KUSC No. 1 in USA For Classical Music....Do You Listen?

[stenka razin]

Classical KUSC was the top-ranked public radio station in the country during the spring quarter, according to the latest national ratings released by the Arbitron company.

During the spring quarter (April 2-June 24), KUSC had more listeners (age 6 and older) than any other public radio station in the United States.

It is the first time KUSC has beaten WNYC and KQED, the National Public Radio news stations in New York City and San Francisco.

According to Arbitron’s Portable People Meter ratings, KUSC attracted an average of 737,000 listeners per week from 6 a.m. to midnight Monday through Sunday compared to WNYC (721,500) and KQED (704,300).

Listeners who use a Portable People Meter carry a pager-size device that automatically logs radio listening.

How many CMGers listen to KUSC? Do you think that this station is covering classical music properly? Do they play full compositions or just selected movements? What other thoughts do you have about this station?

[some guy]

Stenka, haven't you been following ModernistFan's threads on KUSC? The most recent one is particularly good and will answer all your questions, definitively I think.

[stenka razin]

Stenka, haven't you been following ModernistFan's threads on KUSC? The most recent one is particularly good and will answer all your questions, definitively I think.

O, yes..........so that was KUSC........

[DCompose]

For LA's classical music, KUSC is the "only show in town!" When you consider K-Mozart changing their programming to country and KCSN without classical announcers (who knows how long that will last until they drop classical), classical music lovers have no other choice other than playing their own CDs or listening online to another station, or paying XM satellite radio. AND the PPM (people meter) isn't a real good rating system compared to the old Arbitron ratings.
That's just my opinion.....

[DavidRoss]

I support Capital Public Radio in Sacramento--not perfect, but a pretty good all-Classical station. Available streaming via the web for those not in its broadcast area. I've some experience with KUSC. The little I've heard hasn't compelled me to switch.

[D]

MPR = Minnesota Public Radio

The only game in town.

[Corlyss_D]

No. Concertzender and XM Classics are my stations, 24/7

[slofstra]

For LA's classical music, KUSC is the "only show in town!" When you consider K-Mozart changing their programming to country and KCSN without classical announcers (who knows how long that will last until they drop classical), classical music lovers have no other choice other than playing their own CDs or listening online to another station, or paying XM satellite radio. AND the PPM (people meter) isn't a real good rating system compared to the old Arbitron ratings.
That's just my opinion.....

Buy an Internet radio and you can listen to all the best classical music outlets in the USA, Canada and Europe .... and Australia.

[D]

iTunes has Internet radio but I always forget it's there.

[Wallingford]

KUSC?

Any station employing Jim Svejda is automatically poisoned, IMO.

Living in the sticks nowadays--with only dial-up internet--the pickings are nonexistent. I'm going back on high-speed & resubscribe to Rhapsody (really, subscription download sites have rendered regular radio obsolete once and for all), once I get back on my feet.

[Jared]

I would like to ask how Classical Music stations operate, over in the States. As you know, we have our beloved Beeb (long may the license fee continue!) which, as a public service broadcaster, has provided us with very high quality, advert free access to classical music, for the entire of my life (when I was born, it was called 'The Third Programme') with relatively little regard to audience figures.

In the States however, I'm guessing that even a CM channel has to chase audiences, ratings and advertising sponsors, so does this mean that the CM played has to be populist, accessible pieces which are conveniently short, for advert breaks? does it mean that they have to share slots with Jazz, Folk or Country & Western? I can't imagine Beeb 3 surviving for 3 months in the States, so how does it work?

Thanks
....

[Prometheus]

I cannot attest to commercial run Classical Music radio stations here, but public radio is very similar to what you described.

NPR (National Public Radio) filters its programming to markets across the country. The public radio stations I have access to spend a great deal of the day with NPR programming, but they also have to fill out the extra time. Classical music is only played for a set number of hours of the day. The additional time slots are then filled in with other music, local talk, or syndicated programs from other providers.