Cuts & public radio playing music

[davideduardo]

Only in classical music, though, do you find arrangers who are just as dead as the composers, and for 75 years or more! The most popular rendition of "Pictures at an Exhibition," composed for piano by Mussorgsky, who died in 1881, is the orchestral arrangement by Ravel, who died in 1937.

I've often wondered whether Dudamel does modifications to existing arrangements. I have heard him do some of the traditional works (I am not fond of his fascination with contemporary composers) in a way that sounds "different" to me. I am not a musician and can't tell you "how it is different" but having grown up with a founder of the Cleveland Symphony, I have a fairly good feel for when a work has a "different" approach. In the case of Dudamel, I have liked his conducting style and the "flavor".

 

[TheBigA]

Do we have any news or information suggesting that NPR will regroup and continue to operate without the Federal Government?

You appear to be confusing NPR with CPB. NPR doesn't need the federal government. They've been saying that all along.

CPB was defunded, so it is ceasing operations.

No, that is not true. Some people disliked it in the belief that it leaned left, and others disliked it because they believe that the government should not be involved in broadcasting in any way.

Once again, you're confusing CPB and NPR. CPB simply disbursed money. They produced no programming. So they have no lean. The CEO of CPB is in fact a republican.

I'd expect a lot of collaboration as stations look for post-CPB support.

As I said, a lot of that depends on ownership. If the states sell their owned & operated stations, those stations may become religious.

 

[davideduardo]

You appear to be confusing NPR with CPB. NPR doesn't need the federal government. They've been saying that all along.

CPB was defunded, so it is ceasing operations.

I was asking about both. And, as I keep asking, is there a possibility of the individual stations reforming a new CPB, but with purly private financing?

Once again, you're confusing CPB and NPR. CPB simply disbursed money. They produced no programming. So they have no lean. The CEO of CPB is in fact a republican.

I understand that, and am not confused. But, to listeners, the end product is what mattered. How the sausage was made is irrelevant to most who did not contribute. I'll bet that a survey of random adult Americans would find that less than 1% understand the difference between CPB and NPR.

As I said, a lot of that depends on ownership. If the states sell their owned & operated stations, those stations may become religious.

And that is a supposition. What if other means of outside financing are created, independent of the Federal Government? I can't see all those stations and all their teams just walking away without looking for alternative solutions.

What has not been mentioned is that a good portion of the population has moved on from over the air radio and broadcast television. The solutions may be more web-based.

 

[TheBigA]

I was asking about both. And, as I keep asking, is there a possibility of the individual stations reforming a new CPB, but with purly private financing?

NPR is an independent company. It's budget is about a half a billion dollars. A very small amount came from federal sources. NPR is managed by its member stations. They control the board of directors. NPR will become whatever its stations want it to become.

Some individual stations have as much power as NPR. Minnesota Public Radio own American Public Media, a national syndication company that offers more programming than NPR. That's why the president's attacks on NPR were so ridiculous. He wanted to "defund NPR," while the real power is in Minnesota.

Another one is PRX, the Public Radio Exchange in Cambridge.

Private funding isn't secure either. If the FCC changes sponsorship rules, it could be affected. This wasn't about saving taxpayer money. This is about controlling all media, including commercial companies. Even Rupert Murdoch is under attack from this president.

What if other means of outside financing are created, independent of the Federal Government? I can't see all those stations and all their teams just walking away without looking for alternative solutions.

Once again, the issue isn't taxpayer funding. It's controlling the media. SkyDance doesn't get any federal money, but they made an agreement with Brendan Carr. This is much bigger than taxpayer funding. The FCC has investigations into Audacy and iHeart. Nothing is off limits.

What has not been mentioned is that a good portion of the population has moved on from over the air radio and broadcast television. The solutions may be more web-based.

Which is where most of NPR is focused. They don't own any radio stations. They have one of the top podcasting platforms in the country. There is no law that limits what they do to broadcasting.

 

[K.M. Richards]

Minnesota Public Radio own American Public Media, a national syndication company that offers more programming than NPR. That's why the president's attacks on NPR were so ridiculous. He wanted to "defund NPR," while the real power is in Minnesota.

This is the major problem, overall. He acts on his own instincts based on what he thinks something is, and because he is a self-proclaimed "perfect genius" no one can tell him otherwise.

Just watch. He will be stunned to learn that defunding CPB didn't cause NPR to go out of business, and then he will blame someone else for his actions not getting his desired result.

It will be a miracle if any shred of our government survives all this. I would not be surprised if he issued one of his executive orders repealing the Constitutional right to free speech for the media.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

This is the major problem, overall. He acts on his own instincts based on what he thinks something is, and because he is a self-proclaimed "perfect genius" no one can tell him otherwise.

Just watch. He will be stunned to learn that defunding CPB didn't cause NPR to go out of business, and then he will blame someone else for his actions not getting his desired result.

It will be a miracle if any shred of our government survives all this. I would not be surprised if he issued one of his executive orders repealing the Constitutional right to free speech for the media.

