Why does WCRB air "Under the Radar"?

[Barry Margolin]

WCRB is Boston's all-classical radio station. Except for 1 hour during
the week. At 3am on Saturday mornings they air "Under the Radar", a
public affairs talk show that comes from their parent company WGBH (it
also airs Sunday nights at 6pm on WGBH).

Is there some legal reason why they have this one, non-classical hour of
programming? Does a public radio station have to air a minimum amount of
"newsy" programming, so they slip this program in late at night?

[Local Yokel]

Broadcast stations were required at one point, as part of their license, to
commit to airing a certain
number of hours of public service programming, public service announcements,
news, etc. Some station even had a farm/agricultural comittment of farm
news and the like. (Soy bean prices.)

With deregulation, there committments are gone, but no station wants to
abandon public affairs or public service program completely and leave
themselves open to a charge of doing nothing to "serve the community". And
possible opening themselves up to a license challenge.

The Greater Media Stations all commit to 2 hours per week of public affairs
programming...and they usually bury it early Sunday Monrings (or Sun
nights).

WCRB airs their public service committment at the time when the least amount
of people would be looking for classical music....and that's 3AM.

Post by Barry Margolin
WCRB is Boston's all-classical radio station. Except for 1 hour during
the week. At 3am on Saturday mornings they air "Under the Radar", a
public affairs talk show that comes from their parent company WGBH (it
also airs Sunday nights at 6pm on WGBH).
Is there some legal reason why they have this one, non-classical hour of
programming? Does a public radio station have to air a minimum amount of
"newsy" programming, so they slip this program in late at night?
--
Barry Margolin
Arlington, MA