So I’m in Madison, WI with my wife last weekend spending some time together, and I tune to the radio to 92.1 WMAD, one of my all-time favorite alternative radio stations. And what do I find? Some light alternative called “The Mix”. So another one bites the dust. In the last couple of years they had gotten a bit harder, but still played awesome alternative with some Limp Bizkit, Staind, etc thrown in. Almost a cross of Drive105 and 93x here in the Twin Cities.

So I google for information about the format switch, turns out it took place Oct. 29th, 2002. Figures, right about when football season ended and I hadn’t been to Madison in a while.

So I found some articles talking about “it was just an evolution” for the format switch, and other lame excuses.

But then I came across the Upper Midwest Broadcasting website. This must be one of the most depressing websites ever.

It’s a site dedicated to radio and TV news in the Upper Midwest (Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota). It details format changes, anchors / DJs coming and going, and ownership changes. What makes it so depressing is seeing all the consolidation. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve seen Clear Channel discussed, and then ABC. Even smaller regionals consolidating to fight back. Whoever said less choice is good? And the number of DJ’s doing the voictracking thing – where they pre-record snippets of conversation from one city and are replayed as if “live” if another city or on multiple stations depresses me.

What’s interesting, and maybe a bit inspiring, is the number of low power stations that have been granted. Maybe there is hope yet.

Check out the Dead Radio Stations Website page. Rev105 guestbook, 93.7 The Edge, 93x, lots of old stations who have their old sites mirrored. Good stuff to keep alive!