the interference from electrical devices and the like.

We'll see.
 
IMHO The power increase might be a good thing. An old engineer told me to double the coverage of an AM you have to increase the power by about 4 times. A lot of financially unviable stations can not afford the engineering, bigger transmitter, and bigger electric bill. It would "thin the herd." The unviable operations should be give a tax credit as they make way for "viable" operators. An expanded FM band with only class A's B's or C2's would be good on the analogue old channel 5-6 would be a good place to move anybody who for spectrum spacing reasons can't power up but still are financially viable. FM transmitters and receivers are lot better now than when the regular FM tables and allocations were drawn up 50 + years ago. There are plenty of "open source" data schemes that could deliver clean signals without the second and third channel protection now required. No HD allowed. Just a 30k-18K stereo analogue + RDS after decoding. In fact there are several digital schemes that have a very limited "time" lag. You most likely use one every time you make a phone call.
 
The days of AM Radio are fading more and more with each passing day outside of 700 WLW. Most people under 45-50 have never even turned on AM Radio, although my love of radio started with the former legendary 1340 WIZE back in the early 80s when it was Top 40, AND an affiliate of AT40. John Hall was the very first DJ I remember hearing back then, and he's still one of my all-time favorite jocks. I met him when he owned Record Hive in the Springfield Marketplace in October 1993 and he was very, very nice and friendly to me. RIP John, and thank you for the memories!
 
secondchoice said:
IMHO The power increase might be a good thing. An old engineer told me to double the coverage of an AM you have to increase the power by about 4 times. A lot of financially unviable stations can not afford the engineering, bigger transmitter, and bigger electric bill. It would "thin the herd." The unviable operations should be give a tax credit as they make way for "viable" operators. An expanded FM band with only class A's B's or C2's would be good on the analogue old channel 5-6 would be a good place to move anybody who for spectrum spacing reasons can't power up but still are financially viable. FM transmitters and receivers are lot better now than when the regular FM tables and allocations were drawn up 50 + years ago. There are plenty of "open source" data schemes that could deliver clean signals without the second and third channel protection now required. No HD allowed. Just a 30k-18K stereo analogue + RDS after decoding. In fact there are several digital schemes that have a very limited "time" lag. You most likely use one every time you make a phone call.
Click to expand...

The power vs coverage achieved equation depends on the dial position. The low dial stations can pick up lots of turf with a small increase. The high dials? You could double the power on some of them and only get 10% more coverage.
 
I agree with a lot of the points on here. Like hyper, in the community local, work your potential ad buyers and community leaders, get in there and be seen.
Also increasing the power of stations and thinning the heard is good.
BUT one aspect remains. And that is the sound itself is inferior to FM and it needs to be re branded so others actually tune in to AM radio.
The big 50,000 watt boys do OK in some markets, in others not as much as you would think with such a big signal.
There are pros and cons and in the right environment it will work, in most probably not. (IMO)
 
I believe that trying to turn around a station such as WDJO would be a larger challenge than stations in smaller markets such as Piqua, Sandusky, Hamilton, Mansfield etc. WDJO's poor signal to the north really forces them to be a Cincinnati station with WGRR as a huge challenge to overcome.

I have said before with the right management in place it would bring in more revenue. The numbers we saw a while back showed they were playing to a solid base. I could give you the business model that I believe would generate more revenue along with input from someone I have a great deal of respect in the business Marty Thompson. It would mean a complete overhaul of the staff, the library and so on.

WDJO is not going to get the agency buys but can do better than the same spots we hear over and over. In fact, to show how out of touch the station is no one seems to realize that playing the same spots over and over also results in listener tune out. However, if I had investors willing to buy an AM operation there are a number of others I would go after than WDJO.

I can't think of a single reason anymore to tune to WDJO (since I am not an Imus fan). Do you agree or disagree?
 
IT DOESN'T MATTER!

No matter what you do technically, all the latest bells and whistles are NOT going to make any difference unless you have a decent product to go with it. As I've said before, as long as STUPID ownership/management continues with the "do it on the cheap" mindset and chains continue to offer cookie cutter formats, then you can forget radio forever! Radio hasn't become the incredible waste it is now because of talent or the listeners, it has become what it is now because of the stupidity of ownership/management. They have abandoned their markets, their listeners, their clients...plain and simple.
 
You just have to wonder if the ability to narrow cast on AM has been forever usurped by IP. Maybe its just time to shut em down .. Or is there life for upper demo formats on AM until dashboard integration is complete?
 
The answer to AM's problems are very complicated.

It's not just a "lack of local personalities", it's not just "lack of promotion". It's not just "greedy owners who don't want to pay for talent".

As some have noted here EVERY company in America is trying to do more with a few people as they can get away with. It's not just radio. Get your blinders off!

AM has been abused by Federal regulation for about 30 years now. (Lack of AM Stereo standards, refusal by the government to deal with the interference problems on the band coming from everything from florescent lights to computers to renegade small station owners who won't cut their power at night when they run their high school football games! Let alone the latest issues with AM HD...)

Now add to it the fact that the late Mr. Armstrong's invention (FM) finally took hold with the public. And in the past 30 years, it has taken 90 percent of the available audience, leaving AM with a small, but loyal audience of (sorry to say it, but it's true) geezers that grew up with it that, unfortunately, advertisers do not want to support.

OK, I'm sure WLW is still making lots of money. But stations that are sold out don't run promos promoting how advertising on their station can help your business. So, don't think the demos issue isn't affecting them to at least some degree.

To have a full time staff of "personalities", you have to be making money. Most AM's don't make the kind of cash to allow for it. You can buy some AM stations for 5 figures today (sometimes less than $75,000 and assume some debt), though those are the exceptions I admit. But with deals like that, why aren't buyers lining up? After all, a radio station is supposed to be a license to print money, right?

Because they know better.
 
You can buy the best looking car the world has ever seen...you can make a manikin look like whatever woman your heart desires but they are absolutely NOTHING without something "inside". Imagine buying that car but it doesn't have an engine or transmission. How about that woman? The Twilight Zone had an episode about such a woman. We can throw around all the technicalities we want. IBOC is dead. The reconstruction starts ON THE PRODUCT. Wall to wall talk with the first guy souynding exactly like the last guy isn't going to work although its CHEAP...and that's where the problem lies. Anybody in radio has seen ownership/managements ultimate desire to get rid of live radio since the days of Schaffer Automation. They also have forever wanted to get rid of real engineers all to do it ON THE CHEAP. Guess what? They got what they bargained for! Now they blame talent and listeners. STUPID ownership and STUPID management obviously killed local radio!!!
 
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