Classical Music domination violates the founding purpose of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting:

This table shows that out of 35 commercial classical formatted radio stations with complete data, 26 were rating over a one share.

There are often well over 10 stations in any decent sized market that survive (and provide significant programming for their niche market) on less than a "one share". A "One Share" means that less than 1% of those over the age of 12 who were surveyed in radio listenership questionnaire claimed to listen to that station over the cumulative time of the survey.
Most classical stations are coming in at well over a one share in spite of taxpayer funded noncommercial competition via the CPB affiliated radio stations. This is like the Discovery Channel successfully competing against/alongside PBS TV stations.
These facts show that classical-dominated Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) radio stations are avoiding the actual mission statement of the CPB.

"From its beginnings in 1967, the mission of public [broadcasting] has been to … reflect the diversity of the American public. The Carnegie Commission Report, which led Congress to pass the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, argued that public [broadcasting] programming ‘can help us see America whole, in all its diversity,’ serve as ‘a forum for controversy and debate,’ and ‘provide a voice for groups in the community that may otherwise be

unheard.’" [Pg 139 "By Invitation Only: How the Media Limit Political Debate"]

WGMS in Washington DC regularly clocks a "four share" (four percent of surveyed listeners) and is the 6th most popular station in a market of 42 commercial radio stations. WGMS has to compete with nine noncommercial stations that are not even listed in the Arbitrons. Eighteen of the commercial stations in Washington survive on less than a one share. The records show this is the norm.
Furthermore, Classical Music has the wealthiest audience. WCLV in Cleveland OH claims that its Commercial Classical audience is "298% times as likely as the average American to have an income over $100,000" and "216% as likely to own $10,000+ in stocks". The WCVL listener is twice as likely to be an executive as the Cleveland market’s overall listeners. Does this sound like the bunch of folks who need your tax dollars to "provide a voice for groups in the community that may otherwise be unheard"?

To read the table:

"Call" = "Call Letters" as registered with the FCC.
"Format"= is either the Commercial Classical station studied ("ComClas") or the Number One station in that market for this book. The reason for this is to show what the share is for the best station in the market compared to the commercial classical station. You may note that it is not common for even the number one rated radio station to get more than 12% of a radio listener market.
"Market" refers to the ADI or "Area of Dominant Influence" (also matches closely with the Census Bureau's MSA or "Metropolitan Statistical Area") that the radio station competes in.
"Rank" means that that station is the number one rated, or xth highest rated station in that market.
"# of com stations" refers to the number of commercial radio stations to be competed with. This number does not include all the stations that compete for a listener's time! The Arbitron intentionally deletes any noncommercial listening that is reported for this ranking exercise. So for example, in Richmond, Virginia, the roughly 90,000 listeners for WRVA1140AM news and talk should rank right above or below the public radio station WCVE88.9FM's 90,000 listeners of Morning Edition and All Thing's Considered ... but WCVE doesn't show in the Arbitron ratings rankings at all! In other words, when you listen to any noncommercial station, religious, college or "public" broadcasting, your listening literally does not count!

"Su98" etc. refers to the rating quarter (Summer 1998) that the column displays for the percent of the surveyed listeners who claimed to listen to that station.
"#<1share" refers to the number of radio stations in that market that survived on less than a "one share" (1% of surveyed listeners). While perhaps not something the stockholders would love, from a listener's point of view, a market must have a certain number of these struggling stations in order for the competitive pressures to create a need to reach out to new audiences.
"Comment" ends up displaying mostly what station was just below the commercial classical station. You can look it and its format up in the B&C books if you would like to see what context the niche market for classical music is.

The bottom line is: It is a myth that "If [CPB] didn't do it [play classical music], who would?" and that therefore "The Music Of The Masters" would never be heard from again and Western Civilization would fall to "The Barbarians".
Just as an automobile running in the confines of a garage replaces the oxygen in the air with carbon monoxide (thus killing any people in the garage), so does the preponderance of classical music displace the hours of eclectic programming that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting was originally formed to sponsor!

