whether its music should soothe or shriek. ZBM is, of course, a competing medium in a minor way and we took a decision to simply print the flood of letters from people who are both our readers and ZBM listeners and to leave the row alone. We even resisted readers who were urging us to comment, but then we heard an announcer on the howling and bumping ZBM FM95 telling listeners to write to the Editor and say how much they liked the new format.

We think it is immaterial whether or not people who were regular FM95 listeners liked the new format or not. What is material is that a hefty number of people care enough about losing something they enjoyed to protest by writing letters. For everyone writing a letter you can bet there are, maybe, ten more who are unhappy but not protesting.

We think that Bermuda Broadcasting and perhaps also its advertisers badly misjudged just how many loyal fans there were of the old ZBM FM95. Perhaps no-one understood that there was room for one easy listening station amid the crash, bam, boom. Surely variety of content and diversity of programming are important to any broadcasting company. It may well be that the new format of ZBM FM95 is excellent and popular and a money earner and that those people who are showing support, unsolicited support at least, are genuine even though this newspaper has not heard from many despite the announcer prompting. Tastes in music vary greatly and we have no quarrel with people who want to listen, but there are people who want their choice back and who feel deprived. There's no need for ZBM to continue this row because there is room for both shriek and soothe.

The fact is that ZBM is in business and it clearly had a solid client base dedicated to the old format for FM95. We conclude from the letters that many people simply left their radios tuned to "easy listening''. One very prominent and not so senior listener told us that he missed it in the morning because his alarm radio was tuned to it. A lady told us it was her background music for household chores and she tuned in because it did not "hurt my head''. Someone said it was good music for the car radio because it was soothing in the rush hour traffic. Some kids described it as "dentist's office music''.

Whatever the reason for giving up this programming, there is a vocal group of people which feels deprived. We would have thought that it was not so easy to attract loyal listeners and that they should, sensibly, be cherished. The solution is really for ZBM to walk around to advertisers and show them the letters which are appearing daily in this newspaper and to say, "There are dedicated listeners. Please buy some time.'' Then put it back, if need be on another channel.

What should devotees of soothe do if ZBM does not put it back? Tune to the classy and comfortable and very informative BBC World Service which may be radio at its best. It's a little more high brow than "easy listening'' but it is good value and it does not shriek, bang, boom or rap your nerves. Someone at ZBM suggested that if you did not like their TV you could turn it off. With radio you only have to turn the dial.