Buffalo Toronto Public Media applies to make classical station commercial

Buffalo Toronto Public Media has filed an application with the FCC to convert WNED-FM to commercial status, a move which would allow it to sell advertising on the classical station.

The application, filed Jan. 30, is part of BTPM’s efforts to diversify its revenue streams following the loss of its CPB funding. CPB previously provided BTPM with approximately $2.2 million in funds annually, making up around 15% of the station’s operating budget, said CEO Tom Calderone. 

Calderone said that even before he joined BTPM in 2021, the organization had considered switching WNED to a commercial license because of its location on the commercial 94.5 frequency. It always decided against the change because “CPB funding was that rich that we didn’t really feel we should or had to,” Calderone said. 

Anticipating the rescission, Calderone said he and BTPM’s senior team discussed the potential impact of losing federal funds on the organization during an annual off-site meeting last April. Modifying WNED’s license was among the considerations.

Calderone said WNED will retain its classical format if the FCC approves the modification. BTPM plans to be “very surgical” about maintaining WNED’s aesthetic, he said, adding that it plans to hold focus groups and work closely with market research group Jacobs Media to determine the best path forward. 

“Frankly, the classical station is really financially successful for us,” Calderone said. “We have a really loyal base that supports it.”

Calderone said the commercial status wouldn’t require WNED to “adhere to 18 units an hour and screaming car ads.” He said the station would likely air primarily financial and health-and-wellness–oriented advertisements targeting a 55+ demographic. 

“This way, it sounds like something that we would be proud of,” Calderone said. “People think underwriting announcements are commercial. Anytime there’s an interruption of anything, that’s considered a commercial in people’s heads. So in a way, they’ll notice maybe a bit of a difference, but we’re going to make sure that it’s as seamless as possible.”

The station doesn’t currently have an estimate of how much revenue the license modification would generate. Calderone said BTPM’s other efforts to diversify revenue include its BTPM+ app, a free streaming service intended to increase visibility and drive membership; Borderless Creative + Marketing, a full-service creative agency and marketing division for nonprofits; and programmatic ads across all streams. 

BTPM is also looking for ways to amplify member support, particularly among Canadians, who make up roughly half of its total audience, Calderone said. 

He said the organization experienced “a couple of weeks of a little turbulence” in Canadian support following President Trump’s repeated references to Canada as the 51st state. Calderone said the slight dip prompted BTPM to be clearer with Canadian audiences about the benefits of public media and the importance of audience support. 

Looking forward, Calderone said BTPM has no plans to sell WNED. He said that although selling the station would bring funds, a cash injection wouldn’t sustainably cover the $2.2 million annual funding gap. WNED’s license switch is a step toward sustainability, he said. 

In the meantime, he said BTPM plans to hold a town hall to address listeners’ questions about the change.  

“We’re going to do at the end of the day, for the 94.5 frequency, what’s best for our members and what’s best for our business,” Calderone said. “It was one of many spokes that we have in a way of getting the funding gap filled.”