Pretend now is really 1980. How *BIG* is your OTR collection?

For OTR fans, this graphic proves how the internet has changed things

* If this were 1980 there would be no internet

* If this were 1980 there would be no XM Radio/Channel 164

* If this were 1980 you might have one or two radio stations in your area that played old-time radio in the evenings

* If this were 1980 and if you had an OTR collection - it would be a tape medium; either reel to reel, cassette or 8-track tape.  Perhaps you had some on vinyl; highly doubtful, though

* If this were 1980, you could/might be able to listen to OTR in your car on a cassette player

* If this were 1980, instead of having 285 episodes of Dragnet, you'd have maybe 26 - if you were lucky.  If you were a die-hard fan with a lot of money or a lot to trade and were persistent and belonged to an OTR Club, you might have 100

* If this were 1980, 80% of what you were listening to had obtrusive background noise

* If this were 1980 and you had a large collection (assume it's as large as what you have on your computer) where would you store it?  If you had 20,000 programs on tape, there's a strong possibility you'd have to have a room just for your collection.  And even then, unless you took careful notes or had a rack full of books, you really wouldn't know what you had or who anyone was, except for the big stars

* If this were 1980, you probably would have never heard of about 90% of the radio stars you know now.

* If this were 1980, you actually have to have a budget for your OTR because there was a big recession in America then and cassettes weren't cheap (see the graphic at top.)

* If this were 1980, CBS Radio Mystery Theater would still be on the air - as were a couple of other shows that were modern and not "old-time."

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* Consider with the internet - OTR friends are a click away

* There's no need to buy or trade - almost every show is free (actually, every show is free if you know where to look.)

* The internet allows us to look at hundreds of newspaper.magazine articles from a by-gone era and we can literally learn as much as we'd like on almost anyone (with the exception of John Brown.)

* With an mp3 player, we are free to shop, sit in the doctor's office, drive, do chores around the house, work, cook and lounge and have OTR with us anytime we wish.

* We are able to have forums to discuss our hobby, when in 1980 we would have had to travel somewhere to a convention - and be subjected to a lot of nonsense and probably never get our questions asked or answered or voice heard.

While sometimes I wish I could go back in time, I say that only if OTR could go with me.