I hate monopolies

This is ripped from an angry email I wrote. Pretty much speaks for itself.

I was deeply disappointed today by the state of Boston commercial radio. I had much driving to do, helping a friend move, and I wanted nothing more than to let the steady beats and staccato lyrics of mainstream hiphop keep the pace for the move. I found, though, that the programming practices in your studio have become so monolithic I was forced to switch over to New Hampshire alt. rock just to hear something different.

I don't mean a different kind of music, I mean I had to switch radio brands just to be able to hear a different individual song. I have some understanding of the economics of music production. I realize that it takes some capital investment to produce a bland, tasteless, pitch-corrected synth-pop single like "Fire Burnin", perhaps even moreso given the apparent lack of backing by anyone with any serious interest in artistic talent. It's probably a drop in the bucket to buy the air time required to prop up a label by playing their flagship work(?) on any radio station that matches the target demographic. But to make the rounds of every frequency in the area committed to playing the style of music I wanted to hear, and to find EVERY ONE OF THEM at some timestamp withing the SAME EXACT SINGLE left me with a bitter, betrayed taste in my mouth.

Both of the stations I've addressed this comment to belong to Clear Channel Radio. Both, in fact, accept mail at the same broadcasting address. It is not outside my imagination that you could coordinate from that building this kind of consumer-numbing barrage, all I ask is that you wouldn't. Please keep in mind, the alt. rock stations play 4 to 6 minute tracks, featuring instrumental solos and verses. If this shady corporate programming chases your customers to them, regardless of our musical preferences of the moment, it's quite likely you'll be on one of your distinct 2 to 5 minute commercial breaks by the time they decide to tune back in. I know you were when I did.

Quite sincerely,
PhineasQ