(Dying) Spirit of Radio

Donna Halper comments on the sale of WFNX to Clear Channel Communications.

Commercial radio is dying for certain, but equally at the hands of MP3/iDevices, greedy media conglomerates, and lackluster, talent-free psuedomusicians who are bred by record labels to be pretty and safe, not to go "outside the box" with 35 minute jams (Allman Brothers), eight-movement art-rock symphonies (Yes), politically-charged hard-left agitmusic (Rage Against the Machine) and thirteen minute progressive rock operas (Rush - the reason for the title of this entry, as Donna Halper discovered Rush and brought them out of Canada).

And sad to say, college and public radio won't fill in that void, but for a different reason: limited funds preclude them from putting forth what the audience desires, and to do so they must pump for money.  Pirate radio stations won't fill that void either - you got to play the FCC's licensing game or else.

Musical Darwinism is fun to watch until you're the format that becomes obsolete.

Personal comment: I went to school just steps down the street from the original WBCN studios (1265 Boylston Street).