From Community Radio To Rare Jazz- America's Sound Heritage Is Disappearing

The first comprehensive study of the preservation of sound in the United States, done for the Library of Congress, has determined that "major areas of America's recorded sound heritage have already deteriorated or remain inaccessible to the public." That includes everything from family audio tapes to a recording of jazz artist Dave Brubeck performing at MIT.  Many are on cassette or CD, which can have a shelf life of only three to five  years. Study co-author Rob Bamberger, host of "Hot Jazz Saturday Night" on WAMU, and Eugene DeAnna, head of the recorded sound section of the Library of Congress' National Audiovisual Conservation Center.