The Power of FM over AM

Wow. This article from the Boston Globe really brings it home.

We've all known for a few years now that AM Radio, as a medium, was slipping badly. Traditional cornerstones of AM formats...sports and talk...were losing market share, and several major AM signals were electing to simulcast on an FM station and seeing positive results. At the same time, we're also seeing a lot of traditional AM formats bypassing AM altogether and starting on FM, also with positive results.

One place near and dear to my heart where this has been playing out is Boston, where many, many years of market dominance by WEEI 850AM (sports) and WBZ 1030AM (news) are radically shifting. WBZ still has a killer signal; one of the best AM signals in the USA, actually...famous for being heard in 38 states...and able to hurl almost 100,000 watts across an AM-friendly saltwater path right into Boston. Even so, WBZ has seen increasing competition from local (and national) NPR powerhouse WBUR and, more recently, WGBH's flip to mostly-NPR-news, too.

But it's WEEI that's the most eye-opening. After two years of losing substantial market share to upstart SportsHub 98.5 (aka WBZ-FM) despite WEEI having the Red Sox games...Entercom finally killed off Mike 93.7FM and simulcast WEEI on the 93.7 signal.

I Hate Only a Game

My best friend Gabe works for NPR's Only a Game. They're sending him to cover the Superbowl.

Lucky bastard.

Even worse, he's a %!^!@#% 49'ers fan. He doesn't even like the Patriots. I have been a die-hard Patriots fan for over twenty years. I was screaming at the TV in 1986 as the Bears demolished the Groanin' Grogan Boys. I was in the streets of Boston after the glorious Super Bowl XXXVI.

And, of course, there's absolutely nothing Gabe can do to get me into Arizona this Sunday.

I don't blame him for that. But I hate him anyways. Pffffttt!!!!!

There are No Guarantees in the NFL

He's not technically a rookie, but damned if he didn't make a rookie mistake. Hey Anthony Smith! Never make a "guarantee" in the NFL! Especially if you're saying you're going to beat the Patriots.

What a dumass!

Oh yeah, the Red Sox won...

Some Red Sox fan I am...I didn't even remember to blog about it until four days afterwards. SHAME on me!!

Well, in my defense, the night they won I was going thoroughly insane trying to pack up all my (and my wife's) crap to move to another state. Thank God they won in Colorado...I'd hate to drive a giant UHaul truck through hordes of celebrating Sox fans.

And to make it even more delicious, A-Rod is gone, and they were DUMB enough to let Torre go. Now, let's just pray that Theo & Company are smart enough to re-sign Mike Lowell before smoking enough crack to think that A-Rod is worth bringing to Boston. (shudder)

You know, driving down the NY Thruway they have lots of rest stops with little convenience stores, and many of them sell Yankees shirts and whatnot. Many of them say "Got Rings?"

I ask "Any this century?" :-)

Now if the Patriots can beat the Colts tomorrow, it will TRULY be a big week for me!
Update: To dream...the impossible dream...

The confusion of victory, the stunned disbelief of defeat

Wow. That was a heck of a game against the Chargers last night. I mean, I'm happy the Patriots won. But man did they pull that win outta their collective arsehole.

Next stop, Indianapolis! The Boston Globe's Eric Wilbur is getting a little ahead of himself, but he's also got a point. The Colts have a proven record of choking in the playoffs...especially against the Patriots. And while upsets happen, I've yet to hear anyone thing the NFC stands a chance against the AFC. Especially since the Patriots beat the Bears even with a bunch of turnovers the last time they met, and the Bears are supposedly the best the NFC has to offer.

Before I was saying that you didn't need Adam Vinateri when you've got WMWM in the clutch...but more realistically it appears you don't need "Mr. Clutch" when you've got Stephen Gostkowski, either. Kid's got a serious leg. He's even cute - according to my wife, anyways. :-)

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Update: Yeah, the Patriots lost. Man did they piss that game away against the Colts. This is gonna be a rough Superbowl. I hate the Bears because they wiped the floor with the old "Groanin' Grogan" Patsies back in Superbowl XX. I hate the Colts because they're our modern-day archrivals. Whom do I hate more...whom, indeed...?

Okay, I've decided I'd rather see the Colts lose. First, the 1985 Bears are long gone...this is an entirely different team, that's had to endure some seriously lousy seasons in recent years. When you haven't won a Superbowl in two decades, I suppose it's fair to say you've paid your dues.

Second, it'd be more fun to know that despite beating the Patriots, Manning still chokes in the playoffs. And by God, he didn't show grit in that win over my boys...no, the Patriots just gave the game away with some terrible defense. The Raiders could've beaten the Patriots in the second half of that game.

Plus it serves Vinatieri right for bolting on us. Come to think of it, if Vinatieri hadn't left for the Colts, he might not've kicked five field goals for the truly hideous Colts win over the Ravens a few weeks ago, and the Patriots could've stomped on the Ravens to be in the Superbowl now. Grrrr...

Who Needs Vinateri When You've Got WMWM in the Clutch!?!?

Now this is what college radio is all about. Apparently the recent sale of local AM station WESX left the annual Thanksgiving Salem/Beverly high school footgame game without a signal to broadcast on. This game is a big deal in these suburbs of Boston...it's a VERY old rivalry (started in 1900) between the two towns' high schools.

But with less than 48 hours notice, brave volunteers and students for Salem State College's WMWM 91.7FM set up a deal with MooreStuffOnline to simulcast their web feed so everyone got to hear the game! And this year, in stereo FM no less!

Congrats to all on a job well done!

Congrats also to Stephen Gostowski; the Patriots' kicker nailed a 52 yard field goal this weekend against the Bears...longest of his career!