American Public Media™ Launches Word for Word™ June 2
American Public Media
651-290-1113
brobideau@americanpublicmedia.org
American Public Media™ Launches Word for Word™ June 2
High-Caliber Public Affairs Programming Offered to Public Radio Stations at No Charge; Includes Exclusive Audio Broadcasts of National Press Club Speeches
(St. Paul, Minn.) June 2, 2006—American Public Media today announced the debut of Word for Word, a new weekly public radio program that carefully selects and distributes the nation's best speeches on topics timely and relevant to current events. Produced and distributed by American Public Media, and hosted by well-known public radio talent Melinda Penkava, Word for Word is a one-hour program that draws its content from speeches at the National Press Club, the Chautauqua Institution, the Aspen Institute and other notable institutions.
"In a world of sound bites, speeches fill an important need in public affairs programming by offering a unique forum to hear influential and insightful thinkers uninterrupted," said Bill Buzenberg, senior vice president, News, American Public Media, and executive producer of Word for Word. "American Public Media believes strongly in Word for Word as a public service, and we are pleased to offer this program to public radio stations across the country at no charge."
"We've had many radio stations tell us that combining the nation's best speeches into a series is of great value to their audiences," said Tim Roesler, senior vice president for Sales, Marketing and Distribution for Minnesota Public Radio and American Public Media. "Word for Word is another example of American Public Media responding to public radio listener interests and providing listeners with the highest-quality programs."
Word for Word is hosted by public radio veteran Melinda Penkava. She has worked in public radio since 1991, first at WUNC in Chapel Hill and later at National Public Radio, where she was a newscaster, reporter and hosted programs such as Talk of the Nation. In recent years, she hosted WUNC's daily interview and talk program, The State of Things.
More information on Word for Word is available on the program's Web site at www.wordforword.org.
American Public Media™ is the nation's second-biggest producer of public radio programs, reaching 14.2 million listeners nationwide each week. National programs include A Prairie Home Companion,® Weekend America,® Saint Paul Sunday,® Marketplace,® Marketplace Money,® The Splendid Table,® Being® and special reports produced by its national documentary unit, American RadioWorks.® American Public Media is the national production and distribution division of Minnesota Public Radio.® Minnesota Public Radio, along with its sister company Southern California Public Radio, belongs to a larger family of companies within American Public Media Group, a national nonprofit organization whose purpose is to develop resources, services and systems to support public media for public service. A complete list of stations, programs and additional services can be obtained at www.americanpublicmedia.org.
###
Source: Data are copyright Arbitron, Inc. Arbitron data are estimates only.
Spring 2005/Fall 2005 average