March 26, 2023
When It Comes to Music, Don’t Forget FM Radio
To the Editor:
Re “A Music Newsletter Nostalgic for the Mixtape” (The Story Behind the Story, March 21):
It is bittersweet reading about The Times’s new music newsletter, The Amplifier. I surely understand the generous impulse to share recommendations of music and “musings” about pop culture from a critic steeped in the stuff. But in this streaming era, I am struck again by the omission of a long-tested and trusted source of diverse music offerings and commentary: FM radio!
WPKN, the free-form station where I host a show, has a devoted base of listeners who are passionate about the form. You actually listen and discover in real time! It’s an experience.
And it’s presented by, of all things … humans, with quirky and enthusiastic personalities. Most of the D.J.s volunteer their time and have been for decades.
I’ll likely check out The Amplifier because I do what its author does — soak up daily music exposure and create soundtracks, with special care toward the segues and juxtapositions. I just don’t call them “mixtapes.” I call them radio shows.
Don’t forget us.
Binnie Klein
Hamden, Conn.
