Monthly Archives: April 2013

Programming, Station Announcement

A New Show from Left, Right, & Center’s Matt Miller

A New Show from Left, Right, & Center’s Matt Miller

Things Get Interesting as KCRW Launches a New Digital-Only Program

SANTA MONICA, April 24, 2013 — KCRW is proud to give its audience another way to explore ideas that are changing our world: introducing, “This… Is Interesting,” a twice-monthly podcast hosted by one of our most intellectually curious hosts, and the “moderating center” of Left, Right, & Center, Matt Miller.

As timely as the week’s headlines, yet tackling subjects destined to influence events for years, Miller engages in 15-20 minute conversations with some of the smartest minds around, bringing to listeners the thinkers and ideas at the forefront of politics, economics, culture and social commentary.

“One of the lucky privileges of being a columnist and author is you get to talk to a lot of fascinating thinkers and public figures. It’s the kind of thing where you get off the phone or leave their office and say to yourself, ‘Wow, that was interesting,’” says host Matt Miller.

“My goal with ‘This…Is Interesting’ is to bring these kinds of deeper encounters to listeners, letting them engage with the people and ideas that are shaping our world. The first show is a good example, and I look forward to sharing conversations with other leading voices in various fields throughout the series.”

The debut episode, entitled “The Robots Are Coming!” looks at how accelerating technological advancements could permanently displace the middle class — and finally prove the Luddites right. It’s the kind of conversation we need to be having as we emerge from the Great Recession.

“This is important programming,” says Gary Scott, news programming director at KCRW. “Rather than looking passively into the void of the future, our audience chooses to engage the world, and Matt Miller is the perfect host for the conversations we want to be having. And, yes, dammit, it’s interesting.”

Miller’s “This… Is Interesting” podcast continues with fresh episodes every second and fourth Wednesday of the month.

“KCRW bursts at the seams with talented people. With our digital platforms we can bring even more thought-provoking, quality programming to an audience who wants us to be wherever they are, ” Scott says.

For a limited time “This… Is Interesting” will be included as part of the very popular weekly Left, Right & Center podcast subscription, listen at http://kcrw.com/thisisinteresting. Subscribe to “This… Is Interesting” on iTunes or wherever you download podcasts.

 

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About KCRW
KCRW 89.9FM is an NPR affiliate serving Southern California and licensed to Santa Monica College. The public radio station represents cutting edge radio at its best, presenting an eclectic mix of independent music, news, talk and arts programming. The terrestrial signal serves Los Angeles, Orange, and V entura counties, as well as parts of San Diego, San Bernardino, Kern, and Santa Barbara counties and the greater Palm Springs area. KCRW’ s programming is internationally renowned and available worldwide at KCRW.com. KCRW offers an all-music channel, Eclectic24, an all news channel and on-air simulcast. . Podcasts and archives of our locally-produced programs and live band performances are available on our website, as well as on our smartphone apps for the iPhone, Android and Blackberry. KCRW’s acclaimed Music Mine app for iPad is dedicated to music discovery.

 

About This… Is Interesting
Matt Miller – author, Washington Post columnist and Left, Right & Center host – turns his curiosity and wit to deeper encounters with the world’s most provocative thinkers and newsmakers. As timely as the week’s headlines, yet tackling subjects destined to influence events for years to come. This…Is Interesting brings to listeners the people and ideas that are shaping our world.

 

About Matt Miller
Matt Miller is a weekly columnist for the Washington Post and a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. Miller has authored two books, the first The Two Percent Solution: Fixing America’s Problems In Ways Liberals and Conservatives Can Love (PublicAffairs, 2003) and his most recent, The Tyranny Of Dead Ideas: Revolutionary Thinking for a New Age of Prosperity (Times Books, 2009). Miller’s commentary has been featured on The Colbert Report, Real Time with Bill Maher, The Kudlow Report, and many other public affairs programs, and he has been a contributor and guest host on MSNBC. Miller served as Senior Advisor in the White House Office of Management and Budget from 1993 to 1995. From 1991 to 1992 he was a White House Fellow, serving as Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. Miller is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Screen Actors Guild (thanks to a cameo appearance in the thriller, The Siege.) He serves on the board of directors of the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools and the nonprofit journalism group Understanding Government, and was appointed by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to serve on The Equity and Excellence Commission, which is examining inequities in US school finance.
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Awards, Station Announcement

