PHILLY
EVENTSRadio: G-Town Radio
Gtownradio.com
“Remember, FM radio may be free, but it also sucks,” declares G-Town Radio’s home page. True enough. It’s hard to remember the last time I stuck to one radio station for more than 10 minutes before pressing the SEEK button. But this Internet radio station, the brainchild of longtime Germantown resident Jim Bear, who programs via a PC in his home office, has held my attention since launching over the summer. It might seem boring to rely on one guy’s taste in music (though that’s essentially what you’re doing with FM). But the breadth of G-Town’s offerings, from rare James Brown cuts and Fela Kuti to vintage British metal and excellent local tracks (musicians can e-mail their mp3s for consideration and free airplay), plus syndicated alt-news programs that make NPR seem right-wing, mean there’s plenty for (almost) anyone. And the best part: no commercials or paid subscriptions. Grade: A-
“Remember, FM radio may be free, but it also sucks,” declares G-Town Radio’s home page. True enough. It’s hard to remember the last time I stuck to one radio station for more than 10 minutes before pressing the SEEK button. But this Internet radio station, the brainchild of longtime Germantown resident Jim Bear, who programs via a PC in his home office, has held my attention since launching over the summer. It might seem boring to rely on one guy’s taste in music (though that’s essentially what you’re doing with FM). But the breadth of G-Town’s offerings, from rare James Brown cuts and Fela Kuti to vintage British metal and excellent local tracks (musicians can e-mail their mp3s for consideration and free airplay), plus syndicated alt-news programs that make NPR seem right-wing, mean there’s plenty for (almost) anyone. And the best part: no commercials or paid subscriptions. Grade: A-
Originally published in Philadelphia magazine, October 2006
