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01 Feb 07 - 01:05 AM (#1954234) Subject: WAMU-FM cancels American Routes From: GUEST,Mike Licht [excuse any cross-postings] WAMU-FM has removed Nick Spitzer's unique American Routes show from their broadcast schedule. WAMU-FM radio made some great programming changes recently, but this is not one of them. The New Orleans-produced show has many loyal listeners here, who appreciate it even more since it's post-Katrina return to the Crescent City. Their opinion is widely-shared: "In the history of American radio, no series has come close to Nick Spitzer's American Routes in exploring the many streams of this nation's music." -- Nat Hentoff, Wall Street Journal "It's tough to make such different music into an entertaining, coherent show, but Spitzer and his staff do with style, wit, and an unpretentious appreciation of what the music of this great country is all about." -- David Kunian. Offbeat Magazine Spitzer's combination of scholarship and populist appeal has taken off like prairie fire. -- Paul de Barros Seattle Times Here's how to help: WAMU fundraising week is Feb 3 - 10, but you don't have to wait to join or donate. The on-line "Membership" and "Donate Any Amount" forms (at wamu.org under the "Support WAMU" tab) have a "Send us your comments!". My advice as a former public radio employee: limit comments to "Bring back American Routes!" etc. Don't add statements about other issues; it will just confuse them. Don't add how much you like other shows -- this promotes complacency, not action. Don't tell them what other program to cut or when to air American Routes -- these are hard decisions, and someone gets paid to make them. If you see something in the Washington Post or Washington CityPaper on the topic, go on-line and add a comment. Post to any blogs you can about WAMU and American Routes -- this intensifies the "echo effect." Someday this reflex may extinguish itself, but it hasn't happened yet. Get WAMU back on track with American Routes. |
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01 Feb 07 - 11:09 AM (#1954640) Subject: RE: WAMU-FM cancels American Routes From: WFDU - Ron Olesko This becomes difficult. WAMU also picked up Mary Cliff's TRADITIONS and A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION after those shows were dumped by WETA. It comes down to choice. Not everyone can program a radio station to their tastes. There are dozens, perhaps hundreds, of other shows that are looking to find an audience. As Mike noted about cutting programs from a schedule - "these are hard decisions, and someone gets paid to make them." Public radio SHOULD be about choice. Just remember that you can only fill a glass of water to a set level. Something has to give. Personally, I think locally produced programs such as Mary's SHOULD be the first choice when management sets a schedule. AMERICAN ROUTES is a wonderful program that I enjoy listening to, but if I had to choose my preference would be for Mary. Also remember - it costs WAMU considerable money to offer shows like A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION and AMERICAN ROUTES. The radio stations pay a fee based on the market, and I am sure DC does not come cheap! Perhaps there are other shows, such as Mary's, that better serves the public needs and is a more effective use of donor dollars. It is a hard decision. |
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01 Feb 07 - 11:24 AM (#1954652) Subject: RE: WAMU-FM cancels American Routes From: wysiwyg Isn't it also harder to make these decisions when streaming online radio means that local markets (who phone in at fund drive time) are suupporting radio with many listeners from much wider areas? ~S~ |
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01 Feb 07 - 12:01 PM (#1954680) Subject: RE: WAMU-FM cancels American Routes From: WFDU - Ron Olesko If you are listening to a radio station via streaming audio, you should also be phoning in or making an online pledge. There are no free rides! Supporting public radio and their internet operations will keep it alive. Also, not every radio station streams the same audio. Some programs are not allowed to be streamed contractually. |
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01 Feb 07 - 12:34 PM (#1954714) Subject: RE: WAMU-FM cancels American Routes From: wysiwyg If you are listening to a radio station via streaming audio, you should also be phoning in or making an online pledge. There are no free rides! Supporting public radio and their internet operations will keep it alive. Correct-- but I would bet that the farther people are from the point of origin (the actual station doing the streaming), the less they are actually phoning in or making an online pledge. When the station has to buy the program-- that has to be a consideration. ~S~ |
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01 Feb 07 - 12:48 PM (#1954730) Subject: RE: WAMU-FM cancels American Routes From: WFDU - Ron Olesko Radio stations are granted a license to serve a specific locale. By the guidelines, they should offering programs that serve in their publics interest. If my radio station is in a rural area, my programming would be different than an urban station - even if I knew I was reaching a huge online audience. I don't think that there are any stations programming specifically to reach an online audience - except for specific online streams that are done in addition to regular broadcasts. You are correct in your point that online donations are a small percentage of a fund drive. Online listeners do not realize that by listening for "free", they are in the same catagory that "freeload" terrestrial radio. It is one thing to sample a program on occasion, but if you are a regular listener - either online or over terrestrial radio - you should be making a pledge to THAT station or THAT program. People forget to realize that commercial radio stations offer commercials and whether they would like to admit it or not, they are effected by those ads. You pay that radio station whenever you purchase a product. For the non-commercial radio stations, they need to find another source - underwriters for the programming or a direct pitch to the listener. . |
