I'm about to make a blanket statement that I believe to be entirely true - commercial radio in New York City completely sucks. It's true and I really don't understand why. Los Angeles has KROQ and now Indie 103. In NYC we have K-Rock (for whom edgy is a Modest Mouse single thrown in between Hoobastank and Chevelle) and WPLJ who seems to fancy themselves as alternative yet programs Ashlee Simpson.
Non-commercial radio isn't a whole lot better. I used to love WFUV but as of late it has really become less interesting. WFMU has too much talk to qualify as a music station. By all accounts the best radio in the city originates from a tiny station on Staten Island whose signal rarely reaches the other boroughs, let alone Stamford.
I'm not sure that it's much better anywhere else, though. Can anybody report good news about radio in your locales?
Posted by mikewolf at September 29, 2004 08:41 PMDo what I do: Listen to neighbors fight through paper thin co-op walls. Man, I wish I had some pop corn...
Posted by: Shannon on September 29, 2004 08:50 PMI actually kinda like K-Rock.
Posted by: Ken Goldstein on September 30, 2004 01:36 AMWe have a new station down here that you'd hate, but everyone else seems to like. It's called "DaveFM" - dumb name. But they play everything from The Doors to Depeche Mode to The Clash. The part you'd really hate (and I really like) is that Barnes is back in town doing the morning show for them. He's teamed up with Holly Firfer from CNN. It reminds me of "99 No Labels" from back in the day.
Posted by: Meredith on September 30, 2004 11:26 AMIndie 103 is a solid station but their signal sucks! I can only get it in clear in pockets. Near our apartment, it's staticky, and if you stray too far from the south bay area, you lose it almost completely.
steve jones' radio show, however, is a must-hear.
anyway. when it comes to radio, i've always been relatively content with whatever oldies station is available. sure, they play the same thirty songs over and over and over and over and over, but at least they're GOOD songs.
Posted by: Matt on September 30, 2004 11:32 AMAwful, Awful, Awful.
When I first got to Columbus, the one saving grace of the radio stations here was that we had an ESPN radio affiliate. But about a year later, it turned into a Gospel-on-the-weekdays/Mexican-on-the-weekends station.
I now have XM satellite radio in the car and in the apartment. Good Stuff.
There is no good commercial radio. The only station I like right now is a station out of Kingston, TN that Steve and his Mom discovered which plays everything from the 30's to the 70's. DaveFM here in Atlanta was good for me for about three days until I started hearing the same things over and over. It had a good premise and a fabulous eclectic mix FOR THREE DAYS!!! I need to get Surius or more CD's., but four cd holders is more than enough for my little CRV. I just started listening to Crime and Punishment on CD due to a lack of good listening, other than my talk shows, which I only catch on occasion.
What happened to the good old days?
Posted by: Holly on September 30, 2004 06:30 PMWWOZ in New Orleans is the best non-profit community radio station in the country. They have an internet version. I highly reccommend everyone try it out.
Tell 'em I sent ya!
Posted by: Daniella on October 1, 2004 09:51 AMIndie103 is unlikely to last, but they're lucky to have it. WFUV was a wonderful place, but life is like that sometimes, and the Empress falls every now and then. WXRV The River in Boston was extraordinary last I heard it, which is already more than a year ago: a solid progressive rock station with weekend runs all over the map and blocks of live non-commercial recordings in the afternoons. The sort of thing we REALLY need in New York.
Ah, Scott Muni. We miss you, man.
Posted by: Linus on October 3, 2004 08:13 PM