Spring Arbs Shockers - Now the Future of AM

[Roger Kolakowski]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve West"
>>I have a theory... that no matter how optimistic people are about it, once
the audience leaves an AM station, for any reason, they DON'T COME BACK.
Ever.  The reason:  thanks to all our electronic gadgetry today, the AM band
is almost unlistenable and unless people have a specific reason to listen to
an AM station (I.E. WBZ for news or WEEI for the Red Sox), they don't and
won't change to the AM band.<<

Steve et al...

My theory is that the future of the AM band, especially in an FM saturated
area such as Boston, is exactly what it is moving away from now. AM Radio is
the perfect local replacement for the newspaper you no longer have time to
read. Local news, sports, weather, business news, commentary...everything
that the LPFM's want to provide could be done on 1Kw AM stations and if they
remained commercial, the spots sold at "local AM rates," to local
advertisers (how far are you going to drive for a meal, social activities,
tires, auto repair, and how far will local landscapers, painters, roofers
drive to work on your house?) they could become viable "Mom and Pop"
organizations.

Perhaps going back to ownership by local businesses, as an outlet for their
product or by organizations again, spreading their good will, or even cities
or towns, much like local cable TV channels. Local interest is the key.

Of course, station prices would have to come back to reality so that debt
service and costs could be met.

The biggest problem with this ideal is the current demographics are truly
going away with the baby boomers, and if some thing doesn't start happening
soon, there won't be anyone listening.

Roger
WA1KAT