Spring Arbs Shockers - Now the Future of AM

[A. Joseph Ross]

On 27 May 2006 at 21:04, Roger Kolakowski wrote:

> 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.

That's about what I'm thinking.  But for that to happen, the whole 
IBOC thing has to go on the AM band or the cost of equipment has to 
come down.  And the large chains have to decide that AM stations 
aren't worth keeping and be willing to unload them at rock-bottom 
prices.

Or else someone has to get the idea that running local media is 
something that a large conglomerate should do.  Since large chains 
own a lot of local weekly newspapers, this isn't all that far-
fetched.

And then the stations have to be able to advertise their existence 
somehow in other local media.
 
> 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.

That could actually help transform the AM band by making it something 
the large companies will want to get out of.

-- 
A. Joseph Ross, J.D.                           617.367.0468
 15 Court Square, Suite 210                 Fax 617.742.7581
Boston, MA 02108-2503           	         http://www.attorneyross.com