Interestingly, National Public Radio opposes the Low Power Radio Service even while continuing to push the classical music myth.
"Will competition from lots of small stations knock off some struggling minority-owned and public radio stations? ... who will get these stations, whether or not they would be platforms for hate groups in America?" said "Billy" Tauzin, who warns of stations operated "by skinheads and people like David Duke." (4/20/99 Times-Picayune)

Petroleum Broadcasting Service

["Billy" Tauzin is the Chair of the US House of Representatives Telecom Subcommittee]

FOR EXAMPLE:
In the first row KBOQ is the 9th ranked station in the Monteray-Salinas-Santa-Cruz, California market. There are 51 other commercial radio stations (decent competition) and in the Summer of 1998, they captured 3.5% of the cumulative listening of those over 12 years of age who were surveyed by Arbtron for that quarter. There were 28 radio stations that earned less than 1% of the attention ... and often survive anyway. KIDD-AM was the next lowest rated radio station in that market. You could go lookup KIDD and some of the other above and below the commercial classical station to get a feel for what kind of other formats are in that attention range. Often what you will find is that it is surrounded by the 3rd country station, the 5th Baby Boomer Beebop radio station, or the sixth Gospel station. These are often stations that have picked a format they are comfortable with, but are also "saturated", that is, the other stations have taken the majority of listeners for that format. When enough of these exist (such as this example) it can often provide the pressue necessary to push ownership to try a format they are not comfortable with, in an attempt to break out of the sub 1 ratings bracket. So from a listener's viewpoint, the more stations that are unprofitable, the more variety you are likely to enjoy.

Often a cell is blank because there was no information to put in that cell. They are initially listed just by their call letters and often the market they are in is deduced by looking at maps of the ADI or MSA (metro area and surrounding) and are included in that market if it appears that there is any chance that a listener from that market would hear the station. Often these commercial classical stations are "rimshots" that are actually supposed to be serving some small town at the extreme edge of the market, but the station is aimed at the metro audience. Also many of the stations are in areas where there is NO rated market to include them in either because of a rural location or because the market is too small for Arbritron to bother with rating. They might also be close, but with a mountain range blocking reception.
By the way, Boulder Colorado has an excellent community radio station, KGNO, in a market with only 11 stations under a one share AND supports a commercial classical station that enjoys around a two share.

Call Format Market Rank # of com stations Su98 Sp98 Wi97 Fa97 #<1share Affil Comment

KBOQ ComClas CA, Monteray-Salinas-Santa-Cruz 9 52 3.5 4.7 4.2 3.9 28 Beat out KIDD-AM (next lowest rated stations)

KDON Best CA, Monteray-Salinas-Santa-Cruz 1 52 9.4 8.8 8.8 8.4 28

KCFM ComClas OK, Mulgee

KDB ComClas CA, Santa Barbara 10 30 * 4 * 4.3 10 beat KSPE

KSBL Best CA, Santa Barbara 1 30 * 10.2 * 9 10

KDFC ComClas CA, San Francisco 9 55 3 2.7 2.3 2.8 28 beat KITS

KGO Best CA, San Francisco 1 55 6.5 6.6 6.4 6.6 28

KFSD ComClas CA, San Deigo 9 50 1.7 1.3 1.2 1.4 22 beat KSDO

KYXY Best CA, San Deigo 1 50 6.3 6.8 4.8 5.1 22

KFUO ComClas MO, St. Louise 18 35 2.4 2.8 2.8 3.1 14 Beat KXOK

KEZK Best MO, St. Louise 1 35 14.1 13.9 10.7 11.2 14 But 2nd best was rated 7.1 7.0 6.8 5.5

KHFM ComClas NM, Albuquerque 5 35 4.7 3.6 5.1 4.7 11 Beat KPEK

KKOB Best NM, Albuquerque 1 35 8.4 8.7 9.3 8.5 11

KHSS ComClas WA, Walla Walla Not Rated (Rural)