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01 Feb 07 - 01:12 PM (#1954744) Subject: RE: WAMU-FM cancels American Routes From: wysiwyg you should be... you should be... Ron. Are you somehow under the impression I am arguing with you, or need to be told what to do? Or do you mean to communicate that people should be.... people should be.... Because what I was trying to get at was the business side of these decisions, not the listener's (or my personal) responsibilities. ~Susan |
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01 Feb 07 - 01:21 PM (#1954752) Subject: RE: WAMU-FM cancels American Routes From: WFDU - Ron Olesko No offense meant. I was not directing my comments at you. I guess I am in the habit of talking one on one, even in hypothetical discussions - especially "conversations" where everyone is listening in. No, that was not directed at you. |
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01 Feb 07 - 02:26 PM (#1954819) Subject: RE: WAMU-FM cancels American Routes From: GUEST,Mike Licht Back to American Routes and Traditions. It is not an either/or question. It just looks that way because the WAMU program staff was in a hurry. Before the recent WETA format change, WAMU added some weak syndicated programs. Now that WAMU has the heavy hitters WETA gave up, those weak programs can go. It will just take more work on the part of programmers. American Routes is unique. It is as much a program about music as a music program. WAMU would not have carried American Routes for nine years if it did not have a string Washington audience. The current WAMU programming staff just needs a reminder. |
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01 Feb 07 - 02:30 PM (#1954822) Subject: RE: WAMU-FM cancels American Routes From: GUEST,Mike Licht Pardon my haste. Although I'm sure it has a string, brass, and percussion aduience, I meant to say that American Routes has a strong Washington audience. |
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01 Feb 07 - 02:33 PM (#1954826) Subject: RE: WAMU-FM cancels American Routes From: WFDU - Ron Olesko Mike, I do not know the facts to comment on whether the decision was made "in a hurry". If you have information indicating that, or a statement from WAMU, please share. I honestly do know know their reasoning. What I do see is that they added CAR TALK and A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION. PHC is the most expensive show to carry of all public radio shows. CAR TALK is also very expensive. Was WAMU in a position to carry all three, plus other shows? Was their budget large enough to justify? Again, I have no idea of how much money AMERICAN ROUTES raised for WAMU. It would be interesting to see what their budget is. Please do not think I am arguing with you. I admire your decision to e-mail them, and encourage other to do so. Listeners will help determine the program schedule - especially when they donate. Just keep in mind, there is only so many hours in the day. Mary lost two hours of weekly programming, but it appears that was all that was available. Something tells me that there was a great deal of thought that there was a great deal of thought that went into creating this schedule - and a few gambles. |
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01 Feb 07 - 03:31 PM (#1954880) Subject: RE: WAMU-FM cancels American Routes From: GUEST,Mike Licht Ron: What could be easier than substituting one program for another in the same time slot? Did I witness this? No. Have I witnessed similar decisions? Yes. Do I think the decision here was made by someone familiar with the nature of both programs? No. If your background is in news/public affairs, it looks like a simple substitution of one music show for another. We who know and love both programs know better. I am reluctant to discuss the financial end. It is longer "pass the hat and buy the gas" anymore. Stations no longer total up the cash individual programs raise, add the CPB match and pay expenses. Public Radio economy became complicated to cope with waves of political opposition. There is underwriting at all levels -- production, distribution, station operating expenses and program broadcast. What listeners must do (other than donate) is keep station management informed about the importance and quality of programming. Money may talk, but not clearly enough. Washington needs -- and deserves -- both Mary Cliff and Nick Spitzer. |
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01 Feb 07 - 03:41 PM (#1954894) Subject: RE: WAMU-FM cancels American Routes From: WFDU - Ron Olesko Mike, I am with you 100% on the need to keep station management informed. Where you are loosing me is on what you are trying to say about how and why the change was made. In one message you say it was an "unthinking" decision but your last post seems to indicate that there was more to the decision. That is the point I am trying to make. It is not an easy decision. Washington deserves both Mary and Nick, but can WAMU afford them along with Garrison and Click & Clack? I don't think either one of us is in a position to answer that, and all I am trying to say is that we need to consider the question. There are financial issues at play here. |
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01 Feb 07 - 04:31 PM (#1954950) Subject: RE: WAMU-FM cancels American Routes From: GUEST,Mike Licht Has WAMU cancelled American Routes for reasons of economy? No. Are there weak spots in the WAMU schedule? The station itself says so on its home page, where it promises schedule changes to come. Let's make sure that restoring American Routes is one of them. |
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01 Feb 07 - 04:36 PM (#1954960) Subject: RE: WAMU-FM cancels American Routes From: WFDU - Ron Olesko Good point Mike! There website says: "Some of you may still have questions about different shows that you would like us to carry. We'll continue to evaluate our programming over the next few months, and as always, we'll release any information about additional changes as soon as we have them available. I wish our colleagues at WETA-FM great success with their return to classical music. WAMU 88.5's focus will not change -- to be the public radio listener's source for news and information in the Washington, D.C., metro area, and to showcase the best of traditional American music." Again, none of us can truly say whether or not this show was cancelled due to financial reasons - unless Mike has inside information, but his point is very well taken. Write and let them know! It worked for Mary and it can work for this. I apologize if my comments were taken out of context. I hope you understood what I was trying to say. |