FM Is Done.

Not surprise!!!! Two reasons FM is dead. As it will be here shortly.

Large companies bought all the stations and reprogrammed the same crap on all the stations. An example is in the 60s and 70s Long Island had three music stations. All three were very unique. Featuring live concerts, new album releases called deep cuts, local bands, interviews with artists, Dr. Demento, etc... All very unique stuff to each station.

When the large companies bought all three stations they thought - HEY if these kids are listening to Depeche Mode then they will LOVE listening to a continuous taped loop of top 40 and drive time DJ chatter!!!! Holy cow did they misread their listening audience.

Compound the mindless continuous tape loop of top 40 with endless commercials and needless DJ chatter - guess what happened.

Oh BTW cable TV is on the same road as FM radio.

And in a few years streaming digital radio will be the same wasteland of mindless programming and commercials. We are marching through each medium trashing it and moving onto the next one.

RE: FM Is Done., posted on April 15, 2017 at 09:04:35
geezerrocket	I concur on all points Charles. I just cancelled my cable subscription. Why would I pay for 40 channels I have zero interest in just to watch the five I like? Radio and cable have already gone the way of the video rental stores; Remember those? I love when arrogant companies/industries fall into the history books because they stupidly thought that good enough was good enough.

The 2 FM stations I listen to, posted on April 15, 2017 at 10:06:45

M3 lover
Audiophile

Posts: 6604
Location: SW Mich
Joined: May 29, 2005
Contributor
Since: July 4, 2007

are both college based. One is the local NPR affiliate, the other a community college (2 year) which operates its own excellent jazz programing.

Our local classical station moved to Mexico and now only plays selected movements rather than entire scores. There is a fine classical station in LA (again college related) but reception is iffy at this distance.

I've given up on all the commercial stations for reasons airtime mentions.

"The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing, if you can fake that you've got it made." Groucho

RE: FM Is Done., posted on April 16, 2017 at 08:26:17
krankkall Audiophile Posts: 296 Location: New Mexico Joined: April 5, 2014	I worked as a tech for a small family owned radio station back in the late 70's. The DJs had a 'blank check' on their play list, and anything and everything went on air. Now days, 99% of all radio stations are corporate owned, and you are forced to toe a narrow line on what you are allowed to play. Steve

RE: FM Is Done., posted on April 16, 2017 at 15:18:35

6bq5
Audiophile

Posts: 4391
Location: SF Bay
Joined: August 16, 2001

Unfortunately this is probably coming -
However I am lucky - here in the SF Bay Area there are lots of good stations that are playing music and other programming with good to Great sound quality- live broadcasts from studios and local symphonies, and interesting music-

Yes, the Classical station reverts to the 'top 8-12 minutes of popular music' during prime time, and one of the NPR affiliates switches the broadcast to MONO for the news...

So for now - as long as I can stay - I'll keep listening to FM....
Happy Listening

depends where you live. , posted on April 17, 2017 at 14:09:02
Timbo in Oz Audiophile Posts: 23221 Location: Canberra - in the ACT - SE Australia Joined: January 30, 2002	It's not anywhere near done down here. Lots of community stations two good classical networks, in most capital cities for one of them, and national coverage for the other. Warmest Tim Bailey Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger

Oh come on, posted on April 19, 2017 at 12:13:56
Awe-d-o-file Dealer Posts: 21037 Location: 50 miles west of DC Joined: January 10, 2004	we get these posts every few years. Last one related to a story from Norway. I bet you die before it does. ET "If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

RE: FM Is Done., posted on April 21, 2017 at 07:29:10
airtime Audiophile Posts: 11287 Location: Arizona Joined: February 4, 2003	The WLIR station on Long Island the DJ used to bring in his own records and tapes.

RE: FM Is Done., posted on April 21, 2017 at 08:01:44
krankkall Audiophile Posts: 296 Location: New Mexico Joined: April 5, 2014	LOL.....I did that too, as a college radio DJ (Monmouth College) on the North Jersey Shore, in the early 70s. Steve

RE: Oh come on, posted on April 21, 2017 at 09:04:47

teknofossil
Audiophile

Posts: 46
Location: Northeast
Joined: December 23, 2007

Well, out here in Western MA most of the FM channels sport those annoying morning shows, you know the ones where they laugh at their own joke type things. Very few quality broadcast FM options left. I see it going the way of AM. I have a number of generally decent FM tuners. I feel no motivation to fire them up for music listening. Mostly I listen through Sirius radio, primarily due to program content that I want to hear. I find it sad because I used to love messing about with antenna's, tweaking the audio sections, rebuilding the really old ones to bring them back to close to new performance. Bummer really.

You need to start your own radio station, posted on April 21, 2017 at 09:32:30
jedrider Audiophile Posts: 15167 Location: No. California Joined: December 26, 2003	I always wonder about areas that don't have any good FM stations. Usually the nearby college will have an FM channel. Maybe, you need to inquire about their programming.

RE: FM Is Done., posted on April 29, 2017 at 08:14:47
Grinnell Audiophile Posts: 709 Location: Front Range Joined: December 23, 2007	In Northern Colorado KRFC community radio KUVO Jazz in the City KCSU- college student station KJAC/KUNC-105.5 the colorado Sound may have diff call letters KUNC is news KGNU-Boulder community radio KVXQ 88.3 FM C R Open Air music KUNC and KCFR NPR news/features my Mac tuners love these stations :)

" the consumer is always right' - en masse, you guys did it to yourselves., posted on April 30, 2017 at 02:32:07
Timbo in Oz Audiophile Posts: 23221 Location: Canberra - in the ACT - SE Australia Joined: January 30, 2002	capital is always right ... no? ..... Warmest Tim Bailey Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger

RE: " the consumer is always right' - en masse, you guys did it to yourselves., posted on May 3, 2017 at 13:30:45
sony6060 Audiophile Posts: 1465 Location: USA Joined: August 8, 2014	Pandora in USA is not helping FM over here. Many have a TV with surround sound. It is too easy to push a button on the remote.

Radio Road

FM Is Done.

24.220.170.141