Shutdown of boston-radio-interest list

[lspin@comcast.net]

Well stated, Bill, Donna and Garrett.
I joined this group in the mid-later 90s as a fan of local, Boston radio.  I always knew that I could rely on this group to provide balanced information and late-breaking events in the subject that I've loved though never actively participated.  Thanks to all the participants who respectfully presented different opinions from varying points of view.  We've had engineers, broadcasters, lawyers and even fans like me.  This is the model for how it should have been done as internet discussions devolve into name-calling and trolling.  I don't believe the interest or enthusiasm of this group has waned as much as the state of radio, the way it struggles to maintain relevance.  Radio is in a tough state today with very little to generate excitement, except, of course, the resurrection of 1510 WMEX.  My heartfelt thanks to everyone who brought their insight and spoke factually and from the heart.  It would never have continued without the energy of Garrett Wollman.  Thank you and bless you all!

-Lou Spinnazola, just an atypical radio listener.

________________________________
From: Boston-Radio-Interest <boston-radio-interest-bounces@lists.BostonRadio.org> on behalf of billohno@gmail.com <billohno@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, December 1, 2023 7:06 AM
To: Donna Halper <dlh@donnahalper.com>
Cc: Garrett Wollman <wollman@bostonradio.org>; boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org <boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org>
Subject: Re: Shutdown of boston-radio-interest list

I am grateful to Garrett for his keeping this list active for so long. Like Donna, I can’t help but get nostalgic about this.

When I joined BRI at the invite of Scott Fybush back in the early days of the mid-90s, I was still behind a mic. My wife and I were embarking on adopting our two kids (they’re 30 and 33 now), I’m long since out of the business, and have been here in Vermont for 23 years.

With the recent passing of legendary broadcaster Ken Squire of WDEV (550 Waterbury // 96.1 WDEV-FM Warren), I couldn’t help but to wonder what was the next season for his Radio Vermont Group, one of the last of the locally owned and operated signals.)

And so it goes. As to this list, as the archives (which I do hope remain) would attest, it has been a long time since I posted here. As Garrett shuts off the plates for the last time, this was an excellent, well-moderated forum that served a community of lovers of Boston radio.

#30#

Bill O’Neill
Shoreham, VT

> On Nov 30, 2023, at 10:47 PM, Donna Halper <dlh@donnahalper.com> wrote:
>
> On 11/30/2023 2:30 PM, Garrett Wollman wrote:
>> Hi, all,
>>
>> This mailing-list was originally created in 1997, at a time when both
>> radio and the Internet were in a very different situation than they
>> are now.
>
> I was a late adopter, and got online in late 1995. One of the earliest surviving emails I have in my files from you, Garrett, is from May 3, 1996, in which you and Scott kindly made me a contributing editor of the Boston Radio Archives. In that email, you noted that from then on, there would be a notification that "The Boston Radio Archives are edited and maintained by Garrett Wollman and Scott Fybush.  Contributing editors: Peter George, N1GGP Donna Halper, and Dan Strassberg." As I look back on those 1996 files, I am struck by how many people we have lost, and how many are still alive but no longer involved with radio. I too had to reinvent myself, thanks to media consolidation, and I was forced to leave the industry I loved. I reinvented myself and became a professor and a media historian. But I will always love radio, and I am always grateful when I can be a guest on Morgan White Jr.'s show on WBZ or on some of the other live and local shows that still exist-- sad to s!
 ay, they are becoming fewer and fewer. Radio changed my life for the better. I had a four-decade career, and met some amazing people because of it. Contributing to this list was something I've truly enjoyed doing for the past 26 years. But I too have noticed that participation was dropping off. I understand your decision to end the list, but I admit I'm a bit nostalgic about it. For so many years, we all united at certain times to talk about radio. I miss doing that. And I miss Bob Bitner. And I miss the days when radio stations ruled, and getting airplay could make or break a band. Times change, and I understand that. But I will miss this list, and the people on it. Thank you for all you did and continue to do, Garrett.
>
>
> --
> Donna L. Halper, PhD
> Associate Professor of Communication & Media Studies
> Lesley University, Cambridge MA
> 2023 Inductee, Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame
>