WETA, the public radio station in Washington, DC, confirmed its decision to drop classical programming in favor of talk, despite an outcry from local listeners. It's a sad turn of events, and particularly puzzling since there is already an all-talk public radio station in the area (WAMU). "We're in the business of trying to create a larger audience and have more people join our station," WETA's president Sharon Rockefeller said. Is that all there is? Creating a larger audience? Will WETA be hiring shock-jocks to maximize its ratings? I got an interesting e-mail, though, from a radio professional who pointed out a long-standing problem with classical programming on public radio: listeners don't necessarily feel the need to make contributions. My correspondent writes: "A recent study showed that many classical listeners aren't aware if their favorite station is public or commercial -- they just consider anything that's not music to be 'a commercial.'" Since classical listeners will never be a powerhouse presence in the ratings, they have to compensate with extra support. There is, after all, no divine right for classical music to exist on the radio, or anywhere else. If you want it, you have to fight for it. Otherwise it will go away.
