Times Co. Sells WQXR, City's Sole Classical-Only Station

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The Great New York Times Company Fire Sale of 2009 continues this week as the media company announced Tuesday it has sold WQXR-FM, the last classical-only radio station in New York. In a deal worth $45 million, WNYC and Univision will take over operation of the station but won't change its format, pledging to continue its broadcast partnerships with the Philharmonic, Met, and Juilliard. What listeners are likely to notice is a change in WQXR's spot on the dial—105.9 will be the new home for the station. It's also going to be broadcasting a weaker signal, which will reach about 4.5 million fewer people. So, with its future a little more certain, now all WQXR has to do is find funding, and WNYC's already raising money on that front, having begun a campaign to pay for the station that concert pianist Emanuel Ax calls "the sonic equivalent of saving Carnegie Hall from the wrecker’s ball."

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By Jon Hill in News on July 15, 2009 1:11 PM

Comments [rss]

Steven

Another good station down in the dumps with more junk on the radio. The Spanish format is moving on the stronger single 96.3, while classic music gets the weaker signal. 105.9 doesn't make crystal clear like 96.3 into the Hudson Valley (North of I-287), Northern and Central NJ plus Long Island or even Eastern Queens because of 106.1 WBLI.

Toby von Meistersinger

The only good thing is that WNYC is involved, which hopefully means some of their vast library will be added to the playlist.

ANGRYGOD11

If this station stops broadcasting classical music, I'll have to buy Ambien.

Atomische

The hilarious part is when the Times' article mentions their motive in selling... "trying to raise cash and weather a newspaper industry downturn."

They make it sound like their current problems are just a glitch, that the whole information-on-paper thing is going to become popular again soon.

Global Wombat

Pfft. I saw this happening back in 2001, when I was considering my options for college. As much as I wanted to, my better sense wouldn't allow me to touch Newspaper Journalism with a 10 foot pole.

tsol

Too true. Unfortunately they gave up on "information-on-paper" quite some time ago and have been unsuccessful hawking their "opinion-on-paper" product....

mocanlagunas

What's this thing called radio? And why would anybody buy it for $45M? and with a weaker signal?

Don't get me wrong. I like classical music much more than the primitive garbage pumped out these days, but I don't remember when was the last time I listened to the radio...

thefacts

With all respect, tell me how you find interesting new music or quirky stuff?

Can't beat those college stations.

Also, at home, don't you listen to the radio when messing around the house? I just bought a $1000 tuner and the sound and reception quality is to die for. Beats a computer speaker any day.

kellas

This is terrible news! My grandfather was the Chief Engineer at QXR for... 30? years. We always have the station playing in my childhood home and I know their announcers voices as well as my mother's. The move on the dial kills me as well.

Monkey_Butter

Yes this is a sign that NYC is officially a dengenerate tourist douche hell.

felixthecat2

Times Co sold us out with their support of Iraq war and Support to extend term limits and for Bloomberg. I am sure the tax break on their new building affected their judgement

ides_of_march

Sadly, few people appreciate classical music these days. Most prefer to listen to primitive garbage.

The Edge

Please define "primitive garbage", in terms of music.

lemon

Been curmudgeonly much lately?

hotstepper

ides merely escaped the old folks home again and found the nearest cyber-cafe to post some hateful banter on gothamist. not to worry though, the orderlies will find him soon enough and he'll be back drooling on himself and eating rice pudding before nap time.

Spirit of 76

Hey, that's not fair. I like classical. Some classical. I've probably got more classical on my iPod than all my co-workers put together. Unfortunately, Sturgeon's Law also applies to classical music. 90% of that is crap, too.