KING ComClas WA, Seattle-Tacoma 10 34 3.8 3.8 4.3 3.5 11 Beat KISW

KIRO Best WA, Seattle-Tacoma 1 34 7.5 7.5 5.6 7.2 11

KKGO ComClas CA, Los Angeles 25 55 1.6 1.9 1.9 1.7 28 Beat KBUE

KLUE Best CA, Los Angeles 1 55 6 6.3 5.3 6.1 28

KLEF ComClas AK, Anchorage 11 23 * 4 * 3.6 6 Beat KHAR

KGOT Best AK, Anchorage 1 23 * 12 * 12.8 6

KVOD ComClas CO, Denver-Boulder 19 32 1.7 2.3 2.2 2.2 13 Beat KTLK

KYGO Best CO, Denver-Boulder 1 32 7.9 8.2 7.8 9.3 13

KRTS ComClas TX, Houston-Galveston 25 40 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.8 17 Pacifica Pacifica Commercial?? Beat KYOK

KBXX Best TX, Houston-Galveston 1 40 7.6 6.7 6.2 6.8 17

KUCV ComClas NEB, Lincoln Not Rated (Too Small)?

KXTR ComClas MO, Kansas City 15 29 2.5 2.6 1.9 3.8 9 Beat KCHZ

KPRS Best MO, Kansas City 1 29 9 7.8 8.3 10 9

KBKK ComClas NY, Albany-Sch-Troy 20 40 0.7 1.3 0.8 1.2 22 Beat WJKE

WGNA Best NY, Albany-Sch-Troy 1 40 11.8 10.9 9.8 11.3 22

KBOQ ComClas MA, Boston 26 44 0.5 0.4 0.6 * 24 Beat WOKQ

WBZ-AM Best MA, Boston 1 44 7.9 7.8 7.9 9.4 24

WBQW ComClas ME, Portland 15 29 * 1.6 * 1.6 10 Beat WRED

WBLM Best ME, Portland 1 29 * 9.8 * 10.7 10

WCLV ComClas OH, Cleveland 13 31 3.1 2.3 3.4 2.9 13 Beat WJMO

WMJI Best OH, Cleveland 1 31 9 8.5 8.1 8.1 13

WCRB ComClas MA, Boston 10 44 3.3 4.6 4.8 4 24 Beat ??

WFMR ComClas Mich, Milwaukee 19 34 1.5 2.8 2.3 2.5 15 Beat WGN-AM

WTMJ Best Mich, Milwaukee 1 34 11.5 9.2 9.2 11.1 15

WFMT ComClas ILL, Chicago 25 44 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 18 Beat WGCI-AM

WGCI-FM Best ILL, Chicago 1 44 8 7.7 6.3 7.2 18

WGKA-AM ComClas GA, Atlanta 23 29 0.4 * * 0.5 11 Beat WPLO-AM

WSB Best GA, Atlanta 1 29 9.9 10.2 11 9.3 11

WGMS ComClas DC, Washington 6 42 4.5 3.9 4.3 4 18 Beat WRQX, WPFW and WAMU are competitors

WPGC-FM Best DC, Washington 1 42 6.3 6.1 5.5 5.6 18

WHRB ComClas ?Boston? But not found in Boston ratings

KPRB ComClas NJ, Princeton 36 43 * 0.4 * * 18 Beat WQXR, NOTE: 15 mi N of Trenton

