Radio Silence. How NPR purged classical music from its airwaves.

Weekly Standard ^ | 6/14/04 | Andrew Ferguson

[logician2u]

At some point, these consequences can no longer be considered unintended.

Are you suggesting the effete snobs who typically support "public" radio and "public" television would deliberately sabotage the profit-motivated, tax-paying, economy-boosting competition? And help destroy music and the arts in the process?

Horrors!

[weegee]

"Citizens of the world" is how Giovannoni describes listeners who are drawn to public radio by news-talk. They constitute, he's written, "a community of listeners that transcends geographic boundaries, a national, now international community of shared interests, values and beliefs . . . a community of interest in which familiarity is measured in mindsets, not miles; a family of relations in which affinity, not genetics, determines kinship. Our listeners want neighbors who hold the attitudes they hold, who seek the information they seek, who enjoy the entertainments they enjoy. . . . Public radio is the place our listeners call home. They rise and return to it daily, their roots most deeply embedded in network news programming, most reliably nourished by rich sources of reporting, writing, and producing."

Left-wing talk-radio. Why do I have to pay for it? (And Pacifica also gets Federal dollars).

[Freedom4US]

I don't like NPR's politics, but I do like their programs on a "sister station" KHKE, it's easily the best sounding station, they play jazz during the day with Bob Parlocha (sp); and Peter Van DeGraff handling the classical at night. Neither could handle the "free market", since our pop culture citezenry only seem to like Rap or Trash metal? There are no commercials on KHKE, which makes it even more desirable. I enjoy country music, oldies and now and then, Classical/Jazz.

[weegee]

Joan Kroc, widow of Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald's, recently left a legacy of $235 million for NPR to spend as it pleases. Of the many ideas floated by network officials in the newspapers and trade publications about how to spend Mrs. Kroc's money, none has involved expanding music or arts programming; the first decision taken--after every employee was given a bonus--was to hire 45 more reporters for the newsmagazines

The failure of Herr America has revealed why Left-Wing Hate Radio will remain a publicly subsidized broadcast.

[weegee]

Houston's locally owned commercial classical music station was sold to a national owner who runs two other "urban" stations in town. It is believed the format will become hip hop.

[weegee]

Classical radio should be able to compete in the free market, just like every other musical format. And why not? Classical music commands a more loyal audience than any other type of music.

I could buy this argument if we are not going to have any government subsidy for broadcasting. PBS' fundraising slogan is "If Public Broadcasting did do it, who would?"

Here in Houston, PBS shows gangsta rap videos with pimps and hos on Saturday nights around midnight. Several channels are already dedicated to such programming. It does not need to be distributed, let alone embraced and celebrated, by public broadcasting.

And news-talk radio MUST not become advocacy radio if it is to remain a 501c3 charity.

I will say this, the 501c3 issue being addressed by Pacifica may actually make it possible for FReepers or others to go on and push the conservative agenda. Whereas a host cannot come out for a position, a debate on the issues can be addressed if there is someone to represent both sides of an issue. They are confident in their positions that they will "win". I've heard them argue and that won't be the case.

[weegee]

First, the cultural base for classical music, and the arts in general, has been eroded by bad TV, bad radio, and bad education. No amount of government funding would fix that -- the only answer is for people to want to have good taste.

I'll give you another reason for the ending of "classical" programming, political correctness. At least on Pacifica you will hear honesty about such decisions "they are dead white European males".

[headsonpikes]

Horrors!

Horrors, indeed.

Apologists for state action in these matters are guilty, imo, of what I call malicious ignorance.

Self-imposed ignorance is a cousin of dumb insolence, and deserves a slap, if not a boot. ;^)

[weegee]

...an endless interviews with characters that make Howard Stern's guests look like Oxford dons.

My dad is conservative but he still subscribes to the local daily paper and listens to public radio (more for classical music, occasionally for "news"). Largely he listens to conservative talk radio.

