IMHO followup to Deryk Barkers comment on radio network influence on
broadcast content requires some clarification:

The public demand for special cultural programming was resurrected in
the mid forties when the revised FM broadcast frequency allocation was
established.  (The first FM station allocation provided by the Federal
regulators (FCC) in the late 30's used the band approximately 40mhz to
60mhz.) Because television service demanded more spectrum allocation the
Feds gave this old FM band to TV channells 2-6 and moved FM broacasting
to the current 88-108mhz slice in approximatly 1947.  At the same time
the lower frequency portion from 88-92mhz was reserved for "educational"
broadcasting.  Under the regulatory atmosphere of the time stations
licensed to this segment were expected to provide programs of an
educational nature which was presumed to consist largely of classical
music which was the form retained until the 1960s.  Today, in a very
laisez faire regulatory atmosphere, the FCC sanctions diverse programming
of nearly any kind in this "educational" segment as the definition of
"culture" is in the mind of the beholder.  Anything goes accept four
letter words.

Bernard Gregoire
HIngham, MA