Would it be possible if a prospective new AM station would be allowed to begin, if the prospective owner could prove to the FCC that the frequency of choice would not interfere with other AM stations? I think the AM band could and should be allowed if they could prove this. I know that 1620 to 1700 khz is available (1610 is given to localities for mostly traffic info), but what about 540 to 1600 khz? It seems to me that there is plenty of availability there for new stations both local and regional.
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Would The FCC allow starting a new AM station if.....
- Thread starter doug41160
- Start date
AM stations, unlike FMs, can be filed for if an applicant feels that there is a "space" for them that fits technically. Daytime AM applications are excluded, although today I doubt anyone would want one.
The extended band (Above 1600) was intended for 10 kw day and 1 kw night operation. As such the band is totally full, although a few that could not succeed are silent. The coverage of those stations makes them limited to small areas (250 watts on 550 would cover more than 10 KW on the extended band in the daytime (when it matters) .
Actually, the rest of the band in most of the populated areas of the US is totally full based on the interference and protection rules. Getting a fulltime license for a new AM usually requires a directional antenna system, a big piece of land and a lot of money.
The clear channel stations date back to the early 30's. The good regional channel stations date to that era, with few good ones coming on since WW II. Remember, to operate on a regional channel at night you might have to protect a station licensed long ago that might be over a thousand miles away! For example, the reason 620 in Tampa and Milwaukee are directional at night is to protect each other.
But mostly, nearly nobody wants an AM station today. There are plenty of existing ones for sale with no buyer, and in most cases those that are surviving are being milked by the owner while the band is still viable.
If you want to waste money, buy a used Yugo. Much better deal than a dog AM.
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If you really want to do AM radio, look around. There are so many AM stations losing money, it is possible to pick up a station for pennies on the dollar but be prepared for some major expenses in the near future. It is surely less costly to buy than to build. Many have old towers and could use a new ground system. Some have poorly maintained phasors. It is possible to buy a few AM stations for what a decent family home could cost. Many AMs are propped up by their FM counterpart. FM stations generally are less technical, cost less to build and operate and take less land.
As David mentioned, many are directional requiring a few towers are a good size tract of land. With the land and equipment, you have some substantial operating costs. The property has to be mowed in summer (think several acres). You'll need an engineer that understands AM and can keep you legal (pattern operating properly and maximized).
Many AMs that would have gone under already have an FM translator that is a game changer for them. Given about 5% or so of US radio listening is to AM stations, the little 250 watt FM translator can have more listeners than the larger coverage AM it translates.
If you'd want to get your feet wet, there are some owners that will let you run the AM for the actual operating costs. That lets you determine if you want to take that path long term.
Yes, there are some very successful AM stations. These are stations with higher powers and have served their markets for generations.
As David mentioned, many are directional requiring a few towers are a good size tract of land. With the land and equipment, you have some substantial operating costs. The property has to be mowed in summer (think several acres). You'll need an engineer that understands AM and can keep you legal (pattern operating properly and maximized).
Many AMs that would have gone under already have an FM translator that is a game changer for them. Given about 5% or so of US radio listening is to AM stations, the little 250 watt FM translator can have more listeners than the larger coverage AM it translates.
If you'd want to get your feet wet, there are some owners that will let you run the AM for the actual operating costs. That lets you determine if you want to take that path long term.
Yes, there are some very successful AM stations. These are stations with higher powers and have served their markets for generations.
But only during a filing window for new stations and major changes. The last time the FCC opened such a window for AM radio was 2004, and there's no sign of any plan to open a new one any time soon. (That 2004 window led to some CP grants that still haven't been built out and licensed, 16 years later.)
Even if you could find a perfectly open channel that fits all the FCC's spacing criteria, an application for that facility would be rejected.
This is one reason the FCC informally gives AM licensees a lot of leeway to remain silent without losing their licenses - they don't want to see service go away permanently.
(There are a handful of exceptions that get carved out now and again for very specific circumstances: local political pressure got a window opened a few years ago for a new expanded-band AM channel in the Hudson Valley, and it appears the revocation of a group of four AM licenses around St. Louis will lead to a special filing window for those facilities, rather than leaving them dark awaiting a general filing window that may never come.)
I agree with David that the economics of putting a new AM on the air from scratch right now are brutal. I can't imagine any business model where that expenditure would make sense these days.
Since this is in a state sub-forum, I presume that you're listening in an around the great state of Ohio, and yet you hear a LOT of 'empty space' out there on the band, and wonder why.
The industry pro's ahead of my answer has quite succinctly given you both the technical reasons why (signal protection) and the more important reason, financial.
This is where the stale old trope comes into play.... How do you become a millionaire in radio? Start out with five million!
Luck to you, sir!
Yeah, I should have mentioned the windows... or lack of same. I was focused on the fact that in essentially all populated areas, there is really nothing available and definitely nothing viable available. The delay for a window (I agree that there may never be another AM window) is just an added impediment.
And even were there a window, getting a radio license is not like renewing your driver license, usually requiring outside engineering and legal assistance today.
youd be better off lighting the $1mil on fire that youd spend to build the facility. Anything you build today would be directional and that gets expensive. Anything non directional will be useless and several no one.
Buy an existing station that has good business already
another thing that new stations dont have and would be near impossible to build.. is the heritage that decades long AM's serving the community have.
