Eastern Kentucky University Public News/Talk 88.9 WEKU Richmond/Lexington KY is ending its LMA of 102.1 WKYL Lawrenceburg, sending its “WEKU Classical” format to a streaming online platform on December 16.
WEKU began operating Davenport Broadcasting’s WKYL via LMA in July 2011. In its announcement, WEKU General Manager Mike Savage commented, “WEKU was leasing the frequency at a significant expense which we could just not maintain.” The Class A FM covers the Kentucky State Capital of Frankfort and rimshots the western side of Lexington.
WEKU, licensed to Eastern Kentucky University is discontinuing its classical broadcast on 102.1 FM in favor of an internet, streaming only service starting December 16, 2019.
WEKU remains committed to fine arts programming and will continue to broadcast a 24-hour-a-day classical service on digital platforms including weku.fm and WEKU mobile app.
Classical Music on 102.1 FM began broadcast in July 2011 through an agreement between Eastern Kentucky University and Davenport Broadcasting. The Lawrenceburg-based station serves Frankfort and parts of Lexington. WEKU Director & General Manager Mike Savage says the continued broadcast on 102.1 FM was financially unsustainable. “WEKU was leasing the frequency at a significant expense which we could just not maintain.”
The station will continue to broadcast classical music programming at weku.fm. Savage says the digital broadcast of WEKU Classical is exactly the same as what listeners hear on 102.1 FM. “WEKU Classical will continue to broadcast great fine arts programming including The Metropolitan Opera and select LexPhil performances in addition to the New York Philharmonic and Chicago Symphony Orchestra broadcasts.
WEKU is offering tutorials and one-on-one help for listeners who want to tune into WEKU Classical on their smartphones, computers and voice-activated listening devices. The station has a webpage dedicated to helping listeners understand the different ways to listen: https://www.weku.fm/listen.
Listeners can also e-mail the station at wekuclassical@eku.edu to request personalized one-on-one help to learn how to listen WEKU programming on a variety of digital platforms.
Comments, feedback and questions specifically about WEKU’s classical music programming can be submitted to wekuclassical@eku.edu.