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Those of you in the Washington, D.C. area are familiar with WGMS, a classical music station with a rich and long history of providing top notch classical music.
In today's Washington Post, there was an article detailing the pending sale of WGMS to Dan Snyder, Redskins owner, for the purpose of converting it to a sports-talk station. This is a crime which should not be happening. WGMS is the only remaining classical station in the DC area (WETA abandoned classical music in 2005). If WGMS goes over to the dark side, there will be no classical music station in the nation's capital. A pathetic situation. I don't consider the quality of classical music available from Sirius or XM anywhere near that of WGMS. Apparently there are only about 165 classical stations out of 12,000 stations in the US. A sad commentary about the state of culture in this country.
The rise and fall of the Roman Empire.
Follow Ups:
There may be good news. WETA is considering reverting to the classic format if WGMS is sold - apparently they believe there is a good market, just not for two stations in the same area. Let's hope it happens. It'll certainly provide better listening for those on to the North and West of DC than WGMS was affording. Down here in Fredericksburg WETA comes in as well as WGMS (Waldorf). I'm going to write a letter to WETA. Also to Santa Claus!
Dale Meyn
I'm actually looking for a tuner for my system right now - thats why I'm looking in this forum. I live in NoVA and one of the main reasons I'm buying the tuner is to listen to WGMS among other stations! Wonder if I should just give up now...It's a damn shame - WGMS is *the* classiest (not just the only classical) station broadcasting in the DC area, in my mind.
I'm in the process of closing on a D.C. property that I will call home over the next few years. I always liked tuning in to WGMS as I came into town. Now, though ...Fortunately, I'm an XM subscriber and have three "classical" channels to choose from.
Am listening right now to Paul McCartney's Ecce Cor Meum, uninterrupted, on XM Classics and it sounds great.
It's not a crime. Radio stations exist to be profitable. The relative unpopularity of classical music has driven most of this nation's classical stations to other formats. I still bereave the loss of Phoenix's KHEP 101.5 20 or so years ago. The only commercial stations left that I'm aware of are in Albuqueque/Santa Fe and Chicago. Fortunately, there are lots of public radio stations across the country broadcasting classical. And Sirius/XM are the only reliable way to receive classical while traveling cross country. You may not be crazy about the programming, but at least each has 3-4 classical channels to choose from. Classical is my preferred format, too, but profit must drive commerce.
I am not aware of the business structure of the station, but St. Louis has a very prominent classical music station.mark
Bonneville Interational Corporation, based in Utah, stated that WGMS generated 9.7 million in advertising revenue in 2005. Seems somewhat profitable. Given that the owners are in Utah and the station is in Washington, D.C., the former have less of a vested interest in how the programming changes will affect the listeners, after the station is sold.
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