For those who miss progressive freeform radio..it's back!

[Kat45]

Remember the old days of rock radio? The DJs would play whatever they wanted. They might play the latest Cream song, followed by some jazz, then some folk, then Frank Sinatra. Unlike the narrowcasting of today, the stations played a wide range of genre, exposing listeners to music they'd never run into on their own. You could hear all kinds of music, much of it decidedly noncommercial. You might not like one song, but love the next.

Though of course it's not on mainstream radio, freeform radio is back. It's Freeform WBCN, available streaming online at wbcn.com. (There are 2 stations available on the web page; freeform is the one on the left.) Anyone who lived or worked in the Boston area from the late sixties through the next couple of decades probably remembers WBCN, which was one of the early freeform rock stations. WBCN had become corporatized and gone downhill in recent years. CBS, which bought it in recent years, replaced the station with a sports talk station last year.

Sam Kopper, a DJ and program director from the original 'BCN has started this freeform station from a studio in his basement. For much of the day, it's programmed without DJs, but the music is great because he's the one programming it. But he's started broadcasting live from 11AM to 2PM weekdays, and it's even better! They have a Facebook presence, and when you request a song on their FB thread, odds are they will play it. (I've had a number of requests played.) Once a week, Danny Schechter the News Dissector--remember him?-- is on talking about issues of the day.They have no advertising dollars at all; word of mouth is the only way to publicize it. So I'm trying to help bring more listeners to FFBCN. He's trying to grow the station, perhaps eventually getting it back to broadcast radio. In order to do that and get any support from CBS, he has to prove to the suits that there are listeners for this type of station. (It's currently also on HD3, but not many people have HD radios and the '3' band of HD radio is not the best in quality. HD3 broadcasts in mono. And for whatever reason, listeners are only counted when listening online.)

If this sounds like the kind of radio you'd like, please check it out at wbcn.com. If you can listen when it's live, between 11-2 weekdays, so much the better. I tell you, I'm really loving this station!

[monmouth]

1. I will definitely try it. I listen to Bill Press in the a.m. so this sounds like

something I would really enjoy. Here in South Florida we're starving for anything progressive.. Thanks for the post and info..

[Kat45]

2. I told a friend in Texas and he wrote to thank me 'cause he loved it so much.

I think you'll like it.

[Angry Dragon]

3. k&r

[Cetacea]

4. Thank you!

K&R

[Kat45]

5. You're quite welcome.

Enjoy listening!

[Canuckistanian]

6. Fuck the Drake format

It killed radio. Banished it into a sea of endless "heavy rotations" and precisely timed commercials and traffic reports.

Gimme that old time subversive, non-profitable radio.

[Kat45]

7. It's great to have it back!

I have such a blast listening to it, especially when they're on live. And I haven't listened to the radio in ages. They're even bringing back some of the DJs from the glory days of the station. I'm talking DJs volunteering at the station; there is no money there now.

[Canuckistanian]

8. I'll have to give it a listen

Thanks for posting it!

[Kat45]

9. You're welcome.

Enjoy!

[RagAss]

10. Thanks man. Good stuff.