AM radio stations across Canada have been knocked around like bumper cars by new technological changes
by Denise Ryan
January 26, 2025
Depending on who you talk to, the death of AM radio may be inevitable, or greatly exaggerated.
On Feb. 24, CKNW 980 will move down the dial to 730, citing its stronger signal strength.
As technological change accelerates, AM radio stations across Canada have been knocked around like bumper cars.
In a media landscape dominated by podcasts and streaming, and promotion moving to social media, only a hardy few believe AM radio stations will survive.
In February 2024, Bell announced the sale of 45 of its 103 radio stations, a mix of AM and FM, and in 2023 it silenced two AM frequencies in Vancouver, BNN Bloomberg Radio 1410 and Funny 1040.
Broadcast analyst David Bray called the cuts a “bloodbath.”
Lower Mainlanders are still reeling over the loss of AM 730. Metro Vancouver’s all-traffic station provided live reports on the road — piked transport truck, fender bender, car on the shoulder — and also resolution — the arrival of a tow truck, ambulance or road crew.
Its running joke — “The east-west connector isn’t connecting” — became a tagline for all that was wrong, and right, about our commutes and our communities.
When the traffic in the tunnel or the lane or the bridge flowed again, the day was back on track.
“Once all was clear, you just went back to music,” said Brian Antonson, 76, former associate dean of BCIT’s broadcast and media communications program.
Read More HERE
Image: Gerry Davies – CKNW All Night Host
They blame the death of AM radio on technology, like braindead people would, Yes it shares part of the blame, the rest all falls on how poorly these corporate whores have been treating heritage am stations with valuable names like CFUN, CKLG etc.. Traffic 730’s shutdown was a HUGE mistake! Throw it 980!
And you just watch….. 104.3 will change to what they say is a different female oriented format, when in reality it will be the same as z95.3…. because look what happened to Seattle’s easy listening equivilent of the breeze last year!!!
I have always enjoyed AM radio. Speech sounds so much better on AM and the signal can travel very far at night because of “skip”. Picking up a far away AM station “dx-ing” is a great thrill. KSL, KGO, CBK, etc.