ti_boi
02-19-2008, 08:30 AM
Seattle's KEXP-FM, NYC station team up
KEXP-FM/90.3 announced Monday a partnership through which the Seattle station will provide 39 hours of music programming a week to a radio station operated by the city of New York.
The partnership, called Radio Liberation, will launch March 24 on WNYE-FM.
WNYE will air a three-hour weekday music show, produced by KEXP, during New York's morning drive. That will be followed by a simulcast of KEXP's own Seattle-based morning drive show, hosted by DJ John Richards.
Also on the schedule are a one-hour, seven-nights-a-week show to air at midnight New York time and a two-hour music variety show on Thursdays, hosted by KEXP Programming Director Kevin Cole.
This wouldn't be the first time programming that originated on a Seattle radio station finds an audience in another city. In the commercial radio realm, Bob Rivers' show on KZOK-FM has tried syndication before. KUBE-FM's morning host Rob "The T-Man" Tepper is currently heard on stations in Portland and San Francisco.
Nor is it the first time KEXP has experimented with ways to broaden its listenership beyond its existing frequency. For several years it simulcast its programming on a Tacoma station (now operated by KUOW-FM), and it recently applied to operate a station on Whidbey Island. KEXP already enjoys a national reputation in the independent rock scene through its Web site, kexp.org. And it is a contributor to a music Web site National Public Radio recently launched. KEXP Executive Director Tom Mara says a third of the station's members live outside Washington.
But the KEXP-WNYE partnership is significant not only for the amount of programming to be shared, but also the extent of collaboration between the two.
Mara said Radio Liberation will provide "a real innovative, progressive way of doing music in Seattle and New York." He said KEXP's approach to presenting its genre of music, alternately referred to as indie, college or eclectic rock, isn't currently available in New York.
The shows KEXP produces for WNYE will include not only artists from the Northwest -- KEXP says it plays at least one Northwest performer every hour -- but also New York-area performers. The evening show, for example, will provide opportunities to New York-area DJ/turntablists to record hourlong sets.
"We've had comments from New York artists who say the only way to hear them is through kexp.org," Mara said.
KEXP produced more than 400 live-broadcast band performances last year, many of which were made available in podcasts, in its Seattle studios and at music conferences in New York, Chicago, Portland and Austin, Texas. Mara believes that will expand as a result of the collaboration.
Mara said Richards' show won't be made generic in order to play in New York as well as Seattle. "We don't have any interest in losing our Seattle-centricity," he said.
WNYE, meanwhile, has been looking to expand its music and talk programming, in addition to the ethnic and cultural shows it already airs.
Mara said KEXP will support the new venture through underwriting grants; it has already hired an underwriting representative in New York.
Mara didn't disclose the cost of the venture with WNYE, but added "the cash outlays are relatively small" and KEXP is projecting a net profit "in a couple of years." The programming aired on WNYE will not include pledge-drive announcements heard on KEXP.
KEXP has no plans to establish similar ventures with stations in other cities. "We'll spend a year gaining this experience before we make any decision on replicating this model," Mara said.
The University of Washington holds the license for KEXP, which is operated by a non-profit group. Since 2002 KEXP has had an affiliation with Paul Allen and Vulcan Inc., which have provided studio facilities and financial support.
KEXP-FM/90.3 announced Monday a partnership through which the Seattle station will provide 39 hours of music programming a week to a radio station operated by the city of New York.
The partnership, called Radio Liberation, will launch March 24 on WNYE-FM.
WNYE will air a three-hour weekday music show, produced by KEXP, during New York's morning drive. That will be followed by a simulcast of KEXP's own Seattle-based morning drive show, hosted by DJ John Richards.
Also on the schedule are a one-hour, seven-nights-a-week show to air at midnight New York time and a two-hour music variety show on Thursdays, hosted by KEXP Programming Director Kevin Cole.
This wouldn't be the first time programming that originated on a Seattle radio station finds an audience in another city. In the commercial radio realm, Bob Rivers' show on KZOK-FM has tried syndication before. KUBE-FM's morning host Rob "The T-Man" Tepper is currently heard on stations in Portland and San Francisco.
Nor is it the first time KEXP has experimented with ways to broaden its listenership beyond its existing frequency. For several years it simulcast its programming on a Tacoma station (now operated by KUOW-FM), and it recently applied to operate a station on Whidbey Island. KEXP already enjoys a national reputation in the independent rock scene through its Web site, kexp.org. And it is a contributor to a music Web site National Public Radio recently launched. KEXP Executive Director Tom Mara says a third of the station's members live outside Washington.
But the KEXP-WNYE partnership is significant not only for the amount of programming to be shared, but also the extent of collaboration between the two.
Mara said Radio Liberation will provide "a real innovative, progressive way of doing music in Seattle and New York." He said KEXP's approach to presenting its genre of music, alternately referred to as indie, college or eclectic rock, isn't currently available in New York.
The shows KEXP produces for WNYE will include not only artists from the Northwest -- KEXP says it plays at least one Northwest performer every hour -- but also New York-area performers. The evening show, for example, will provide opportunities to New York-area DJ/turntablists to record hourlong sets.
"We've had comments from New York artists who say the only way to hear them is through kexp.org," Mara said.
KEXP produced more than 400 live-broadcast band performances last year, many of which were made available in podcasts, in its Seattle studios and at music conferences in New York, Chicago, Portland and Austin, Texas. Mara believes that will expand as a result of the collaboration.
Mara said Richards' show won't be made generic in order to play in New York as well as Seattle. "We don't have any interest in losing our Seattle-centricity," he said.
WNYE, meanwhile, has been looking to expand its music and talk programming, in addition to the ethnic and cultural shows it already airs.
Mara said KEXP will support the new venture through underwriting grants; it has already hired an underwriting representative in New York.
Mara didn't disclose the cost of the venture with WNYE, but added "the cash outlays are relatively small" and KEXP is projecting a net profit "in a couple of years." The programming aired on WNYE will not include pledge-drive announcements heard on KEXP.
KEXP has no plans to establish similar ventures with stations in other cities. "We'll spend a year gaining this experience before we make any decision on replicating this model," Mara said.
The University of Washington holds the license for KEXP, which is operated by a non-profit group. Since 2002 KEXP has had an affiliation with Paul Allen and Vulcan Inc., which have provided studio facilities and financial support.