STATION (HEART) BREAK
CLASSICAL GETS BURNED IN THE HUNT FOR RADIO
DOLLARS BUT A FORMAT MERGER AT 'RTI MIGHT NOT BE ALL BAD.

Section: EDITORIAL

Page: A14

The other day on Temple's jazz station, WRTI-FM (90.1), a DJ said the plan was to ``keep the music goin' on, and goin' strong.''

To which classical music lovers in the Philadelphia area now raise at least half a cheer.

Temple's public-radio affiliate has become the next best hope for classical music listeners - now that the new owners of the city's venerable WFLN-FM (95.7), Greater Media Inc., have banished Bach and Beethoven to pursue a possible tripling of profits by playing pop tunes.

'RTI takes some of the sting out of the loss, in agreeing to split its air time equally between jazz and classical music and be the steward for 'FLN's 3,000 recordings.

At least Philadelphia won't be without the classics on the radio dial - a sad and absurd proposition in the nation's fifth-largest radio market, a city with a world-class orchestra and musical institute.

So, to Temple and 'RTI, thank you.

But how did classical radio stumble so badly in Ormandy's town? Nothing personal, the trade folks say. As a New York critic wrote this week, classical radio around the country ``is on life support.''

Why is no radio money going for baroque these days? Thank deregulation-inspired bidding wars for valuable signals. WFLN became what's known as a ``trading card'' - passed from buyer to buyer at ever-higher cost.

New owners fiddled clumsily with the classical format in an attempt to boost the numbers, only angering loyalists. Then, when 'FLN's price tag reached nearly $42 million, the $5 million profit the station churned out by serving its stable audience suddenly wasn't good enough.

Amid such market realities, it's fortunate that public radio is there to take up the baton. The challenge is to do it well. Certainly, the noncommercial format is better suited to airing symphonies and the like. But will 'RTI, as did 'FLN, be able to serve as the valued cheerleader for the Philadelphia Orchestra, raising $250,000 with an annual radiothon?

The change comes at a price for 'RTI, too. Fans of 24-hour jazz - a rare format in itself - are rightfully upset. However, it would only add to the city's cultural woes if the 'RTI rescue led to internal dissension or external tensions with an African American community that justly regards the jazz station as special.

A home-grown jazz station is important to Philadelphia, whose jazz legacy is rich as well.

But the merger of formats need not be a disaster. There may prove to be more overlap in the two audiences than imagined. And classical music's affluent listeners and loyal advertisers might help pump membership and underwriting dollars to 'RTI, which has its own fund-raising woes.

As for the classical market, more service may be coming in the form of syndicated programming - with cable-network deals in the works.

Still, WFLN's 50-year class act is history. As Dave Conant, the station's popular on-air program director, said yesterday in his restrained goodbye, ``It's been a good run.''