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"And how did you find out about Zeppelin, exactly?
Why don't you just keep doing that?"

I heard them on the RADIO....

"And how did you find out about Zeppelin, exactly?
Why don't you just keep doing that?"

I heard them on the RADIO....

College radio is great listening too, and most college stations have online streams. I like WTBU out of Boston University -- amazingly eclectic programming schedule.

There's a bunch of good stations out there... a quick list that I've got on hand:

• Pittsburg: WRCT
• Georgia: WREK
• New York: WFUV
• Los Altos, CA: KFJC
• Berkeley, CA: KALX
• San Francisco, CA KUSF
• Davis, CA: KDVS
• Stanford, CA: KZSU

I agree completely, it is a great_improvement, over today's commercial radio. With all of the media consolidation, voice-tracking, endless commercials, and super-tight playlists, there is very little out there that I find appealing.

The station I listen to the most is public-supported WFUV. Most of the other stations in NYC are horrible. If I'm not listening to 'FUV, I'm listening to my iPod.

Satellite radio, meets the gap by offering the breadth of programming that is absent in today's commercial radio. However, as a new technology there is a steep adoption curve, and with all of the capital costs involved, subscriber base is the most important measurement. Instead of charging for each unit, they may be better off charging per customer, and allow them to use multiple units (what is their increased marginal cost - I can only listen to one radio at a time). Streaming via iTunes could be another revenue stream. I can sample their service, without having to spend a lot of money for a receiver. If I like it, chances are, I'm more inclined to put a receiver in my car.

I can't recall where I read it, but somewhere I recall reading that Apple users are more inclined to embrace new technologies, and a great percentage of Apple users have broadband versus Windows users.

If they are using AAC, there is no excuse to use the best Mac music client.

Ten years ago when you heard Howard Stern you knew you were close to NY City. Now you just know you're near some city (or maybe a medium sized town).

I'll agree NY radio has quantity, but not variety. It's the Wal*Mart quantity/variety formula...plenty of stuff so long as it's stuff that Wal*Mart wants to sell you. NY has plenty of radio so long as you like what Infinity/Clearchannel is pushing that day.

Richard Neer wrote a great book about the rise and fall of FM radio in NY. His book covers just a part of the story of the decline of variety in NY radio, and only marginally about the FCC rules changes over the years.

I will agree that I'm better off in NY than most other markets. WFUV-FM (90.7) is my refuge from programmed schlock. However, radio in general in NY has gone downhill in variety and quality in the past twenty years, and that is sad.

When I was in college radio at MIT, we were so paranoid about the FCC. Did we run enough public service announcements (PSA's), were we serving the community, did anyone play anything offensive on the air, etc. Your station license was up for renewal every year, and you spent weeks before the renewal running announcements about public comments and other BS just in case someone wanted to try and grab the frequency from you. Now (from what I understand), renewals are every five years, and I can't remember the last time I heard a TV or radio station mention that their license was up for renewal. So much for public ownership of the airwaves. Support your local stations and pirate radio.

For the very best in non-commercial NY music variety..

90.7 WFUV Fordham Univ, uptown, don't recall where their transmitter is.
89.5 WPKN Bridgeport Conn, just just get it in NYC. Best friggin radio station in the world for people with open minds and ears. Makes NPR look like CNN.

Both stream world wide... but try back at different times, as the different shows are, well, actually different.

I'd say there are 3 main ways I discover music:

• WFUV is my real-world station of choice. It doesn't have to be that one (though I recommend it), but find a station that seems to play the stuff you like and see what they turn you on to. I find the public (usually university-affiliated) stations are the best. See also WXPN, or WWOZ if you want to hear jazz. The commercial stations are hopeless.
  
• I actually pay for a subscription to eMusic. Their selection is a little thin, but since everything past your initial monthly investment is free, you'll find that you'll give things a chance that you might pass over if it was going to cost you a purchase.
  
• Friends hipper than me: There's one guy in particular who always seems to hear about good bands before I do. I know he reads the Village Voice and Pitchfork, but I suspect he has other sources as well.
  

Here's a short listing of some I know about (thanks to another poster for reminding me about KDVS):

• Pittsburg: WRCT
• Georgia: WREK
• New York: WFUV
• Los Altos, CA: KFJC
• Berkeley, CA: KALX
• San Francisco, CA KUSF
• Davis, CA: KDVS
• Stanford, CA: KZSU

One thing to remember about college radio is that it changes constantly from program to program... there's often very litte of an attempt at presenting a consistent sound as in commercial radio. So don't just listen once or twice to a station and assume you know what they're about. Maybe you should look for an online program schedule to figure out when to listen.