An interesting perspective on shortwave broadcasting

[WB2YGF]

as far as "hundreds of local AM & FM BCB stations with entertaining and relevant content?" THAT is a matter of opinion... 

LOL, agreed. What is entertaining or relevant is in the eyes (ears?) of the beholder.

[flintstone mop]

Stepping back in this thread a little to the big conglomerates buying mom and pop stations.
The purchase of WOWO.
I forget who the organization / company was that bought WOWO specifically to reduce power at night so that their New York AM could increase power at night.
That kinda screwed the public out of hearing WOWO at night.
The argument was that people aren't interested in out of town stations any more.

I thought that WOWO had a large following of truck drivers who would call in their favorites and enjoyed the programming of WOWO.

It seems like there's still a large number of listeners who enjoy out of town stations, by the complaints from the interference to these stations by IBOC.

Fred

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Explain trying to stop certain groups from exercising their rights as not being unAmerican. Money has nothing to do with it. Hendrix was a drug addict who killed himself - not even in the same universe as those who wrote the Constitution.

[WB2YGF]

I forget who the organization / company was that bought WOWO specifically to reduce power at night so that their New York AM could increase power at night.

Because WOWO's Nighttime Skywave Service caused WLIB, also 1190 kHz, in New York City to cease broadcasting at sunset each day and resume broadcasting at sunrise, Inner Cities Broadcasting bought WOWO in 1994 so that they could transfer WOWO's FCC clear-channel license to WLIB, owned by Inner Cities Broadcasting. This reduced WOWO's potential audience—referred to as WOWOland—from much of the eastern United States to a much smaller local region in northern Indiana, northwestern Ohio, and south-central Michigan. Before the power reduction, when WLIB signed off at night, WOWO's air signal came booming through the speakers into the WLIB air studio.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WOWO

[k4kyv]

My wife's sister's husband in England had a car radio with longwave, MW, shortwave and FM.  All he ever listened to was FM, and he told me that "nobody" in the UK ever listens to non-FM radio stations any more.

The BBC quit broadcasting not only to the US/Canada, but also to Australia and New Zealand.  One would think those would be the four countries with the Beeb's largest international English-speaking audience, but they claimed surveys showed that the number of listeners did not justify the expense of maintaining the service.

I wonder how many people really listen to any of the privately-owned US SWBC stations these days, including WBCQ.  BTW, WRNO is back on the air, recently bought by some religious outfit.  I think the original station went dark mainly because the brains/wallet behind the operation died (forget his name).

There was a 500 kw longwave broadcast outlet in Sweden that used a directional array of multiple 1000'+ towers, that went dark in the early 80's.  The reason?  They took a survey and found that the station had only about 200 regular listeners.  Such a small audience couldn't justify the tremendous expense of keeping the transmitter on the air.

BTW, longwave broadcast propagation last night was the best I have ever heard yet.  Two megawatt French-speaking German border blaster Europe 1 on 183 kHz was absolutely entertainment quality for well over an hour, and many other stations were clearly audible until at least 0630 GMT, including several above 200 kHz that were over-riding the aircraft beacons.

[W9GT]

I forget who the organization / company was that bought WOWO specifically to reduce power at night so that their New York AM could increase power at night.

Because WOWO's Nighttime Skywave Service caused WLIB, also 1190 kHz, in New York City to cease broadcasting at sunset each day and resume broadcasting at sunrise, Inner Cities Broadcasting bought WOWO in 1994 so that they could transfer WOWO's FCC clear-channel license to WLIB, owned by Inner Cities Broadcasting. This reduced WOWO's potential audience—referred to as WOWOland—from much of the eastern United States to a much smaller local region in northern Indiana, northwestern Ohio, and south-central Michigan. Before the power reduction, when WLIB signed off at night, WOWO's air signal came booming through the speakers into the WLIB air studio.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WOWO

I'm in Fort Wayne, I've lived here virtually all of my life.....so I know about WOWO's long standing as a tradition and a wonderful powerhouse that was widely known, but its all about money!!  WLIB and the company (family) that owns it represent a much bigger local market (NYC) and much bigger clout that anything out here in "fly-over" country.  WOWO could only really depend on local advertisers for revenue and even though it was great tradition and great PR to be world-renowned for their great coverage, they couldn't sustain that with local advertising.  IMHO it is much the same with short wave broadcasters...they just are not big money makers.  They are more for wide dissemination of PR (propaganda) and/or various causes including religious interests.

