[BC] Early FM Growth. Its Cause

[Wade Giddens]

I remember when I first worked in radio in 1981, we would sign off 
the AM station at sundown with a script that invited the audience to 
listen to the stereo sound of the FM station until 10:00.  The 
stations were simulcast most of the time that both were on the 
air.  I had this weird picture in my head of somebody grumbling that 
the AM station was signing off, so they'd have to switch the radio to 
FM until the next morning, when they could listen to the AM again.

As I remember the story, several years ago, a college student who 
worked at an AM station told me that she had told another student 
that she worked at a radio station.  When she told the student what 
station it was, and what the frequency was on the AM dial, the 
response was something like, "I didn't know there were AM stations, 
anymore."   Maybe there were no AM stations in her hometown, 
anymore.  My hometown used to have 3 AM stations.  Now, it has none.

Another college student, in a different part of the state,  told me a 
few years ago that he usually listens to AM!  He said he listens to 
an all-sports format AM station.  Here are my suggestions for AM 
radio:  Give people programming for which there is a demand, that is 
NOT available in that market on FM, make sure the station has good 
sound quality, is programmed in a professional manner, and is heavily 
promoted so that people know that it exists.  You can't make everyone 
like a particular station, but they SHOULD know that it exists.