In Acquiring WCRB, WGBH May Shake Up Boston Public Radio

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Published September 22, 2009 UPDATED 11:30 PM

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BOSTON — Changes are ahead in the local public radio landscape. WGBH, which bills itself as NPR’s “Arts and Culture” station, is acquiring WCRB, one of the country’s few commercial classical radio stations.

WGBH officials said WCRB will remain a classical station, freeing WGBH to offer more news and talk, within two months.

WBUR’s Bob Oakes spoke about the deal with Dan Kennedy, a media commentator who frequently appears on WGBH-TV and teaches journalism at Northeastern University.

Your Comments

This past Friday night I was introduced to “A Far Cry” at Jordon Hall with their performance “The Lover.” I can’t say enough…It was amazing, fantastic. Those young people so in sync with each other, so full of energy making the most beautiful and intriguing music. Please put them on the air – a lot. Thanks

Posted by Melissa Lang on January 31, 2010, at 5:21 PM
WCRB was getting really bad–mostly talk, with token “classical” music. This acquisition by GBH has been a great improvement.

I regret that the new frequency has left some listeners in the dark, so to speak, but something that is seldom mentioned is radio access via the Internet. Not only is GBH/WCRB available via the Net, so so are dozens of other classical format radio station all over the world. You can listen on your PC/Mac, your cellphone/iPhone/iPod Touch (with WiFi) or get an Internet radio.

We actaully have an Internet radio connected to a low-powered FM transmitter in our house. We can receive any number of excellent classical stations (WFMT Chicago, BBC Radio 3 London, Radio Classique Paris, KING Seattle, etc.) on any radio or stereo in the house (so can our neighbors!)

The iPhone alone has several Apps for streaming internet radio, that work on both WiFi and (slightly with slightly lower audio fidelity) on AT&T 3G network.

So, there are lots of ways to get WCRB or many other classical stations. Check them out!

Michael in Maine

Posted by Michael Pickel on December 8, 2009, at 9:24 AM
I moved to Hudson from NYC four years ago and thought there would be a larger number of classical music stations here close to Boston. Both cities have NPR stations with talking head dreariness and PC culture. Only WQXR in NYC and WCRB had full time classic music. I soon noticed “music to relax” destroyed the pleasure of hearing a full opus. Fortunately in Hudson I get a good 99.5 signal. I cannot put up an FM antenna were I live and am teased by noisy stations from Worchester which play great music, too. Also, I wish the Harvard station could increase it’s wattage and play classical beyond 10PM.

Posted by Harold Edelstein on December 1, 2009, at 10:56 AM
So…I get laid off from ‘GBH and they go spend 14 million dollars for a radio station. The staff are taking furloughs (some have taken 2) and salary freeze is everywhere. But…enjoy the low frequency classical!

Posted by Phil on November 20, 2009, at 10:28 AM
I live in New Bedford. I cant get 99.5. This really really sucks. No classical music for us down here? Sweet move morons. No more money for you either.

Posted by Ken Richards on November 3, 2009, at 8:16 PM
I’m a WGBH fan. I especially like WGBH HD2 all classical. This is what a classical station should be. The aquisition of WCRB can only be an improvement. They have decended into an easy listening station, with annoying announcers. They have a very shallow selection of music. Just listen to WGBH between 9:00 am-4:00pm. Better still listen to all-classical WGBH HD2, it’s the best thing I’ve ever heard on the radio. Also I don’t want to neglect the serious intellegent programming on WHRB Harvard Radio. I think that this is a positive move. Also people who want news won’t abandon WBUR.

Posted by JohnJoeG. on September 30, 2009, at 12:47 PM
WCRB being acquired is far better than it disappearing entirely, but I’m crushed just the same. I hope the CRB identity — that is, the dj’s and relaxing vibe of WCRB — will continue. Although the playlist has been pretty shallow lately, I often enjoy “classical light”, and hope they will keep some of that programming, especially at drive times. If I ever had to choose GBH vs CRB classical, I’d choose CRB hands down, for the djs. BUR, I love your eclectic programming in the AM, especially pre-war jazz.

