Rita Houston Named Program Director of WFUV

On Thursday WFUV General Manager Chuck Singleton named WFUV's longtime music director, Rita Houston, to the position, which has been vacant since Singleton's elevation to general manager last June.

"To all of us at WFUV, to our listeners and members, and to our colleagues in the industry, Rita doesn't need much of an introduction," said Singleton. "She's always been more than just a music director. We're fortunate to have Rita's programming experience, smarts and wisdom, and I look forward to working closely with her in this new role, as WFUV moves forward to realize its potential."

Houston came to WFUV in 1994 from WXPS in Westchester County as midday host. Several years later she became music director and has earned a reputation as a national tastemaker, having been named Music Director of the Year many times (including 2012) by radio industry publications. She is also an ASCAP Deems Taylor Award winner.

As host of The Whole Wide World with Rita Houston, she displays her wide-ranging taste in music and her gifts as an interviewer, with guests as different as Willie Nelson and Bjork. For eight years Houston has curated the FUV Live at Zankel series at Carnegie Hall, and she has played a leading role in station fundraising events, including the annual gala, Holiday Cheer for FUV concerts, and the new series, The Highline Sessions at Del Posto.

"I couldn't be more excited about taking on this bigger challenge," said Houston. "It's a great time for the station. FUV artists like Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers, and Alabama Shakes are becoming stars, and our audience is growing. WFUV is loaded with creative talent, both on and off the air, and I know that working together we'll find more and more ways to connect FUV listeners with the artists we love."