Thursday, February 22, 2018

What are you doing to me?



I thought we were friends? You have been my constant companion for years. I rely on you for news and music and entertainment and enlightenment. You guys, whom I’ve never met in person, are my friends and neighbors. You make me smile and chuckle and sing along and think. You sooth me with the classics, read to me stories, interview with intelligent questions. All my radios are tuned to you and now you have done this.
You’ve given me options.
How could you? For years I’ve weaned myself away from the talk/entertainment/advertising networks and stations to only pay attention to you. I tell everyone about my NPR fascination and am a proud member with my yearly donations to the sight and sound. I’ve been a loyal listener and now I have to decide.
You say you will give me more of the same and it will be better, but I’m weary. Now I will have to choose which one of you will get my undivided attention. You say I will have the same shows I clock my day by from waking up to afternoon interviews and factoids and evening marketing analysis to jazz and then bedtime to be rocked off into slumber land with orchestrated strings and pianos. 
I will pick up your gauntlet and accept your challenge for I have adapted to your increasingly self-effacing chatter and promotions that so long ago were silence. You are still the best alternative to what has become a tsunami of somewhat questionable media to pick and choose.
I’ll patently wait until you make your final adjustments and reset my dials to your studied selection of programming and I will continue to financially support you. I hope you will not become what cable television promised for a fee a multitude of unwanted or desirable variations available to stay focus while turning the mind into mush.
Stay true to your mission and I’ll be a loyal listener and hopefully we can succeed in this transition unlike the newspapers and magazines that turn journalism into entertainment.

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