Comments from the petition: Page 40

I lived in Gainesville for nearly 15 years and supported WUFT, constantly
enjoying the classical music. I was shocked to learn this morning, during the
fund drive at my current classical music station (WSFU), that WUFT had
discontinued classical music! It is unimaginable that this could happen in a
university community! This move risks turning Gainesville into a cultural
wasteland. I had been seriously considering returning to Gainesville (to the Oak
Hammock retirement community). This development is a strong negative in my
considerations. A much better move would be to offer two FM stations, as is
done in Tallahassee, where WFSU and WFSQ (music) are both available on FM radio!
Shame on UF School of Journalism!

Please retain WUFT's classical music format/programming!

It's really pathetic that the only really professionally run classical music
station in Central Florida is going down the drain. So now WUFT is like all the
other formal good music station and it will be talk, talk and more talk. So
there is no point in supporting the station anymore.

Such a disappointment that this could happen with zero input from thousands of
loyal listeners and contributors! I rarely listen to WUFT-FM any more. The only
exceptions are Car Talk and Wait!Wait! and Prairie Home Companion on Saturdays.
I especially miss the Giveaway and Request Program on weekday afternoons. I will
not contribute financially to this station under the current format.

I certainly miss the music format of WUFT and the different programs and wish
they would go back to the music format that I have grown to know and love. The
only thing I now listen to is Sunday evening on this station if Theater of the
Mind. Period.

I have been a long-time listener to Classic 89 and support the station through
donations though I no longer live in Gainesville. I had long been impressed by
the high quality of the locally produced programming at Classic 89, and my
support has always gone to local programs. It is this programming that sets
Classic 89 far above the competition, and which provides a distinctive regional
'voice' for the area. Classic 89 represents UF and the surrounding community,
and as a public university station, it truly has reflected and represented the
best in the diversity of north Florida. Please bring back the "Classic" to 89,
and please keep the dedicated station managers and staff who have brought us
this fine programming over the years. They are the foundation that has created
this great station!

The role of a meaningful University is to lead the community in education and
culture. To eliminate the classical music format from the University's station
(the only source of classical music in this cultural wasteland) is to abrogate
this role. Your responsibility is more than a numbers/ratings/income
game......it is to do what's needed for those people who wish to stay in touch
with classical music instead of endless talk shows and mindless music and rap
across the radio spectrum.

Did anybody actually come up to y'all and ask for a bunch of recycled BBC
time-fillers?

Classic 89 was such a wonderful mix of talk and different kinds of music I could
not believe why anyone would want to change it.
This eternal talk drives you crazy and I and all my friends want nothing more
than the old format back, even if the proportion of talk and music would be
changed a little.

Return classical music to the previous format.