Last week, Boston alternative music radio station WFNX died.

Well, okay ... it didn't die. It was sold to a giant radio company that will likely flip the format of the iconic station to something more lucrative.

So maybe it's not dead, but it's dying a slow death.

For Manchester listeners, the station was always heard on 92.1, licensed to Peterborough. That signal was sold locally to a company that includes a Derry AM station running a small network of syndicated Christian programming.

For a minute, I fantasized about the station being sold and becoming Manchester's own alternative music station — 100.1 the Planet out of Plymouth is spotty at best in the Queen City. Maybe it's time.

What if? But where would you put it?

First off — I know this is a long shot, mostly because of the stations already here in Manchester. Here's the basic run-down, speaking mostly of FM stations:

Clear Channel owns the WGIRs — Rock 101 and WGIR AM.

Nassau Broadcasting has been operating 106.3 — Frank FM, 105.5 WJYY, and a few others in the area, though some have just been acquired by WBIN Media.

Saga Communications (Yep, where I used to work) owns 95.7 WZID and 96.5 The Mill, WFEA AM, along with a translator station they call Hot Hits 94.1.

So could this happen here? Sure. If I had my druthers, I would pick 94.1. It super-serves Manchester and could broadcast live events easily. I could imagine a lineup of maybe some of the former WFNX crew, perhaps still sulking from the loss of their old station and hanging out in Manchester.

I might even be so bold as to say the market is there for it.

Think about it. WZID and Rock 101 fight it out for the top spot all the time. After that, it's anyone's game. Now, to be honest, neither of the top dogs is that diverse with its playlist (in fact, in a rare show of commonality, the morning shows recently appeared on each other's shows to benefit Andy Blacksmith's search for an organ donor and made light of each other's lack of long playlists).

If you've been downtown lately, you know that it is alive again.

I would dare say that Elm Street is downright thriving in nightlife.

Next time you are out, glance at the music posters for upcoming shows.

A lot of them are even in line with the type of music an “alternative” station would play. Generally, the audience is younger, but I know plenty of 30- and 40-somethings who were sad about the WFNX sale. It could work.

So what would we call this brand new radio station?

If anyone is thinking Manch-Vegas right now, I already don't want you to listen. Am I the only one sick of this term?

Manch-hattan isn't much better. And if you are thinking Manch-ternative I don't think we can be friends anymore.

I guess if we are talking about an “alternative” station, and we are the state of the primaries ... how about Secondary 94.1?

Nah, doesn't have a ring to it.

We could use the airport code for Manchester, but WMHT is already taken by an upstate New York classical public station.

I guess this is all getting the cart before the horse.

In the meantime, there are a few stations that serve us with at least some of the music, and big helpings of the independent spirit, such as 92.5 the River, or Radio 92.9 (which is void of any human personality). Or, I guess, this is another excuse to load up the smartphone with music and hit “shuffle.”

Adam McCune is the author of Funny Man Down. McCune's Manchester appears Thursdays in the New Hampshire Union Leader. You can email Adam at amccune@gmail.com.