Gateway City Returns to Civilized World

Or at least in the suburbs, in small Clayton, a town of 16,000, which will serve greater St. Louis.

Things are “still in the works” for the new station, but it looks like the 21st media market will indeed re-gain a primary terrestrial, analogue signal dedicated to the classical format, FCC permits not withstanding. My colleague, Marty Ronish got out ahead of this news back in April. Things are getting finalized and that much closer.  This just in a couple of days ago:

“St. Louis’ only classical station, Classic99, went dark last year—much to the dismay of its fans who were stunned a city this size could not support even one classical station.

Clayton’s Board of Aldermen on July 24 unanimously approved an operating permit for the Radio Arts Foundation project.

The station is expected to being broadcasting by Sept. 1 at HD2 signal 96.3 on digital broadcast receivers, general manager James Connett told the board.

An analog channel will be announced later pending approval from the Federal Communications Commission.”

The station will support 7 staffers and air fairly standard classical programming fare. Read more here from Nate Burt of the ChesterfieldPatch.

As a reader said last April, in response to the article announcing this news to the world, “Finally we (St. Louis) will return to the civilized world!”

Kudos to the “Gateway to the West” communities of St. Louis and Clayton, Clayton’s Board of Aldermen and the Radio Arts Foundation for resurrecting classical radio, and best of luck from the few, the proud, the classy, the independent, listener-supported, classical music sister stations – still standing.

Onward!

About Jack Allen

Jack Allen is a self-proclaimed dreamer, raconteur, rapscallion and radio guy. He got his start in radio, a second career, in 1992 at WMRA in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The broadcasting ethers have carried him through stints in St. Paul and Austin. He can now be found leading the team at All Classical Public Media, KQAC in Portland, Oregon.

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