# Has classical music radio also got the dj-virus?



## Agamemnon

Note: I am not sure where to put this and of course the mods are free to move it to a more appropriate forum on this website.

Everyone knows what happened to MTV: it turned from a music channel to a TV show channel. I guess this trend is universal as where I live this has happened to all radio stations too. That is: (almost) all radio stations broadcast shows in which the dj or presenter is central. Music is relegated to the break function: as the dj or listener sometimes has to go to the bathroom the endless chatting is sometimes paused in which break a song is played. Even the musician nowadays is a dj thus someone who doesn't write or play anything but only push the button to play music others have composed and played! 

I am clueless why this has happened and why all TV and radio stations have stopped playing music. Is it because everybody can access youtube and Spotify to find it's favorite music? Anyway, even classical music stations in my country for the most part broadcast chats instead of music: if e.g. an orchestral piece is played the radio host manages to put himself in the center by extensively interviewing the conductor and providing extensive biographies of all the musicians involved. I don't know why: is it for praising the musicians and conductor, is it because they think the listener finds all this talk and information interesting (and less accessible than the music itself in these internet days)?

Because of all the talk I don't listen to the classical music radio station much. Apparently I am not the only one who finds that there is too much talking around the music nowadays, because there are also a few radio stations who attract listeners by guaranteeing "non-stop-music". But the 'non-stop' classical music station in my country plays only light classical music so a lot of boring muzak (and even classical arrangements of popular pop songs).

What are your ideas on these developments? Do you recognize this situation (in your country)? Do you listen to classical radio stations? Are they any good?


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## Krummhorn

I am a frequent listener to our local FM Classical station. The station originates from within our university campus and is mostly music and less talk between selections. That same station also operates a PBS FM channel which is mostly talk on a myriad of topics. 

Classical music stations on the radio are a diminishing breed - Los Angeles area used to have 3 or 4 - one of which (KCBH) was the absolute best of the bunch.


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## Pugg

In my country we have a special channel for classical, it's transmitting 24 hours a day, has horizontal programmes, each day the same presenter, different subject, we can also receive the BBC radio classical as the Belgium and German broadcast.
On T.V we have two classical channels, Mezzo and Brava, so no complaining here.


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## KenOC

You can't make generalizations about the US because each station has a limit4ed geographic reach. Most place have no classical stations any more, but some large metropolitan areas still do. Mostly they are independent of each other.

Where I live (same as Krummhorn I think) our station has a good balance. Commentary on the music played is very light during the day, and a bit heavier in the evening. Composers, conductors, and players are often interviewed on the evening show, with their comments in between the works presented. I have found this a good formula.

The DJs will often put out teasers: "Coming up, music about a rat. A very large rat. First, though, a work by a gentleman with the unusual name Schieferdecker. Not a household name, of course, but a dedicated fan of Buxtehude's daughter..."


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## Dan Ante

We have one dedicated radio program for classical but we also get a few Jazz slots on it (perhaps 2-3 hrs a week) and absolutely no advertising. but nothing on TV, I also have internet radios so have a choice of hundreds of stations.


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## Krummhorn

Dan Ante said:


> . . . also have internet radios so have a choice of hundreds of stations.


Same here - I have a paid subscription for Pandora as well as a subscriber account to IMSLP which allows me to play any/all Naxos albums across the internet.


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## JeffD

Agamemnon said:


> Do you listen to classical radio stations? Are they any good?


There are two that I listen to, WETA out of Washington DC, and WQXR out of New York City. When I can't get them on the radio I listen on the internet. They are old school classical music stations, playing classical music.

WETA is uniquely amazing in at least one respect, they program their music to match the time of day. And they do it really well. Workday morning music, driving home evening music, lazy weekend afternoon music, it is almost always a perfect match to where I am in my day.


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## Vaneyes

Agamemnon said:


> ....
> I am clueless why this has happened and why all TV and radio stations have stopped playing music. ....
> 
> What are your ideas on these developments? Do you recognize this situation (in your country)? Do you listen to classical radio stations? Are they any good?


Classical music broadcasting gets more fails each day.

It's a long-shot suggestion, but if you have cable TV service, check their complete channel listing for a nesting of music channels. Some cable companies have added this outside service to appease music-loving customers.


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## KenOC

There are several good streaming classical stations on the Internet. I usually listen to KUSC in LA, the nation’s most widely-heard classical station (KUSC.org). At work, my wife uses her phone to listen to WCRB in Boston (ClassicalWCRB.org) or Radio Swiss Classic (RadioSwissClassic.ch/en).

Lots of choices!


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## KenOC

Krummhorn said:


> Classical music stations on the radio are a diminishing breed - Los Angeles area used to have 3 or 4 - one of which (KCBH) was the absolute best of the bunch.


There were two left when I moved to the LA area: KUSC and KMZT, or "K-Mozart." The latter was a commercial station with advertising. Almost all the ads were for cancer treatments and funeral services, which says all that need be said about our demographic!

Now there is one.


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## hpowders

Vaneyes said:


> Classical music broadcasting gets more fails each day.
> 
> It's a long-shot suggestion, but if you have cable TV service, check their complete channel listing for a nesting of music channels. Some cable companies have added this outside service to appease music-loving customers.


Yeah. I have the cable music channels-a huge assortment of every conceivable musical style.


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## Larkenfield

With live streaming, I have more choice of classical musical stations than ever before. Some are mainly straight music, and others have commentaries with a program host. As mentioned by Ken and others, KUSC out of Los Angeles has a wide variety of classical programming with a host, plus there are a number of fine stations in Europe, such as in Vienna, plus the live concerts on the BBC, with Apple iTunes Music also dedicated to just about any kind of CM. 

It's amazing how many stations are available globally. I'm not so much bothered by DJs, if I like them, but I strongly object to intrusive commercials. So, streaming allows me the luxury of getting my favorite station in LA while living in Arizona, fed into my primary sound system, which I consider a great luxury, and the sound quality is fine with no signal dropouts. There are also wifi radios and tuners that do not require the use of a computer that can give one the feeling of listening to a favorite vintage CM station, like in the "olden days", from just about any place in the world.

:angel:


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## JeffD

Vaneyes said:


> Classical music broadcasting gets more fails each day..


Part of the reason is that any local classical music station is competing directly with the best of the best of classical music stations, receivable through the internet. Stations that were good enough for a small area are just good enough. Its a world wide market.


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## Dan Ante

With my Sangeon Radio you have quite a good selection of various genres as follows:


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## KenOC

OMG, a baryton station! Is the world ready for this?


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## Dan Ante

KenOC said:


> OMG, a baryton station! Is the world ready for this?


Yeh well with 1000 to choose from there is good and rubbish but if you find only 15 - 20% that fit your requirements you cant complain.


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