1

 

1100 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20506 

202-682-5400 

Office of Research & Analysis 

Director, Sunil Iyengar 

Program Analyst, Bonnie Nichols 

Note #92 

September 2006 

AIRING QUESTIONS OF ACCESS: CLASSICAL MUSIC RADIO PROGRAMMING AND 

LISTENING TRENDS

SYNOPSIS

For several decades now, the distribution of classical music in the U.S. has been closely 

linked with public radio programming, whether through broadcasts of live concerts or 

studio recordings. A 2002 study found that most classical music listeners access the art 

primarily through radio, suggesting that the medium is critical to long-term audience 

development, particularly for live classical concerts.1

 Yet the rise of news/talk radio 

formats since the mid-1990s has challenged classical music’s preeminence on public 

radio. This document offers a platform for extended research on the subject. 

As a sector, classical music radio is dynamic and adaptive but in short supply of 

consistent, accurate data. The Federal Communications Commission and the U.S. Census 

Bureau do not enumerate radio listeners or stations by format. Industry data sources can 

be irregular or even incorrect. Further complicating any analysis of classical radio are 

distinctions between commercial and public radio and the “dual format” of classical 

music and news so common at public stations. 

 

1

 References are noted in the main text after the synopsis. 
2

Similar to a literature review, this research note tracks and synthesizes findings from 

earlier reports on classical radio. Those data sources have been supplemented by original 

interviews conducted with programming personnel at public and commercial radio 

stations. Finally, the research note offers four case examples of public radio stations that 

have successfully maintained audience and revenue levels for classical music 

programming. 

I. Commercial Classical Radio: Fewer Stations, More Concentrated Markets

A seven-year decline in the number of commercial classical stations 

corresponds with proportionately fewer listeners over the same period. 

• The count of stations was 28 in 2005, versus 40 in 1998—a 30% drop. 

• On an average quarter-hour basis, the number of commercial classical radio 

listeners fell at a comparable rate—slipping 26% to 246,100. 

Yet commercial classical stations tend to achieve greater market penetration 

than public classical radio. 

• In 2005, half of all commercial classical stations were lodged in the top-25 

radio markets. 

• Seven of those markets (28%) currently have no public classical station 

whatsoever. 

• 10 commercial classical stations in the top-25 markets drew a total of 220,000 

listeners during any average quarter-hour in the fall of 2005. 

• In contrast, the top 20 public classical and news/classical stations together 

drew 140,700 average quarter-hour listeners. 

 

II. Public Classical Radio: An Ill-Defined Industry Loses Time To News/Talk

Current methods to identify and evaluate public classical radio stations and 

their listeners are inadequate. 

• M Street Publications’ “drive-time” definition excludes classical music 

stations if they air news programs during that period. 

• Arbitron, Inc.’s self-identification method requires classical/news stations to 

pick a single format for reporting purposes. 
3

• The National Public Radio Carriage Reporting Center’s public radio station 

count excludes non-NPR member stations. 

Nevertheless, it is safe to conclude that news/talk has superseded classical 

music as the primary format for public radio. 

• Classical programming hours grew by 25% between 1994 and 2005, but 

news/talk soared 115%. 

• In 2005, public radio aired almost 224,000 hours of news/talk—more than 

double the amount in 1994—and about 168,000 hours of classical. 

• Between 1990 and 2005, at least 6 of the country’s top 30 radio markets 

(20%) lost a classical station to news/talk. 

III. Public Radio Program Duplication: Preempting Listener Choices

In many public radio markets, two stations are airing the same news 

program simultaneously, or at different times of the same day. 

• One out of three of the top-30 radio markets (e.g. Los Angeles, Detroit, 

Seattle) duplicate Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Marketplace. 

• Morning Edition is the program most replicated and repeated. For example, 

KXJZ and KQEI in Sacramento both air the two-hour program, with brief 

news updates, from 3:00 to 9:00 a.m., generating six hours of duplication. 

News/talk enjoys a stronghold in Washington, D.C. 

• The market’s two public radio stations, WETA and WAMU, duplicate 6.5 

hours of news/talk programming per day. 

• In 2005, WETA eliminated most of its classical programming in favor of 

news/talk, leaving little classical music on public radio in the nation’s capital. 

• Commercial classical station WGMS shifted to a weaker frequency, giving its 

sister news station, WTOP, the stronger place on the dial. 

IV. Classical Radio Prognosis: Vulnerable, But Not Imperiled 

Over the past several years, public classical radio has posted no dramatic 

gains or losses of listeners. 
4

• Between 1999 and 2004, the number of news/classical radio listeners (for 

stations airing at least 25% of each format) grew by nearly 10%. 

• Over the same period, audiences of “focused” classical radio declined by 5%. 

(Focused stations programmed at least 75% classical.) 

Public news stations receive greater financial support from listeners than do 

classical stations. Even so, support has risen for classical and fallen for news.

• In 2004, the hourly financial support of listeners was $1.54 for news—almost 

20% higher than for classical stations. 

• Between 1999 and 2004, hourly listener support grew 19% for classical 

stations and fell 20% for news stations. 

Most large radio markets have access to classical music broadcasts. 

• 81 of the top 100 radio markets had at least one classical or news/classical 

station. 

• Most markets not served by a classical station can access alternatives. For 

example, Los Angeles’ KUSC can be heard in Riverside-San Bernardino, San 

Francisco’s KDFC in San Jose, and Tampa’s WUSF in Sarasota-Bradenton. 

• Miami is the largest radio market with little or no access to classical radio. 

Commercial classical stations, though located in more populated regions than public 

classical, have declined in number over the last decade. This trend suggests that classical 

radio listeners (especially those dwelling outside the densely populated markets where 

commercial classical stations operate) must rely increasingly on public radio for access to 

the art. Yet over a comparable timeframe, news/talk has supplanted classical as the 

primary format for public radio programming. 

This change is manifest in the growing number of public radio programming hours 

devoted to news/talk, relative to classical music hours, as well as the phenomenon of 

classical stations in top radio markets switching to news/talk entirely. Another adverse 

result for classical radio listeners is duplication—two or more stations within a single 

market airing the same news program simultaneously. 

In the face of the two competing formats, news/talk and classical radio listeners do share 

characteristics such as “time spent listening” and “loyalty” rates. While classical radio is 

no longer the primary format for public radio, it is one of the three most common (along 
5

with news and news/classical). The relatively stable audience for public classical radio, 

combined with the presence of at least one classical or news/classical station in most 

large radio markets, testifies to the durability of classical music as a format – vulnerable, 

but not imperiled. 

