Re: WQPH -- new station on 720 in N.H.

["Shel Swartz" <shel@lotsofun.com>]

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>My friend says that public radio in that area is heavy on talk in the
daytime and the thinking is that there is an audience in the Hanover, N.H.,
/ Dartmouth area
>community for classical.


I believe I know the entrepreneuring radio station area in question, and
while I believe he's a maverick in at least one way, I feel he is about to
make fritical errors if he procees as you have implied.

Classical music reaches only a niche audience as it is, and NH is not a
densely-populated state.  As far as talkradio is concerened, there's not too
much in common between public and commercial radio talk shows.  Public radio
shows don't rely on ratings, and so they can experiment with and talk about
subjects of interest to one or two people per million.  I guesstey figure if
the subjects appeal to their corporate underwriters, then their expenses
will be paid, so who cares?

Commercial talk radio, especially in NH, MUST NOT BE clones of the standard
Rush and Laura ilk.  At least two or three daytime shows MUST be done with
local personalities, who know the local populace, and can communicate with
them in a way no national talk show host can.  These same people could more
easily sell commercial time for their shows. Rush and Laura should be on as
well, but I wouldn't fill up an entire day with syndicated shows.

New Hampshire is a great state, with a culture all of its own.  I'd like to
see a syndicated talk show emanating from a NH radio station, simulcasted on
other NH radio stations.  Thus, the host could be communicate to his/her
listeners much better than some slick NY or Los Angeles host.

Just a parting shot on "public" radio stations:  I'd venture to say that if
you made them survive by running more-generic programming, they wouldn't
know what to do.  If they can receive government funding, then so should all
commercial stations who must pay thousands of dollars in legal and licensing
fees to get on and stay on the air.

"All Things Considered" is one decent program that COULD survive on
connercial stations IF there were significant minutes of avails for local
spots.  But in the other hand, not many people want hour-long newscasts. We
want it quick!
:) shel

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