Classical Radio From The Perspective of A Former Program Director

Years ago I was program director at Minnesota Public Radio and
subsequently at American Public Radio (now Public Radio International),
and in retrospect, those were the golden years (or I'm just getting too
old....).  We started the Pipedreams series for organ enthusiasts, produced
the Minnesota Orchestra broadcasts live nationally, offered Saint Paul
Chamber Orchestra, mainly in recordings, did occasional live broadcasts of
Minnesota Opera performances, offered a weekly perform and chat show with
local and visiting artists in front of an audience, and so on.

But when the moguls realized there was a very large audience for news and
an audience with decreased interest in classical music (remember all those
arts programs getting cut in our schools in the 70s and 80s?), life changed
in the sedate world of classical music.

News is expensive to produce; classical music, of the recorded variety is
not.  News gets audiences, classical music does not.  Budgets followed this
emerging reality.

Then underwriting rules broadened, so now many public stations sound like
commercial stations.  These days, there is little difference between MPR
and WFMT in Chicago.

The pay is good, the intellectual challenge diminished, so who cares if
we only play movements of things, chatter incessantly about the sexual
proclivities of dead composers, and hustle products and services, all
without blinking an eye or bending an ear?

A lot of us do, but - alas - not yet enough to matter.  But perhaps these
new technologies will allow us more contact with the governmentally funded
classical music services in other parts of the world.

Once upon a time, one entered the non-profit sector and expected to provide
something positive to the world and not make a lot of money in the process.
You can stick a fork in that idea and label it done.

Like many of you, I just play CDs at home, at work, in the auto.  I  miss
radio - at least the way it was, but I'm learning to adjust to this brave
new world without broken-up symphonies, mindless chatter, and commercials.
But I don't hear much new as result, but then I wouldn't on the radio these
days either.

Nicholas Nash
The Nash Company
http://www.nashcompany.com