WHAT HAPPENED TO THE RADIO?

FOR MANY YEARS, I COULD TUNE IN TO A RADIO STATION AND GET A NICE MORNING MIX OF WEATHER, NEWS AND MUSIC.  THE CHICAGO STATIONS WERE CLOSE ENOUGH TO FILL OUR NEEDS.  GOING TO SCHOOL, I COULD LISTEN TO LIGHT CLASSICAL MUSIC ON WMAQ.  LATER IN LIFE PAUL GIBSON ENTERTAINED ME ON WBBM WITH LIGHT CHAT. LATER RADIO WENT LOCAL WITH MOST SMALL TOWNS HAVING THEIR OWN STATION WITH MOST PROGRAMS BEING OF LOCAL ORIGINATION. THEN CAME FM WITH MANY STATIONS OPTING FOR BEAUTIFUL MUSIC.  THE PROBLEM WAS, IT DID NOT SELL, AND STATIONS HAD TO PROFIT TO SURVIVE.  ROCK MUSIC PROBABLY SAVED FM FROM EXTINCTION.  IF YOU CAN FIND A STATION IN YOUR AREA THAT PLAYS WHAT YOU LIKE, CONGRATULATIONS.  ANOTHER FACTOR CAME ALONG TO CHANGE RADIO LISTENING.  IT WAS THE ELIMINATION OF LIMITED OWNERSHIP.  AT ONE TIME ANY ONE COMPANY COULD OWN SEVEN RADIO STATIONS.  TODAY WITHOUT THAT LIMITATION, HUGE CORPORATIONS BUY OWN AND OPERATE MANY STATIONS THAT WERE VERY LOCALIZED AT ONE TIME.  

IF YOU HAPPEN TO LIKE YOUR LOCAL STATION, WELL AND GOOD.  RALPH EMORY A FORMER DISC JOCKEY ON WSM NASHVILLE, WROTE IN HIS BOOK, "WHEN IT COMES TO A CHOICE OF WHAT LISTENERS LIKE AND THE BOTTOM LINE, LISTENERS LOSE." SO WE COME UP WITH SEVERAL GENRES OF MUSIC, BUT LITTLE OR NO VARIETY, OR A MIX OF BLATHERING TALKING HEADS.

I KEEP A GOOD SELECTION OF CD'S IN THE CAR.  THE SUBSCRIPTION RADIO MAY BE THE ANSWER, BUT STILL FAR TOO COSTLY FOR MOST LISTENERS.  IF YOU FIND SOMETHING YOU LIKE, STAY WITH IT.  ELECTRONICS IS CHANGING RAPIDLY AND SOMEDAY WE MAY HAVE A CHANNEL JUST FOR YOU.  IF YOU LIKE THIS BLOG, ITS COURTESY OF WHTC IN HOLLAND.