Radio stations in the USA

[gearnoise@VNET.IBM.COM]

 -=> Quoting Jason Pilon to Chris Abbey <=-

Barenaked Ladies
 >     Their first album "Gordon" will be considered a classic once people
 >in the US get off their butts and listen to something different.

This conversation and an earlier note about one of the CBC radio shows
brought to mind how awfully bad most radio staions in the USA are. The
vast majority have some sort of top 40 format (pop, country, rock, etc.
Heck, there were several years that I swore the local Davidson College
(NC) station had a top 40 classical format).  I travel a bit in the East
(mostly Southeast), and have gotten fairly adept at finding the few decent
stations on the FM dial.  Most turn out to be college stations, which
usually means after about 10 miles they're fading out.

Anyway, I put together my own criteria of what makes a good station:
- Variety of programming
- Tell you what you are about to listen to/have just heard (grouping OK)
- Support local music
- The DJ's appear to be able to choose what they play
- The DJ's do not choose to play top 40
- (if an NPR/PRI affiliate) Carry "World Cafe" 5 nights/week
- (if an NPR/PRI affiliate) Carry "Afro Pop"
- Likely to play Kate, Barenekid Ladies, etc
- On "taking requests" shows, the call-ins are NOT asking for top 40 stuff
- Been around, with the same format, for more than a year
- (more, but can't remember at the moment)

With that criteria, I'd like to list a couple stations worth listening to
and request info on others:

1. KGSR, 107.1, Austin, TX.  This is the best independent station I've
   ever come across. Supports the (extensive!) Austin music scene. Has
   put out 3 albums in the last 3 years of live performances in their
   studio (Sarah McLachlin, Shawn Colvin, T Bone Burnett, Lyle Lovett,
   Varttina, etc, etc), which sell out quickly, and which proceeds go to
   local projects. (And if anyone can locate "broadcasts vol 2", lemme
   know!). Always interesting to listen to.

2. WNCW, 88.7, Spindale, NC.  They have a little 17,000 watt station, but
   put their broadcast tower on top of a 6000 foot cliff (very high for
   the East), so can be picked up all over Western NC and parts of TN and
   SC.  Studio at the local college (Isothermal CC), popular enough to
   have repeaters in Charlotte, Nashville, Winston-Salem, etc.  Always
   carry World Cafe (no Kate interview yet, but one can always hope!)
   (By the way, the Tori Amos interview was rather interesting. Tori
   claims to have conversations in her head with the women in her songs.
   Says they tell her what to sing.). On 24 hours/day and some of the
   best stuff is after midnight. Only downer (for me) is the half day of
   old timey country stuff they play every Saturday. Liable to hear
   groups from Charlotte/Asheville areas.  Blues, folk, jazz, Spanish,
   reggae, you name it.

3. Not as good as the other two, not much real variety, but worth a
   listen in the Atlanta, GA area is the U of Ga's 88.5 station (can't
   remember the call letters).  Show content is TOTALLY dependent on the
   DJ of the moment (always a college student), and some have very narrow
   tastes.

Now, since I'll be spending much of the next few weeks in Florida (Jax,
Sarasota, Key West), and since the tape player on the car we'll be
driving died recently, I'd appreciate any info on worthwhile stations
in that state.  Plus, is there a decent station in the NYC area?

.                                                        Q___  -- --
Neal Mulvenna                                          __/__/T_ -- -
internet: gearnoise@vnet.ibm.com                      / /\ </\ \ --
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