Additional research is needed to explore how news/talk and classical radio formats might 

co-exist amicably in various markets, with one medium perhaps abetting the other. An 

examination of “case study stations” in cities such as Columbus, Philadelphia, Las Vegas 

and Atlanta yields a variety of committed approaches to balance classical/news 

programming. They also uncover apparently successful methods to build and sustain an 

audience for classical music radio. Such techniques include broadcasting local classical 

music concerts on a regular basis and blending classical and jazz formats. 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

In the late 1930s, American composer Aaron Copland felt assured of classical music’s 

relevance to popular culture. “Luckily, opportunities for hearing music are much greater 

than they ever were before,” he wrote. “With the increasing availability of good music on 

radio and phonograph, not to mention the movies, almost anybody has the chance to 

listen to music.”1 Today, one of the media named by Copland is all but extinct, and 

another showcases classical music infrequently. The third medium, radio, continues to 

supply the art form, but largely through public stations. This note examines classical 

music’s currency on public and commercial airwaves. 

Two obvious measures of classical music radio access are the number of classical stations 

nationwide and the size of their audiences. In both respects, an investigator of classical 

programming and listening patterns is disadvantaged. The Federal Communications 

Commission (FCC) and the U.S. Census Bureau do enumerate radio stations, but neither 

agency specifies program format or counts listeners. 

Further confounding any tally, industry sources often differ in reporting methodologies 

and definitions of classical radio stations. Add to those discrepancies the distinction 

between commercial and non-commercial radio—and the prevalence of a “dual format” 

for classical music and news—and an in-depth analysis becomes difficult indeed. 

Instead of providing a comprehensive overview, this note has a more modest aim: to 

spotlight trends that surfaced in a review of miscellaneous data and reports issued by 

broadcasters, research firms, trade associations, and specialty press. Those sources were 

supplemented by numerous interviews with radio station executives, industry observers, 

and other experts. The document ends with the example of four stations that have 

developed what may be reproducible strategies to preserve classical music programming. 
6

COMMERCIAL CLASSICAL STATIONS

Industry data report 28 commercial classical stations in 2005—down from 49 in 1989 and 

40 in 1998.2

 Those stations reach a sizeable audience, due in part to their concentration 

in densely populated regions. For example, half of the 28 commercial classical stations 

are lodged in the 25 largest radio markets (see attached table). Excluding AM and 

“repeater” stations, the 10 commercial classical stations in those markets attracted a 

combined average of 222,000 listeners during any quarter-hour in the fall of 2005.3 By 

comparison, the combined average for the top 20 FM public classical and classical/news 

stations was 140,700 listeners for the same time period.4

Of the top 25 radio markets, 7 have no public classical station, only a commercial one. 

Among these are two of the largest U.S. commercial stations, in terms of audience size: 

KDFC in San Francisco (4th largest radio market), and WGMS in Washington, D.C. (8th

largest). Bonneville International Corp. holds the licenses of both stations. 

Influence of The 1996 Telecommunications Act 

After 1996, the drop in the commercial classical station count can be attributed at least in 

part to the Telecommunications Act, which President Clinton signed into law that year. 

The legislation eliminated national caps on the total number of commercial stations a 

single entity could own. The law also eased restrictions on the number of commercial 

stations an entity could own in a given local market. 

In a deregulated landscape, large media firms began to pursue commercial stations more 

aggressively as acquisition targets. For the purchasing entity, part of the draw was the 

improvement in operating efficiencies (e.g. one traffic manager for several stations) postmerger. The subsequent demand for commercial licenses, coupled with a relatively strong 

economy in the mid-to-late 1990s, resulted in high valuations for the stations acquired. 

For example, within a year after the deregulation law took effect, Detroit’s classical 

WQRS, which had aired classical music since 1960, was sold and resold four times: to 

American Radio Systems (for $18.5 mil.); to Secret Communications ($27 mil.); to 

Evergreen Communications (as part of a multi-city/multi-station package); and to Greater 

Media ($30 mil). Greater Media experimented with several formats, finally renaming the 

station WMGC; it airs adult contemporary hits. 

WNIB in Chicago, purchased in 1956 for $8,000 by a couple dedicated to running a 

classical station, was sold in 2001 for $165 mil. to Bonneville International Corp., which 

switched the format to classic rock. Other commercial classical stations lost to post-1996 

consolidation were Miami’s WTMI and San Diego’s KFSD.5

 
7

Impact on Commercial Classical Audience 

The 30% decline in the commercial classical station count between 1998 and 2005 

corresponded with a proportionate drop in audience. In 2005, commercial classical radio 

drew 246,100 average quarter-hour listeners, down from 333,700 in 1998—a decrease of 

26%. 

PUBLIC CLASSICAL STATIONS

Reconciling Counts from Industry Sources 

Reliable estimates of public classical stations and listeners prove more difficult to obtain 

than for the commercial sector.6

 Arbitron, Inc., a radio audience research company, 

reported 232 public classical radio stations in the spring of 2005. The list excluded at 

least 13 public stations, however, making the count inaccurate. Among stations omitted 

from the count were KWRX in Bend, Oregon, and KAGU in Spokane, Washington. 

Moreover, the radio industry lacks a uniform classification system for counting stations 

by format. One practice is to identify a station by its drive-time programming—a metric 

used by the trade news publisher M Street, which supplied the commercial classical 

station count discussed earlier. Yet for public classical stations, a drive-time definition is 

problematic. Many public stations that air news programs during drive-time hours are 

primarily classical in format. M Street’s drive-time definition would not count those 

stations as classical. 

Commercial Classical Listeners

Average Number of Listeners Per Quarter-Hour

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

400,000

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Source: Arbitron, Format Trend Reports, based on fall quarter estimates.
8

As another way to track format, Arbitron uses station self-identification. The method 

requires stations to identify themselves with a single format. Consequently, stations 

broadcasting both classical music and news are not counted as classical when they elect 

to emphasize news programming over music. For example, Houston’s KUHF is reported 

as a news/talk/information station. 

Like many public classical stations, KUHF airs news and talk programs such as Morning 

Edition and All Things Considered. But its primary programming is classical. On any 

24-hour weekday, KUHF airs classical music for 17 hours, covering the most popular 

time slots for classical radio (10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 pm to 12:00 a.m.). 

Further, KUHF is regarded as a flagship public classical station; its allocation of financial 

resources permit overnight music broadcasts. In contrast to the Houston station, WABE 

in Atlanta – another prominent dual-format station—identified itself as classical. WABE 

plays 15 hours of classical music on weekdays, 2 fewer than KUHF. 

Station counts conducted by the National Public Radio (NPR) Carriage Reporting Center 

may compensate for the limitations of Arbitron’s single-format reporting method. NPR 

classifies public stations by analyzing programming hours, and its methodology admits 

dual formats such as news/classical. Yet those counts exclude non-NPR member 

stations. 

Alternatively, combining Arbitron and NPR tallies may capture each source’s strengths. 

This exercise yields an estimated 354 public classical and news/classical stations as of 

Spring 2005. One complicating factor is that the count includes “repeater stations,” or 

secondary stations that simulcast the programming of parent stations. This approach 

identifies, for example, KPSC in Palm Springs, California—a repeater station of Los 

Angeles-based KUSC. 

