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not entirely negative food for thought ... it doesn't surprise me that the classical music sales industry is lower than other genres given the nationwide attack on classical music stations to relegate them to virtual closets whereby only those with the secret decoder rings can gain access ... maybe this Oleno needs to be addressed by the very businesses selling the goods? maybe we do need to go commercial ... approach the big producers of classical music product. And why not? It looks to me like that when, as in this article, classical music gets an airing, sales go up ...

You're not alone in protesting format changes. This is happening all over the country, as the unholy alliance between NPR and iBiquity (aka iNiquity, the proprietor of HD technology) is muscling in on stations nationwide. See, for example, the Facebook page for Austin protestors (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&gid=112566211435) and their website, saveKUTaustin.com. See also the site for Boston protestors over the changes at WGBH (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&ref=ts&gid=201481030324).

Well, here we are 7 weeks after the fall pledge drive and WUFT is online and on air begging for those of you who love public radio to make another gift, a tax deductible gift, to the radio station. Of course, this is "a great time of year to do" that. It sounds like they've got poor Donna Green at gunpoint on the radio spots. So why are they doing this when time and again Paul Gordon rejects the idea that listener support will either make or break the station. To listen to him it seems that listener support is an afterthought.

Is there any positive news for those of us who miss the former format?
Every day now when I listen to WUFT while commuting (unless I get so disgusted that I play a cd), I hear multiple audio clips from people who state how delighted they are with the new all talk/ schmalk format.
Of course I never hear any sound bites from the frustrated masses who miss the music genres that were previously played.

Are there any developments?

Well folks, here it is the last night of the first pledge week after the death of Classic 89. So, what can we expect to hear about it's success or failure in the next few days. For one, I'm predicting that the Junta at WUFT will sound the clarion loudly and declare from on high that THIS pledge drive has been "the most successful pledge drive ever!!!" It only stands to reason that they would say this whether the funds are there or not. Remember that they LIE automatically.

Normally it's an exciting thing to listen to the pledge drive at WUFT-FM. After all, I felt a bond to the station, anchor that it was of the community. Now that the music fans have been disowned, we are on the outside looking in.

The Gainesville Sun seems to have taken to the view that the opposition to WUFT-FM's format change has died down. This would be in line with the hope of one of the consultant's reports (obtained at long last through a public-records request). The report projected that that Dean Wright and friends would have to deal with angry listeners for only one or two weeks. Well, we, the angry listeners, have not obliged him.

The Decision to change the WUFT-FM format came from the office of Dean John Wright, not the station management or the Classic-89 friends board.

Oh my goodness, this gentleman has said what I tried to condense into a small paragraph on the petition, but BOY, has he got it right.
The HD2 substitute is no substitute. There is no "mind" behind it.

Kiss Lex and Terry goodbye! There is no way that the dean or the Board can even think of retaining this kind of programming after the editorials of the last week; it is only a matter of time. The more shame that can be heaped upon the dean of the school of Journalisim, the better. The University of Florida is going to have to take a stand. Is it for dollars? If so, say so! Or is it for "classical" education. If so, say so.