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 5, 2007

Despite the industry's shift toward news/talk programming, Wake Forest, N.C.-based WCPE has maintained consistent increases in listenership throughout its 28-year history and anticipates growth in 2007.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) reports that 27 percent or eight of the top 30 radio markets lost public classical stations between 1990 and 2005. According to the NEA research, those cities include Baltimore; St. Louis; Tampa; San Bernardino; San Antonio; and Salt Lake City. The 2006 NEA report cites the decline is primarily due to a shift to news/talk radio programming. General Manager Deborah S. Proctor of WCPE 89.7 FM explains that despite the industry's shift toward news/talk programming, Wake Forest, N.C.-based WCPE has maintained consistent increases in listenership throughout its 28-year history. Moreover, the station anticipates growth in 2007.

Proctor explains that WCPE's success is built on a foundation of staying consistent to a non-commercial, 100 percent listener-supported format of classical music 24/7. One of the ways the station has grown listenership and expanded their broadcast market is by granting retransmission rights. In addition to granting retransmission rights, WCPE's broadcast is available worldwide via 24/7 Internet streaming and on the North American continent through small and large dish satellite transmission. This allows other stations and cable TV systems to carry WCPE's programming without charge or royalty. WCPE has listeners from all 50 states and each of the seven continents including Antarctica. The station intends on expanding its listening footprint by placing mini-transmitters in several cities this year.

"We are proud that our station has consistently posted growth throughout the past three decades, despite the industry trend toward commercialized news/talk radio or the dual format of classical and news so common at public stations," Proctor said. "WCPE continues efforts to reach listeners by staying true to our mission of supplying Great Classical Music worldwide."

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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