Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Hooray, classical-music radio is saved despite the sale of WQXR! Or is it? Well, the NYT pockets a bagload o' cash

>

Once upon a time, WQXR mattered.

by Ken

I started out yesterday afternoon writing this as an "Open Letter" to (1) the Head Scumbag at the New York Times Company and (2) Laura Walker, president and chief executive of listener-supported public radio station WNYC, congratulating them on the deal that was then just-announced, and was being passed off as having "saved" classical radio in New York City: the Times Company's sale of WQXR (currently the tristate metropolitan area's only all-classical radio station) to WNYC (which continues to broadcast a certain amount of classical music only because it hasn't dared to dump it, for fear of the uproar that would result from the portion of its donor base that remains unaccountably attached to that broadcast-spectrum-wasting crap).

It turns out that the Times Company didn't exactly "sell WQXR to WNYC," and somewhere along the line, perhaps in sorting out the strands of the deal (which has a certain complexity but isn't all that complex), I discovered I had abandoned the "open letter" format. Hmm, too peeved for sarcasm?

The Times has owned WQXR since 1944. Since the sudden demise of its commercial rival WNCN in 1993, WQXR has been the city's only all-classical station. Juilliard School president Joseph Polisi is quoted in the NYT article: "“WQXR has been in so many ways a symbol of New York’s culture for decades.” (Is it necessary to resurrect the irony that classical music was once master of the FM band? Those are the days when commercial broadcasters scorned FM, while classical-music broadcasters and listeners relished its vastly superior sound quality, all the more so when FM went stereo. Yes, I think it is necessary. Pointless but necessary.)

It turns out that while the Times apparently has indeed sold WQXR, it wasn't all sold to WNYC. Oh yes, the call letters were sold, and presumably all the physical crap associated with, which you assume the Times regards as just a cheaper alternative to having to have it all carted off to the dump. But the station's most valuable asset, the 96.3 FM frequency and powerful 6,000-watt signal and transmitting equipment, ah, that's a different story.

That prime chunk of FM real estate, it turns out, is going to Univision, which is swapping the next-to-useless 105.9 frequency, with its FCC-limited 600-watt signal, now occupied by its station WCAA. According to the NYT report by Richard Perez-Pena and Daniel Wakin:

The deal gives Univision a stronger signal and a coveted spot near the middle of the FM band for WCAA, reflecting the region’s growing Hispanic population and the increasing prominence of Spanish broadcasting. WCAA’s mix of talk and music includes the morning show of Luis Jimenez, one of the most popular Spanish-language radio hosts.

At the heart of the deal is the Times Company's urgent need for money, more apparently than it could likely raise by putting NYT publisher Pinch Sulzberger to work as a male escort. Obviously even if WNYC had actually wanted to "buy WQXR," the price in today's commercial radio market would have been prohibitive. According to the plausible-looking NYT account (Perez-Pena and Wakin are both excellent reporters), the Times is coming out of the deal with $45 million, $11.5 million from WNYC (the station has already mounted a $15 million fund-raising drive to cover the purchase price plus "transition costs"), and $33.5 million from Univision.

So everybody comes out ahead, right? The Times gets its money, WCAA gets that great 96.3 frequency, and WNYC gets to get all that goddamned classical music the hell off its precious 93.9 frequency. (Finally!) And classical radio in New York is saved, hurrah!

More or less.

Now I don't begrudge WCAA's Hispanic listeners a better frequency for their station. From their old perch atop the FM band with that mighty 600-watt transmitter, they're lucky to have listeners at all. However, the number of listeners in the tristate metropolitan area who will be able to receive a good enough signal from the "new" WQXR -- once the switch happens (date unknown; it depends on FCC approval) -- to reproduce classical music is about 27.

I'm not concerned, as many people apparently are, about the change in WQXR from a commercial to a listener-supported format. Or indeed about such other format changes as are likely to occur. Partly because of the commercials the station has been all but unlistenable for 20-30 years. But that's only partly because of the commercials. In what was no doubt considered a necessity for commercial survival, the old management has dumbed down the format to the point of parody.

