J G Miller wrote:

You could try listening to some for about 5 minutes -- you may feel
yourself unable to listen for any longer than that for some of them
in England.

There are, of course, broad ranges of non-comm stations in the U.S. Many
cater to very specific slices of audience.

Here in the Bay Area, KPFA caters to political activists (or people who think
they are political activists). KCSM-FM caters to jazz listeners. KPOO is
into mostly blues and affairs affecting black people.

KUSF is a training ground for new student DJs and musically caters to them,
plus there are blocks of programming catering to Catholicism (KUSF is owned by
USF, a Catholic university).

KQED-FM appeals to news/info hounds, carrying nearly all the NPR and PRI news
and talk programming available. KALW, an equal member of NPR carries a lot of
the rest, along with BBC, CBC, and other news/info programming.

KCEA caters to people who prefer to listen to big bands music of the 1930s and
40s. KVHS, also owned by a high school, reaches out toward teens.

KFJC, KSJS, KSMC, and KZSU do the same thing for college-age audiences.

On Aug 8, 10:19*pm, (David Kaye) wrote:
J G Miller wrote:

You could try listening to some for about 5 minutes -- you may feel
yourself unable to listen for any longer than that for some of them
in England.

There are, of course, broad ranges of non-comm stations in the U.S. *Many
cater to very specific slices of audience. *

Here in the Bay Area, KPFA caters to political activists (or people who think
they are political activists). *KCSM-FM caters to jazz listeners. *KPOO is
into mostly blues and affairs affecting black people. *

KUSF is a training ground for new student DJs and musically caters to them,
plus there are blocks of programming catering to Catholicism (KUSF is owned by
USF, a Catholic university).

KQED-FM appeals to news/info hounds, carrying nearly all the NPR and PRI news
and talk programming available. *KALW, an equal member of NPR carries a lot of
the rest, along with BBC, CBC, and other news/info programming.

KCEA caters to people who prefer to listen to big bands music of the 1930s and
40s. *KVHS, also owned by a high school, reaches out toward teens. *

KFJC, KSJS, KSMC, and KZSU do the same thing for college-age audiences. *

The one thing that KQED-FM does great is to
carry the Audio of the PBS-TV 'News Hour" on
the FM Radio at 3PM M~F Listen at Work, or in
the Car, and even at Home with No TV needed.

IMHO the fastest way to get FM HD-Radio accepted
is to find a Local TV Station that will do an Audio
Simulcast of their Programming on the HD2 Channel
and market the Audio Simulcast on TV.
-why- Since TV went Digital the old Analog AM/FM/TV
Radios no longer provide TV Audio. FM HD-Radio HD2
Channels can provide TV Audio to an already existing
at Work and can Listen {but can't watch} and in the
Car and can Listen {but can't watch} TV {radio} Listeners.

~ RHF

On Monday, August 9th, 2010 at 05:19:59h +0000, David Kaye wrote:

There are, of course, broad ranges of non-comm stations in the U.S.
Many cater to very specific slices of audience.

Here in the Bay Area

Remember thought that the Bay Area is very well served by non-commercial
stations and that the availability is rather different in other, smaller
markets. Often the only non-commercial is an NPR station and maybe one
from a neighboring market, plus perhaps a religious station.