News/Talk Programming Overtakes Classical Format 

NEA Research found that 8 of the top 30 radio markets (27%) lost public classical 

stations between 1990 and 2005. In order of size, those markets are: Washington, D.C.; 

Baltimore; St. Louis; Tampa; Portland, Oregon; San Bernardino; San Antonio; and Salt 

Lake City. In San Antonio, KRTU switched from classical to jazz, and Tampa’s WBVM 

now airs Christian programming. Stations in the remaining six markets replaced most of 

their music broadcasts with news/talk formats. 

In terms of programming hours, news/talk has replaced classical as the primary public 

radio format. In 1994, public radio aired nearly 140,000 hours of classical music per 

week and 104,000 hours of news/talk. By 2000, the two formats were more or less on 

par. But in 2001, news/talk surpassed classical, and by 2005, public radio aired almost 

224,000 hours of news/talk and 168,000 hours of classical music. Thus, while classical 

programming hours grew 25% between 1994 and 2005, news/talk programming outpaced 

classical—growing by 115%. 
9

Impact on Public Classical Audience 

Station Resource Group (SRG), a coalition of 45 public radio broadcasters, has attempted 

to measure listening patterns for various station formats. For the purposes of a recent 

study it completed, SRG defined a single, “focused” station as airing at least 75% of 

programming in one format and a dual-format station as airing at least 25% of 

programming in each of two formats. The study included 40 classical stations, 62 news 

stations, and 81 news/classical stations—clearly the most popular format. Stations were 

excluded if their formats had changed during the 1999-2004 study period. 7

SRG’s findings, along with additional data it provided to NEA Research, show an overall 

growth of public radio listeners from 1.4 mil. (per quarter-hour) in 1999 to almost 1.8 

mil. in 2004—a gain of 23%. Over the same time period, audiences for focused classical 

stations declined by 5%. The drop was relatively small—only 2 percentage points above 

what the radio research industry generally considers to be “significant.” The trend in 

news/classical listening was more pronounced, showing nearly 10% growth from 1999 to 

2004. News/talk listening grew by more than 50%, and then tapered off. 

Arbitron’s ratings for National Public Radio programs also suggest that growth in 

news/talk listening is slowing. In the fall of 2005, average quarter-hour (AQH) listening 

to programs in this category, including Morning Edition and All Things Considered, 

dropped by 4%, compared with fall 2004 listening. At the same time, listening rates for 

NPR classical programming increased. For example, AQH listening grew by 7% for 

Performance Today, and by 25% for SymphonyCast. 

Public Classical and News Radio Programming 

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Quarter Hours Per Week

Classical News/talk

Source: NPR Carriage Reporting Center, All Public Radio Stations, Spring 1994-Spring 2005.
10

Despite those trends, NPR announced in September 2006 its decision to halt production 

and distribution of Performance Today and SymphonyCast. Instead, St. Paul’s American 

Public Media will assume production of the two classical programs in 2007. 

 

 

Public News Program Duplication 

In public radio, duplication of programs is a unique factor in accounting for the mix of 

news and classical content. In large markets (particularly East Coast, West Coast, and 

Midwestern metropolitan areas), two or more public radio stations sometimes air the 

same news programs simultaneously or at overlapping times. In some cases, one station 

has a weak signal. In Atlanta, there are overlapping news magazines on WABE and 

WJSP, but the latter station broadcasts from Columbus, Georgia, making reception 

problematic in Atlanta. 

In a few markets, AM and FM stations duplicate the other band’s news programming. 

On weekdays, the AM and FM stations of New York City’s WNYC duplicate 3 hours of 

Morning Edition, 2.5 hours of All Things Considered (ATC), and 1.5 hours of 

Marketplace. In Columbus, Ohio, WOSU-AM and WCBE-FM duplicate 4 hours of 

Morning Edition and 2 hours of ATC. 

This section of the Research Note focuses on duplication occurring between strong-signal 

FM stations airing the following public news programs in one market: Morning Edition, 

Weekend Edition, All Things Considered (including its weekend broadcast), and 

Public Radio Listening Trends

Average Number of Listeners Per Quarter Hour

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

News/Talk

News/Classical

Classical

Source: Audience Research Analysis, AudiGraphics, based on spring quarter estimates. 

Reported in The Public Radio Format Study, Station Resource Group.
11

Marketplace. This form of duplication is concentrated in 11 of the top 50 radio markets, 

ranging from the second largest in population (Los Angeles) to the 31st (Salt Lake City). 

NPR’s news magazine Morning Edition is the program most duplicated. Although the 

show is 2 hours in duration, all 11 markets that duplicate Morning Edition air the 

program for 3 or more hours, repeating previously aired segments. Sacramento is the 

most extreme example of this phenomenon—both KXJZ and KQEI air Morning Edition

from 3:00 am to 9:00 am, generating 6 hours of duplication. Long Island also features 

duplication of Morning Edition (5 hours) and All Things Considered (3.5 hours). 

In terms of hours duplicated for all public news programs, Sacramento and Long Island 

rank at the top, totaling 15 hours and 12 hours of duplication, respectively. Other 

markets with relatively high news overlaps include Los Angeles (11 hours), Seattle (10.5 

hours), and Detroit (9.5 hours). 

National Public Radio, which produces most of the duplicated programs, issued a 2003 

report concluding that when stations duplicate news programming they do not rob each 

other’s audiences.8

 Moreover, each of the 11 markets with duplicated news programming 

has either a classical station or access to one from a neighboring market. Still, duplicated 

news programming reduces variety and choice for public radio listeners, and calls into 

question public radio’s commitment to its mission (see p. 13 of this note). 

U.S. Capital Lacks Public Classical Format 

With 4.1 mil. listeners, Washington, D.C. is the 8th largest radio market in the U.S. The 

nation’s capital has two public stations, WAMU and WETA, and one commercial 

classical station, WGMS. During the 1990s, the two public stations assigned All Things 

Considered (ATC) to different time slots, and WETA did not broadcast Morning Edition. 

But beginning in 2001, the two stations aired both programs simultaneously. Other 

decisions contributed to keep classical radio off the public airwaves in this market. 

First, one must consider the programming history of each station. As recently as 2001, 

WAMU aired a variety of programs, including news/talk, a signature program Hot Jazz 

Saturday Night, and popular afternoon drive-time broadcasts of bluegrass music. But that 

summer, WAMU replaced its weekday bluegrass with ATC, though previously the station 

had aired the news program in the evening.9

 Today, WAMU airs news/talk around the 

clock on weekdays. Saturday night jazz remains, but bluegrass broadcasts were moved to 

midnight through 10 am on Sundays. 

Featuring classical music since it began broadcasting in 1970, WETA opted in 1999 to 

boost audience size by replacing morning drive-time classical music with Morning 

Edition. WETA continued to air classical music for 15 hours on weekdays, including 

classical’s most popular time slots by industry consensus. But in February 2005, WETA 

eliminated its weekday classical broadcasts in favor of an all news/talk format. (On 

Saturdays, the station still airs Performance Today and, in season, live broadcasts from 
12

the Metropolitan Opera). Consequently, Washington, D.C. has become one of the largest 

radio markets in the country with no public classical station. 