SomeRadioGuy mentions a very important factor: heritage. Funny thing, a station with a history of serving a community can go downhill to the point you get people asking "that station's still around" and still regain their heritage status over a few years because of the good memories. I know one station that was a local powerhouse, then dwindled to almost forgotten. The new owner hired a well known local guy to do mornings and tried to be just as full service as in the days when it was a staple in the community. It took him 2 years but by that time he increased billing 6-fold and was #1 in the Nielsen County by County (I know that's not saying much to be #1). In other words, truly serving the community and being a heritage station that had seen better days was what it took. The owner believed that without the lengthy past the station had, he likely would not have made it. He said everybody doubted he could do it but the locals wanted the station they remembered, so they ended up his biggest cheerleaders.
You just reminded me of KOGO San Diego, a station that died completely and started simulcasting a music FM. Later, they went back to independent programing, revived the call letters and became the #1 station! They had the heritage, just not lately.
I'd be curious to hear a channel, city and power level that you might consider available. Someone might just look into the database and tell you what prevents it from being so, if there's something obvious.
65-year-old-plus boomers angry that they're not hearing Herman's Hermits or the Turtles on the radio anymore aren't a minority?
The problem is that there are no desirable frequencies in potentially profitable markets available for new licenses. While making such facilities available sounds good, the inventory is non-existent.
Beyond that, banks won't loan for single station owners, particularly start-ups. In general, few will now loan for radio at all. So any minority-favorable FCC offering needs to be accompanied by federal grants or loan programs and, probably, some method to accelerate things like zoning, permits and the like.
It would even seem like a plan to make HD channels available to minorities via tax incentives for the "main" station licensee would make more sense. Full metro coverage, and availability of receivers favor this... and the need for capital for minority groups is significantly reduced. That's a lot more effective than giving a license for a new FM in Bulls Horn, Montana or Cattle Cud, TX that cover about 800 people.
But in any case, it's not about licenses... it is about the startup costs, guidance and rapid-tracking of such facilities.
For 20 years, I have been (at least until June 3rd, 2021) the station manager of a high-school FM station that kept fellow boomers supplied with such music, as it was not available anywhere else. I also aired 'beach music' shows, rockabilly shows, 80's shows and so on. Consequently, as of this past January 22nd, I learned that new people-people with zero radio experience-have been chosen to run the operation. I have been shown the door, with the station going in a different direction as of this summer, if not fall. I can pretty much guarantee that the 'oldest' music will be coming from the '90's, and will feature only a limited number of formats, if not only one format, based allegedly on a narrowly-constructed survey. It's not just commercial radio becoming a wasteland for boomers.65-year-old-plus boomers angry that they're not hearing Herman's Hermits or the Turtles on the radio anymore aren't a minority?
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Groove1670
Guest
In the next auction window the FCC has four AM stations up for auction (the permits were revoked from a previous owner) . If you get a allocation approved in the table of allotments it still has to go up for bids in the auction window. Another words, you can't apply and awarded your own permit.
It is the first time I've seen AM's in an auction in over 15 years. There has been an AM freeze for sometime.
There is no easy path. If you have a desire to own a station, the least path of resistance is the auction method. Bidding starts as low as $1,200 for some permits. The towns might have a single stoplight and a handful of businesses, and it probably won't be in your town. Do your due dilligence.
Some people want to be a DJ. There is alot more involved. Finding a tower site, getting a great engineer, building out the facility.
Applying for a permit is not for the faint of heart.
It is the first time I've seen AM's in an auction in over 15 years. There has been an AM freeze for sometime.
There is no easy path. If you have a desire to own a station, the least path of resistance is the auction method. Bidding starts as low as $1,200 for some permits. The towns might have a single stoplight and a handful of businesses, and it probably won't be in your town. Do your due dilligence.
Some people want to be a DJ. There is alot more involved. Finding a tower site, getting a great engineer, building out the facility.
Applying for a permit is not for the faint of heart.
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Kevin
Guest
It’s time to sunset the AM dial. Move as many AM stations to FM translators and shut this dying band off for good. When AM stations are beginning to go dark because the land is of more value than the stations are (like WFME 1560 in New York City as example) then this should be the beginning of the end for AM radio. AM = Antiquated Modulation, Technology from over 100 years ago isn’t going to make it in a 5G (and 6G in the next decade) world.
Kevin, you are making a generalization I mostly agree with. AM stations are still successful in certain areas of the country and land is not eclipsing the value of an AM radio station in most of the country. Generally this is outside the big cities. As for me, I'd take an AM in a Midwest small town but you'd have to pay me a nice amount monthly to take on a major market, high on the dial AM with 1,000 watts and double the amount if it's a daytimer. Throw in a nicely placed translator and I'll take less in monthly payment to take on that losing proposition.
Of those stations up for auction, these are those St. Louis area stations and from what I understand they were viable stations...not laughing all the way to the bank but rather a little giggle or a good snort.
Of those stations up for auction, these are those St. Louis area stations and from what I understand they were viable stations...not laughing all the way to the bank but rather a little giggle or a good snort.
Practically speaking, how would that happen? The FCC? Nope.
Keep the medium wave frequency allocations but change the modulation from analog to digital. To be successful, the patent for HD radio would have to expire. At that time, the FCC would have to mandate the inclusion of digital AM on all radio receivers just as they did for UHF on television receivers. Gonna happen? No.
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Groove1670
Guest
MA3 has approx. 4 stations and counting.
From Radio World" "MA3 is a whole new ballgame. Xperi, successor to iBiquity, currently is allowing AM stations to license the technology at no cost in perpetuity"
Too late. CES and receiver manufacturers will give zero support to this idea. As electric cars enter the marketplace AM will disappear from the dashboard (unless they can argue for MA3).
Listeners want a path of least resistance. Is someone going to seek out MA3 that isn't a radio geek? Not likely.
This is an exciting topic for engineers. Consumers could care less. A wide adoption of this experiment is unlikely. I would put my money on the Alabama lottery.
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