[Camera.Ken]

Time marches on and obsolescence continues.

It's been my habit for years to listen to CBC on an AM radio while cooking or working around the house. Soon it seems, their AM broadcasts will cease in favour of streaming.

Is there a replacement gadget, internet-connected, that can be a replacement source? Presumably I can set up my smartphone to do this, but in-home wi-fi can be spotty.

So the search begins for a low-cost table-top internet streamer.

 

[reidw]

Hold off on anything. There's been a lot of backlash to what the CEO said in that interview in the Globe and Mail. I suspect that she'll be walking some of her comments back quite soon. In any case she also said that the change could be 10 years away. It was really just a bit of crystal balling that the Globe turned into a fait accompli. Streaming is having its day but it may in the end not be the answer. It is already showing signs of faltering as its downsides become apparent.

Edit by 57 - two long unnecessary quotes removed.

 

[Camera.Ken]

Hi:

Thanks for this information.

I'll take your advice. It is most welcome.

After some thought and browsing, the best solution I can come up with is smartphone plus small Bluetooth speakers, maybe one in a static location and maybe one to carry around.

 

[17671]

I use my google nest display or google home speaker to stream my favourite AM radio stations in my office. A radio I purchased a few years ago did not even have the AM frequency band it was only FM. The internet speaker solves this for me as it can stream it even in my basement where my AM/FM Coverage was not good to begin with

 

[reidw]

Hi:

Thanks for this information.

I'll take your advice. It is most welcome.

After some thought and browsing, the best solution I can come up with is smartphone plus small Bluetooth speakers, maybe one in a static location and maybe one to carry around.

One more thought. There are actually internet radios for sale. They look a lot like traditional countertop radios but operate on WIFI. A few have WIFI plus FM. I've yet to see one with AM too. You can find a fairly decent selection of these devices on Amazon and Amazon.ca. Hope that helps.

 

[Camera.Ken]

Good to know.

Many thanks.

 

[JamesK]

After some thought and browsing, the best solution I can come up with is smartphone plus small Bluetooth speakers, maybe one in a static location and maybe one to carry around.

Or perhaps a tablet.

 

[ExDilbert]

A lot of AM CBC transmitters have been replaced by FM. CBC AM has been on FM here for decades. I believe there are more planned so a local FM station might replace the AM transmitter being shut down. AM/FM radios are typically under $100 if that becomes an option.

There is a good selection of internet radios on Amazon for $100-$300. They typically advertise up to 40,000 stations which covers most AM/FM stations in North America.

The use of a bluetooth speaker with a smartphone is a good idea as well. Most TV soundbars have bluetooth so you might already have one.

 

[Tridus]

I listen to CBC Radio every morning on my Google Home (or Nest Home now, I suppose). Works great as long as any kind of wifi can reach it. Streaming for a radio quality signal doesn't use a lot of bandwidth so it can work as long as the wifi isn't super marginal. Bluetooth speaker and your phone can also work if you have data out there.

If FM is in range, that might also be an option. I doubt it's going away.

(It honestly surprises me to hear about AM sometimes. I guess it's healthier in other markets but here in NB it's pretty much dead.)

 

[ExDilbert]

AM stations are slowly disappearing here as well. The CBC never had an AM transmitter. Most of the AM equipment is on its last vacuum tube and the stations seem to get shut down when repair or replacement costs too much. All of the AM stations here were either converted to FM or got sister FM stations decades ago. Most of them are now owned by Bell or Global now so the loss of one AM station doesn't matter to them. They fired most of the staff years ago and moved programming operations to a single regional network studio. The CBC radio stations are just Toronto repeaters.

 

[reidw]

.... The CBC radio stations are just Toronto repeaters.

Not completely. Most still do a local programme early in the morning and late in the afternoon. A few also do a lunch hour show. It's not much but it does help to fill in what is happening locally.

 

[ExDilbert]

I meant the CBC stations here. The CBC did add a local news office a few years ago but the announcement appeared to indicate it was for news gathering only. I am unaware of any local CBC studio that does local broadcasts.