Opinion: iNet Radio Amazing, But I Miss The Local Stuff

From Confessions Of A Former Conservative

I used to love the radio growing up. It made activities that were drudgery bearable. Raking leaves, doing homework, etc. etc….all bearable with the radio. Beyond radio stations evolving to being so generic that I can’t bear to listen to them, there’s no good talk anymore. I used to love radio personalities. They were fun to listen to. Now they are all either right wing conspiracy theorists or they are DJs that make really lame jokes. At night, the local oldies station has some nationally syndicated oldies DJ. Exactly how does one get a national gig playing MP3s and making corny jokes with faux enthusiasm?

Podcasts have filled the void for me wanting to hear conversation on radio and actual good conversation that isn’t right wing nutbaggery. Now that I have a smart phone this is all available to me in the car as well. My once heavy radio listening has eroded to nearly nothing. I do listen in the mornings to local news, which brings me to the one thing I miss. I miss the community aspect of radio. It was local people who you’d sometimes sse around talking about local places and local businesses.

Until a few months ago, I still listened to one of the only remaining such shows but it traded in community and friendly folksiness for Tea Party hysteria. I have more to listen to than ever before. Better quality music that is suited to my tastes. The talk shows are always about topics I am interested in. It has never been better for a person like me that always has to have something to listen to. I’ve always been an audiophile.

However I do miss the community feel of local radio and I believe that is gone forever as radio slips into an abyss of clear channel mediocrity. As radio becomes increasingly homogenized playlists of 500 songs or ranting national talk show hosts, I’m guessing those days are over. My little friendly local show has unfortunately become “Here’s what’s wrong with the liberals and our country.” With the exception of the local news on my way to work, the internet has completely replaced radio for me.

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