Radiophiles' Lament: AM Is a Low Priority for Most Radio Consumers

 

 

Referring to the relatively small ferrite antennas inside the Sangean worksite radios, less than 5 inches, Ed writes:

I know we can't believe it, but AM performance is a low priority for most radio consumers. FM and iPod docking are the most valued features, with AM a distant third.

The ferrite AM antenna provided is more than adequate for most users, who have no interest or even know about "DXing"... As long as it gets the local stations, most will be happy.

Comments

[J Maffuccio]

Most likely because many AM stations are just rebroadcasting syndicated talk at night. As long as I can get KSL or KOA at night, I'm happy...as they have good shows from their own booths. I listen to KNX from time to time if I miss hearing about big city crime and traffic! Haven't lived down there for 23 years.

[Tom Welch]

I could care less about AM radio since here in the greater Phoenix area this band is filled with hate and don't follow sports.

[Tom Welch]

BTW Jeff, in many 1st world countries like Canada, AM stations are switching over to the FM band.

[Keith B.]

Yes, the AM dial in Phoenix on my visits there was pretty bleak. In Seattle, we are lucky to still have some "live and local" non-political talk stations, and a handful of music stations. A lot of larger U.S. cities, like NY, Chicago, Philadelphia, LA, still have good AM. I think our Canadian neighbors will live to regret Canada's decision to abandon the AM and shortwave bands. AM and SW are the best way to reach people living in remote areas, where Internet access may also be limited.

[Gary]

Right, Keith. I don't recall any of the AM stations that I listen to in LA switching to FM.

[DanHL]

I rarely listen to FM or AM anymore. I subscribe to 20 podcasts delivered automatically for free and listenable at any time on my iPhone.

[Keith B.]

Hey, it's all good. I listen to podcasts, Pandora, Rdio, web streams and real radio. None of the other platforms would be possible without broadcast radio.

[Angelo]

From my location near Washington, DC, I still find plenty of great distant AM at night. Sports, politics, oldies, news. I can listen to Boston, Toronto, Kentucky, the Carolinas, Cleveland, Chicago---and many others. Much of this is not syndicated programming.

[Tom Welch]

Location is important for AM radio listening

[Dan]

> BTW Jeff, in many 1st world countries like Canada, AM stations are switching over to the FM band.

It's causing problems in the Buffalo area, where it seems like over the past two decades, one or two new FM stations in the Toronto/Golden Triangle hit the airwaves every year. There's no room for new commercial FM stations on the American side of the border, and Canadian commercial stations are squeezing out American college stations and rural NPR translators below 92 MHz.

> Most likely because many AM stations are just rebroadcasting syndicated talk at night.

This. Jim Bohannon, John Batchelor, Midnight Trucking, Coast to Coast AM and ESPN on 20 or 30 stations at once, with Radio Disney, Norteno music, repeating traffic/weather-on-the-tens in major metros, and JUH-HEE-UH-SU-HUS filling the gaps. Local late-night talk shows are extinct.

[Bob C.]

In the east, WBZ 1030 and WGN 720 have late-night local talk shows. Out west, I know that KSL 1160 has night time local talk as well. It's still around, you just need to know where to look.

By the way, John Batchelor is a refreshingly intelligent syndicated show.

[Angelo]

The repeating news/traffic/weather drives me crazy. News at the top of the hour and a shorter news at the bottom of the hour. Weather and traffic given with the news----then at least two other times per hour. Shows coming back from a long commercial break at 55 minutes after the hour----two minutes of programming (perhaps one rushed listener phone call when no one even gets to make their point). Then more commercials. Then news. Then more commercials. Then weather/traffic. I have always felt that if a really good programmer could change this lousy formula----their station would rise above the others so dramatically, it would force a change. Still, I do like AM better than FM----most of the time.

[Jack Marshall]

One can be a radiophile without being in love with AM.

In my area, or anywhere near it, the AM band is populated almost exclusively with sports talk shows, self-anointed conservative political pundits, and fundamentalist religious broadcasts; much of it syndicated, and almost all of it angry.

On FM I can find a much broader spectrum of music, news, and entertainment, and with far better sound quality. I consider myself a radiophile. In my tiny apartment I have more of them than I need, from expensive stereo component pieces to cheap portables.

At home and during my long commute, I listen to FM radio for several hours every day, but if all AM broadcasting was to cease tomorrow, I probably wouldn't even notice.

[herculodge]

I agree AM is full of undesirables but I do enjoy Dan Patrick, Colin Cowherd, Jim Rome and others who bring humor to sports so for me AM radio lives on.

[Jack Marshall]

Despite my post earlier to the effect that "AM sucks," I should point out that among my radios is one AM radio I bought in 1964 at age six. A GE portable that proudly displays "8 Transistor" on its face plate, it was my first "major purchase" ($10, at the time). I used it for years, still have it, and last time I checked, it still worked.

I wasn't _always_ such a curmudgeon... :)