I went to a concert several years ago in which several 50-60's groups played.  Lou Christie (Lightnin's Striking Again) was one of the performers and he told the story of how he really knew he had made it when he heard his records being played on WOWO at night back in the 60's.  WOWO was an institution, very well known and revered as a great station back then.  It is now a "talk-radio" daytime 50KW and nite-time 9800 watt ghost of its former greatness.  I still listen, but I certainly know that its not the "old" WOWO. 

73,  Jack, W9GT

[WB2YGF]

The BBC quit broadcasting not only to the US/Canada, but also to Australia and New Zealand.  One would think those would be the four countries with the Beeb's largest international English-speaking audience, but they claimed surveys showed that the number of listeners did not justify the expense of maintaining the service.

Ironically, I listen to the BBC now more than I ever did (in HD) because WHYY FM (NPR) ends their own programming and broadcasts the BBC world service from midnight to 6 AM every weeknight.  I listen on my HD clock radio and a pillow speaker and it helps me relax.

I suspect the BBC is getting more listeners in the US this way than they ever did on SW.  The BBC can also be heard on XM Radio and over the Internet, so its not all bad news, but actually a shift to higher quality, more reliable, lower cost, distribution channels which is good news.

The Financial Times of London is printed right here in NJ and arrives on my doorstep every morning.  A testament to our shrinking world.

[ka3zlr]

Still, in the "Conclusion" Paragraph is the Point I agree with the most....

America as people seek a source of news and information that is unfettered by the forces of political correctness and government policy. 

Some folks are waking up and that is a good thing...

[ka3zlr]

Explain trying to stop certain groups from exercising their rights as not being unAmerican. Money has nothing to do with it. Hendrix was a drug addict who killed himself - not even in the same universe as those who wrote the Constitution.

Nice try Huz.. I gave it an overnight to cool off...there is no answer to my question to you, I figured you'd pick up on that......... because there are very Few Americans that can separate themselves from the system...let alone stand up an make a difference........ that's a dream...

Yours mine the version of Americana that alot of us were fed that we enjoyed in long gone days Does not exist today, especially in this business that this thread is about... your not gona sit there an expect me to believe in this monopolistic out of control system wide grab the cash environment ... that folks are being American...naaa i just don't see it....

[wa2dtw]

Any insights into why "long wave" broadcasting never made it beyond region 1? 

[Fred k2dx]

WOWO was such a powerhouse back in the day that as a youngster I could listen on a crystal radio from the Jersey shore. No outside antenna either, clipped to my bedspring! That was after midnight of course - when the local station, WCMC, signed. That qualifies as strapping!

[W3RSW]

Wikipedia is a notorious left leaning source of just about anything that can be politically slanted including science and technology.  Experts in every worthwhile infrastructure, scientific, engineering and application industry get their factual posts overwritten by those with grant driven agendae.

History is being overwritten by the takers instead of the makers and givers...  Come to think of it, I guess this has always been so.

Amazing what tax dollars can buy, especially when in competition with ever more taxed private resources.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Amazing what tax dollars can buy, especially when in competition with ever more taxed private resources.

Right up there with the amount of it that gets posted on sites like 'fone for trolling. At least this one is 'related' to radio, though it reminds me of the 'Phillipino Monkey' garbage posted last year with similar results. 

WOWO was such a powerhouse back in the day that as a youngster I could listen on a crystal radio from the Jersey shore. No outside antenna either, clipped to my bedspring! That was after midnight of course - when the local station, WCMC, signed. That qualifies as strapping!

Indeed. WOWO used to pound into VT as well, Fred. It was one of the few stations you could count on hearing reliably. WWVA was another, except they could be heard fine on any summer afternoon. No need to wait for night.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Please show me where I said anything like "this monopolistic out of control system wide grab the cash environment ... that folks are being American." That wasn't even part of the discussion. The point was that you seemed to be in favor of not allowing certain groups exercise their rights of free speech and freedom of religion. You can put any spin on it you'd like, blame the system, money, Jimi Hendrix, and so on and I'll still see it as unAmerican.

There have been excuses to not follow the Constitution since it was written and there always will be. But you either stand for something or you stand for nothing. You choose.

Explain trying to stop certain groups from exercising their rights as not being unAmerican. Money has nothing to do with it. Hendrix was a drug addict who killed himself - not even in the same universe as those who wrote the Constitution.

Nice try Huz.. I gave it an overnight to cool off...there is no answer to my question to you, I figured you'd pick up on that......... because there are very Few Americans that can separate themselves from the system...let alone stand up an make a difference........ that's a dream...

Yours mine the version of Americana that alot of us were fed that we enjoyed in long gone days Does not exist today, especially in this business that this thread is about... your not gona sit there an expect me to believe in this monopolistic out of control system wide grab the cash environment ... that folks are being American...naaa i just don't see it....