Does anybody else see opportunity in this article?

ks3484 · February 07, 2015, 01:00:56 PM

Maybe it's just me, but is this a fortunate coincidence or what? It seems to me that buying up, or taking over several AM stations that are in dire straights would be really easy to do. Those stations, once bought or taken over, could then transmit Art Bell's show nationally on the AM dial. Then again they might just run Art's show for free just to attract his audience and more advertising revenue.

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KFWB switching to all-sports format as AM radio fights for survival

AM radio, the scratchy medium that long ago aired Franklin Delano Roosevelt's fireside chats, soap operas and the day's most popular music, is trying to avoid becoming static.

Across the country, stations are vying to hold on to listeners as AM radio's audience slowly dwindles. The persistent technology, long dwarfed by FM, has weathered more recent threats including satellite and Internet radio. It is also contending with a new assault from smartphones.

How long before AM radio disappears, if ever, is anybody's guess. But analysts say the fight for relevance is playing out in Los Angeles, the nation's largest radio market by revenue. And KFWB-AM (980), a station founded by movie studio mogul Sam Warner back before the golden age of radio, might be in the thick of it.

......

Source Link: LA Times

Daggit · February 07, 2015, 01:11:17 PM

Are you suggesting that the good people of BellGab, who a good number will probably pirate the downloadable shows rather than pony up and pay a subscription, should contribute to buying up a network of stations? Or are you suggesting that Art make this huge investment on his own?

WOTR · February 07, 2015, 01:43:19 PM

Quote from: Daggit on February 07, 2015, 01:11:17 PM
Are you suggesting that the good people of BellGab...

I think it was a suggestion that the good people at Pemrat buy the stations, contract Art's new show, build up the ratings for two years, cancel Dark Matter and swap in Coast to Coast with Jorch Noory- a man who "gets it."

Daggit · February 07, 2015, 01:45:27 PM

Quote from: wotr1 on February 07, 2015, 01:43:19 PM
I think it was a suggestion that the good people at Pemrat buy the stations, contract Art's new show, build up the ratings for two years, cancel Dark Matter and swap in Coast to Coast with Jorch Noory- a man who "gets it."

Well that seems plausible and reasonable. Carry on.

ks3484 · February 07, 2015, 03:42:54 PM

Quote from: Daggit on February 07, 2015, 01:11:17 PM
Are you suggesting that the good people of BellGab, who a good number will probably pirate the downloadable shows rather than pony up and pay a subscription, should contribute to buying up a network of stations? Or are you suggesting that Art make this huge investment on his own?

I'm not suggesting anything. I'm just putting it out there. I'm not so sure that Art has the financial liquidity to take on a project like this alone...but I suppose we could ask him. He would need partner(s), with suitable wealth, to take on a project like this with Art.

I'm sure that there are a few paths that Art's followers followers can take. One is:

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cweb · February 07, 2015, 05:22:01 PM

So... what kind of programming do they run the other 21 hours of the day? It can't all be reruns.

The number of AM-capable devices is on the decline. So the band is dying from both broadcaster and listener ends. The only way you can hope to make money off of this decline is by hoping that there's some sort of compensation when the FCC sells the band off to whatever wireless service decides to use it- IF it doesn't become HAM space again.

ks3484 · February 11, 2015, 03:33:55 PM

Quote from: cweb on February 07, 2015, 05:22:01 PM
So... what kind of programming do they run the other 21 hours of the day? It can't all be reruns.

Why would the use of the station be as limited as your mind would suggest it would be? If I'm not mistaken I believe that the stations do their own programming. What ever programming they felt comfortable with probably is what they would pursue. 21 hours could be a mix of music and/or other talk radio programs; as well as community or public service radio. The number of shows that Keith is cultivating on the DMRN could definitely transfer to an AM station's programming matrix.

Quote from: cweb on February 07, 2015, 05:22:01 PM
The number of AM-capable devices is on the decline. So the band is dying from both broadcaster and listener ends. The only way you can hope to make money off of this decline is by hoping that there's some sort of compensation when the FCC sells the band off to whatever wireless service decides to use it- IF it doesn't become HAM space again.

