WETA Overnight Now Local - Why?

[Jimme]

Ckassicak WETA has replaced its syndicated overnight classical music program with a local show and a local host. Isn't this something of a waste of money for a classical music station to keep a local DJ around all night to utter one or two sentences between 15 to 20 minute long pieces of music. I can understand th eneed for a morning host, where excerpts of popular classical music is played and the host does talk and traffic every three or four minutes. They are listener-supported, and I have to assume the syndicated overnight show would be cheaper. It is nice to use local talent, but is this really a good or necessary use of the station's funds? Further, the host is listed on the web site as a veteran of DC radio. Shouldn't he have a better time slot?

 

[mleach]

Ckassicak WETA has replaced its syndicated overnight classical music program with a local show and a local host. Isn't this something of a waste of money for a classical music station to keep a local DJ around all night to utter one or two sentences between 15 to 20 minute long pieces of music. I can understand th eneed for a morning host, where excerpts of popular classical music is played and the host does talk and traffic every three or four minutes. They are listener-supported, and I have to assume the syndicated overnight show would be cheaper. It is nice to use local talent, but is this really a good or necessary use of the station's funds? Further, the host is listed on the web site as a veteran of DC radio. Shouldn't he have a better time slot?

Its very possible that the host despite his experience had REQUESTED the overnight shift. Its happened before in other markets big and small. For a number of years there was an oldies station in a small town not far from me that was hooked up with the ABC/SMN "Good Time R&R" service. Other than the morning and afternoon drive shows, the station used SMN the rest of the time except..weekend overnights from Midnight until 4am when they went live and local. Why? The station found out about some well known jock ( 30 years experience but at the time was out of radio ) who was living down the street from them and they wanted him..and he agreed to join their staff on a part-time basis if he "picked " his weekend time slot and he picked overnights. Maybe he felt that shift would be less stressful and drama-free compared to say middays during the week. I don't know but the station gave him the weekend overnight slot becuase he wanted it.

Interesting that WETA did go local route late at night. Not sure why they did unless WETA looked at the other stations in the market and noticed how they treated the overnight slot and considering how other than WTOP pretty much everyone else is automated ( maybe one of the Urban stations is live overnights or 105.9 but I don't know ) and considering that DC is a 24/7 city where its not uncommon to see people commute to work at 2am, maybe WETA felt that there was a audience out there who was under-served during those hours.

 

[MsMusicRadio]

Live people overnights used to be the norm for big city stations. Odd that somebody would actualy want a robojock. Doesn't Robo get enough work as Jack, Bob, etc.

 

[TheBigA]

I notice at the web site that one host is listed as doing afternoons and overnights. So that means they're taping his afternoon show for rebroadcast in overnight. Not unusual. WAMU did the same thing with some of its local talk shows at one time. Seems to me this particular host should be familiar to overnight listeners.