WUTC Chattanooga TN is dropping the GD Hour after this weekend. According to station manager Mark Colbert:
…we’re going to start all live musical programming at 8 PM (M-S). We’ve been adding more news and informational programming through-out the day (M-S). We’ve seen an increase in listenership across our schedule including weekends. In the near future, we’re probably going to be all news and informational station.
Remember when people still liked to hear music on the radio?
It’s very unfortunate for music lovers, but the ratings and fundraising success of Public Radio stations that have gone to all (or mostly) news, talk and information over music formats has prompted many others to follow suit. There’s significant demand in many areas for an alternative to commercial news and talk radio.
Here in Boston, the all-news and information NPR station WBUR is the only area station, Public or commercial, that has been on the financial upswing this past year in today’s tough economy. I’m sure that their coverage of last years historic Presidential campaign and election was a factor, but they’ve done increasingly well with the format right along, coming into the top five in the overall Boston ratings among the largest corporate commercial stations, and beating them all to #1 among adult listeners at certain times of the day and/or week.
All I can suggest for people who love music on the Public and non-commercial airwaves is to continue to support the stations that still program it (such as KPFA), and also check out the smaller non-profit volunteer college-based student and community stations in many areas, which are not necessarily as concerned about competing for ratings and revenue as the professional ones. You may need to browse their websites to find what you like among their widely varied schedules, but eventually these stations may become the havens for non-commercial music on terrestrial radio.