American Public Media will take over distribution of its Classical 24 service from PRX this summer, ending a 25-year partnership.
The shift will take effect July 1, according to an APM release. The around-the-clock classical service launched in 1995 and is heard on more than 230 public radio stations and as a streaming service, YourClassical.org.
“We believe that bringing production and distribution under the same roof will provide a more streamlined process for our station partners and be a seamless experience for our listeners,” said Chandra Kavati, senior VP, chief partnerships and revenue officer at American Public Media Group, APM’s parent organization, in a press release. “APM is the nation’s largest distributor and producer of classical music, and we now have the opportunity to bring Classical 24 to a wider audience.”
“We’re proud of the great success of C24,” said PRX CEO Kerri Hoffman in the release. “We believe public radio stations will be well-served by this transition to integration across APM’s portfolio, thanks to APM’s leadership in classical music programming.”
Earlier this month, APMG eliminated the division between APM and Minnesota Public Radio as part of a restructuring. The new structure is intended to accelerate APMG’s “Audiences First 2025” strategy, according to an internal memo.