MinnPost.com checks in on the four-year battle waged by fans of erstwhile WCAL-FM in the Twin Cities, a classical station that was sold to Minnesota Public Radio and turned into an eclectic-format music outlet.
Diversity is Everywhere, Except Classical Radio
What a crazy time we’re in, with global economics on everybody’s mind. Whew. If you need a break from crisis mode, there’s been an interesting conversation going on in the comments of this blog, and I’d like to move some of it up front and possibly get some input. I read an interesting article in the Seattle Times on Sunday on Defining Mixed-Race Identity. The changing face of the American population is a legitimate reason we classical types need to respond to what’s going on around us and not just hang on to our old — very old — traditions. But one of our readers pointed out that to him diversity means attracting new people to classical music, whereas I think it also means classical music reaching out by broadening its playlist to appeal to diverse listeners. Can it be both? What do you think?
Denver’s KVOD shifts gears
KVOD, Denver’s all-classical public radio station, used to air the around-the-clock Classical Public Radio Network. But then Colorado Public Radio, which operates KVOD, and KUSC in Los Angeles decided to stop producing the syndicated feed. That left KVOD in a position to change its game, and as the Denver Post’s Kyle MacMillan details in a well-written article, the station is indeed seizing the opportunity.
Quote of the day
“We went country and what happens? Carrie Underwood shows up. She comes to the station, comes over to me and puts her arm around me and we had our picture taken. I mean, Beethoven never did that.” — Saul Levine, owner of KKGO (formerly K-Mozart) in Los Angeles. Quoted in the Orange County Register.