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Old 04-29-2013, 08:52 PM
 
1,953 posts, read 3,857,406 times
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Does anyone have any info on how these markets are created? I'm surprised Baltimore and DC are considered separate radio markets. Many stations from both cities can be heard very clearly in the other city. Honestly, whenever I'm driving up and down I-95, the transition of switching from say Q102 in Philly to 99.5 in DC is only a few miles apart somewhere north of Baltimore (near the Susquehanna River).
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Old 04-29-2013, 10:46 PM
 
Location: Baghdad by the Bay (San Francisco, California)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trae713 View Post
Houston is too damn big to only have one Hip-Hop (97.9) and one classic R&B/Soul station (102.1). Will CBS Radio save us?
Clear Channel - dominated Houston is one of the most dismal radio markets in the country. Virtually unlistenable. It could be programmed from anywhere. There is virtually no regionalism or ingenuity in its offerings. Disgraceful.
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Old 04-30-2013, 01:20 AM
 
Location: That star on your map in the middle of the East Coast, DMV
8,017 posts, read 7,392,291 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by soug View Post
Does anyone have any info on how these markets are created? I'm surprised Baltimore and DC are considered separate radio markets. Many stations from both cities can be heard very clearly in the other city. Honestly, whenever I'm driving up and down I-95, the transition of switching from say Q102 in Philly to 99.5 in DC is only a few miles apart somewhere north of Baltimore (near the Susquehanna River).

Years ago I actually reached as far as the Delaware Memorial Bridge going into Jersey and still received 95.5 WPGC from DC although with VERY VERY much static, but I could still make out the words. Now I don't know if that is possible today, but hey it happened. The real reach of the station does end about 25 miles north of Baltimore or so. I tend to believe that Philly's market reach is under represented here too.
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Old 04-30-2013, 04:23 AM
 
Location: The canyon (with my pistols and knife)
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One advantage that the major metropolitan areas west of the Mississippi River (outside of California) and across the South have is that their power transmission isn't restricted as much. Here's a map of the FCC's broadcast zones:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...cast_zones.png

Radio stations in Zones I and I-A are limited to 50,000 watts of effective radiated power, but stations in Zone II are allowed to transmit up to 100,000 watts. This allows radio stations in Zone II to broadcast across larger areas without having to build excessively tall antennae. In order for a radio station with 50,000 watts or less to broadcast across an area similar to a 100,000-watt transmitter, it'd have to be mounted on top of an antenna so tall that it'd be very expensive to engineer, build and maintain; and it'd also risk being an aviation hazard. As a result, the broadcast areas in Zones I and I-A tend to be smaller than those in Zone II, making them less likely to cover secondary population clusters outside the major cities.

In Athens, GA I can hear radio stations from Atlanta clearly on the radio in my bedroom, even though I'm 60 to 70 miles away. On the other hand, if I was 60 to 70 miles away from, say, Chicago or Philadelphia, I wouldn't be able to hear any of their stations. I'd either be in another major city altogether, or I'd be in a radio market with a much smaller population.

Last edited by JMT; 04-30-2013 at 10:01 AM.. Reason: Please follow the rules for posting images.
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Old 04-30-2013, 05:17 AM
 
Location: Underneath the Pecan Tree
15,982 posts, read 35,028,608 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trae713 View Post
Houston is too damn big to only have one Hip-Hop (97.9) and one classic R&B/Soul station (102.1). Will CBS Radio save us?
Quote:
Originally Posted by dalparadise View Post
Clear Channel - dominated Houston is one of the most dismal radio markets in the country. Virtually unlistenable. It could be programmed from anywhere. There is virtually no regionalism or ingenuity in its offerings. Disgraceful.
Truth. I forgot we even have radio stations here because I never listen to the radio anymore.
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Old 04-30-2013, 05:27 AM
 
1,017 posts, read 1,803,425 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blkgiraffe View Post
Truth. I forgot we even have radio stations here because I never listen to the radio anymore.
I agree with the same 10 lame ass songs over and over and 45 minutes of commericals for crap that you'll never use. commercial radio sucks. and free radio is not free when you have to grin and bear all the commericals
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Old 04-30-2013, 05:32 AM
 
Location: The City
22,379 posts, read 38,665,395 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by the resident09 View Post
Years ago I actually reached as far as the Delaware Memorial Bridge going into Jersey and still received 95.5 WPGC from DC although with VERY VERY much static, but I could still make out the words. Now I don't know if that is possible today, but hey it happened. The real reach of the station does end about 25 miles north of Baltimore or so. I tend to believe that Philly's market reach is under represented here too.
There is an AM station 1210 out of Philly. I once heard it on the North end of the outer banks, was able to listen a Phillies game from NC through the Delmarva peninsula. Not sure why some of these signals are that strong. I also remember someone near toronto saying they coud get that station to listen to Villanova basketball games. Odd
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Old 04-30-2013, 09:29 AM
 
14,802 posts, read 17,550,171 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DynamoLA View Post
Doesn't this just basically line up with population info? Or am I missing something here?
Yes
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Old 04-30-2013, 09:50 AM
 
91,948 posts, read 122,044,192 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kidphilly View Post
There is an AM station 1210 out of Philly. I once heard it on the North end of the outer banks, was able to listen a Phillies game from NC through the Delmarva peninsula. Not sure why some of these signals are that strong. I also remember someone near toronto saying they coud get that station to listen to Villanova basketball games. Odd
I used to listen to it as a kid for Phillies and Big 5 Basketball games at night(it was WCAU back then). Same for teams like the Expos(including in French), Mets, Orioles, Tigers, Indians, Reds, White Sox, Kentucky and Louisville Basketball, Hartford Whalers Hockey and UConn Basketball, Charlotte Hornets and occasionally Twins Baseball, among others. Of course, you are more apt to get them in better later at night and in the summer, but it can vary.
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Old 04-30-2013, 09:52 AM
 
Location: Willowbend/Houston
13,384 posts, read 25,583,506 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dalparadise View Post
Clear Channel - dominated Houston is one of the most dismal radio markets in the country. Virtually unlistenable. It could be programmed from anywhere. There is virtually no regionalism or ingenuity in its offerings. Disgraceful.
Clear Channel domiates Dallas as well, but the stations up here are better than the ones in Houston. We have an actually rock station which is nice. Its not particularly great. Some of the smaller markets like Waco and the Rio Grande Valley have better rock stations, but still its better than nothing.

At the end of the day everything in both markets are moving more toward reigional Mexican formats anyway.
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