Another classical station gets the shaft

[rtetro]

NY Times sells WQXR's 96.3 Class B frequency to Univision's WCAA. The WQXR calls and format go to public radio WNYC, and wil be operated non-commercially on class A 105.9, the old WCAA freq. The good news in this is that NYC will still have a fulltime classical station (unlike the complete decapitation of WFLN here in Philly). The bad news is that WQXR will have about half the coverage area that it once had. This is, I believe, the second major classical station to lose a good portion of its signal through frequency swaps - the other being WCRB in Boston.

 

[rtetro]

will be operated non-commercially on class A 105.9, the old WCAA freq.

Correction: WCAA, 105.9, is class B1, not Class A.

 

[nd2023]

105.9's signal isn't that bad, it's a hell of a lot better than 87.7 except in the Long Island direction.

 

[rtetro]

105.9's signal isn't that bad, it's a hell of a lot better than 87.7 except in the Long Island direction.

Yes, but when compared to 96.3, the new 105.9 WQXR coverage will be much less desirable. A comparison of coverage maps will show that the new WQXR will have about 1/2 of their old coverage. Concerning 87.7, despite it's attempts at being a "radio station", we must remember that it is really just the audio carrier of an LPTV station masquerading as a radio station. It does not have the history, the respect, and the legacy of WQXR. They are hardly in the same league.

 

[w9wi]

It does not have the history, the respect, and the legacy of WQXR.

Maybe more importantly, it doesn't have the future.

WQXR gets to stay on 105.9 for as long as WNYC wants.

I still don't believe the FCC will allow analog LPTVs to remain analog forever. Nor do I believe they'll long-term allow channel 6 -- and only channel 6 -- stations to leave their aural carriers on the air.

IMHO Pulse 87 will be gone within three years.

(though I would imagine they'll make a pretty decent return on investment in that time)

 

[DToTheJ]

IMHO Pulse 87 will be gone within three years.

(though I would imagine they'll make a pretty decent return on investment in that time)

An investment enough to bring about the debut of Pulse 105.9?

(Hey, Nick would have suggested it if I didn't...)

 

[Play Freebird]

Yes, but when compared to 96.3, the new 105.9 WQXR coverage will be much less desirable. A comparison of coverage maps will show that the new WQXR will have about 1/2 of their old coverage. Concerning 87.7, despite it's attempts at being a "radio station", we must remember that it is really just the audio carrier of an LPTV station masquerading as a radio station. It does not have the history, the respect, and the legacy of WQXR. They are hardly in the same league.

It appears that Europe is becoming the only place on earth where Classical formats are still widely available on FM. I recently returned from a trip to Germany and Austria and enjoyed listening to several of these stations, not just for the programming but also the impeccable audio quality. One of my favorite sources for classical music in the evening is "OE1" (a service of Austria's ORF), which is also available online as a Windows Media stream (and sounds surprisingly good at 64 k):

http://oe1.orf.at/konsole/live

This is but one advantage of European "socialism". Not only is orchestral music still available on the radio (instead of the non-stop Michael Jackson blather that our free-enterprise system promotes), but there's no trash blowing around in the streets, bike paths run throughout the country, and the trains are superb.

 

[luperm]

This is really a good outcome for classical fans. WNYC will make sure classical has a home for the foreseeable future. A class B1 from the Empire State Building is better than some worthless rimshot, HD2, or nothing at all.

 

[rtetro]

It appears that Europe is becoming the only place on earth where Classical formats are still widely available on FM. I recently returned from a trip to Germany and Austria and enjoyed listening to several of these stations, not just for the programming but also the impeccable audio quality.[/quote]

I think you make a valid point. I was in the UK last year, and there are at least two prominent classical stations, nationwide. BBC Radio 3 (non-commercial) and Classic-FM (commercial). When I lived there in the early 90s, there was only Radio 3. The numbers show that both station's have excellent ratings, and Classic-FM is extremely successful financially.

 

[Play Freebird]

I think you make a valid point. I was in the UK last year, and there are at least two prominent classical stations, nationwide. BBC Radio 3 (non-commercial) and Classic-FM (commercial). When I lived there in the early 90s, there was only Radio 3. The numbers show that both station's have excellent ratings, and Classic-FM is extremely successful financially.

So the question is: Why isn't classical radio viable here in the US? Or, for that matter, jazz?

I suppose major advertisers really don't want to reach intelligent, educated listeners. It's much easier to sell worthless stuff to young, impressionable, or poorly educated types.

 

[qtpieislit]

I still don't believe the FCC will allow analog LPTVs to remain analog forever. Nor do I believe they'll long-term allow channel 6 -- and only channel 6 -- stations to leave their aural carriers on the air.

IMHO Pulse 87 will be gone within three years.

