wrote in message
...
Eduardo - Where do you think AM hybrid digital is headed? Do you
think it will eventually become the norm? Seriously, What do you
think?

No, I don't think it will become the norm... for several reasons.

1. Only larger stations can afford it and the antenna broadbanding it
requires for many AMs.
2. Few AMs in metro areas fully cover their entire market, so are defective
in analog. Digital just emphasizes these issues.
3. AM listening is declining and listenership is mostly persons over 55, an
advertising target nobody wants today in radio.
4. The big AM formats, news/talk, all news and sports, are moving to FMs.

AM analog stereo, meaning the C Quam system, became the standard about 5
years after FM had taken the majority of music listeners. Therefore, it
never was successful as nobody wanted a radio that got AM in stereo when
they already had stereo on FM, which in most people's minds, sounded better
anyway. If the marketing of AM stereo failed 25 years ago, it is unlikely
that the same pig in a new dress will work for AM today.

Since, practically speaking, AM HD can't add much in the way of additional
channels (unless somebody wants very low bit rates) and data scrolling
(speed is the issue) I do not see new revenue streams being developed,
either.

On Oct 19, 3:11 pm, "David Eduardo" wrote:
wrote in message

...

Eduardo - Where do you think AM hybrid digital is headed? Do you
think it will eventually become the norm? Seriously, What do you
think?

No, I don't think it will become the norm... for several reasons.

1. Only larger stations can afford it and the antenna broadbanding it
requires for many AMs.
2. Few AMs in metro areas fully cover their entire market, so are defective
in analog. Digital just emphasizes these issues.
3. AM listening is declining and listenership is mostly persons over 55, an
advertising target nobody wants today in radio.
4. The big AM formats, news/talk, all news and sports, are moving to FMs.

AM analog stereo, meaning the C Quam system, became the standard about 5
years after FM had taken the majority of music listeners. Therefore, it
never was successful as nobody wanted a radio that got AM in stereo when
they already had stereo on FM, which in most people's minds, sounded better
anyway. If the marketing of AM stereo failed 25 years ago, it is unlikely
that the same pig in a new dress will work for AM today.

Since, practically speaking, AM HD can't add much in the way of additional
channels (unless somebody wants very low bit rates) and data scrolling
(speed is the issue) I do not see new revenue streams being developed,
either.

Thanks.

Does regular AM have a future as a niche market? Also, will hybrid
digital make it on FM?

wrote in message
...
On Oct 19, 3:11 pm, "David Eduardo" wrote:
wrote in message


Does regular AM have a future as a niche market? Also, will hybrid
digital make it on FM?

If you look at most markets, today, you have a couple of stations dominating
the AM ratings shares... almost always those with viable full market
signals. Then there is a second tier of moderately good signals, and they
tend to be wannabe programming, and become bottom feeders taking the cheap
spot buys for talk and sports. Finally, the bulk of stations are too low in
power, daytime or so directional they are totally unable to compete and they
do various religious and ethnic niche formats or brokered programming.

Try this segregation on the stations in the market you live in by listing
all the AMs licensed anywhere in the Metro per Arbitron and then dividing
them into these three groups.

HD will likely work on FM. Already there are a bunch of leased HD2 channels
providing niche services like Hindi formats and such. There are plenty of
HD2 channels doing missing formats. As chips come down in price, stations
add new services, and the economy (hopefully) improves, HD should add
something of value to FM.

In article ,
"David Eduardo" wrote:

wrote in message
...
On Oct 19, 3:11 pm, "David Eduardo" wrote:
wrote in message


Does regular AM have a future as a niche market? Also, will hybrid
digital make it on FM?

If you look at most markets, today, you have a couple of stations dominating
the AM ratings shares... almost always those with viable full market
signals.

And that's your wet dream. Only one or two stations and you control them.

Then there is a second tier of moderately good signals, and they
tend to be wannabe programming, and become bottom feeders taking the cheap
spot buys for talk and sports. Finally, the bulk of stations are too low in
power, daytime or so directional they are totally unable to compete and they
do various religious and ethnic niche formats or brokered programming.

