WNYC/WQXR

[Garrett Wollman]

<<On Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:22:16 -0400, "Dan.Strassberg" <dan.strassberg@att.net> said:

> I think you mean WNYC-FM 93.9, which is going all talk. WNYC (AM) 820
> is already all talk. I suspect that WNYC A/F will simulcast because I
> doubt whether NPR/APM produce enough talk content to allow separate
> programming in more than a few dayparts.

WNYC-FM is already mostly talk, although the AM and the FM don't
simulcast most of the time.  (Have a look at their schedules some
time.)

There is enough public-radio programming out there to run at least
three stations.

I actually wouldn't be surprised if they sold 820 to someone, but as
New York stations go, it's not worth very much.  I wonder if there's
some money going by a back channel from the Sulzbergers to WNYC to
help fund the purchase?

Quoting from the press release:

	WNYC will operate WQXR-FM on 105.9 FM and continue to serve
	the vast majority of its current audience as a
	listener-supported public station dedicated to classical
	music.

[...]

	Ms. Walker explained as well that WNYC has begun a fundraising
	effort, The Campaign to Preserve Classical Music Radio in New
	York City, to help make the acquisition possible.

The press release seems to answer the question about how this will
work: NYTCo is swapping 96.3 for 105.9 plus cash.  They will then,
probably at a later date, sell 105.9 to WNYC, once WNYC has lined up
the funding.  (Which will probably involve some borrowing, so this may
be a bellwether for public-radio debt in the market after the crash.)

-GAWollman