David Marsden (March 2, 1941 – September 25, 2026)

We remember David Marsden, who passed away on September 25 at the age of 85, by revisiting a conversation recorded in December 2016, during the early days of the Sound Off Podcast.

David helped shape the Spirit of Radio at CFNY, and his passion for discovery continued through NYthespirit.com. When we spoke, he was looking ahead—exploring how the internet could give broadcasters the freedom to be creative and listeners the chance to discover music they wouldn’t hear elsewhere.

We talk about the parallels between FM’s early days and internet radio, what broadcasters misunderstood about younger audiences, and the lessons he learned from pioneering online radio at Iceberg. David also shares the thinking behind NYthespirit.com, from giving DJs creative freedom to making audio quality a priority.

Nearly ten years later, his conviction still resonates: “It’s not about the platform; it’s about what you put on the platform.”

This episode includes references to events and offerings from the original December 2016 recording. We’re sharing it again in memory of David—and to spend a little more time with his voice, his ideas, and his love of music.

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