WABE-FM Changing Format (Atlanta: live, station, radio)

[arjay57]

I love classical music but really missed standard NPR programming like you get in other cities. However, WABE wouldn't budge off its classical music format. As a result GPB filled the gap and started offering daytime NPR broadcasts.

With regard to 88.5, you can still get the student broadcasts after 7 pm, which is the only time I listened to them anyway.

[atler8]

A lot of comments here & elsewhere in the media make note of GPB's entry via WRAS-FM into the WABE-FM NPR news format; a move that could almost be described as hostile & rocking the boat.
I'm generally p.o'd at GPB, especially after their sneaky move to take on political has-been Chip Rogers in a cushy job assignment there, & downright suspicious of their motivations for moving into the metro Atlanta NPR audience.
Given the sentiment of anger against GPB that seems to be concentrated in metro Atlanta, is anyone aware of an organized movement to fight back such as to stop pledging support to the GPB network &/or to pull the plug at home on watching their metro Atlanta channel 8 signal? If ratings crash &/or pledging support dives, their attention will be captured.

[atler8]

It's unbelievable to me that a metro area of 5.5 miliion residents will no longer have a day time fm band classical music alternative to all of the various formats & the non-stop chatter found elsewhere. I'll miss WABE's old format while traveling in my car.
FYI: WABE has long offered a side bar signal that gives constant news & public affairs programming via the internet and that was set up in response to the consumer demand for more of that type of programming.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by atler8

is anyone aware of an organized movement to fight back such as to stop pledging support to the GPB network &/or to pull the plug at home on watching their metro Atlanta channel 8 signal? If ratings crash &/or pledging support dives, their attention will be captured.

I don't know about "organized" but after the GPB hostile takeover was announced, Facebook exploded in opposition. Thousands of people were and are outraged, rightfully, and have pledged not to support GSU or GPB.

Whether or not it will cause any harm to either entity depends on how many of those folks otherwise would have donated to GSU or GPB. I suspect the vast majority of those people had never donated a dime to either of them. It's no harm done if a non-donater pledges to remain a non-donater.

I have donated to GSU several times (in exchange for library borrowing privileges) but I will not donate again until WRAS is returned to the airwaves 24/7. I've never donated to GPB (although I have donated to WABE once or twice).

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by waronxmas

I'm kind of on the fence with this.

On one hand, I like the fact this will screw up GPB's nefarious plan on 88.5 even more than it already has screwed itself.

On the other, I actually do enjoy the classic programs during the day. Maybe they can find a way for City Cafe to stick around, at least during the lunch hour.

Actually this might turn out in GSU's favor. GSU's alliance with GPB will give GSU their own television channel. Imagine how valuable that would be for the Communications department and their majors. WPBA channel 30 almost ended up as a station between Georgia Tech and Clark Atlanta. I was thinking at that time what a huge loss for GSU. Well, that didn't work out, but maybe GSU will "get a station" this way. GPB used to be closely associated with UGA many years ago.

[PeteATL41]

Tons of great classical radio is available over the Internet. With one click of my remote I can access dozens of stations including international ones. WABE needs to respond to its membership who presumably didn't contribute enough during the music programs vs the NPR programs during pledge drives. Still not a good statement on the state of classical music in the city- particularly on the heels of the ASO debacle.

[chimama1]

Thanks to this thread, I turned to 88.5 today in the car, and lo and behold! My beloved On Point! Right there on the radio in my car! It was a happy morning. Thank you, good people of City Data.

[Listennow32]

The problem I've noticed so far with the WRAS take over is the redundancy that tends to occur. Now don't get me wrong I love NPR and listen to it frequently, but it makes me feel some type of way when, I switch over to 88.5 and THE EXACT SAME PROGRAM with THE EXACT SAME BROADCAST is being played at the same time. What's the point of that? Now they are going to put another News broadcast station and remove another quality music program.. that makes 5 talk show programs. First the Alternative music now the classics.. what next?! the Jazz station?! But on a positive note it seems as if Atl has quietly picked up a new Latin music channel on 87.9 (or something like that). They play hits from all over Latin America as opposed to the nonstop Mariachi of EL PATRON.. Yeah for No more Mariachi! haha

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by chimama1

Thanks to this thread, I turned to 88.5 today in the car, and lo and behold! My beloved On Point! Right there on the radio in my car! It was a happy morning. Thank you, good people of City Data.

Exactly. WABE's refusal to offer standard public radio programming the way other cities do was just plain embarrassing.

That's not a knock on classical music. I love it.

But it was absurd to have that kind of gap in a city this size. I've heard many visitors and locals comment on it, and it's the main reason many of us switched to satellite radio. I would have gladly given the money to WABE if they'd offered some programming choices.

I'm glad GPB finally stepped in. Hopefully the competition will prod WABE to be more responsive to their listeners.

[billl]

On-air Lois Reitzes is putting a positive spin on this, saying "Morning cup is expanding to 5 hours!"

Overall this is very disappointing. I guess I need to make sure my next car has HD Radio so that I can get the WABE classical side channel.