Airwaves

by Brian Goslow

And then there were none. The final portion of what had been WICN's award-winning late-night rock line-up was cancelled. The move comes as the station expands its broadcast day to around-the-clock programming. John McKeag, host the second-half of Against the Grain since January, 1996 (when the remainder of the station's rock staff had been let go to make way for classical music), was notified earlier this month that his portion of the program would be taken off the air so the station could adopt a 24-hour schedule.

News of the cancellation prompted one listener to fax the Worcester Phoenix a letter. "They are cutting out the most creative and eclectic and hip DJs this country has been lucky enough to enjoy for over 12 years," writes Peter Towle of Holden. "John McKeag is an intuitive open-hearted and wide-minded DJ who has provided me countless hours of unimaginable music and as a late night creative artist I will truly miss his Friday and Saturday night show." He goes on to ask WICN to reconsider its decision. "We cannot learn about Euro avant-garde and early Keith Emerson anywhere else."

Beginning September 1, Jazz with Bob Parlocha, which currently airs weekdays (and will continue being heard) from 10 a.m. to noon, will be extended seven days a week from midnight to 6 a.m. In response to support from listeners during recent fund drives, the weekday Jazz Matinee has been expanded an extra hour and now can be heard Mondays through Friday from 2 to 5 p.m.

The Diane Rehm Show, one of the nation's more thought-provoking talk programs, has been pushed back an hour, and, with the exception of Friday (when only the first hour will be broadcast), will air weekdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Four of the station's locally produced public-affairs programs are shifting to new places in the WICN schedule. The Business Beat moves to Friday (6 p.m.), as does Henry Tischler's book-discussion program, Cover to Cover (6:30 p.m.), while Inquiry, Mark Lynch's interview program, spotlighting local movers and shakers, moves to Saturdays at 6 p.m., followed by National Public Radio's Artbeat at 6:30 p.m. The World, WGBH and the British Broadcasting Corporation's attempt to bring an international news and information program to the American masses has been dropped from WICN's line-up due to a lack of listener interest.

Serenade, WICN's evening classical program, can now be heard Sunday through Thursday from 7 p.m. to midnight, with NPR's Performance Today concert spotlight airing nightly at 8 p.m. The Americana heavy Against the Grain, also gets an extra hour, airing Fridays and Saturdays from 7 p.m. to midnight.

TWO BOSTON-AREA BANDS are spotlighted on this week's Sunday Night Concert Series, heard at midnight on WCUW (91.3 FM). Splashdown and Max were recorded in mid-August at the Space. Other September shows include the Smiths' 1985 Orpheum appearance, a 1993 Cleveland performance by Catherine Wheel, and the Curtain Society at the Space.

THE NEXT EDITION OF Static Fusion, aired every Monday at 6 p.m. and Thursday at 11 p.m. on WCCA-TV Channel 13 on Worcester Greater Media Cable system, features two local jazz outfits. The Jay Tyer Trio were captured during one of their Saturday-afternoon jams at the Java Hut, while Without a Medium, who co-host James Racicot says call themselves "a mind-blowing jazz experiment with poetry," were recorded at the Espresso Bar.