WPST Best NJ, Princeton 1 43 * 7.4 * 8.1 NOTE: 15 mi N of Trenton

WVBI ComClas RI, Newport (30mi s on Ocean Island Not Rated

KCUA ComClas UT, Coalville: 30m East of Salt Lake City Not Rated

KBRD ComClas WA, Lacey (25 mi S of Tacoma-Seattle Not Rated in Tacoma

WKAR ComClas Mich, Lansing Not Rated

WNIB ComClas ILL, Chicago 23 44 1.7 1.4 1.9 1.7 Beat WSCR-AM

WNIZ ComClas ILL, Chicago 42 44 0 0.1 0 0 Beat WTAQ

WQXR ComClas NY, NY 18 52 2.4 3.1 2.9 2.4 28 Beat WQEW-AM

WSKQ Best NY, NY 1 52 6 5.9 6.1 5.6 28

WRR ComClas TX, Dallas-FtWorth 20 41 2.1 2.4 2.6 3.1 15 Beat KKZN-FM

KHKS-FM Best TX, Dallas-FtWorth 1 41 7.7 8 7.1 7.5 15

WTMI ComClas FL, Miami-FtLauderdale 16 42 2.8 2.7 3.2 3 16 Beat WCMQ-FM

WEDR-FM Best FL, Miami-FtLauderdale 1 42 7.4 6.1 6.6 4.9 16

KNOB ComClas CA, Costa-Mesa (Sof LA) Not listed in LA Mkt

KFSD ComClas CA, Escondido (N of San Diego) 20 50 1.7 1.3 1.2 1.4 22

KYXY Best CA, Escondido (N of San Diego) 1 50 6.3 6.8 4.8 5.1 22

KTRJ ComClas N of LA, CA (60 mi over a mountain Not Rated (Rural)

KKHI-FM ComClas CA, San Rafael (N of San Francisco) 42 55 0.4 0.4 0.6 0.5

KKHI-AM ComClas CA, San Rafael (N of San Francisco) 49 55 0.1 0 0.1 0

KKHK ComClas CO, Denver-Boulder 12 32 3.6 4 4.5 4.4 13 Beat KIMN-FM

KYGO Best CO, Denver-Boulder 1 32 7.9 8.2 7.8 9.3 13

WAMS ComClas DE, Wilmington Not Rated

WGUF ComClas FL, Marco (S of Naples) Not Rated (Rural)

WSYW ComClas IN, Danville (20mi W of Indianapolis) 25 30 0.4 0.4 1.1 1 12 Beat WBRI

WFMS Best IN, Danville (20mi W of Indianapolis) 1 30 13.6 11.4 10.7 13.7 12

WBQQ ComClas ME, Kennebunkport (20mi s of Portland) 17 29 * 1 * 1 10

WBLM-FM Best ME, Kennebunkport (20mi s of Portland) 1 29 * 9.8 * 10.7 10

WPKM ComClas ME, Scarsborough (10mi S of Portland) Not Rated

WXDG ComClas Mich, Detroit 24 35 1.1 1.6 1.1 1.9 10 Beat WGPR

WNIC Best Mich, Detroit 1 35 8 7.5 7.6 7.4 10

WFGR ComClas Mich, GrandRapids 15 27 1.8 2.8 2.1 3.2 10 Beat WMUS-FM

WLAV Best Mich, GrandRapids 1 27 9.3 8.9 9.8 9.9

Data taken from the 1998 SDRS and Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook.

Return to Radio 4 "The Rest Of U.S."

