From Ruth Phinney at WXXI:
Classical Announcer/Producer
WXXI Public Broadcasting
Rochester, NY
Marty Ronish
Adding a Classical Station
There’s an interesting editorial today in Radio-Info.com. Tom Taylor summarizes an interesting uptick in public/classical stations:
New York, Philly, San Francisco, Dallas, Pittsburgh and now Nashville – public radio finds ways to build.
Two years ago it was New York Public Radio committing $11.5 million to create a standalone classical station. Then we’ve seen the University of Southern California extend up into the Bay Area with the purchase of two FMs to create a classical service, and then a new venture to buy Pittsburgh’s WDUQ (90.5) for $6 million (a group led by the former management offered $6.5 million), and now this week, New York Public Radio and Philly’s WHYY buying pieces of the nine-station NJN group.
WEKU’s New Classical Service in Kentucky
Thanks to Greg Kostraba of WBAA in West Lafayette, IN for the news on WEKU’s long-awaited classical re-launch.
From Kentucky.com:
Public radio station WEKU-88.9 FM has signed a three-year deal to launch its long-discussed classical music station in Central Kentucky. Beginning July 1, WKYL-102.1 FM in Lawrenceburg will be home to the genre that defined WEKU before the Richmond-based station’s switch last year to news and talk, which irked some longtime listeners.
Idiocy in Florida
Governor Rick Scott of Florida has suddenly cut all state funding to public radio and television stations in the state. You can read more here. The veto means that each one of Florida’s 13 public radio stations, including WMFE in Orlando (90.7 FM) and WJCT in Jacksonville (89.9 FM), both of which can be heard in Flagler County, is losing $61,715. You might remember that in 2009 WMFE moved its classical service off the main channel to an HD channel, but the news station was doing well and meeting its goals. The … Continue Reading