A little something to add to the old discussion of the demise of classical
radio in the US.
'CRB drops Met opera broadcasts
Tiny WHRB likely successor to air the live performances
By Clea Simon, Globe Staff, 07/23/99
Ending a performance that has lasted longer than the "Ring" cycle,
WCRB-FM (102.5) has terminated its 33-year association with the
Metropolitan Opera in New York. When the live broadcasts from the
Lincoln Center opera house resume in November, the Waltham-based
station will not carry the Saturday afternoon performance.
It seems likely that a college radio station, Harvard University's
WHRB-FM (95.3), will pick up the classical music institution. The
shift in stations, from a 50,000-watt commercial station to an
approximately 6,000-watt college station, would mean a dramatic loss
of range, and audience, for the Texaco-sponsored, November-through-April
broadcast.
"WCRB does not want to carry them next season, and we are in
negotiations right now," said Peter Clark, press representative for
the opera company, which has broadcast the matinees since Dec. 24,
1931. Texaco started its sponsorship in 1940.
Bill Campbell, CEO for Charles River Broadcasting, WCRB's parent
company, says the decision was prompted by inflexibility on the part
of the opera company. "Carrying the Met for us is like carrying
sports for 'EEI, but with sports you have a halftime show or whatever,"
said Campbell. "The Met totally controls everything; we're not
allowed to say anything. As a licensee, we're turning our station
over to these people. It's a wonderful worldwide institution, but
they are - in my opinion - as radio broadcasters operating as they
did 30 years ago. We did not ask much, but they said, `absolutely
not.' I assure you, it was not a quick decision."
The station, which reaches Providence, into the Merrimack Valley,
and past Worcester does not yet have firm replacement plans for its
Saturday afternoons, said Campbell, although it has recently signed
a deal to be the official sponsor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra's
upcoming season.
Although negotiations are still officially ongoing, the prime contender
to adopt the classical institution, WGBH-FM (89.7), said it will not
pick up the broadcasts.
"The Met has contacted us," confirmed Leah Hollenberger, a spokeswoman
for the public radio station. "We have declined to carry the Met
Opera for two reasons. First, for the past 20 yearswe've devoted
Saturday afternoons to folk music, very popular and very beloved
programs that we want to keep." Currently the station airs "Celtic
So journ" with Brian O'Donovan, noon-2 p.m., and "The Folk Heritage,"
with Dick Pleasants, 2-6 p.m. (Tomorrow Pleasants will broadcast
live from the Lowell Folk Festival, noon-6 p.m.)
"The Metropolitan Opera dictates that their opera broadcasts must be
carried live, and they are fed live on Saturday afternoons," said
Hollenberger. "We also feel that we clearly offer opera and other
vocal music, including local productions, throughout our classical
service." The 100,000-watt station (which reaches into Maine, New
Hampshire, Rhode Island, and west past Worcester) broadcasts
performances of the Boston Lyric Opera and the Boston Early Music
Festival.
All of which leaves the little WHRB the likely host in the fall.
The Cambridge-based station, which can be heard within Interstate
495, has for the past 40 years regularly programmed opera in its
eclectic schedule, airing recordings on Sunday nights at 8.
"WHRB is interested in having the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts if
arrangements work out," confirmed David Elliot, chairman of the board
of trustees for the Harvard station. "It's the longest continual
broadcast in American history and should not be allowed to disappear
from this area."
This story ran on page D15 of the Boston Globe on 07/23/99.
(c) Copyright 1999 Globe Newspaper Company.
If you want to write or call WCRB:
WCRB
750 South Street
Waltham, MA 02453
Tel: (781) 893-7080
Tel: (800) 400-WCRB
Fax: (781) 893-0038
email: [log in to unmask]
Roger Hecht
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