Short Stuff: BM Radio

In this episode of Short Stuff, Josh and Chuck discuss the history of "beautiful music" radio, a format popular in the mid-20th century. They explain how FM radio initially played easy listening music before transitioning to rock, while AM radio did the opposite. The hosts detail how an FCC ruling led to the rise of beautiful music, which targeted housewives with softened versions of pop hits and standards. They discuss Schuelke Radio Productions' influence on the format, including their strict standards for audio quality and advertising. The conversation touches on the automation of radio through beautiful music and the eventual decline of the format as younger listeners favored rock. They reminisce about alternative radio station Album 88 and draw a parallel between the format's decline and the premise of the TV show WKRP in Cincinnati.