WPFB off the air.

[jry]

910 is for sale. If you're serious about wishing you owned it...there ya go.

Everytime I turn on NKU, I get a banjo or a mandolin. I like the idea of the station but can never listen for more than ten minutes before they get all twangy on me.

I had my guys at Munn Reese look at 910 from a different tower site (meaning one of the ones i am currently using). It doesn't work, spacing is pretty tight.

That's a shame..Could any other site be used? If CC wasn't over their limit in the market, I bet they could diplex it on one of its AM towers.

i'm not too sure as to whether on not CC could use one of its sites. WQRT and WCVX are too far south. I thought you could use the directional pattern from WQRT to get the job done. MAYBE you could move the station a couple of miles south but, what is the benefit in doing this. Its really tight. I looked at simulcasting but there is an overlap problem.

 

[BobOnTheJob]

Anyone hear anything on 910 during the day? I'm 80 miles west but unfortunately 920 WBAA West Lafayette is running IBOC AM and there's nothing but an S9 hiss on 910 here even though I'm 100 miles from WBAA.

 

[techie2]

A sat feed doesn't sound like a low quality auidiostream...was listening to 105.9 FM. yesterday but 910 AM is STILL off.

Most satellite feeds are digital these days. Any digital feed will sound the same as a low quality stream if not given a high enough bit rate. I would imagine one pays for satellite capacity by bandwidth, so maybe they are scrimping on bandwidth to pinch pennies.

 

[jry]

A sat feed doesn't sound like a low quality auidiostream...was listening to 105.9 FM. yesterday but 910 AM is STILL off.

Most satellite feeds are digital these days. Any digital feed will sound the same as a low quality stream if not given a high enough bit rate. I would imagine one pays for satellite capacity by bandwidth, so maybe they are scrimping on bandwidth to pinch pennies.

We do pay by bandwidth. My three channels are 96K.

 

[KFodor]

...an I Phone??? 'ya gotta be joking!

...How about using a Tieline Commander and a Road Runner internet connection instead?

Actually, Kirkie Fan...you should be aware that you can purchase an i-Phone app that will allow you to broadcast digital quality over an i-Phone. I don't know if NKU is actually using that app...but it exists....

 

[partymarty]

You are right Jason-- I use the Comrex ARC on my android all the time.. it sounds GREAT!--- and the new Tieline product for iphone and just out for android looks awesome as well!

 

[kirkiefan]

Thanks Jason for the correction..you too Marty.

In the meantime,WPFB-AM remains off the air while WNKN-FM remains on...something just doesn't add up here. I can only guess one of three things why the AM is off.

1.) The folks at Northern Kentucky University are trying to get the AM listeners to switch over to FM .
2.) If the FM is using a sat feed (or an iPhone for that matter)...why isn't the AM or vice versa???
3.) They want to save money by taking the AM off the air....which is NOT a legitimate reason....if you're off the air for an extended period of time without filing an STA,you're liable to lose that AM license...hence NKU is dropping the ball in their attempt to sell it,and Middletown will lose its AM station due to owner neglect with its license forced to be surrendered to the FCC.

Am I right??

 

[secondchoice]

Is there enough local revenue available for someone to program locally and make a go of the AM property? If so is there a chance of a FM translator? This could be an opportunity for a young sales person to start his / her own business.

 

[major]

910 is for sale. If you're serious about wishing you owned it...there ya go.

Everytime I turn on NKU, I get a banjo or a mandolin. I like the idea of the station but can never listen for more than ten minutes before they get all twangy on me.

I had my guys at Munn Reese look at 910 from a different tower site (meaning one of the ones i am currently using). It doesn't work, spacing is pretty tight.

Can it be moved at all? Say, towards Clermont County?

 

[KFodor]

Is there enough local revenue available for someone to program locally and make a go of the AM property? If so is there a chance of a FM translator? This could be an opportunity for a young sales person to start his / her own business.

Your first question is the 64 million dollar question right there. Given you won't get an audience with any under 50 format on AM, I'd say it would be a tough go even if you programmed hyper local. I won't say it's impossible, but you'd better be an owner with deep pockets willing to lose money for 3 to 5 years...

WPFB-AM is in a different situation than "a small market station". Middletown used to be considered a small market. It's now considered to be a "bedroom community" to Dayton or Cincinnati (depending on where your allegiance lies). There's probably more than 60 radio stations whose signals come in there and, like it or not, you've got to compete with them. Just saying, "We're the hometown station" is often, not enough. And your "heritage", sadly, doesn't mean a darn thing to today's audience.

A translator might be of help, if you could find a frequency on an already crowded radio dial.

 

[ToddyO]

If I had the money, I'd buy it. People listen if it's good, regardless of age stats. Jaded or not, CLU132 hung around for years playing rock on a crappy signal.

 

[KFodor]

If I had the money, I'd buy it. People listen if it's good, regardless of age stats. Jaded or not, CLU132 hung around for years playing rock on a crappy signal.

ToddyO: You miss my point. People under 50 rarely listen to AM. People under 40 don't listen to AM unless compelled by a sporting event or some programming they can't get. People under 30 don't listen to AM period. Some don't even know what AM is...The audience must exist first before you can reach them

Wasn't CLU playing music a long time back? Things were a lot different then. "If I build it they will come" didn't work for FM News in New York or Chicago. It tends not to work in broadcasting. Just ask anyone who's done an "experimental" format. I did once. It flopped...2.0 to a .4 in 2 books...

But go ahead and waste your money if you'd like. I respectfully disagree with your point.

 

[microbob]

A brokered format on 910 similar to what many small AM stations have done successfully might work.

 

[ToddyO]

60's, 70's and early 80's, not the same repetition and same 10 songs - God love David Gates and Neil Diamond but there were other recording artists, add a small news staff with localism and you'll have an audience. Do giveaways, personal appearance and all of the other things that radio has forgotten (like being entertaining and not just voicetracked time/temp) and you'll have numbers.