I attempted to listen to commercial FM radio today. As you can predict, I didn’t last long. The same litany of complaints dating back decades remains the same: small playlists, phony DJs, and incessant, screeching commercials. I can’t help but wonder if it was better before the Clear Channel era, or if that’s just wishful thinking. Maybe it’s just something you tolerate more easily when you’re young.
What’s worse is that I can’t even remember how long it’s been since I last tried. In the car, I’m usually listening to podcasts, my own music, or an Internet radio station. Same at home, just in reverse order. (Great Big Radio is playing in the living room right now.) My alarm clock’s set to KQED, the local NPR station, but I only...
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