Washington does have WGMS, one of the highest ranked classical stations in the 

country. Its AQH share has surpassed that of other commercial classical stations 

nationwide and the share reported for most commercial stations in Washington, including 

WGMS’ sister news station, WTOP-FM. 

Despite its relatively high numbers of listeners, however, WGMS was moved to a weaker 

signal (104.1) in January 2006, so that the news station WTOP-FM could have a stronger 

signal (103.5). After the switch, WTOP’s market share increased to 4.2%, up from only 

2.5% in the fall of 2005. Classical WGMS’ share dropped slightly from 4.6% to 4.1%. 

Also in 2006, Bonneville International Corp. (owner of WGMS and WTOP) added 

news/talk Washington Post Radio to both AM and FM Washington frequencies. 

Commercial Motives for Public Radio 

As discussed in the previous section, WETA in Washington, D.C. has eliminated most of 

its classical programming in favor of news/talk. According to some press reports, the 

station made this switch to increase its audience and gain younger listeners.10 WETA’s 

example is significant because the station serves a large market with limited access to 

classical radio. 

WETA’s intent may be characteristic of other public stations that have compromised or 

eliminated classical music for news programming. Though many of those stations (e.g., 

KWMU in St. Louis, KOPB in Portland, and KUER in Salt Lake City) reside in markets 

that still have a classical radio station, there appears to be a tendency for public stations 

to discourage music programming in favor of news/talk broadcasts as a way to draw 

larger audiences. 

A large-scale example is NPR’s move to terminate production of Performance Today. 

NPR Executive Vice President Ken Stern has explained that the decision arose partly 

Selected Commercial Classical Stations

Winter 2006

Station Market AQH Share

WGMS Washington 4.1%

KDFC San Francisco 3.9%

KING Seattle 3.7%

WQXR New York 2.7%

KFUO St. Louis 2.3%

WRR Dallas 1.9%

WCLV Cleveland 1.8%

WFMT Chicago 1.8%

Source: Arbitron
13

because the classical program “had been losing audience and station carriage for several 

years.” By the fall of 2005, however, average quarter-hour listening to Performance 

Today had actually grown 7%, compared with the previous year. As many as 237 stations 

aired the program in 2005, a count largely unchanged from that of 2004. 

Performance Today will not be lost—American Public Media will produce and distribute 

it beginning in 2007—but NPR’s transfer of the classical program accompanies a 

reshuffling of priorities at the organization. NPR increasingly views the “digital media 

environment,” rather than analog radio, as the primary medium for classical 

programming growth: to that end, the organization will retain digital distribution rights to 

Performance Today. 

The large share of public radio revenue contributed by individuals and businesses may 

reveal why some stations make it a priority to maximize audiences—even at the expense 

of variety in programming and service to a public that may have nowhere else to turn for 

classical music, jazz, or other musical art forms. In 2003, individual subscribers gave 

$239 mil. to public radio, or 33.5 % of the medium’s total revenue (up from 32% in 

1998). Business revenue, including underwriting, was $137 mil., accounting for 19.3% 

of revenue—three percentage points higher than in 1998. Combined, subscribers and 

business contributed more than half of all public radio revenue in 2003. 

Still, government sources account for a significant part of public radio revenue. 

Although the portion contributed by state universities, colleges, and local and state 

governments has fallen, the federally funded Corporation for Public Broadcasting gave 

$90.7 mil. in 2003—about 13% of all public radio revenue—a share virtually unchanged 

from 1998. 

Government support through grants from the CPB and other levels of government, as 

well as the revenue governments forego by giving public radio stations tax-exempt status, 

indicates that public radio has an obligation beyond maximizing audiences. While 

pursuing market share is a legitimate aim for commercial radio stations, public radio 

should balance its drive for audiences and revenue with a commitment to cultural 

programming and services that are not necessarily profitable for commercial stations, or 

not otherwise available to a broad segment of the population in their markets. 

A 1999 mission statement adopted by CPB does not mention classical music specifically, 

but voices a need to “inspire the imagination of all Americans,” with “particular 

responsibility to encourage the development of programming that involves creative risks 

and that addresses the needs of unserved and underserved audiences, particularly children 

and minorities.” More precise language was used by President Lyndon Johnson at the 

signing of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, when he stated: “The Corporation will 

assist stations and producers who aim for the best in broadcasting good music, in 

broadcasting exciting plays, and in broadcasting reports on the whole fascinating range of 

human activity.” 
14

Federal Broadcasting Grant Criteria 

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is the single largest source of public funding for 

radio. In 2006, the Corporation allocated $83 mil. (approximately 90% of CPB’s total 

public radio support) to local stations through Community Service Grants (CSG).11 

The criteria for CSG grants, however, have focused on stations’ gross revenue, not net

revenue. Moreover, the financial reports that stations are required to submit to CPB 

emphasize income over expenses; the financial questionnaire contains nearly 100 lines of 

data on income, but only 10 lines on expenses.12

Thus, CPB’s financial reporting guidelines may indirectly favor news programming over 

classical. News/talk programming attracts higher contributions, thereby increasing a 

public station’s gross revenue. Yet news/talk is more expensive to program, a detail not 

captured by gross revenue. Given classical music’s lower programming expenditures, a 

CPB application review that considered net revenue (gross revenue minus expenditures) 

ostensibly would cast classical stations in a better light. 

Recent developments at CPB support a more promising picture for classical radio. In FY 

2006, the Corporation established a $7.3 mil. radio-programming fund, to award grants in 

Selected Revenue Sources for Public Radio (In Aggregate)

2003

Revenue source Revenue Share of Point change

(thousands) total '98-'03

Corporation for $90,702 12.7% -0.2

Public Broadcasting

Federal grants $5,663 0.8% 0.1

and contracts

Local governments $7,904 1.1% -0.7

State governments $30,714 4.3% -1.2

State colleges and $78,327 11.0% -3.1

universities

Foundations $41,475 5.8% 0.4

Business $137,254 19.3% 3.0

Subscribers $238,952 33.5% 1.6

Source: Corporation for Public Broadcasting, 2003 and 1999

 Revenue Reports.
15

several categories, including music. The Corporation has requested proposals that will 

revitalize music formats—especially jazz and classical—and demonstrate innovative 

approaches to music programming.13 

CLASSICAL RADIO’S CONTINUED TRACTION 

Several trends still mark classical radio as an enduring format. They include: 1) the 

transmission of classical music broadcasts into markets without a classical station, and 2) 

consistent patterns of “time spent listening” and “listener loyalty,” as measured over a 

five-year period. Further suggesting that classical programming is not imperiled—despite 

the ascendancy of news/talk—are recent patterns in listener support. 

Broadcasts to Adjacent Markets 

Despite the losses of stations, particularly commercial ones, 81 of the top 100 radio 

markets still have at least one classical or news/classical station (see attached table). 

