When viewed through the lens of big media, and radio generally, yeah the transition is profound.

Personally, I loved radio. Have spoken to others who like newspapers, and TV. The mature media forms all were impacted by that deregulation.

Many people, myself included, just tuned out never to return.

Fact is there is a lot of great music out there. Just don't expect the usual players to help you find it.

Because I was a journalist in a previous life, I remember that around the same timeframe (a few years before time), the Brazilian media also adopted the same model. There were two huge radio stations that co-owned other major ones in different cities. They ended up deciding the playlists of FM radio in the entire country. AM radio only played rural-centric music, or music from the 50s or earlier. FM had a small rulebook of what was playable and what wasn't, including in terms of tone and production.

This pretty much why the only radio I listen to now is my local classical station.