Comments from the petition: Page 28

Dean
Your letter of July 17 informing WUFT supporters of the changes in WUFT format
read like a slick Madison Ave. PR release. You begin by claiming you have
increased "your commitment to classical music programming". It is only at the
end of the second page you tell us that we will have to find a HD radio to enjoy
any classical music at all. You are in error in stating an HD radio can be
easily purchased for $50. Radio Shack had two Jensen HD radios, both clock
radios. One was $130, the other $150. Do you know the difference between the
quality of sound between a HD clock radio (signal interupted frequently) and a
sound system with 16 inch Yamaha speakers?

I am absolutely bereft...there is no more classical music coming from either
home or car radio.
There must be some way to get back our beloved classical music.
News we can get 24 hours a day from many media sources...but good music
?
Let me know what I can do to help .

As a frequent listener of classic 89, I am very saddened by the station's
decision. There was no other similar programming like it and I believe it is a
real detriment to the community to eliminate it. This was such a high quality
station and a real treat to tune into throughout the day. Please bring it back!
- A loyal listener

It is a complete travesty for you to change the format from classical to "talk
radio" without even consulting your audience considering all of the apparent
support that they have given you for so many years. Shame on you!!!!

I wonder whether the switch to "talk" shows is not more expensive
than music ? In addition the students have less opportunity to be an
announcer. The mix before of Jazz, Classical, and Talk Shows seemed
to
be an excellent variety with something for everyone. I hardly ever listen
to
WRUF now while I did before the change.

I am a 1989 graduate of the College of Journalism and I was quite sad to hear
about this unfortunate format change at WUFT.
I have been a WUFT listener since my college days and when I moved back to
Gainesville in the mid 1990s I became a supporter of the station with the
"Theater of the Mind" show being my favorite.
(I recently tuned in to WUFT on a Sunday evening and found that the BBC news was
on instead of "Theater of the Mind" even though it is listed on the schedule
from the station's website.)
I remember when the Jacksonville NPR station did this a number of years ago and
I was happy that we were being different in keeping our unique college station.
I may be off base here but it seems to me that someone there at WUFT wanted to
feel like he or she was with one of the bigger NPR stations and hence pushed
this change through without any consultation or thought to the loyal listening
public.
Additionally, I wondered where the funds were coming from for this change and
then heard last week about some of the station's employees being let go. And
one other note; we were driving in our car last week with our children and
instead of listening to the classical music as we used to do we had to change
the station as the topic of the show was about an individual’s homosexual
experiences as a youth and we did not want our children to hear that.
I request that the individuals responsible for this decision at WUFT reconsider.

It is hard to believe a "university" town could do away with the only classical
programming format available. I will no longer be a financial contributor to
WUFT.

The variety of musical offerings of Classic 89 have not been given due credit.
For a flagship university to abandon these varied musical arts and drop them
from the campus station's broadcasts is beyond belief. No more money for UF from
this household.

I have enjoyed NPR for the last 20 years. I have enjoyed all types of music;
Harrison Keylor; All Things Considered and so many more radio shows that have
informed and given me pleasure.
I wish you to reconsider changing your format and consider all other Gainesville
and neighboring communities that concur with my request.

1. As one of the first group of student announcers when the station opened in
September of 1981, I'm sad to see one of the training grounds for communications
students closed down. Quite apart from acquiring the technical expertise
involved, I think students should be exposed to all kinds of music - the
languages and announcing techniques involved, unfamiliar pronunciations, music
from other cultures, ways in which so-called "serious" music interfaces with
popular culture (Karl Jenkins and de Beers diamonds, for instance)in the same
way that an English student needs to be introduced to a wide variety of
literature.
2. I'm appalled that a university journalism and communications college with any
pretentions to intellectual endeavor would do away with one of the few public
proofs of that endeavor.
3. Classic 89 was a "local" radio station in ways that the university's other
stations are not - broadcasting local concerts, phone-in shows hosted by local
figures, even at one point running a play-writing contest and broadcast the
winning play. This sense of connection with its audience was one of Classic 89's
great strengths.
4. The NPR news and current affairs feed is far more expensive than classical
music, which is largely in the public domain - even given the fact that it takes
fewer staff to run it. Where will the money come from for this extra
expenditure, and what makes the the dean think that disaffected classical music
listeners will contribute?