KCRW’s Transmedia Project Sonic Trace Secures Funding for Second Year

KCRW’s Transmedia Project Sonic Trace Secures Funding for Second Year

Major Grant Support Provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and Cal Humanities

SANTA MONICA, April 24, 2013 — Two major grants recently were awarded to KCRW for its Sonic Trace transmedia project. The grants include $75,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and $40,000 from Cal Humanities’ 2013 California Documentary Project. This is the first time KCRW has been awarded a grant from Cal Humanities while the NEA Art Works grant is the largest in the station’s history.

Sonic Trace, a multi-platform storytelling project, traces people living in the heart of Los Angeles to their origins in Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, using radio, video and mapping to ask ¿Por qué te vas? ¿Por qué te quedas? ¿Por qué regresas? Why do you go? Why do you stay? And, what makes you return? The inaugural year of the project saw the conceptualization and creation of Sonic Trace’s portable sound booth, local and national radio pieces, a content rich blog and interactive, mapping website.

“In year one, we laid the foundation for Sonic Trace, which makes it beyond exciting to be given the opportunity to expand on all of our hard work,” says Anayansi Diaz-Cortes, Sonic Trace founder and executive producer. “We are incredibly grateful that the NEA and Cal Humanities see the value and potential in Sonic Trace to plant seeds of innovation, experimentation and ground-breaking storytelling.”

Launched in March 2012 as part of Localore, a nationwide initiative of AIR, the Association of Independents in Radio, Sonic Trace goes beyond traditional story gathering by venturing into neighborhoods on both sides of the border to show how community connects across borders.

Through the interactive website, Sonic Trace maps the stories of immigrants in Los Angeles using stories gathered from La Burbuja, or the “The Bubble,” a portable sound booth specially designed for the project. Dozens of contributed stories are embedded on the map, creating a link between LA neighborhoods and cities, towns and villages across the border—creating an interactive, oral-history mosaic of Los Angeles not possible through radio alone.

“I love this project. To share your own story, in your own voice, and discover others with similar stories and circumstances, is empowering. There is nothing like telling the history of your life. It helps to define who you are for yourself, for your children and grandchildren,” says KCRW General Manager Jennifer Ferro. “Sonic Trace is a moving way to tell the story of immigration in Los Angeles – something that defines LA and the US. I’m so pleased that both the NEA and Cal Humanities, two important organizations that have long supported projects like this, also believe in giving it the resources to keep going.”

Funding for the second year allows Sonic Trace the opportunity to explore new communities in Southern California, including Orange County and MacArthur Park. In its inaugural year, the program focused on gathering stories in Koreatown and South Los Angeles.

“With our state’s incredible diversity, fostering communication and connecting people to a range of ideas is vital for our general welfare,” says Ralph Lewin, President and CEO of Cal Humanities. “Our grant award enables awardees to pursue the important work of engaging new audiences in conversations around stories of significance to Californians.”

The NEA received 1,547 eligible applications for Art Works grants requesting more than $80 million in funding. The 817 recommended NEA grants total $26.3 million and span 13 artistic disciplines and fields, and support the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and the strengthening of communities through the arts.

Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa notes, “The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support these exciting and diverse arts projects that will take place throughout the United States. Whether it is through a focus on education, engagement, or innovation, these projects all contribute to vibrant communities and memorable opportunities for the public to engage with the arts.

For more information on Sonic Trace you can visit www.sonictrace.org.

For more information on KCRW please visit www.kcrw.com.

