AN OPEN LETTER FROM ROBERT CONRAD
President and Co-founder of WCLV.

 

WCLV’s 50^th anniversary has come and gone, 
and as we look back over half of century, we see that change
has always been a part of the station’s history. We moved
studios and transmitter from Eastgate Shopping Center
to the Terminal Tower, to Radio Ranch in Warrensville Heights
and most recently to the Idea Center, home of ideastream,
on Playhouse Square.

If you look at the early examples of program schedules
posted on our website, you notice differences in what we
presented on the air then and what our programming is like
now, although there is a consistency in our mission to
broadcast classical music on the radio.

WCLV has now reached another watershed in our progress through time. The business
plan for classical music broadcasters across the country is changing from the longtime
commercial model to the non-commercial format. Major classical stations, for decades
commercial stations, are now non-commercial: WQXR, New York, the granddaddy of classical
music stations; our long time good friends at WCRB in Boston; KING in Seattle; and KDFC
in San Francisco, have all successfully transitioned to non-commercial operation. And given
the volatility in all media these days, it has become apparent that WCLV’s future also lies in
the land of listener and community support. So on January 1, 2013, WCLV became the
nation's newest public radio station. This completes the transition of WCLV into the ideastream
family and now gives listeners who appreciate classical music on the radio as well as
businesses, foundations and other organizations, the opportunity to support this institution
which has become so much a part of the quality of life in the greater Cleveland area.

 

Ideastream received WCLV as a donation, but it will take money to continue to operate
the station - staff salaries, program costs, the electric bill, health benefits. You can help
insure the continuation of WCLV's vibrant programming service by donating. You can do
so on this website by clicking here, Or on the link on the home page. As you do so, 
be assured that this transition is the finale stage in the owners of WCLV desire to
assure that unlike what has happened in Orlando, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Milwaukee and
other markets – that is classical music disappearing from the radio dial - will not happen
in northeast Ohio.

 

Thank you for listening to WCLV, thank you for your on-going listening to WCLV, thank
you for your support for this radio station that we all love and cherish.