Last Updated on 7/27/99

Call	Format	Market	Rank	# of com stations	Su98	Sp98	Wi97	Fa97	#<1share	Affil	Comment
KBOQ	ComClas	CA, Monteray-Salinas-Santa-Cruz	9	52	3.5	4.7	4.2	3.9	28		Beat out KIDD-AM (next lowest rated stations)
KDON	Best	CA, Monteray-Salinas-Santa-Cruz	1	52	9.4	8.8	8.8	8.4	28
KCFM	ComClas	OK, Mulgee
KDB	ComClas	CA, Santa Barbara	10	30	*	4	*	4.3	10		beat KSPE
KSBL	Best	CA, Santa Barbara	1	30	*	10.2	*	9	10
KDFC	ComClas	CA, San Francisco	9	55	3	2.7	2.3	2.8	28		beat KITS
KGO	Best	CA, San Francisco	1	55	6.5	6.6	6.4	6.6	28
KFSD	ComClas	CA, San Deigo	9	50	1.7	1.3	1.2	1.4	22		beat KSDO
KYXY	Best	CA, San Deigo	1	50	6.3	6.8	4.8	5.1	22
KFUO	ComClas	MO, St. Louise	18	35	2.4	2.8	2.8	3.1	14		Beat KXOK
KEZK	Best	MO, St. Louise	1	35	14.1	13.9	10.7	11.2	14		But 2nd best was rated 7.1 7.0 6.8 5.5
KHFM	ComClas	NM, Albuquerque	5	35	4.7	3.6	5.1	4.7	11		Beat KPEK
KKOB	Best	NM, Albuquerque	1	35	8.4	8.7	9.3	8.5	11
KHSS	ComClas	WA, Walla Walla	Not Rated (Rural)
KING	ComClas	WA, Seattle-Tacoma	10	34	3.8	3.8	4.3	3.5	11		Beat KISW
KIRO	Best	WA, Seattle-Tacoma	1	34	7.5	7.5	5.6	7.2	11
KKGO	ComClas	CA, Los Angeles	25	55	1.6	1.9	1.9	1.7	28		Beat KBUE
KLUE	Best	CA, Los Angeles	1	55	6	6.3	5.3	6.1	28
KLEF	ComClas	AK, Anchorage	11	23	*	4	*	3.6	6		Beat KHAR
KGOT	Best	AK, Anchorage	1	23	*	12	*	12.8	6
KVOD	ComClas	CO, Denver-Boulder	19	32	1.7	2.3	2.2	2.2	13		Beat KTLK
KYGO	Best	CO, Denver-Boulder	1	32	7.9	8.2	7.8	9.3	13
KRTS	ComClas	TX, Houston-Galveston	25	40	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.8	17	Pacifica	Pacifica Commercial?? Beat KYOK
KBXX	Best	TX, Houston-Galveston	1	40	7.6	6.7	6.2	6.8	17
KUCV	ComClas	NEB, Lincoln	Not Rated (Too Small)?
KXTR	ComClas	MO, Kansas City	15	29	2.5	2.6	1.9	3.8	9		Beat KCHZ
KPRS	Best	MO, Kansas City	1	29	9	7.8	8.3	10	9
KBKK	ComClas	NY, Albany-Sch-Troy	20	40	0.7	1.3	0.8	1.2	22		Beat WJKE
WGNA	Best	NY, Albany-Sch-Troy	1	40	11.8	10.9	9.8	11.3	22
KBOQ	ComClas	MA, Boston	26	44	0.5	0.4	0.6	*	24		Beat WOKQ
WBZ-AM	Best	MA, Boston	1	44	7.9	7.8	7.9	9.4	24
WBQW	ComClas	ME, Portland	15	29	*	1.6	*	1.6	10		Beat WRED
WBLM	Best	ME, Portland	1	29	*	9.8	*	10.7	10
WCLV	ComClas	OH, Cleveland	13	31	3.1	2.3	3.4	2.9	13		Beat WJMO
WMJI	Best	OH, Cleveland	1	31	9	8.5	8.1	8.1	13
WCRB	ComClas	MA, Boston	10	44	3.3	4.6	4.8	4	24		Beat ??
WFMR	ComClas	Mich, Milwaukee	19	34	1.5	2.8	2.3	2.5	15		Beat WGN-AM
WTMJ	Best	Mich, Milwaukee	1	34	11.5	9.2	9.2	11.1	15
WFMT	ComClas	ILL, Chicago	25	44	1.2	1.2	1.2	1.2	18		Beat WGCI-AM
