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 18, 2007

Wake Forest, N.C. - General Manager Deborah S. Proctor of WCPE 89.7FM, www.theclassicalstation.org, announced today that work on the station's broadcast tower will be featured as part of the new Discovery Channel show, "Hazard Pay" on April 25 at 8p.m. The WCPE tower stands 1,200 feet tall and is located in northern Wake County, North Carolina next to the station's studios.

"The tower is taller than the Empire State Building. When I got to the top, I could actually see the curvature of the earth," said Curt Doussett, host of "Hazard Pay."

Performing some of the most dangerous and thrilling jobs on the planet, Doussett appears on the Discovery Channel's "Hazard Pay" each week. During his visit to the Triangle, he was put to work as a high-altitude plumber. For protection, the cabling running from the station to the transmitter is in conduit piping and requires regular maintenance.

"It took me hours to climb to the top of the tower. It's supposed to take only one hour, 15 minutes," Doussett said. "It's so nice to climb above all the trees so you can see... more trees."

Falling is a monumental hazard of working on a tower of this height. A fall from 1,200 feet is on the edge of reaching terminal velocity, the speed at which a person can fall no faster due to air resistance. The distance it takes to reach such speeds varies, and is dependant on up/down drafts and body configuration. Regardless, the abrupt stop where the air meets the ground is not going to fare well for the person who slips and falls. The problem is, you have plenty of time to think about what you did wrong. Even on the calmest days, wind at such heights is a hazard. As any climber will tell you, fatigue and pain are the top two reasons for losing grip or having your footing slip.

"By the time I got down, I had blisters all over my hands and I was exhausted. I cheated death protecting public radio!" said Doussett.

The episode will be rebroadcast on April 26 at midnight on the Discovery Channel.

In addition to the 100,000-watt Wake Forest tower, WCPE's broadcast can be accessed across the U.S. in several ways: on-line streaming in multiple formats, including IPv6, big and small home satellite dish reception and local cable television systems. A complete list with instructions as well as the details on how to retransmit WCPE without royalty or consideration can be found at http://theclassicalstation.org/listen.shtml

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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