Moreover, three of the largest markets have gained classical stations: in Detroit (ranked 

9th among radio markets), WRCJ began airing classical music in 2005, KWTU in Tulsa 

(ranked 65th) began in 2004, and XLNC1, which transmits to San Diego (ranked 17th) 

from Tijuana, began airing in 2000. 

Most of the 19 markets without classical stations still have access to the format. Two of 

these markets are “embedded” within a larger radio market that has classical radio. 

Listeners in Long Island (Nassau-Suffolk) can tune into WQXR and WNYC in New 

York, and listeners in San Jose can hear San Francisco’s KDFC. 

Some of the 19 markets, for a variety of reasons, do not support public stations—news, 

classical, or otherwise. Listeners in Providence depend on Boston for classical music. 

Additionally, four Florida markets that include newer communities never had a classical 

station (Lakeland, Sarasota, Melbourne-Titusville and Daytona Beach). Still, all but one 

of the markets has access to nearby classical stations: Lakeland and Sarasota each have 

Tampa’s WUSF, and the Melbourne-Titusville market has Orlando’s WMFE. WMFE’s 

signal strength into Daytona Beach is only moderate. Brownsville, Texas, and 

Albuquerque, New Mexico also have moderate access to classical stations from nearby 

markets. 

Of the 19 largest radio markets with no classical station, 4 have stations or access to 

stations that broadcast classical music overnight, or for 2-3 hours during the day. The 

markets are Greensboro, North Carolina; Jacksonville, Florida; Allentown, Pennsylvania; 

and El Paso, Texas. 

Miami is the largest radio market without a classical station and with little access to a 

station in a neighboring market. (Although West Palm Beach’s WXEL broadcasts into 

Miami, the signal is weak.) However, the area’s public news station, WLRN, began 
16

streaming classical music on its website in 2005. The station also airs classical on a new 

digital channel. To date, the receivers necessary to hear the new digital programming are 

not widely owned by the listening public. 

Public Classical Listener Loyalty 

Other factors testify to classical programming as a mainstay, particularly on public radio. 

In its Public Radio Format Study: Listening Patterns, the Station Resource Group (SRG) 

estimated that public classical audiences listened 6 hours and 58 minutes per week, on 

average, in the fall of 2004—a figure largely unchanged from the time spent listening 

(TSL) to classical music radio in the spring of 1999. In addition, the 6:58 TSL among 

public classical listeners was comparable to the figures for news (6:49) and 

news/classical (6:46) listeners. 

Radio Markets Without Classical Stations__Top 100

Market Market rank Accessible classical stations in

neighboring market

Strong-signal access

Nassau-Suffolk, NY1 18 WQXR and WNYC, New York

Riverside-San Bernardino, CA 27 KUSC, Los Angeles

San Jose, CA1 34 KDFC, San Francisco

Providence-Warwick-Pawtucket, RI 36 WGBH, Boston

Middlesex, NJ1 39 WQXR and WNYC, New York

Monmouth, NJ1 52 WQXR and WNYC, New York

Sarasota-Bradenton, FL 74 WUSF, Tampa

Wilmington, DE 75 WRTI, Philadelphia

Melbourne-Titusville-Cocoa, FL 94 WMFE, Orlando

Lakeland-Winterhaven, FL 98 WUSF, Tampa

Moderate-signal access

Brownsville, TX 59 KMBH, Harlingen

Albuquerque, NM 70 KHFM, Santa Fe

Daytona Beach, FL 89 WMFE, Orlando

Little or none

Miami, FL 12

Greensboro, NC2 45

Jacksonville, FL3 49

Allentown, PA4 68

El Paso, TX5 76

Stockton, CA 80

1

 Embedded market.

2 WFDD at Wake Forest University airs classical music overnight.

3 WJCT airs classical overnight and early-morning weekend spots.

4

 WDIY airs classical from 9:00 am-12:00 pm weekdays.

5

 KTEP airs classical from 7:00 pm-9:00 pm weekdays, and some weekend spots.
17

The SRG report also demonstrated that public classical listeners are loyal to their stations. 

“Loyalty” is defined as time spent listening to a station as a percentage of all radiolistening by the station’s weekly audience. In the fall of 2004, average loyalty for 

classical stations was 33.8%, similar to the loyalty rates reported for news (35.7 %) and 

news/classical (36.4 %). In contrast, average loyalty rates for all-jazz stations and AAA 

(“adult album alternative”) stations were 25.6% and 30.4%, respectively.14 

 

Financial Performance of Public Classical Radio 

In July 2006, the Station Resource Group released another report, The Public Radio 

Format Study, Financial Patterns, showing gains in classical radio listener support amid 

a decline in business underwriting. 15 

From 1999 to 2004, listener support (net of fundraising costs and adjusted for inflation) 

for focused classical stations increased by 12%, even though listening to this format 

dropped by 5%. Moreover, classical listener support per hour rose by 19%. According 

to SRG, those figures can be interpreted in two ways: classical listeners may be according 

more value to those stations, or the stations may be growing more effective as 

fundraisers. 

Public news listening, conversely, was up 55% from 1999 to 2004. Yet listener support 

per hour declined by 20%. It is possible that news and information stations will need 

more time for their emerging listeners to make an impact on this metric. Alternatively, 

listeners may feel less inclined to donate, given the growth in business messages aired on 

public news stations. During the 6-year period, business underwriting on news stations 

increased by 60%; it declined 13% for classical stations. 

The report also shows that even though listener support fell for news, it was still higher 

than for classical. In 2004, net listener support per listener hour for news was $1.54—

almost 20% higher than the $1.28 reported for classical stations. There was little change 

in listener support per hour for news/classical stations, but at $1.62 in 2004, it surpassed 

both classical and news. 

SUMMARY

The lack of consistent and accurate station/listener counts—especially for public radio—

complicates any analysis of classical music radio access, yet a few basic trends emerge. 

First, commercial classical stations are concentrated in large radio markets, but the total 

All classical News/classical News

Fall 2004

Average time spent listening 6:58 6:46 6:49

Average loyalty 33.8% 36.4% 35.7%

Source: Station Resource Group, The Public Radio Format Study, Listening Patterns
18

number of stations has declined. In aggregate, classical radio audiences must rely 

increasingly on public broadcasts. 

For its part, public classical radio has also seen a loss of stations, though not at the rate of 

the commercial sector. Furthermore, whether as a result of increases in the number of 

public stations or a shift in the balance of programming among dual-format stations, the 

fact remains that news/talk has replaced classical as the primary public radio format. 

The decline in the public classical station count and the predominance of news/talk 

programming do not seem to reflect waning popularity of the classical format. Overall, 

listening to public classical radio is stable, and listening to the dual format has even 

increased. Arbitron concludes that classical is one of the nation’s most popular and 

enduring radio formats.16

Classical music radio is not in immediate jeopardy—most of the top 100 radio markets 

still have at least one classical station or access to one from a neighboring market. Yet for 

many listeners, a choice of stations is limited; in some cases (e.g., Washington, D.C.), 

there is no question of choice because alternatives have been eliminated. In the long 

term, classical music may prove vulnerable if not supported by public broadcasters. 