Posted by Christine Grundy on September 23, 2009, at 9:22 AM
>(Besides, in a boneheaded move a few years back, Washington’s WETA dropped 24/7 classical to go 24/7 NPR news/info, even though WAMU there had pretty much the same programming. The move backfired and WETA went back to all-classical)

Greetings from Northern VA. WETA’s moves were particularly bone-headed. But in their return from the “all-talk-and-blather” format that matched WAMU, WETA is now doing the pop-classics thing, including playing movements rather than full works during peak hours. What made this -former member- of WETA so angry was all these moves were made without any attempt to find out what the so-called membership really wanted; it was all an attempt to play ratings games.

Now I’m a contributor (I refuse to use the term ‘member’ for public broadcasting any more, having been burned on this) to WAMU for NPR news (my wife likes the daily talk shows, which I consider to be the blather part of the format), and WBJC in Baltimore, which plays all classical (we’re at the edge of their range.) At home, I’ve ripped my entire CD collection into iTunes and hooked a little FM transmitter to the computer, broadcasting “Radio Free Davebert” throughout the house. (Right now, RFD is playing Rodrigo’s “Hymns of the Nephytes of Qumram”, something you don’t often hear on the radio…)

When I lived in MA/Southern NH, my favorite station was the old WBOQ… And I depend on WAMU’s broadcast of “Car Talk” on Saturday Mornings to retain my New England linguistic fluency :-)

Posted by David Emery on September 23, 2009, at 9:22 AM
WCRB had, in my opinion, gone down hill after its recent sale. It is a mere shell of what it was, say, 30 years ago, when they had complete works chosen by staff well-versed in the classics. Today, they play only bits of whole compositions – along with incessant ads for improving one’s credit rating.

I believe that WGBH can only improve WCRB, and I look forward to it. The signal could be improved, as they transmit from a weak transmitter in Andover, I believe.

I had switched to satellite radio – three full-time classical stations, including opera, and no commercials. Maybe I’d come back to WCRB.

Posted by Peter Rogers on September 22, 2009, at 1:50 PM
What WGBH should do with 89.7 is drop the NPR news/information programs also heard on WBUR as well as rthe daytime classical-music programming, move “The World” to 7-8 P.M. (repeating it the next morning from 4-5 A.M.), and go jazz from 5 A.M. to 7 P.M. and again from 8 P.M. to 4 A.M.

I think Boston can support a jazz station, and as ‘GBH already does jazz at night, it already has a head start.

(Besides, in a boneheaded move a few years back, Washington’s WETA dropped 24/7 classical to go 24/7 NPR news/info, even though WAMU there had pretty much the same programming. The move backfired and WETA went back to all-classical)

Posted by Joseph on September 22, 2009, at 1:07 PM
WCRB and WGBH were not playing the same content.
I listen to WCRB to hear those well-known pieces such as the William Tell Overture, and for Kid’s Classical Hour.
I listen to WGBH for Jazz with Eric in the Evening, and Prairie Home Companion.
I listen to WBUR for many programs, including Only a Game, Car Talk, and Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me.
The classical pieces I hear on WGBH are not the same ones that I hear on WCRB.
The weak signal (99.5) for WCRB is a result of Greater Media pirating WCRB’s original signal 102.5.

Posted by Mark Howell on September 22, 2009, at 12:47 PM
The above comment about WCRB’s signal is true even just west of Boston in Watertown! (Don’t they broadcast from Waltham?) I love the station, but the signal has been poor for the last few years, and they haven’t even had internet streaming for a long time.
Though I appreciate WBUR, there’s too much daily repetition (3 hours?), and it would be great if they, or now WGBH, picked up some other news shows, like Democracy Now, for starters….

Posted by liza on September 22, 2009, at 10:56 AM
Since I’m responding on WBUR’s website, it’s obvious where my loyalties lie. ‘GBH is a good station, but ‘BUR has a huge lead, thus huge advantage in the news and info department. I can’t see how a competition, especially in this economic environment, will behoove the “other” NPR station in town.

Posted by Jemimah on September 22, 2009, at 9:48 AM
Doesn’t WGBH realize that WCRB’s signal south of Boston is terrible? If WGBH gives up classical music, there will be no over the air classical at my home. Even driving in Boston the 99.5 signal often suffers from interference from other stations. Bad move ‘GBH!
WBUR already does a great job with news and information in the Boston area.

Posted by jtibe on September 22, 2009, at 9:29 AM
Or maybe it should be viewed as a “non-commerical” station acquiring a “commercial” outlet.

Posted by Rudolf on September 22, 2009, at 9:01 AM

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