WBUR is phasing out arts criticism
Boston University-based WBUR-FM (90.9) is changing the way it covers arts and culture. The public radio station is eliminating its online arts magazine, Arts Scene , and with it the position held by editor and arts critic Bill Marx. The station has, however, added a full-time arts reporter, Andrea Shea. Arts criticism will be phased out by the end of the summer.
Sam Fleming, WBUR's managing director of news and programming, characterizes the change as a way to bring the station's website and overall arts coverage more in line with the station's mission.
``Our main mission is to provide news and analysis," Fleming said during a phone interview yesterday.
With the addition of Shea, who had been a freelancer for National Public Radio and WBUR, Fleming says he expects the total amount of time dedicated to arts coverage at the station to increase. ``We will focus more on news and issues related to arts, as opposed to all criticism," he said. The website ``will be more integrated into and synchronized with the broadcasts."
In an e - mail sent Thursday, Marx informed contributors and local journalists of the change. In addition to editing the online journal, launched in 2000, which included reviews, arts blogs, podcasts, and an events calendar, Marx has long contributed on-air reviews to the station. He will be leaving the station at the end of August. ``Arts criticism is important because it provides a thoughtful, provocative response to the arts and culture in our lives," said Marx, ``which is just the kind of thing public radio should be doing."
Fleming says that the station will continue to air some criticism and commentary, acknowledging , ``It won't be to the extent that we have it now." And although the online arts magazine will cease to exist by fall, he says the calendar will continue.
``Bill did a great job," said Fleming. ``It was a good service for people who really like in-depth criticism and commentary in the arts. There's a role for that, it just isn't completely tied into what our main mission is."
In addition to Shea, WBUR has also added a business reporter, Curt Nickisch , who will start in September, and a general assignment reporter, Bianca Vazquez-Toness , who began last month, Fleming said.
