CLEAR CHANNEL STATIONS Remember "clear channel stations"? Those were stations who were given frequencies on which there was little to no competition. One could hear those stations over very large geographic areas with minimal receiving equipment. Richard Kuntz and Jeff Elliot discussed clear channel stations in one of the OTR Digest issues. Ken Piletic added even more information in a later issue, and Bill Pfeiffer gave the current status. ------------------------------------------ From: je@crl.com (Jeff Elliott) > Richard Kunz asked: >Back when the concept of clear channels was adopted (oh, for the good old >days), certain frequencies were assigned as such to large cities. I have >always wondered why the 2-1/2 network flagship stations happened (?) to >be assigned as they were--and why the assignment of the O&Os in Chicago >only used the same formula. > >In New York: WEAF (NBC/Red) 660 kc; WJZ (NBC/Blue) 770 kc, WABC (CBS) >880 kc. Note that these three stations are separated by exactly 110 kc. > >In Chicago: WMAQ (NBC/Red) 670 kc; WBBM (CBS) 780 kc; WENR (NBC/Blue) >890 kc. Note that these three stations are also separated by exactly 110 kc. > >Nowhere else in the country were the O&Os so symmetrical. Coincidence--or >some peculiar governmental quirk? It's a fascinating bit of radio history, best explained in "The Early Days of Radio Broadcasting," by George Douglas (ISBN 0-89950-285-7). Anarchy reigned in those days, and government attempts at control were less than ept. In 1922, there were almost 700 licensed stations--all broadcasting on the SAME frequency of 618.6 kc. By the end of the year they added two more frequencies, 833 kc and 750 kc. Even with three whole frequencies available (!) the situation grew worse. From page 95: "By the end of 1926 it was impossible in most geographic areas to receive a consistent broadcast signal. In large metropolitan areas things became completely intolerable. At this time New York had 38 stations; Chicago 40. Listeners usually weren't getting anything but babble and conflicting sounds." The result was the Radio Control Bill of 1927. The entire 500-1,500 kc wavelength was given over to standard broadcasting, and the Federal Radio Commission (precursor to the FCC) began to assign the frequencies that still survive today. Douglas doesn't mention the uniform spacing, but it's likely that it was intended to keep the powerful, clear-channel signals from Chicago and NY--the biggest radio markets in the country--from stepping on the toes of smaller, regional broadcasters. In other words, to let WEAF/NY at 660 kc wrestle with the WMAQ/Chicago signal at 670 kc, but keep the 600-640 kc frequency assigned to low-power stations in Podunk Ohio, Fishigan Michigan, and Beesweat Kentucky, for example. Douglas paints an amusing picture of the FRC spreading huge maps spread over every inch of available floor space as they try to puzzle together a workable scheme. ------------------------------ From: KENPILETIC@aol.com Hi Gang - August 14, 1996 -- Wednesday 9:40 PM cdt In issue 280, Ken Greenwald posted an interesting and informative article about KFI in Los Angeles. In that posting he indicated that KFI became a "clear channel" station when it went to 50,000 watts. This is true, but that's not the whole story about clear channel stations. The "clear channel" comes from the fact that the station does not share its frequency at night. I believe it was in 1934 that the FCC created 27 clear channel stations. These stations were located in different parts of the United States, to provide radio service to a very wide area. These "clear channel stations" were the only stations on the frequency AT NIGHT. This is because the ionosphere (mentioned by Mr. Greenwald) creates skip conditions on broadcast frequencies at night, so if the channel is clear (no other station on that frequency) the signals carry great distances. Most clear channel stations ran the maximum legal power, 50,000 watts. Radio receivers in the 1930's and early 1940's required outside aerials. Since many local and regional stations went off the air at night, it was possible for a modest radio receiver to receive stations a thousand or more miles away. The clear channel permitted the the listener to hear the station without interference from any other station. Some of the clear channels and their stations were: 650 WSM, Nashville, TN; 700 WLW, Cincinnati, OH; 720 WGN, Chicago, IL; 750 WSB, Atlanta, GA; 820 WBAP, Ft.Worth, TX; 840 WHAS, Louisville, KY; 850 KOA, Denver, CO; 870; WWL New Orleans, LA. (seems to me I posted a listing of most clear channel stations in a very early issue of the otrdigest) I don't know all the stations, but I know that in the 1940's I used to "DX the Broadcast Band", and it was not unusual to listen to WBZ in Boston and KSL in Salt Lake City and hear them as well as WGN in Chicago. In fact, as recently as 1950 I recorded some of my otr material from distant clear channel stations (it wasn't considered otr back then). There are no more Clear Channel Stations. There are still plenty of 50,000 watt stations, but none of them "serve the nation" any more. Some wag might even wonder if they serve anybody. Happy Taping -- Ken Piletic, Streamwood, Illinois kenpiletic@aol.com -------------------------------- From: wdp (AIRWAVES MEDIA) Subject: Re: Clear Channels In a few words... "there aint no such thing any more". What was once a clear channel is no more. The last one was WLW in Cincinnati Ohio on 700 Khz. Even when there were clear channels, there were many which were 'semi-clear' channels, meaning that two major stations were on the air, usually serving opposite sides of the continent, at night. Both would be 50,000 watts, but would use directional antennas to protect one-another. The truly clear channels had only 1 signal at night in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Such as WLS, WGN, WABC, WNBC, WHO, KFI, etc etc. Now there are NO clear channels in the USA. What were clears are most accurately called 'regionals', in that they have a protected contour of, about, 750 miles. But many are not even really dominant beyond 500 miles. OK it is not exactly OTR, but you guys caught my interest. If you want to see what stations exist on what frequencies, go to the AIRWAVES FCC Database viewer on the web. The URL is... http://www.airwaves.com/fccdb.html. Follow the SIMPLE instructions. Have fun. William Pfeiffer Administrator: Old Time Radio Digest wdp@airwaves.com Web: http://www.airwaves.com -------------------------------