Do you know what I loved about radio?

I still listen to radio in the cars. Mostly NPR and Talk radio. I use to listen to a lot of XM radio, but they cut two of my favorite channels, so no more XM radio. I may get a free years subscription when I trade up in the next few weeks. But I don't play the radio thru out the house anymore. In fact when I am at the computer, like now, I want to hear nothing but peace. I still can't do two things at once. Music is to be enjoyed which requires attention to detail and concentration. Music is not an in the one ear and out the other experience for me.
 
Yeah . . . it's not so much that there aren't good stations, (especially if you like country), but that I'm at the age, and with a sufficiently large music collection, that I can pretty much listen to what I want to, without commercials. And play the same song over if I feel so inclined. On the other hand, I surprise myself by how much I'm into techno et al., at my age and given my early musical influences. Something about that beat. Especially in a car. ;)
 
Fortunately, there are at least three FM stations in the Delaware Valley that are worth listening to. They are 88.9 WXPN, Univ. of PA, 91.7 WKDU, Drexel University and 90.1 WRTI, Temple Univ. WRTI plays classical during the day and Jazz (no smooth Jazz) at night. WKDU and WXPN play whatever they like (eclectic mix) although WXPN is the home site for World Café.
 
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I used to listen to king biscuit flour hour every Sunday night when i was in high school. Loved listening late at night when i could pull in stations from all over and get a feel for what was happening in music in other cities. There are still three descent public stations here playing different formats at different times.
 
I have 5 fm tuners and 2 radios not counting cars. When they talk on the radio I stream from the web if I am not in the mood to play cd or lp. Fortunately my favorite radio station in the world is online. iu.jpeg
 
When I was in Portland I discovered that they had one of the best jazz stations in the world. It had great feel, great DJ's, and was a throwback to better times. Now in Pittsburgh, their jazz station is like wimpy, light music and so I found the classical station here, which hasn't changed in like 40 years, to be the epitome of what radio means to me; local, personal, engaging, educating, filled with local personalities that give a s*%! about Pittsburgh and the classical music scene here. That is the only local radio worth listening to.
 
I loved radio since I was a kid. I still listen to radio almost daily. It is a French radio station specialized on Classical and Jazz and a lot of you know this station because I post their programs in the "What are you hearing right now - and more", the "Todays Classical playlist" and the "Todays Jazz playlist" threads.

I really really would miss fm...
 
I still listen to radio in the cars. Mostly NPR and Talk radio. I use to listen to a lot of XM radio, but they cut two of my favorite channels, so no more XM radio. I may get a free years subscription when I trade up in the next few weeks. But I don't play the radio thru out the house anymore. In fact when I am at the computer, like now, I want to hear nothing but peace. I still can't do two things at once. Music is to be enjoyed which requires attention to detail and concentration. Music is not an in the one ear and out the other experience for me.
Your ways are not my ways. Which is absolutely fine.

The whole point is to use the technology we wish in whatever way we wish to enhance our days.
 
I love not having to always make a decision of what I'll hear.

This. We all live in a streaming paradise of cheap, unlimited choice, but for some of us it feels more like a bug than a feature. I don't know about you, but when I'm on Spotify I rarely get all the way through an album. The urge to try the next thing is just too strong. A Pandora station is somewhat better, but I can't get over the feeling that I'm being targeted. I don't want to have what I'm already ok with played back at me. What I really want is what's hard to come by - a d.j. who is indifferent to my individual taste, but who has excellent taste him/herself and who I can learn to trust enough to hand over the keys to the car.

s.
 
Speaking of the Wolfman, one of the great wierd stories from radio history:
https://jimcofer.com/2008/09/24/the-border-blasters/
Another almost equally wierd story is about how the U.S. Navy and the Federal government bankrolled the resurgence of Mormon polygamy thru technology in the 'teens period of wireless communication and early broadcasting, but I can't link it because it's not on line, afaik.
 
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I feel I'm very fortunate that I have two excellent FM stations within 15 miles of me WUSB 90.1 and WPKN 89.5. Both stations the dj's bring in their own music as well as the station libraries.They program their shows in their chosen genre but are not confined to it and they are all volunteers so they actually love their music. A lot of the dj's are either musicians or some part of music business. If there is a down side they have to fund raise two or three times a year but upside no commercials rest of year.They both have shows covering all kinds of music. Yes I listen to a lot of FM and keep getting my ears opened to new stuff
 
Breakfast with the Blues every morning on KRVM (especially weekends).
The Blue Bus, Bill Best, The Hula Honeys, Down Deep on KMNO.
Soul Serenade, Against The Grain, The Saturday Night Fish Fry on WICN.

These are some of my favorite shows I try to stream weekly. Great music, wonderful, knowledgeable, and personable DJs.

I have found a bunch of other really great small, independent stations via Spinitron.

Anyone happen to remember WQBK out of Albany, NY in the 80s? Lin Brehmer is, and will always be, THE formative DJ of my youth.
 
Does anyone remember "Ellen at Midnight" on WGY Schenectady? Afaik, she premiered Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells first broadcast play in the US on her program one night I was listening, that many years ago.
 
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I miss quirky, offbeat, one-of-a-kind, local talk show hosts. WBZ in Boston in the '70s and '80s had a ballbuster nighttime signal on the east coast, with guys like Jerry Williams (left of center), David Brudnoy (libertarian), Lovell Dyett (African American) and Larry Glick, who had a goofy, lighthearted overnight show. And news guys like Gary LaPierre and Strieder Stewart.
 
When I was in Portland I discovered that they had one of the best jazz stations in the world. It had great feel, great DJ's, and was a throwback to better times...

Well, New England is perhaps the most open minded and refined part of the country so I’m not surprised that a good Jazz station would be up there.
 
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