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Media Contact:
Alyssa King, KCRW
Communications Director
310-314-4627
alyssa.king@kcrw.org

 

About KCRW
KCRW 89.9FM, licensed to Santa Monica College, is NPR’s flagship station for Southern California. The Santa Monica-based nonprofit represents cutting edge radio at its best, presenting an eclectic mix of independent music, news, talk and arts programming. The terrestrial signal serves Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura Counties, as well as parts of San Diego, San Bernardino, Kern, and Santa Barbara Counties and the greater Palm Springs area. KCRW’s programming is internationally renowned and available worldwide via KCRW.com, including three streaming channels, 27 podcasts and archives of our locally-produced programs and live band performances. Hear KCRW music online, all the time, on the ALL music stream Eclectic24.

 

About The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector. To join the discussion on how art works, visit the NEA at arts.gov.
In August 2012, the NEA received 1,547 eligible applications for Art Works grants requesting more than $80 million in funding. Art Works grants support the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and the strengthening of communities through the arts. The 817 recommended NEA grants total $26.3 million and span 13 artistic disciplines and fields. Applications were reviewed by panels of outside experts convened by NEA staff and each project was judged on its artistic excellence and artistic merit. For a complete listing of projects recommended for Art Works grant support, please visit the NEA website at arts.gov.

 

About The California Documentary Project (CDP)
The California Documentary Project (CDP) is a competitive grant program of Cal Humanities. CDP grant awards support film, radio, and new media projects that document the California experience and explore issues of significance to Californians. Through its California Documentary Project, Cal Humanities has granted over $2.7 million to projects since 2002. Cal Humanities is an independent non-profit state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. For more information on Cal Humanities, please visit www.calhum.org.
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Awards, Station Announcement

KCRW’s Transmedia Project Sonic Trace Secures Funding for Second Year

Major Grant Support Provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and Cal Humanities

SANTA MONICA, April 24, 2013 — Two major grants recently were awarded to KCRW for its Sonic Trace transmedia project. The grants include $75,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and $40,000 from Cal Humanities’ 2013 California Documentary Project. This is the first time KCRW has been awarded a grant from Cal Humanities while the NEA Art Works grant is the largest in the station’s history.

 

Sonic Trace, a multi-platform storytelling project, traces people living in the heart of Los Angeles to their origins in Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, using radio, video and mapping to ask ¿Por qué te vas? ¿Por qué te quedas? ¿Por qué regresas? Why do you go? Why do you stay? And, what makes you return? The inaugural year of the project saw the conceptualization and creation of Sonic Trace’s portable sound booth, local and national radio pieces, a content rich blog and interactive, mapping website.

 

“In year one, we laid the foundation for Sonic Trace, which makes it beyond exciting to be given the opportunity to expand on all of our hard work,” says Anayansi Diaz-Cortes, Sonic Trace founder and executive producer. “We are incredibly grateful that the NEA and Cal Humanities see the value and potential in Sonic Trace to plant seeds of innovation, experimentation and ground-breaking storytelling.”

Launched in March 2012 as part of Localore, a nationwide initiative of AIR, the Association of Independents in Radio, Sonic Trace goes beyond traditional story gathering by venturing into neighborhoods on both sides of the border to show how community connects across borders.

 

Through the interactive website, Sonic Trace maps the stories of immigrants in Los Angeles using stories gathered from La Burbuja, or the “The Bubble,” a portable sound booth specially designed for the project. Dozens of contributed stories are embedded on the map, creating a link between LA neighborhoods and cities, towns and villages across the border—creating an interactive, oral-history mosaic of Los Angeles not possible through radio alone.

 

“I love this project. It is a moving way to tell the story of immigration in Los Angeles – something that defines LA and the US.  There is nothing like hearing the tale of your life from someone who shares your story and circumstances.  It helps to define who you are for yourself and your children and grandchildren,” says KCRW General Manager Jennifer Ferro. “I’m so pleased that both the NEA and Cal Humanities, two important organizations that have long supported programming like Sonic Trace, also believe in giving it the resources to keep going.”

Funding for the second year allows Sonic Trace the opportunity to explore new communities in Southern California, including Orange County and MacArthur Park. In its inaugural year, the program focused on gathering stories in Koreatown and South Los Angeles.

