Is it a common practice....

[fairbankshockeypuck]

For Low Power talk and sports FM's to turn off their stereo function? I know an ESPN station in Alaska does and says it cuts down on noise on the reception...Funny thing their promos says now on FM and in stereo....

[Ben Zonia]

Very common practice.

It is to reduce the noise. It extends the distance you can get the station without all kinds of reception issues, especially in a car. For monaural programming, there's not much point in broadcasting in Stereo. In the old days, you could just push the Mono/Stereo button and it stayed there. In automating that function, there is the noisy switching back and forth, with weak, shadowed, and reflected signals.

[fairbankshockeypuck]

Thanksssss

[Willie108]

WSAM in Saginaw used to turn off the AM stereo pilot when it broadcast Saginaw Generals/Hawks games.