Classical Birth Knell in Houston
Looks like Houston will get a full-time Classical station fairly soon, not though without some consternation and birth pains.
According to a University of Houston news release, the University of Houston’s Board of Regents voted to buy Rice University’s student-run radio station, 50,000 watt KTRU for $9.5-million, If approved by the Feds it would end the station’s student-driven programming and create an all new 24-hour classical-music station, the call letters of which would be KUHC.
The students at Rice aren’t laying down quietly, mounting what always feels like a futile SOS (save our station) campaign on-line and through social networking sites. This statement appears on KTRU’s Facebook page, “Without any input from students or community members, the Rice administration has decided to sell KTRU’s signal, tower, and FCC rights to KUHF. When the dial is tuned to 91.7 fm, you’ll hear all classical all the time and the KTRU that we all know and love will be completely online. Please show your support.”
David Duff, President of the Association of Music Personnel in Public Radio, shared this on the AMPPR list-serve today, “Congratulations to the folks at KUHF and the University of Houston–the Board of Regents yesterday voted to purchase the station owned by Rice University, and it will be used to provide a 24-hour classical service to the Houston market (KUHF will become 24-hour news/talk). In addition to the recent moves in Tampa and Columbus, OH to put 24-hour classical stations on the air, this is most welcome news!”
The students at the Rice station are getting an unexpected lesson in business and politics, however the city of Houston, and this rare format may be the real winners.
Onward!
Rocket Science
How hard is it to successfully program a classical music radio station? Are there any tried and true formulas? Does what worked yesterday, still work today? Tomorrow?
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News from WCLV
I’m moving this from the comments to a post. Thanks to Robert Conrad of WCLV:
WCLV TO MOVE FACILITIES TO THE IDEA CENTER ON PLAYHOUSE SQUARE IN DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND
It was announced on Tuesday, August 10, 2010, that WCLV 104.9, northeast Ohio’s classical music station, will be moving its studios and offices from the current Radio Ranch location in Warrensville Heights to the Idea Center on Playhouse Square in downtown Cleveland, the home of ideastream, Cleveland’s public broadcasters WVIZ/PBS and 90.3 WCPN FM.
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Catching Up On the News
Classical radio is not quite ready to bite the dust just yet! Two brand new 24-hour classical services in three markets are gearing up to go live this fall:
In Columbus, Ohio a new 24 hour classical station is about to start up. Ohio State University’s WOSU is acquiring an adult alternative rock station and relaunching the frequency in the fall as Classical 101. WOSU at 89.7, now dual format, will become an all news station carrying mostly NPR programs. You can read about it here, on the WOSU website.
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Tragedy in Seattle: George Shangrow
Saturday afternoon, July 31, former KING-FM radio host and beloved Seattle conductor George Shangrow was killed in an automobile crash on his way to give a pre-concert lecture in Methow Valley. The accident occurred during a thunderstorm when a 16 year old boy driving in the opposite direction crossed the centerline and hit Shangrow’s vehicle head-on.
Shangrow was a popular lecturer, performer (harpsichord), and conductor in Seattle. His radio program “Live by George” on KING-FM had a huge following before he was laid off in a controversial firing some years ago. Shangrow directed Orchestra Seattle and the Seattle Chamber Singers. He was a respected and popular figure in Seattle’s classical music community. He was 59 years old.
Good News in Portland
All Classical FM at 89.9 in Portland, Oregon is having another spectacular year. My co-blogger Jack Allen would never toot his own horn, but the station is up 58% in listenership over two years. They have a 3.6 share, according to Arbitron, and have broken into the top ten stations in the city. In addition to new audience, All Classical’s revenues are at an all-time high, and they have a balanced budget.
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What’s the Vector, Victor? Or Whose 4th was it, anyway?
These lazy days of summer are turning out to be anything but lazy for me. One of the problems with writing a blog is keeping it up, and I’m so buried in the new American Music Festivals series that the blog has languished. I did promise you some comments that were running on the AMPPR Listserv but they petered out and frankly were not very substantial, so I decided not to bother.
Thanks to Jeff Skibbe of KXMS in Missouri for writing a guest post on programming. With apologies to the movie Airplane! here it is:
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Graham Parker – New VP of WQXR
People can have different relationships with WQXR besides broadcast. Radio isn’t just FM anymore. Great content will find people wherever they are – we need to open up the definition of what radio is.
Graham Parker, the new VP of Classical WQXR. Parker is enthusiastic about the variety of platforms and programming coming out of WQXR, both on the air and online. He comes to WQXR most recently from the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, an organization that has a unique philosophy of what an orchestra is.
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WQXR – Smart Thinking
Kudos to CEO Laura Walker and the WQXR/WNYC staff for having the vision to hire yet another creative thinker. Graham Parker has been the Executive Director of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, where he has been doing brilliant work. He will fill the newly-created post of Vice President of Classical 105.9 WQXR. Parker has a deep set of skills in business and live music production, is innovative and openminded, and I know first hand that his radio sense more than makes up for not having run an actual station before.
From the press release:
“Graham’s reputation as an innovative content producer, a champion of artists, and a collaborative manager is a dazzling match for our ambitions to make WQXR a vibrant classical music platform for 21st century audiences on-air and online, in New York and around the globe,” said Ms. Walker.
I have an interview coming with Graham Parker on Friday afternoon, so watch this space.
Job Opening in Boston
Jon Solins, Program Director of WGBH in Boston writes that the station is hiring:
Classical producer / Announcer
Details at wgbh.org/jobs
Applications being accepted now.
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