Either Curtis Media Group has something against music, or the company is  determined to make the commercial airwaves around here even ghastlier than they were before. Whatever the reason, Curtis has deep-sixed my two favorite commercial radio stations recently.

First it was country oldies station WQDR, 570-AM, which last month dropped its "Country Legends" format for a standup-comedy format called "Funny 570" that is quite frankly funny in name only. And now, the axe has fallen on WKIX, which used to broadcast pop oldies at 850-AM.

No more. Tune in 850-AM now, and you'll find a station called WPTF doing news-talk -- to go with Curtis' other WPTF at 680-AM, which does straight-up news. At least 850-AM will still broadcast music on the weekends, with deejays Pat Patterson and Charlie Brown. But the other five days, it's gonna be all yammering all the time.

Fortunately, the Triangle has ample college-radio options. Having a couple of quirky oldies options on the AM dial sure was a nice change-of-pace option, but nothing decent seems to last where commercial radio is concerned. It was fun while it lasted.

They just don't make 'em like Pat Patterson anymore. A longtime veteran of the radio waves, Patterson has spent more than 40 of his 55 years in radio on various Triangle radio stations, often in the high-profile morning-drive-time slot. And in recognition of his decades on the air, Patterson recently picked up a primo honor. Check here for the details.

It's been great fun the last few months to have WKIX for pop oldies on the AM dial. Lo and behold, now there's a country equivalent to go with it. Curtis Media Group has changed the format and call letters at 570-AM from WDOX and news talk to WQDR-AM and a format called "Country Legends" -- old country hits from the 1960s through the '80s. I heard Johnny Cash on there the other day, which was mighty grand. Who would've guessed that the AM band was going to be where music went?