I live in a culturally deprived area of the state. In order to receive a modicum of classical music programming via Maine Public Radio, I had a special antenna installed on the roof of my house.

Now with the loss of the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts and further reduction of classical music air time, the expense of bringing this station in clearly appears to have been all for naught. What is left on the musical scene is indeed paltry.

For those of us outside the transmission range of Boston or Montreal, fine music has become an elusive luxury. Thanks to Charles Beck and his total submission to the questionable taste of the baby-boomer generation, MPR has become a cultural wasteland.

Nancy Burkey

Greenville