Channel Surf said:
It seems odd to me that no one can make a big regional signal like this some what successful...
It's not for lack of wanting. Most of us radio junkies love the lure of these AM stations. But it's like loving a 57 Chevy Bel Aire, black, with red interior, 302 (I think) V8, three on the column. Sweet. But these days, a Ford Focus gets you from point A to point B more comfortably, economically and it has CD, AC, moon roof, reclining seats, automatic and a six cylinder engine with plenty of power.
Many good analogies have been made about these AMs and the great times long past. But it's 2009. Many of us seasoned veterans think we have the magic elixer to revive AM stations like WARM and make them work. Fantasy.
For a while, I thought a good engineer with AM directional experience had all the advantages to reviving these monsters and held the key to bringing them back. These guys have the working technical knowledge and smarts to deal with the nuances of AM directionals.
But "fixing and buying" requires money, and money in radio comes from selling and there has to be a product to sell and there has to be a buyer for what's being sold. So, as you can see, the progression leads to the listener. Today, the listener, even 50+ listener, has so many options that AM barely (if at all) figures into the equation.
As I write this, I'm on line, have my email open, I'm listening to NPR on an FM station and my TV is on CNBC (courtesy of FiOS) with the sound muted. It's about 7:45. Thirty years ago, I might be listening to the morning guy on the AM Top 40 station playing ABBA and doing phoney phone calls to unsuspecting listeners. Today? I have three media sources running at once. AM isn't one of them, although I do listen to AM sporadically during the week.
Add iPods and cell phones to the mix and we all can see what challenges an AM, especially a stand-alone directional AM, faces in the economic marketplace. JIBGUY makes an impassioned plea, but I'd offer that his situation and succes are unique to his area of operation, the years of operation and the number of listeners and demographics available in his stations' marketplaces.
It's encouraging to hear from former WARM employees here and reading their stories. You'll long be appreciated and respected. And if it's worth anything, screw doing voicetracks for 12.50 an hour! Tell 'em where they can put that! Unfortunately, the stories recall a different time, different technology and most important different consumers/customers that have little connection with what's in demand these days.
