Silent Mourning: Five AM Radio Licenses Surrendered

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On Monday (5/24), as RBR+TVBR on April 20 first reported would occur, Cumulus Media ceased analog broadcast transmissions for an AM radio station licensed for 1,000 watts from 1 tower located in southern Westchester County, N.Y. It’s now operating solely in HD Radio, with a Talk format including The Dan Bongino Show the centerpiece of what’s being branded as “AM1230Digital.”


While that transition points to a possibly rosier revitalization of the senior radio broadcast band in an era where Tesla electric vehicles do not come equipped with AM radios and most kHz-based properties benefit from FM translators to attract younger audiences, present-day challenges for some operators may be too demanding to even consider a future benefit.

No less than five AM radio stations in the last week have surrendered their respective licenses to the FCC. In one case, the move avoids a license revocation hearing. But, for the other AMs, it is simply a realization that FM and audio streaming are more viable options for local consumers.

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