WNKU moving to all music; AAA format.

[RedGreen]

Smart move for them.

http://www.wnku.org/page_wnku.asp

 

[almaniac27]

I'm a little bummed about this. While I love the music mix on WNKU, I'll miss having an alternative outlet to hear Morning Edition. In the past few years we had WNKU, WGUC, WVXU, and WMUB carrying NPR programming on their own, now it's down to WVXU/Cincinnati Public Radio. It's annoying to me when all that's on is that old timey show or Echoes.

 

[Bengalsfan]

Great format when it's done right. WFPK in Louisville is an example. Hoping for much success with WNKU and the new format...I'll be listening.

 

[radioboymark]

Excellent move by WNKU, with some great talents involved (Kopp, Peale, Brian O'D). I look forward to hearing it next month..

 

[DJJack1]

Good move AND it's gonna save them a TON of money in programming fees for Morning Edition and Fresh Air, two shows that are already heard on another station in the market. Smart move, and probably long overdue.

 

[RedGreen]

Good move AND it's gonna save them a TON of money in programming fees for Morning Edition and Fresh Air, two shows that are already heard on another station in the market. Smart move, and probably long overdue.

While they may save some money on NPR fees, are public stations exempt from paying music royalties? And since they're broadcasting online, that's a whole other set of royalty fees - unless, of course they're exempt from that as well.

 

[radiorob2.0]

Good move AND it's gonna save them a TON of money in programming fees for Morning Edition and Fresh Air, two shows that are already heard on another station in the market. Smart move, and probably long overdue.

While they may save some money on NPR fees, are public stations exempt from paying music royalties? And since they're broadcasting online, that's a whole other set of royalty fees - unless, of course they're exempt from that as well.

As far as streaming.....Unless the deal has changed, NPR affiliates have a collective bargaining agreement with the Performance Rights Organizations. Non-commercial signals who are not NPR affiliates and operating as a 501c3 have a different rate structure. As long as the Aggergate Tuning Hours is below (approx...too lazy to look up specific numbers) 155,000 hours then the rate is fixed with Sound Exchange.

Slightly off the WNKU topic, I had read classical stations are facing a challenge as the updated licensing rules state that each movement of music counts as individual selections. So if a station played Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 they would have to pay for three selections (each movement) instead of just one selection.