WGCI-FM	Best	ILL, Chicago	1	44	8	7.7	6.3	7.2	18
WGKA-AM	ComClas	GA, Atlanta	23	29	0.4	*	*	0.5	11		Beat WPLO-AM
WSB	Best	GA, Atlanta	1	29	9.9	10.2	11	9.3	11
WGMS	ComClas	DC, Washington	6	42	4.5	3.9	4.3	4	18		Beat WRQX, WPFW and WAMU are competitors
WPGC-FM	Best	DC, Washington	1	42	6.3	6.1	5.5	5.6	18
WHRB	ComClas	?Boston? But not found in Boston ratings
KPRB	ComClas	NJ, Princeton	36	43	*	0.4	*	*	18		Beat WQXR, NOTE: 15 mi N of Trenton
WPST	Best	NJ, Princeton	1	43	*	7.4	*	8.1			NOTE: 15 mi N of Trenton
WVBI	ComClas	RI, Newport (30mi s on Ocean Island	Not Rated
KCUA	ComClas	UT, Coalville: 30m East of Salt Lake City	Not Rated
KBRD	ComClas	WA, Lacey (25 mi S of Tacoma-Seattle	Not Rated in Tacoma
WKAR	ComClas	Mich, Lansing	Not Rated
WNIB	ComClas	ILL, Chicago	23	44	1.7	1.4	1.9	1.7			Beat WSCR-AM
WNIZ	ComClas	ILL, Chicago	42	44	0	0.1	0	0			Beat WTAQ
WQXR	ComClas	NY, NY	18	52	2.4	3.1	2.9	2.4	28		Beat WQEW-AM
WSKQ	Best	NY, NY	1	52	6	5.9	6.1	5.6	28
WRR	ComClas	TX, Dallas-FtWorth	20	41	2.1	2.4	2.6	3.1	15		Beat KKZN-FM
KHKS-FM	Best	TX, Dallas-FtWorth	1	41	7.7	8	7.1	7.5	15
WTMI	ComClas	FL, Miami-FtLauderdale	16	42	2.8	2.7	3.2	3	16		Beat WCMQ-FM
WEDR-FM	Best	FL, Miami-FtLauderdale	1	42	7.4	6.1	6.6	4.9	16
KNOB	ComClas	CA, Costa-Mesa (Sof LA)	Not listed in LA Mkt
KFSD	ComClas	CA, Escondido (N of San Diego)	20	50	1.7	1.3	1.2	1.4	22
KYXY	Best	CA, Escondido (N of San Diego)	1	50	6.3	6.8	4.8	5.1	22
KTRJ	ComClas	N of LA, CA (60 mi over a mountain	Not Rated (Rural)
KKHI-FM	ComClas	CA, San Rafael (N of San Francisco)	42	55	0.4	0.4	0.6	0.5
KKHI-AM	ComClas	CA, San Rafael (N of San Francisco)	49	55	0.1	0	0.1	0
KKHK	ComClas	CO, Denver-Boulder	12	32	3.6	4	4.5	4.4	13		Beat KIMN-FM
KYGO	Best	CO, Denver-Boulder	1	32	7.9	8.2	7.8	9.3	13
WAMS	ComClas	DE, Wilmington	Not Rated
WGUF	ComClas	FL, Marco (S of Naples)	Not Rated (Rural)
WSYW	ComClas	IN, Danville (20mi W of Indianapolis)	25	30	0.4	0.4	1.1	1	12		Beat WBRI
WFMS	Best	IN, Danville (20mi W of Indianapolis)	1	30	13.6	11.4	10.7	13.7	12
WBQQ	ComClas	ME, Kennebunkport (20mi s of Portland)	17	29	*	1	*	1	10
WBLM-FM	Best	ME, Kennebunkport (20mi s of Portland)	1	29	*	9.8	*	10.7	10
WPKM	ComClas	ME, Scarsborough (10mi S of Portland)	Not Rated
WXDG	ComClas	Mich, Detroit	24	35	1.1	1.6	1.1	1.9	10		Beat WGPR
WNIC	Best	Mich, Detroit	1	35	8	7.5	7.6	7.4	10
WFGR	ComClas	Mich, GrandRapids	15	27	1.8	2.8	2.1	3.2	10		Beat WMUS-FM
WLAV	Best	Mich, GrandRapids	1	27	9.3	8.9	9.8	9.9