Sale of WCAL to Minnesota Public Radio fails the public

Minneapolis Star Tribune ^ | Alex Beeby

[rhema]

Minnesota Public Radio President Bill Kling, in defense of his decision to purchase Classical 89.3 (WCAL-FM), says that members desire many more programs than MPR's current stations can provide, and he acquired WCAL to fill this need. I find this argument highly suspect. As he surely knows, radio is converting from analog to digital. This conversion, as I understand it, allows broadcasters to transmit two channels on one frequency. This means that MPR will be able to double its programming without the WCAL purchase.

Rather, I look at the fact that WCAL broadcasts classical music, which competed directly with MPR. Also, digital radio would have allowed WCAL to broadcast an additional channel that would also compete with MPR. Imagine the competition that something like 24 hours of BBC news would give MPR. This is, therefore, a case of a large organization purchasing a smaller, growing competitor.

Kling keeps repeating that the decision to sell was St. Olaf College's, implying that MPR's years of continuous financial overtures didn't influence the decision. But what gives St. Olaf the right to sell the station? By providing financial support for 80 years, haven't WCAL members effectively purchased at least part ownership in the station?

This appears to be an ethical, if not legal, breach by a "college of the church." Keep in mind that WCAL's board, its staff and college alumni had no input on the decision made by President Chris Thomford, the St. Olaf Board of Regents and Jan McDaniel, vice president for college relations. . . .

[opbuzz]

The public broadcaster here in Jacksonville switched all of their daytime classical music to liberal talk shows years ago.

That's one reason I moved to AM talk.

There is no more daytime classical here.

[rhema]

Here's MPR's response in today's St. Paul Pioneer Press.