Places that lack a classical music station

[Kent]

Speaking of classical skewing very older, news/talk is also an older skewing format.

In general, yes. Political talk tends to target a narrow audience that gets older by the day. Good talk, however, does work.

Perhaps paradoxically, however, right-leaning news/talk seems to perform at least fairly well within 6+ in Houston, Atlanta, Jacksonville, and the Piedmont Triad. (KOGO in San Diego used to be a strong performer, but they have fallen lately, in contrast to a resurgent KPBS.)

I seem to remember, at least in Houston, KTRH skews old. Atlanta and Jacksonville have their news/talk stations on FM, and they have more local news and talk blocks. The benefit of those factors might be overstated and might not be sustainable everywhere, but they definitely help. I look at a talk station where I worked 20 years ago, and it has about 1/3 of the audience it used to have. An FM talk station launched shortly after I started, and it has since overtaken my old station. The FM talker, however, has local programming from 5:30 AM to noon and again from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. It's doing about twice as well in the beauty contest ratings as my previous station but still isn't setting the world on fire. Granted, billing is down across the board in radio, but, even when we had almost a 10 share, we had lots of bonus and barter spots. I can't imagine the paid spot load could have gotten any better since play-by-play sports has been replaced by syndicated talk hosts, Bongino airs in place of Limbaugh, and the longtime morning host just retired a few weeks ago.

Orlando has a bigger appetite for "hot talk" than politically-minded talk.

Hot talk is designed to appeal to a younger generation. It's had mixed results, but it works very well where and when it works.

 

[TheBigA]

The classical audience has gotten older, and higher station values as ownership limits got relaxed have also likely contributed to the demise of commercial classical radio.

During the pandemic Seattle's classical station KING actually showed up in the 18-34 ratings. So you never know.

 

[Mediafrog+]

KLEF 98.1 Anchorage, Alaska has been a commercial classical station since it came on back in 1988

The KLEF call had previously been used on two Classical stations in Houston: 94.5 from 1964-86 and 92.1 1986-87. The second incarnation changed its call to KRTS in 1987 after an ownership change, while retaining the Classical format, which continued until 2004.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Classical radio is far less prominent compared to the past, but many cities have managed to keep their classical music station afloat through funding from donors, etc. And it's clear that classical fans in San Francisco, Austin, and Charlotte are satisfied with their local offerings.

But these Top 50 Markets have no classical radio station, certainly not on FM and/or HD1:
Houston
Atlanta
Miami
San Diego
Orlando
Nashville
Jacksonville
The Piedmont Triad
West Palm Beach

Below the Top 50 will be a mixed bag at best, as Upstate South Carolina, Louisville, and Richmond have one, but not places like Southwest Florida or the Rio Grande Valley.

I didn't know the former WFCL in Nashville had moved its classical music to HD.

WFDD in the Piedmont Triad also did this but was never full-time classical.

Other classical stations reach the Piedmont Triad, though the one in Virginia is not full-time.

 

[victorres43]

I didn't know the former WFCL in Nashville had moved its classical music to HD.

Yes, that station is now a Triple-A.

WFDD in the Piedmont Triad also did this but was never full-time classical.

I stand corrected (sort of). WFDD does play classical, though in the evening hours.

 

[drt]

Which is interesting, considering that Sacramento, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Albuquerque have classical stations. Same with Tampa (albeit a rimshot), New Orleans, Memphis (though part-time), and the Hampton Roads.

And WIPR-FM in Puerto Rico has yet to give up the ghost.

While the University of South Florida’s WSMR is indeed a rimshot for Tampa and points northward, there is a translator for WSMR on 103.9 at 250 watts and unlike some translators, it is relatively interference free and reaches most of Tampa (the heaviest populated portion) and surrounding suburbs. The primary signal at 89.1 is in Nokomis,Fl and is about as far north as it can be w/o interfering with 89.1 WUFT the University of Florida’s NPR station on the same frequency. WSMR in addition to streaming also has a very robust signal on WUSF’s 89.7 HD2.

 

[chrocket87]

Classical radio is far less prominent compared to the past, but many cities have managed to keep their classical music station afloat through funding from donors, etc. And it's clear that classical fans in San Francisco, Austin, and Charlotte are satisfied with their local offerings.

But these Top 50 Markets have no classical radio station, certainly not on FM and/or HD1:

San Diego

I managed to pick up KUSC at 91.1 while in a parking garage at La Jolla Cove. I found it strange, as it came in crystal clear while I was in the garage and when I left the garage, 91x immediately returned.

 

[NoDakObserver]

Are you only talking about full-time stations? In North Dakota, the Public radio stations (they have a statewide network with many full power stations and translators) play classical music during the day, and have since the 1980s. They also play it over night. They mix in news and other programming at other times.

 

[K6JHU]

And if we are talking about the Upper Mid-west (to quote WCCO) don't forget Minnesota Public Radio

 

[victorres43]

Are you only talking about full-time stations? In North Dakota, the Public radio stations (they have a statewide network with many full power stations and translators) play classical music during the day, and have since the 1980s. They also play it over night. They mix in news and other programming at other times.

Part-time stations count. Most of the markets listed in the original post do not even have a classical station, either full-time or part-time.

 

[victorres43]

I managed to pick up KUSC at 91.1 while in a parking garage at La Jolla Cove. I found it strange, as it came in crystal clear while I was in the garage and when I left the garage, 91x immediately returned.

That's about more than 100 miles away! And given KUSC having significantly less power pointed towards the east and southeast....

 

[brian marchand]

KUSC in Los Angeles is at 91.5, not 91.1.

 

[semoochie]

KUSC in Los Angeles is at 91.5, not 91.1.

A translator, perhaps?

 

[ZantennaG1]

@chrocket87 @brian marchand and @semoochie This should be 91.1 KDSC, a repeater of KUSC in Ojai, close to Santa Barbara. It does send a decent lobe to the southeast, and I'm thinking So Cal has had some tropo these last few days, so maybe that would explain the odd reception. @chrocket87 probably benefited from the parking garage being able to null out the local 91X as well as bounce and hone in the signal from KDSC. When I park my car right up against my house, I can get signals that I normally can't get anywhere else in town. Either way, congratulations on the KDSC catch!

 

[Kelly A]

Most classical stations also stream. There's no reason to need a classical station in every market.

 

[CTListener]

Most classical stations also stream. There's no reason to need a classical station in every market.

Excellent point. I've caught a couple of classical stations during their spring and fall funding drives, and there are always out-of-market listeners being mentioned when the lists of donors are read off. Many, it seems, are retirees who've moved and miss their hometown station's music and announcer.

 

[K6JHU]

Most classical stations also stream. There's no reason to need a classical station in every market.

We can conclude then that we don't need any station in any market if they all stream.

 

[Kelly A]

We can conclude then that we don't need any station in any market if they all stream.

I didn't say that. With streaming, you can listen to any existing classical station anywhere.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

McGrath Alaska lacks classical music on the radio lol

I dumped a syndicated jazz show on our "NPR" station.. and theyd lynch me if i added classical. when were playing music here, its mainly country and rock

 

[Kelly A]

Excellent point. I've caught a couple of classical stations during their spring and fall funding drives, and there are always out-of-market listeners being mentioned when the lists of donors are read off. Many, it seems, are retirees who've moved and miss their hometown station's music and announcer.

All Classical Portland has listeners all over the world, some who were formerly Portland area citizens, and enjoy the music along with the camera above the studio aimed at the Wilamette River Bridge.