WFLN TO DROP CLASSICAL FOR MORE PROFITABLE FORMAT
WITH OWNERSHIP CHANGING FIVE TIMES RECENTLY, MANY SAW THE SWITCH
AS INEVITABLE. ANOTHER, UNNAMED STATION MAY PICK UP THE FORMAT.

Section: BUSINESS

Page: C01

By Peter Dobrin and Kevin L. Carter, INQUIRER STAFF WRITERS

Philadelphia's only classical music station, WFLN-FM (95.7), is dropping its classical format ``within days,'' the station's general manager said. At the same time, another local FM station is expected to turn classical.

``It's not a done deal, but what we're trying to do is keep classical music in the market and have people keep their jobs,'' said Dennis Begley, general manager of WFLN and the radio division of the station's owner, Greater Media Inc.

Begley declined to elaborate on WFLN's new format and would not say which station in the Philadelphia area might go classical. But he did express confidence that the market still will have a classical music radio station.

``Everybody's going to be very happy, happier than you can imagine,'' he said.

For months now at WFLN, commerce has hung over the head of culture like the sword of Damocles. Sold five times in 13 months, at higher and higher prices each time, WFLN could go only so long before changing from classical to something more profitable, radio industry heads said. In the most recent transaction, last April, Greater Media Inc. announced its intention to buy WFLN from Texas-based Evergreen Media Corp. for $41.8 million.

Not everyone was happy yesterday as word of WFLN's decision filtered out.

``It's dreadful and shocking,'' said Davyd Booth, a violinist with the Philadelphia Orchestra. ``How can something like this happen in a city like Philadelphia?''

``It's the same thing as when a major league team leaves a city,'' said Charles Pizzi, president of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. ``Clearly the management has to do what's best for the shareholders. But you really lose a great asset when you lose a piece of culture that has ingrained itself in the community the way WFLN has.''

WFLN employees, growing ever more anxious about their future each time the station was sold, were called to a staff meeting yesterday morning at which they expected some hard information about the station's future. ``We didn't get a definitive word on anything,'' one staffer said.

Members of the sales staff were told not to sell any more advertising.

``It wouldn't really be fair for advertisers to commit their dollars for next week only to find out that the station isn't going to be doing classical music,'' Begley said.

WFLN - which trumpeted itself as ``Philadelphia's voice of the arts'' - has been broadcasting classical music for nearly 50 years, and its format change will leave a gap in the city's arts community. The Philadelphia Orchestra benefits from the radio station through the annual Radiothon, which raises $250,000 to $300,000, and its concerts are broadcast locally on the station. Two weekly shows explore the orchestra's recording life. The station airs concerts from the Curtis Institute of Music, and Notes from Philadelphia features profiles of local arts groups and personalities.

Orchestra president Joseph H. Kluger said the Radiothon is of ``critical importance'' to the orchestra, as is advertising time it received in exchange for tickets.

The orchestra was near to closing a deal for PNC Bank to sponsor 26 weeks of local radio broadcasts, Kluger said. ``They expressed interest in renewing their commitment. But, of course, it is contingent upon having an outlet for them.''

(National radio broadcasts of the orchestra's Academy of Music concerts might resume this winter, after an eight-year absence, though a sponsor for that 13-week series has not yet been found. Kluger said he has committed the broadcasts to musicians even if no sponsor steps forward.)

The orchestra's presence on radio is so important that Kluger said he has talked to a broker about the possibility of the orchestra or a consortium of community leaders buying a radio station and taking it classical. The escalating price of radio properties makes that option unrealistic, Kluger said.

But as WFLN prepares for its departure from the classical music scene, other broadcasters are making plans to fill the void.

On the horizon is a deal that would make another venerable station available to Philadelphia-area listeners. WQXR, the New York City classical music radio station owned by the New York Times, is pursuing an arrangement whereby its signal would be distributed via satellite to cable companies that would, in turn, make reception available to listeners locally and nationally.

The deal between WQXR and a satellite distribution company is a week to 10 days away, said Warren Bodow, president and general manager of WQXR-FM and WQEW-AM.

``WQXR was the first station with a classical format in 1936, and we feel a certain responsibility that if there is a major market two hours away without classical music, we'd like to fill it,'' he said. ``If WFLN goes off the air [with classical music] and another deal doesn't come to fruition, I imagine that Philadelphia would be horrified.''

No Philadelphia cable operators have yet expressed interest in picking up the WQXR signal, Bodow said.

Many Philadelphia-area listeners can also hear classical music via local translators of WWFM (89.1) Trenton/WWNJ (91.1) Toms River - the Mercer County Community College public radio network. In Pennsylvania, the station can be heard in Center City (107.9), Easton (93.1) and Allentown (92.7). In New Jersey it is available in Atlantic City (93.9), Cape May County (89.1), Burlington County (107.9), Hunterdon County (105.7), Warren County (96.9) and Long Branch (89.7).

WWFM is looking to expand its coverage in Philadelphia in the wake of WFLN's format change.

``Our engineers have been searching high and low for a frequency in Philadelphia, but they haven't found anything that would be approved by the FCC,'' said Alice Weiss, program director of the WWFM network. ``We do want to set up a translator if and when a frequency comes available.''

WHYY-FM (90.9), a Philadelphia public radio station, dropped classical music several years ago - a move that still has many local listeners angry.