UF expands National Public Radio, local news programming on WUFT-FM

July 2, 2009

GAINESVILLE, Fla.—The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, through its new Division of Multimedia Properties, will expand National Public Radio programming on WUFT-FM and its affiliate station, WJUF-FM, beginning Aug. 3.

The change is part of an overall commitment to expanded national and local news and public affairs coverage to better serve the needs and interests of the North Central Florida area. It will also allow the college to better meet its educational mission by providing improved digital and multimedia training to its students, aligning it with current trends in journalism education.

At the same time, WUFT-FM will boost total time allotted to classical music by featuring it 24 hours a day on its hybrid-digital HD2 signal and by streaming it on its Web site.

“The Internet and digital communications revolution have significantly increased the need for dissemination of high quality news and public affairs programming,” said John Wright, dean of the college. “I made this programming decision after several months of research and data analysis and conversations with management in other public stations, our faculty, station personnel and other media professionals across the nation.

“I am convinced this combination of service will allow WUFT-FM to better serve the public interest of the Gainesville and Ocala communities. Expanded news and public affairs offerings also will better serve the educational mission of the college and align the station more fully with our emerging Center for Media Innovation and Research, which is a digital training ground for our students. I believe that WUFT-FM should be a beacon of national and local news and information for our community in the same manner that our college is a national leader in journalism and digital communications education and research.”

New NPR programs that will now be aired on WUFT-FM include “The Diane Rehm Show,” “Tell Me More,” “On Point” and “Talk of the Nation.” Local news expansion will include the award-winning “Front Page on the Air,” which will migrate from WRUF-AM and air at 4 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Other changes will include a significant expansion of local news coverage on weekends and during major news events and emergencies.

WUFT-FM also will work closely with the Friends of Classic 89 and form a community classical music advisory committee to provide greater listener input into programming and to gain better community perspective.

“I am sensitive to the cultural impact WUFT-FM and its programming has in this community and this solution expands that opportunity,” Wright said.

This change of programming mix at WUFT-FM is part of the overall plan Wright announced recently with the formation of the college’s Division of Multimedia Properties.