Is there any FCC rule which states all talk radio must be an AM Band?

[liberalnurse]

Why do we not find talk shows on any FM stations? I'm assuming there must be a law or rule. I was thinking about this when exploring the option of expanding Progressive Talk Radio.

Oh, by the way. There was a TERRIFIC segment last night on C-Span 2. "After Words"

This is what got me thinking on the subject of the post:

http://www.booktv.org/feature/index.asp?segID=7910&schedID=474

On Saturday, February 3 at 9:00 pm and Sunday, February 4 at 6:00 pm and at 9:00 pm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After Words: Eric Klinenberg, author of "Fighting for Air: The Battle to Control America's Media" interviewed by Ben Scott
Description: Eric Klinenberg is an associate professor of sociology at New York University and the author of "Heat Wave," about the 1995 heat wave that took the lives of over 700 people in Chicago. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, The Nation, and Rolling Stone. His latest book, "Fighting for Air," looks at the control of local media by companies like Clear Channel, Sinclair Broadcasting, and the Tribune Company. Prof. Klinenberg is interviewed by Ben Scott, policy director for Free Press (www.freepress.net) and co-editor of "The Future of Media: Resistance and Reform in the 21st Century."

[bluerum]

1. It might have something to do with the economics. AM may be simpler

to transmit. It requires less sophisticated broadcast equipment. FM has the potential for much more fidelity but that comes at a cost.

I don't think there is any FCC rule relegating talk to AM - I have heard plenty of FM talk shows.

[Tesha]

3. Bluerum is right -- It's economics.

Bluerum is right -- It's economics.

Rule #1: Essentially all of the possible frequencies have
already been allocated in all of the interesting markets.
So frequencies on your dial are like real estate: They
ain't makin' any more of it.

Rule #2: AM's sound sucks compared to FM and now, with
Digital FM ("HD Radio"), each FM channel can carry several
different programs or even better quality sound. AM is
pretty much good enough for voice/talk, though.

So FM is the rich neighborhood with the very nice houses.
AM is the run-down neighborhood.

Guess which neighborhood is more affordable (but still out
of your or my league)?

Tesha

[liberalnurse]

4. I see more FM stations than AM

stations for sale. Plus, FM stations seem to have a greater range than the listed AM stations for sale. We need at least 5.0 kilowatts which Clear Channel has the "monopoly"......many AM station on the block are 1.0 or less......

I did hear that Clear Channel was unloading about 100 stations......O8)

[Tesha]

13. "Range" is a funny concept for AM stations

> Plus, FM stations seem to have a greater range than the
> listed AM stations for sale.

"Range" is a funny concept for AM stations.

FM stations are basically line-of-sight and have a
pretty constant range at all times of the day depending
on their Effective Radiated Power (ERP).

But AM stations behave much differently at night than
they do during the day. Among other things, their signal
can be reflected by the ionosphere, leading to the phen-
omenon of "skip" (where reflections of the station are
heard far, far from the station itself). In fact, the term
"Clear Channel" implies an AM radio channel that
is basically unused everywhere except for one location
(so at night, you can, for example, get New York's
WABC, AM 770 or Washington, DC's WTOP, AM 820,
far, far away in places like Buffalo or maybe even
Chicago).

In fact, many AM stations are licensed for differing amounts
of power during the day and night so, perhaps, 5KW during
the day but only 500 Watts after sunset.

Also, many more AM stations than FM stations use "directional
antennas" so they can radiate more power along, say the
length of New Hampshire rather than out into the Atlantic
ocean.

Tesha

[bluerum]

14. Yes - but you are at the mercy of atmospheric conditions. They are

not always favorable to "skipping" of radio waves.

[NoPasaran]

2. No

I think that in some places Air America has been on FM.

The reason why most talk radio is on AM is that the audience for music moved to FM due to its higher audio quality. This left the holders of AM licenses the options of finding alternative programming or going dark. Talk radio fits the bill since the lower audio quality of AM isn't such a factor.

[Retired AF Dem]

5. WVNN radio out of Huntsville AL

Transmits Shawn, Rush and all the others on both 770 am and 92.5 fm. I have to admit I do listen to this station during the spring and the month of November. Best local station for keeping out of the path of tornadoes.

http://www.wvnn.com/

[bananas]

6. FM is stereo, AM is mono

FM has higher sound quality in addition to being stereo.
There are talk shows on FM, for example "Talk of the Nation".
Most PBS stations are FM.
Howard Stern used to be on FM.

[sendero]

7. As already said..

... this is an economic, not a regulatory, issue.

FM stations cost a lot more money than AM stations because they command a larger audience.

Frankly, it is a rare day I even tune to AM radio any more, and I doubt I'm alone in that.

[fishwax]

8. the only time I tune to AM, generally, is when I'm traveling, because the signal will last

longer with AM. So if I want a break from CDs on a long road trip I'll flip through the AM dial. Other than that, it's pretty rare for me. :)

[sam sarrha]

10. i only listen to AM cause it has AAR, FM is for PBS.. i """HATE""'' corporate music

[sam sarrha]

9. looks like someone is financing the Xing's to take over the last AAR stations

[Nikki Stone1]

11. There's FM talk in LA

97.1

[Davis_X_Machina]

12. FM talk here in Portland, ME.

And in many other markets --Philadelphia, Boston, Phoenix, New York...

There are 71 FM stations running the format. This number does not include the FM half of AM-FM pairs...