"David Eduardo" wrote in message
news

"PocketRadio" wrote in message
...
On Jan 5, 4:25?pm, elaich wrote:

"Music FMs of any flavor are utterly screwed... Right now -- while FMs
are losing the music audience to new media -- satellite radio is
offering more News/Talk/Sports programming than we can fit on AM
radio."

FM listening is off only a small amount over the last 20 years. AM
listening is off 30% in the the same period, and that which is left is, in
its majority, over 55 and unsalable to advertisers.

Some FMs are simulcating their successful AM formats, but the AMs
shall remain

50 KW KIRO in Seattle moved to FM entirely. 50 kw WIBC in Indianapolis
moved to FM entirely. KTAR, the best signal in Phoenix, moved entirely to
FM. WTOP, 50 kw in DC moved to FM entirely. New startup FM talk stations
in places like Pittsburgh (beating KDKA in salable age groups already) are
killing the AM talkers. KCBS, 50 kw in San francisco, is transitioning to
FM, as is 50 kw KSL in Salt Lake City and 50 kw WWL in New Orleans.


How do they manage to do that? In most even mid-sized markets, the band is
full. There is not a single channel available based on the standard 800KHz
station separation even in the Portland, OR market. A bunch of years ago,
they even did a frequency shuffle to accomodate more stations (98.598.7,
add 97.9; added 94.7 and 96.3) They've even got 6 LP translators in there
besides a full band of commercial stations.. If they can find room to stuff
in any AM stations in there.... and the list doesn't even count LPFM's, and
there are already several stations only 400KHz apart. Have a look at
http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin...ity=97214&sid= and
tell me where KEX, or KXL, let alone any of the other city-wide AM signals
could relocate to. Please note... every one of those signals is very easily
heard most anywhere in the city (there are shadow areas for some of the FM's
behind hills).

"Brenda Ann" wrote in message
...

"David Eduardo" wrote in message


50 KW KIRO in Seattle moved to FM entirely. 50 kw WIBC in Indianapolis
moved to FM entirely. KTAR, the best signal in Phoenix, moved entirely to
FM. WTOP, 50 kw in DC moved to FM entirely. New startup FM talk stations
in places like Pittsburgh (beating KDKA in salable age groups already)
are killing the AM talkers. KCBS, 50 kw in San francisco, is
transitioning to FM, as is 50 kw KSL in Salt Lake City and 50 kw WWL in
New Orleans.


How do they manage to do that?

They buy an FM or they use an FM in their cluster and put the AM programming
on it.

In most even mid-sized markets, the band is
full. There is not a single channel available based on the standard 800KHz
station separation even in the Portland, OR market.

All sports just moved to FM in Portland... again, a station in a cluster
that was not doing as well as the potential that is there for FM sports
talk.

and
tell me where KEX, or KXL, let alone any of the other city-wide AM signals
could relocate to.

They are not relocating as in exchanging the AM channel for FM. They are
taking the intellectual property that is now distributed on AM and
distributing it on an FM channel... either by buying an FM or using one they
already have.

Please note... every one of those signals is very easily
heard most anywhere in the city (there are shadow areas for some of the
FM's behind hills).

50% to 60% of AM listening is by persons over 55... in a market like
Portland where there is a lot of agency business... as much as 50% is local
and regional and national agency business... owners know that there are
essentially no agency buys for 55 plus.