It looks like St. Louis may have a full-time classical music station soon. According to an article in the Post Dispatch, The Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis, which provided considerable financial support to the old "Classic99," KFUO-FM, hopes to be on the air with a new FM station in early June, pending FCC approvals.
The same organization bid for KUFO-FM which was owned by the Lutherans -Missouri Synod. A Christian broadcasting company paid around $20 million for KUFO-FM which pretty much shut anybody else out of the bidding process.
Can a non-profit classical station sustain itself? I think the answer is yes. Sustainability is much more difficult public radio stations that mix the classical format with the public radio news format. Non-profit classical stations are having success in Minnesota, Denver, Tampa and Los Angeles to name a few.
I agree. It is very hard to lure news listeners into the the classical music world. I find that classical music listeners like a little news, but not all day. It seems like NPR stations need to choose and news usually wins. But I think classical music can be a winning choice, if you add in some social media branding and services like blogging and perhaps a community billboard where classical music fans can discuss the music they hear on the station.
ReplyDeleteGood classical music could definitely be great over head music for a number of stores and establishments out there.
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