Let me see if I am able to explain this to you. The overall purpose would be to acquire the FCC issued licenses. "Making money" beyond what would be necessary to maintain the upkeep of the stations is all that finances would be targeted towards or appropriated for; in addition to the minimal administrative costs.

Looking forward financially would be to increase the value of the station though programming, thereby increasing the value of the licenses of the stations acquired.

NEVER MIND

cweb · February 11, 2015, 05:59:49 PM

Quote from: ks3484 on February 11, 2015, 03:33:55 PM
Why would the use of the station be as limited as your mind would suggest it would be? If I'm not mistaken I believe that the stations do their own programming. What ever programming they felt comfortable with probably is what they would pursue. 21 hours could be a mix of music and/or other talk radio programs; as well as community or public service radio. The number of shows that Keith is cultivating on the DMRN could definitely transfer to an AM station's programming matrix.

Let me see if I am able to explain this to you. The overall purpose would be to acquire the FCC issued licenses. "Making money" beyond what would be necessary to maintain the upkeep of the stations is all that finances would be targeted towards or appropriated for; in addition to the minimal administrative costs.

Looking forward financially would be to increase the value of the station though programming, thereby increasing the value of the licenses of the stations acquired.

NEVER MIND

Wow, condescending much? I just don't see the value in propping up AM radio, a format that is dying that less people are listening to. Wait a minute, let me try this...

It's a format that less people are listening to as time goes on. How are licenses becoming more valuable if the overall AM band is something that less people are going to be able to tune in to?

Why are AM stations increasingly going to "national" feeds if they could fill their own programming?

NEVER MIND

ks3484 · February 11, 2015, 09:49:38 PM

Quote from: cweb on February 11, 2015, 05:59:49 PM
Wow, condescending much? I just don't see the value in propping up AM radio, a format that is dying that less people are listening to. Wait a minute, let me try this...

It's a format that less people are listening to as time goes on. How are licenses becoming more valuable if the overall AM band is something that less people are going to be able to tune in to?

Why are AM stations increasingly going to "national" feeds if they could fill their own programming?

NEVER MIND

The never mind was inserted because Art announced that he was not going to be doing a show after all. Which made my talking points moot and of no value at all. He's not going to do a show; or anything most likely so why bother to continue this discussion?

You fail to see that the value really is in the programming. for instance - mind you this is just a for instance - if as you say the license is of little, if any, value at all then opening up a platform for shows like Coast To Coast AM would not have happened. Are you going to continue to insist that Coast To Coast FM would have happened and would have been as successful as a Coast To Coast AM venue was? I'm still hopeful that a show with a moderator as talented as Art Bell may still be out there waiting for circumstances and opportunity to present themselves. However, I hear you saying that another host like Art Bell, not a duplicate or a copy, could not possibly exist in all of space and time.

cweb · February 12, 2015, 05:35:40 AM

Quote from: ks3484 on February 11, 2015, 09:49:38 PM
The never mind was inserted because Art announced that he was not going to be doing a show after all. Which made my talking points moot and of no value at all. He's not going to do a show; or anything most likely so why bother to continue this discussion?

You fail to see that the value really is in the programming. for instance - mind you this is just a for instance - if as you say the license is of little, if any, value at all then opening up a platform for shows like Coast To Coast AM would not have happened. Are you going to continue to insist that Coast To Coast FM would have happened and would have been as successful as a Coast To Coast AM venue was? I'm still hopeful that a show with a moderator as talented as Art Bell may still be out there waiting for circumstances and opportunity to present themselves. However, I hear you saying that another host like Art Bell, not a duplicate or a copy, could not possibly exist in all of space and time.

I apologize for misinterpreting a few things. I share your hope that there is another person out there who can rival Art Bell's ability, but I think it is a long shot.

Programming does add value to licenses, as you've said. We might also say that listeners add value to programming. Less devices are being equipped to receive AM broadcasts. As this number diminishes, listeners will too. There are also less young people listening to AM radio these days, in favor of internet streams. I won't disagree that AM really helped launch Coast. There have been some FM affiliates over the years, but AM is certainly the band of talk.