Yes and we have to watch the other part in all of this its which NPR and PBS affiliates get shut down because of the CPB Shutdown. The best case scenario are the Public Media stations in larger cities will have to expand into TV markets without a local PBS or NPR affiliate. Yes its like KQED-TV San Francisco is the defacto PBS affiliate in Monterey TV Market, KOCE-TV Los Angeles is also the main PBS affiliate in Palm Springs and Santa Barbara areas too.

 

[KilowattKat]

Yes and we have to watch the other part in all of this its which NPR and PBS affiliates get shut down because of the CPB Shutdown. The best case scenario are the Public Media stations in larger cities will have to expand into TV markets without a local PBS or NPR affiliate. Yes its like KQED-TV San Francisco is the defacto PBS affiliate in Monterey TV Market, KOCE-TV Los Angeles is also the main PBS affiliate in Palm Springs and Santa Barbara areas too.

KEET-TV Eureka, is a PBS affiliate where nearly half thiet budget comes from the CPB. I read an interview with the station's GM, where he doubts that KEET will survive. That's one that could be absorbed by KQED. As I have mentioned before, regional and statewide groups of 1 central PBS station in a large city with a group of satellite stations will be the new norm.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

The worst case scenario in the defunding of CPB is that Chairman Carr will go after the licenses of major TV and Radio market NPR and PBS affiliates like WGBH, KQED, WETA, WNET, WNYC, WHYY, KPCC, KOCE, KERA, WAMU, KUHT all because of segments that were released on PBS NewsHour and PBS Frontline that the White House does not want aired.

 

[TheBigA]

There was a very comprehensive article in today's Washington Post about how public radio plans to move forward without federal funding.

MSN

Specifically, NPR's Katherine Maher says they have a plan to handle music rights management for public broadcasting:

With CPB shutting down, NPR is also working to fill critical infrastructure gaps. Maher said NPR is negotiating with PBS to possibly take over music rights management and distribution services that CPB previously handled. “Whether they’re music stations or news stations, everybody uses music as a way of storytelling or through transitions within news,” she said. “Music rights are such a key piece of how they provide that service.”

It will be interesting to see how this works out, because there are a lot of music stations that normally don't normally interact with NPR. Negotiating rights are one thing. Paying the royalties are another. Will NPR seek a funder for that, or instead make it a service for which they charge a fee. In either case, the money will no longer come from the government.

 

[TheBigA]

Here's another article about how public radio stations are planning to handle music royalties without CPB:

Pubmedia leaders plan for future of music licensing agreements without CPB

The shutdown of CPB and rescission of federal support raises questions about who will pay the costs and where funds will come from.

current.org

One of the stations mentioned in this article is WRTI, the one quoted in the OP.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

The primary funding source for public broadcasting is donations from the public. I would assume that would be the funding source for a revival in music programming on public radio.

no....... it ... is..... not for some of us

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

We dropped any syndicated jazz programming not long after i got here. We run an automated hour of it 4 to 5am weekdays and 4 to 6am saturdays to have some kind of low key music on air. we run automated overnights but will be picking up a new native voice one show for overnights

if we have to eliminate some public radio programming, depending on how much and where, i'll likely just add automated "Variety" music

There are very few classical or jazz fans out here... very very few

 

[TheBigA]

A bit of good news for non-commercial music stations: CPB has negotiated royalty rates and has enough money to cover 2 years of fees:

Public Broadcasters Gain Music Royalty Certainty As CPB Nears Closure.

Facing closure, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting has reached new licensing agreements with ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, Harry Fox, and Global Music Rights, ensuring public stations can air music through 2027.

www.insideradio.com

CPB has reached agreements with all five major performing rights organizations, including ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, the Harry Fox Agency, and Global Music Rights. It means public broadcasters will avoid what can be years of expensive negotiations and instead have some near-term certainty about how much they will pay in music royalties. The deals also ensure stations will have access to the music in each of the organizations’ repertoires through Dec. 31, 2027.

The article says CPB also will cover streaming royalties through December 31, 2027 as well.

 

[TheBigA]

Public radio stations not covered under NPR's licensing agreement will see a 2.9% rate hike for SESAC and GMR next year:

CRB Approves 2.9% Music Royalty Hike For Some Noncomm Stations In 2026.

Noncommercial radio stations will see a 2.9% increase in SESAC and GMR music royalty fees in 2026, as the Copyright Royalty Board approves a higher cost-of-living adjustment tied to inflation.

www.insideradio.com

 

[TheBigA]

Here's a classical music station that is switching to commercial operation due to the loss of CPB funding.

Buffalo Toronto Public Media applies to make classical station commercial

The move is part of the station’s efforts to address its loss of CPB funding.

current.org

WNED is at 94.5 in the commercial spectrum, so it can do that. So could WQXR and WCRB. The CEO says selling the station wouldn't bring in enough money to replace the loss of CPB funding. So while NPR news stations are able to survive the loss of federal funding, the real damage is to music stations, because their funding options are fewer. Yet the stated target of the recission was aimed at NPR news, not classical music.

Somewhat related is the administration's shut down of the Kennedy Center in DC, which has hurt two classical music organizations: The National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington Opera.