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| AM Only | |
|---|---|
| Name | AM Only |
| Type | Trade magazine |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Founder | Jerry Boulding |
| Country | United States |
| Headquarters | Dallas, Texas |
| Language | English |
| Focus | Radio industry, broadcasting, media sales |
AM Only
AM Only is a U.S.-based trade publication and events company focused on the commercial radio broadcasting sector, particularly amplitude modulation broadcasting, radio station sales, programming, and management. The outlet organizes conferences, publishes industry reporting, and connects professionals across the broadcast, advertising, and syndication ecosystems. Its coverage intersects with major broadcasters, format innovators, regulatory bodies, and media markets across North America.
AM Only was founded to serve radio executives, sales managers, programmers, and consultants operating within AM broadcasting and related radio station operations. It positioned itself alongside established industry titles and organizations such as Broadcasting & Cable, Radio & Records, Nielsen Audio, Arbitron and National Association of Broadcasters by offering market intelligence, networking events, and classified services tailored to buyers and sellers of broadcast properties. The company's events drew executives from groups including iHeartMedia, Cumulus Media, Entercom (now Audacy), Townsquare Media and independent operators in major markets such as New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Miami and Toronto.
The publication addresses technical aspects of amplitude modulation systems implemented at stations owned by networks like Salem Media Group and Audacy, Inc.. Typical AM technical parameters discussed include carrier frequency assignments in the Medium frequency band, daytime and nighttime power authorizations, directional antenna arrays such as those used by WABC (AM), and interference phenomena regulated by agencies like the Federal Communications Commission. AM audio bandwidth, fidelity limits, and modulation depth are recurrent topics compared with frequency modulation implementations used by KKGO (FM), KLOS, and other FM outlets. Articles often examine audio processing equipment, transmitter make/models from manufacturers like Nautel and GatesAir, and the impact of antenna tuning, ground radial systems, and skywave propagation on perceived audio quality in local and regional markets.
AM Only traces its relevance to broader historical trends in broadcasting from the golden age of radio to consolidation waves driven by legislation such as the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Coverage spans migration of talk formats, sports rights deals exemplified by contracts involving ESPN Radio, the growth of syndicated programs distributed by Westwood One and Premiere Networks, and the decline of music formats on AM in favor of FM broadcasting and digital platforms such as iHeartRadio and TuneIn. The outlet has chronicled station sales involving buyers like SiriusXM-linked entities, divestitures by Clear Channel Communications (now iHeartMedia), and format flips in metro areas like Philadelphia and San Francisco.
AM Only regularly analyzes regulatory actions and licensing frameworks administered by the Federal Communications Commission, echoing precedent set in rulemakings concerning AM revitalization, FM translators for AM stations, and spectrum policy. The publication examines allocation changes, construction permit applications, and the effects of FCC rulings on ownership caps and cross-ownership rules with reference to entities such as Federal Communications Commission commissioners and advocacy groups including the National Association of Broadcasters. Licensing topics include station class designations, interference contours, protection of clear-channel stations like WFAN, and international coordination with agencies in Canada and Mexico affecting border-market facilities.
AM Only's readership and event rosters feature prominent markets and marquee stations that have shaped audio programming—stations such as WBBM (AM), WABC (AM), KFI (AM), WBZ (AM), WLS (AM), KDKA (AM), KCBS (AM), WJR (AM), and WLW. The publication also highlights regional chains and niche operators like Cox Media Group, Beasley Broadcast Group, Saga Communications, and public broadcasters when cross-platform strategies emerge. Coverage includes major sports-flagship moves, rights negotiations involving National Football League broadcasts, and political talk programs that have historically driven AM ratings in markets from Boston to Phoenix.
Articles address reception challenges such as urban electrical noise, co-channel interference during nighttime skywave propagation, and AM’s susceptibility to atmospheric noise from sources like solar storms and lightning. The magazine explores mitigation techniques used by engineers at stations including use of directional antenna systems, synchronous booster installations, and migration to FM translators authorized by the FCC. It evaluates consumer reception methods—desktop receivers, automobile radios produced by manufacturers like Bose and Sony, and modern digital platforms—as well as advances in digital AM systems such as HD Radio (iBiquity/Xperi) deployments and their mixed adoption by broadcasters and receiver manufacturers.
AM Only documents AM radio's enduring cultural footprint via talk radio personalities, syndicated programs, and public affairs broadcasting with ties to figures and programs on networks like NPR, Premiere Networks, and Westwood One. Coverage explores AM’s role in political discourse, emergency alerting systems like the Emergency Alert System, and community engagement through local newsrooms tied to stations such as WGN (AM) and KGO (AM). The publication also reports on crossover influences with podcasting platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify as traditional AM content migrates into on-demand digital formats.