Todays Raido Stations suck

The perception that today's radio stations are a sorry substitute for the broadcasting of yesteryear is probably correct. A number of factors have come into play:
1. fewer and fewer independent local and regional stations, as the broadcast giants consolidate their holdings;
2. use of "formulas" for broadcasting -- top 40, etc. -- that are pretty much the same across the country;
3. heavily compressed broadcast signals;
4. focus on profitability rather than quality;
5. the virtual demise of good classical and jazz programming.

If this seems like a gloomy outlook, then consider what we have to look forward to following yesterday's ruling by the Federal Communications Commission (known inside the Washington, DC, beltway as a "captive agency"). The ruling by the FCC will permit a new wave of consolidation among newspaper, TV, and radio companies, which will place even more power in the hands of a few media giants. Newspapers will now be able to own TV and radio stations in the same city, and the broadcast networks will be able to own even more stations at the local and national level.

Consider, for example, that the radio group called Clear Channel now owns more than 1200 radio stations in the U.S. -- let me say that again: 1200 stations, and growing!!! Or consider that Rupert Murdoch, whose News Corporation owns Fox News Channel and the Fox TV network, as well as 35 TV stations plus 20th Century Fox movie and TV studio. Nationwide, a single owner will be allowed to own stations that reach as much as 45% of TV households (up from 35%).

So, if your perception is that radio stations are becoming more and more homogenous in their broadcast content, you have only more of the same to look forward to....

Anytime anyone keeps talking about 'the good old days' I expect another of to sound like our parents. It is true that the so-called alternative stations of the late 60's and 70's don't seem to be as much 'out there'. Of course, one must measure this against what was 'there' when these stations first appeared. It was all pop AM-crap and normal FM was dominated by Jazz, classic and elevator music. How many of us discovered rock on the AM dial? How many kids today discover their own music--as opposed to their parents' music--now, on FM?

Remember there is one purpose to radio: to sell advertising. Or, to be more specific to sell things. The powers that be have realized that alternative radio does not attract the advertising dollars that the average humm-drum crap can. I live in a major metropolitan area and I drive the passengers in my car crazy as whenever a Dj comes back on, I push the button and find more music.

EVEN A PIECE OF A SONG IS WORTH MORE THAN A COMMERCIAL

That is my justification if I bug someone too much. No, it is not a "guy thing with the remote". I just hate commercials. I do pause to hear the news, though.

So, I am obviously not the target audience. Why should a radio station play my music when I just keep changing channels? I do suspect, though, that there will be some alternative web based stations that many of us will listen to...and it would be much harder to change channels. So folks, lets get a list together of favorite stations that are streamed to the computers and have some fun. DSL can be wonderful, allthough one can get decent music on a regular telephone lines. I was in France a while ago and I was able to listen to my home-station on my friend's computer.

The AM signal is going to piggyback on the FM signal. I can see a con coming here.
http://www.msnbc.com/news/883723.asp?0si=-&cp1=1

Wdhsvbgod, where can one go out nowadays for a night of cosy etc. live jazz in TO? I used to swing by George's from time to time (many yrs ago), plus another place on the waterfront whose name I can't recall now. I wonder if old haunts have been joined or replaced by the new (maybe the Silver Dollar does jazz nowadays?;-) Fond memories... Anyways, I've always felt it would be uplifting if more metropoles celebrated summer &/or winter with a Jazz festival. Montreux & Montreal can do it, so too even little Ville de Quebec; why not (name-your-city)?

Precisely--they suck and we can expect them to get worse. There was a "comminuty owned" radio station in Charlottesville, VA that was, and still is, one of the best that I have ever heard. Then I moved to NYC and expected to be able to find here, of all places, at least one or two decent options. One decent jazz station. That's it. Otherwise, in one of the biggest and presumptively most diverse markets on earth, a horribly banal sucking void of homoginized tripe. Don't waste your time, look for music elsewhere. (Yes, I am bitter).