Detroit radio used to something I was relatively proud of. A strong public radio station playing an excellent mix of music throughout the day blended with NPR's flagship talk programming. There was a balanced mix of 'alternative', 'pop' and 'classic' to 'hard rock' choices along the dial. All that changed rather quickly in the past 3 years or so. The dials are now dominated by the playlist blob-morphs known by a singular male name. I think our main offender is named 'Doug FM'. For those lucky enough to be unfamilar with this particular radio phenom, Doug and his sound-a-like spawn subject radio listeners to a mix of disco, REO Speedwagon and DMB. Continuing the slow decline, WDET, Detroit's once musically proud NPR station, came under new management in order to boost fundraising numbers. What happened instead is that the daytime music format was killed, stripping the city of its only outlet for non-Clear Channel approved songs and subsequently setting all time fundraising lows. Light, however, is shining through the cold, gray SE Michigan skies.
An old format has returned to a decent station in town. Granted the station trends towards the dreaded Adult/Alternative genre which once you turn 30 becomes more and more difficult to admit to liking, but it also plays a heady mix of artists heard nowhere else in town such as DJ Shadow, Ben Harper, The Tragically Hip and to my greatest suprise, Leonard Cohen. The sun got a little dimmer today while driving to lunch. The same LC song heard just the other day was followed by 'No More, No More' by Aerosmith. Now I am not an Aerosmith or classic rock hater by any means, but the transition was enough to knock me off my shiny, folding chair (damn you El Monko and Son). Regardless, I am happy to hear some variety creep back into these airwaves so I do not have to spring for a replacement to my stolen Sirius radio.
Sharing this story with a co-worker, I asked if they had ever heard a similar transition and received this answer:
"No but I would pay someone to follow Elton John's Crocidile Rock with some Pantera." Sometimes a co-worker can still surprise you.
My Trusted MOGs
I noticed right away that the NPR affiliates out in the midwest(compared to the Caliornia ones) were playing rock/pop music. Out here, you never really get anything like that on the NPR channels.
I did like Minneapolis' "The Current" which was started by the NPR people out there(I believe).
Mostly I'll listen to the radio for news/talk. When I want music(from the radio)I mostly just flip on College Radio.Out here in the SF bay area we have KALX. which is MOSTLY good.
Atanyrate, my condolences for your radio stations and how they leave you wanting.
My Trusted MOGs
Moved to the Denver area from Detroit in August 2005, and while I was mourning the slow decline of WDET at the time, I really do still miss Liz Copeland's show.
Out here we've got a fantastic AM college station that does whipshit things with its programming (or lack thereof).
My Trusted MOGs
I still refer to Liz Copeland as my radio mistress or the woman I failed to court and marry. This does not amuse my wife.
You can still stream her archived shows here: http://www.wdetfm.org/show.php?sid=6 or download a podcast here: http://www.wdetfm.org/rss/