Press Releases

Contact:
Deborah Proctor, General Manager
Curtis Brothers, Outreach Director
phone:
(919) 556-5178
fax:
(919) 556-9273
e-mail:
curtis@theclassicalstation.org

April 10, 2007

Wake Forest, N.C. - General Manager Deborah S. Proctor of WCPE 89.7FM, www.theclassicalstation.org, announced today that the station has testimonials that WCPE is listened to around the globe without exception.

Classical music crosses political and religious boundaries. WCPE is listened to around the world from closed societies like Cuba, to open societies like Australia. Dr. Assad Meymandi, a trustee of the National Humanities Center and member on the board of the North Carolina Humanities Council, said "I tuned into WCPE in Budapest. We are lucky that WCPE's mission is to provide Great Classical Music to anyone, at any time, anywhere. Classical music is designed to elevate the majesty of the human soul and WCPE brings a house of worship 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

Proctor's leadership has enabled the WCPE community to include national and worldwide listeners. Large and small home satellite dish transmissions serve North America, allowing other radio stations and cable television systems to use these services to rebroadcast Great Classical Music without charge or obligation. WCPE is one of the first public broadcasters to stream on the Internet, and is heard worldwide in multiple formats, including the next generation IPv6.

Alexa Web Information Services (AWIS) shows that more than 22 percent of visits to www.theclassicalstation.org are from nations outside of the United States, including the Syrian Arab Republic, Australia, Romania, Canada, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates, Bulgaria, Greece, France, Latvia, Israel, Cuba and Colombia.

Beyond statistical gathering, WCPE's greatest proof of worldwide appeal comes directly from listener feedback:

"The capital of classical music is not Germany or Austria, but Raleigh," referring to WCPE's home, wrote a listener in Oberndorf Neckar, Germany.

"Dear WCPE, This is the best station in the world," wrote a listener in Johannesburg, South Africa.

"Great station! There is a very good music selection. Congratulations from Santiago de Chile in South America!"

"WCPE equals Wonderful Comrade, Personal Experience," wrote a listener in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

"I discover planets around the stars, helped by the world's largest telescopes, the world's fastest computers and music that is out of this world, sent to us earthlings by WCPE," wrote a listener in Berkley, California.

"You are my lifeline to classical sanity," wrote a listener in Belize.

"Thank you WCPE Đ you take the sacrifice out of studying," wrote a listener in Newcastle, Australia.

"I am really glad that WCPE is with me when I am working on my thesis," wrote a listener in Shanghai, China.

WCPE's reach goes beyond the six heavily populated continents of Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North and South America, to remote areas of the world. A resident of Tristan da Cunha in the south Atlantic, the most remotely inhabited island on Earth, informed WCPE that he listens to the broadcast via big dish C-Band satellite feeds.

The diamond was placed in WCPE's crown of global listenership after the sudden passing of Al Ruocchio, WCPE's legendary opera music radio announcer. A caller expressing condolence said "A few years ago, I joined the US Antarctica Program and was able to stream his (Al Ruocchio's) show when I got homesick via the Internet and a satellite connection."

These are just a few of the thousands of calls, comments, e-mails and letters WCPE has amassed recently.

Even more remarkable than WCPE reaching all seven continents is the fact that WCPE is a 100% listener supported, not-for-profit, public station. Listening to WCPE is free and retransmission rights are without charge or obligation. Twice a year, WCPE conducts pledge drives to support the operation and expansion.

In an article concerning listener-supported radio, Michael E. Ross of MSNBC wrote, "A tradition of the counterculture maverick persists among champions of listener-backed radio - stations like WCPE, a North Carolina classical-music station that lays claim to being the only listener-backed station in America broadcasting on satellite and online."

About WCPE:

With a 28-year history, WCPE 89.7 FM is a non-commercial, 100 percent listener-supported, independent station dedicated to excellence in Great Classical Music broadcasting. Community-minded business underwriters and foundations are among the 150,000 listeners in the North Carolina broadcast area. General Manager Deborah S. Proctor's leadership has enabled the WCPE community to include national and worldwide listeners. Big and small dish home satellite transmissions serve North America. Other radio stations and cable television systems use these services to rebroadcast Great Classical Music. WCPE is one of the first public broadcasters to stream on the Internet. WCPE is heard worldwide on the Internet in multiple formats, including the next generation IPv6. Because WCPE receives no tax-derived support, the station conducts two on-air fundraising campaigns and two major mail-out campaigns per year to raise needed operating funds. Quarter Notes, the WCPE Program Guide, is published four times a year as a means to enhance appreciation and understanding of classical music. It is distributed to station supporters and is also available online at http://www.theclassicalstation.org/guide. For more information, visit TheClassicalStation.org or call 919-556-5178.

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