Jeff Smith sent us this link to an NPR story about the past, present and questionable future of Muzak. For example, did you know that Lyndon Johnson owned a Muzak franchise and sold a subscription to the White House? Ken MacDonald, Sr., the erstwhile owner of radio stations in Saginaw, Cadillac and Petoskey once told me that a Muzak franchise was a “license to print money”. It may have subconsciously influenced my career direction.. I became a cable guy soon after that conversation.

Today Muzak is trying to dig their way out bankruptcy, even as some of the terrestrial broadcasters teeter on the brink. The key question: Will businesses pay for an “audio environment” in the age of the Ipod?

I remember sitting in the orthodontist’s office in Ann Arbor back in the 60s. Dr. Buatti had WLDM, “Detroit’s Foremost FM Station”, doing their Muzak impression in his waiting room. I wished I had a transistor with Keener playing in the ear piece. I think that perhaps that added to the excruciation of the whole braces experience!