We had some more storms roll in last night, like we did not have enough the past 4 weeks. I am not sure if it was worse, up by the stateline. If it was, that could be it.
Permanently silent? Not yet. But you will see the AM's go dark at a much faster clip going forward. Some will go silent, some will be taken IP delivered. I believe most oil the Top10/20 markets will be the last to go, either way. The bigger blowtorches will be sold off to the highest bidders, even if for pennies. The big problem there is the high up keep to run AM stations (electricity, hardware, land, insurance).
For FM's, you will see the unrated and smaller markets being sold off en mass, fire sale, by Cumulus and iHeart. The larger markets will either see companies ask to lift the cap limits (ie: Connoisseur). On the other hand, for example iHeart fending off massive bankruptcy to the point they will not be able to resurrect the ashes to keep on, will start selling off the larger market stations in pieces as the migrate to national or IP based delivery.
The end has begun. The bright side John? AM and FM DX might get better for us, at least in the short term.
Z
Re: Noticed today: 1220 WKRS IL & 1050 WLIP both off
Dude, SW besides being assailed by RF from LED's and Computers and Routers, etc.... now is being desecrated by million watt transmitters run by millionaire and billionaires, used for speculative trading purposes. In the day and age of IP based digital technology why the hell would you want to use SW bands for that? Except to pollute the bands where they are not usable for the common folk especially in 3rd world countries. I yet once again, digress.....
John, the rich, corporations, etc will not be happy until the whole spectrum is not available to the public, except to cell phone companies and other interested capitalistic entities. 🤷🏻♂️
Z
Re: Noticed today: 1220 WKRS IL & 1050 WLIP both off
on August 19, 2026, 7:16 am