 

“With our state’s incredible diversity, fostering communication and connecting people to a range of ideas is vital for our general welfare,” says Ralph Lewin, President and CEO of Cal Humanities. “Our grant award enables awardees to pursue the important work of engaging new audiences in conversations around stories of significance to Californians.”

 

The NEA received 1,547 eligible applications for Art Works grants requesting more than $80 million in funding. The 817 recommended NEA grants total $26.3 million and span 13 artistic disciplines and fields, and support the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and the strengthening of communities through the arts.

 

Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa notes, “The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support these exciting and diverse arts projects that will take place throughout the United States. Whether it is through a focus on education, engagement, or innovation, these projects all contribute to vibrant communities and memorable opportunities for the public to engage with the arts.

 

For more information on Sonic Trace you can visit the Sonic Trace blog and Sonic Trace interactive website. For more information on KCRW please visit www.kcrw.com.

###

 

Media Contact:

Alyssa King, KCRW
Communications Director
310-314-4627
alyssa.king@kcrw.org

About KCRW:
KCRW 89.9FM, licensed to Santa Monica College, is NPR’s flagship station for Southern California. The Santa Monica-based nonprofit represents cutting edge radio at its best, presenting an eclectic mix of independent music, news, talk and arts programming. The terrestrial signal serves Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura Counties, as well as parts of San Diego, San Bernardino, Kern, and Santa Barbara Counties and the greater Palm Springs area. KCRW’s programming is internationally renowned and available worldwide via KCRW.com, including three streaming channels, 27 podcasts and archives of our locally-produced programs and live band performances. Hear KCRW music online, all the time, on the ALL music stream Eclectic24.
About The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA):
The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector. To join the discussion on how art works, visit the NEA at arts.gov.
In August 2012, the NEA received 1,547 eligible applications for Art Works grants requesting more than $80 million in funding. Art Works grants support the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and the strengthening of communities through the arts. The 817 recommended NEA grants total $26.3 million and span 13 artistic disciplines and fields. Applications were reviewed by panels of outside experts convened by NEA staff and each project was judged on its artistic excellence and artistic merit. For a complete listing of projects recommended for Art Works grant support, please visit the NEA website at arts.gov
About The California Documentary Project (CDP):
The California Documentary Project (CDP) is a competitive grant program of Cal Humanities. CDP grant awards support film, radio, and new media projects that document the California experience and explore issues of significance to Californians. Through its California Documentary Project, Cal Humanities has granted over $2.7 million to projects since 2002. Cal Humanities is an independent non-profit state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. For more information on Cal Humanities, please visit www.calhum.org.
 
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Programming

KCRW Announces Changes to Weekend Programming Schedule

KCRW Announces Changes to Weekend Programming Schedule

KCRW DJ Travis Holcombe and TED Radio Hour to Debut This Weekend
Le Show and Tom Schnabel Go Digital-Only

SANTA MONICA, April 15, 2013 — Change is coming to KCRW’s weekend schedule. Starting April 20, KCRW DJ Travis Holcombe will debut a new three-hour music program that will air Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Additionally, the TED Radio Hour comes to KCRW Sunday mornings.

A long-time KCRW program will be moving off the air. Harry Shearer’s Le Show will no longer be heard on 89.9FM. The station plans to continue to distribute the show for podcast and national syndication, and will continue to support the show on its digital platforms. KCRW will add the program to its 24-hour news stream on Sundays.

A mix of political satire and music, Le Show first aired on KCRW in 1983 and is now carried on more than 80 public radio stations across the U.S., the Pacific Islands, and on satellite radio, and has seen significant growth as a podcast in recent years.

“Harry Shearer and Le Show have been a part of KCRW since its inception, providing a voice of satire and comic relief while challenging the political establishment. KCRW pledges to support Harry and his incredible national and digital audience,” says KCRW General Manager Jennifer Ferro.

NPR’s TED Radio Hour, hosted by Guy Raz, formerly of Weekend All Things Considered, will now air Sundays at 10am. The weekly exploration of “ideas worth spreading” was NPR’s biggest new program launch in history and the podcast premiered at the top of the iTunes download charts for its pilot season in 2012.

