[BC] Interesting IBUZ article & WTWP

[Robert Meuser]

If there were a new broadcast band, it should be 100% digital from the 
beginning. As to the other comments such things might happen in a 
dictatorship but not here.

R

Kevin Tekel wrote:

>Douglas B. Pritchett wrote:
>  
>
>>In addition, you have the simpletons who's solution to the whole 
>>interference/noise floor issue is to elimnate all those "little 
>>stations" that are clogging up the band.
>>    
>>
>
>I would not eliminate them, I would *upgrade* them to a new band, or
>at least to FM.  Remember, the proliferation of wireless Internet,
>as well as expanded satellite radio offerings when XM and Sirius
>merge, are going to further eat away at the audience of terrestrial
>radio.  That alone is going to open up new opportunities for AM and
>FM stations to make changes and move to better signals.  However,
>if you move your 500-watt AM signal to FM, the difference is that I
>would not let the AM signal be re-sold.  Just like what Canada is
>doing with their mass transition of stations from AM to FM, the
>abandoned AM stations would go dark for good.
>
>Your station may be one of many exceptions, but there is no question that
>the AM band is clogged up with hundreds of useless stations with poor
>signals and no worthwhile programming, like a 1000-watt AM simulcasting
>the signal of a 50,000-watt FM station in the same city, or a station
>broadcasting syndicated programming 24/7 with no local content except the
>hourly ID and a few commercials.
>
>If a station doesn't meet certain criteria in regards to "serving its
>community", then it should be declassified to non-commercial, non-
>religious status.  Even having a bunch of high school kids playing their
>favorite CDs on the air for a few hours a day is better than having a
>useless simulcast which no one listens to.  If we don't help keep AM and
>FM radio a viable medium in terms of programming, then it will render
>itself obsolete no matter what kind of technical improvements we try to
>make to it!
>  
>