THE CURRENT WQXR PEOPLE AREN'T A TOTAL LOSS

There are some good people at the station. Back when I was looking desperately for a morning TV or radio replacement to help get me out of the house after Air America Radio abandoned morning programming in New York, I discovered that WQXR's current morning guy, Jeff Spurgeon, is quite good. He's bright and personable and clearly loves music (it's a pleasure to hear a classical-music announcer who can actually pronounce names and titles in the standard foreign languages), and might even be able to do a real radio show if he wasn't enmired in all the yawping crap that has afflicted WQXR. Assuming he's interested in staying with the station, the new management would be crazy not to see what he can do. Heck, I'd give it a shot.

Assuming I can tune the new WQXR in.

WNYC president Laura Walker is assuring institutions like the Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic that they don't have to worry about being dumped from WQXR. Of course they will be included in the new format ("We will not only look to continue those relationships, but to extend and expand and deepen them,” says Ms. Walker.) But I don't think those great institutions are so much worried about being included as being heard. Because it seems to me that while no, the plug hasn't literally been pulled on classical radio in New York, as soon as the FCC approves the frequency swap, it's going to fall off the end of the broadcast spectrum.

HELLO, POUGHKEEPSIE AND ASBURY PARK!

The Times reporters note: "WQXR is broadcast even farther afield on independently owned 'repeater' signals in Poughkeepsie and Asbury Park, N.J. It was not clear on Tuesday what would become of those arrangements."

I wouldn't hold my breath regarding the "repeater" signals. Who would pay for them?

Oh yes, while I'm bitching, in fairness I would be remiss not to mention: "Listeners will still be able to go online to hear WQXR, which will retain a Web site of its own." So even after classical radio effectively disappears from New York radio, it'll still be on the Internet.

Noted.
#

Labels: , , , , ,

15 Comments:

At 7:16 AM, Anonymous Paul in NYC said...

Just one more "sign of the times" (or, "sign of the TIMES," maybe.) But while I mourn the continued marginalization of classical music by mainstream media, I have to confess that I haven't listened to QXR for several years. Mainly because of the announcers who seem to be either empty-headed bimbos (of whatever sex) or more interested in making sure listeners knew the announcer was oh SOOOO cool. Poking fun of the music and denigrating it as a way of showing the announcer's "sophistication" finally got to be too much for me.

I'm sorry classical music broadcasting is having such a difficult time of it these days, but those in charge have brought it on themselves.

I happily listen to European stations on my computer throughout the day. The variety of programming reminds me of NYC stations like WNCN back in the old days -- full length symphonies and operas, a wide variety of live concerts, and announcers who, as far as my too-poor foreign languages can tell, are not trying to use the music to make themselves a media star.

 
At 7:34 AM, Blogger KenInNY said...

Pretty much my feelings, Paul, except that I haven't developed the knack of listening to radio on the computer -- I'm old-fashioned enough to believe that the Creator, or Marconi or whoever, created radios for listening to the radio on.

And so, ironically, I'm prepared to believe that it's within the capacity of the new management to significantly improve WQXR. The only thing is, who's going to be able to hear it?

Ken

 
At 9:08 AM, Anonymous Balakirev said...

Sad, Ken. When I was growing up, there were 4 classical music stations in the metro area: WRVR (with its bizarre but innovative "all of X in a row" philosophy), WQXR-AM/FM, WNCN, and--when somebody remembered the end times for disks--WNYC. WNYC is pretty much a botch job, and always has been in its various incarnations, so I can't really see how this new arrangement will improve its offerings. As for WQXR, it loses the most important thing it had, as you rightly point out: a strong signal. It in effect becomes a Web-based classical station, all bullshit to one side.

Damn shame.

 
At 10:02 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

We need to have more 'Hispanic' (try to find a genuine Hispano amongst the Univision empty suits, just try) programming on the radio the same way we need more self-installed car alarms. I don't know who listens to these stations. WQXR-FM and WQXR-AM were certainly not perfect, but they were there to help soothe the ruffled psyche at the turn of a knob. ¿Qué se puede hacer? No hay mal que dure cien años, y aparentemente, no hay emisora de radio que dure cien años tampoco.

 
At 11:08 PM, Anonymous amanda said...

This is great!!! Want some cool
music?

