Primo's New VP of Public Relations Katy Salomon Interviewed by Strings Magazine

Kathy Salomon ,Director of PR at Primo Artists, is interviewed by Strings Magazine

Jim Svejda’s Retirement and the Role of the Classical Music Radio Host
By Laurence Vittes
Strings Magazine
June 13, 2022

To fill Jim Svejda’s shoes will be a formidable task, as a classical radio host of his stature and knowledge draws and secures an audience of his own. “Radio hosts are half the value proposition for classical radio listeners,” says Brenda Barnes, CEO of KING FM. “Research has consistently found that the information hosts provide about the music is as important as the music. Knowledgeable hosts are absolutely critical to the future of classical radio.” Throughout the country, radio hosts play a key role in bringing classical music into the everyday lives of listeners and connecting them to the classical community.

At WFMT in Chicago, vice president and general manager George Preston says, “We’re not a public radio station, but we are mission oriented, and clearly knowledgeable and personable hosts make classical radio a deeply personal and intimate medium. During the pandemic, when in-person gatherings were not possible, our hosts provided a critical connection to many listeners who found themselves isolated. The word we heard again and again from listeners was ‘lifeline.’ We heard from listeners that they didn’t know how they would have gotten through the pandemic without the connection we provide.

“And of course WFMT’s hosting presence plays a huge role in connecting listeners to classical music and cultural events, especially in and around Chicago. We celebrate the classical music scene of Chicago on a daily basis. Our aim is to provide an intentional platform for Chicago musicians and institutions.”

“Knowledgeable hosts are also critical to sales and marketing,” says Katy Salomon, Vice President of Public Relations at Primo Artists, who leverages interviews and airplay on hosted radio to increase physical sales and digital streams in the hopes of landing on the Billboard, Apple Music, and Amazon charts. “Hosted classical music radio is very effective. These stations have devoted listeners,” Salomon says, “who are the exact target market for recordings, and the hosts curate in order to educate and entertain them.”

A great host doesn’t just promote recordings they consider worthy. In Dallas, WRR Classical FM works to promote “the momentum and artistry of the Dallas Symphony,” says DSO vice president of communications Denise McGovern. “On Monday evenings for over 50 years, WRR has aired hosted broadcasts of DSO concerts. Our concerts and appearances throughout the city are regularly promoted. The artists are generous with their time, and come out to our parks concerts and appearances in the city to meet their listeners.”

But perhaps most fundamental in a radio host’s role is providing a connection between listeners and art. Ed Yim, chief content officer and senior vice president at New York’s WQXR, says that “human connection and curation beats an algorithm for experiencing art. Our mission is not to be the best radio station. Our mission is to engage people—both passionate and curious—in the music. We strive to be an essential partner to our New York musical community and to share that with our local, national, and international listeners.

In the nation’s capital, Dan DeVany, vice president and general manager at WETA Classical, says, “We create handcrafted programming that’s hosted—that means live hosting and companionship—18 hours a day. It was once the norm across the United States. Back in the day that’s what radio was all about, and we believe it still is. Public, not-for-profit community radio is an entity that tends to aggregate people of passion and build communities of volunteers.”

Yim thinks that the selection of Svejda’s successor will be an indicator of where the industry is headed. “One of the things that classical music should always be concerned with is the diversity of voices, not just in terms of ethnicity but also in terms of personality and generational perspective. So I really love what KUSC and KDFC are doing with Lara Downes. She’s brought a really fresh perspective to their airwaves.”

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