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WKSU-Ideastream (WCPN) merger

raccoonradio

raccoonradio

raccoonradio said:

Kent State trustees expected to vote on WKSU ‘merger’ with Ideastream

The Kent State Board of Trustees is expected to vote at its Wednesday meeting to merge WKSU, the university’s NPR-affiliated radio station, and Cleveland-based
theportager.com theportager.com

Kent State would still own the FCC license under which WKSU operates, but Ideastream would apparently take over management of the station and its six regional stations that broadcast to 22 counties in Northeast Ohio.
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I hope it happens. Classical music would get a nice upgrade to a better signal in WCPN 90.3 from the current WCLV 104.9 without having to spend any money.
 
brian marchand said:
I hope it happens. Classical music would get a nice upgrade to a better signal in WCPN 90.3 from the current WCLV 104.9 without having to spend any money.
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Agreed. I assume 90.3 HD2 would still be available. It would be nice if they could put smooth jazz or pop standards on 90.3 HD2 and not a simulcast of NPR.
 
brian marchand said:
I hope it happens. Classical music would get a nice upgrade to a better signal in WCPN 90.3 from the current WCLV 104.9 without having to spend any money.
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It’d be the perfect endcap to “Sagebrush Bob” Conrad’s legendary career, that’s for sure.

One thing that hasn’t been mentioned much is the fate of WKSU’s remaining classical hosts. They are guaranteed employment for one year, so it would stand to reason that they’d be transferred to WCLV?
 
Nathan Obral said:
One thing that hasn’t been mentioned much is the fate of WKSU’s remaining classical hosts. They are guaranteed employment for one year, so it would stand to reason that they’d be transferred to WCLV?
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How many classical hosts do they have? Some of the hosts at WCLV are getting up in years and may not be there much longer.
 
skiwest said:
How many classical hosts do they have? Some of the hosts at WCLV are getting up in years and may not be there much longer.
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Jacqueline Gerber is one of the most recent hosts, and she joined in 2000 when they were still at 95.5.

Mark Satola, Bill O’Connell and John Simna have each been there for decades, I want to think O’Connell joined in the mid-1990s?
 
MediaLover said:
Cleveland.com/Plain Dealer did an article on WCLV moving to 90.3. It mentions on the station moving to the new frequency and adding more jazz programming.

https://www.cleveland.com/entertain...take-up-key-roles-in-public-radio-merger.html

My guess is the jazz that was on WCPN is staying on 90.3, with WKSU likely to focus on folk.
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Only outstanding issue would be the few ethnic programs that WCPN still airs on Sunday nights, which might be better off carried over to WCLV.
 
Starting 1-1-22 the current WKSU on air staff will begin working from the studios of Ideastream in downtown Cleveland. Info from a radio friend who works there.
 
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So they’re abandoning the KSU campus outright?

Not necessarily shocked but it makes me curious how the realignment takes place, if they combine WCPN into WKSU first (meaning 90.3 initially simulcasts 89.7), then make the round-robin swap with WCLV on April 1.
 
WKSU has had it’s own separate building east of the campus for years. I believe it’s on Summit Road. It housed the studios and offices only. Gotta believe Kent State will repurpose the building for something.
 
Nathan Obral said:
Only outstanding issue would be the few ethnic programs that WCPN still airs on Sunday nights, which might be better off carried over to WCLV.
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Is it just Dr. Wendell's German program or are there others? Dr Wendell would be fine on WCLV as he often plays music that would fit there. If there are other ethnic programs on WCPN, maybe they could go to one of the college stations or WHK.
 
skiwest said:
Is it just Dr. Wendell's German program or are there others? Dr Wendell would be fine on WCLV as he often plays music that would fit there. If there are other ethnic programs on WCPN, maybe they could go to one of the college stations or WHK.
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It’s currently a three-hour block of Hungarian, German (Dr. Wendell) and Polish on Sunday evenings. “Inside Europe” is also listed on Sundays at 6pm so it might be part of the same block.

A far cry from what WCPN was obligated to carry at launch.
 
Isn't there an area between Euclid and Mentor that WKSU is non-existent? 89.7 is going to have to boost its signal big time to get WCPN listeners.
 
skiwest said:
Does WKSU have the ability to boost their signal? I'm guessing the answer is no, otherwise they would have done so already and not needed so many translators.
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They tried to apply for higher power in the late 70s but Cleveland Public Library (which at the time was fighting Cleveland Public Radio for the 90.3 license) contested the plan.
 
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