Yet another station is dropping classical music from its schedule — this one in Erie, Pa. WMCE-FM, a noncommercial station operated by Mercyhurst College, will drop classical in February in favor of an all-jazz format, reports GoErie.com.
Reading between the lines a bit, it sounds as if the university needs more listener support to make the station work for it, and managers hope the format change will attract a larger and more devoted audience. Jazz was a draw because the market already has WQLN, a public radio station that airs classical music. Also, as the station’s director tells the paper:
Leal said research indicates classical listenership in the past 10 years has remained static, while the national audience for jazz has grown by about 6 percent.
It’s unfortunate that the market will have less classical music, but to me, this does sound like a smart move for the station. Duplicated programming usually does not serve a market well. And a streamlined format, rather than one airing classical along with other kinds of music, has the potential to draw a bigger and more loyal audience.
Also, many colleges and universities in recent years have sold their stations altogether to save money. At times these stations have gone to religious broadcasters who emerged as the highest bidder. It’s nice to see a school devoting time and thought to how to provide a better public service instead of giving up.
On the other hand, the market is still denied a full-time classical station, either, as WQLN airs news programming as well.
WMCE previews its new format on its website.
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