HHH said:
The non-commercial radio in Boston is outstanding, not "just OK".
The SEVEN stations that I can hear in the city (WMBR 88.1, WERS 88.9, WGBH 89.7, WZBC 90.3, WBUR 90.9, WUMB 91.9, and WHRB 95.3...yes I know that they are technically "commercial" but not in the traditional sense) always seem to have something interesting on.
WMBR plays cutting edge rock on weekday mornings that is some of the best that I have ever heard.
And, WMBR has the only daily (M-F) "alternative" non-commercial 1960's/70's deep music show on terrestrial radio in the USA, "Lost & Found" weekdays 12 noon - 2 pm. A different style with each weekday DJ, it digs up everything from "lost" pop, rock and soul hits and non-hits, to psychedelic album tracks only heard on "FM underground" stations back in the day. (Practically) none of the records overplayed to death on commercial retro stations.
Also, great roots/Americana/blues programs Saturday mornings/early afternoons, and much more. Classic Soul Sundays 6-8 pm, and "slow" adult urban contemporary Sundays 10pm-midnight, Saturdays 12 midnight-on.
HHH said:
WERS is pretty cool. WGBH is very old-school public, but the jazz and classical service is valuable because of the station's big signal that gets deep into rural areas.
WZBC seems pretty cutting edge.
WBUR is talk and information that is not designed for morons.
WUMB is folk-acoustic based and is refreshing.
WHRB's classical selections are very cutting edge compared to commercial classical radio, their jazz is more edgy than GBH, and the rock they play is pretty radical. Also, "Hillbilly At Harvard".....what more can you say?
This is not counting WRBB (104.9) and the Tufts station (91.5) that you can hear in some parts of the city.
That's WMFO from Tufts, some good shows/DJ's sprinkled through their schedule. It's mainly heard from downtown Boston northward into the north suburbs within Route 128. North of Route 128 WUML from U. Mass Lowell is heard on the frequency (and WMLN Curry College is also on the frequency from downtown Boston southward).
WRBB (Northeastern U.) is unfortunately not heard much farther than downtown and some of the urban neighborhoods due to low power and a commercial station on the frequency on the North Shore.
Other low-powered college stations worth noting include WBRS 100.1 Brandeis University (west suburbs within Route 128, spotty into Boston) and WMWM 91.7 Salem State (North Shore, perhaps farther toward Boston on a very good radio) for their blues and doo-wop shows on Saturday afternoons.
HHH said:
All in all, these stations always have something intesting on.
Now, try to get this kind of selection in Buffalo or Pittsburgh or St Louis or Miami or......
I think our college/non-comm variety in Boston even beats hip hotbeds like NYC and SF.
Not to mention a few unusual, truly independent commercial stations you may not have yet discovered. WATD 95.9 Marshfield (South Shore, fringe signal around Boston) has a refreshing old-school full-service AC/oldies neighborhood community format by day, and "lost" oldies shows, blues, 50's doo-wop and more evenings, overnights and weekends. It's a genuine holdover from the days of fully staffed, live, local service radio.
WJIB 740 AM, though automated, is independently owned and programmed with the most creative, diverse Adult Standards based format I've heard anywhere, and is the last area holdout for suprisingly good AM fidelity if you own a wideband analog AM Stereo receiver from the 80's or 90's (no longer manufactured). Best heard during daylight hours, WJIB drops to low power at night.
I certainly agree with those who say that we need Urban AC - Classic R&B/Soul in this city, both on commercial radio, as well as more on non-comm radio. I also feel that we need a Triple-A, either commercial or non-commercial, that is
really willing to take some chances and present some true variety (perhaps what WERS is attempting to do with their new daytime format?)
Otherwise, you'd be hard pressed to outdo Boston's radio variety anywhere. Even some of the major commercial stations with cookie-cutter music playlists still have some very talented, heritage longtime DJ's hanging in there, giving what would otherwise be stale formats their special touch on personality alone.
ck ! Alot of Rock stations here in Boston , But none of them, are above Avg. Boston Hip hop station is Avg. at Best . Mike-FM need to be put in a dumpster . N/T stations S 