Back in January, when WHFS morphed suddenly and without ado into El Zol, it seemed rock radio in the Washington area was all but dead. Such old media rock listeners as still existed were forced to take in the corporatized nu-metal of DC 101 or static-y bursts of college radio, while the rest of us bought XM receivers and loaded our iPods with downloaded tracks, ‘casts, and mashups. Conventional wisdom has become that, in a world where the music of one’s choice is so readily available and where the latest in new music is a podcast away, why would anyone tune in to a near random selection of commercial rock, programmed to appeal to the broadest audience possible?

It would seem that not everyone has given up on the format, however. On November 15, Alternative Broadcasting launched a free rock radio stream from its website, with the stated goal of joining the FM band within a few years as a non-profit, commercial free radio station supported by listener donations. According to a station press release, programming is currently fully automated, although it is expected that live programs will be broadcast in the future. DCist has found its playlist to lean heavily toward the corp rock and nu-metal common on other commercial stations, though the site, based out of Arlington, promises to continue to shape its playlist and to ultimately include local acts.

What do you think, readers? Is there room in a podcast, iTunes world for radio, internet or otherwise? Give a listen and post your opinions.