We were riding around on a Sunday recently (around noon) and there was a woman on there who had an adadictomy surgery to become more like a man (no one actually changes their sex, it is merely cosmetic). She was discussing the testosterone treatments she was receiving and discussing in detail about getting more sexually aroused by any woman she saw (almost to the point of rape). She was also talking about how sex was on her brain a lot more and that she was becoming more aggressive. Real knuckle dragger stuff. Certainly not appropriate for a church going audience out for lunch. He had the radio down low but when this graphic account went ON and ON he just had to change the station.

[weegee]

Radio Clásica de España is also good.

Have a link?

[jimt]

...from National Public Proletarian Radio, All Things Considered Distorted and Morning Edition Sedition...

[fortunecookie]

How sad. They had once broadcast some of the best classical music. I had, in the past, looked to them for a peek inside the best of other cultures, but now, so often, it seems like they think they must demonize our culture to uphold the beauty of others. They've unnecessarily lost their heads in their bid to embrace other cultures. Ridiculous, of course. They are so far left they are ready to tip over. And their leftist-Marxist crap makes it so hard to stay tuned in on the hopes of some good music.

[livius]

Here's Radio Clásica:

http://www.rne.es/rc/index.htm


And here's a link that takes you to all sorts of classical music internet radio, all over the world:

http://www.classicalwebcast.dds.nl/index.html

[Military family member]

I have no problem with Federal money going to the arts because ultimately that money ends up back into the communities, and that helps communities grow. I work with several groups in my area helping to promote our area to outside businesses wishing to relocate. One thing that all businesses seem to look at is the quality of life, including schools, arts & leisure, etc. Per capita spending on the arts in this country is pitiful--less than usually around fractions of fractions of a dollar or less.

Take a look at various studies on the "Best places to do business." Every city in the top of the list has a strong an active arts community. The last couple of companies looking at my area came to visit, they went to the theater, to the symphony, to the art museums. We landed four businesses, each employing 200 or more people at good wages, because we had something for those employees to do in their free time. This is not our just our take on the issues; these are the comments of the individuals who visited.

If that $56,000 in tax payer dollars produced nearly $500 million in local investments and jobs, isn't that worth the expense?

The arts are important. As a fairly young country, the United States does not have a thousand years of cultural heritage to fall back on; we need what we can get. We need the arts.

And yes, tax payer dollars do go to pay for baseball and other professional sports. There are few stadiums or arenas in operation today that are funded entirely by the owners. Buut those stadiums bring hundreds of jobs to those communities, and not just the athletes. Look at all the office personnel, vendors, grounds keepers, maintenance people, who all work at these facilities. Not to mention merchandisers around the community. All this would be lost without that stadium.

Does that mean I like it when I see a pro athlete making an eight or nine figure salary? No, it doesn't. But I know there is a hot dog vendor at the game, putting him or herself through college on that job. That's who I'm rooting for.

[GOPJ]

If liberal taxpayers had to pay for conservative radio, they would understand the depth of the insult PBS has become.

[Valin]

Buut those stadiums bring hundreds of jobs to those communities, and not just the athletes.

I recall reading a report (from the Taxpayers League of Mn.?) stating that for the taxpayer they are a money losing proposition.

Does that mean I like it when I see a pro athlete making an eight or nine figure salary? No, it doesn't.

They are making exactly what the market says they should be making.

[Morgan's Raider]

"What is up doc ... may I venture to eeeeeaaaaaaasssssk!"

"Kill the wabbit, kill the wabbit,
Kill the wabbit, kill the wabbit"(to the tune of "Ride of the Valkyrie")

The classical Bugs Bunny takeoffs have to be the best ever.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

A chance for Freepers here for their favourite classic to be named. Herewith: Symphonie Fantastique. Hector Berlioz. I would also throw in a bit of Tannhauser, by Wagner.

Requiem Mass, Mozart. Close second, Mass in C Minor, Mozart again.