WKSU ANNOUNCES PROGRAM CHANGES FOR THE NEW YEAR
"AMERICAN ROUTES" ENTERS FRIDAY LINE-UP
Tuesday December 19, 2006

For immediate release
Contact: Robert J. Burford,
Public Relations Director
(330) 672-3114
burford@wksu.org

Beginning Friday, Jan. 5, WKSU adds "American Routes" to the station's schedule and moves "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me," "Weekend America" and "The Thistle & Shamrock." The two-hour music program "American Routes" (pronounced "roots") debuts on Jan. 5 at 7 p.m. following "Marketplace." Produced in New Orleans and hosted by Nick Spitzer, "American Routes" is a weekly excursion into the country's rich and diverse musical styles and traditions.

The musical cloth of the United States is woven from a varied collection of genres born out of the rich heritage of a primarily immigrant nation. A Smithsonian folklorist, Spitzer presents listeners the familiar and the less well-known as "American Routes" travels to the places where genres such as rock 'n' roll, jazz, country, blues, zydeco, klezmer and others – from the familiar to the unusual – thrive. The program is consistently eclectic or, as Spitzer says, "Somebody's cultural icon comes up every third song!" Along with the sounds of the country, "American Routes" also introduces the audience to the music makers with interviews and profiles of featured artists.

WKSU Program Director Vincent Duffy says, "I'm happy that we can give 'American Routes' a home in Northeast Ohio. Nick Spitzer has created a music program that is fun and informative and is the perfect compliment for WKSU's celebrated Friday night folk show with host Jim Blum."

Saturday schedule changes include "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me," NPR’s popular weekly news quiz, moving to 1 p.m., followed by the news magazine "Weekend America" at 2 p.m. Fiona Ritchie's "The Thistle & Shamrock" moves from Friday night to Sunday evening at 7 p.m. before Sunday night folk music with Jim Blum. The entire WKSU schedule is available online at www.wksu.org.

WKSU broadcasts NPR & Classical Music at 89.7 FM, and is a service of Kent State University. WKSU programming is also heard on WKRW 89.3 FM in Wooster, WKRJ 91.5 FM in Dover/New Philadelphia, WKSV 89.1 FM in Thompson, WNRK 90.7 in Norwalk, W298BA 107.5 FM in Boardman, and W239AZ 95.7 FM in Ashland. The WKSU web site is www.wksu.org.

PR06.29           ###      12/19/06
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