Eastern Michigan University's public radio station, 89.1 WEMU, has changed its weekly lineup, with an emphasis on airing more jazz music.
WEMU expanded its weeknight jazz program, "89.1 Jazz" with Evelynn Hawkins, to five nights a week, adding an hour; dropped PRI's talk program, "Fair Game"; and moved the Latin programs, "Cuban Fantasy" and "Brazilian Sol", to Saturday night. The changes took effect Feb. 18.
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Other changes include dropping NPR's "Fresh Air", with Terry Gross, weekdays at noon in favor of more jazz; "89.1 Jazz", with Linda Yohn, will run until 12:30 p.m.; and "89.1 Jazz", with Michael Jewett, will begin at 12:30 and run until 4 p.m. "The Lynn Rivers Show" will move to Monday at 8 a.m. beginning Feb. 25 (there will be no "Lynn Rivers Show" this week.
"The Roots Music Project", with Jeremy Baldwin, will remain at noon to 2 p.m., Saturday, followed by the addition of PRI's "Mountain Stage" from 2-4 p.m. "American Routes", with Nick Spitzer, will now air Saturday from 4-6 p.m. Marian McPartland's "Piano Jazz" remains in the 6-7 p.m. time slot, followed by "Cuban Fantasy", with Marc Taras, from 7-9 p.m.; and "Brazilian Sol", with Mary Catherine Smith, from 9-11 p.m.
"89.1 Jazz", with Jessica Webster, moves to Sunday afternoons from 3-5 p.m., following "The Grooveyard" with George Klein. "The Big City Blues Cruise", with Joe Tiboni, moves to the 5-7 p.m. time slot, followed by "From Memphis to Motown", with Wendy Wright, from 7-9 p.m. "Blues and Some Other Stuff", with Michael Jewett, airs from 9-11 p.m. "Blues on The Mellow Side", with Doug Cameron, follows from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.
A complete program schedule is available at wemu.org.
"These changes are aimed at increasing the amount of jazz programming on WEMU — the primary reason people tune in — and streamlining the weekday lineup," said Clark Smith, WEMU's program director. "Weekend changes will likewise play to our strengths as indicated by program ratings and fundraising success. Taken all together, we expect these changes to increase our listener appeal, helping us to maintain our current audience while attracting new listeners, and setting WEMU on a solid course for future."
WEMU is a listener-supported NPR and PRI affiliate with format of jazz, local news, blues and roots music in addition to NPR/PRI news, information, and cultural programming. The station broadcasts to an eight county area including all or part of Washtenaw, Wayne, Oakland, Livingston, Jackson, Lenawee, Monroe, and Lucas (OH), Web casts live 24 hours a day, and operates WEMU2, roots and Americana music, as a secondary channel on HD Radio. For more information, call Molly Motherwell or Clark Smith at 487-2229.
