Federal Communications Commissioner Ajit Pai spoke at the National Association of Broadcaster’s Radio Show gathering on Friday. He talked up AM radio “revitalization,” a topic suddenly hot now that The New York Times explored it earlier this month. Here are some of Pai’s ideas (some firm; others more tentative): 1. Repeal the FCC’s “ratchet rule” […]
Archive | AM Radio
Will the Gray Lady’s attention energize AM radio revitalization?
This week the New York Times moved AM Radio into the mainstream consciousness with a story about FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai’s ambition to save the oft-forgotten broadcast band. There’s nothing new in the story that we haven’t covered here at Radio Survivor. But the attention of the Old Gray Lady may add a little steam […]
Sydney Australia’s AM radio revival
An interesting item from the Sydney Morning Herald: as the Australian political scene heats up, Sydney radio listeners are massively setting their ears to AM signals. “In a clear victory for the older spectrum in times of political upheaval, all of the commercial AM stations except 2UE recorded gains in their audience,” notes Herald entertainment […]
Ekko Radio Reception Stamp Hints at Early Days of Radio at Haverford College
I was doing a random search on Twitter this weekend when I ran across a photo of a radio reception stamp for the first Haverford College radio station WABQ. It turns out that some of the current radio station participants at Haverford College found this gem on eBay, just in time for this year’s 90th […]
FCC Commissioner Pai advocates AM revitalization and radio regs revision during Pittsburgh visit
FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai visited Pittsburgh’s historic KDKA-AM on Tuesday, meeting with the Pittsburgh Radio Broadcasters’ Rountable. KDKA is the first commercial station in the US, and Pai reflected on Pittsburgh radio history as he told the roundtable that radio regulations are “overdue for an overhaul.” Pai reiterated his support for the revitalization of the […]
Better than reality, more than make believe: radio’s re-creation of baseball
In 1957 the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants baseball teams simultaneously left New York, the Dodgers to Los Angeles and the Giants to San Francisco. I was 10 years old. I loved the Dodgers more than anything in the world. I carried my large pre-transistor radio with me wherever I went so I […]
Radio Day by the Bay Happening this Saturday in Berkeley
San Francisco Bay Area radio junkies can look forward to the California Historical Radio Society‘s (CHRS) annual Radio Day by the Bay this Saturday, July 20. I attended for the first time last year and I was amazed by all of the exciting sights and sounds for radio fans. This year there will be a […]
Independent WHVW celebrates 50 years broadcasting Americana on the AM dial
While we devote a fair amount of coverage to non-commercial radio, we at Radio Survivor have a special place in our hearts for unique and independent commercial stations. In particular, I’m always thrilled to learn about stations broadcasting music on the AM dial, which is otherwise packed full of the same old syndicated talk programs […]
YMF Files Paperwork to Assign KVTO-AM and KVVN-AM to Pham Radio Communication
YMF Media has submitted paperwork with the FCC in the hopes of assigning the licenses for KVTO 1400 AM (Berkeley, CA) and KVVN 1430 AM (Santa Clara, CA) to Pham Radio Communication. According to the asset purchase agreement, YMF Media will be paid $6 million for the station sales. Currently the California Historical Radio Society […]
Clear Channel: fixed date for digital AM conversion would be “challenging”
Federal Communications Commissioner Ajit Pai and his Chief of Staff Matthew Berry conferenced with two executives from Clear Channel on Wednesday. They talked up a variety of issues. The meeting’s last item caught my eye. I presume from the language of the filed summary that Pai asked Clear Channel Vice Presidents Jeff Littlejohn and Jessica […]