UPDATE: Radio merger alters area news
Here's an update on the recent shake-up on the local airwaves by the Cincinnati Enquirer's John Kiesewetter (3/20/05), as WGUC, the Cincinnati Symphony's broadcast partner and WVXU merge and make anticipated on-air changes:
"The big news behind WGUC-FM's $15-million takeover of Xavier University's WVXU-FM could be how local news programming changes on the area's four public radio stations and Cincinnati's public television station.
"Classical music WGUC-FM (90.9), which dropped local news in 1992, plans a news and information format on WVXU-FM (91.7). Xavier is selling WVXU-FM and the seven-station X-Star network to help build the $45-million James E. Hoff Academic Quadrangle.
"Already WGUC-FM folks are talking to Northern Kentucky University's WNKU-FM (89.7), Miami University's WMUB-FM (88.5) and WCET-TV (Channel 48) about pooling news coverage here.
" 'I'd like to create a public radio news bureau for Cincinnati. It's inefficient for all three stations to send a reporter when the mayor holds a news conference. This is a great opportunity to combine our investments and expand our coverage,' says Rich Eiswerth, WGUC-FM president and general manager.
"WNKU-FM already has a partnership with five Kentucky public radio stations funding a Frankfurt statehouse bureau.
" 'We're not ruling out any kind of collaborative effort,' says Ben Singleton, general manager of WNKU-FM, which provides most area news to National Public Radio. 'The audience would be the winner in the long run.'
"A cooperative deal may influence how WMUB-FM replaces News Director Darrel Gray, who is leaving to pastor a church in suburban Dayton, says Cleve Callison, WMUB-FM general manager.
" 'Right now we don't have a Cincinnati reporter. We're talking about ways with WGUC-FM that we might strengthen each other,' Callison says.
"Channel 48 has a close relationship with WGUC-FM, which rents space from the public TV station across Central Parkway from Music Hall. They share a chief financial officer, webmaster, engineers and receptionist.
" 'Bringing WVXU-FM into the family is going to offer us opportunities for more collaboration, particularly in news and public affairs. I'm very excited about it,' says Susan Howarth, Channel 48 president and CEO.
"In the future, the stations could jointly hire a reporter with TV, radio Internet skills, Eiswerth says. But that could be a year or two away, he says.
"Exactly how much local news WVXU-FM will do after the ownership change this summer is not known. While WVXU-FM has three full-time news staffers, Eiswerth says the station may only have one at the beginning. He plans on adding seven to 10 employees - compared to 21 now operating WVXU-FM - when business, engineering and programming staffs are merged.
" 'We want to be as conservative as we can,' Eiswerth says. He sees the two stations operating on $5.5 million, much less than the combined budgets now for WGUC-FM ($3 million) and WVXU-FM ($3.5 million). Cincinnati Classical Radio Inc., which oversees WGUC-FM, plans to pay for the purchase with tax-exempt bonds over 20 years.
"To learn how to consolidate the stations, WGUC-FM has looked to Louisville. A WGUC-FM staffer last week visited the Public Radio Partnership, which operates three public stations: WUOL-FM (classical), WFPL-FM (news/information) and WFPK-FM (jazz, bluegrass, folk, blues).
"For more than six years, Eiswerth's goal has been to procure a second station, so WGUC-FM could broadcast only classical music.
" 'A significant number of our listeners would like nothing but music,' he says. It also will help the station compete with satellite radio classical music channels.
"If WVXU-FM picks up more NPR programs, WNKU-FM and WMUB-FM may alter their lineups."
"The big news behind WGUC-FM's $15-million takeover of Xavier University's WVXU-FM could be how local news programming changes on the area's four public radio stations and Cincinnati's public television station.
"Classical music WGUC-FM (90.9), which dropped local news in 1992, plans a news and information format on WVXU-FM (91.7). Xavier is selling WVXU-FM and the seven-station X-Star network to help build the $45-million James E. Hoff Academic Quadrangle.
"Already WGUC-FM folks are talking to Northern Kentucky University's WNKU-FM (89.7), Miami University's WMUB-FM (88.5) and WCET-TV (Channel 48) about pooling news coverage here.
" 'I'd like to create a public radio news bureau for Cincinnati. It's inefficient for all three stations to send a reporter when the mayor holds a news conference. This is a great opportunity to combine our investments and expand our coverage,' says Rich Eiswerth, WGUC-FM president and general manager.
"WNKU-FM already has a partnership with five Kentucky public radio stations funding a Frankfurt statehouse bureau.
" 'We're not ruling out any kind of collaborative effort,' says Ben Singleton, general manager of WNKU-FM, which provides most area news to National Public Radio. 'The audience would be the winner in the long run.'
"A cooperative deal may influence how WMUB-FM replaces News Director Darrel Gray, who is leaving to pastor a church in suburban Dayton, says Cleve Callison, WMUB-FM general manager.
" 'Right now we don't have a Cincinnati reporter. We're talking about ways with WGUC-FM that we might strengthen each other,' Callison says.
"Channel 48 has a close relationship with WGUC-FM, which rents space from the public TV station across Central Parkway from Music Hall. They share a chief financial officer, webmaster, engineers and receptionist.
" 'Bringing WVXU-FM into the family is going to offer us opportunities for more collaboration, particularly in news and public affairs. I'm very excited about it,' says Susan Howarth, Channel 48 president and CEO.
"In the future, the stations could jointly hire a reporter with TV, radio Internet skills, Eiswerth says. But that could be a year or two away, he says.
"Exactly how much local news WVXU-FM will do after the ownership change this summer is not known. While WVXU-FM has three full-time news staffers, Eiswerth says the station may only have one at the beginning. He plans on adding seven to 10 employees - compared to 21 now operating WVXU-FM - when business, engineering and programming staffs are merged.
" 'We want to be as conservative as we can,' Eiswerth says. He sees the two stations operating on $5.5 million, much less than the combined budgets now for WGUC-FM ($3 million) and WVXU-FM ($3.5 million). Cincinnati Classical Radio Inc., which oversees WGUC-FM, plans to pay for the purchase with tax-exempt bonds over 20 years.
"To learn how to consolidate the stations, WGUC-FM has looked to Louisville. A WGUC-FM staffer last week visited the Public Radio Partnership, which operates three public stations: WUOL-FM (classical), WFPL-FM (news/information) and WFPK-FM (jazz, bluegrass, folk, blues).
"For more than six years, Eiswerth's goal has been to procure a second station, so WGUC-FM could broadcast only classical music.
" 'A significant number of our listeners would like nothing but music,' he says. It also will help the station compete with satellite radio classical music channels.
"If WVXU-FM picks up more NPR programs, WNKU-FM and WMUB-FM may alter their lineups."
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