Comments from the petition: Page 13

Classical music is very important to me. I listened to Classic 89 often for
the music. There are many sources for news but there is (was) only one for
classical music.

The quality of our lives sadly changed today as the soothing and enriching music
of WUFT-FM was replaced by talk. While we have an HD radio in our home office,
we don't have HD radios throughout my home. We don't have satellite radio in
our cars. My husband and I have supported WUFT-FM substantially since moving to
Gainesville in 2000, both by our financial support and by volunteering during
your fund drive. These will no longer be options we consider in the future.
Your decision has abruptly disrupted one of the finest assets of this
community..

The HD radios I found on Amazon were all well over $100, and there were many
user complaints. I hate to think what it would cost to have one installed in my
car, where I do much of my listening. Now I hear the HD channels are off the
air due to station problems...
Why is it that the third largest university in the country cannot support a
decent college radio station?
Why not replace Rock 104, which is disgusting AND losing money, with a true
college station?

Classical music is an art form that cannot be lost. There are already so few
venues, we cannot afford to lose another. Classical music challenges the
listner, unlike most other music we hear today. I listen to the music portions
of WUFT on a regular basis and would be greatly disappointed if the format was
changed to include any less music. In fact, I we need MORE music!

I am opposed to this change. Most of all I am opposed to the fact that there was
no conversation with the audience or membership prior to taking these actions. I
have supported this station through payroll deduction and additional gifts for
nearly 20 years and I long with thousands of other members have been treated
with no respect or concern. We have not even been shown appreciation for the
many years of dedicated support we have shown. Our loyalty to the station and
its important services have been abused and we have been shown the door. I am
outraged by this and vehemently protest this draconian and autocratic abuse of
power.

I feel that this move was made without any PUBLIC input at all. How incongruous
for Public Broadcasting System!

I've already sent e-mails to Dean Wright and the President of UF. You have just
stripped away from us one of the treasures created by mankind: classical music,
good for the mind, body and soul. You replaced it with a lot of useless talk
which does just the opposite. The LOCAL flavor and information available to us
about the arts in this area is also lost to us now.
I understand the HD2 signal won't even reach Ocala, let alone the Villages and
other places, so what good is that? You never mentioned that. Also go ahead
and find me an HD2 radio receiver that costs only $75. If you can I bet it
doesn't sound like my stereo system which is appropriate for classical
music.
This reminds me of the way a totalitarian state does things.

Local radio is an important resource that we should not relinquish.
The residents of Gainesville pledge their support for classic 89 and
to redirect their support for a different program is dishonest.

In Cincinnati, two separate NPR stations were created (under same management
company), one of which broadcast HD-classical music while the other broadcast
NPR's diversified news, talk shows, jazz and other special features programming.
For those of us that tend to listen to NPR predominantly in the car with an
analog radio, it would be nice to have both major program formats available.

As a community-based resource, you should have polled your supporters and
listeners before making such a drastic change in format. Classical music was
what made WUFT-FM unique. If you needed another format, then you could have
added that one to the HD option.