Could commercial Classical survive in Gainesville?

[ThatGuyOnTheRadio]

As we all know, WUFT is flipping to News/Talk August 3rd, and only carrying classical on its HD-2 channel.

Several fans of Classic89 have been speaking out according to various articles in the Gainesville Sun against the flip... Even approaching SFCC about putting a station on the air.

I present my fellow R-I readers with two questions...

1.) Can SFCC even FIND an open spot on the dial to apply for and eventually put Classical back on?

2.) Should SFCC not pull this off, is Classical a format that might be viable on a commercial station in town?

Let the speculation and opinions begin!!

 

[w9wi]

As we all know, WUFT is flipping to News/Talk August 3rd, and only carrying classical on its HD-2 channel.

Several fans of Classic89 have been speaking out according to various articles in the Gainesville Sun against the flip... Even approaching SFCC about putting a station on the air.

I present my fellow R-I readers with two questions...

1.) Can SFCC even FIND an open spot on the dial to apply for and eventually put Classical back on?

2.) Should SFCC not pull this off, is Classical a format that might be viable on a commercial station in town?

Let the speculation and opinions begin!!

It's not going to be easy.

For a full-license signal their best bet will be to buy an existing station or permit. There are six applications on file for new non-commercial FM stations within 30 miles of Gainesville but none are likely to have a useful signal in the city. There is one permit for a new station but again, it's 100 watts from 27 miles out of town - not likely to be useful. Buying a signal is going to be VERY expensive. (even more so if they want a commercial signal. Not likely to happen.)

There are eight applications on file for new FM translators within 10 miles of Gainesville. If one of these were granted, they could acquire it and use it to relay WUFT-HD2. (it's been done in other markets with commercial stations) Alternatively, they could buy a translator and an AM station, program classical on the AM, and use the translator to relay it. There is only one existing FM translator in Gainesville, the K-Love on 88.7. K-Love does a lot of buying of stations & translators but they don't sell very often.

There are rumors (not unjustified) that the FCC is about to open another window for LPFM applications. There is some possibility a channel is available for a new LPFM in Gainesville. (it is also very possible there are no frequencies available) IMHO the Commission is unlikely to open another non-commercial FM window for quite some time, probably at least two years. They haven't yet cleared the applications from the last window.

Creative engineering (and/or moves of other stations) occasionally opens new opportunities for commercial FM allocations. You can count on multiple applicants and an expensive auction.

I would be VERY VERY surprised to see a commercial FM station flip to classical. I'd be less surprised to see it happen on AM!

 

[ThatGuyOnTheRadio]

SAGA has been brilliant with using the Translator loop-hole to re-broadcast HD sub-channels. Best example is Hits 103-3 in Itacha, NY. ROI put on a full-signal CHR (Z95.5) SAGA quickly got hooked up with Dial-Global's Hits NOW! format, stuck it on WYXL HD-2 and also slapped it on a translator they already owned.

As for buying a translator, if anyone could afford it-- I think UF could, just ask the underwriters to dig a little deeper in their pockets when asking for donations. Using Classical is perfect bait.

 

[Kmagrill]

The religious LPFM station (WVFP-LP) on 94.7 plays a ton of classical during their evening and overnight hours. Of course, they share days with two other LPFM stations on the same channel, but I estimate that about 30-40 hours a week are currently being devoted to classical music on 94.7. It's mostly nights and weekends, though.