Unfortunately the times are changing. I'd love for AM to hang around, but I can't see it happening. Will people seek out AM devices to listen to good programming on a station? Perhaps. But lots are listening online in lieu of AM.

pate · February 12, 2015, 06:14:22 AM

Quote from: cweb on February 12, 2015, 05:35:40 AM
I apologize for misinterpreting a few things. I share your hope that there is another person out there who can rival Art Bell's ability, but I think it is a long shot.

Programming does add value to licenses, as you've said. We might also say that listeners add value to programming. Less devices are being equipped to receive AM broadcasts. As this number diminishes, listeners will too. There are also less young people listening to AM radio these days, in favor of internet streams. I won't disagree that AM really helped launch Coast. There have been some FM affiliates over the years, but AM is certainly the band of talk.

Unfortunately the times are changing. I'd love for AM to hang around, but I can't see it happening. Will people seek out AM devices to listen to good programming on a station? Perhaps. But lots are listening online in lieu of AM.

I seem to recall as an 11-year old a bazillion years ago, I constructed an AM receiver that required (if I recall correctly) little more than:

Copper wire (I think I used copper plated wire, not sure about the length, 10ft?)
A Cardboard tube
A crappy cheap diode (did it need to be a specific kind? I don't remember...)
A crappy mono ear-bud
A metal bead (best way I have of describing it)
A piece essentially of a metal coat hangar
Some sort of assembly or box to put all this crap together (I think it was a kit with some cheap plastic)

Yes, and I could pick up AM stations on it. I got better reception from my dad's old 1950s AM only clock radio, but the lesson here I think is that AM will only go away when they stop broadcasting on it...

BTW: My pa tried to convince me to build an amplifier, but I was too retarded OCD/tourettes (or whatever it is they give kids Ambien for these days) to sit down and do it... I think I enjoyed climbing trees and running around in the woods with my dog (Yes I was the child star of Lassie) or something. I am reasonably sure if 'they' stop making AM radios, that I could today put one together, relatively easily. Hell, I'd probably use my woodworking-fu to build a nice case to put it in...

I know Radio Shak is RIP (their elec parts are/were crap back in the day), but there are other places around that fufill the 'Electronic Supply' need that the Radio Shack 'vacuum' could be filled... Hell, I figured that out last time I went to RS (rip) to buy some crappy little electronic component, they didn't really do that anymore.... But I found another place that did, and it isn't very far from the house. My goto place now when I have some "ima gonna fix that," moments"

PS: Said receiver didn't require power. You could hardly hear, but it required notheeng, notheeng!

edit: derp, sorry 'bout Jorching up that last line, should read "NO BATTERY"....

Wintermute · February 13, 2015, 07:20:31 AM

The same data sourced in the article above will also show that "Talk Format" is making inroads into FM, displacing music. Music stations are retracting and have been since 2002. FM is cheaper to run thus is a better fit for local talk. Plus AM tuning is disappearing in new vehicles.

Sports Talk local / regional is a huge market. AM stations near the bottom of the frequency range (below 740) are prime real estate for ESPN. Why? Because there are very lucrative contacts for the local universities. The local University's current 4-yr contract with ESPN Sports Radio (brand new) is $110 million just for re-broadcast rights to the University's sports content! You can operate at 5kw and reach the state fanbase. ESPN employes 6 local talkers (usually ex-athletes that aren't national) and automates everything else.

Why have a couple of drive-time jokers on unless they are going to talk regional sports? Drive-time AM outside of two channels here are sports... local, regional, fantasy, and gambling. No, I do not live in Nevada. They talk gambling 5-6pm weds-fri.

So the future:

AM -> Sports Talk
FM -> 50/50 local talk and music
Streaming -> 90/10 music, podcasting. NPR / BBC futures.
LPFM -> College radio / community services / local talk
Non-Profit FM -> Conglomerates like Pacifica will eventually get run into the ground and only major markets will have "Radio Free XYZ".
New Frequencies -> Mobile interactive programming.