Three public radio stations owned by Salisbury University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore will work together under the brand Delmarva Public Media, the schools announced Wednesday.
Under a memorandum of understanding, the universities will maintain ownership of their stations but will pool resources and change formats of two of the stations.
Beginning July 1, Salisbury’s WSCL and WSDL will drop their NPR affiliation. WSCL will move from a mix of NPR and classical to a 24/7 classical format. WSDL will switch from its current format of NPR news and rock, folk and other genres to mostly jazz and BBC programming. It will also air some live-hosted shows from WESM, the station owned by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
WESM will continue to air NPR programming along with jazz and blues. Each station will now have “its own specific identity,” WESM GM Gerry Weston said.
The universities had been in discussion about a collaboration for about two years as a way to cut costs after Dana Whitehair resigned in August 2018 as GM of WSCL and WSDL, formerly branded as Delmarva Public Radio. Weston will lead the new Delmarva Public Media.
By joining together and switching formats, the stations will save “a considerable amount of money” by ending NPR membership for WSCL and WSDL, Weston said.
The new arrangement provides the two licensees with complementary resources, Weston said.
“I’m getting a development department, including underwriting sales people, a membership person and a development director,” Weston said. “And WSDL is getting live hosts to do some locally produced programming.”
The partnership is also beneficial because underwriting spots can be sold to air on all three stations, he said.
“The challenge, of course, in this COVID-19 world we live in now is that underwriting has been cut back,” Weston said. “So hopefully by adding WESM to Salisbury’s plate, it’ll strengthen our sales.”
No staffing changes will be made as a result of the partnership, Weston said.
Where can I find npr programs like “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me”, “One A”, “Ted talks and other programming I used to find on 88.5?
Where do you live?
Now that WAMU has shamefully bailed out on Delmarva and sold 88.3 to a religious operator, I imagine a lot of people are asking this question.
If you’re in or near Ocean City, there’s 106.9 FM, WYPO, the relay of Baltimore’s WYPR. But its signal is not very strong. If you’re in Salisbury, you might be out of luck. In the eastern half of Salisbury, maybe. You might need an antenna. Get a decent FM radio with a cheap dipole antenna. Don’t bother trying to get it on cheap clock radios, that won’t work. In the western half of Salisbury, forget it.
If WYPR has any money at all, they should consider buying another station to reach the Salisbury-Seaford-Laurel-Harrington area better. Maybe WBOC/Draper might consider offloading one of its lower-rated stations like WTDK, or Adams might consider dumping WUSX for a little cash? Or, of course, 90.7 could go back to its original NPR all-day news/info format now that the 500-lb. gorilla that chased them out of that niche has up and left.
Pat, you can still hear “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me” Saturdays 11:00 to noon on 91.3 WESM. If you are looking for NPR News, it airs daily:
WEEKDAYS
Morning Edition: 5AM-9:00 AM, Marketplace Morning Report is the last 10 minutes. (Monday through Friday)
All Things Considered: 4:00-6:30 PM, Marketplace 6:30-7:00 PM (Monday through Friday)
WEEKENDS
Weekend Edition Saturday: 8 AM – 10 AM (Saturday)
Weekend All Things Considered: 5:00 – 5:30 PM (Saturday)
Weekend Edition Sunday: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Here’s the full schedule, you’ll probably find other shows you like airing on the weekends:
https://www.delmarvapublicmedia.org/wesm-program-schedule#weekly-schedule
Your changing the schedule WILL change your listening audience. Those who would commit to paying to have a membership to WSCL will soon depart due to the change. Good luck. I for one liked the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the programming before and after. Too bad for me I suppose. By !