Why is AM radio still a thing?

AM is simple, low cost, and amazingly effective. Even though the demand for high-speed data has driven us toward orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) as the most spectrally efficient modulation scheme, AM is still involved in the form of quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM).

Why do we have AM and FM radio?

With AM radio, the amplitude, or overall strength, of the signal is varied to incorporate the sound information. With FM, the frequency (the number of times each second that the current changes direction) of the carrier signal is varied. FM signals have a great advantage over AM signals.

Is FM radio still relevant?

Is radio still relevant today? Absolutely. While radio has evolved over the years, from traditional AM/FM programming to digital alternatives such as Pandora or Spotify, listening to music and news is still a central and habitual part of daily American life.

Is AM radio stereo or mono?

Its not because it is FM that allows stereo,it is because by the time it was feasible, FM was being broadcast at 100 Mhz whereas AM is at 1Mhz. This allowed wider bandwidths needed for stereo. A2A: They both started as mono and are now both stereo.

Why is FM more popular than AM?

In the U.S., channel spacing in the AM broadcast band is every 10khz (20x denser). If the AM band used the same spacing as FM radio, there would only be seven or so channels available in the AM band. The reason that FM radio sounds so much better is that the extra space effectively allows them to send more data.

Why is online radio not popular?

The decline in radio listenership was also found to be due to repetitive music, changes in format, the increase in streaming service opinions and a lack of enjoyment or ability to find preferred content.

Why is AM radio still around?

One reason AM broadcast is still around it is used mostly for talk radio. There are a few FM talk radio stations, most are on AM. Talk radio does not require the quality of audio that FM can provide with music, so many AM stations went with talk radio. Talk radio has really saved AM.

What’s the difference between AM and FM radio stations?

Most of the widely-listened radio stations, at least in the US, are on AM. AM signals travel much further than FM (and not everyone pays for satellite), so if you’re out in the middle of nowhere, AM is pretty much it unless you’re streaming something from a device.

Is AM radio worth saving?

AM is worth saving; it is a valuable local community resource. AM radio serves a public safety purpose for emergency conditions. It provides valuable services to ethnic and religious populations, as well as high school sports coverage. And still does a great job of news, weather, and traffic coverage. Talk shows are also popular.