"Frank Dresser" wrote in message
...

I don't know how much domestic SW could compete with domestic clear
channels. Radio did, and does, depend on advertising. And most radio
advertising is local. Sure, the clear channel stations had a nighttime
coverage of hundreds of miles, but did they do much of their own
programming
for people outside their prime coverage area? I'm guessing they didn't.
If
they did, would it have increased their advertising revenue?


Further follow up:

A WLW (clear channel 700 AM) ad from the 1948 Broadcasting Yearbook refers
to a survey of its 7 state coverage area (bits of IL, MI, VA and lots of OH,
KY, IN and WV) where 75% of the 3.5 million population listened to WLW
weekly. The ad has a map of this area, and stresses the fact that, of 115
stations serving the area, none comes close to the penetration and daily
usage of WLW.

A WSM ad shows mail pull from every one of the 48 states, and stresses
regular coverage of 38 of them.

Even a 1-B station like WLAW (680-Boston) shows a coverage map with contours
covering from Bangor, ME to SW Rhode Island, complete with population counts
of the 5 states they at least partially covered.