Re: ghosts of am's past

[SteveOrdinetz <steveord@wavewizard.com>]

At 03:53 PM 5/29/00 EDT, Dib9@aol.com wrote:
>
>As for the dark AMs in rural Maine: in most cases those stations where the 
>first and only allocations to those areas.  When FM allocations where later 
>added, the AMs become less important and faded away.
>


Another factor here that no one has mentioned.  20 years ago a station
owner could make a passable living on "Main St" businesses.  These
businesses could usually be counted on to buy time on the local station.
Then along came Walmart, Home Depot, Rite Aid and the like.  These
companies, when the use radio at all deal thru agencies, who go strictly by
the numbers.  As Mom & Pop businesses folded, there went the financial
support.