"Stephanie Weil" wrote in message
oups.com...
Wasn't this supposed to be the idea behind the high-powered stations?

National full-service coverage?

Theat was the idea, back in the 30's. Of course, that was pre-TV. Then, the
bulk of radio listening was in the home at night.

Today, the bulk of listening is in the car or at work (two thirds of all
listening) and in the daytime. Night listening is one third of daytime
levels (7 to midnight) and AM night listening is very limited.

I believe each city should be limited to maximum six or eight MW
stations.

The model in the US has always been based on whatever would work tecnically.
Unfortunately, between a half and two-thirds of metro area AMs are
inadequate to cover the market they serve, as they were either designed in
the 30's or 40's before urban sprawl, or they are daytimers or showehorned
in directional monsters.

There are some markets, like Washington, DC, that do not have a single full
market coverage AM.

Two high powered 50 kilowatt stations, the rest would be 10,000 or
lower local/regional channels.

In many markets, 10 kw is not enough to cover the market without being
trashed by manmade noise. Also, the relationship has to considder that low
band AMs cover much better than high band... a 5 kw on 550 outcovers vastly
a 50 kw on 1500.

In addition, the LW band and the "Tropical" part of the SW band should
be pressed into service for one or two 500,000 watt national coverage
broadcasters - government sponsored (NPR?)

Nobody would put up with the fading and static and interference on a
national Am today. This is not the 30's. And younger, under 35 listeners,
have no use fo rhte sound quality of the AM band.