WCRB
In what the local arts groups will see as burying the lede, the Herald's Inside Track nonchalantly reported that WCRB 99.5 would move from its classical music to an all-sports format while reporting a rumor about the Dennis & Callahan lock-out. Full disclosure, I work at a non-profit and buy advertising from WCRB. As such, though, I can tell you that area groups are already fretting over the rumor. After all of the turmoil with WCRB's sale last year, this certainly feels like déjà vu to a lot of us.
For as long as I can remember, WCRB radio has sponsored a series of lunchtime concerts at Copley Square park. The concerts took place every Thursday in both June and September.
But not this year. I wrote to WCRB asking where to find next month's schedule, and got this reply from Mark Edwards, the station's director of programming:
We simply didn't have the budget to pull it off, I'm afraid. The concerts were very expensive for us to host, and there has been dwindling support from advertisers. Additionally, the city was unable to help us defray costs.
I wish the news was better on that front. Perhaps the vacuum created will lead to a greater desire on the part of all parties to bring this back next year.
WCRB announces its poll-based Boston's Top 100 Classical Pieces and Matthew charges fraud because the list looks pretty much like what was already on the station's only-music-by-dead-people playlist:
... This thing stinks to high heaven, though. No vote counts, no list of nominees, just a corporate fiat with a bunch of very suspiciously familiar characters on it. Thanks to everyone who threw away a vote, if only to prove a point. Pride goeth before a fall, WCRB - you just lost this music lover. Nice work.
For those of you who can still hear it, WCRB is running a poll to pick "Boston's Top 100 Classical Pieces of all time." Matthew is just a tad tired of "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" and has started a campaign to get alternate selections on the list (he provides some options).
Geoff Edgers reports that somebody's illegally broadcasting gospel and hip hop at 99.7, making it impossible for people in Ashmont to hear the classical station. Wonder if it's these guys? In any case, Edgers adds the FCC is on the case. I found the link to the station site on this page, which lists a whole bunch of low-power and pirate stations in Boston, many serving the local Haitian community.
Andraste turned on 102.5 the other day and expresses some disappointment in what she heard instead of the classical she expected:
... I DO NOT want to hear some redneck asshole in a hat yodeling about the values of hard work and patriotism that his daddy passed on to him. I'd rather jam a knitting needle in my ear and take out my hearing altogether. ...
Earlier:
The great switcheroo.
At noon, WCRB moves to 99.5 and WKLB (all country, all the time) moves to 102.5, Messenger informs us. OK, fess up - do you listen to country radio in Boston?
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