Support radio stations: Local stations are vital to a thriving culture

There is nothing like listening to the new irresistible song of the summer on the radio.

But those stations need our help if they're going to keep providing the sound track for lives.

Of course now we all plug our iPods into our cars and search for any song we want to hear on the Internet.

But an iPod can't replace the familiar voice of your favorite local disc jockey and Pandora won't play a live in-studio concert of a local up-and-coming band.

These things are valuable to a community and they need our donations to survive.

North Carolina Public Radio-WUNC which relies mainly on contributions from listeners is feeling the strain of the economy and soliciting donations.

They are not alone.

Even National Public Radio is feeling the crunch not to mention the radio stations that specialize in a particular genre of music ranging from classical to hip-hop.

It's true that we're all trying to be a little more frugal in this economy.

 But it's in the interest of the whole community that we try to cough up a bit of money to support these types of public services. Even students can spare just a few dollars.

Most of us are guilty of using the Internet for all our media needs.

We go online for the news for the fake news to sample music and to stream our favorite shows.

None of that will ever replace hearing the news from a real person at a local radio station or their dialogue with an opinionated caller.  

None of that will ever replace having professionals pick out songs for you in hopes that you will hear something new.

Radio stations are even important to local bands looking for exposure that might lead to their big break.

So let's do what we can to help out local radio stations.