wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin ) (07/02/84)
The following is an addition to the summary of commercial classical stations posted recently by hao!hplabs!intelca!omsvax!dps. I have tried to mail a copy of this to him, but doubt that it got through (see my plaintive inquiry on net.mail if you care). Since this system already purged the summary, could the poster or someone please mail a copy to "seismo!brl-bmd!wmartin" (or "wmartin@almsa-1 via ARPA/MILNET), or integrate this into the summary and re-post? There is one commercial classical station here in St. Louis, MO. (It is actually licensed to a suburb, Clayton, MO.) This is KFUO, AM (850 kHz) and FM (99.1 MHz). It was not commercial until recently. It is supported by the Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod), and was totally donation-supported and funded by Concordia Seminary (on the campus of which both the studios and transmitter are located). I used to listen to it much more than I have recently, as their audio is noticeably inferior to the NPR stations (of which more later), so I don't know when they started carrying commercials. They tend to be rather restrained and non-annoying commercial announcements. They do not interrupt music, as far as I know. It has only been in the past several years that they began commercials, probably due to reduced income from donations (there had been a widely-publicized denominational schism in the Synod) and simply a need for more income. The music used to be 100% classical, excpet for religious music in church services, etc. (They carry religious and "inspirational" programming, more on the AM outlet than on the FM.) However, recently, I have run across non-classical music from time to time, like show tunes -- they might have some special non- classical programming. They subscribe to Parkway for much of the music. The AM outlet has to go off the air fairly early in the evening, due to sharing the frequency with a clear channel station in Denver (KOA? I used to know these things...) They have a Muzak-style type of elevator music on their SCA (SubCarrier Adaptor) service. Non-commercial classical comes from KWMU-FM (90.7 MHz), an NPR affiliate, sponsored by the University of Missouri at St. Louis. Weekends are mostly jazz and student programming, weekdays just about all classical and public-affairs. Carries some NPR radio drama series also, and locally produced programs such as a new-music program. Their SCA carries programming for the blind. Not in St. Louis, but received well on good tuners and radios, is WSIE-FM (88.7 MHz), Edwardsville, IL, part of the Southern Illinois University radio system (this one at SIU-Edwardsville). Their primary music service is classical, but they carry a lot of jazz, show tunes, and talk programs in addition. NPR drama most evenings at 6:30 PM. Their SCA programming is farm-oriented news and agricultural info. All three of the preceeding FM outlets are in stereo. A small amount of classical music is carried on KSLH (FM - 91.5 MHz), the station of the St. Louis Public School System. This is a mono outlet, which has as its primary mission the broadcasting of educational programs during the school day. Some evening classical music, but mostly as filler. A lot of old radio programming, and some eclectic locally-produced fun radio, with comic songs and the like, as a parody of a musical "Masterpiece Theatre". (No SCA, as far as I know.) Some years ago, mainly in the sixties, we had a strange non-commercial station called KDNA, run by an outfit called Double Helix. I think they were on 97.1 MHz. They carried a random mixture of musical styles, which I found enjoyable. (For example, Bach, followed by the Rolling Stones, followed by some folk music, followed by Bartok, etc.) They didn't last, and sold the station/frequency to a commercial outlet. However, we have been hearing that they are coming back, and have been expecting them to appear (but they have been repeatedly delayed). They will be on 88.1 MHz, and I don't recall the call letters (but they are listed in some of the new radio reference books, like the Vane Jones log). Other educational FM outlets carry jazz, soul/R&B, or rock. There might be a classical program or two on some of the high school stations, but I haven't heard any. We get some FM DX reception of noncommercial classical from Rolla, MO or Jefferson City, but those are flukes and not regular or reliable. Hope all this is of interest. Regards, Will Martin seismo!brl-bmd!wmartin or wmartin@almsa-1
wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin ) (07/09/84)
I gave an incorrect translation of the acronym "SCA" in the base posting of this item (which I made). I was thinking of the device you use to receive this sort of signal, a SubCarrier Adaptor. The acronym really means "Subsidiary Communications Authorization", of course. Sorry about that...