According to a 1999 study published in the Journal of Public Economics, commercial 

classical stations will not likely emerge in radio markets with fewer than 1.2 mil. 

listeners.17 The implication is clear: Small and medium-sized markets will continue to 

depend on public radio for classical programming. 

This development, combined with a survey finding that most people encounter classical 

music mainly through radio, underscores the art form’s reliance on public media.18 It 

remains to be seen whether, to boost listener support in the future, an increased number 

of public stations will end up emulating commercial models that have curtailed 

broadcasts of classical music. 

At a minimum, public radio stations serving identical and overlapping markets 

should communicate with each other more effectively to avoid program duplication 

and to supply listeners with diverse programming options, including classical music, as 

envisioned by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting mission statement and by the 

Public Broadcasting Act. 

 

CASE STUDY STATIONS

Some public classical stations successfully balance the goal of achieving growth in 

audience and revenue levels with a dedication to the art form and to community bonds. 

WOSU in Columbus, WRTI in Philadelphia, KCNV in Las Vegas, and WABE in Atlanta 

are four public stations whose programming choices and business decisions have enabled 

classical music broadcasts to thrive in their respective markets. 
19

 WOSU/Columbus: Local Content Provider 

Columbus, ranked 38th in metro radio market size, with an estimated population of 1.4 

mil. (ages 12 and older), is served by two stations licensed to Ohio State University. 

WOSU’s Classic 89.7 FM is devoted to classical music, and Public Radio 820 AM airs 

news and talk programming, along with locally produced programs of bluegrass music on 

weekend evenings. In the same market, the FM station WCBE also broadcasts public 

news and talk. 

Recent staffing changes led Classic 89.7 FM to shift daytime hours to the nationally 

syndicated Classical Public Radio Network, a joint venture between KUSC in Los 

Angeles and Colorado Public Radio and marketed by National Public Radio. However, 

WOSU 89.7 FM, “Classically Columbus,” has retained a strong local identity. Locally 

hosted music is broadcast during weekday drive-time hours (6-9:30 am and 3-7:30 pm). 

On weekends, Classic 89.7 FM airs three locally produced and hosted programs: 

Saturday at the Pops, Saturday on Stage, and Serenata with Christopher Purdy. The 

station’s current strategic plan calls for expansion of original local content. 

Several programs feature local music and art. Arts Unscripted, which airs on weekends, 

covers the Columbus arts scene. Columbus Symphony Orchestra and Fridays with 

George include recorded live concerts and discussions with the conductor of the 

Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Albert-George Schram. In addition, Music in Mid-Ohio

features “the best of local music making,” and Ohio Arts Alive discusses cultural topics 

and introduces personalities active in the state’s culture. A new program, Live at the 

Southern with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, airs on Saturday evenings. 

WOSU has also forged connections with the community in other ways. At the 2006 

Columbus Arts Festival, for instance, WOSU demonstrated HD (digital) radio, and 

host/producer Boyce Lancaster hosted live classical broadcasts. Moreover, the station 

has partnered with the Center of Science and Industry in Columbus to create a digital 

media center, which opened in September 2006. WOSU@COSI is designed to offer 

visitors interactive and entertaining exhibits on the science behind broadcasting and will 

feature live radio productions and performances. 

WRTI/Philadelphia: Managing Expansion 

In September 1997, one week after Philadelphia’s long-time commercial classical station, 

WFLN, was sold for $85 mil. and changed formats, Temple University’s WRTI, an alljazz station since 1958, acquired WFLN’s collection and added classical music to its 

format. The station gives the two formats equal weight. On weekdays, classical music 

airs from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m., and jazz from 6 p.m. until 6 a.m. Saturday daytime hours 

are devoted to classical music (except for a 30-minute talk show at 6 a.m. and a 40-

minute arts news show at 11 a.m.), while Sunday daytime hours are devoted to 

gospel/jazz until 3 p.m. Weekends include syndicated programs such as Piano Jazz, Jazz 
20

Profiles, and From the Top, as well as live broadcasts of performances by the 

Metropolitan Opera in season. 

WRTI’s swift move not only prevented the demise of classical music radio in the nation’s 

sixth largest market but also benefited the station by drawing increased listeners and 

contributions. 

In the summer of 1997, prior to adding classical music broadcasts, the station had 

approximately 6,500 average-quarter-hour listeners. By the fall of 2005, the AQH 

audience had reached 18,300—a gain of 180%. Membership also grew. In June 1997, 

WRTI had 3,371 members; one year later, membership was 9,411. It continued to rise, 

reaching 15,000 by 2005. 

Given the recent popularity of public news/talk stations, it is worth noting that 

classical/jazz WRTI generally keeps pace with Philadelphia’s public news station, 

WHYY. Comparison of the fall quarter AQH listeners at the two stations shows a 

somewhat larger audience at WHYY in 2003 (by about 5,000 listeners), a nearly identical 

audience size in 2004, and a slightly larger audience at WHYY in 2005 (about 2,300 

listeners). A closer examination of audience size per hour, over the years 2003 and 2004, 

shows more listeners at WHYY only during morning and afternoon drive-time, the most 

popular times for listening to news. The stations had approximately the same number of 

listeners each hour during the daytime and evening.

Membership revenue at WRTI also increased. For the fiscal year 1997, the station 

received approximately $259,000 in member contributions. In 1998, this amount 

increased to about $390,000. Member contributions continued to rise almost every year 

(with the exceptions of 1999 and 2001), surpassing $1 mil. in 2003. In 2005, the station 

garnered $1.2 mil. from individual members. Further, business underwriting surged from 

$250,000 in 1997 to $900,000 in 2005. A decline in contributions and membership 

numbers in 1999 and 2001 reflected some strain from the station’s rapid growth. To 

manage the expansion, the station hired a chief financial officer in 1999 and a 

membership director in 2001. Both members and contributions rose following these staff 

additions. 

The station has a strong presence not only in Philadelphia, but in other parts of the state 

and in two neighboring states. WRTI is simulcast to Harrisburg through WJAZ, 

Lancaster through WRTL, Mount Pocono through WRTY, Ocean City, Maryland 

through WRTQ, and Dover, Delaware through WRTX. Six translators boost the power 

of the WRTI family of stations. 
21

KCNV/Las Vegas: Classical is Part of State Broadcasting Mission 

Ranked 32nd, Las Vegas is a large radio market with two public radio stations, each 

operated by Nevada Public Radio. KNPR is a news/talk station, while KCNV airs all 

classical. Having both a public news and classical station gives Las Vegas listeners 

variety and choice, a circumstance that came about in October 2003 when KCNV began 

broadcasting, and KNPR, a station dating back to 1980, replaced its dual format of news 

and music with all news and talk. 

In the early years of its operation, KNPR aired a variety of programming, including 

news/talk, classical, and other music genres such as jazz, bluegrass, and Broadway songs. 