Look for analog audio service to remain on at 87.7 indefinitely. WRGB just relaunched an analog audio carrier at 87.85.

 

[aindik]

I think you make a valid point. I was in the UK last year, and there are at least two prominent classical stations, nationwide. BBC Radio 3 (non-commercial) and Classic-FM (commercial). When I lived there in the early 90s, there was only Radio 3. The numbers show that both station's have excellent ratings, and Classic-FM is extremely successful financially.

So the question is: Why isn't classical radio viable here in the US? Or, for that matter, jazz?

I suppose major advertisers really don't want to reach intelligent, educated listeners. It's much easier to sell worthless stuff to young, impressionable, or poorly educated types.

It is easier. Especially since intelligent, educated listeners, especially if they're also affluent, have options that don't require listening to 18 minutes of spots an hour.

 

[nd2023]

I still don't believe the FCC will allow analog LPTVs to remain analog forever. Nor do I believe they'll long-term allow channel 6 -- and only channel 6 -- stations to leave their aural carriers on the air.

IMHO Pulse 87 will be gone within three years.

Look for analog audio service to remain on at 87.7 indefinitely. WRGB just relaunched an analog audio carrier at 87.85.

Pulse 87 is transmitting a digital TV signal that can be picked up if you can see the tower outside your window and are holding the antenna in the right spot.

 

[rtetro]

So the question is: Why isn't classical radio viable here in the US? Or, for that matter, jazz?

I suppose major advertisers really don't want to reach intelligent, educated listeners. It's much easier to sell worthless stuff to young, impressionable, or poorly educated types.

You have a valid point about the bar being set quite low here in the US for advertisers. Traditionally, classical radio stations were where "high end" advertisers went who catered to "high end" listeners: Luxury cars, banks, airlines, top restaurants, cultural institutions, investment and brokerage firms, etc. From listening to classical radio I believe that is still true - to an extent. But today, these advertisers are also trying to reach a more mass appeal audience (read: "young, impressionable, poorly educated types") who spend wildly amd impusively (or at least did until the current economic downturn). That leaves a smaller piece of the pie for classical and other formats who have depended on such advertisers.

In other words, classical radio is suffering from the same splintering of advertising dollars as other broadcast media. And, the classical audience demos are also aging. That, however is not a minus, IMHO, if you have a decent sales department who can make a case for the format and the largely +35 demos (which happen to have a higher level of disposable income than the young).

In Europe, the demographic nature of classical music is much different. Scores of young people listen as much as do mature adults. One of the biggest festivals in the UK each year is the "proms", a series of live concerts throughout the country each summer, under the direction of the BBC. I've been to several proms concerts, and I can tell you, the number of young adults is staggering. It's a whole different mentality over there.

I firmly believe that for musical enterntainment, there is no better way to reach the "well-heeled" listener than through classical radio - be it commercial or non-commercial. In NYC, WQXR still regularly beats WNYC-FM in the ratings. Likewise in Boston, WCRB beats all Public radio stations (except WBUR). Full time classical radio remains a viable format. But like oldies and adult standards, you need sales people who believe in the format and pass that belief onto advertisers.

The bottom line is that at least NYC will still have a full-time classical station - unlike Philadelphia since the demise of WFLN. Now if I want to hear classical music past 6PM it's Sirius-XM all the way.

 

[aindik]

The bottom line is that at least NYC will still have a full-time classical station - unlike Philadelphia since the demise of WFLN. Now if I want to hear classical music past 6PM it's Sirius-XM all the way.

Or WRTI HD2. Or the internet. Or your iPod. Or ....

People who want classical music have better choices than ones that make them listen to 18 minutes of commercials an hour. Choices they didn't used to have.

 

[edarmsttrong]

Isn't hip-hop the new classical??? ;D

 

[rtetro]

Or WRTI HD2. Or the internet. Or your iPod. Or ....

People who want classical music have better choices than ones that make them listen to 18 minutes of commercials an hour. Choices they didn't used to have.

I agree to an extent. The question becomes what is the market penetration of HD2? At this point it's fairly weak. Internet is not a viable alternative for mobile listening at this point, although that will change as wide-area wifi and mobile broadband become more predominant. MP3 and satellite are the more viable alternatives. (As I noted in an earlier comment, most of my classical listening is done on Sirius-XM). But, my original point remains: classical can still be a saleable format on standard FM radio. WQXR makes money - that wasn't the problem. The problem is that the NY Times itself is losing money hand over fist and needed a quick cash influx. That says a lot more about the economy in general and the state of the newspaper industry than it does about the state of classical music on FM.

 

[aindik]

I wonder how much of WQXR's listenership is in the car. I'd bet much of it isn't. (Listening to WQXR while driving would have to be more dangerous than talking on a cell phone, wouldn't it? )