It’s just too damn hot this week to sit in my car and attempt to program the media center options that come with the vehicle. It seems to me that the AM radio band is either missing or hidden amongst a slew of menu options I have yet to figure out. The owner’s manual for this new Honda CRV is more than 700 pages. For most of the AM stations, there are HD channels that simulcast them. There are also the HD subchannels of stations such as KING, KIRO, iHeart & Audacy that program Hip-Hop, Blues, BBC World Service and “The Mountain” album classics format that is no longer financially viable on mainstream Seattle radio. All this and LESS. With so many HD subchannels, one would think a Boomer could find a quality 50s/60s/70s Oldies channel, Big Band, or Beautiful Music. NOPE. For variety, there are the 24/7 Christmas channel (KRWM FM HD2), 8 religious channels, 2 queer channels and a sports betting channel.
Amazon sells small plug-in devices that connect more of your smart phone apps to the car’s built-in tablet for easier selection of streaming and podcasting apps. This would deliver the Internet radio options plus Spotify and even Netflix.
Bottom line: It’s easy to connect to the car audio system to listen to the music collection of your smart phone. There is always that.
25 thoughts on “Radio. Say something, I’m giving up on you…”
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John Ross • August 17, 2024
NO one, and I mean NO ONE could beat the Classic Jazz sounds from the New Yorker on the Hill-Top in Tacoma, nor that one Jazzman Radio DJ who could put it together in fine style on KTNT AM-FM in Tacoma back in the 1960’s. His name was Clarence McDaniel, whom I was honored to work with then, and later at KIXI AM-FM. “Mac” had the knack. R.I.P buddy!
Jason Remington • August 17, 2024
KTNT 1400 was a great station and I enjoyed visiting and watching Bruce Vanderhoof in-person. What a pro! (May 17, 1970)
John Ross • August 17, 2024
Oh, I remember those days well. I did KTNT AM/FM in 1968-69 when Glenn Brooks was PD and the FM side was just coming alive with country after breaking from the simulcast routine. I was a new voice on the AM side in the beginning and followed Bruce Vanderhoof. As you said, he was a PRO! I took Vanderhoof flying one day out to Hoquiam. He was a hoot. And who can ever forget those newscasts from Gene Lewis and his in-studio antics. What a rush!
Doug Schmidt • July 16, 2024
Mixcloud. One can find anything you ears so desire.
Dave Mason • July 14, 2024
Hey you guys….want to try something “different”? http://www.wrmilegends.com or WRMI (Short Wave) on 5050 and 9455 khz. Ted Randall has put together a host of classic (as in “old”) DJs playing the hits and a few surprises as well. WRMI legends is in stereo 24/7 at the above website. If you have a shortwave, check out the “hosted” hours (6p-11p Monday-Saturday) and specialized talk shows Sundays.
Jason Remington • July 15, 2024
There are a few choices on the website for music streaming. I had not thought about incorporating Alexa in my listening options while driving, but this is one more element to add. Thanks for the link!
Frank Watson • July 11, 2024
After the Biden talked again today, I thought, I’ll put on the news on the radio. Thought they’d have a segment or a discussion about it. Nope, they’re running a full segment about garden knomes that were stolen, then repainted and returned. Went on like that for a while. Then traffic with that gal that used to be on KIRO, Kimmy Klein, then weather, then back to some other topic. But nothing about the president speaking about how Trump is his vice president, or President Putin of Ukraine etc. Anyway, surfed the internet about it.
Jason Remington • July 11, 2024
CNN has turned against having Biden being the nominee. That says it all.
Jerry Dawson • July 11, 2024
All through the 70’s you could always find good music and great jocks. It was fun to listen to the radio.
When I worked at KJR as a request line operator the station was fun. Listeners enjoyed being pulled over by Sunshine Sherri and winning cash and prizes. Stations today have lost the personality aspect of radio. There is too much talk and talk about stupid stuff that doesn’t matter to anyone. It is much more enjoyable to connect my phone to the car radio and listen to the songs that bring back memories of what it used to be like when the listener felt like they were a part of the station they were listening to.
Jason Remington • July 11, 2024
Maybe some Boomers are getting that personality radio feel from Sports Talk or News Talk stations. I think radio has lost that lovin’ feelin’.
louis • July 11, 2024
Well this Boomer very rarely listens to any radio in the car or at home. I used the free one year of XM that came with both our vehicles but once ran out and Yacht Rock was gone (and not being much of a smart phone guy) I took all my old cd’s and put them on my PC hard drive then transferred them to a flash drive which we have in each car. I put the thousands of songs on “shuffle all” and most of the songs of my youth are with me. An old guy hack if you will. 😉
Jason Remington • July 11, 2024
Pretty much the same here. I also get in a zone where I will make an hour or two hour loop of various versions of a song (official video, live performance etc.) and play it to death on my commute. I did this with the theme from Succession, Grand Canyon Suite, Downton Abbey, a couple Amy Winehouse cuts, and with Teddy Swims’ I Lose Control. Sort of “mood music” recordings. These are played to death. Eventually, I drag one out again until I tire of it.
Mike Barer • July 11, 2024
Radio just doesn’t do it for me anymore. At least terrestrial, I’m usually listen to Sirius/XM or a podcast.
louis • July 11, 2024
I used to like KZAM / KEZX back in the day. The last smooth jazz station I could find was in Bellingham but changed formats 4 years or so ago.