Try this segregation on the stations in the market you live in by listing
all the AMs licensed anywhere in the Metro per Arbitron and then dividing
them into these three groups.

HD will likely work on FM. Already there are a bunch of leased HD2 channels
providing niche services like Hindi formats and such. There are plenty of
HD2 channels doing missing formats. As chips come down in price, stations
add new services, and the economy (hopefully) improves, HD should add
something of value to FM.

Someone has to make the chip for the prices to go down. Should I waste
my time taking another look around? I don't think I'll bother this time.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

"Telamon" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"David Eduardo" wrote:

If you look at most markets, today, you have a couple of stations
dominating
the AM ratings shares... almost always those with viable full market
signals.

And that's your wet dream. Only one or two stations and you control them.

Wrong. With the horrible demographics of AM I would not want an AM station,
even as a gift.

The formats that produce about 80% or more of AM's ratings are moving to FM,
so there will be nothing left.

Someone has to make the chip for the prices to go down. Should I waste
my time taking another look around? I don't think I'll bother this time.


Both the chips previously mentioned are shipping to OEMs.

David Eduardo wrote:

"Telamon" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"David Eduardo" wrote:

If you look at most markets, today, you have a couple of stations
dominating
the AM ratings shares... almost always those with viable full market
signals.

And that's your wet dream. Only one or two stations and you control them.

Wrong. With the horrible demographics of AM I would not want an AM station,
even as a gift.

Oh c'mon! At least then you could truthfully say that you owned a station!

Please, keep the BS coming, you're quite entertaining today!

In article ,
"David Eduardo" wrote:

"Telamon" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"David Eduardo" wrote:

If you look at most markets, today, you have a couple of stations
dominating the AM ratings shares... almost always those with
viable full market signals.

And that's your wet dream. Only one or two stations and you control
them.

Wrong. With the horrible demographics of AM I would not want an AM
station, even as a gift.

The formats that produce about 80% or more of AM's ratings are moving
to FM, so there will be nothing left.

All due to your diligence promoting HD and false advertising insights.

Someone has to make the chip for the prices to go down. Should I
waste my time taking another look around? I don't think I'll bother
this time.


Both the chips previously mentioned are shipping to OEMs.

Really? Who is making them 6 dB man?

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

"Telamon" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"David Eduardo" wrote:

Both the chips previously mentioned are shipping to OEMs.

Really? Who is making them 6 dB man?

Look at the many reports on the NAB radio show in Austin and find out for
yourself. The chips and receivers with them were on display.

On Oct 19, 12:11*pm, "David Eduardo" wrote:
wrote in message

...

Eduardo - Where do you think AM hybrid digital is headed? *Do you
think it will eventually become the norm? *Seriously, *What do you
think?

No, I don't think it will become the norm... for several reasons.

1. Only larger stations can afford it and the antenna broadbanding it
requires for many AMs.
2. Few AMs in metro areas fully cover their entire market, so are defective
in analog. Digital just emphasizes these issues.
3. AM listening is declining and listenership is mostly persons over 55, an
advertising target nobody wants today in radio.
4. The big AM formats, news/talk, all news and sports, are moving to FMs.

AM analog stereo, meaning the C Quam system, became the standard about 5
years after FM had taken the majority of music listeners. Therefore, it
never was successful as nobody wanted a radio that got AM in stereo when
they already had stereo on FM, which in most people's minds, sounded better
anyway.

- If the marketing of AM stereo failed 25 years ago,
- it is unlikely that the same pig in a new dress
- will work for AM today.

d'Eduardo - OK so The-Bottom-Line is :
AM HD-Radio -is- The Same Pig In A New Dress
Conclusion : AM Radio is Dying {Has Died}
[ The Future of Terrestrial Radio is FM HD-Radio. ]

Since, practically speaking, AM HD can't add much in the way of additional
channels (unless somebody wants very low bit rates) and data scrolling
(speed is the issue) I do not see new revenue streams being developed,
either.