A Brief Word About Details

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Much of my musings on this blog are big picture ideas about the direction of classical music radio, but today, after sampling brief snippets of programming on streams from stations across the country, in large and small markets, I feel compelled to write about something very mundane: attention to detail in the studio.  Consider this a Festivus-inspired, Frank Costanza-approved airing of grievances. What it really boils down to is taking care of the microphone.  The microphone should only pick up the voice of the host, and nothing else.  So often I hear … Continue Reading

All-Classical Doesn’t Always Mean All-In

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The other day I saw news that longtime WCQS-Asheville Music Director Dick Kowal is planning to retire after three decades presenting classical music on the air.  With his departure comes an opening on WCQS’s schedule. To the station’s credit, it is keeping classical music on the air after Dick’s departure, but the content will no longer originate from WCQS – well, not exactly, anyway.  You can read more at the link, but the short version is that WCQS will air a new program voiced by Joe Brant, an announcer at WDAV in Charlotte. … Continue Reading

WQXR Hired a New GM and People are FREAKING OUT

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When Graham Parker left his position as General Manager of WQXR last year, I wondered who in the public radio ecosystem would rise up to take his place.  Clearly I wasn’t thinking broadly enough, as it was announced yesterday that former Viacom Senior Vice President for Music Strategy and Operations Shannon Connolly had been hired to fill Parker’s old job.  From WQXR’s official press release: Connolly brings over two decades of digital music experience to the role, including product management, ad sales, and business development. As Senior Vice President, Music Strategy & Operations for … Continue Reading

Unpacking the Classical Workforce Survey: A Few Additional Thoughts

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Classical Music Rising’s Workforce Survey, which I blogged about here and wrote about more extensively in Current, has already been making waves in the classical radio community.  To recap ever so briefly, the survey shows that over half of classical radio personnel are white men over 50.  Station leaders anonymously quoted in the survey are concerned about this for two main reasons: a) a looming talent vacuum and the potential for the classical format to be eliminated from their stations when older classical announcers retire or die, and b) older staff are … Continue Reading

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