Public radio classical net to sign off

According to the blog of the Public Radio Program Directors Association, Classical Public Radio Network is signing off sometime this summer. The around-the-clock classical feed is one of several available to public radio stations looking to fill airtime without having to rely on local staff. Many stations use CPRN or one of the system’s other services, such as Classical 24 or the Beethoven Satellite Network, to fill at least part of their music schedules. Launched in 2003, CPRN, one of the newer services, is a collaborative effort between KUSC in Los Angeles … Continue Reading

Where classical radio is holding steady—and where it’s waning

My co-author Marty and I have been brainstorming loads of ideas for Scanning The Dial, posts that will look up close at classical radio and focus on programs, hosts, strategies, technologies, innovators. But before zeroing in on details, let’s pause and get our bearings in this sonic landscape.

First off, a key question: how widespread is classical music on radio today? And how has that changed in recent years?

To make sense of the answer, let’s break it down a few different ways, first between commercial and public stations. The nonprofit public stations that hang out at the lower end of your radio dial are home to most of the classical music on the air today. Yet a small number of commercial stations remain devoted to the format as well.

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CBC cuts classical; Kansas station airs taped local concerts; N.Y. host retires

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More goings-on in the news:

Commenter Chris asked us to pay attention to happenings across the border at the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., so here you go. CBC is cutting back on classical music aired during its weekday schedule in favor of more pop, rock and alternative. The move is aimed at attracting more listeners to the service, reports the CBC’s own website. (More in the Globe and Mail.)

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Christopher O’Riley; classical radio in Anchorage; grant to N.J. station

A few items gleaned from here and there: Christopher O’Riley, host of public broadcasting’s From the Top, discusses performing the music of Elliott Smith and Nick Drake: "Elliott’s songs work because they address a whole range of emotional problems. Each song was its own world. With Nick’s music, what interests me most are his instrumentals." O’Riley has some tapings and live performances coming up. KLEF, a commercial classical station in Anchorage, Alaska, tied for second place in share in the market’s fall 2007 Arbitron ratings, reports the city’s Daily News. The station … Continue Reading

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