Rich Courchesne commented:

>It was more a question, intended to invite some thought from other
>classical music lovers, because I really do not have the answer as
>to what goes on behind the scenes in Public Radio.

Having been a big Robert J fan, and also liking the birds, it got me
thinking.  When WGBH, channel 2 was about to go on the air for the first
time in Boston, it was called 'Educational TV'.  Quite a thrill to my
brother, sister, and myself.  The first night it was on the air my father
announced we would be watching.  No amount of protest from my brother and
I would change his mind.  So we watched that night.  I have no idea what
was on, but I suspect there was a lot of self congratulating on the air.

Soon we found things we liked, like live broadcasts of the BSO.  Not a lot
we were interested in, but there was some.  My impression was that the term
'educational' didn't refer so much to an attempt to educate, but was to
indicate that programming would be removed from market forces.  There would
be some 'leadership', an opinion about what was good, and it would be on
this station.  Probably not for everyone, but the intent seemed to be to
find an unserved audience and build it.

It wasn't for a number of years that the fund drives became quite polished
and programming became more professional.  I do miss some of the old ways.
Like G.  Wallace Woodworth playing 78s and 33.3 LPs with chalk marks where
he wanted to put the tone arm.  But, his enthusiasm for music was so
contagious.  I still remember his discussion of one of the Brahms
symphonies.

Don't get programming like that anymore.  Just a very accomplished music
professor whose enthusiasm was contagious talking about music, and igniting
fires.

Regards,

Tom Connor