radio case study

[ghostface]

one only need look at cleveland radio station WCLV for a solution to the current crisis. as the last commercial all classical music radio station in the country, the station sold their valuable fequency in order to preserve the station for many years to come.

The culmination of a three-year process to preserve classical music on the radio in Cleveland took place on Friday, October 12, 2001, when WCLV 104.9 was donated to the non-profit WCLV Foundation. The public donation took place at a reception held at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Robert Conrad and Richard Marschner, the majority stockholders of WCLV, presented the station's license to three members of the WCLV Foundation board, Susan Lajoie Eagan, Executive Vice President of The Cleveland Foundation; Jerry Wareham, President of WVIZ/PBS and Kathryn Jensen, President and General Manager of WCPN (FM). Conrad and Marschner serve on the WCLV Foundation board as does Steve Minter, Executive Director of The Cleveland Foundation. The value of the gift was estimated at $14.5 million.

WCLV continues to operate as a for-profit company with revenues eventually benefiting five major Cleveland arts institutions: The Cleveland Orchestra, The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Cleveland Institute of Music, The Cleveland Playhouse and The Cleveland Foundation.

for more information check out:
http://www.wclv.com/skin/blurb.php?sectionId=178&contentId=25133

[ashooner]

Interesting idea.
I think this would hinge on whether the online royalties apply to a non-profit radio station. I have a nasty feeling they do, since otherwise there would be awesome unique radio stations all over the country!
If the station can't stay in the black selling air, I doubt they could make it on donations.

[Luyseyal]

Unfortunately, royalties definitely apply to online stations. KVRX (http://kvrx.org) had a big fundraiser a couple years back after the Courts and Congress determined rules for Internet broadcasting, including royalties. Of course, the royalties of just Internet are cheaper than both Internet and radio.... but still.

I think WOXY would be better off partnering with someone like Live365 and/or Shoutcast rather than going it alone.

-l

[tobedawg]

Oh yeah.. That's right.. ALL Avenues haven't yet been explored to Save 97X :rolleyes:

[aqualou]

GAME OVER

insert another quarter to continue

[Tony]

yeah I had wondered why 97X didnt do something like that as well.

Was weird though.. somewhere in that deal, caused WCLV to switch from 95.5 to 104.9.. and Kiss FM went from 104.9 to 96.5, WKDD from 96.5 to 98.1,. and "The Fish" appeared on 95.5

[superock101]

Originally posted by Tony
yeah I had wondered why 97X didnt do something like that as well.

Was weird though.. somewhere in that deal, caused WCLV to switch from 95.5 to 104.9.. and Kiss FM went from 104.9 to 96.5, WKDD from 96.5 to 98.1,. and "The Fish" appeared on 95.5

Clear Channel orchestrated that whole thing. WKDD was very strong in Akron but Kiss was weak. They shifted WKDD's coverage and focus to reach more of Portage and Stark Counties and gave Kiss the familiar, successful 96.5 frequency. Now WKDD's share is actually lower than it was at 96.5 but they have a higher combined market share in Akron than before the switches and Kiss still does fine in Cleveland.