However, analysis commissioned by the station showed that KNPR was known primarily 

as a news/classical station. Consequently, in 1989, the station restricted its format to 

these two types of programming. Then in 2003, Nevada Public Radio was granted a 

license for classical KCNV, and KNPR switched to all news/talk. 

Though the two stations air public radio’s top formats (news and classical music), KCNV 

has a smaller reach than KNPR—550 watts vs. 25,000 for KNPR. The lower wattage 

was required by the Federal Communications Commission to prevent KCNV from 

interfering with an adjacent frequency granted to a station in Kingman, Arizona. 

Interestingly, the Kingman station has yet to broadcast. And the FCC will not grant even 

a temporary wattage increase for KCNV. 

Nevada Public Radio did not simply replace KNPR’s dual format with all news/talk. 

Rather, it demonstrated dedication to classical music by creating KCNV. Winter 2006 

Arbitron ratings show KCNV’s cumulative audience at 40,000 listeners, half the number 

WRTI Membership and Contributions

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

1996 1999 2002 2005

Number of Members

$0

$200,000

$400,000

$600,000

$800,000

$1,000,000

$1,200,000

$1,400,000

$ Contributions

Members

Dollars

Source: Victor Scarpato, Chief Financial Officer, WRTI
22

of KNPR’s. Yet, Lamar Marchese, president and general manager of the two stations, 

has said that airing classical music was part of Nevada Public Radio’s original mission, 

and KCNV maintains that mission. 

KCNV, Classical 89.7, airs music from the national network, Classical 24, plus programs 

such as Performance Today, Baroque Sunday, and World of Opera. In addition to the 

syndicated broadcasts of Symphony Hall, KCNV promotes the Las Vegas Philharmonic 

by airing concerts recorded the previous season. These concerts, along with other 

promotional events (e.g., KNPR’s 25th anniversary, which featured classical concerts) 

support Las Vegas’s ties to classical music. 

WABE/Atlanta: Balancing News and Classical 

Atlanta, ranked 10th in population size, is one of the few top-20 radio markets without a 

public station airing primarily news/talk. WABE, the area’s only public radio station, has 

a dual format of classical and news/talk. The station serves the market well, for example 

in spring 2005, reaching 18,100 AQH listeners—a 3.5 % share of the market. 

WABE’s weekday lineup is common among dual-format stations. The station airs 

Morning Edition from 5 to 9 am. Classical music with local hosts follows from 9 am 

until 3 pm; Fresh Air, All Things Considered, and Marketplace are broadcast until 7 pm. 

Other dual-format stations have the same programming during afternoon drive-time—for 

example, WFME in Orlando and WKSU in Akron. But while those stations begin their 

evening classical broadcasts at 7 pm, WABE fills its 7-8 pm slot with information and 

documentary programming such as Experiencing War, Crossing East, and Speaking of 

Faith. 

In addition to airing these and other nationally syndicated programs (e.g., Car Talk, 

Thistle & Shamrock, and This American Life), WABE also produces a wide range of its 

own shows: Spivey Soiree (live performances from Spivey Hall at the nearby Clayton 

State University), Atlanta Music Scene, Between the Lines (on writers and intellectuals), 

The Opera with Arnold Rosenberg, and Tapestry (choral music). 

The Atlanta Public Radio Initiative, a grassroots organization, seeks an in increase in the 

hours of news programming, which it claims fall below that of “comparable” markets. 

But the comparison markets on the website of the Atlanta Public Radio Initiative each 

have a news/talk station and a full-time classical station. The sole exception is Miami, 

which lost a commercial classical station in December 2001; Miami’s public news/talk 

WLRN is currently airing classical music via a new digital station and on its website. 

A closer examination suggests that Houston (ranked 7th) and Tampa (ranked 19th) are 

better comparisons. Both stations, like WABE, are the sole providers of classical music 

and news/talk in their respective markets. WABE airs 2 more hours of news/talk than 

Houston’s KUHF, and 2.5 hours more than Tampa’s WUSF. 
23

DIGITAL RADIO: A POSTSCRIPT

This research note is predicated on analog radio, but the past decade has seen rapid 

growth in digital radio, a term encompassing Internet, satellite, and HD radio. 

Of those media, Internet radio may be the most accessible alternative to analog AM/FM 

radio. According to a January 2006 Edison Media Research survey, 52 mil. people (ages 

12 and older) listened monthly to Internet radio. Twelve percent listened weekly—up 

from 8% in 2005. Propelling this growth are gains in Internet access. In January 2006, 

71% of Americans had home Internet access—58% had high-speed connections.19

Satellite radio, currently available through two providers, is another option for classical 

radio audiences. As of April 2006, XM Satellite Radio was reported to have more than 

6.5 mil. subscribers, and Sirius Satellite Radio had 4 million.20 Still, satellite radio is 

popular mainly among high-income households; Edison Media Research notes that 

subscribers are twice as likely to have household incomes of $100,000 and up, compared 

with the national average.21

High-definition (HD) digital radio allows a station to broadcast two or more channels on 

the same frequency, as well as improve the quality of both AM and FM broadcasts. As 

of April 2006, 159 public radio transmitters had been converted to digital radio, and an 

additional 298 are in the process of conversion.22

Yet the limited availability and high prices of receivers have discouraged sales. HD 

receivers typically sell for almost $300; yet the Edison survey found that only one third 

of Americans are willing to pay as much as $50 for this technology. (Only 5% would pay 

$300.) By one projection, in 2010 only 8.8 mil. consumers will have HD radio23—

trailing even the present number of satellite radio subscribers. 
24

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Karen Painter, Harvard Music Department, contributed to this note. 

 The following individuals gave valuable assistance: 

Arthur Cohen, Public Radio Program Directors Association 

Tom Bartunek, WQXR 

John Berky 

Dean Dalton, KUHF 

Beverley Ervine, WOSU 

Scott Fybush, M Street Publications 

Bob Goldfarb 

Martin Goldsmith, XM Radio 

Kathy Merritt, Corporation for Public Broadcasting 

Ben Robins, National Public Radio 

Larry Rosin, Edison Media Research 

Victor Scarpato, WRTI 

Tom Thomas, Station Resource Group 

Silvester Vicic, American Public Media 

 

1

 Copland, Aaron. 1953. What to Listen for in Music. New York: The New American Library of World 

Literature. 

2

 M Street Publications. Includes AM and FM stations. Some commercial stations are owned and operated 

by nonprofit organizations. Examples include St. Louis’ KFUO, operated by the Lutheran Church, and 

WRR, owned by the city of Dallas. 

3

 Source: Arbitron, Inc., provided by Edison Media Research. Average number of listeners per quarterhour, Monday through Sunday, 6-12:00 a.m. The stations were WQXR, KDFC, WGMS, WFMT, KMZT, 

WCRB, KING, WRR, KFUO, and WCLV. 

