I wonder what broadcasts would sound like if mastered by forum members! A mixture of strong opinions and faulty hearing – what could possibly go wrong?
I listen to radio or downloaded audio most of the day and watch telly for a few hours most evenings too. Although I recognise the complaints, and often have to adjust audio levels, I'd say the majority of broadcasts aren't distorted. Chief exception – music.
I also listen on the short-waves, where everything is distorted. Phase, amplitude, drift, speech compression, clipping, overloaded output amplifiers, intermodulation, narrow bandwidth, plus natural and man-made noise. I know what bad sounds like.
If broadcasts sound muffled, have your ears tested. Might time for a hearing aid, sound-bar, or headphones. My hearing's definitely not as good as it was. Can't blame spotty youths for that.
Dave