“The controversial $9 million sale that saw Rice University’s college radio station KTRU come under the umbrella of Houston Public Media may … eventually destroy any hopes of establishing a long-term 24-hour classical music station that highlights the local arts scene,” writes Joel Luks at Thursday’s (11/7) CultureMap (Houston, Texas). “A source tells CultureMap that Houston Public Media’s main classical music personalities, including veterans Bob Stevenson, Elaine Kennedy, Chris Johnson and Chris Hathaway, plus a handful of behind-the-scenes KUHA employees, were laid off Thursday morning.” The news follows a 2011 reorganization plan that “combined KUHF 88.7, KUHA Classical 91.7 and PBS affiliate KUHT Channel 8 as one entity…. Moving forward, KUHA will broadcast content from Classical 24, a nationally syndicated service from Minnesota Public Radio. Still employed at KUHA are director of classical programming St. John Flynn and content producer and announcer Catherine Lu…. In a press release, Houston Public Media officials stated that a new Arts and Culture Team will be created to increase and enhance coverage of local arts.… ‘The new Arts and Culture Team will continue service to the local arts community via multi-platform initiatives with Arts Insight, Manor of Speaking, and Houston Matters—all local programming that launched in 2013,’ ” stated CEO Lisa Trapani Shumate.
Posted November 13, 2013
