Beginning Monday, airtime on WUFT-FM, the UF-owned radio station that plays mainly classical music, will consist almost entirely of National Public Radio programming.
The changes, which could result in layoffs next month, are part of an effort to offer students more experience in broadcasting news and to bring in more money and listeners for the station, said John Wright, dean of UF's College of Journalism and Communications, which runs the station.
Formerly Classic 89, the station will go by only its official name, WUFT-FM. By mid-September, Dean Wright said, student airtime will be more than doubled-students will broadcast during two hour-long news blocks every day.
The increase will translate to more student internships and paid positions for students studying journalism, public relations and advertising, he said, which will complement a new focus on digital media that will include a 21st-century news lab with the latest equipment and software.
"The idea is for students to leave this college and be ahead of the curve," he said.
Dean Wright said even though he foresees a decrease in audience at first, he expects it to eventually rebound and expand.
"That's what's happened at every station that's added the daytime programming," he said.
In the first year, operational costs could increase by about $5,000, even though NPR will not charge UF for the programming. In the second year, when UF will start paying for the new content, he said costs to purchase programming could increase by about $28,000, he said.
If listenership increases enough, programming costs could escalate by about 15 percent a year, he said, but the subsequent increase in donations could offset the cost.
He said current data shows that the number of people listening to the station drops by up to 70 percent at 9 a.m. on weekdays, which is when the station switches from NPR's Morning Edition to music.
Although some have argued the drop occurs because most people start work at 9 a.m., Dean Wright said the data shows that other stations in Gainesville don't see a similar dip.
"Its clearly a format issue," he said.
He said the station's new programming will help fill a niche that's lacking in the community.
"Some stations do a little bit of news, and they do a lot of talk radio," he said. "There's really not another viable radio news operation in Gainesville."
And he said listeners who prefer classical music over news can still get their fix on HD-2, one of the station's three high definition channels, which requires an HD radio receiver.
The coverage area of the HD channel is large, he said, but it doesn't match the main station's reach. Though he couldn't make an exact comparison, he said the HD-2 channel's range was more than half of the main station's.
He said listeners who want to buy an HD receiver can get one for about $50 and that the college is negotiating for better deals with NPR and retail store Best Buy.
In some cases, the station might be able to offer the receivers for about $25, he said, though he admitted the situation wasn't ideal for some.
"[Though] it's a pretty reasonable cost, even that for people on fixed incomes can be very problematic," he said.
The changes have prompted pushback from devoted classical music fans, and Dean Wright admits he's received more negative than positive feedback regarding the changes.
Alice Wright, program assistant at UF's registrar's office, said news can be repetitive because it's accessible in ways other than the radio.
"People need more music," she said. "It's soothing and relaxing."
Wright also said constant news can be overwhelming after tragedy occurs.
"[News] is all doom and gloom," she said. "That's what I call it."
Paul Richards, an associate professor in UF's College of Fine Arts, called the change a tragedy.
The switch goes against UF's mission, he said, which should be the preservation of culture.
"Lack of access to art in any form in a society is not healthy for that society," he said.
Alligator Writer Alex Chachkevitch contributed to this article.
