WKSU, Cleveland’s dual-format station based in Kent, Ohio has decided to fill up the daytimes with talkety-talk and bump classical to the evenings and overnights. I always love the euphemisms when stations make these changes:
The Kent-based public radio station still will emphasize classical music, but that emphasis will shift totally to 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. From 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, the station will focus on news. The new schedule goes into effect Monday, Aug. 5.
Aside from the strange writing, the substance of the report is just a plain lie from the Plain Dealer. They “emphasize classical music” by taking it out of its highest listening time, which is 9 am to 3 pm.
Station executives say the changes will allow for “more stimulating and diverse national programs to complete listening blocks that will make it easier for listeners to find news and music at predictable times during the day.”
Ugh. Nothing like treating the listeners as too dumb to find news and music on the radio.
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Endless talk and endless news. Why? Why are they so popular? I have never seen an analysis about the reasons for this, and I think psychologists would have a field day if they got past the usual excuse, “People want to stay better informed.”
Really? Does knowing all the details of any story make any difference? For that matter, does every story in the news make any difference? I suspect but cannot prove that people allegedly love more news and information to the exclusion of the arts because hearing endless news and information leads them to conclude–erroneously, I propose–that they are in control.
Or does the constant hankering after endless news and information tell a general malaise and boredom in society, whose members need to be constantly stimulated by novelty?
If anyone knows of any in-depth studies as to why people today think they need 24/7 news and information, I would love to read them.
That’s why everyone is going to the Internet and satellite. Terrestrial media is of no consequence.
The key here is fundraiser dollars. Public media does everything to attract funding from listeners. There was probably a study or two that suggested a news format will make more people pledge to public radio.
WKSU is also cutting back on it’s folk music. I don’t get why they’re cutting back on all the programming that made them popular and earned them volunteers and donors. I can get talk on WCPN if I want it, and the “just stream Folk Alley online” response to all complaints from WKSU is maddening.