“We’re thrilled to be bringing the TED Radio Hour to Southern California radio listeners. The show brings ideas that inspire new ways of thinking, which has long been a tenet of public radio programming. We believe it’s a perfect fit for KCRW‘s curious audience,” explains Ferro.

As announced last Friday, legendary DJ and former Music Director Tom Schnabel starts a new digital venture that aims to grow KCRW’s world music audience. An expert in world music and jazz, Schnabel will continue to share his wealth of knowledge through his popular Rhythm Planet blog, an on-demand music show, a Rhythm Planet membership club and a series of live events including an upcoming music salon on May 20.

“Tom is the vibrant heart of KCRW’s music programming. He’s our first music director and a critical part of the KCRW family. As we continue our digital expansion, Tom is the right person to lead the station into this new territory,” says Ferro. “He has vast knowledge of world music and jazz, among other things, and is an amazing curator, scholar and writer. He is not saying goodbye because he’s not leaving. He’s just changing platforms – from broadcast radio to digital.”

Listeners can hear Travis Holcombe’s new show Saturdays and Sundays from 3-6pm. Additionally, Anne Litt moves to the new time of noon to 3pm both days. Chris Douridas moves his two-hour show to 6pm on Saturday, followed by Liza Richardson and Metropolis, hosted by KCRW Music Director Jason Bentley.

On Sundays, Gary Calamar stays at 6pm. Henry Rollins moves to Sundays at 8pm and Dan Wilcox moves to 10pm. Eric J Lawrence returns to Sunday nights from midnight to 3am and Jason Kramer moves to Tuesday nights from midnight to 3am.

“Travis started as a volunteer at the station, just like I did, and it became immediately obvious that he had something special to offer. His depth of music draws out gems from all decades, plus he’s been an early supporter of a few artists who have become station favorites. I’m excited Travis is bringing his diverse and progressive playlists to the weekend, and am confident the audience will love what he has to offer,” says KCRW Music Director Jason Bentley.

NPR’s Weekend All Things Considered will no longer air on KCRW 89.9FM. Instead, listeners will be kept up to date with top-of-the-hour NPR news headlines beginning at noon on Saturdays and Sundays. KCRW’s digital news stream will continue to carry WATC.

The new weekend schedule reflects KCRW’s efforts to redefine itself as more than just a radio station. KCRW has made significant investment in programming and distribution across multiple platforms. Last year’s launch of respected digital-only shows such as Strangers and the Organist is an example of KCRW’s commitment to expand its offerings beyond the FM dial. The development of the Music Mine and other mobile apps, as well as the successful streams on iHeartRadio, Spotify, TuneIn and others is part of this commitment to put KCRW wherever the audience is.

The new weekend schedule will take effect immediately, starting April 20. View the complete schedule at: http://kcrw.com/schedule.

For a complete list on how to listen to KCRW please visit: http://blogs.kcrw.com/pressroom/kcrw-how-to-listen/

Rachel Reynolds
Music Publicity Director, KCRW
310.314.4625
Rachel.Reynolds@kcrw.org

Alyssa King
Communications Director, KCRW
310.314.4627
alyssa.king@kcrw.org

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About KCRW
KCRW 89.9FM is an NPR affiliate serving Southern California and licensed to Santa Monica College. The public radio station represents cutting edge radio at its best, presenting an eclectic mix of independent music, news, talk and arts programming. The terrestrial signal serves Los Angeles, Orange, and V entura counties, as well as parts of San Diego, San Bernardino, Kern, and Santa Barbara counties and the greater Palm Springs area. KCRW’ s programming is internationally renowned and available worldwide at KCRW.com. KCRW offers an all-music channel, Eclectic24, an all news channel and on-air simulcast. . Podcasts and archives of our locally-produced programs and live band performances are available on our website, as well as on our smartphone apps for the iPhone, Android and Blackberry. KCRW’s acclaimed Music Mine app for iPad is dedicated to music discovery.

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