Valley Public Radio/Fresno Dropping Weekday Midday Classical Programming

Reduced Classical

WHITE ASH BROADCASTING News-Talk-Classical KVPR/FRESNO-KPRX/BAKERSFIELD (VALLEY PUBLIC RADIO) is making schedule changes that will see four hours of Classical programming exit weekday middays 9-11a and 1-3p (PT) and several syndicated shows join the schedule, effective MONDAY (9/14). Classical continues overnights and on the KVPR CLASSICAL digital station.

In an open letter to listeners, Pres./GM JOE MOORE said that the racial injustice issues being debated across the nations and demographic changes in the market led to the conclusion that "we simply aren’t doing a good enough job of living up to our values or to the 'public' in our name, or our public service mission ... For too long though, we have stayed put, and that has created long-term problems." 

Noting that ratings for news programming have increased and ratings for the daytime Classical programming have declined, including a drop of 60% when the station goes from NPR's "MORNING EDITION" to Classical, MOORE said that the station will drop the Classical midday show and will add NPR and WAMU/WASHINGTON's "1A." NPR and KERA/DALLAS' "THINK," and the statewide "FORUM," joining the recently-added "MARKETPLACE." On weekends, the station is adding NPR's "IT'S BEEN A MINUTE WITH SAM SANDERS" for SATURDAYS.

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