4

 Source: Arbitron, Inc., provided by National Public Radio, Audience and Corporate Research. Average 

number of listeners per quarter hour, Monday through Sunday, 6-12:00 a.m. The stations were KUSC, 

WABE, WRTI, KVOD, KSJN. WMFE, WKSU, WPLN, KBAQ, WITF, KXPR, WSHU, KBPS, WGUS, 

WQED, WBJC, KBYU, WWNO, WCPR, and WXEL. 

5

 For more information on the 1996 Telecommunications Act, see 

http://www.oswego.edu/~messere/telcom1.html. Also, see Kosman, J. “Classical Music: Tuning Up for the 

21st Century,” San Francisco Chronicle, July 15, 2002. 6

 Public stations refer to those publicly funded through donations, underwriting, etc. They do not air 

commercials. 

7

 The Station Resource Group defines public radio as stations receiving funding from the Corporation for 

Public Broadcasting. 

8

 National Public Radio, Audience and Corporate Research, Programming and Audience Duplication in the 

Top 25 Radio Markets, November 2003. 9

 Freedman, Samuel G. New York Times, November 11, 2001. 10 Fisher, Marc. “Beethoven’s Revenge: Ratings Drop at Classical Music-less WETA,” Washington Post, 

December 11, 2005. 

11 Figures provided by Kathy Merritt, Director, Program Investments, Corporation for Public Broadcasting. 
25

 12 Corporation for Public Broadcasting, “Having it All: How Public Radio Stations Can Provide Great 

Service and Live Within Their Means,” November 2004. 

13 Corporation for Public Broadcasting, “FY ’06 CPB Public Radio Program Fund Request for Proposals.” 

14Thomas, T. and Theresa R. Clifford, Station Resource Group, The Public Radio Format Study, Listening 

Patterns, December 2005. 15 Thomas, T. and Theresa R. Clifford, Station Resource Group, The Public Radio Format Study, Financial 

Patterns, July 2006. 16Arbitron, Inc. Radio Today: How America Listens to Radio, 2006. 17 S.T. Berry, J. Waldfogel, Journal of Public Economics 71 (1999) 189-211. 18 Knight Foundation, Classical Music Consumer Segmentation Study, October 2002. The report asserts: 

“Radio is the dominant mode of consumption of classical music, followed by recordings and then live 

concerts.” 

19 Edison Media Research, “Internet and Multimedia 2006: On Demand Media Explodes.” 

20 Newsday, April 11, 2006. 21 Edison Media Research, “Internet and Multimedia 2006.” 

22 Current, April 17, 2006. 23 Current, April 17, 2006. The prediction comes from Bridge Ratings, an audience measurement 

company. 
Hours of FM Public News Duplication

Market Market Duplicated Morning Edition Weekend Edition All Things Weekend ATC 

rank hours Considered

Los Angeles 2 11 3 4 3 1 

KCRWKPCC

San Francisco 47 4 3 0 0 

KALWKQED

Washington, D.C. 8 6.5 3 1 2 0 

WAMUWETA

Detroit 9 9.5 4 2 2.5 1 

WDETWUOM

Boston 11 6 3 1 1.5 0 

WGBHWBUR

Seattle 14 10.5 4 4 2.5 0 

KUOWKPLU

Nassau-Suffolk 18 12 5 2 3.5 1 

(Long Island)

WLIUWRLIWSUFWSHU

Cleveland 25 8.5 4 2 1 1 

WCPNWKSU

Sacramento 26 15 6 5 2.5 1 

KXJZKQEI

Cincinnati 28 5 3 2 0 0 

WVXUWNKUSalt Lake City 31 8 4 2 2 0 

KCPWKUER

April 2006
Classical and News-Classical FM Stations

Top 100 Arbitron Markets, Spring 2006

Rank Station Market

1 WQXR*, WNYC New York, NY

2 KUSC, K-Mozart* Los Angeles, CA

3 WFMT* Chicago, IL

4 KDFC* San Francisco, CA

5 WRR* Dallas, TX

6 WRTI Philadelphia, PA

7 KUHF Houston, TX

8 WGMS* Washington, DC

9 WRCJ Detroit, MI

10 WABE Atlanta, GA

11 WGBH, WCRB* Boston, MA

13 WIPR Puerto Rico

14 KING* Seattle, WA

15 KBAQ Phoenix, AZ

16 KSJN Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN

17 KPBS, XLNC1 San Diego, CA

19 WUSF Tampa, FL

20 KUFO* St. Louis, MO

21 WBJC Baltimore, MD

22 KVOD Denver, CO

23 WQED Pittsburgh, PA

24 KBPS Portland, OR

25 WCLV*, WKSU Cleveland, OH

26 KXPR Sacramento, CA

28 WGUC Cincinnati, OH

29 KXTR-AM* Kansas City, KS

30 KPAC San Antonio, TX

31 KUSR, KBYU Salt Lake City, Ogden-Provo, UT

32 KCNV Las Vegas, NV

33 WFMR* Milwaukee, WI

35 WDAV Charlotte, NC

37 WMFE Orlando, FL

38 WOSU Columbus, OH

40 WHRO Norfolk, VA

41 WICR Indianapolis, IN

42 KMFA Austin, TX

43 WCPE Raleigh-Durham, NC

44 WPLN Nashville, TN

46 WXEL West Palm Beach, FL

47 WWNO New Orleans, LA

48 KCSC Oklahoma City, OK

50 WKNO Memphis, TN

51 WMNR Hartford, CT

53 WNED Buffalo, NY

54 WXXI Rochester, NY

55 WUOL Louisville, KY

56 WCVE Richmond, VA

57 WBHM Birmingham, AL
Classical and News-Classical FM Stations

Top 100 Arbitron Markets, Spring 2006

(continued)

Rank Station Market

58 WDPG Dayton, OH

61 KUAT Tucson, AZ

62 WMHT Albany, NY

63 KHPR Honolulu, HI

64 WGCU Ft. Myers, FL

65 KWTU Tulsa, OK

66 KVPR Fresno, CA

67 WBLU Grand Rapids, MI

69 WVIA Wilkes-Barre, PA

71 WUOT Knoxville, TN

72 KVNO Omaha, NE

73 WKSU Akron, OH

77 WCNY Syracuse, NY

78 WITF Harrisburg, PA

79 KBOQ* Monterey-Salinas-Santa Cruz, CA

81 KPRX Bakersfield, CA

82 WFCR Springfield, MA

83 WRKF Baton Rouge, LA

84 WGTE Toledo, OH

85 KLRE Little Rock, AR

86 WUFT Gainesville, FL

87 WTEB Greenville-New Burn-Jacksonville, NC

88 WSCI Charleston, SC

90 WLTR Columbia, SC

91 WOI Des Moines, IA

92 KPBX Spokane, WA

93 WHIL Mobile, AL

95 KHCC Wichita, KS

96 WERN Madison, WI

97 KCME Colorado Springs, CO

99 WETS Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA

100 WQCS Ft. Pierce, FL

* Commercial station