 
At 3:22 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

As a former WQXR announcer, I was very sad to read (while on our honeymoon in Bora Bora!!) about the NYT sale but felt much better when I heard it would be taken over by NPR. I now live in Sarasota, FL, and have become a devoted listener to our local NPR station - - WUSF.
I just hope my colleagues at QXR are given a fair deal whether they choose to go for work at the NEW WQXR or leave the field to pursue another of their talents.
Midge, Jeff, Clayelle, Elliot and the others who are still there all have so many talents and abilities, I'm sure they won't have any trouble.
June LeBell

 
At 6:04 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is actually a shady deal. Take a look at who owns Univision, the same thug that loaned the NY Times a big chunk of money. This is also a bad deal for the current employees of WQXR, most of whom will lose their jobs. So sad.

 
At 5:21 PM, Anonymous gljazzhead said...

This is the continuation of the demise of the classical music culture in New York City. The closing of Tower Records was another.

WQXR was a beacon-it successfully marketed classical music, gave us options on Sunday mornings, and served as the last link of culture in an otherwise bleak New York radio scene.

The New York Times should have let the Globe go, and kept QXR. The Globe is hemmoraging money, while QXR's fan base is deep, and loyal.

Just another sell-out.

And we all lose.

 
At 8:55 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

Is anyone is interested in exploring either
(a) petitioning the FCC to reverse its 1976 rule vitiating the public interest requirement; and/or

(b) Starting a campaign to put financial presure on WNYC and the new WQXR, by urging people not to contribute to those stations, unless they reinstitute more of WQXR's traditional programming . .

Write me at wqxrloyalist@gmail.com

 
At 1:21 PM, Anonymous Indiana J. said...

Not living in the NY area, I don't get to check in on the goings on with my favorite classical station very often. I tried on the internet, but it kept changing (AOL, etc). NOW, I find the sad news that the premier classical station in the country has been shuffled off like a lost game of musical chairs.

No insult meant to the new listeners of 96.3, as they are entitled to their birthright and should be afforded all due respect, but ENOUGH ALREADY with yet another Spainish -only station, and an English speaking country becoming bi-lingual. How about joining in, as the 19th and 20th century immigrants from Italy, Germany, and the other countries did!

I can't recall any radio stations starting up for an all-German market, for example, or all-French or Italian, or Dutch. We can appreciate the music of other cultures, but not, please, having station after station designed for listeners who can't, or won't, speak English. Enough, already!

OK, in the glory days of WQXR, in the 50's, I think, even this base was covered, as there was a nice evening show during the week hosted by Pru Devon, and called "Nights in Latin America." Very nice music for those from Spanish speaking roots, and for the rest of us who didn't know "si" from "say", it was a good background and eduction on a beautiful culture...

All that aside, it's a damn shame that cooler heads didn't prevail, and save a really valuable asset from being sent off to live on the outskirts of town. A little 600 watt transmitter for music that has survived (up to this point,anyway) for hundreds and hunreds of years. Will we all remember the musical content of the current 96.3 a hundred years from now? Probably not.

 
At 6:32 AM, Blogger KenInNY said...

On October 28, 2013, reader Charles Rufino posted this comment, which we unfortunately managed to lose:

It's 2013, WQXR is a dim memory, broadcasting from Neptune. And I still miss it.
Until the day I die I will miss that sound I first heard in the late 60s, though a huge tube amp system received from a friend's father in exchange for some yard work.
Even back then I marveled that the texture of the sound was such that dead air sounded better than silence with the radio off.

I worked many late nights in a violin shop on 57th street to that fine tone in the late 70s, and wondered if ever I would buy municipal bonds and drink fine wines.

The millennium has brought us many wonders, but some losses have been hard ones.
Charles

- - - - - - - - - - -

Thanks, Charles! "Broadcasting from Neptune" indeed. In October 2013, I can't remember the last time I even TRIED to listen to WQXR.

Cheers,
Ken

 
At 9:49 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

All of those people were hired by WQXR

 
At 9:50 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Even Paul Cavalconte joined

 
At 9:50 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

No, broadcasting from NYC.

 
At 9:51 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

And Terrence McKnight, one of the best classical music hosts, joined WQXR

 

Post a Comment

<< Home