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

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 :-)

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.

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)