[New Jersey] Wanna Buy An AM Station?

[spongella]

Our local radio station has gone dark, 1040 AM, and is up for auction. Check it out:

http://www.tranzon.com/AP15069-17

From the pictures you can see the radio towers. I wonder what the bidding starts at.

 

[radio]

Likely if it's dark, there's MUCH baggage. If it's had it's license turned back in, it's DELETED already.
What are the call letters of the local station?
Once a bank holds the property, usually the license is "questionable' because banks are not allowed to hold licenses at collateral.

BTW...before it's brought up, NO, I wouldn't be afraid to revive an AM! Been there, done that...more than once! Where there's a license, there's a way. Unfortunately, this is a bit far from MI.

 

[radio]

Oh, my GOD! What a sad statement.
VERY cursory research shows a 15kw daytime pattern, 1.5 kw at night (5 times what I have at night...3 TIMES what I have daytime) and 7.5 kw in "critical hours" of sunrise and sunset but they couldn't make it? Lay that one on either lack of good programming, management, promotion, or a combination of the three. It's losses like this that make AM get a bad rap as "not viable" when it really IS! I'd KILL to have power like that for my station!

BTW the auction does say "building" not "station."

 

[navychop]

<sigh>

 

[RONZ]

License is still active. Directional antenna. It has a docket number that shows they have been testing the transmitter as well. You would have to create a STA fairly quick based on it sign off date

 

[spongella]

Well, I remember when the station first started broadcasting, it was great to have a hometown station, it was the usual mix of music, news, etc. Then the format changed, I think it was talk or business talk radio, then the format changed to sports - basically it was rebroadcasting content from another sports radio station. Then it went to a religious format. It definitely had several format changes in it's relative short life.

 

[RONZ]

Well, I remember when the station first started broadcasting, it was great to have a hometown station, it was the usual mix of music, news, etc. Then the format changed, I think it was talk or business talk radio, then the format changed to sports - basically it was rebroadcasting content from another sports radio station. Then it went to a religious format. It definitely had several format changes in it's relative short life.

I am surprised usually with a religious format the station typically sells time to churches that keep the owner above water. It is not intended to be a top rated station but it does cater to a specific group that support that church.

 

[radio]

As in all things "business" (and church, or no church, radio is a business...and, so is running a church.)....a good business MODEL is important. Paying the bills on a station with that signal is not cheap. Somebody had NO idea how radio worked.....that is incredibly obvious. Maybe multiple owners that way. There were two owners ahead of us that failed here, too..not including the one who passed away.

 

[Brian1430]

hmm wonder if i could buy it and move it to Durand..would love to have 1.5kw at night that is ten times the "power" I'm allowed!

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Welcome Brian! Good to have another 1430 here.