Kimberly Von Randow ‘28
Opinions Editor
Once upon a time, radio was cool. Then TV showed up like the new kids on the block. Then streaming. Then podcasts — thousands of them, all hosted by people with suspiciously good microphones and a lot of… questionable… opinions. Radio is now being wheeled away to its final resting place: a retirement home. Because somewhere along the way, radio got labeled “dead,” shoved into the cultural attic next to landlines and Facebook pokes. But here’s the thing: radio didn’t die. We just stopped listening.
Podcasts are great. I love podcasts. I, too, enjoy listening to three strangers debate niche, chronically online topics for 90 minutes while I wait for my croads order that never seems to be ready on time. But podcasts didn’t replace radio — they replaced convenience. And in doing so, they’ve made us forget what local radio actually does best: sound human, sound local, and, most of all, sound alive.
Radio is one of the last truly live mediums most of us interact with. When you turn it on, something is already happening without you, even if it’s just background noise on a drive. And somewhere between the slew of ads, you might catch an old favorite song you forgot about. I, for one, enjoy the mystery of not knowing what the next song might be, and relinquishing that power to someone else. Spotify just does not work that well, anytime I press shuffle on my playlist I get the same five songs over and over again. I’ve since given up on most music streaming services and began using apps like TuneIn where I can pick from thousands of different radio stations from all over the world.
I’d also like to put a special spotlight on the most local of radio stations, like the WCHC 88.1 FM right here on campus (Shoutout to 88 MPH with Aidan and Makaylah on Sundays at 6!). Run by students who are learning as they go, be prepared for passionate monologues and commentary and a large variety of music fit for any taste, all with the occasional dead air and accidental music blocks. College radio is chaotic and authentic in the best way possible, and it gives students a place to experiment and find their voices — literally.
And then there’s Worcester radio. Try as you might, but you cannot escape the grasp of the Worcester community. You live here for the majority of the year! Start acting like it! Local stations here have been serving the city long before podcasters took over the modern listening sphere. They talk about local news, music, problems, and victories. They sound like Worcester because they are Worcester. A personal favorite is Chris Zito’s morning show on 96.1 SRS for getting me through cold high school mornings and now through weary walks to 8 a.m. classes.
Podcasts, for all their charm, are mostly placeless. You could listen to the same show in London or your dorm room at 2 a.m., and nothing would change. Local radio only works because it belongs to where it’s from. Just as listening to radio shows from other cities and such can give you a glimpse into what life is like in that location.
For the sake of tradition — and for the sake of community — I’m not calling for radio to be resurrected. It’s already here, live, local, and waiting for listeners. All we have to do is tune in. So turn the dial, support your campus station, give Worcester radio a chance, and let yourself be surprised by what’s already playing for once.
Featured image courtesy of twofour54
Copy Edited by Lauren Zerella ‘29
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