City of Galveston Asks Cumulus to Consider Donating Silent KSTB to Community Group
The Galveston Daily News is reporting that a local group, Galveston Community Radio, is calling for Cumulus to donate its silenced station KSTB 101.5 FM (Crystal Beach, Texas) to them. According to the article, “If Cumulus agreed, Galveston Community Radio would create a station offering local news, emergency information and a mix of music with […]
The oral history of Chicago’s Q101 hits stores
Chicago’s Q101 was one of the first commercial alternative rock stations, and the first one to bring that format to the Chicago radio starting in 1992. The format and Q101 branding went away on July 15, 2011, when Randy Michaels’ Merlin Media took over the station, flipping it to his FM News format, that was […]
2012 Holiday Gift Guide for Radio Fans
In honor of the official start of the holiday shopping season, it’s time for an update to my annual list of radio gift ideas. If you are making your purchases online, you can help support Radio Survivor by shopping through our Amazon links. Over the years we’ve compiled various lists of recommended radio gear, accessories […]
Whistling Prince Albert at Radio Valencia
Two Sundays ago I was hanging out at free form radio station Radio Valencia in San Francisco, and in walked jazz singer/guitarist Meredith Axelrod. Axelrod spoke with the Gramophoney Baloney show’s DJ McShmormac, then schmoozed some more with DJ Ferrara and Malderor and Dr. Junk. Of course we all wanted Axelrod to sing. As a bonus, […]
My Nexus 7 is an Internet radio
It has been a year since I posted my review of the Kindle Fire as an Internet radio device. A lot of digital water has gone under the bridge since then, and I’ve replaced the Fire with a Google Nexus 7. Sorry Kindle, but the Nexus 7 is the tablet for me. Nothing personal. I […]
Thanksgiving “Alice’s Restaurant” Radio Tradition Continues in 2012
Catch Alice’s Restaurant on the 2023 radio dial. See our latest listening guide. A few years back I wrote about the tradition of many radio stations playing the lengthy song “Alice’s Restaurant” on Thanksgiving. Every year I’m curious to see how many stations plan to play the classic folk song. Apparently listeners are vocal about […]
WLTL is Big Winner in 2012 John Drury High School Radio Awards
On November 10, 2012, the annual John Drury High School Radio Awards were presented to young student broadcasters. The big winner this year was WLTL 88.1 FM from Lyons Township High School in LaGrange, Illinois, which won not only Best Radio Station, but also five other 1st place awards as well as seven awards total […]
The five stages of commercial radio format change grief
I am reviewing the furious responses of our readers to Eric Klein’s story on the format change at KPOJ in Portland. Only ten days ago it was Progressive Talk Radio. Now it is a sports channel. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” one comment exclaims. “Put talk radio back on KPOJ immediately! We have enough sports […]
Chicago Public Radio CEO defends Smiley & West cancellation, prescribes more civic discourse
Last week Chicago Public Media CEO Torey Malatia published an Op-Ed piece in the public media journal Current, defending his station’s decision to cancel the syndicated Smiley & West program. Malatia’s piece appeared just days after Smiley & West returned to the Chicago airwaves on commercial station WCPT. In his op-ed Malatia lays out his […]
Sandy update: how to help WBAI and WFMU
East coast community radio stations WBAI-FM in New York City and WFMU-FM in New Jersey are still trying to dig themselves out of the Hurricane Sandy swamp. Yesterday, all the Pacifica stations ran a network-wide emergency fundraiser for lower Manhattan’s ‘BAI. Here’s an excerpt from Pacifica Executive Director Summer Reese’s appeal: When Superstorm Sandy hit […]