# AM classical radio stations?  WTF?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-classical-radio-stations-wtf/258772>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 7, 2004, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-classical-radio-stations-wtf/258772 "2004-08-07T14:20:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-classical-radio-stations-wtf/258772/1 "2004-08-07T14:20:30Z")

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In my travels, I remember hearing classical radio stations on AM radio in Denver and Kansas City. There’s a classical station on AM here in Cleveland.

So, what’s the point? Take one of the most intricate, technically and sonically complex, and beautiful forms of music ever conceived by humankind, and broadcast it with a technology that is more suitable for voice … why? Does anyone even listen to classical music on AM radio?

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**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-classical-radio-stations-wtf/258772/2 "2004-08-07T14:43:32Z")

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I’d guess at two reasons. Firstly that AM wavelengths are more freely available (or simply cheaper), so less-commerically-viable stations are able to use them who couldn’t manage FM. Secondly that they’ve always been on AM, and somehow missed the FM boat entirely.

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**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-classical-radio-stations-wtf/258772/3 "2004-08-08T00:40:41Z")

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Many of them were always there. There’s an AM station in St. Louis with a religious format. For the last 75 years they’ve broadcast good old fashioned European-style hymns.

I guess WRR in Dallas finally went over to the talk side of public radio, but I remember when I was growing up there, they broadcast classical music. That was a long time ago.

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**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-classical-radio-stations-wtf/258772/4 "2004-08-08T01:01:46Z")

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> [@kunilou](#):
>
> Many of them were always there. There’s an AM station in St. Louis with a religious format. For the last 75 years they’ve broadcast good old fashioned European-style hymns.

KFUO? Are they still around?

**Elmwood,** if you’re listening on a 3-inch speaker on a portable radio, can you tell the difference between AM and FM? How high in quality is the equipment used by the typical listener?