Re: [IRCA] IBOC DX'ing

["David Gleason" <david@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I would like to clarify one issue regarding the current state of AM 

And what is that state? Less than 40% of Americans even use AM today, and
less than 20% of the listening at any one time, nationally, is to AM. In
1977, nearly 60% of radio listening was to AM. 

In 1985, less than 40% was to AM. What happened in that 8-year period?  

My view, as a participant and manager at the time was that it had to do with
one principal factor: AM stereo. The industry was ready to go in 1978 with a
system. One of the AM stereo designs lost, and tossed the entire matter into
a legal issue that lasted so long that AM lost half its remaining audience
before it was settled. 

Only the Reagan era repeal of the Farness Doctrine afforded AM radio some
reliefr in the form of the ability to do issue related shows without having
to grant equal time. While talk radio has served AM well, most Americans do
not listen to talk radio and those that do are older. The momentum AM had
was lost, and it is fundamentally due to the delay in AM stereo, which
became too little too late. 

Couple that with the expansion of most US metros out of the coverage area of
most AMs (DC has not one Am that covers the full metro, for example) and you
have the current state of AM. Not consolidation, not some conspiracy. Just a
series of events and errors that have made AM less than viable for most
staitons today. 

-----Original Message-----
From: irca-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:irca-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Patrick Martin
Sent: Sunday, September 18, 2005 11:07 PM
To: Mailing list for the International Radio Club ofAmerica
Subject: Re: [IRCA] IBOC DX'ing

Guys, lets keep this under control. Keep your tempers. If this is going
to be an issue, lets drop the subject. We sure do not want another
"NRC". Remember we are all friends here.

73,

Patrick

Patrick Martin
Seaside  OR
KAVT Reception Manager

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