I’m listening to FM radio more than ever. I never listen over the internet either.
How could that be? I’m really impressed by two things – sound quality and imaginative programming. Funny, but I get neither off of “commercial” FM or even the government-subsidized (NPR) stations.
I’m very fortunate to have a local station (KKUP) here in silicon Valley that is a owned and operated by a club! Completely supported by listener donations with no commercials.
Their sound quality is the best that FM standards will allow – unlike the commercial stations with their compression for car radios. When they do studio broadcasts, the quality EXCEEDS that of CDs.
The content is chosen by real people, volunteers all. Of course, some of it is wacked but for many hours of my listening day, it is revelatory in breadth and scope – and enjoyment.
If the FCC will allow the bandwidth to stay unmolested, a declining value of licenses could allow this model for broadcasters to spread.
Of course, a BIG if.
